Graduates - post here if your work and jobs so far are not as you expected or hoped
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Original post by Callum828
Still wouldn't surprise me if a hairdresser's wages were above the average graduate starting salary these days.
Perhaps, but good high paying graduate jobs are out there. It's down to the individual to get one.
Original post by lazyswot
I'm going to apply for 3, possibly 4 of those. Thanks! 
I think pay for a lab tech is good for a first job out of uni, so I don't know what that other person was talking about. Would you expect to earn £40K a year straight off the bat?? £18-23K is good, IMO. I don't know what the prospects are like for career progression after that, but surely once you have experience you go for the higher paid chemist jobs, still with lab work but with more knowledge required? You don't just stay a lab tech forever.
I think what I might do, just as insurance in case it is difficult to get a better job a step up from lab tech, is study German more, do some sort of qualification in translation or German classes in my spare time, since I have an A-level in it. Then by the time I want to move on from being a lab tech, if I'm finding it difficult to go up that career ladder I can go into scientific translation for scientific patents, articles, etc. (I already speak French but German is more useful in science) That pays well, I think. More like 35K, could be more depending on the languages you know.
So. That is my plan. Good plan?
I think pay for a lab tech is good for a first job out of uni, so I don't know what that other person was talking about. Would you expect to earn £40K a year straight off the bat?? £18-23K is good, IMO. I don't know what the prospects are like for career progression after that, but surely once you have experience you go for the higher paid chemist jobs, still with lab work but with more knowledge required? You don't just stay a lab tech forever.
I think what I might do, just as insurance in case it is difficult to get a better job a step up from lab tech, is study German more, do some sort of qualification in translation or German classes in my spare time, since I have an A-level in it. Then by the time I want to move on from being a lab tech, if I'm finding it difficult to go up that career ladder I can go into scientific translation for scientific patents, articles, etc. (I already speak French but German is more useful in science) That pays well, I think. More like 35K, could be more depending on the languages you know.
So. That is my plan. Good plan?
I think this is an excellent plan
employers love a second language (I speak German too 
). I used to live in Basel, Switzerland, which is like the european epicentre of the pharmaceutical and argrochemical industry and they speak (swiss) german there. If you moved there you would get an exceptionally well paid job because swiss wages are some of the highest in the world, and the swiss franc is strong. Even if you don't move there, companies will like that you speak german because so much of the chemical industry is based in german speaking countries.Doing lab work will open up other doors for you too. My friend got his phd because he had experience in industry, working in a lab.
This makes me feel like I'm going to end up a hopeless bum with a first in maths. I'd like to think if the economy becomes that bad then everyone's screwed. Not that it'll help.
Original post by wanderlust.xx
This makes me feel like I'm going to end up a hopeless bum with a first in maths. I'd like to think if the economy becomes that bad then everyone's screwed. Not that it'll help.
What year you in at uni? If I were a Maths student I would be very tempted by the Teach first grad scheme, take a look.
As for me. Graduated in July now working 24 hours a week doing accounts for a company. Boring, uninteresting and nowhere near challenging enough.
Original post by original_username
What year you in at uni? If I were a Maths student I would be very tempted by the Teach first grad scheme, take a look.
As for me. Graduated in July now working 24 hours a week doing accounts for a company. Boring, uninteresting and nowhere near challenging enough.
As for me. Graduated in July now working 24 hours a week doing accounts for a company. Boring, uninteresting and nowhere near challenging enough.
I'm in my final year. I thought about teach first, but it honestly does feel like giving up, going into teaching. I've been told time and time again that I'd be a great teacher/tutor/lecturer but I guess my heart wouldn't be in it unless I was doing something I loved, and if I were to do something I loved I'd need to be a lecturer... and I'm nowhere near as good as maths as that.
I'd love to teach if I was given as much of a salary as, say, an Actuary, but it's just implausible. Working in a company just feels grown up I guess.
Original post by wanderlust.xx
I'm in my final year. I thought about teach first, but it honestly does feel like giving up, going into teaching. I've been told time and time again that I'd be a great teacher/tutor/lecturer but I guess my heart wouldn't be in it unless I was doing something I loved, and if I were to do something I loved I'd need to be a lecturer... and I'm nowhere near as good as maths as that.
I'd love to teach if I was given as much of a salary as, say, an Actuary, but it's just implausible. Working in a company just feels grown up I guess.
I'd love to teach if I was given as much of a salary as, say, an Actuary, but it's just implausible. Working in a company just feels grown up I guess.
I didn't mean to start a career as a teacher, I just meant to do the 2 years and then move on. They have partner firms from pretty much every desirable industry like accenture for actuary I think?
I wouldn't consider it straight away, but it's food for through at least. I might apply for the next cohort but haven't done Maths since A2
Have you applied to the NHS scientist training programme? There's a biochemistry scheme which you sound like you'd have a pretty good chance at getting an interview for. I'm a final year student in biomed at Coventry Uni and I have an interview for the clinical haematology scheme. Training salary is 25.5k and they pay for you to do a master degree. Sounds pretty good to me. Failing that have you thought about doing some top up modules and training to become a biomedical scientist in clinical chemistry? Starting salary is around 22k. The opportunities are out there, you just have to look hard for them.
Original post by wanderlust.xx
This makes me feel like I'm going to end up a hopeless bum with a first in maths. I'd like to think if the economy becomes that bad then everyone's screwed. Not that it'll help.
You are way better off than almost everyone if you have a maths degree. brush up heavily on your statistics. Go learn programming if you dont know it already. Then apply for the hedge funds/ financial institutions as a junior quant. Quants are highly in demand for high frequency trading strategies now.
best yet is to do a PHD in mathematics, you will be beating trading firms away with a stick.
Maybe - but a big golden-hello, a couple of reasonably well paid years, experience, training and CV padding is as good a reason as any. Just like any other job.
It would be nice to think all people do their job for the greater good and to sincerely put others and their interests first. That bankers really want to help you save money, that the salesman doesn't just care about commission, that the police only care about upholding the law and job center staff all only do it because they truly, deeply, really care about their clients. But we all know that's BS, and 'doing it for the right reason' is something teachers certainly don't have a monopoly on.
A wage and progression are the reason most people do their job.
And Teach First, if i didn't have something better to do, sounds like quiet a good deal.
That said, whoever said they'd feel like having failed if they took up teaching...grow the F up.
And getting a maths PHD will not mean you'll wake up in the morning with the city of London camped on your doorstep and you'll be able to pick at your leisure over breakfast. Yes, you'll have the prerequisites...but they do not a job offer make...
It would be nice to think all people do their job for the greater good and to sincerely put others and their interests first. That bankers really want to help you save money, that the salesman doesn't just care about commission, that the police only care about upholding the law and job center staff all only do it because they truly, deeply, really care about their clients. But we all know that's BS, and 'doing it for the right reason' is something teachers certainly don't have a monopoly on.
A wage and progression are the reason most people do their job.
And Teach First, if i didn't have something better to do, sounds like quiet a good deal.
That said, whoever said they'd feel like having failed if they took up teaching...grow the F up.
And getting a maths PHD will not mean you'll wake up in the morning with the city of London camped on your doorstep and you'll be able to pick at your leisure over breakfast. Yes, you'll have the prerequisites...but they do not a job offer make...
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Jelkin
snip
I've seen you around here quite a bit over the past year and a half or so, and now that I'm about to graduate the prospect of finding a job is ever increasingly apparent.
You seem like a really bright, talented and interesting person to talk to, and it seems to come as no surprise that you managed to make it into an actuarial firm, to be honest. It feels like you're the total polar opposite of what I am!
I guess I don't know why I decided to quote you. I guess in three weeks time, once my exams are over, I'm going to have to look into a career and actuarial work looks more and more appealing. I hated statistics at A level but having done it at uni and seen some of the stochastic processes, it looks a little more interesting and a little easier than it used to.
I guess it'd be nice to walk into a graduate job with a first and a few extra curriculars, but I'm sure that's not how it works.
Original post by Cigarist
You are way better off than almost everyone if you have a maths degree. brush up heavily on your statistics. Go learn programming if you dont know it already. Then apply for the hedge funds/ financial institutions as a junior quant. Quants are highly in demand for high frequency trading strategies now.
best yet is to do a PHD in mathematics, you will be beating trading firms away with a stick.
best yet is to do a PHD in mathematics, you will be beating trading firms away with a stick.
I would love to do a PhD in something like quantum theory or dynamical systems because it's all really fascinating, but there really are people who are much cleverer than I am; if TSR is even the slightest indication, there's tonnes of graduates pouring out of university who are way more intelligent, so I really do feel as though I won't be cut for a PhD, regardless of what I get in my exams right now.
As far as the maths degree goes... I'd like to think I'm better off than everyone else, but it doesn't feel as though that's true any more. Joe with a 2:1 in media with some charm and charisma seems to win any day of the week.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Sharri5
Too much laziness in this thread
I so agree with you.
I got 4 graduate job offers and I have a 2.1 from Aston (hardly the most reputable institution). Everyone needs to man up and get on with it, the jobs are there!
Original post by M1011
I so agree with you.
I got 4 graduate job offers and I have a 2.1 from Aston (hardly the most reputable institution). Everyone needs to man up and get on with it, the jobs are there!
I got 4 graduate job offers and I have a 2.1 from Aston (hardly the most reputable institution). Everyone needs to man up and get on with it, the jobs are there!
Wow well done!
Can I ask which subject your degree was in? I only know of one other Aston graduate on here and she had a solid offer for a job in her field lined up before she graduated too.
Aston's good, but it just goes to show that uni rep is nowhere near as important as people here make out. I can even see it being a hindrance in some cases, people thinking the world owes them a job because they went to Bristol instead of UWE (or whatever).
Original post by xmarilynx
Wow well done!
Can I ask which subject your degree was in? I only know of one other Aston graduate on here and she had a solid offer for a job in her field lined up before she graduated too.
Aston's good, but it just goes to show that uni rep is nowhere near as important as people here make out. I can even see it being a hindrance in some cases, people thinking the world owes them a job because they went to Bristol instead of UWE (or whatever).
Can I ask which subject your degree was in? I only know of one other Aston graduate on here and she had a solid offer for a job in her field lined up before she graduated too.
Aston's good, but it just goes to show that uni rep is nowhere near as important as people here make out. I can even see it being a hindrance in some cases, people thinking the world owes them a job because they went to Bristol instead of UWE (or whatever).
BSc Business and Management. Opened up a lot of doors in my experience, I'm going to be joining Deloitte later this year. Aston have a strong graduate employment record as all business students do an industrial placement, which provides a useful experience to draw upon in interview.
I'm going to apply some psychic power here, was the other student you mentioned in the ..... IT field? Perhaps .... some sort of consulting? Maybe ....... Capgemini?
Original post by M1011
BSc Business and Management. Opened up a lot of doors in my experience, I'm going to be joining Deloitte later this year. Aston have a strong graduate employment record as all business students do an industrial placement, which provides a useful experience to draw upon in interview.
I'm going to apply some psychic power here, was the other student you mentioned in the ..... IT field? Perhaps .... some sort of consulting? Maybe ....... Capgemini?
I'm going to apply some psychic power here, was the other student you mentioned in the ..... IT field? Perhaps .... some sort of consulting? Maybe ....... Capgemini?
Nice one!
Your psychic power needs work
It was actually Hannah_Dru who studied German and Translation and then got offered a translating job. I think it was with the same company that she did her placement year with, which like you say is a huge advantage.Original post by xmarilynx
Nice one!
Your psychic power needs work It was actually Hannah_Dru who studied German and Translation and then got offered a translating job. I think it was with the same company that she did her placement year with, which like you say is a huge advantage.
Your psychic power needs work
It was actually Hannah_Dru who studied German and Translation and then got offered a translating job. I think it was with the same company that she did her placement year with, which like you say is a huge advantage.Ah completely off then, worth a go, might have been them!
Original post by M1011
I so agree with you.
I got 4 graduate job offers and I have a 2.1 from Aston (hardly the most reputable institution). Everyone needs to man up and get on with it, the jobs are there!
I got 4 graduate job offers and I have a 2.1 from Aston (hardly the most reputable institution). Everyone needs to man up and get on with it, the jobs are there!
Sorry to interrupt this little love in.
A quick addition of the total number of graduates, minus the number of 'graduate' jobs would show you that whilst there are job there aren't enough of them to go around everyone. Otherwise this thread wouldn't exist would it.
