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We graduated 2:1 from Bath 2 years ago and haven't gotten a single job offer since...

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did you not do a placement?
Reply 81
OP needs to broaden her competence skills. Sounds like she has none.
Don't know if the OP is looking for work in psychology or not, but there a few things that are really helpful to think about.

The first is to develop links with mentors and people who are a little further ahead than you. When I was first starting out in my psychology career, I was lucky enough to meet a few people who were academics who I got on with. They knew me enough to write references, keep an eye out for jobs and provide advice.

I guess I am on the other side of that fence now, and have met undergrads and fresh grads who have impressed me enough to keep in mind when new jobs appear on the grapevine. It's usually the grads that stand out by showing their motivation, intelligence and who I generally enjoy talking to. I can't in good faith give a reference to every undergrad who I may come across in a classroom or volunteer in a clinic, but I feel I could do with the ones I do get to know.

Second important thing is having a clear plan to a final goal, with achievable sub goals as milestone, and lots of contingency plans if Plan A doesn't work out. This is especially true in psychology where it is competitive, but probably applies to most things. I think where a lot of graduates go wrong is that they have a huge goal (e.g. a place on a DClinPsy course) but no real plan about how to build upto it. Its then all too easy to drift and just mill around without making any progress.

Some of it is also about being canny and doing your research. The best sort of experience is the kind that is transferable to several settings. While developing a specific skill may be useful for a single goal, having a more wider applicable skill can help for your plan B. A good example of this is getting a stopgap job in a teaching assistant compared to temping in an office, even if you don't know what you want to do in future, as the exposure will look good for a educational psych application, working for a charity, social work training in the future.

What do psychology students expect, honestly?

Baffles me.


I expected to become a psychologist, and it worked for some of us.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 83
Original post by Medic1992
My mate got a 2:1. He was doing pharmacy. He still hasn't got a job.....


yeah pharmacy is dead. Too many universities offering pharmacy degrees, too many pharmacists graduate, fewer permanent jobs left, more locum pharmacists for fewer locum hours.
I forgot to add that you have to stick with volunteering, that can lead to a paid position. You are better off getting on friendly terms with people this way. Its all about who you know. Sucks but its true unless you are lucky.
Reply 85
Original post by JobHelp
My friends and I graduated from Bath in 2010 in Psychology. Most of us have 2:1s, some have 2:2s and one person I know got a first. My friends and I are in London. Some of our friends are still in Bath.

Aside from working a few temp min-wage cleaning/retail/data-entry jobs none of us have gotten decent/relevant jobs. We even have problems getting these kinds of jobs.

I have decided to post on this forum after googling and finding this thread from someone with a very similar problem: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1772590

I went to the Guardian job fair in 2010 and 11 and had my CV checked by their experts and aside from a couple minor issues my CV was good. I have lots relevant volunteer work experience. Like the other poster we also have problems with a lot of job applications in Psychology will reject you and offer you an unpaid volunteer position instead.

Is this just a common thing now that we have to accept? Or are we doing something wrong?


You really need a PhD to work in the field of psychology; a BSc doesn't cut the mustard.
Original post by fnm
16,000 people go on to start psychology at uni each year (UCAS). Only Law is more popular. There's no way near enough jobs in psychology. But people seem to think you can do anything with a psychology degree, LOL.


Depends, but aren't most graduate positions avaliable to all applicants who have at least a 2.1?

They don't specify any particular degrees :dontknow:
Original post by internet tough guy
Depends, but aren't most graduate positions avaliable to all applicants who have at least a 2.1?

They don't specify any particular degrees :dontknow:


No, no-one has compiled statistics on what degrees graduate positions require because the task would be enormous and also quite pointless.

The closest we have is the AGR survey which represents only a select few graduate recruiters. The danger is that many students extrapolate this to represent every graduate recruiter.
Original post by Smack
No, no-one has compiled statistics on what degrees graduate positions require because the task would be enormous and also quite pointless.

The closest we have is the AGR survey which represents only a select few graduate recruiters. The danger is that many students extrapolate this to represent every graduate recruiter.


Right, but I have flicked through a few graduates jobs brochures and websites (e.g. nhs management positions), and there does seem to be quite alot of vacancies that literally just says, ''2.1 in any degree'', and I would've expected that anyway because unless you're applying for something technical or niche, I can't imagine why for example an economics degree would be much more advantageous than a history or geography degree for a job that doesn't require any knowledge in those subjects.
Original post by JobHelp
My friends and I graduated from Bath in 2010 in Psychology.


Stopped reading there.

:lol:
Reply 90
Original post by original_username
Lol, would have thought inner Birmingham was on another continent to the outskirts the way he acted after the so what transport do you have question.Need to phone one bloke back tomorrow, more of the same I bet.

I never know how to act on the phone to these recruitment agency guys:rolleyes:


First time I've gone through an agency for me. On their application form they asked me how much alcohol I drink on avg a week which I answered with 7 units??, and under IT skills and Speed, I just put 'Quick', lol. I must come across a right berkshire hunt; still points for banter mind.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by internet tough guy
Depends, but aren't most graduate positions avaliable to all applicants who have at least a 2.1?

