I'm a 2:2 graduate I can't even get minimum wage jobs
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Original post by MUN123
I graduated last month with a 2:2 in Computer science and since then I have been applying for graduate jobs non-stop with a lot of rejections. I then had to sign on JSA, now the Job center are advising me to work for free for 2 weeks in a call center to get "experience" which I've refused because I dislike to be exploited by the company and work for free in a field that does not interest me.
I explained to the Job centers that I'm interested in IT jobs to which they replied that they would not be paying me benefits so that I could sit and wait for a very specific job. And after applying to loads of minimum wage jobs and getting loads of rejections they want me to work for free in some crappy job to get experience.
The other day they sent me to a compulsory course which explained about how to use the internet to apply for jobs I thought it was laughable they must be stuck in the 90's. They have no clue on how to deal with graduates
I explained to the Job centers that I'm interested in IT jobs to which they replied that they would not be paying me benefits so that I could sit and wait for a very specific job. And after applying to loads of minimum wage jobs and getting loads of rejections they want me to work for free in some crappy job to get experience.
The other day they sent me to a compulsory course which explained about how to use the internet to apply for jobs I thought it was laughable they must be stuck in the 90's. They have no clue on how to deal with graduates
Have you checked out jobs in startups? The industry is crying for people with programming skills.
Original post by Quady
So to check
1 year pre internal scheme
2 year scheme to SEO?
2 year scheme to G7?
Which is slower than four year fast stream - no?
1 year pre internal scheme
2 year scheme to SEO?
2 year scheme to G7?
Which is slower than four year fast stream - no?
No.
My 2 year scheme now is to HEO, I've just been promoted to the target grade already whilst training. Then it'll be 2 year to G7.
SEO is mainly a managerial grade you don't have many caseworkers so the grade doesn't interest me.
Before that I spent 2 years as an AO before I got promoted. What I'm trying to say is there are different ways of getting ahead in your career rather than getting straight on a graduate scheme, and only applying for graduate schemes. Seeing as most of us will be working for 40 odd years do those two years as an AO really make much difference in the long run for my potential earnings?
Original post by Mega0448
No.
My 2 year scheme now is to HEO, I've just been promoted to the target grade already whilst training. Then it'll be 2 year to G7.
SEO is mainly a managerial grade you don't have many caseworkers so the grade doesn't interest me.
Before that I spent 2 years as an AO before I got promoted. What I'm trying to say is there are different ways of getting ahead in your career rather than getting straight on a graduate scheme, and only applying for graduate schemes. Seeing as most of us will be working for 40 odd years do those two years as an AO really make much difference in the long run for my potential earnings?
My 2 year scheme now is to HEO, I've just been promoted to the target grade already whilst training. Then it'll be 2 year to G7.
SEO is mainly a managerial grade you don't have many caseworkers so the grade doesn't interest me.
Before that I spent 2 years as an AO before I got promoted. What I'm trying to say is there are different ways of getting ahead in your career rather than getting straight on a graduate scheme, and only applying for graduate schemes. Seeing as most of us will be working for 40 odd years do those two years as an AO really make much difference in the long run for my potential earnings?
Sure, but I don't see how your argument is stacking up. You make it sound like there is no benefit to going straight on a grad scheme, yet from what you've said it'd have been a much quicker/lucrative way to get to G7.
Original post by Quady
Sure, but I don't see how your argument is stacking up. You make it sound like there is no benefit to going straight on a grad scheme, yet from what you've said it'd have been a much quicker/lucrative way to get to G7.
That's not my argument at all. Of course that's quickest and easiest way.
But if you read what I wrote originally, at HMRC 12000+ apply for 200 jobs. So if you fancy say a 1 in 60 chance give it a go. I'm trying to offer an alternative that a lot of people seem to be overlooking judging by what I've read on here.
As from what I've read people only apply for graduate schemes then get disappointed when they don't get it. Judging by your attitude I'm assuming you're on a graduate scheme, and good for you. But you'll know yourself how many people you had to compete against. So this is aimed at them.
Original post by Mega0448
That's not my argument at all. Of course that's quickest and easiest way.
But if you read what I wrote originally, at HMRC 12000+ apply for 200 jobs. So if you fancy say a 1 in 60 chance give it a go. I'm trying to offer an alternative that a lot of people seem to be overlooking judging by what I've read on here.
As from what I've read people only apply for graduate schemes then get disappointed when they don't get it. Judging by your attitude I'm assuming you're on a graduate scheme, and good for you. But you'll know yourself how many people you had to compete against. So this is aimed at them.
