The Student Room Group

Post University Depression

I have recently graduated and feel so low, I recently had a job interview with a company who work in my field and the role was vaguely related to the things I want to do and the interview went majorly well and the man who ran the company was so nice to me and told me I would be good at the job. Then 5 days later I received an email saying I had not been successful. I am feeling pretty low at the moment as I have spend my degree studying in london and now I am returning my home town which is a small town in south wales. Im moving because I find London a bit too much for me and a bit stressful but there is a serious lack of arts jobs in Wales. I also feel incredibly inadequate when applying for 'real jobs' and also feel like they will not suit me as I certainly don't want to be sat down in an office all day. I am constantly applying for jobs but am getting majorly stressed out as I am every day being rejected by jobs that I could have easily secured before I went to university. Friends are telling me that they think its because I'm over qualified but I'm almost certain they are saying this to make me feel better. I know this may sound like I'm expecting too much but I just feel as if doing my degree has not put me in a better position for a job at all and now I feel like I'm taking major steps backwards which is making me massively depressed. Honestly I'm posting this just because I wanted to know if anyone else has a similar experience or if anyone has overcome this period and how.
Reply 1
A lot of people are going through this. What did you study, and where, if you don't mind me asking? It's fine if you want to remain more anon you can just say the subject area or PM me.
Reply 2
Hi, Def in the same position. I finished my masters last summer (2015) and have not secured a paid job since. I had an unpaid internship for 5 months earlier this year but thats it. Its extremely depressing, especially when you send off endless applications and have loads of interviews and seem to be getting nowhere. To be honest I know very few people from my masters course that have secured a proper graduate job, loads are doing voluntary work or casual work or part time jobs. There are such high numbers of people applying for graduate roles that its no surprise its not easy to be successful and its especially frustrating when you think your interview has gone well but you dont get offered the job. Iv lost count of the number of times iv heard the line you were a strong candidate but we offered the job to someone with more experience/better fit etc. The worst thing is that they never give feedback so its difficult to know how to improve, for all I know i could be making the same mistakes at every interview but im just not aware of them.
Reply 3
Original post by liv89
Hi, Def in the same position. I finished my masters last summer (2015) and have not secured a paid job since. I had an unpaid internship for 5 months earlier this year but thats it. Its extremely depressing, especially when you send off endless applications and have loads of interviews and seem to be getting nowhere. To be honest I know very few people from my masters course that have secured a proper graduate job, loads are doing voluntary work or casual work or part time jobs. There are such high numbers of people applying for graduate roles that its no surprise its not easy to be successful and its especially frustrating when you think your interview has gone well but you dont get offered the job. Iv lost count of the number of times iv heard the line you were a strong candidate but we offered the job to someone with more experience/better fit etc. The worst thing is that they never give feedback so its difficult to know how to improve, for all I know i could be making the same mistakes at every interview but im just not aware of them.


Same situation except I have a bachelors and am considering a masters. What subject did you do? I am embarassed and angry at my lack of career because I'm in my latter 20s and need to get on with life. Everyone is passing me by and I can't stop panicking.

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