No graduate job after 8 months of graduating but I now have a fully funded PhD.
It's been 8 months now since I have graduated and still don't have a graduate job, although I didn't apply to any during my third year which I'm now starting to regret, I have obtained a fully funded PhD.
I have to make my decision in a week and feel like I don't want to reject this offer only to struggle down the line in securing a graduate job for another year or something.
I don't any other jobs either, not even working in Tesco shelf stacking whilst looking for a graduate position, so it's been at home unemployed and going to interviews/assessment centres only to be rejected afterwards. Staying at home doing nothing has been demotivating and I'm happy now that I have obtained at least something, I still don't know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
I have to make my decision in a week and feel like I don't want to reject this offer only to struggle down the line in securing a graduate job for another year or something.
I don't any other jobs either, not even working in Tesco shelf stacking whilst looking for a graduate position, so it's been at home unemployed and going to interviews/assessment centres only to be rejected afterwards. Staying at home doing nothing has been demotivating and I'm happy now that I have obtained at least something, I still don't know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Could you give us some more information? What degree and class do you have from what uni? What is your PhD on and where is the offer? Do you know the supervisor? Is it your choice of project?
In general I would not recommend doing a PhD because you cannot find anything else. They are lowly paid, you don't get much respect and there is no guarantee of a job or even improved chances of a job at the end.
However, if you love the subject, then a funded PhD is as rare as hen's teeth so should not be sniffed at.
In general I would not recommend doing a PhD because you cannot find anything else. They are lowly paid, you don't get much respect and there is no guarantee of a job or even improved chances of a job at the end.
However, if you love the subject, then a funded PhD is as rare as hen's teeth so should not be sniffed at.
Original post by EWSW104
It's been 8 months now since I have graduated and still don't have a graduate job, although I didn't apply to any during my third year which I'm now starting to regret, I have obtained a fully funded PhD.
I have to make my decision in a week and feel like I don't want to reject this offer only to struggle down the line in securing a graduate job for another year or something.
I don't any other jobs either, not even working in Tesco shelf stacking whilst looking for a graduate position, so it's been at home unemployed and going to interviews/assessment centres only to be rejected afterwards. Staying at home doing nothing has been demotivating and I'm happy now that I have obtained at least something, I still don't know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
I have to make my decision in a week and feel like I don't want to reject this offer only to struggle down the line in securing a graduate job for another year or something.
I don't any other jobs either, not even working in Tesco shelf stacking whilst looking for a graduate position, so it's been at home unemployed and going to interviews/assessment centres only to be rejected afterwards. Staying at home doing nothing has been demotivating and I'm happy now that I have obtained at least something, I still don't know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Unless you really want a PhD then I wouldn't take it. You shouldn't do a PhD as a tide over because you can't find a job, you should do it because you are committed to working in research/that field.
Once you have a PhD it will become harder to go into generic grad jobs and jobs of those kind as you will be overqualified. So unless you want to go into a related job there's not much point dedicating 3 years of your life to it.
I would say if you are uncertain that that is what you want to do then don't do it, it is a huge commitment and plenty of other people would kill to be in your position.
Don't get me wrong, I realised it sounded a bit bad after reading it. Just to answer a few questions, I graduated with a first in maths and the PhD is in an area of mathematical physics(Don't want to state the uni in case someone from the uni sees it, yes I'm that paranoid
). This is my chosen area of research and I know the supervisor very well.
I had every intention of doing a PhD during my undergraduate years and definitely enjoy the subject, so it's not really a "I can't get a job, lets do this instead" approach to it. During my third year I tried to apply but it was too late as most of the funding was already gone, hence my position right now.
I however have been out of the subject for almost a year and although I really enjoy the subject I'm quite scared I might fail it after not doing maths for almost a year and getting straight into a PhD.
). This is my chosen area of research and I know the supervisor very well. I had every intention of doing a PhD during my undergraduate years and definitely enjoy the subject, so it's not really a "I can't get a job, lets do this instead" approach to it. During my third year I tried to apply but it was too late as most of the funding was already gone, hence my position right now.
I however have been out of the subject for almost a year and although I really enjoy the subject I'm quite scared I might fail it after not doing maths for almost a year and getting straight into a PhD.
Original post by EWSW104
I however have been out of the subject for almost a year and although I really enjoy the subject I'm quite scared I might fail it after not doing maths for almost a year and getting straight into a PhD.
If that's your main concern then I wouldn't sweat it. You can sit in on undergrad and taught Masters modules as refreshers if you need to. With a good supervisor, getting back up to speed won't be an issue. They know your situation and won't expect you to hit the ground running.
Frankly if you're planning to do a PhD sometime anyway and this one is a) what you wanted and b) funded, then I don't see the problem.
