Is it just me or are graduate schemes for arts students kind of dull?

Most jobs are pretty dull, but I'd imagine it's better having a dull job that pays well and has good career progression (initially at least) than having a dull job that is also a dead end.

I'm a copywriter, and I don't think that's especially dead end.

But working in Tesco as a shelf stacker is a lot more dead end than being on their graduate scheme.

I've never applied for a grad scheme, and I know there are a few interesting looking ones out there - like being a buyer or something - and I think the case is a little different for people who want to work in, say, finance/science or whatever. However:

Most graduate schemes just look achingly dull to me, so I don't really understand why they're so competitive. I know they pay well and are with big, well-known companies, but seriously - I don't want to go to university to work as a retail manager in Tesco. Or even in Tesco headquarters.

(I know there are cooler companies, but mostly it seems to be big retail chains and the civil service - at least if you're an arts grad.)

Anyway, am I missing something here, or do most people quite like the idea of working in management, or what?

Sure, but I just mean that it sometimes seems like graduates are much more keen on graduate schemes than just... jobs. There are plenty of jobs which aren't shelf-stacking and also aren't graduate schemes, and lots of them are a damn sight more interesting than being head of something or other in Tesco HQ.

Sure, but I just mean that it sometimes seems like graduates are much more keen on graduate schemes than just... jobs. There are plenty of jobs which aren't shelf-stacking and also aren't graduate schemes, and lots of them are a damn sight more interesting than being head of something or other in Tesco HQ.

I think you have pretty much hit the nail on the head. Most graduate schemes are about learning to sell crap or reduce costs. The context and environment changes but little else.

[...] Simply not true.

I put this to the test. I looked at the first five companies on Milkround offering graduate opportunities in my region. Two were accountancy related (i.e. cutting costs [sorry, being tax 'efficient']). The other three ran a number of graduate schemes. But only one from each company was not related to cutting costs and selling crap. AkzoNobel is the best example to use. They have five schemes: Commercial (Marketing) Graduate, Commercial (Sales) Graduate, R&D Graduate Programme, Finance Graduate and Purchasing Graduate. The only one which is probably not soul destroying for the OP is the R&D programme, which of course they are ineligible for, and has far higher entry requirements than any of the others!

It is just the world we live in to be honest.

I'm just going to throw this out there, Tesco isn't the only place offering a graduate scheme. What are these more interesting jobs you speak of that can't be reached through grad schemes?

Are you actually implying that the only way into an 'interesting' job is through a graduate scheme?

No, I'm not implying that by any means. Didn't say that and certainly didn't mean to infer it. However I do raise an eyebrow to someone who implies graduate schemes as a whole are dull. I'm interested to hear what these interesting jobs are that can't be reached through graduate schemes, as I imagine it's a thoughtless, baseless statement.

I agree, I hardly think that grad schemes are dull. I imagine they are challenging and are a great opportunity. I do see where the OP is coming from though. I think what the OP is trying to say is that the majority of graduate schemes are in retail/finance, and in the OP's opinion, these roles are fairly dull. I don't necessarily agree with that fully, as I think it's down to personal preference largely. But there is definitely something dull about working for a company like Tesco, even if you are top of the chain! But then again, only someone who has done a grad scheme like that and know what it involves can pass a proper judgement on this.

but when idealistic 13 year olds say what they want to do for a living when they grow up and graduate from Oxford, they don't say 'I want to work in the finance/marketing department at Tesco, John Lewis, or Cadbury's.'

This is a pretty fair and balanced view and not dissimilar to what I was trying to say; I'm not saying nobody can find these things interesting, but when idealistic 13 year olds say what they want to do for a living when they grow up and graduate from Oxford, they don't say 'I want to work in the finance/marketing department at Tesco, John Lewis, or Cadbury's.'

When I say interesting jobs, I suppose I mean a) jobs which bear relevance to your degree - I did state in the OP that finance and chemistry grads etc. may find better graduate schemes, and obviously law students will apply for law jobs. But even for the rest of us English, History and Philosophy grads, why don't we intern for positions in museums, galleries, libraries. Why not work in a creative advertising agency where you deal with creating advertising campaigns for 12 dynamic and interesting companies every year rather than joining Sainsbury's marketing department? Why not work your way up to the BBC, or become a technical author, or a copywriter, or a curator, or - if you like politics - apply for paid positions in charities and organisations which match your ideologies?

I'm not saying I'm surprised anybody ever applies for graduate schemes; I'm just saying I don't really understand why even graduate schemes at, say, Tesco, are as competitive with the 'best of the best' as they are at least portrayed to be.

[...] I, for one, want to use my Criminology/Psychology degree and pursue a career within Criminal Justice, which is going along with what you are saying in the second half of your post. It seems almost a waste that graduates with such specific, tailored and interesting degrees are opting to do more general graduate schemes. But then again in this economic climate, when 25k starting wage is being offered to you, then I can see the appeal. Personally, I would prefer a job where I can use my strengths and interests over some form of John Lewis or god knows where else graduate scheme that pays well.

Lol @ the people in this thread talking about the boringness of graduate jobs like they could just walk in and out of them and choose whichever they want based upon their interest in the field. Newsflash people, most of us who have graduated in 2012 or will be in the next few years are going to be lucky to even get into a graduate job, let alone a really interesting one. Beggars can't be choosers.

Showing your in depth understanding of accountancy there.. Moving on, you consider Marketing to be selling? It's hardly the same thing. Finance is only cutting costs? That's a ridiculous simplification. Purchasing is selling/cost cutting? No more so than R&D really.