Life After Uni :( How to prepare...

KishCash

Advice for those who are preparing to graduate from those you have graduated


I don't know if anyone has done a thread like this yet but I thought it might be useful for those who are preparing to graduate... what they are doing after they graduate and for people who have graduated to share their wisdom...

One thing I have heard is that the loan repayment amount was higher than they thought and some have consequently found it difficult to get on the housing ladder...

Also SOME have found their degrees useless for the job that they are doing now...

Is there any advice graduates and those with experience would pass on and information you wish you had known

(One thing I have done/am doing is setting up an account for my rent for a one room in a shared house and bills for the first six months after I graduate...hoping to move back to London but I can't live with parents ,so far I have about £2000 but that will prob last for about 3/4months incl deposit so I know I have to save more...)


P.S I am studying Law and History and I don't want to go into either...I wanna take a gap year, travel and figure out what I want to do

Oldernotwiser

The loan repayment amounts are very clear - 9% of what you earn over £15,000.I can't see how they can be higher than expected unless you get a better paid job than you thought!

I'm afraid that my main advice would be to jobhunt really early; not to leave it until after you finish, not to take a couple of months off before you start and not to take a year out unless you're going to do something really constructive with it!

TDQO

Get your CV sorted before you graduate and do some serious research not just on jobs but also areas you would like to live in etc...

Paul_c_7

dont live with a partner., fiscaly your screwed by the state.
dont take any job especialy temp contract stuff no matter how tepting as all it does is put you into a rut. i know i did it and was always asked why i was doingt eh same as before uni (CNC precsion engineer) when it was just to pay the bills.

Aliiyn

Approach tutors for references WELL in advance. If you leave it until the last minute there will always be some marking/lectures/conference that will delay them and leave you in cold sweats at 5 in the morning!

Oldernotwiser

TDQO wrote: »

Get your CV sorted before you graduate and do some serious research not just on jobs but also areas you would like to live in etc...

Before you graduate?:eek: You need to be working on this at the start of the third year; leaving job hunting until after you graduate is the quickest way to a life flipping burgers!

KishCash

Thank you all for the advice so far.

I was thinking of leaving job hunting til after uni(!!!!)..not out of laziness but because I didn't do well in my second yr and really want to boost my marks for the final yr as it is my last chance to do so.

If I have to apply to job it is very time consuming (time that I can't really afford) cos not only do I have to do the long application forms which have to be gramatically correct and perfect but also if I am invited to a job interview it will most prob be in London and that will mean I will have to take a day trip to London as my uni is in Canterbury....just a thought....

Oldernotwiser

I'd just like to make the point that when you're working and wanting to change jobs, applications have to be completed and research on companies done whilst holding down a full time position and possibly having domestic responsibilities. I doubt that many students are putting in those sort of hours, even in the third year. I also wonder if it should be such an effort for a near graduate to fill in application forms with correct grammar and spelling!

From a practical point of view, if you keep copies of your applications you'll find it much quicker to fill in others, recycling, but improving, as you go.

TDQO

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Before you graduate?:eek: You need to be working on this at the start of the third year; leaving job hunting until after you graduate is the quickest way to a life flipping burgers!

Hmmm a generalisation but a good warning to students!

I'm in the enviable position of having far more offers than I could possibly accept but I still have no intention of entering the job market for several years.

Paul_c_7

what did you study to help people.

Oldernotwiser

TDQO wrote: »

Hmmm a generalisation but a good warning to students!

I'm in the enviable position of having far more offers than I could possibly accept but I still have no intention of entering the job market for several years.

A generalisation yes, but far better than starting after you graduate!

Your situation seems to be far from typical; can you tell us more?