As you're unemployed, are there really any other prospects in your immediate future? If nothing else, you have a guaranteed income for the next three years. Pretty much every PhD involves "dialling it in" for part of the time, so don't feel that you need to be super-enthusiastic or dedicated immediately. As with any job, some parts you'll enjoy and some parts you'll just have to slog through.
a first in maths wow!
what experience do you have?
what experience do you have?
Original post by Bill_Gates
a first in maths wow!
what experience do you have?
what experience do you have?
I think this is the problem I have. If you mean work experience, I have next to nothing in terms of that, so that may be the thing that's letting me down. I have had an internship at a university before but I guess that doesn't really count.
Original post by Klix88
If that's your main concern then I wouldn't sweat it. You can sit in on undergrad and taught Masters modules as refreshers if you need to. With a good supervisor, getting back up to speed won't be an issue. They know your situation and won't expect you to hit the ground running.
Frankly if you're planning to do a PhD sometime anyway and this one is a) what you wanted and b) funded, then I don't see the problem.
As you're unemployed, are there really any other prospects in your immediate future? If nothing else, you have a guaranteed income for the next three years. Pretty much every PhD involves "dialling it in" for part of the time, so don't feel that you need to be super-enthusiastic or dedicated immediately. As with any job, some parts you'll enjoy and some parts you'll just have to slog through.
Frankly if you're planning to do a PhD sometime anyway and this one is a) what you wanted and b) funded, then I don't see the problem.
As you're unemployed, are there really any other prospects in your immediate future? If nothing else, you have a guaranteed income for the next three years. Pretty much every PhD involves "dialling it in" for part of the time, so don't feel that you need to be super-enthusiastic or dedicated immediately. As with any job, some parts you'll enjoy and some parts you'll just have to slog through.
Thanks, this made me feel a lot better.
The worst thing is, I've been applying for finance positions, and I know for a fact that I don't like these jobs...I'm just applying because its a job and its quite good pay(Yes I know, I'm so bad...) so when I get to the interviews, I just don't sound enthusiastic enough or when I'm researching about the job, it sounds boring and I give up then not knowing anything about it in the interview.
Original post by ZakV
How have you not got a job with a first in maths 0.o
It's not as simple as, I have a first in maths, jobs will be flying my way. I wish it was
. For starters I'm really bad at interviews and this is where I mostly seem to fail at. I'm just not interested enough in the jobs I guess because I get so bored researching about the job, recent news about the company, what they do and their clients then I end up walking into the interview knowing basic information about them.
Yes I realise this is my fault but I can't help it.
A fully funded PhD is very rare, so you've done extremely well to get it - congratulations, whether you do or don't accept it! 
My opinion is: why not go for it? Plenty of people take "time out" during their careers - to travel or take a gap year, or a sabbatical, etc. So why not spend three years, getting paid, to do something prestigious, that you enjoy? This sort of thing doesn't come up very often.
If you had an idea for something you wanted to do other than a PhD, then that would be different - but you don't seem to. In which case, this would not only give you the chance to live independently for three years (albeit on a low budget), but the time to figure out what you really want to do in the long-term. If it's a good university then there should be plenty of chances to talk to the university careers service, take part in training programmes, and discover how to build up your employability, if that's what you feel is stopping you from getting a job at the moment.
A PhD will of course be hard work, but you're clearly talented at your subject, and I think this is a great opportunity. And you can still choose not to go into academia for your career after the three years are up...!
My opinion is: why not go for it? Plenty of people take "time out" during their careers - to travel or take a gap year, or a sabbatical, etc. So why not spend three years, getting paid, to do something prestigious, that you enjoy? This sort of thing doesn't come up very often.
If you had an idea for something you wanted to do other than a PhD, then that would be different - but you don't seem to. In which case, this would not only give you the chance to live independently for three years (albeit on a low budget), but the time to figure out what you really want to do in the long-term. If it's a good university then there should be plenty of chances to talk to the university careers service, take part in training programmes, and discover how to build up your employability, if that's what you feel is stopping you from getting a job at the moment.
A PhD will of course be hard work, but you're clearly talented at your subject, and I think this is a great opportunity. And you can still choose not to go into academia for your career after the three years are up...!
Original post by EWSW104
It's not as simple as, I have a first in maths, jobs will be flying my way. I wish it was.
For starters I'm really bad at interviews and this is where I mostly seem to fail at. I'm just not interested enough in the jobs I guess because I get so bored researching about the job, recent news about the company, what they do and their clients then I end up walking into the interview knowing basic information about them.
Yes I realise this is my fault but I can't help it.
. For starters I'm really bad at interviews and this is where I mostly seem to fail at. I'm just not interested enough in the jobs I guess because I get so bored researching about the job, recent news about the company, what they do and their clients then I end up walking into the interview knowing basic information about them.
Yes I realise this is my fault but I can't help it.
