Do people with a degree find it hard getting a job?

Person_one

Simon11 wrote: »

I hope im not coming across as rude, but of course you are going to struggle getting a job with an arts degree. I'm sure most employers don't see what qualities that students studying arts would have over a student doing a science, maths, finance sort of degree...

If arts is the place you want to be, I certainly wouldn't have got a degree in it. With a field like that, its better to get experience and work your way up. A similar subject would be drama. Pointless in my eyes getting a degree in that subject.

With the arts, its all about making contacts in the industry. I'd suggest seeing if you could meet different artists and volunteer to assist them. They should be able to give you loads of advise and valuable experience!

I have a fine art degree. I got a related job within 3 months of graduating.

As for those contacts in the industry, University is where you meet them. The Arts world won't take you remotely seriously without a degree, a lot of the time you'd even need a masters from the right uni before you can be acknowledged!

Its fairly obvious you don't work in the arts or have much knowledge, so maybe trying to advise the OP isn't the best idea.

Deep_In_Debt

I agree that degrees have transferrable skills but from personal experience, people with degrees never used to last long in the roles that we offered - the admin roles were not particularly high powered (but had potential for better things) and financial services is not particularly interesting so when somebody with a specific degree came along, I'd be put off and wondering why they weren't looking for a role in their field, having spent many years studying for a degree.

PasturesNew

Getting into freelance work will partly depend what creative/arts stuff you're good at. I'm sure if you are a pot maker, or costume designer you could quickly make a good freelance income by making/selling the things you can make and for costume designers setting up as somebody who makes curtains/cushions for people and does simple sewing fixes (e.g. fitting new zips to trousers, turning up hems, adjusting dresses or wedding dresses etc). If, however, your arts degree is in something obscure, then you'll need to do that whole networking with luvvies bit and wait until somebody needs something akin to your skills and asks you to do something for them/their mate.

santacruz_2

I know you won't! I can't comment on drama degree's because I don't know anyone who has done one but I really believe my degree gave me confidence and made me look at life and everything in life in a different way. Something which I find quite hard to articulate! The graduate job market is terrible right now, for any subject, if it was better then maybe I would work in a gallery or a library but those jobs haven't come up for years.

I completely agree with your points about networking and doing things in the scene, its a good thing to do and I've been doing it since leaving uni, but I still have no income :-(

santacruz_2

Deep_In_Debt wrote: »

I agree that degrees have transferrable skills but from personal experience, people with degrees never used to last long in the roles that we offered - the admin roles were not particularly high powered (but had potential for better things) and financial services is not particularly interesting so when somebody with a specific degree came along, I'd be put off and wondering why they weren't looking for a role in their field, having spent many years studying for a degree.

I understand all that. I'm the first to admit I would be TERRIBLE in an office environment, I've done it before and I don't have the attention span for it, I just don't get on with office work. As a result I don't apply for that kind of thing, retail has always worked better for me.

santacruz_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

Getting into freelance work will partly depend what creative/arts stuff you're good at. I'm sure if you are a pot maker, or costume designer you could quickly make a good freelance income by making/selling the things you can make and for costume designers setting up as somebody who makes curtains/cushions for people and does simple sewing fixes (e.g. fitting new zips to trousers, turning up hems, adjusting dresses or wedding dresses etc). If, however, your arts degree is in something obscure, then you'll need to do that whole networking with luvvies bit and wait until somebody needs something akin to your skills and asks you to do something for them/their mate.

Its commercial art rather than fine art. Now fine art is bloody hard to get in to!

santacruz_2

Back to the original post though....I had an interview today and it went really well. I feel like I would fit in there and become a good part of the team :-)

David_Brent

Weldone I hope you get the job! As for the comments about Art Degrees/Drama etc not being relevant to a particular job out of the arts/drama world, I don't beleive that to be honest. The whole point of getting a degree is to show you can study in your own time and to dead lines and able to research and present things well among other skills that are desirable in most jobs. If the subject is not relevant to the job applied for I don't think t matters unless it a very technical role that requires a specific degree such as a software engineer etc.

santacruz_2

GOT THE JOB!

So I guess the point to make is keep trying as someone out there will employ you!

I still have my ambitions about being a commercial artist and will work towards that in my spare time, even if it only gives me a bit of pocket money.

Now I'm going to show my new employers that they made the right decision to hire me!

David_Brent

santacruz wrote: »

GOT THE JOB!

So I guess the point to make is keep trying as someone out there will employ you!

I still have my ambitions about being a commercial artist and will work towards that in my spare time, even if it only gives me a bit of pocket money.

Now I'm going to show my new employers that they made the right decision to hire me!

Congratulations point proven I think! :beer: