The Student Room Group
Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>
Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>
Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>

Securing a stable job

What are graduates doing to secure stable positions?

I graduated in 2010 with a business management and enterprise degree, i have since done two volunteering roles, one fixed term contract and currently employed on a zero hour contract, it has been four years now and still i cannot find something stable?

I have been to many interviews over the past four years but do not secure the job due to the other person having more experience, i wanted to get into a management role but i do not have anything specific, can anyone make suggestions here?
Reply 1
Avatar for Tinsley
Tinsley
15
Have you applied for grad schemes before? I did a degree in Business Management and found that grad schemes essentially train you into a management role most of the time. There was nothing else that I looked at which really seemed like it was going to take me far. I think because so many people study business its very hard to prove you are worth your salt if that makes sense?

Retail is hard but gives a lot of people a buzz. Management isn't hard to get into there, grad schemes take you straight in at deputy manager of smaller stores usually, store manager within a couple of years.
Reply 2
Avatar for Thaiba
Thaiba
OP
Original post by Tinsley
Have you applied for grad schemes before? I did a degree in Business Management and found that grad schemes essentially train you into a management role most of the time. There was nothing else that I looked at which really seemed like it was going to take me far. I think because so many people study business its very hard to prove you are worth your salt if that makes sense?

Retail is hard but gives a lot of people a buzz. Management isn't hard to get into there, grad schemes take you straight in at deputy manager of smaller stores usually, store manager within a couple of years.


Yeah i did in my first year of gradating but i got no where and the process was really long, i will try doing that again. Have you got anywhere with your degree? I graduated four years ago not sure where my career is heading at the moment now.
Reply 3
Avatar for Tinsley
Tinsley
15
Original post by Thaiba
Yeah i did in my first year of gradating but i got no where and the process was really long, i will try doing that again. Have you got anywhere with your degree? I graduated four years ago not sure where my career is heading at the moment now.


I applied for (grad schemes):

John Lewis (Finance) - Got rejected after telephone interview
Marks and Spencers (Food Buyer) - Rejected before any interview
Sainsburys (Can't remember what for!) - Rejected immediately, think my A Levels weren't up to scratch, they go on grades not points and I got A*A*D, lol!
Morrisons (Retail Management) - Through to Assessment Centre but never went
Boots (Retail Management) - Was offered a job
NHS (Finance) - Was offered a job

I found throughout applying for them that it helped me decide more on what kind of career I was suited to, largely by the responses I was getting. I do have retail experience which meant that it was a lot easier to talk the talk with store management roles.

The process of applying is very long and arduous, I am very thankful I don't have to do it again. I think if you are unsure, because grad schemes are basically on the job training, it gives quite a lot of guidance and direction as long as you can pick a sector you're interested in. Definitely worth a shot! I do feel it is harder to demonstrate what you have to offer as a business grad, there are so many of us out there its easy to fall into less stable jobs like you have found, or very low level sales/recruitment roles.
(edited 9 years ago)
Stable jobs at the moment are anything in NHS, or a HGV Driver…local government jobs eg at the council etc are pretty secure too.

Unless you rent or have a mortgage you don’t really need security. If you are good at what you do or generally a good worker there are a tonne of jobs.

Do something you love and you will excel. My lecturer told me that but it took me 4 years to listen!

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you