Graduate desperately searching for a job

Xeorix

I've spent the past 4 months since I finished University hunting for a job.

The hunt started last October, applying for Graduate Training Schemes. Then I took a break due to trainings schemes closing and concentrating on my University work.

I had several phone interviews and got through to one assesment centre. When I got there, I was the only graduate and didn't get the job because I didn't have any experience.

I currently work part-time with my contracted hours being 7hours a week. They can't offer me anymore hours since they can't afford it.

I have signed up for all the recruitment agencies such as Hays, Reed etc Used many websites like Fish4jobs, Monster etc.

From this I have had about 10 interviews, and for every single interview I never got the job because I lack experience, however all my skills are top notch. These itnerviews have been for jobs ranging from Helpdesk support, to website design to Database Analyst.
How do they expect me to have experience when I can't get a job in the first place?

My degree covers a wide range of I.T. however a lot of the jobs now being advertised are not in my field of IT, are managers positions or are located to far away.

Relocating was originally an option for the higher paid jobs and graduate training schemes, however this is no longer and option since the jobs I am looking at are low paid jobs even for skilled work..

I am thinking about applying for JSA, however I have a feeling I may have too much in savings. I know some of you may say, use your savings to live on until you get a job etc, however that is not the idea of them.. They are they to help me put a deposit down on a house, afford essentials in the future etc, not as a means of income for daily use.

I have managed to cut down on a lot of my outgoings. I no longer go to the pubs etc, all I do now is visit my friends, go out to the cinema or bowling every now and again and try to avoid spending money. However I am struggling a lot, especially in the current economic climate.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get a foot in the ladder?
My main skills/interests are with I.T, covering Web Design, Databases etc. I also have various other interests in my car, keeping it clean in a "like new" state etc so anything where I can build up IT skills or extend knowledge on other areas is a possibility.

I know a lot of people are in this position. I don't think any of my friends who have just graduated from University have a permant job as of yet...

Berkshiregirl

What was your degree in? If you're looking to get in an IT role, an IT related degree will be more useful, particularly given the flux of applicants at the moment.

I work in an internal recruitment position and we're just about to have our 2009 grads join us in a few weeks. For each role we received over 100 CVs, so you're doing well to get to an interview stage.

Junior IT support role may be the way to go. You will need to look at non-graduate roles in order to get the experience, which means a lower salary but a foot in the door.

Perhaps you could send your CV out to local companies to see if they have anything? Are you looking at the Job Centre? Do you have any friends or family that could refer you to their HR teams?

Caz3121

I finished a computing course in 1999 as a mature student looking for a career change and also was hit with the "no experience" line (probably worse as everyone was expecting IT meltdown for 2000. I continued working in my non-IT job which fortunately had flexible hours and through friends/family contacts shadowed IT people unpaid which gave me some experience for my cv.

I eventually got an in on a very entry level role (for a very low wage) in a major IT organisation and worked my socks off becoming a manager within 3 years. When recruiting support roles we would have a mixture of people with experience and no qualifications and those with qualifications and no experience. For the lower roles it was attitude that was key - you can teach the techie stuff but you can't teach attitude and these were customer facing roles for some roles it was the experience that was more important.

I would recommend you set your sights low and aim to get that foot in the door then work from there many of the large organisations positively encourage people to progress and move roles within the organisation although they would expect a minimum 12 month committment in each position.

This may mean taking a weekend job too to make ends meet also maybe set up doing web design freelance.

All the best in your search.

blue_haddock

Lots of IT positions have been made redunadant and so there are lots of people with both qualifications AND experience going for the same jobs that you are.

As others have said you may need to review the kind of jobs you are looking at. Would it not be possible to go for things like customer services for big firms and then once you are there you could possibly start to apply for IT positions internally where you may have a better chance?

Rockporkchop

Have you tried writing to companies directly and offering to work for them for free for a few months, just to get the experience.

Maybe see if there is any voluntary work in your area, such as working in IT for a charity etc, to gain experience. There are loads of websites where you can find this sort of work, do-it.org.uk is one of them.

Those websites you mentioned are not the best for IT jobs, you should register with the agencies that deal specifically with IT recruitment.

I vaguely remember a thread on here about Teletech @home (do a forum search on here), which is a home based job where you provide technical support over the telephone. Something like that might tide you over financially for the time being.

Oldernotwiser

GregHesp wrote: »

I am thinking about applying for JSA, however I have a feeling I may have too much in savings. I know some of you may say, use your savings to live on until you get a job etc, however that is not the idea of them.. They are they to help me put a deposit down on a house, afford essentials in the future etc, not as a means of income for daily use.

If you want to claim income based JSA then you'll only be able to if your savings are below the limits. If you choose not to use them for this then you'll have to go without.

Who is subsidising you that you're managing to live on the pay from 7 hours work a week?

Xeorix

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If you want to claim income based JSA then you'll only be able to if your savings are below the limits. If you choose not to use them for this then you'll have to go without.

Who is subsidising you that you're managing to live on the pay from 7 hours work a week?

Nobody is subsidising me. I live at home with my parents but still have to pay for my car, phone and my personal bills.

I have dropped my sites and have been aiming at call centre work where I cant get the jobs because I don't have the experience.
I have also offered at a few local computer shops/support places saying I will work for free or on a low pay for a couple of months just to get the experience, but none of them seem interested.

As for friends and family, one of them got me an interview as a Junior DBA, turns out someone who already worked for the company in another section got the job because he had experience...talk about greed :rolleyes:

Oldernotwiser

GregHesp wrote: »

Nobody is subsidising me. I live at home with my parents but still have to pay for my car, phone and my personal bills.

If you're not paying your share in the household then your parents are subsidising you.

Xeorix

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If you're not paying your share in the household then your parents are subsidising you.

Well, my mum has M.E. so is at home a lot of the time. Whilst im at home I spend time cutting the lawns, going food shopping, tidying the kitchen and other rooms, cooking, looking after my sister, taking her out places, running errands, cleaning and hoovering up etc since my mum can sometimes be exhausted due to her ME.
I know I could do more but my brother is at home at the moment so the load is split. I'd call that 'paying my share in the household'

I know this wouldn't count when it came to JSA since its not official, but its paying my share in the house until I get a job and can afford to pay rent

sporedude

You should try the likes of McDonalds/Burger King in the meantime, They usually recruit alot of people.

gwhizz75

I am in the same situation. I graduated with a good degree in psychology last year and since then have been unable to find permanent work. I must have applied for hundreds of jobs by now! I've had a few interviews but always missed out because someone else had more experience.

I'm now trying to get some volunteering arranged with the NHS but it is taking months for HR to sort it out.

I feel pretty low and I feel like university was a waste of time. I don't think we are really prepared for any long period of unemployment when we leave uni but it happens to so many graduates (especially in the current climate). For me, I don't think it is so much that there are no jobs, just that there are a lot more people applying for each position so there is always going to be someone with more experience.

I don't really know what to advise, just try and stay positive and believe that "something will come up". I must admit, I'm getting quite sick of that phrase but I have to believe it, otherwise what's the point!?