How many recent uni finishers have got jobs?

Project assistant for a health study.

Project assistant for a health study.

For people who have just finished uni, how many of you have managed to find a decent full time job??

I finished in May, got a first in History (pointless degree in hindsight!) and got 3 A's at A level and A*'s and A's at gcse but keep getting turned away from the most basic admin jobs. Some say its a lack of office experience, some probably think I won't stick around for long with my educational background (which is true as I hope to progress quickly). But it's so disappointing to have worked so hard and not be able to get interviews for jobs starting at around £16/£17k. Fortunately I work part time in a shop which I've been working in for 3 years so I am earning yet I can't help but feel down about it.

How have you guys got on? Have any of you come straight out of uni and landed a job earning over £23k?

I am not trolling, merely stating facts about how average history is doesn't make one a troll. No surprise op has no job with that silly degree.

This might not be what you want to hear. Within the next few months you are going to get a reality check. Having a history degree - I have something similar - does not entitle you to anything nor does it mean that you will be able to do any 'menial' job out there. You have a degree, but unless you have failed to mention it, you do not have any office experience. A lot of graduates will kid themselves that employers will feel intimidated by them and their academic prowess. It is true that they might be trying to avoid candidates who appear to be biding their time before being snapped up by someone else, but the far more likely explanation is that the graduate in question lacks basic office experience and the skills required by such a job. Can you manage a spreadsheet, for example? Don't think that 1 in History from some prestigious university is going to cut the mustard in everything. This isn't a criticism of arts degrees - like I said, I have one myself - but it's probably time you learned some practical skills.

So, tell me how to get that 'initial office experience'. I am sorry, but unless you can offer advice on how to get round the 'catch 22' your advice is IMO, not helpful, respectively.

Its not a pointless degree, unfortunately on TSR you will just get unhelpful comments on here trying to reinforce that opinion.

It took me nearly 5 years out of uni to get a graduate job. I did have other jobs in the meantime but they were admin jobs. The market since 2007 has been tough and struggles to get a job are down to lack of demand in the economy not down to you as a graduate not being good enough, your degree being wrong or there being too many graduates, as back in the early 2000s you would have probably picked up a grad job quite easily.

The hardest mental challenge is staying positive and not getting depressed about it as that kills your job search and makes you feel miserable. The way you fall in to that kind of depression is by eroding yourself away through negative thoughts and then saying them to people too about not being good enough, wasted your time at uni etc. I know its hard not to get like that but you have to be careful as that will knock you down in to a bad place. Also don't keep a running tally of how many jobs you have applied for and failed to get, I stopped counting with mine but I dread to think, the number will be horrendous.

With those A grades and a 1st class degree you are obviously one of the high fliers of the graduate class so its the poor labour market and not problems with yourself, that has meant you are displaced at the moment. I had a similar academic track record and got slapped around with rejections from all the grad schemes you can think of, and countless more admin jobs too. In the end I got on the civil service fast stream. When I had got an admin job I spent years treading water not even bothering applying for grad jobs any more which with hindsight was a mistake as I could have got something earlier, so that explains a lot of the 5 years :P

You are not alone in your situation, unfortunately for young people today we have to fight for everything, and keep fighting and not give up or start to get negative about yourself. The more you get rejected the more you have to be positive to keep yourself able to fight (once you accept your fate you waste time like I did).

You are not the only one. Happy to talk by pm if you are interested in the fast stream btw, but whatever keep fighting, ignore any spiteful stuff you get on TSR dissing your degree etc, in the end if you are that calibre of graduate you will succeed.

Well Done again shows how science degrees are much stronger than arts. What's the pay for you?

I was providing an explanation as to why the OP is struggling to get basic office jobs. I agree that it is a catch 22 situation, but it is not impossible. Keep applying and sign up to every agency possible, and in person. You could even take a voluntary office position whilst looking and sign on, or take a course. The initial advice was helpful, actually, in that I was also encouraging the OP to change their attitude.

For people who have just finished uni, how many of you have managed to find a decent full time job??

I finished in May, got a first in History (pointless degree in hindsight!) and got 3 A's at A level and A*'s and A's at gcse but keep getting turned away from the most basic admin jobs. Some say its a lack of office experience, some probably think I won't stick around for long with my educational background (which is true as I hope to progress quickly). But it's so disappointing to have worked so hard and not be able to get interviews for jobs starting at around £16/£17k. Fortunately I work part time in a shop which I've been working in for 3 years so I am earning yet I can't help but feel down about it.

How have you guys got on? Have any of you come straight out of uni and landed a job earning over £23k?

I was asking other TSR users how they were getting on with their job hunt, not seeking further comments telling me my degree was pointless. I don't need telling!

I've been into 2 agencies in person and each say that experience is required for admin work, even for temporary positions. So unless I work for nothing somewhere, which a friend of mine has attempted to do but has so far failed with many rejections, then all I can do is keep applying and hope someone gives me a shot.

I admit I'm not an expert with spreadsheets but its a shame companies won't take a day out to train you up these days. It's an employers market sadly and even for £15k a year jobs many employers require applicants to have a degree and solid experience...it's a depressing reality!

You don't have to be an 'expert' on spreadsheets, for the majority of places the things you will be doing on excel would be fairly basic. Do you have Microsoft Office? Be resourceful, use those self study and research skills that you gained during your course. There are plenty of books and videos online which will teach you what you need to know. No point having 'transferable skills' if you don't put them into action!

Tbh this is why a lot of people with purely academic backgrounds struggle, they can sometimes lack the practicality necessary to convince employers they could be efficient in a working environment. There's a certain naivety that comes with having never worked in an office environment before. Get experience even it if it means interning for free and build on this.

and how do you suppose i get the money for food, travel, bills, survival.

I have yet to meet a History graduate with a good job. They all seem to be in retail or working at British Heart Foundation at the CD's and DVDs section.