Go for the PhD! It looks like you will enjoy ti and, as part of it, you may well get other experience. My son for instance is tutoring under grad students and doing outreach at schools. All good experience. And with the pay he gets for that on top of his stipend, he isn't doing too badly financially.
Original post by EWSW104
It's not as simple as, I have a first in maths, jobs will be flying my way. I wish it was.
For starters I'm really bad at interviews and this is where I mostly seem to fail at. I'm just not interested enough in the jobs I guess because I get so bored researching about the job, recent news about the company, what they do and their clients then I end up walking into the interview knowing basic information about them.
Yes I realise this is my fault but I can't help it.
. For starters I'm really bad at interviews and this is where I mostly seem to fail at. I'm just not interested enough in the jobs I guess because I get so bored researching about the job, recent news about the company, what they do and their clients then I end up walking into the interview knowing basic information about them.
Yes I realise this is my fault but I can't help it.
That's strange. My bf has a first in maths and was literally swimming in job interviews. And he is awkward and under confident etc.
Sounds to me like you can't be bothered to put the effort in because you don't really want a job. If research is what you'd prefer to do then go for it.
Original post by EWSW104
I think this is the problem I have. If you mean work experience, I have next to nothing in terms of that, so that may be the thing that's letting me down. I have had an internship at a university before but I guess that doesn't really count.
you DEFINITELY need to get some experience, unpaid or not.
I think thats the only thing holding you back.
Original post by redferry
That's strange. My bf has a first in maths and was literally swimming in job interviews. And he is awkward and under confident etc.
Sounds to me like you can't be bothered to put the effort in because you don't really want a job. If research is what you'd prefer to do then go for it.
Sounds to me like you can't be bothered to put the effort in because you don't really want a job. If research is what you'd prefer to do then go for it.
Did he have much work experience from the time he was at the university though? Like an internship with a company or something?
Why not? Ever if you're going to go for some jobs which may consider you overqualified, you can simply hide that qualification and say you have been working part-time on something here and there.
Original post by cel93
Did he have much work experience from the time he was at the university though? Like an internship with a company or something?
No he had none. Other tha n working in an outdoors shop.
Original post by HettyMerton
A fully funded PhD is very rare, so you've done extremely well to get it - congratulations, whether you do or don't accept it!
My opinion is: why not go for it? Plenty of people take "time out" during their careers - to travel or take a gap year, or a sabbatical, etc. So why not spend three years, getting paid, to do something prestigious, that you enjoy? This sort of thing doesn't come up very often.
If you had an idea for something you wanted to do other than a PhD, then that would be different - but you don't seem to. In which case, this would not only give you the chance to live independently for three years (albeit on a low budget), but the time to figure out what you really want to do in the long-term. If it's a good university then there should be plenty of chances to talk to the university careers service, take part in training programmes, and discover how to build up your employability, if that's what you feel is stopping you from getting a job at the moment.
A PhD will of course be hard work, but you're clearly talented at your subject, and I think this is a great opportunity. And you can still choose not to go into academia for your career after the three years are up...!
My opinion is: why not go for it? Plenty of people take "time out" during their careers - to travel or take a gap year, or a sabbatical, etc. So why not spend three years, getting paid, to do something prestigious, that you enjoy? This sort of thing doesn't come up very often.
If you had an idea for something you wanted to do other than a PhD, then that would be different - but you don't seem to. In which case, this would not only give you the chance to live independently for three years (albeit on a low budget), but the time to figure out what you really want to do in the long-term. If it's a good university then there should be plenty of chances to talk to the university careers service, take part in training programmes, and discover how to build up your employability, if that's what you feel is stopping you from getting a job at the moment.
A PhD will of course be hard work, but you're clearly talented at your subject, and I think this is a great opportunity. And you can still choose not to go into academia for your career after the three years are up...!
Thanks, I feel this is probably my best option. I still don't know what to do yet as a job so doing a PhD might let me decide whether a job in academia is for me or not.
Original post by olddad
Go for the PhD! It looks like you will enjoy ti and, as part of it, you may well get other experience. My son for instance is tutoring under grad students and doing outreach at schools. All good experience. And with the pay he gets for that on top of his stipend, he isn't doing too badly financially.
That seems like a lot on top of his PhD. Is he fine balancing all this work without being overly stressed? It's good to know that I can earn up to £5k extra without being taxed too if I do extra work which is a bonus to top up my stipend.
Original post by redferry
That's strange. My bf has a first in maths and was literally swimming in job interviews. And he is awkward and under confident etc.
Sounds to me like you can't be bothered to put the effort in because you don't really want a job. If research is what you'd prefer to do then go for it.
Sounds to me like you can't be bothered to put the effort in because you don't really want a job. If research is what you'd prefer to do then go for it.
I do have job interviews etc, the problem is getting to the final stage and actually being hired for the job.
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