[Choo.choo]

(Original post by Johnny Luk)

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You have the job market well sussed.

[TooLaidBack]

(Original post by Dog4444)
Just curious, what was you degree? Geography?

This actually had me laughing out loud!

[hothedgehog]

(Original post by rock_climber86)
Hi,

I am a Geophysics grad of 2010 and not been able to get meaningful grad work. Just done a few months temping here and there. I feel like i'm never going to get a proper job and am always going to be doing lame temp jobs/retail work for my whole life.

Does anyone else feel that due to this recession they will be left behind? I've had a pretty crap two years and i'm starting to feel that i'm never going to get on the career ladder . So worried I've decided to use my savings from the temp job to do a masters for a year in Petroleum Geophysics, hoping it'll give me some vital work experience and hopefully land that elusive job! Not counting on it though!

Post your stories/views of if you think your life will ever pan out!

I just want to say to you that I've just graduated from Geology at a Russell Group uni and I know all of the geophysicists in my year. All of them, without fail, have managed to achieve job offers for graduate work straight out of university. There must be something you've done wrong with your applications because geophysicists are so scarce and there are lots of roles open. In fact, I've just interviewed for a geophysicist role! There's definitely graduate geophysicist work out there, make sure you big yourself up and sell yourself well - bring out as many positives as you can from everything you've done. You don't need the experience either - it'd be beneficial but you don't need it, plenty of our geophysicists didn't have any experience and they still got roles.

[wanderlust.xx]

(Original post by thegaffer91)
Can I just ask what university you were at? The obvious answer to your rant is that the onus should be on you to find out about careers, the roles available and when you need to apply. Surely there were careers fairs and whatnot that suggested you may need to apply early?

Everyone at your university may have thought that, but this was not the case at most of the top universities.

Of your points in the last paragraph, I 100% disagree with the first point, and 100% agree with the second.

How would you propose to " allow graduates into work without this yearly recruitment drive"? You can't force companies to employ people, many of them already hire tens if not hundreds of graduates. But there needs to be a lot more done by careers services to prepare people for employment. The vast majority of the information I and others gained about employment came from my own personal research or from the relevant societies.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9300

Oh don't get me wrong, there were two careers fairs and one or two talks on graduate roles... but nothing much else. If anything, isn't it the career service's role to get students thinking about the future? The best way to do that would have been to explain that we're in a recession and times are tough regardless of your degree choice. Instead, they chose to let maths students graduate with the idea that they'll definitely find a job if they apply for enough places and get a 2:1.

Frankly, it's ridiculous. I've noted at least two people coming on TSR getting a 2:1 or higher from a fantastic institution in maths, only to be unemployed for over a year purely out of bad timing and failure to apply during their final year. I understand that many more will find it difficult to look for jobs for other reasons (lack of experience, 2:2 or lower, no family contacts) but shouldn't a career's service be much like the NHS? Avoid casualties if you can help it. This, they could have helped. But they didn't. They let it slide. They should have instilled some graduate horror stories in there to get people to panic a little more or something so that we'd get a little more motivation.

The thing is, many finalists have no idea what to do, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't apply. If they actually get into places and realise what they do or don't like, then they could really start getting an idea of what works for them.

(Original post by Chapeau Rouge)
I know what you mean, but the fact is graduate schemes are so overhyped that even if you had been applying you most likely would have been in the exact same situation come September but with a potentially lower degree grade. I can count the number of people I know on a graduate scheme on one hand which for a redbrick uni is quite frankly ridiculous.

I guess it makes me feel better that there are definitely others in the same situation. And I agree, not many students got on schemes from my year either. From the relatively high number of people that I knew of since I was a council rep, I only know of about three people who actually got into a scheme. One got into Deloitte audit through constant networking, one's an Investment Banker because his cousin worked at the firm, and another's a trainee accountant somewhere because her dad knew some people. Got to love nepotism over skill. Out of the three, only the investment banker had a genuine passion for what he did and actually knew what he was doing. The other two didn't have a clue, and there are at least 5 other people I could name off my course who knew what they wanted but just didn't have the right contacts.

It's a right shame.

