The Student Room Group

Graduate and jobless.

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:

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Reply 1
What did you graduate in? and what grade? What kind of jobs are you looking for? Happy to settle with anything or are you looking for graduate jobs?
You need to stay active and keep doing something to get a job. Considered taking a computing course or something similar to buffer your CV? Regarding the loneliness are there people you can socialise with at swimming?
I know how you feel. try setting yourself goals in terms of job searching, try and apply for 3 jobs a week giving you a better chance of getting hired. Consider all jobs which you could do, not just jobs which you would want to do. Why not volunteer somewhere? You won't get paid but it will look good on your CV and give you something to do! An employer will look at your CV and will think to themselves 'what have they been doing since June' or whenever you finished Uni. If you can put down something, e.g. volunteering then it will look like you have been doing something and see you as more employable.
Reply 4
Original post by cwd12
What did you graduate in? and what grade? What kind of jobs are you looking for? Happy to settle with anything or are you looking for graduate jobs?


Accounting 2:1
I prefer graduate jobs but everywhere i apply are asking for work experience which i haven't got
Original post by yashradia
Accounting 2:1
I prefer graduate jobs but everywhere i apply are asking for work experience which i haven't got

Want to be an accountant? Register with ACCA/ACA/whatever and maybe take an exam if you can be arsed then put it on your CV
Reply 6
Original post by Tokyoround
You need to stay active and keep doing something to get a job. Considered taking a computing course or something similar to buffer your CV? Regarding the loneliness are there people you can socialise with at swimming?


No, They all are so mean and plus everyone comes in pairs. I am very shy and so people just give me that look and i get so paranoid. everyone is confident and i am not:mad:
Reply 7
Original post by Tokyoround
Want to be an accountant? Register with ACCA/ACA/whatever and maybe take an exam if you can be arsed then put it on your CV


I need money for that hence i need the job
Original post by Reagan Smash
I know how you feel. try setting yourself goals in terms of job searching, try and apply for 3 jobs a week giving you a better chance of getting hired. Consider all jobs which you could do, not just jobs which you would want to do. Why not volunteer somewhere? You won't get paid but it will look good on your CV and give you something to do! An employer will look at your CV and will think to themselves 'what have they been doing since June' or whenever you finished Uni. If you can put down something, e.g. volunteering then it will look like you have been doing something and see you as more employable.


Don't you mean at least ten jobs a day? I was applying none stop and eventually it pays off.. three a week will get you nowhere unless you are holding out for a very specific job. It's best IMO to apply for minimum wage jobs and then look for a more suitable job whilst employed.
Reply 9
Original post by Reagan Smash
I know how you feel. try setting yourself goals in terms of job searching, try and apply for 3 jobs a week giving you a better chance of getting hired. Consider all jobs which you could do, not just jobs which you would want to do. Why not volunteer somewhere? You won't get paid but it will look good on your CV and give you something to do! An employer will look at your CV and will think to themselves 'what have they been doing since June' or whenever you finished Uni. If you can put down something, e.g. volunteering then it will look like you have been doing something and see you as more employable.

I don't mind volunteering at all but i am very shy and sort of scared too. I tried looking on the net on finance field but none of the firms are looking for one :frown:
Original post by yashradia
I don't mind volunteering at all but i am very shy and sort of scared too. I tried looking on the net on finance field but none of the firms are looking for one :frown:

Look on efinancial careers, they usually have some good jobs on there, I got my job from a vacancy there.

Will your parents not help you at least pay for registration with an accounting body? I understand exams and tuition can be expensive too but having it on your cv will show to employers you're focused on a career and i'm assuming with a 2.1 accounting degree you have some exemptions.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 11
A lot of people are in the same (or a similar) boat. I graduated LAST year (Biology, 2:1) and I've been stuck in my rather rubbish retail job since. Plenty of people I know from Uni are also having the same issue -- working in jobs they could easily get without a degree (retail, bar work, etc.) while hoping something better comes up.

So, not only are you competing with graduates from this year in this awful economy, but you are competing with those who graduated last year and even the year before that and beyond. Getting a good job appears to be down to luck these days.

What I will say is that any job is better than no job as at least you will have some money coming in. You may have to omit your degree from your CV if you wish to land a retail job. Most retail places are not going to hire someone like a graduate, knowing they will bugger off at the first whiff of a better opportunity (which would be understandable, obviously).

