Why is experience such a deal breaker for employers?

Do you use the star approach when answering questions?
Have you considered doing temp work in roles that are currently understaffed to earn some money like being a support worker /carer/NHS worker? Have you looked into teaching?

I have just applied to the Princes Trust. I am going to look into volunteering because I don’t see this situation changing.

Teaching is worth looking into as plenty of vacancies especially with further education establishments

Do you use the star approach when answering questions?
Have you considered doing temp work in roles that are currently understaffed to earn some money like being a support worker /carer/NHS worker? Have you looked into teaching?

I have just applied to the Princes Trust. I am going to look into volunteering because I don’t see this situation changing.

That is interesting. At least in my field, to teach at university you need to be a lecturer. PhD students and post doctorate students can teach labs but not the actual lectures themselves. To become a lecturer is extremely difficult and almost impossible for the vast majority of people. This is simply because of lack of funding and opportunities.

Sorry, but it really annoys me when people bring up teaching as a back up option for someone struggling to find employment. A PGCE/ITT course is bloody tough, and if your heart isn't in it, you're unlikely to finish the course.


Good luck, the Princes Trust can be really good, so I hope they can help you!

I am a graduate of July 2019. It's been almost a year since graduation and I have no job and I am making no headway, in terms of employment.

I have applied to approximately 300-500 jobs (I don't know the acutal amount), and I have had about 10 face to face interviews and 5 telephone interviews. However, most companies that I apply to, don't darken my door. It is as if they think my resume is futile.

What has surprised me is the retail jobs.. I have applied to quite a few and never, ever hear from most of them. I don't know what sort of skills or portfolio one is supposed to offer, but it seems to be quite difficult to land a retail job. Despite the large number of teenagers who seem to run from retail job to retail job.

I suppose this lack of success might be down to a lack of work experience on my end (my work experience consists of a 2 month Internship) . Which whilst I understand work experience is important, i'm not sure that it is VITAL, so much that I am still unemployed a year after graduation.

It is frustrating to me, the effort that I put in everyday, applying for jobs and making no progress. I genuinely feel that I am unemployable (despite having a degree) from an employers persective, due to my lack of work experience. My University did not emphasise the sheer importance of work experience. Without work experience, it seems that employers think I am completely useless as an employee.

At the moment, I don't mind doing a basic retail job, but I am looking into an Administrative type position/Data logging.

What am I supposed to do if employers won't consider me, even for basic jobs?

Meteorology

I lecture tourism and travel at a further education college - after I got my degree a few years ago. I considered doing post graduate, however was not required for the role - and honestly I did not see it furthering my career much.

I’ve never lectured at a uni before - so can’t really comment on the job prospects.

There is a big turnoff off college lectures these days - among many departments.

I lecture tourism and travel at a further education college - after I got my degree a few years ago. I considered doing post graduate, however was not required for the role - and honestly I did not see it furthering my career much.

I’ve never lectured at a uni before - so can’t really comment on the job prospects.

There is a big turnoff off college lectures these days - among many departments.

Have you tried applying more broadly? You are right, meteorology is very niche and more or less an oligopoly (if i remember my economics properly, ie there are only two or three major employers). But there is still experience you can gain that is relevant to meteorology if you break it down a bit more.

So meteorology is about handling massive data sets. It's about working with powerful computers. It's about accuracy and timeliness of service delivery with a product that is exceptionally dynamic. You may know a bunch of other things that distinguish it in terms of useful skills. So if you can get experience in any other role that has even one of these qualities, with your qualifications, you are moving along a path that improves your chances of breaking into Meteorology a little later on.

In my mind, further education means university only. I don't really understand what "further education colleges" are in the UK, although I know they exist.

I also work as a lecturer in FE and would strongly advise against anyone going into it right now with the current economic situation. Unlike schools FE colleges are not always guaranteed the same funding each year which means lecturers are more expendable than school teachers. If OP wants a stable career he/she is better off going into a school.

I also work as a lecturer in FE and would strongly advise against anyone going into it right now with the current economic situation. Unlike schools FE colleges are not always guaranteed the same funding each year which means lecturers are more expendable than school teachers. If OP wants a stable career he/she is better off going into a school.

Retail jobs are not hiring you because they don't need to and because you represent a risk. As a recent graduate it is likely, in their view at least, that you will be there for a month or two and then leave when you finally secure a professional position. Given that, there is no reason to hire you over someone with a history of entry level employment on their CV because clearly that is what they intend to do.

That being said, if you have made 300+ applications and only been offered 10 interviews then something is definitely wrong with those applications. Have you spoken to recruiters? Aside from them finding you opportunities for permanent positions, you will also have the opportunity to get temporary office-based experience which you can then use as leverage to secure a permanent post in the future.

Now is a difficult time to be applying for a first job, but keep trying. If you want me to take a look at your CV then feel free to send it to me, but remove your personal information first.

300 Applications... 10 interviews... That seems about right to me..... Unless OP went to a really top uni...

I went to a RG and only go to one assessment centre for a big company.... And did about 50 internship applications.

His interview technique seems more the issue.

As he explained an inability to think on his feet during a retail interview. Then he might struggle at a degree level interview/graduate job........

Err, just because you have the same stats as the OP doesn't mean there's no problem with their application process - you've also had a very poor return and need to look at your application technique!

Haha nope, I didn't apply to normal places...i went all prestige, boutique consulting etc IB i'm not even qualifed for as a Management student.
The jobs market in general is pretty tight though.there's also far fewer internship places than gradschemes....wouldn't you agree...but 10 face to face interviews, surely you would get one!

If were applying for jobs you're essentially not qualified for, then surely OP, who seems not to be doing that should have a better return rate than you?

I do agree that 10 interviews is potentially quite a lot without getting an offer, but it does depend on the interview type (e.g. if some were just phone screens/assessment centres with quite a lot of applicants there).

It's definitely possible OP needs to improve both parts of their application.