4 Months and Counting - Unemployment Continues

Try seven months of being a couch potato after graduating, i'm three months ahead of you been to almost 10 interviews/assessments days and failed each one miserably
I totally agree there is plenty jobs out there for graduates but being employable enough for them is an entirely different ball game, need much more to bring to the table than your degree.

The hiring process for most grad jobs are one great way to make you feel like a failure despite having a 2.1 degree; it takes real skill to get through them from the long winded interviews to the ridiculous aptitude tests.
I've actually spent quite a few bob buying "assessment center revision material" but nothing prepares me for the pressure of taking tests in an assessment center. Only advice I've been given is to go back and practice my skills but i'm just not prepared to learn gcse maths again or improve my "abstract reasoning skills" when the job i want to do will not even require those skills. So I've just been trying non graduate jobs, where i'm also rejected because of a lack of experience, catch 22!

Good Afternoon!

As the thread suggests I've been unemployed for 4 months after leaving teacher training and struggling to find a graduate job.

Now I have applied for lots, as despite popular belief, there are actually many opportunities for most graduates!

But still, actually finding those opportunities, passing the screening, phone interviews, face to face interviews and sometimes further stages is a whole different story.

Feeling quite down today so I wondered if anyone else would be willing to share their graduate unemployment sorrows?

If anyone is interested, I graduated with a First Class in Education Studies with Psychology and have minor experiences within the employment world of typically student part-time jobs. Recently looking to break into the Recruitment Industry and naturally specialise in the Education Sector.

I've been struggling since August to get a job, so I feel your pain. Like you I've found plenty of jobs to apply for and I've only gone for ones requiring a cover letter and interview, but unless its an area I'm really interested in I struggle to articulate why I want to work there. I have managed 6 interviews but I'm rubbish at them, especially when asked a question I was not expecting, they don't reflect my competence in the workplace.

Thank you for sharing your sorrows! It's so hard isn't it! I totally agree that interviews do not always reflect your ability and it is so frustrating as it just comes down to interview skills in some cases. Then again, many of the jobs I've been going for have many stages that assess your abilities; if I get a call back for one of them , I'll be doing a presentation next!

Similar to you, I find it hard to write a convincing application for jobs to which I just want to do for the experience. I don't really want to lie and pretend that working for o2 has always been my dream or selling insurance is what I've wanted to do since I was a little boy; in actual fact, this is just something I need to do to hopefully be considered for a role I actually want to do.

May I ask, what was your degree in and what area of work are you looking into?

Thanks again for sharing! I'm loving the opportunity to rant. Really expecting someone to tell me off soon ..

Undergraduate Degree was in International Relations, Masters in International Public Policy. Ideally I'm looking for entry level policy positions and contrary to what most people seem to think, there are actually quite a number of vacancies.

Fantastic qualifications to have! What kind of experience have you got? Has it just been the interviews that have let you down? For me, as many graduates, it's the experience!

It's mostly been the interview- I've got a fair amount of experience- two mini research projects which I undertook at local councils and now over a years worth of office based experience as a volunteer administrator at two charities. I've had specific feedback post interview and I've tried hard to act on it but there is always one thing or another I forget in the high pressured environment of the interview and with typically 10 people being shortlisted for each vacancy I've gone for you have to get everything perfectly right.

Oh I'm sorry to hear you haven't got anything yet! So much more experienced and educated than myself; additionally you're reflecting on the feedback given to you.

I bombed an interview last month and kicking myself ever since, for the most part I do ok at interviews but it can still be tough as the competition is fierce!

But it is a shame for yourself as it does seem you have the knowledge, the initial experience and the attitude to get it. What has the feedback been so far?

My feedback is ironically positive but just more experienced candidates have been picked. Interviews have liked I've brought in my notes and that I do research the role, company and even the interviewer really solidly.

Oh thats such annoyingly vague feedback, I've been lucky to get such specific feedback most of the time. After my second interview I was told I hadn't answered some of the questions well. They also said I hadn't researched them well enough despite me spending ages on their website looking through everything they did. Fourth interview apparently my answers weren't long enough and the other person was more passionate about the area they work in- its not that I wasn't, I just didn't get it across! Fifth again the other person was more passionate about the area they work in, I had a really good answer prepared but I just forgot it during the interview. Sixth I haven't formally been rejected yet but I felt like it was obvious I wasn't experienced enough- I had to talk far too much about uni as they asked about competencies I've not demonstrated in the workplace.

You've brought notes into interview? Do you look at them when your asked a question?

When researching a company, I never try and memorise anything if that helps? I just let my natural learning commence and talk about not just what I know but how I came about knowing that:

"Reading on your website I found ... "
"Oh I did snoop your Linkedin on how you progressed in the company and .."
"I looked on Glassdoor to look for opinions on working for your company and I wondered .. "

Not read off them like a script but this isn't any law suggesting you can't do it. Just an unwritten law that apparently it would be like cheating?! Never understood it. When asked a question I can be like

"Oh! *looks at sheet* I was looking into this and I think I would fit into this well given the way you do things, it's interesting to compare this to how *competitor* also.*

They've always liked my research and the fact I've brought it in. Some people have frowned at me and just like you they ask "can you even do that?!"

There is no reason why you can't. It's simple, I did some research, I kept note of what I found, of the questions that was raised and the links I created that refer to my competencies. I can't mememorise them all nor does it really reflect a reality, we all need notes.

Interesting. See I always thought they'd just think I wasn't sincere enough. Most of the interviews I've had though have been more focused on me than them though. Only in one did I get asked to say what I knew about them, the others were like 'so firstly a bit about us bla bla bla' now about you 'why do you want this role' then 'tell me about your work experience' or 'give me a time when you've done x.' As rubbish as my memory is, if I don't attempt to memorise an answer then I can't easily answer coherently- I can't put the information I have in my brain together quickly enough to answer a question well.

FailedTeacher, forward me your CV (redact person info) and let me take a look.

Also, talk to me about sticking points. What are you particularly struggling with? Selection, interview process, assessment?

If you narrow it down, I'll get some tips for you.

jelly1000, that applies to you also. I have graduated in the same discipline so I probably know a bit about aligning your academic credentials into the working environment.

FailedTeacher, forward me your CV (redact person info) and let me take a look.

Also, talk to me about sticking points. What are you particularly struggling with? Selection, interview process, assessment?

If you narrow it down, I'll get some tips for you.

jelly1000, that applies to you also. I have graduated in the same discipline so I probably know a bit about aligning your academic credentials into the working environment.

Thank you for responding and sharing your sorrows. I feel as if I will be trying 7 months as hopelessness is setting up camp! I don't know about you but I hate assessment centres, some of which are badly run. Mass amount of candidates, inefficient means of assessment that can be not consistent and only ever a snapshot. Worse off all, as my research found, they always ring you up and talk how you're suited towards this really attractive looking role with a fantastic looking client which never seems to be the case.

Anyway, enough ranting. Have you got anything in the pipeline at the moment? I have applications with two big companies but again, I don't think they will lead to anything and similar to you, I'm struggling to get anywhere with non-graduate roles too!

If you don't mind me asking, what are you looking to get into and what was your degree in?

Thanks again for your response!

What area of work are you looking in to? What was your degree in?

It's the interview I'm having the most trouble with tbh

What is it about the interview you're struggling with? For me I used to lack confidence.
But now ever since being in stable employment (moved from temporary to permanent employee) I can 'brag' about what I can actually do...