[ForKicks]

(Original post by wanderlust.xx)
Oh don't get me wrong, there were two careers fairs and one or two talks on graduate roles... but nothing much else. If anything, isn't it the career service's role to get students thinking about the future? The best way to do that would have been to explain that we're in a recession and times are tough regardless of your degree choice. Instead, they chose to let maths students graduate with the idea that they'll definitely find a job if they apply for enough places and get a 2:1.

Frankly, it's ridiculous. I've noted at least two people coming on TSR getting a 2:1 or higher from a fantastic institution in maths, only to be unemployed for over a year purely out of bad timing and failure to apply during their final year. I understand that many more will find it difficult to look for jobs for other reasons (lack of experience, 2:2 or lower, no family contacts) but shouldn't a career's service be much like the NHS? Avoid casualties if you can help it. This, they could have helped. But they didn't. They let it slide. They should have instilled some graduate horror stories in there to get people to panic a little more or something so that we'd get a little more motivation.

The thing is, many finalists have no idea what to do, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't apply. If they actually get into places and realise what they do or don't like, then they could really start getting an idea of what works for them.




I guess it makes me feel better that there are definitely others in the same situation. And I agree, not many students got on schemes from my year either. From the relatively high number of people that I knew of since I was a council rep, I only know of about three people who actually got into a scheme. One got into Deloitte audit through constant networking, one's an Investment Banker because his cousin worked at the firm, and another's a trainee accountant somewhere because her dad knew some people. Got to love nepotism over skill. Out of the three, only the investment banker had a genuine passion for what he did and actually knew what he was doing. The other two didn't have a clue, and there are at least 5 other people I could name off my course who knew what they wanted but just didn't have the right contacts.

It's a right shame.

I agree that the careers service should provide more of a 'timetable for application' and some uni's do email this to students. I think you over emphasise the lack of knowledge students have with regards to the job market. The media has been bombarding us with these horror stories and statistics since the recession began, not to mention the fact that everyone has access to this knowledge via the internet and older relatives/friends who have found out themselves. I think the careers service reiterating these dangers would have little effect. You are right that too many have an 'it won't happen to me' attitude, but that will always be there.

As for nepotism, that always rises when the job market becomes terrible. I guess it is just a families emergency measures as it were. No one likes or wants to resort to it, but when there is no alternative it's what happens. It is unfair but is a natural consequence of a crap job market.

[Smack]

My uni's careers service sends daily updates of graduate job positions available, is linked in with Target Jobs so that updates about graduate scheme openings and deadlines are sent out daily, and keeps a database on a huge range of local, national and international companies that are advertising openings, many of which are only advertised to selected universities.

But a good careers service can only go so far... and if you need them to bombard you with recent graduate horror stories to get you to even apply for jobs then you're probably not well suited to employment anyway.

And you're not entitled to getting onto a graduate scheme just because you have a first from a top X university either.

[M1011]

(Original post by Chapeau Rouge)
Contacts seem to be the only way in unfortunately. My friend is trying to get into law and would be a fantastic lawyer, however not being a member of an old boy network appears to be a major hindrance. Everyone I know currently in a graduate role has got there through being recommended by someone they knew in the company, in one case they failed the grad scheme interview but luckily got put forward for another position. And then the two I know who got into Deloitte both had relatives who worked in the company! Just got to hope it improves soon, at the moment I'm just trying to think of everyone I know in a decent job, seems if you can't beat them you just have to join them

Contacts helps, but don't fool yourself in to believing they are necessary. They aren't. Keep at it.

[rock_climber86]

Got the PESGB handbook in front of me....going through it exhaustively trying to find oil and gas companies in london. Will then be sending them e-mailing asking about internships! Wish me luck people! Doubt i'm going to get a paid job this summer so i'm hunting for relevant internships/work experience placements processing geophysical data! ...if anyone has any additional tips let me know! Ta

[ForKicks]

(Original post by rock_climber86)
Got the PESGB handbook in front of me....going through it exhaustively trying to find oil and gas companies in london. Will then be sending them e-mailing asking about internships! Wish me luck people! Doubt i'm going to get a paid job this summer so i'm hunting for relevant internships/work experience placements processing geophysical data! ...if anyone has any additional tips let me know! Ta

Do you specifically want to work in London?

[rock_climber86]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Do you specifically want to work in London?

