The Student Room Group

The Graduate Discussion Thread

Hi everyone :wavey:

This thread has been made in response to my suggestion for a new Graduate Forum section (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2343127&p=42823630).

This is a place for graduates to discuss anything related to life after university, whether it's about starting a graduate job, moving back in with your parents or moving into a new place, here's the place to post it!

I'll start us off by asking what have you been doing since leaving university?

(p.s. this is only in the careers section as it seems the most appropriate place available. This doesn't limit the topic of conversation to careers.)
(edited 10 years ago)

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Reply 1
Since leaving university, I spent 4 months looking for a job/enjoying a bit of summer and taking a break from it all. Eventually I found work through an old manager as an IT consultant, and that's where I am today. I moved back home to save money and I'm currently gaining experience in work and trying to save as much money as I can for the future. I'm finding it quite difficult living at home though to be honest, I got used to living in my own flat last year and I'm dying to have my own space again. So that keeps me motivated to move up the career ladder and aim for a higher salary.
I've just graduated and I'm still struggling wrt finding what I really want to do. I'm employed in a full time grad job that I hate, and I've been wanting to leave and focus more on job applications, though this is seems to generally be received negatively. Not sure how employers would view the gap, though.
Reply 3
Original post by wanderlust.xx
I've just graduated and I'm still struggling wrt finding what I really want to do. I'm employed in a full time grad job that I hate, and I've been wanting to leave and focus more on job applications, though this is seems to generally be received negatively. Not sure how employers would view the gap, though.


What are you employed as? Are you living at home to save money or have you got you're own place?
Reply 4
Original post by biffyclyro27
(p.s. this is only in the careers section as it seems the most appropriate place available. This doesn't limit the topic of conversation to careers.)


Do you think this would be better in Chat as it will be more chattier then? :smile:


Just to introduce myself, I graduated from law with a 2:1 in 2011. Since then I have just been working for a bank. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and it took me until a few months ago to finally decide that I definitely want to be a solicitor. I've been accepted on the Legal Practice Course part-time and I will continue working part-time as well. I moved in with my boyfriend last year and moved to a completely new city, so life has definitely changed since I was a student. I'm currently going back over all my undergraduate law notes to revise ready for my LPC in September! eeeek, nerve wracking! I'm a bit concerned as I've been out of education for nearly 2 years, hope I get back into the swing of studying quick.
Reply 5
Original post by Sazzy890
Do you think this would be better in Chat as it will be more chattier then? :smile:


Just to introduce myself, I graduated from law with a 2:1 in 2011. Since then I have just been working for a bank. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and it took me until a few months ago to finally decide that I definitely want to be a solicitor. I've been accepted on the Legal Practice Course part-time and I will continue working part-time as well. I moved in with my boyfriend last year and moved to a completely new city, so life has definitely changed since I was a student. I'm currently going back over all my undergraduate law notes to revise ready for my LPC in September! eeeek, nerve wracking! I'm a bit concerned as I've been out of education for nearly 2 years, hope I get back into the swing of studying quick.



Yeah maybe it would be better in Chat or something similar as we aren't getting much of a response here. That's why I thought a new forum section would be better as people can actually see it... Nobody knows this is here. But I was told to put it here unfortunately, maybe I can ask them to move it.

What made you want to be a solicitor?
Subbed :smile:
Reply 7
Quick introduction. I graduated last year with First Class in Business and Marketing. Since then I am working for a small company within the renewable energy sector. The best advise I can give anyone is making sure your CV can be the best it can be. Ensuring you have the right skills and qualities when applying for the role and take the opportunity to gain work experience. I can't promise you will get the job, but believe me it will put you in a lot better position to get the interviews. I wish everyone the best of luck!
Reply 8
Original post by yosh12
Quick introduction. I graduated last year with First Class in Business and Marketing. Since then I am working for a small company within the renewable energy sector. The best advise I can give anyone is making sure your CV can be the best it can be. Ensuring you have the right skills and qualities when applying for the role and take the opportunity to gain work experience. I can't promise you will get the job, but believe me it will put you in a lot better position to get the interviews. I wish everyone the best of luck!


Hey, that's good advice, tailoring my CV to every position really helped me to get interviews when I was looking. What is your job role and how long did it take you to find something if you don't mind me asking?
Reply 9
Original post by biffyclyro27
Hey, that's good advice, tailoring my CV to every position really helped me to get interviews when I was looking. What is your job role and how long did it take you to find something if you don't mind me asking?