Try not to spend all day in front of the laptop. I know that is easier said than done when you have nothing to do, but it won't make you feel any better. Go for long walks, help around the house (I find cleaning and cooking new things to be satisfying for some very odd reason!) and as others have mentioned, look into the possibility of volunteering. Even if it is just walking the dogs at your local rescue centre -- it will get you out and about, give you something to do and something to put on your CV to fill in the gaps.
Reply 12
Original post by yashradia
I don't mind volunteering at all but i am very shy and sort of scared too. I tried looking on the net on finance field but none of the firms are looking for one :frown:


Not being harsh but this is what is holding you back. You have just got to get over this and get out there, I spent much of my childhood years acting in this way until I realised I couldn't go on acting like that forever as it was stopping me from doing things I wanted to do!
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 13
Original post by Tokyoround
Look on efinancial careers, they usually have some good jobs on there, I got my job from a vacancy there.

Will your parents not help you at least pay for registration with an accounting body? I understand exams and tuition can be expensive too but having it on your cv will show to employers you're focused on a career and i'm assuming with a 2.1 accounting degree you have some exemptions.


well dome getting a job. I take your field is Finance? I looked at the website and even internships are asking for work experience let alone proper jobs. I am very shy and not doing anything for a month has led me to lack of confidence and believing in myself. OMG i am going mental.
As for studying further, i think i am going to have word with my family.
Original post by Reagan Smash
I know how you feel. try setting yourself goals in terms of job searching, try and apply for 3 jobs a week giving you a better chance of getting hired. Consider all jobs which you could do, not just jobs which you would want to do. Why not volunteer somewhere? You won't get paid but it will look good on your CV and give you something to do! An employer will look at your CV and will think to themselves 'what have they been doing since June' or whenever you finished Uni. If you can put down something, e.g. volunteering then it will look like you have been doing something and see you as more employable.


Can I just say, I love your avatar!!!!!! :colondollar:
Here is a website which has a ton of volunteering opportunities. I know its tough and looking for jobs and not getting hired can really get you down. I really think you should get out the house and do something whilst looking for jobs. Have a look and believe in yourself. Vounteering can be extremely rewarding and will help you boost your confidence which will help you in the long run and look great on your CV. Good luck.


http://www.do-it.org.uk/
Original post by x8Charlotte8x
Can I just say, I love your avatar!!!!!! :colondollar:


Thank you! Mr Darcy :love:
Original post by yashradia
well dome getting a job. I take your field is Finance? I looked at the website and even internships are asking for work experience let alone proper jobs. I am very shy and not doing anything for a month has led me to lack of confidence and believing in myself. OMG i am going mental.
As for studying further, i think i am going to have word with my family.

Yep I work in the financial services.

You could look for jobs as a payroll/pensions/finance/accounts payable administrator or along those lines, once you're in, use your wages to self-fund your exams (extreme case get a career development/graduate loan), take annual leave to study and once you've passed a few i'm sure you could move up or go to another company with the added experience and exam passes. You got a 2.1 which is a good achievement you should be proud of. It's hard graduating, having to move back home and everything. Just stick it out and keep sending applications, I'm sure you'll be on track soon.

SAGE is something I see all the time on accounts vacancies, do you have any experience with it? Maybe during your degree? Might be worth researching a bit and getting a rough idea how it works so you can put it on your cv and answer a few questions if asked.

Working on your shyness and confidence issues may help when it comes to interviews, even the brightest graduates are completely unemployable if they can't cope in an office environment and communicate with co-workers/clients. Maybe try some of the volunteering the others have suggested, getting out of the house and meeting people wouldn't hurt.
Original post by Tokyoround


SAGE is something I see all the time on accounts vacancies, do you have any experience with it? Maybe during your degree? Might be worth researching a bit and getting a rough idea how it works so you can put it on your cv and answer a few questions if asked.


This is a massive stumbling block when applying for entry-level work. They all want SAGE line 50 experience, and unfortunately despite paying £9k to a university they didn't give us this opportunity. I have considered just lying about it. Looking at videos on youtube it is very basic and basically spells everything out for you. But if quizzed I might stumble on it :colondollar:
Original post by original_username
This is a massive stumbling block when applying for entry-level work. They all want SAGE line 50 experience, and unfortunately despite paying £9k to a university they didn't give us this opportunity. I have considered just lying about it. Looking at videos on youtube it is very basic and basically spells everything out for you. But if quizzed I might stumble on it :colondollar:

Did you also do an accounting degree? Pretty weird that on a course geared towards being an accountant, universities don't at least introduce such a widely used piece of software. Shame really!

You could try and "acquire" a copy to play around with and do some online tutorials (assuming they exist)

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