But if you read what I wrote originally, at HMRC 12000+ apply for 200 jobs. So if you fancy say a 1 in 60 chance give it a go. I'm trying to offer an alternative that a lot of people seem to be overlooking judging by what I've read on here.
As from what I've read people only apply for graduate schemes then get disappointed when they don't get it. Judging by your attitude I'm assuming you're on a graduate scheme, and good for you. But you'll know yourself how many people you had to compete against. So this is aimed at them.
Perhaps for that scheme its 1/60. For the fast stream itself its 38/1 (generalist strand) and for the economists strand 5/1 - so there is a range.
You'd be a bit daft just to apply to one grad scheme and expect to get on. If you apply to say eight then you'd kinda cutting the odds down by eight. OK if for HMRC that'd effectively make it a 1/7 to 1/8 shot but for the economists it'd be less than 1. The headline numbers are a bit misleading.
Yes, well I was. And you seem to be trying to put people off, suggesting there isn't much point, which I disagree with.
Original post by Quady
Perhaps for that scheme its 1/60. For the fast stream itself its 38/1 (generalist strand) and for the economists strand 5/1 - so there is a range.
You'd be a bit daft just to apply to one grad scheme and expect to get on. If you apply to say eight then you'd kinda cutting the odds down by eight. OK if for HMRC that'd effectively make it a 1/7 to 1/8 shot but for the economists it'd be less than 1. The headline numbers are a bit misleading.
Yes, well I was. And you seem to be trying to put people off, suggesting there isn't much point, which I disagree with.
You'd be a bit daft just to apply to one grad scheme and expect to get on. If you apply to say eight then you'd kinda cutting the odds down by eight. OK if for HMRC that'd effectively make it a 1/7 to 1/8 shot but for the economists it'd be less than 1. The headline numbers are a bit misleading.
Yes, well I was. And you seem to be trying to put people off, suggesting there isn't much point, which I disagree with.
I'm not trying to put anyone off, the graduate scheme is the best way. But I'm just trying to say there are ways of getting to the same place by different routes.
The civil service fast stream is different anyway, as none of them will become proper tax inspectors due to the nature of the course. They'll be G7 obviously, but to me it's important what you'll be doing as a G7. I don't want to be working in another department.
Original post by The_Internet
OP i think thats the crux of it. You have to actually enjoy IT to work in this field. Sure the money is great but no one is going yo hire any one who doesnt actually like IT
I dont mean thid in a nasty way btw
I dont mean thid in a nasty way btw
Original post by MUN123
LOL I remember when I made this thread ! Never knew how popular it got
I know it's been a year since I've made this thread but I thought I would provide an update regarding my employment situation.
I am not in the computer science game anymore I have realized I did not enjoy the field and I have now been working at the checkouts in my local supermarket.
I know it's been a year since I've made this thread but I thought I would provide an update regarding my employment situation.
I am not in the computer science game anymore I have realized I did not enjoy the field and I have now been working at the checkouts in my local supermarket.
IT is so broad though you could of gone into something like project management of business analysis if your not particurlarly tech savy. A computer science degree wouldnt tie you down to just software development type jobs
I graduated with a 2.2 in Health and Social Care in July 2014. It took me about 5 months to get a job working in a call centre for an energy company but it was temporary for 8 months. Before that I volunteered at a local charity doing admin job, worked at uni and in retail. To me it wasn't much but it really helped me in the long term.
I applied for different jobs in admin work and had quite a few replies which turned into interviews.Times passed by and I was eventually given 2 job offers - one of them was for waitress at a restaurant and the other was at a furniture store doing actual admin work which is more than the national minimum wage.
Ok enough of me bragging.
Here's the moral of the story:
Yes it is hard to get a job nowadays but you're just simply making it harder by not pushing yourself. The only traditional way of thinking about this is to start work from the bottom to get to the top of the career ladder, otherwise...well you'll soon learn why and it will bite you hard.
If I wasn't offered that admin job I would've still accepted the waitress position because it's a tough world out there and you've got to take what is given to you until you find something better, you can't just say 'don't want this job' simply because you don't like it, you're still young you have a lot to learn in your (possible working) life.
I applied for different jobs in admin work and had quite a few replies which turned into interviews.Times passed by and I was eventually given 2 job offers - one of them was for waitress at a restaurant and the other was at a furniture store doing actual admin work which is more than the national minimum wage.
Ok enough of me bragging.
Here's the moral of the story:
Yes it is hard to get a job nowadays but you're just simply making it harder by not pushing yourself. The only traditional way of thinking about this is to start work from the bottom to get to the top of the career ladder, otherwise...well you'll soon learn why and it will bite you hard.