I don't mind where i work post masters but if it's unpaid internship/work experience placement It'll have to be in london as that's where I live and I don't have money to blow living in another city and doing unpaid work!

[ForKicks]

(Original post by rock_climber86)
I don't mind where i work post masters but if it's unpaid internship/work experience placement It'll have to be in london as that's where I live and I don't have money to blow living in another city and doing unpaid work!

Fair enough!

I wouldn't limit it to one industry, as all forms of energy would use geophysical data, as would mining companies and the companies that do environmental reports etc..

[rock_climber86]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Fair enough!

I wouldn't limit it to one industry, as all forms of energy would use geophysical data, as would mining companies and the companies that do environmental reports etc..

just called a random canadian company using skype...they have a legal office in the uk but not data processing centre ...it's fun talking to people with foreign accents - wonder how hot she was! Canadian chicks are well hot

[Smack]

(Original post by rock_climber86)
I don't mind where i work post masters but if it's unpaid internship/work experience placement It'll have to be in london as that's where I live and I don't have money to blow living in another city and doing unpaid work!

Oil & gas internships pay pretty well - some over £500 per week. I would be surprised of there were unpaid internships in this industry to be honest.

You probably will have to move out of London as much of the upstream side of the industry is not based there.

I also think it's a bit late to be getting an internship this summer given that it's almost August already. Most that I've seen start in late May or early June... by the time you start it'll be time to finish again so you can start your masters!

[rock_climber86]

(Original post by Smack)
Oil & gas internships pay pretty well - some over £500 per week. I would be surprised of there were unpaid internships in this industry to be honest.

You probably will have to move out of London as much of the upstream side of the industry is not based there.

I also think it's a bit late to be getting an internship this summer given that it's almost August already. Most that I've seen start in late May or early June... by the time you start it'll be time to finish again so you can start your masters!

I was made redundant in june. So harm in trying tbh. It's between applying for work experience/internships and wasting time applying for retail/data admin jobs which i'm doubtful of getting because i'm going back to uni and because i'm over qualified. Wish me luck

[ForKicks]

(Original post by rock_climber86)
I was made redundant in june. So harm in trying tbh. It's between applying for work experience/internships and wasting time applying for retail/data admin jobs which i'm doubtful of getting because i'm going back to uni and because i'm over qualified. Wish me luck

Do you start back in September?

[rock_climber86]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Do you start back in September?

october got 2 months to kill!

[ForKicks]

(Original post by rock_climber86)
october got 2 months to kill!

Big energy companies are more likely to have a process which will be longer than 2 months. If you are going down the speculation route, small consultancies will be the way to go

[rock_climber86]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Big energy companies are more likely to have a process which will be longer than 2 months. If you are going down the speculation route, small consultancies will be the way to go

yup i know! I'm just contacting small/mid size companies and seeing if i can get stuff speculatively around the london area. There are some companies i've never even heard of before. Actually there are lots of such companies! lol

[isawsparks89]

I only graduated a month ago and I feel awful already for living under my parents' roof not working. Have written 20-30 cover letters, sent off loads of cvs, and nothing back. I feel utterly hopeless which is further worsened by my mum and younger sister patronising me, and my mum trying to hold me back while I'm trying to apply for jobs and I just need to get out I HATE being dependent on them, I want to put my degree to good use.

I'm just already reaching a point where I'm tired by writing lengthy cover letters when I know I won't get a response. Is anyone else feeling THIS?

[Choo.choo]

(Original post by isawsparks89)
I only graduated a month ago and I feel awful already for living under my parents' roof not working. Have written 20-30 cover letters, sent off loads of cvs, and nothing back. I feel utterly hopeless which is further worsened by my mum and younger sister patronising me, and my mum trying to hold me back while I'm trying to apply for jobs and I just need to get out I HATE being dependent on them, I want to put my degree to good use.

I'm just already reaching a point where I'm tired by writing lengthy cover letters when I know I won't get a response. Is anyone else feeling THIS?

Have you been applying for jobs since last year at the earliest?
If not, you should have.
I'd try to do something constructive whilst you look for work, as employers will ask you what you did when you weren't working, and you have to be ready to say you did such and such.
Don't have any periods of inactivity.