'You feel useless, bored of doing nothing'

mzqa395

Jen Attenborough, 23, graduated from Leeds University with a 2:1 in biology in 2007. She worked in dental sales but was made redundant in November.
"It was the last-in, first-out principle. I got a job in financial recruitment but they withdrew the offer three days before I was due to start. I won't apply for graduate jobs any more because it's so disheartening.
"Now I just want any job. I'm looking at care work, and I'm going to go back to university in September to do dentistry.
"It's really hard to be unemployed and it's definitely got worse. In December I was getting interest and some interviews. But since January it's quietened down a lot. It's surprising it's happened so quickly. More and more people I know are being made redundant and that makes competition tougher every week.
"You feel so useless. So bored of doing nothing. I started doing volunteering work just for something to do. I've had to sign on. That was the last thing I thought I'd do when I finished my degree."
Ian White, 21, lives in London with his girlfriend's family. He graduated from Cambridge University last year with a first in theology.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do when I graduated so I went travelling for six months. Ultimately, I want to be a comedy writer but I knew that wasn't going to happen straight away so I've been looking for any work.
"Initially, I was looking for decent work - graduate schemes. I didn't want to do media sales or anything like that. I was looking at things like being a librarian, something more bearable. Now I've given up and I'm looking for anything: bar work, catering - I've been all around the shops in my local area. I can't even get those jobs.
"If you try and use an online temping agency they are so oversubscribed that they ask if you if you have a year's experience - if you don't there's no chance.
"I've got a first from Cambridge and it's completely pointless. It's pretty depressing, to be honest. Everything I was told from the age of 14 hasn't really been true. I was told if you go to Cambridge you can walk into any job. That's obviously not true. It's difficult lowering your ambitions. You leave university full of ideas and ambitions. I had some savings but now I'm running out. I've got £400 left and then I've got to go home to Harrogate."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/feb/11/graduate-blues-jobs-recession

Masomnia

I hate to be nasty, but part of me has little sympathy.

I feel bad for the first person, it can't be nice being made redundant, but giving up after a let down isn't really going to get you anywhere. Jobs aren't going to come to her, she has to go out and find them, and with the thousands of other redundancies it's really no surprise that there are no other non-graduate jobs available.

Same for the second guy, I don't know but I'm guessing he didn't exactly plan for his future. Leaving uni with no idea really isn't going to do you any good, and I should imagine you could spend your time more constructively gaining work experience than off out 'travelling'.

Oldernotwiser

I don't think that anyone with a degree in theology (Cambridge or not) intending to be a comedy writer is ever going to have an easy career path.

farso

mzqa395 wrote: »

I won't apply for graduate jobs any more because it's so disheartening.

I wouldn't employ her, her attitude to it all stinks and probably shows right through in her interviews.

I also agree about a theology degree, what did he really think he was going to do?

It appears even the more highbrow papers print some utter rubbish, they just dont have the reputation of things like the sun.

melancholly

actually, i bet 5 years ago a theology degree from cambridge (especially with a first) would have been a guarenteed way into some of the city firms for things like management consultancy as long as there were numerate A levels.....

but i don't think a theology degree is a bad thing in and of itself. it's a bit like English, in that it's not directly vocational (but what is these days!), but teaches thinking and digesting information. i bet the guy is bright!

robin_banks

To the theology graduate doing casual bar work - Pathos.

Oldernotwiser

It was the combination of Theology degree and comedy writing career aspirations that struck me as a problem, not the degree subject per se.

MrsManda

I do feel sympathy, it's horrible when you can't get a job especially when you've worked so hard for a degree. But as everyone so far as said, you just can't give up.
I had a period of unemployment after dropping out of university the first time due to illness. Even though I had a-levels and some work experience already I found it really hard to get employed (I realise this had a lot to do with having a gap of illness). What I found really useful was doing voluntary work while I was job hunting. It gave me something to talk about in interviews, showed potential employers that I was capable of turning up each day and working, and gave me a workbased referee to go alongside my academic one. There are always places who would welcome a helping hand who can't afford to employ someone, especially now.

robin_banks

It's hard but no harder for ex-students than any other member of society, probably less so in fact. If I were to be made redundant now I'd have 2 kids to support etc.

I'm not going to student bash as I think it is very hard to adjust to 'real life' after 3 years of study.

Sharon87

Well I'm one of the graduates without a job.

The 2 people in the article have the wrong attitudes. I've been applying for jobs left right and centre, and have only had a few temp jobs and one voluntary position in my chosen career (working in TV). I'm sick of not working, but it's making me realise I need to work harder and stand out with my CV. You can't always rely on your degree, no matter what grade you got. Whether you got a 1st or 3rd doesn't matter, it's all about what experience you got, whether that's working voluntary or doing part time work, whilst studying.

I think people who didn't work throughout uni will have a very difficult time getting any work. Even if you work a summer job that will be atleast something.

lulaloo

mzqa395 wrote: »

Everything I was told from the age of 14 hasn't really been true. I was told if you go to Cambridge you can walk into any job. That's obviously not true.

I feel so sorry for him. Of course he should be able to walk into any job, just because he has a first class degree from Cambridge. Employers don't look at things like work ethic, personailty, experience. Poor, poor Ian :rolleyes: :rotfl: