The Student Room Group

Graduate and jobless.

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Reply 40
Original post by Sea7645
If you really have to ask this there is no hope for you.

You think the only thing to life is to go to school, earn a qualification, and then become a worker bee? :confused:

How can you say that? That's you thinking not mine.... you said it
Original post by A Mysterious Lord
This 100%.

I did much better than most people I went to uni with yet I'm still looking and they all walked straight into graduate jobs (one even FAILED his degree so entered as a school leaver) - the reason? There was a company who recruit graduates and anyone who applies is guaranteed a job - so why didn't I apply?

The reason is simple, they required 12 weeks compulsory unpaid training and after that you're locked in for two years, if you leave or are fired you need to pay £5k in training costs. No big deal about being locked in for two years, a graduate job is a long-term commitment, the problem was the 12 weeks unpaid training; all my mates lived around Manchester where the company was based and so could actually commute every day (9-5 training), whereas I live in Lancashire (Preston) and it was going to cost me £650+ to commute during that time.

They even rang me up after I'd graduated to say they had graduate opportunities available. It went something like this:

Them: Good afternoon XXXXXX, we have found your CV.... we have graduate positions available...
Me: Aha, but am I right in saying it requires 12 weeks unpaid training?
Them: You will be required to undertake 12 weeks technical skills development, yes
Me: If it's unpaid, how am I supposed to commute?
Them: Erm..., erm....

I hung up.


total respect for hanging up on them!

it drives me up the wall when companies try to dress up something that's rubbish as something good. If they are that keen on investing in their staff then they will support you to do the blummin training!

I've been unemployed for a while now. I don't get bored because I like my food, my boxsets and my sofa :smile: I miss going out socially but I wouldn't go as far as saying that I feel alienated (not most days anyways).

I believe I'm doing all I can that is reasonable. I do find it depressing sometimes but at other times I think "well I'm trying my best so what more can I do?" Besides, there are a lot of people in this situation so I know that I'm not failing as an individual and that a lot of people are going through the same thing.
Reply 42
Original post by A Mysterious Lord
This 100%.

I did much better than most people I went to uni with yet I'm still looking and they all walked straight into graduate jobs (one even FAILED his degree so entered as a school leaver) - the reason? There was a company who recruit graduates and anyone who applies is guaranteed a job - so why didn't I apply?

The reason is simple, they required 12 weeks compulsory unpaid training and after that you're locked in for two years, if you leave or are fired you need to pay £5k in training costs. No big deal about being locked in for two years, a graduate job is a long-term commitment, the problem was the 12 weeks unpaid training; all my mates lived around Manchester where the company was based and so could actually commute every day (9-5 training), whereas I live in Lancashire (Preston) and it was going to cost me £650+ to commute during that time.

They even rang me up after I'd graduated to say they had graduate opportunities available. It went something like this:

Them: Good afternoon XXXXXX, we have found your CV.... we have graduate positions available...
Me: Aha, but am I right in saying it requires 12 weeks unpaid training?
Them: You will be required to undertake 12 weeks technical skills development, yes
Me: If it's unpaid, how am I supposed to commute?
Them: Erm..., erm....

I hung up.



You don't deserve the job because of your ignorance. You chose to apply for this job knowing its unpaid training requirements. Not applying saves everyone time when you know you don't want the job.

And why did you apply for a job in Manchester when you're living in Preston? Either you relocate or don't apply that far away. Don't give commuting expenses as an excuse.
What's the actual percentage of graduates that are out of work after Graduation?
Original post by yashradia
This is just for people who have graduated and are looking for job. How do you deal with the changing process? My life is so rubbish, I sit at home and feel so depressed. I have no friends as i studied in a different city, I always sit on my laptop getting bored and my head hurts and i have got mental illness like anxiety, lack of confidence. Anyone going through similar stage? I hate every second of this time and its so upsetting because i am such a positive person. I do go swimming once a week but even that is turning out to be expensive and yes because i have no job i have no money. I feel so useless and pointless in life:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:


