Employability of a graduate from The University of Leeds

Hi!

I am about to graduate from Leeds Uni and am sending out job applications.

I would appreciate any job seeking advice from ex students.
Also, any employers out there reading this, could you take a minute to rate the employability of a graduate from Leeds University.

My subject is Nanotechnology. We are based in the Chemistry department , so you could include me as a Chemistry graduate.

I will also be applying for PhD's, so it would help to know the academic standpoint of the quality of teaching at Leeds.

Thank you :tsr2:

Reply 1

EssexDan86

bit of a blurry question, certain graduates are going to be more employable than others. I got a job fairly alright after graduating though...

You did a science related course so you'll be fine, at least you didnt study drama :wink:

Reply 2

leeds_graduate

HAHAHA! Thanks Dan. If I could keep a straight face, I'd do drama.

I just wanna learn and learn and learn and learn
(OBSESSIVE LEARNER)

Reply 3

MagicNMedicine

have you asked at the careers centre, they are more likely to have experience in the employability of graduates from your subject

but like anything else, it depends so much on the individual that you can't really give a straight answer...Leeds is a good and well respected university, so a good applicant is going to be able to get a good job, but there are no guarantees

it's like asking the question "how good is a Man United player", the answer is probably pretty good, but it depends on whether you are Wayne Rooney or Darren Fletcher

Reply 4

TI-84

there is 95% undergraduate employability from Leeds.
quite good id say :redface:

Reply 5

Cristalclear

TI 84 where did you hear that from? Its not 95%, its some 60% according to the times!

Reply 6

coldplasma

Don't go anywhere near employability ratings, they are so inaccurate it's not even funny. Universities have to send off employability stats really not long after the students graduate, and by that time a lot of students are still unemployed by their own choice. Some will be applying for jobs and so they count as unemployed, some will decide to do something like travelling but still get counted as unemployed, and some are going on to do further studies and so also get counted as unemployed. It is highly unlikely that you won't get a job after you graduate.

Reply 7

hermaphrodite

TI-84

there is 95% undergraduate employability from Leeds.
quite good id say :redface:

are 95% of the graduates in graduate-level jobs? what proportion of them are in jobs you could have applied to (and got) without a degree.

someone above mentioned something about 60% . . . it might be that 60% are in grad jobs and the other 35% are stacking shelves or flipping burgers; jobs which don't require a BA

Reply 8

MagicNMedicine

Just from anecdotal evidence of what myself and my friends have got up to since leaving university, not that many are in graduate level jobs.

Those that have got graduate jobs tend to be the ones who applied to all the graduate schemes during their final year and focused quite hard on this, they also CV-built through their degree course through doing useful extra-curricular stuff and getting work experience/internships in a relevant field. Remember if you want this kind of job that there is a lot of competition from students from different universities, and I think it comes much more down to what you offer as an individual than what university you've been to, or what course you've done. Take as a minimum that you've got a 2:1 in a fairly academic course, at a fairly well known university, and you're in the ball game, but it's going to be down to what extra experience and skills you've got as to whether you get these jobs or not, some people put far too much thought into "if I go here and do this, will I have more or less chance of getting a graduate job", it's down to you. Also being good at the psychometric tests, interview and assessment procedures is going to be a deal breaker.

Most people I know who graduated last year went to temping agencies and got clerical/admin jobs or are working in shops/bars to pay the rent whilst looking for something/working out what you want to do. I will say actually that I don't know one person who's got a graduate job SINCE graduating, ie that they didn't have it lined up already by applying in their final year, and if you want to go for the competitive graduate jobs bear in mind that the longer you are in a 'lower-ranking' job like bar work/clerical/administrative etc, the more the companies you apply to might think, are you really one of the 'top graduates' if you've been spending your time doing that....?

However do bear in mind that the grad scheme jobs do tend to consume your life so you have to be sure this is what you want before going into them. The hours are often long especially in the financial sector or in law, and if you are studying for professional exams as well you may have to come home and do 2/3 hours study a night and more at weekends when you are tired from work. This obviously has a limiting effect on social life, hobbies, sports, keeping fit etc. AGain this is just from anecdotal evidence but I'd definitely say those of my friends who are in non-grad jobs are less stressed and happier than those who are in the grad jobs.

That won't hold for everybody, obviously if you are very career focused then thats teh sort of environment that will stimulate you.....I am just making the point that grad jobs are not the golden rainbow they are sometimes thought of by students in general, I have two friends who are in grad jobs and on good money but very disillusioned because they have lost their lives to their work, one has given his up already, the other is leaving in the summer to go travelling.

I don't feel like a failure in not having a grad job because I feel freer to do what I want to do, I've given up my job to go travelling for 4 months round South Africa, when I come back I'll do some more temping work then do a masters and possibly further study after that, I feel like I can do my own thing rather than get on a career treadmill, and I can always give up temping jobs at any time to travel and do other interesting things. I also have plenty of time to go to the gym, keep fit, spend time with my friends and then get a relaxing early night rather than get home at 7pm after a hard day, rush down some food and start studying and then collapse in bed at 12:30 without having any time to wind down.

As for salaries, I've got friends in grad jobs who are on £21k-24k, one is on £28 k....those who aren't in the grad jobs are on between £13-16k.