I work as a Marketing Assistant. It took me countless of interviews and dedication to get the job. I can remember when I graduated this time last year thinking it would be very easy to get into a level entry marketing role. The first thing I recognise was my CV was not the best and took the time to seek advice to make improvements. Once I perfected my CV I got countless calls and opportunities for interviews. That's just the first step, next you got to be prepared to do the interviews and making sure you do plenty of practice. Finally you need a lot of luck! Finally I don’t think I would have got all those interviews without the work experience. Work experience will 99% of the time get you the interview.
I've just left University (a few weeks ago) and am waiting my results, predicted 2:1 or above. I had a horrible experience during September and October applying for graduate training schemes as was turned down for all of them at the second stage because as much as I practiced (and even got help from a careers advisor - it was even above HER maths ability!) I could not pass the numerical tests. So that was the end of that! I have since been constantly job searching for a few months now trying to get a graduate job. I currently work in a retail store that i worked in part-time during my degree (switching to full time now) and so far have been turned down for 2 unpaid charity internships (despite doing a placement at Age UK) and countless other so-called 'entry-level' positions. The only jobs I can find (I use sites like Prospects, Milkround, Guardian Jobs and other graduate job search sites) are teaching positions and cold-calling sales positions. Feeling disheartened!
I graduated last year with a first class History degree from a Russell Group university, where I was also editor of the university paper. Since, I have been doing the Graduate Diploma in Law which I shall be finishing today. Tried applying for lots of vac schemes and training contracts with no luck and find myself in a position where I have no idea what I shall be doing come August/September or what I want to be doing. I don't feel like I have excelled this year, and wonder whether law is for me. I see myself as being more of a generalist than a specialist, which is what the law requires. Naively, I believed that doing the GDL, coupled with my achievements and international work experience would have landed me a vac scheme, but this was mistaken.

I am very ambitious and don't fear hard work (I have been known to have done 16 hour days on a regular basis). I come from a successful family but don't want to rely on their help, but I am at a loss of what I should do. In 15-20 years, I want to be in upper management, maybe even a director of a multinational, but I just have no idea how to get there. This is the career equivalent of writers' block. My 16 year old self was far more assured!

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Good luck to others in the same boat, it is very sobering!
Original post by hollyalamode
I've just left University (a few weeks ago) and am waiting my results, predicted 2:1 or above. I had a horrible experience during September and October applying for graduate training schemes as was turned down for all of them at the second stage because as much as I practiced (and even got help from a careers advisor - it was even above HER maths ability!) I could not pass the numerical tests. So that was the end of that! I have since been constantly job searching for a few months now trying to get a graduate job. I currently work in a retail store that i worked in part-time during my degree (switching to full time now) and so far have been turned down for 2 unpaid charity internships (despite doing a placement at Age UK) and countless other so-called 'entry-level' positions. The only jobs I can find (I use sites like Prospects, Milkround, Guardian Jobs and other graduate job search sites) are teaching positions and cold-calling sales positions. Feeling disheartened!


I hate numerical tests with a passion, theyre used now even for roles in which you may never have to use those skills! So annoying.

I have had to give up on so many internships because of being asked to do these stupid things.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire S
Reply 13
I've just left uni, waiting for my results for my Msci in Chemistry and Physics which i'll get on Wednesday. I've managed to find a graduate job with Kerry foods starting in August which doesn't require a degree classification so not feeling too nervous about the results. I applied for 22 jobs before I got this one, but having been unsuccessful with internships the year before, I'd had plenty of practice of application forms.

The numerical tests I didn't find too bad because of my background in science. Verbal reasoning on the other hand..... Disaster! I think it was fluke everytime I got through
Reply 14
Original post by Antifazian
I hate numerical tests with a passion, theyre used now even for roles in which you may never have to use those skills! So annoying.

I have had to give up on so many internships because of being asked to do these stupid things.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire S


I hate them as well, I've lost out on a lot of places for simply failing them.

Right now I've got an interview with an entry level position at a firm (just made a thread about it) but not really sure if I will actually enjoy it when I know there was a better vacancy out there in the same company.
I've kind of neglected to check this thread as I've been busy lately. But as the thread starter, I feel like I should probably make more of an effort to get more people posting. I might see if we can get the thread moved to University Discussion, as it seems more relevant there. It might be interesting for Uni students to see what they can expect post-uni.

Is anyone else struggling with living back at home? I'm saving money being at home and I can't really afford to move out unless it's a house share, which I don't really want. I just got used to having my own space in my flat in 3rd year at uni and I really miss that freedom. I find the little things annoy me like stuff never being left in the right place, my brother leaving the kitchen/bathroom/house in a mess etc.

Original post by yosh12
I work as a Marketing Assistant. It took me countless of interviews and dedication to get the job. I can remember when I graduated this time last year thinking it would be very easy to get into a level entry marketing role. The first thing I recognise was my CV was not the best and took the time to seek advice to make improvements. Once I perfected my CV I got countless calls and opportunities for interviews. That's just the first step, next you got to be prepared to do the interviews and making sure you do plenty of practice. Finally you need a lot of luck! Finally I don’t think I would have got all those interviews without the work experience. Work experience will 99% of the time get you the interview.