OMG I can so relate to this dude. Seriously just keep tellling yourself that there is nothing wrong with you, that many people are going through this at the moment. Its the f******** recession. We are now what they call the lost generation i.e. the unlucky ones to graduate into such a slump
Original post by da_comeback
OMG I can so relate to this dude. Seriously just keep tellling yourself that there is nothing wrong with you, that many people are going through this at the moment. Its the f******** recession. We are now what they call the lost generation i.e. the unlucky ones to graduate into such a slump


lol
Reply 46
Original post by AestheticOverload
What's the actual percentage of graduates that are out of work after Graduation?


This was on BBC yesterday about 70%rise in 3 years something like that
I wonder why you get people on this forum who are still in 6th form or university and never had a proper job in their lives, wanting to give abuse to people who are struggling to find work, telling them they aren't looking hard enough etc.

It's the same posters on all these type of threads saying the same useless things
- you haven't got a job because your uni was rubbish
- being unpaid isnt an excuse for not taking a job
- you should take loans or something to fund an unpaid job
Original post by MagicNMedicine
I wonder why you get people on this forum who are still in 6th form or university and never had a proper job in their lives, wanting to give abuse to people who are struggling to find work, telling them they aren't looking hard enough etc.

It's the same posters on all these type of threads saying the same useless things
- you haven't got a job because your uni was rubbish
- being unpaid isnt an excuse for not taking a job
- you should take loans or something to fund an unpaid job


The same people will be starting exactly the same threads in 3/4 years time and complaining about muppets with no idea of how the real world works giving poor advice/ feedback. :colondollar:
Original post by original_username
The same people will be starting exactly the same threads in 3/4 years time and complaining about muppets with no idea of how the real world works giving poor advice/ feedback. :colondollar:


Exactly, I look forwards to seeing how all of these "if it was ME on the dole I'd be doing EVERYTHING it took to get a job, if that meant applying to 30 jobs a day, then travelling 2 hours each way to do an unpaid internship while I took loans for the first two years to get experience then that's what I'd do" change when they find out what the job market is like. They probably assume that they are going to get graduate jobs because they are "organised" like that. But they may be in for a shock.
Reply 50
move to london, loads of jobs here. You can earn £25k+ without any degree doing admin roles and then move around in the company. With a fast typing speed and good presentation you could even earn £30-40k. Or try getting a job as an estate agent, work yourself into a west end agency and you could be on £60k+I kid you not. Another option is media sales, they tend to be commission only but are worth it if get the knack of selling or got the gift of the gab. The top sales guy in my team could pull in £15k a day in commission. The most I pulled in a day was £3k.
If all else fails, do market research, they are always looking for people.
I've got no degree and i've never been jobless other than the times I intentionally chose not to work
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Wahala
move to london, loads of jobs here. You can earn £25k+ without any degree doing admin roles and then move around in the company. With a fast typing speed and good presentation you could even earn £30-40k. Or try getting a job as an estate agent, work yourself into a west end agency and you could be on £60k+I kid you not. Another option is media sales, they tend to be commission only but are worth it if get the knack of selling or got the gift of the gab. The top sales guy in my team could pull in £15k a day in commission. The most I pulled in a day was £3k.
If all else fails, do market research, they are always looking for people.
I've got no degree and i've never been jobless other than the times I intentionally chose not to work


Here we have it. The answer to all my problems.

/sarcasm
Reply 52
Original post by original_username
Here we have it. The answer to all my problems.

