The Student Room Group

The Graduate Discussion Thread

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Original post by biffyclyro27
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...


I always find it difficult to tell how it's appropriate to show that enthusiasm, as I fear being seen as unprofessional or something if i'm *too* enthusiastic, or just disingenuous. :redface:
Since graduating, I am in the process of sorting out a placement under a lecturer I know at Nottingham Trent University (local uni).

Waiting for him to get back to me with details.

I've also been working in a bar. Gotta do what you've gotta do.

Looking for placements/internships abroad, struggling to find one that isn't via a "middle man." Preferably in Zoology. Anyone know of any good organizations for this please let me know!

And congrats to my fellow graduates!
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 22
Finish uni in a year's time, feel so ill-prepared for this struggle.
Reply 23
I've just graduated with a master's but didn't really prepare for finding a job until I finished. So now I feel like I'm in a state of purgatory. I've moved back home and am endlessly sending out job applications with only a few positive responses so far.

How long am I going to be in this situation? Should I just get a part time job? Should I apply for jobs outside my area of expertise? Do I really want this job I'm applying for? Is an £18 000 job worth moving to the other side of the country for? I hate recruitment agencies. Just some of the thoughts going through my mind!
I've only just spotted this thread... I graduated this summer with a first in economics; I dithered about what I wanted to do quite a bit during final year and was considering law for quite a while, but couldn't get on any vacation schemes/get any work experience so I applied to some general grad schemes instead, and was lucky to get a place on the last application I made. I start in a month, getting nervous about moving in with my boyfriend, buying furniture and getting a car, commuting, starting work... feels like it's going to be a complete lifestyle change! But I can't wait :smile:
Reply 25
I graduated in 2010 with a maths degree. I'm currently a couple of years into a finance grad scheme for a utilities company.

I found the switch to full time employment absolutely draining at first, and still do even 2 years down the line. I think I've lost that enthusiasm for the future because work saps everything out.

How is everyone else finding full time work? I find myself looking forward to weekends soooo much, but then they go at the click of a finger so you're back to monotony again.

It's a robotic life, but I feel like I'm too far in to change. I have a mortgage, and the money is good-ish.


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Original post by Pipsico
I graduated in 2010 with a maths degree. I'm currently a couple of years into a finance grad scheme for a utilities company.

I found the switch to full time employment absolutely draining at first, and still do even 2 years down the line. I think I've lost that enthusiasm for the future because work saps everything out.

How is everyone else finding full time work? I find myself looking forward to weekends soooo much, but then they go at the click of a finger so you're back to monotony again.

It's a robotic life, but I feel like I'm too far in to change. I have a mortgage, and the money is good-ish.


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It's weird isn't it, throughout school/uni it's feels like you have an eternity and time seems to drag on. As someone whose worked full-time for a few years now I can tell you it all flys by, the years just mesh together into one and boom you're hitting milestones before you know it. My advice, make time to do things after or outside work, make good use of your annual leave and take holidays/go travelling.
Reply 27
Original post by Tokyoround
It's weird isn't it, throughout school/uni it's feels like you have an eternity and time seems to drag on. As someone whose worked full-time for a few years now I can tell you it all flys by, the years just mesh together into one and boom you're hitting milestones before you know it. My advice, make time to do things after or outside work, make good use of your annual leave and take holidays/go travelling.


Yeah these past 2 years working have completely flown by. Unfortunately the working days can feel the opposite - or flies by and I end up doing some crazy hours. There's no in between and it makes me a miserable sod sometimes!

I would love to do more things over the weekend, but with study and lack of money (I now have a sizeable Mortage to pay) its hard to fund anything good. A meal out every other week is usually the case.

Maybe if I enjoyed my work a bit more it wouldn't be this way and I wouldn't feel so jaded with life

My employers don't know it, but every day at 10am I sneak to the bathroom for half an hour to play Candy Crush to make my day suck just a little bit less. This is so sad haha...

Anyway.. I hope everyone is enjoying working life more than I am! Don't be put off if you aren't - I'm sure I'm in the minority!


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(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Pipsico
Yeah these past 2 years working have completely flown by. Unfortunately the working days can feel the opposite - or flies by and I end up doing some crazy hours. There's no in between and it makes me a miserable sod sometimes!

I would love to do more things over the weekend, but with study and lack of money (I now have a sizeable Mortage to pay) its hard to fund anything good. A meal out every other week is usually the case.

