Any unemployed Grads here?

angel00079

I suppose that it depends on the degree. Some professions will need to ensure that a potential candidate has the basic knowledge to a set standard.

I do think that some graduates are under the opinion that a degree should give them automatic access immediately to the higher end jobs. That is why I said a degree in itself. If I did not think that degrees have the potential to improve career prospects I would not be studying for one. As much as I like learning new things it is not for learning sake. I could have done without the lack of spare time and money. If the amount of effort I put into things was rewarded on a monetary basis I would be very rich by now, as I am sure other MSErs would be.

I just think that there are going to be a few disappointed graduates who thought that they would automatically get a job because of their degree.

lynnexxxo

Just out of interest, and without wanting to sound rude, what sort of jobs do people with social sciences or arts degrees think they are are qualified to do?

Humanities for example, what were you hoping to do snowqueen?

If you want to be a scientist, do science, an engineer do engineering but I'm a bit stumped as to what a lot of people entering so called 'soft' subjects think they will do when they finish?

Oldernotwiser

lynnexxxo wrote: »

Just out of interest, and without wanting to sound rude, what sort of jobs do people with social sciences or arts degrees think they are are qualified to do?

Humanities for example, what were you hoping to do snowqueen?

If you want to be a scientist, do science, an engineer do engineering but I'm a bit stumped as to what a lot of people entering so called 'soft' subjects think they will do when they finish?

The majority of graduates don't use their degrees vocationally; they do a degree so that they will be a graduate when they finish. The idea is that organisations employ graduates for their transferable skills and intelligence (!) rather than for the specific subject matter of their degree. This is even true of degree subjects that many people think are vocational; the vast majority of law graduates, for example, don't go on to have careers in law.

robin_banks

Sadly the days of finishing a degree and walking into a well paid job are long long gone, about 10 years tbh. Call centres up and down this land are full of graduates.

The number of graduate jobs hasn't really declined, the number of graduates has increased massively over the last 10-15 years.

There has been a shift from 'hard' subjects scush as sciences and engineering, to the less academically demanding subjects such as 'media studies'. Students are then left with a large debt burden at an early age which in effect has paid for a subject of little or worth when it comes to job hunting, they frequently end up stuck in call centre jobs that do not require a degree.

Btw I'm not saying this is a good thing, it's just that there's a false assumption that going to University will automatically improve your job prospects, for people who graduate in many subjects it simply won't.

Scrumpy60

I graduated in the summer of '08 with a 2.1 in history - I didn't do my degree particularly with a profession in mind but purely because I love the subject and wanted to continue my education. I'm certainly not one of these people who believe that having a degree must mean you're entitled to 20k+ jobs or that you have to go straight to the top of the ladder.

So, I work two jobs and volunteer, and now feel I kind of know what profession I want to go into, but even now that I have the relevant experience I don't assume that I should jump straight in at the deep end - I think you get a lot more respect from people if you work your way up, am I wrong?

lynnexxxo

But even when I graduated almost ten years ago very few people actually got one of these 'graduate'jobs from the big companies. At the time they said for every 100 applicants they got from the 'milkround' (do they still do this) only 1 or so would get a job. And that one either was on every committee going or 'daddy' knew someone...

sturll

lynnexxxo wrote: »

But even when I graduated almost ten years ago very few people actually got one of these 'graduate'jobs from the big companies. At the time they said for every 100 applicants they got from the 'milkround' (do they still do this) only 1 or so would get a job. And that one either was on every committee going or 'daddy' knew someone...

Yes.

Anyone hoping for a career in Law can expect to be applying for the same job as potentially hundreds of other applicants.

But added to what you wrote where you got your degree also counts for a lot. Some companies won't touch an application from a graduates of certain Universities. A good comparison is the 2 Universities in Leeds. A First at Leeds Met in Law would not be regarded as highly as even a 2:1 from Leeds.

Quite sad really.

robin_banks

Many employers deem degrees from ex-polytechnics to be 'not worth a *[EMAIL="w@nk'"]*nk'[/EMAIL]

snowqueen555

i disagree with th epost saying graduates expect too much...

we enter HE expecting to have better propects then those who do not, but we are seeing the EXACT OPPOSITE in non professionnal degrees.

And I dont expect 20k jobs.. in fact i am looking for anything, i am looking for a minimum wage office/admin job... that isnt really asking for too much but i guess in todays economy it is.

robin_banks

Mot a swipe at grads or anyone else for that matter, but does the world owe you a living ?.

Going to uni has given some people a false expectation when it comes to job hunting.