/sarcasm


whateva dude, dunno how things work in 'Varrock' but if you are jobless in london I sure know where to look.
& to recent grads, if you are looking for admin work to tie you over till you find something, remove your masters & phd's they do you no favours. We used to put such CV's in the NO pile. If you are a recent grad remove your degree too, it isn't really a positive signpost, it signals you won't be around for very long or atleast you don't hope to be.... Read the job description very carefully & tailor your cv to the role you are looking for.
Original post by Wahala
whateva dude, dunno how things work in 'Varrock' but if you are jobless in london I sure know where to look.
& to recent grads, if you are looking for admin work to tie you over till you find something, remove your masters & phd's they do you no favours. We used to put such CV's in the NO pile. If you are a recent grad remove your degree too, it isn't really a positive signpost, it signals you won't be around for very long or atleast you don't hope to be.... Read the job description very carefully & tailor your cv to the role you are looking for.


You're blasé attitude of just move to London and get a job isn't realistic for the majority of people.
Reply 54
Original post by original_username
You're blasé attitude of just move to London and get a job isn't realistic for the majority of people.

My bad. Those options are still likely to exist in your nearest big city. If you live in a very remote area with little or no industry then again apologies. I would probably be jobless too, probably the reason why I feel tied down in London when I would rather live elsewhere.
Original post by Wahala
My bad. Those options are still likely to exist in your nearest big city. If you live in a very remote area with little or no industry then again apologies. I would probably be jobless too, probably the reason why I feel tied down in London when I would rather live elsewhere.


I live in the second city. It is easier said than done even getting a crappy admin job when you have to in the most part go through an agency to do so. The problem we have at the moment is that for every job a young person goes for there's someone 24+ that's also applying for the same job. Tough times but I'll keep plucking away and will hopefully be volunteering in a role that will increase my employability soon.
Reply 56
Original post by Wahala
whateva dude, dunno how things work in 'Varrock' but if you are jobless in london I sure know where to look.
& to recent grads, if you are looking for admin work to tie you over till you find something, remove your masters & phd's they do you no favours. We used to put such CV's in the NO pile. If you are a recent grad remove your degree too, it isn't really a positive signpost, it signals you won't be around for very long or atleast you don't hope to be.... Read the job description very carefully & tailor your cv to the role you are looking for.


Where kind Sir?
OP, I'm in the same position, so I definitely know how you feel :console:. I hope things look up for you soon enough.

Original post by Jim-ie
I was unemployed for a long time until I started working casually for an agency and got myself enough shifts to manage.

Worked in call centres, hotels, bars, homeless hostels, nursing homes and anything else I could manage to get, applying to MANY jobs.

"Graduate jobs" are a bit pointless, a lot of them are contracts, unpaid training, and they don't live up to the promise they get, and everyone applies for them.

Find something that is different but works with your degree, and do whatever work you can to get some money, or volunteer for a charity doing paperwork and get experience and transferable skills.


Would you mind sharing the name or link of this agency you worked for, please? :biggrin: I'm really struggling to get a job, and have signed up to a number of agencies, but not heard from any yet.
Original post by Wahala
move to london, loads of jobs here. You can earn £25k+ without any degree doing admin roles and then move around in the company. With a fast typing speed and good presentation you could even earn £30-40k. Or try getting a job as an estate agent, work yourself into a west end agency and you could be on £60k+I kid you not. Another option is media sales, they tend to be commission only but are worth it if get the knack of selling or got the gift of the gab. The top sales guy in my team could pull in £15k a day in commission. The most I pulled in a day was £3k.
If all else fails, do market research, they are always looking for people.
I've got no degree and i've never been jobless other than the times I intentionally chose not to work


I live in London and haven't had any luck so far in getting a job. I don't see how living in London would make much difference; OK yeah maybe there are more jobs, but the population here is also massive, making the competition for jobs just as hard.
Original post by MagicNMedicine
- you should take loans or something to fund an unpaid job
I've seen that one before. Made me laugh.

So when loans are so hard to get banks are just going to offer one to somebody with no job? PC world needed my pay slip for a £300 laptop that I couldn't be bothered paying for upfront (I did in the end). You can only get loans if you can prove that you don't actually need them.

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