If I wasn't offered that admin job I would've still accepted the waitress position because it's a tough world out there and you've got to take what is given to you until you find something better, you can't just say 'don't want this job' simply because you don't like it, you're still young you have a lot to learn in your (possible working) life.
Original post by Boreism
I graduated with a 2.2 in Health and Social Care in July 2014. It took me about 5 months to get a job working in a call centre for an energy company but it was temporary for 8 months. Before that I volunteered at a local charity doing admin job, worked at uni and in retail. To me it wasn't much but it really helped me in the long term.
I applied for different jobs in admin work and had quite a few replies which turned into interviews.Times passed by and I was eventually given 2 job offers - one of them was for waitress at a restaurant and the other was at a furniture store doing actual admin work which is more than the national minimum wage.
Ok enough of me bragging.
Here's the moral of the story:
Yes it is hard to get a job nowadays but you're just simply making it harder by not pushing yourself. The only traditional way of thinking about this is to start work from the bottom to get to the top of the career ladder, otherwise...well you'll soon learn why and it will bite you hard.
If I wasn't offered that admin job I would've still accepted the waitress position because it's a tough world out there and you've got to take what is given to you until you find something better, you can't just say 'don't want this job' simply because you don't like it, you're still young you have a lot to learn in your (possible working) life.
I applied for different jobs in admin work and had quite a few replies which turned into interviews.Times passed by and I was eventually given 2 job offers - one of them was for waitress at a restaurant and the other was at a furniture store doing actual admin work which is more than the national minimum wage.
Ok enough of me bragging.
Here's the moral of the story:
Yes it is hard to get a job nowadays but you're just simply making it harder by not pushing yourself. The only traditional way of thinking about this is to start work from the bottom to get to the top of the career ladder, otherwise...well you'll soon learn why and it will bite you hard.
If I wasn't offered that admin job I would've still accepted the waitress position because it's a tough world out there and you've got to take what is given to you until you find something better, you can't just say 'don't want this job' simply because you don't like it, you're still young you have a lot to learn in your (possible working) life.
Original post by snowman77
If the OP can't get a graduate job in the area that he studied at university, there was no point in him going to university in the first place. He has just wasted 3-4 years of his life and thousands of pounds, to get a job he could have got straight out of school. It's as simple as that.
That's the trouble these days. Graduates just expect to get any job just because they have a degree. But then the thing is in 5 years time when you still haven't found a job just ANY whether temporary or even voluntary, you will have a large gaping hole in your CV and trust me, it won't do any favours for the graduate. Employers would be highly concerned.
Also sitting and waiting will NOT get you a job that will earn £50,000 a year unless you constantly do something very practical, productive and useful than just sitting in a house looking at four walls everyday, I mean have people forgotten how to initiate a proper conversation with a couple of chatty human beings? Now that's awkward...
The brother-in-law's niece graduated in 2013 in Interior Design (don't know what classification she achieved). She had never worked in her life and lets just say she is REALLY finding it EXTREMELY difficult to find a job. Her parents don't help either as they don't push her enough to look for experience.
(edited 8 years ago)
Okay wow I didn't realise finding a job is that hard. My sister graduated with a 2.1 and after a month maybe she had a temp job, and about a month after that they gave her a permanent job. She had never had a job before, she'd only done a little bit of volunteering before she went to uni, and helped with a couple of open days
It is difficult out there I know people that are rejected from supermarket work because they have a degree. Grad schemes and jobs are far too competitive as well 1 in 100 chance or something like that last time I checked. Uni before used to be worth it but now I even contemplate whether I made the correct decision. I hope things get better in 18 months when I graduate.
its truely a catch 22 for graduates who didnt do a placement year,wish we were told this prior to graduating knew it wouldnt be easy but that doesn't make it any less painful 
Original post by ineedtorevise127
It is difficult out there I know people that are rejected from supermarket work because they have a degree. Grad schemes and jobs are far too competitive as well 1 in 100 chance or something like that last time I checked. Uni before used to be worth it but now I even contemplate whether I made the correct decision. I hope things get better in 18 months when I graduate.
It's called being overqualified...for a job that even a 16 year old school leaver can do.
It doesn't help either when you can't even apply for an apprenticeship because you've guessed it...you have a degree, albeit overqualified! :/
You got a 2.2.
That doesn't exactly impress anyone in the 'but I'm a graduate' job hunt. Employers have drawn their own conclusions - ie. you were bright enough to go to Uni - but didn't do enough work to get a 2i.
