Graduate Claiming JSA

Glamazon

Jomo wrote: »

Some of this maybe true but the OP stated in his/her post that he/she didn't want his/her skills to be wasted which would imply that he/she wouldn't consider other jobs out there. Also, there are so so many people out there with degrees, it isn't out of the ordinary anymore so surely this would count alot out!

I agree - I don't think a degree means as much as it used to. Far too many graduates with no experience! I'm not even sure what opportunites there are for people that have studied History

OP - could you not look at doing a PGCE and get into teaching? Or even work as a teaching assistant and get the school to help you get qualified.

My OH had a first class honours degree and a Masters in Sports Studies but couldn't get a job in Sport as he had no experience. He ended up working as a bank cashier for £11K whilst I had worked my way up in my job and after 2yrs of experience with no degree I was on £18K. He kept applying and applying and a year later finally got a good job with a decent salary. I too am on much more now and still don't have a degree and my 5years experience now outweighs a degree.

BIL just finished law school and can't get a training contract but is looking for jobs anywhere and everywhere and will do anything until he can get a law contract with someone (he is looking all over the UK).

I lived in a rural area when I was younger and always had a job from 15 to 18 whether it was cleaning holiday cottages, picking fruit for farmers, working at a local kids adventure park or in a supermarket. I know it's hard to get jobs in the current climate but don't turn your nose up at things because you've got a degree.

ncfcstar

I'm not interested in getting into teaching, it has never appealed to me. Thanks for the advice, but like I have said on pretty much every post now I am applying for anything, I appreciate what you and others have said, but I do wish that people would read other posts in this thread before they assume I am turning my nose up at certain jobs, because that is not the case.

Glamazon

You need to stop being so defensive about things! I have copied part of your earlier post

I do actually live in a rural area, and I have been applying for pretty much anything, but I'm sure you can understand that I do not want my skills to go to waste, it makes my 3 years hard work pretty pointless doesn't it...

This indicates that whilst you are applying for pretty much anything, you don't really want just anything. Is your heart really in it when you are completing applications? Are you reading the person spec and making sure you write your application to match it rather than just stating you have a degree? Are you coming across at interviews like you want any job for now whilst you look for something better

My OH has recently lost his job due to a contract change and his field is very specialised - he is now applying for just about anything and is writing each individual application to focus on what that particular employer wants.

So teaching isn't for you, you don't want to waste your degree so what exactly is it you are looking for?

ncfcstar

Glamazon wrote: »

You need to stop being so defensive about things! I have copied part of your earlier post

I do actually live in a rural area, and I have been applying for pretty much anything, but I'm sure you can understand that I do not want my skills to go to waste, it makes my 3 years hard work pretty pointless doesn't it...

This indicates that whilst you are applying for pretty much anything, you don't really want just anything. Is your heart really in it when you are completing applications? Are you reading the person spec and making sure you write your application to match it rather than just stating you have a degree? Are you coming across at interviews like you want any job for now whilst you look for something better

My OH has recently lost his job due to a contract change and his field is very specialised - he is now applying for just about anything and is writing each individual application to focus on what that particular employer wants.

So teaching isn't for you, you don't want to waste your degree so what exactly is it you are looking for?

Fair enough, I don't mean to come across as defensive, I just don't appreciate people judging my actions when they really don't have a clue. I didn't really want to get into a debate about what I am going to do, the original query was all I wanted answered! :rolleyes:

I wish I had never mentioned about my 'not wanting my degree to go to waste', but I know what I want to do in the long run. Currently I am applying for a lot of jobs online, and the majority require just a CV and covering letter. I have of course tailored the covering letters to the role, and I believe that what I am writing will not come across as desperate or uninterested.

It's tough out there at the moment, as I am sure everyone without a job knows, since December I must have been rejected for well over 50/60 graduate or normal roles. Consequently it would be nice to know that while I continue I can have some sort of income, even if it is something that I don't particularly want to claim.

Anyway, on with the job hunt, I apologise if I have offended anyone, but I do wish some people weren't so quick to jump the gun.

looby-loo_2

Goodness!:eek: Such an attack on the OP.
My daughter has just graduated and I was wondering exactly the same as the thing about JSA. When I read the title I didn't expect all that.
She has returned home, to save more debt, she no longer has her very part time job.
I think 'not wasting my degree' is a perfectly valid statement by the OP so long as he/she is applying for any job whilst waiting which he appears to be doing.
I shall be very disappointed if my DD1 fails to find a job in her chosen field as it will be a waste of £1000's of tax payers money training her for her medical degree, not a doctor but a specialist medical degree, if she ends up working in another job.

barnaby-bear

ncfcstar wrote: »

For heavens sake, I'm not appreciating the snide comments.

I said I have been applying for anything, and yes I do know what I want to do, it was just a throw away comment about not wanting my degree to go to waste which I am sure you can all understand.

Perhaps some of you think I feel I have a god earned right to earn more because I am a graduate, I assure you now that is not how I feel, so try not to be so sharp in future. If many of you had put a lot of hard work in for 3 years and then realised that perhaps the skills you had gained were not going to be utilised I am sure you would feel similar.

Blimey, wish I had never said anything, I appreciate the people who actually answered my question.

What type of job do you want? What skills does a history degree offer?

Almo

ncfcstar wrote: »

Perhaps some of you think I feel I have a god earned right to earn more because I am a graduate, I assure you now that is not how I feel, so try not to be so sharp in future. If many of you had put a lot of hard work in for 3 years and then realised that perhaps the skills you had gained were not going to be utilised I am sure you would feel similar.

Many of us HAVE put in the hard work for 3 years and have been through the whole trying to get a graduate job thing. We're trying to help. You said you know what you want to do - why don't you tell us what it is, and we might be able to help? I know your original question was about JSA but you were the one who mentioned your degree. If you let us know what job you want perhaps we can help find you something, and you can avoid JSA altogether!

medini

Dont feel ashamed about claiming JSA while you look for a job, I signed on for JSA the week after I finished my course becuase I knew I was entitled to it, I did get a job eventualy but it took nearly 3 months because I kept shooting to high and applying for things I wasn't experianced enough to do. I ended up working in a call center for a while.

I personaly don't want to go for a very high level job becuase I dont feel like I could handle the stress, however it won't harm your chances if your first job is call center or shelf stacking or anything low paid and dull. It will alow you to get some experiance of the workplace and allow you some time to think about what you want to do in the future.

Employers are always complaining that new graduates have no common sense, are hard to work with and act like they are entitled to everything. By taking on low paid jobs and doing them well you are showing potential employers that you are commited to hard work and doing what ever needs to be done.