They don't specify any particular degrees :dontknow:


.........but have you seen how few grad positions are now available to basic science and art students? :frown:
This country has a massive problem with a huge number of grads with very very few grad positions, but no one tells students this until it is far too late.


Original post by yothi5
OP needs to broaden her competence skills. Sounds like she has none.


It doesn't matter is she did have good skills, there are thousands of other grads with more experience and better degrees than her. It is just a **** time to be looking for a job.

Original post by nish81
I know very few people in natural science (inc. engineering), economics/business, and law courses, who've had trouble finding jobs. There's definitely a correlation, if not causation, between the two


Rubbish sorry.
Everyone I know who has graduated law does not have a job, and these are people who have the experience, interview well, and got good results from good uni's.
I think Law is the new psychology for oversubscribed yet no jobs.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by internet tough guy
Right, but I have flicked through a few graduates jobs brochures and websites (e.g. nhs management positions), and there does seem to be quite alot of vacancies that literally just says, ''2.1 in any degree'', and I would've expected that anyway because unless you're applying for something technical or niche, I can't imagine why for example an economics degree would be much more advantageous than a history or geography degree for a job that doesn't require any knowledge in those subjects.


That's just the tip of the iceberg. Companies only looking for graduates from certain degrees wouldn't waste their money on mass media advertising when most of the people they will reach don't have the degrees they are looking for. For example the company that gave me a grad job offer who were only looking for one degree discipline only advertised positions to a select few universities who ran relevant courses.
Reply 93
Original post by JobHelp
Nope, I have relevant work experience, but it is all volunteer work.


That's not what your OP said.

Also, your attitude stinks. Why "should" you have a job? You're not entitled to anything, least of all by doing a degree. Many other graduates can seemingly get jobs with a psychology degree- maybe its you that you need to look at, and not whinge about your degree on here.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Smack
That's just the tip of the iceberg. Companies only looking for graduates from certain degrees wouldn't waste their money on mass media advertising when most of the people they will reach don't have the degrees they are looking for. For example the company that gave me a grad job offer who were only looking for one degree discipline only advertised positions to a select few universities who ran relevant courses.


But for your average office type graduate job (which I reckon probably makes up half if not most of the graduate vacancies), I can't see why they will specifically look for people who done a degree in say nuclear physics or chemical engineering. What was the job offer that you had anyway, was it a technical position? because if so, I wouldn't be surprised at all that they only looked for one degree discipline.
Original post by gurkin123
That's not what your OP said.

Also, your attitude stinks. Why "should" you have a job? You're not entitled to anything, least of all by doing a degree. Many other graduates can seemingly get jobs with a psychology degree- maybe its you that you need to look at, and not whinge about your degree on here.


she was just looking for some advice here, jeez....
Reply 96
Typical Tsr. Make fun of a degree that you only have ignorant assumptions of...


The problem isn't necessarily your degree. It's more the fact that you aren't significant to employers. Many employers too make ignorant assumption about Psychology. Work experience is different fields in likely to get you noticed by regular employers. Not just psychology sounding experience.


Like a few have said, to do proper work in Psychology you need to be specifically skilled etc. Placements in Uni can assist this but post graduates are really what companies are looking for. So many people are looking for the same job so obviously the more educate you become the more likely you are to get chosen. It also shows dedication. Anyone can do a psychology degree. It's pretty broad and doesn't necessarily mean you are properly interested in working in the fields of Psychology. Post grad certification can take years. Lots of time and energy as well as money but it makes you a lot more 'legit'

I'd recommend asking people in the jobs you aspire to, for advice or just for them to tell you of their experiences. It is likely to be slightly different due to the people in these jobs being educated awhile back when things were different but there is nothing wrong with a mentor. Network network network.

I think you also need to set clear goals and get out there. Job sites wont cut it. Hit the streets; and yes you may get many rejections. Don't get down though. Many people with degrees can't find jobs. Even law and science graduates. So it's not just a ~Psychology~ thing.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Inkerman
You're a psychology graduate.

Am I the only one that's NOT surprised by the OP's predicament.


Heheheheehehehehehehe...I can't wait till you graduate.
You think you're special. Got it all sorted. Know the answer to unemployment.

:teehee:
Are any of you interested in mental health nursing? A PgDip takes 2 years and the fees are paid by the NHS. In the meantime, consider HCA work in mental health.

www.jobs.nhs.uk/index.html

The PgDip course would be incredibly competitive but is a very good career choice.

My heart sinks when I hear of all the people doing psychology degrees these days. I am a mother of 4 (youngest going to university in October) and all of them have had friends who did psychology. Few found related jobs. If you want to do clinical psychology, you need a 1st and be accepted on the highly competitive PhD programme. As an alternative, one can do mental health nursing and perhaps go for psychotherapy in the future. It is an interesting time to work in mental health.

Many will disagree with me, but I also have to say that the money is very good. In London, the starting salary for a newly qualified MHN is just under £25k!
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by geetar
Have you been applying for stuff outside psychology? It's a pretty small field, and there are a lot of psychos out there.


I like how you refer to people studying psychology as psychos

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