Yes there are people applying for and getting jobs, but for every one of them there are many more not getting it. Nothing to do with manning up.
Well done on your job, try not to let it make you become any more of an ignorant ******** though eh?
Original post by original_username
Sorry to interrupt this little love in.
A quick addition of the total number of graduates, minus the number of 'graduate' jobs would show you that whilst there are job there aren't enough of them to go around everyone. Otherwise this thread wouldn't exist would it.
Yes there are people applying for and getting jobs, but for every one of them there are many more not getting it. Nothing to do with manning up.
Well done on your job, try not to let it make you become any more of an ignorant ******** though eh?
A quick addition of the total number of graduates, minus the number of 'graduate' jobs would show you that whilst there are job there aren't enough of them to go around everyone. Otherwise this thread wouldn't exist would it.
Yes there are people applying for and getting jobs, but for every one of them there are many more not getting it. Nothing to do with manning up.
Well done on your job, try not to let it make you become any more of an ignorant ******** though eh?
My point is there are jobs to be had, if you want them go and get them. Work hard, do some extra curricular's, get some experience and prepare very well for interviews. That's how people land graduate jobs in my experience.
My issue is with people who seem generally shocked that they don't have a job simply because they have a degree. A degree isn't an automatic job, nor should it be. Now if someone does all of the above and still doesn't get a job, well then fair enough they can complain, but I doubt that applies to the majority on this thread.
Another thing, you point out that there are more graduates then graduate positions. Well positions aren't given out at random, so make sure you're a better then average graduate and you shouldn't have a problem finding a half decent job. If you're a below average graduate and can't find a job, well whose fault is that?
Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my little love in
I graduated with a science degree from an ex poly so expected to be against the odds for jobs. Within 6 months or so I had more interviews and opportunities than my friends with 2:1's from arguably better universities and in reasonable fields. One of them had a Masters.
Currently in an 18k a year job doing analysis for a company. It's quite good pay given that it's a zero stress job however it's bad pay overall as you can progress much higher in science (for permanent staff doing the same thing, they get 27k).
In university you learn about a lot of amazing things such as recent innovations, technology and techniques which are incredibly interesting and the thought that you'll be qualified to at least talk about these things gets you through. The reality is that getting somewhere requires a hard start and it's when you have a pretty **** job that you know when to try for a good one. If you get a great job from the offset then good for you. More often than not you'll have to do some gash graduate jobs to get experience and then lead on from there.
Your CV will get you noticed, your personality will land you an interview and being persistant gets you a job. Classification, where you went and what you did helps but it's not as essential as you might think (unless you're in some sort of horrendously elitist field such as law, investment banking, being some politician etc.). Don't settle for something you don't want to do, keep looking, keep asking, keep applying. It's soul destroying after the millionth application but when you get a reply, it's cream in your pants territory.
As what I'm doing isn't what I can see myself doing for another couple of months, let alone years, I'm going back to University to do a Masters. Got offered a place from a 'proper' university and it opens up a lot more doors.
Currently in an 18k a year job doing analysis for a company. It's quite good pay given that it's a zero stress job however it's bad pay overall as you can progress much higher in science (for permanent staff doing the same thing, they get 27k).
In university you learn about a lot of amazing things such as recent innovations, technology and techniques which are incredibly interesting and the thought that you'll be qualified to at least talk about these things gets you through. The reality is that getting somewhere requires a hard start and it's when you have a pretty **** job that you know when to try for a good one. If you get a great job from the offset then good for you. More often than not you'll have to do some gash graduate jobs to get experience and then lead on from there.
Your CV will get you noticed, your personality will land you an interview and being persistant gets you a job. Classification, where you went and what you did helps but it's not as essential as you might think (unless you're in some sort of horrendously elitist field such as law, investment banking, being some politician etc.). Don't settle for something you don't want to do, keep looking, keep asking, keep applying. It's soul destroying after the millionth application but when you get a reply, it's cream in your pants territory.
As what I'm doing isn't what I can see myself doing for another couple of months, let alone years, I'm going back to University to do a Masters. Got offered a place from a 'proper' university and it opens up a lot more doors.
(edited 12 years ago)
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