That's cool, I applied for very similar roles when I was first looking for jobs. I was originally aiming for digital marketing assistant as it was something that I was interested in and there seem to be quite a few jobs around me like that. I went for a couple of interviews that I didn't get, but ended up falling into a job as an IT consultant instead, which turned out to be a better role in terms of a future career. I agree that working on your CV is a must, a good CV goes a long way.

Original post by hollyalamode
I've just left University (a few weeks ago) and am waiting my results, predicted 2:1 or above. I had a horrible experience during September and October applying for graduate training schemes as was turned down for all of them at the second stage because as much as I practiced (and even got help from a careers advisor - it was even above HER maths ability!) I could not pass the numerical tests. So that was the end of that! I have since been constantly job searching for a few months now trying to get a graduate job. I currently work in a retail store that i worked in part-time during my degree (switching to full time now) and so far have been turned down for 2 unpaid charity internships (despite doing a placement at Age UK) and countless other so-called 'entry-level' positions. The only jobs I can find (I use sites like Prospects, Milkround, Guardian Jobs and other graduate job search sites) are teaching positions and cold-calling sales positions. Feeling disheartened!


I must admit, I had trouble with the tests when I was applying for my placement. I got a lot of help from my girlfriend to practice, and in the end I managed to blag them. I had to retake the test at the assessment centre too and I was sure that I had failed, but I must have guessed right!

Original post by Judge John Deed
I graduated last year with a first class History degree from a Russell Group university, where I was also editor of the university paper. Since, I have been doing the Graduate Diploma in Law which I shall be finishing today. Tried applying for lots of vac schemes and training contracts with no luck and find myself in a position where I have no idea what I shall be doing come August/September or what I want to be doing. I don't feel like I have excelled this year, and wonder whether law is for me. I see myself as being more of a generalist than a specialist, which is what the law requires. Naively, I believed that doing the GDL, coupled with my achievements and international work experience would have landed me a vac scheme, but this was mistaken.

I am very ambitious and don't fear hard work (I have been known to have done 16 hour days on a regular basis). I come from a successful family but don't want to rely on their help, but I am at a loss of what I should do. In 15-20 years, I want to be in upper management, maybe even a director of a multinational, but I just have no idea how to get there. This is the career equivalent of writers' block. My 16 year old self was far more assured!

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Good luck to others in the same boat, it is very sobering!


Just take it slowly and keep trying, you will get there eventually. Taking a year or more to find a job is not going to harm your overall career prospects. It's just getting your foot in the door. Don't focus so much on your overall career in 15-20 years, just focus on getting a position with a good level of experience now, you can work your way up from there.
A quick update, I now have an interview for an internship with the NHS! Admittedly unpaid, but it's only part time so I would be able to do it alongside my retail job. FINGERS CROSSED. ALL IS NOT LOST FELLOW JOBSEEKING GRADUATES
Reply 17
Original post by biffyclyro27
Yeah maybe it would be better in Chat or something similar as we aren't getting much of a response here. That's why I thought a new forum section would be better as people can actually see it... Nobody knows this is here. But I was told to put it here unfortunately, maybe I can ask them to move it.


I think a new forum section would be better too. I've been checking the Careers and Employment section every day for the past few months but I've only just noticed this thread.

I finished university just over a month ago now. I applied for quite a lot of jobs and a few graduate schemes while at uni and was completely unsuccessful. Right now I'm hurriedly trying to 'upskill' a bit before going back to applications - been doing some slightly more vocational online courses and doing some volunteering in a housing association. Feeling pretty down and hopeless about it all already though. :frown:
*posting to subscribe*

I graduated a loooong time ago ( *cough*2001*cough* ) but interested in offering advise from what I remember - though I don't envy you lot, the job market has changed so much in the last few years.

My interview tip (from sitting on the other side of the desk) is definitely to focus on getting the job offer. Every selection panel I've sat on has picked the candidate that showed the most enthusiasm for the role and the company/team/work. In many cases those were candidates with weaker CVs, weaker presentations/interview skills etc etc.
Original post by PQ
*posting to subscribe*

I graduated a loooong time ago ( *cough*2001*cough* ) but interested in offering advise from what I remember - though I don't envy you lot, the job market has changed so much in the last few years.

My interview tip (from sitting on the other side of the desk) is definitely to focus on getting the job offer. Every selection panel I've sat on has picked the candidate that showed the most enthusiasm for the role and the company/team/work. In many cases those were candidates with weaker CVs, weaker presentations/interview skills etc etc.


I think that's great advice, from what I remember of the assessment centres and other interviews that I went to, the most enthusiastic always got the job (myself included). There were people who obviously knew what they were talking about, but were really un-enthused and seemed kind of bored. Those were the people that always missed out...

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