Accept a low paid job - and if you do have the greater ability, and the maturity to actually put the graft in this time, you will manage to rise through your own efforts. Plenty of people do.
That doesn't exactly impress anyone in the 'but I'm a graduate' job hunt. Employers have drawn their own conclusions - ie. you were bright enough to go to Uni - but didn't do enough work to get a 2i.
Accept a low paid job - and if you do have the greater ability, and the maturity to actually put the graft in this time, you will manage to rise through your own efforts. Plenty of people do.
Original post by returnmigrant
You got a 2.2.
That doesn't exactly impress anyone in the 'but I'm a graduate' job hunt. Employers have drawn their own conclusions - ie. you were bright enough to go to Uni - but didn't do enough work to get a 2i.
Accept a low paid job - and if you do have the greater ability, and the maturity to actually put the graft in this time, you will manage to rise through your own efforts. Plenty of people do.
That doesn't exactly impress anyone in the 'but I'm a graduate' job hunt. Employers have drawn their own conclusions - ie. you were bright enough to go to Uni - but didn't do enough work to get a 2i.
Accept a low paid job - and if you do have the greater ability, and the maturity to actually put the graft in this time, you will manage to rise through your own efforts. Plenty of people do.
Well I know a few people who actually graduated with a 2.2 and they've found jobs with salary earning over £35,000 a year. :P
And even 2.1 graduates (and 1st's) don't have a positive effect of finding a job either.
My housemates who graduated with 2.1 and 1st are really struggling to find what they can now.
They've even got experience and they've ended up having to move to London to be able to find one!
Let me give you an example, if there are two candidates let's say one of them got a 2.2 and has done some work experience of unpaid and paid experience - but on the other hand, the other candidate has a 2.1 but doesn't have any experience at all, who would you pick...someone who actually got off their backside and do something with their life or someone who has been sitting on their bottoms everyday waiting for the right moment to get a job?
(edited 8 years ago)
The OP is pathetic IMO and I really do say that with love because he needs to slap in the face.
He has a computer science degree and works in a supermarket now. That's ****ing tragic.
I'm a 2:2 grad in CS and I'm earning a 28k STARTING salary as a computer programmer.
It's honestly about you, not the degree. I freaked out reading all these 2:2 posts in TSR, truth is outside of the small student bubble these things matter a lot less. I earn more than the national average! yet, i have a 2:2.
Just goes to show. If you're smart you will succeed, not everyone can get a 2:1 (I was in a band and had a blast at uni, but I also suffered from mental health problems which resulted in my 2:2) I emerged from this strong, and I know I am smart, and a great computer programmer, this saved me and this is what landed me the job ultimately,
my degree was not once mentioned in interview, and bear in mind i work in london in a top gaming firm making apps so not too shabby!
He has a computer science degree and works in a supermarket now. That's ****ing tragic.
I'm a 2:2 grad in CS and I'm earning a 28k STARTING salary as a computer programmer.
It's honestly about you, not the degree. I freaked out reading all these 2:2 posts in TSR, truth is outside of the small student bubble these things matter a lot less. I earn more than the national average! yet, i have a 2:2.
Just goes to show. If you're smart you will succeed, not everyone can get a 2:1 (I was in a band and had a blast at uni, but I also suffered from mental health problems which resulted in my 2:2) I emerged from this strong, and I know I am smart, and a great computer programmer, this saved me and this is what landed me the job ultimately,
my degree was not once mentioned in interview, and bear in mind i work in london in a top gaming firm making apps so not too shabby!
Original post by returnmigrant
You got a 2.2.
That doesn't exactly impress anyone in the 'but I'm a graduate' job hunt. Employers have drawn their own conclusions - ie. you were bright enough to go to Uni - but didn't do enough work to get a 2i.
Accept a low paid job - and if you do have the greater ability, and the maturity to actually put the graft in this time, you will manage to rise through your own efforts. Plenty of people do.
That doesn't exactly impress anyone in the 'but I'm a graduate' job hunt. Employers have drawn their own conclusions - ie. you were bright enough to go to Uni - but didn't do enough work to get a 2i.
Accept a low paid job - and if you do have the greater ability, and the maturity to actually put the graft in this time, you will manage to rise through your own efforts. Plenty of people do.
And a 2:1 does impress? That's says you didn't average over 69% over the course of your degree. And that 69% is the best it could be, it could be 61%.
Not being funny but 69% doesn't exactly impress does it?
Degree doesn't equal a well paid job, just how life is now, it did but it doesn't now, you have to be aspirational and strong willed, something the OP lacked and hence why he's now in a checkout
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