Maybe if I enjoyed my work a bit more it wouldn't be this way and I wouldn't feel so jaded with life

My employers don't know it, but every day at 10am I sneak to the bathroom for half an hour to play Candy Crush to make my day suck just a little bit less. This is so sad haha...

Anyway.. I hope everyone is enjoying working life more than I am! Don't be put off if you aren't - I'm sure I'm in the minority!


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Haha you aren't the only one! Quality bathroom time is key to your sanity. Temple run is my game of choice :tongue:


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Reply 29
Man, this thread is so depressing and yet I can identify with so much of it. :frown:
**Subbed** :smile:

Graduated 2010 . . . and I have only just managed to get my first full time job!!! I had a part time job at university, which I kept doing after I had finished uni (although it was only 6hrs a week), and I managed to get a part time job at a Drs surgery as a receptionist to 'bump' up my pocket money! Whilst at university I had no idea about Graduate schemes and etc, which tbh I wish I knew more about. I am now doing a job, not really related to my degree, but it's interesting nevertheless, although by the end of the week, I am crawling up the wall for the weekend. Before I never appreciated Saturday and Sunday . .now I appreciate both as if they were family!!! lol :smile:
Yep a graduate forum is a great idea, I sound so bitter and patronising, and not that I don't respect younger people's opinions, but I'm so bored of school students answering my "I hate being an unemployed grad" posts in the careers forum... :smile:
So I've not been too happy in my current position for a little while. I've been there for a little over 12 months now and it's evolved into something that I don't enjoy and I didn't really sign up for. I've been applying for new jobs whilst still in this position, but bloody hell is it hard! I had it so much easier looking for jobs when I didn't have anything else on. Having to take recruitment calls at work, lying to your boss about taking days off for interviews etc is really difficult.

Has anyone else had to deal with this yet?
Original post by biffyclyro27
So I've not been too happy in my current position for a little while. I've been there for a little over 12 months now and it's evolved into something that I don't enjoy and I didn't really sign up for. I've been applying for new jobs whilst still in this position, but bloody hell is it hard! I had it so much easier looking for jobs when I didn't have anything else on. Having to take recruitment calls at work, lying to your boss about taking days off for interviews etc is really difficult.

Has anyone else had to deal with this yet?

Yes it's tough but has to be done. If you're unhappy where you are and an internal move is not on the cards then unfortunately you have no option. You're doing the right thing by actively trying to make a move, just try not to burn any bridges whilst you're at it. Good luck in your search.
Original post by Tokyoround
Yes it's tough but has to be done. If you're unhappy where you are and an internal move is not on the cards then unfortunately you have no option. You're doing the right thing by actively trying to make a move, just try not to burn any bridges whilst you're at it. Good luck in your search.


Thanks. I know it's the right thing to do, and It's moving along well. I have an interview this week, so things could be looking up. I will just try to leave on a good note and not allow the full force of my feelings to be known when leaving my current position.
So I just got offered a new job today, the first one I interviewed for. That wasn't so hard after all! Getting significantly more money than I was originally on so all is good :smile:

Hard work pays off in the end, don't give up people
Reply 36
graduated this year, work full time in a fast food place...wondering why i bothered wasting 3 years and getting thousands of pounds in debt when i had this very same job before i went to university
Original post by NiftyNails
graduated this year, work full time in a fast food place...wondering why i bothered wasting 3 years and getting thousands of pounds in debt when i had this very same job before i went to university

Do something about it, nobody is going to come along and make your life better for you just because you have a degree.
Reply 38
aren't you clever...it's not like i spend all my time applying for graduate schemes/jobs, researching what i want to do, applying for anything else but the job i'm in now........5 months down the line i'm still going

Original post by Tokyoround
Do something about it, nobody is going to come along and make your life better for you just because you have a degree.
I graduated in sociology in 2012, started a Master's course and dropped out and I'm now working in retail part-time. I did decide to do a second degree in midwifery and save money this year but I had second thoughts about that so I'm currently applying for grad schemes/jobs. I still have no idea about what I actually want to do though - I always thought that as I got older the job I was supposed to do would just come to me and I could work towards that aim, but it never has. All of them look so unappealing to me - the only thing that is motivating me right now is moving out of my parents' house, which I can't do until I have a full-time job.