Have a degree and overqualifed

book12

At the moment, I'm finding jobs that don't require a degree, due to the lack of money I have now, want something to do, and keep my CV 'alive'. The reason for finding jobs that don't require a degree is that I'm having trouble finding jobs related to my degree in IT. I tried applying for jobs related to my degree, but I either get no reply, rejections, or not enough experience. Currently, I'm reading up on books in IT to refresh my memory, skills, and try to find some work experience, etc..

I have re-registed my updated CV with a temping agency that I used to temp with before going to uni. The agency specialises in administration, call centre, customer service, IT services (rarely have vacancies), industrial, managerial, financial services, and loads more. I've sent two CVs, one for IT and one for admin/customer service/call centre. Through this temping agency I used to work for, I have worked in the administration area (data entry to be precise and occasional letter writing), where they placed me with a company The agency still have me on record, which is good.

Since I have my degree on my CV, could the agency staff reject my CV for admin type jobs, and refuse to put my CV through to the employer even though I worked in the admin area before?

Advice appreciated.

coffee_prince

its not about being overqualified, regardless of what experience you have, dozens if not hundreds are applying for the same job you are applying to. Just keep going and odds are you will get an interview after a while.

They won't reject you because of a degree. I'd also register with several agencies to stack the odds in your favour. And make sure you ring them every week.

TBH I didn't do well with agencies, I had more confidence in my own ability and managed to get a lot of interviews. Too bad I suck at them. I struck lucky after a while, job starting soon. Not a lot of money but oh well

Good luck

snapping_crocodile

My OH completed his compter science degree back in 2004, and even then when the job market was better than now, he had to wait 2 years to get a job in the IT field (continued in his part time retail job until then). The jobs were few and far between and the ones that were available wanted botha degree and experience!! He got frustrated cos you cant get any experience unless someone gives you the chance....so after 2 years of waiting someone gave him the chance! Just saying that alot of industries want experience too, so they are not that easy to break into :mad:

UnoriginalGuy_2

I was unemployed for almost a year after completing my CS degree. Too many technical people on the job market with years of experience and who are often better qualified too.

There is also a deep problem with having a degree and applying for supermarket/basic jobs since you rarely get asked in for an interview even though you are vastly more qualified than some of the other applicants.

The reason - As you said is that they assume you will continue to look for a job and jump ship as the first opportunity. Which frankly is true... As opposed to someone who dropped out of school who they can often safely assume will stick around years.

All I can suggest is that you play down your degree and play up your basic qualifications (Maths, English, etc) for these kinds of jobs and hope you fall though the over-qualified filter. Never worked for me though.

PS - I did wind up with an IT job. Got lucky.

SandC

I have heard a lot of IT people apply for a job somewhere like PC World. It's not rocket science and it feels like a huge step backwards when you have a degree in IT, but your CV says you've worked with computers and it's been a stepping stone for quite a few people I know who are now working on helpdesks and suchlike.

shop-to-drop

UnoriginalGuy wrote: »

There is also a deep problem with having a degree and applying for supermarket/basic jobs since you rarely get asked in for an interview even though you are vastly more qualified than some of the other applicants.

This certainly isn't the case anymore with Tesco. They don't even ask for your qualifications on the application form and in interview it will probably only come up if you mention it.

Good luck with finding a job and developing your career in the future.

TEDDYRUKSPIN

Recession my friend. I have been told that jobs will pick up late this year - early next year. Companies have noticed that production has reduced due to making people redundant.

Keep your chin up. Everyone is in the same boat. More and more jobs are requiring specifics.

Welshwoofs

I think part of the problem is that IT is a very wide field. From my experience (I work in that industry), most of the people I know in the systems end of things (network engineers, system architects etc) didn't do a degree on the basis that what the unis teach is outdated quickly. Instead they tended to get into the industry as a tech-savvy 'junior' and the company they were with then paid for various training courses/certification to upskill them.

I'm in the online games side of things and a lot of the developers/graphics people in our business I know started out as enthsiastic kids who taught themselves relevant skills at home and then built portfolios with hobby sites/programs they'd created which gave them a foot in the door at the bottom rung.

Pee

I tried to get office junior style jobs with a degree and din't get far. the problem was that they didn't expect me to stay, maybe that would have been true, but at the time there were no jobs in the area I wanted to go into. I took a job in the right area by reducing the minimum wage, a decision which paid off many time over for me.

If you were going through a temping agency, the problem with you not being commited longer term won't apply.

Best of luck because it is soul destroying, but remember, it's not you it's the situation and I wish you the best of luck.

woody01

Sorry, but these days having a degree definitely doesn't make you over qualified.
The IT field is one of the most common degrees available now and the market is flooded with people similarly qualified to yourself.

The reason you are struggling is because so many people are looking for work and not because you are academically superior.

vaporate

"The reason you are struggling is because so many people are looking for work and not because you are academically superior".[/QUOTE]

Actually, truth be told, I think degrees these days are no more important than say simply passing secondary schools with acceptable GCSE grades. (apart from Law and Doctor degree or from top 30 uni rating.)

I only got the degree for personal ambition, and a long term dream of teaching English in an exotic country (degree being visa requirement)