Uni graduate...new to job seeking.

lexilex

Didn't get the job I had an interview for, they have just rang What am I doing wrong

justanopinion

Oh, Lexilex, I am sorry. Have you asked for constructive feedback, have they given you any?

lexilex

justanopinion wrote: »

Oh, Lexilex, I am sorry. Have you asked for constructive feedback, have they given you any?

Just that it went to somebody with more experience. They said a letter is in the post so that may have more info.

I was really upset this afternoon, the job was on minimum wage and only a short-term contract, and I couldn't even get that

The interview couldn't have gone any better, and it just feels like there is always someone better than me applying for every job. I feel such a failure.

I have applied for two jobs I would absolutely love to do today, both directly related to Psychology, but even as I was applying for them I was just thinking what is the point. I spend hours on the applications and don't hear a thing back from 99% of them. I am never going to be good enough compared to other applicants.

ploder

My sympathies lexilex. I know what it feels like and I hope you can find a job you feel comfortable with soon.

lexilex

Hi anyone who is still reading. Hope you had a great christmas and new year

Well I am still job hunting.

The last month or so of been unemployed wasn't as painful as previously. I was busy doing xmas related things, and I didn't have to visit the awful job centre as it was closed :j Back to reality now though, everyone is back at work so long days alone, and the JC next week

I'm still applying for every job possible but so far no luck. I have a telephone interview next week for a Census Collector role. I've done a bit of research and apparently the questions are based on working as a team and working with the public. I'm not sure about the second question, and wondered if anyone could offer advice.

I have two possible answers. One was during my temp Summer job which I have done every year for 5 years where I have had to deal with customers, sometimes who are aggressive. The other option is a few years ago I took part in a project where we did some volunteering locally, renovating a shelter at a local graveyard and basically doing it up a bit. We won a prize and everything

What would you go with? I'm trying to get answers ready so I am fully prepared for when the phone.

The census job would be a great back-up should I not be able to find full-time work. My plan would be do that til it finishes in May, then I could start the job I have done every year in June til October and get a bit of money in. Obviously a permanent full-time job would be preferable but needs must!

Savvy_Sue

lexilex wrote: »

I'm still applying for every job possible but so far no luck. I have a telephone interview next week for a Census Collector role. I've done a bit of research and apparently the questions are based on working as a team and working with the public. I'm not sure about the second question, and wondered if anyone could offer advice.

I have two possible answers. One was during my temp Summer job which I have done every year for 5 years where I have had to deal with customers, sometimes who are aggressive. The other option is a few years ago I took part in a project where we did some volunteering locally, renovating a shelter at a local graveyard and basically doing it up a bit. We won a prize and everything

What would you go with? I'm trying to get answers ready so I am fully prepared for when the phone.

I'd say option 1 was more relevant. the public aren't all going to respond enthusiastically to the census, so demonstrating that you know how to keep calm and deal with difficult situations is key. your volunteer option sounds more relevant for the team working questions, but you may have something even better for that.

good luck ...

[Deleted User]

These might interst you - I was just having a google for something else and remembered:(website I saw them on was AllTheTopBananas)

http://www.mybirminghamjobs.co.uk/Jobsite/Jobs/1694993/Careers-Assistant?referrer=attb

http://www.allthetopbananas.com/Jobs/15904506_recruitment-career-advisor.job

Hope they're of some use

MrChandlerBing

emilyteach1 wrote: »

Psychology is not 'easy' by any means. Anyone who classifies it as such has probably never studied it, at least not beyond A-Level.

A BSc psychology course at any remotely decent uni, including ex-polys, involves a certain degree of intense statistical and mathematical analysis. Are you familiar with the student nightmare that is SPSS, for instance?

Added to that, the theory side of things can be incredibly tedious, not enjoyable at all.

I'm not a psychology grad, and have no real reason to defend the discipline, but it's certainly not 'easy'.

You're right its not easy, no degree is. But its certainly not as difficult as more traditional 'useful' degrees

Comstock

Hi, just one thing no one else seems to have mentioned.

Are you keeping in touch with the firm you worked for for the last 5 summers? They obviously like your work, so why not give them a bell, and then follow it up with an email every couple of months or so.

wantsajob

emilyteach1 wrote: »

A BSc psychology course at any remotely decent uni, including ex-polys, involves a certain degree of intense statistical and mathematical analysis. Are you familiar with the student nightmare that is SPSS, for instance?

I can dispute this having studied at The University of Huddersfield, a Polytechnic until 1992. Interestingly, when I did a Masters at the University of Leeds I felt I was as up to speed on SPSS as those who had studied at The University of Leeds (which is supposedly one of the top Universities). In fact there was one exercise where I couldn't have failed to get 100% as the questions were pure and simple yes you have the answer right/don't, which I think is quite poor for a supposedly "good" University - although that piece of work only contributed a minor part to the final module grade. I can't believe I got 80% on the major piece of work for the module either. Those who seemed to notably struggle were those who had done an Open University degree, they didn't seem to have the first clue and found it particularly difficult - in fact I remember one person dropped out of the course, so I guess it must have been quite a learning curve for them. I would therefore theorise that BSc courses that are BPS accredited will tend to have a decent amount of statistics included.

To the OP, if you are tempted to do a Masters, I would recommend against it unless you have something specific in mind that requires a Masters, or you can get a studentship. I hoped it would help me stand out from the crowd, and maybe it has helped me net one or two more interviews, but in the end it did not help me find work nearly 3 years on.

emilyteach1 wrote: »

Added to that, the theory side of things can be incredibly tedious, not enjoyable at all.

I disagree, but I guess this is why I went and did a degree in Psychology, and you did not .

emilyteach1 wrote: »

I'm not a psychology grad, and have no real reason to defend the discipline, but it's certainly not 'easy'.

Yes I certainly imagine most of those who think it is easy would struggle if they tried. Many would also struggle to understand the concept that it is a science as opposed to some wishy washy read minds, freud, etc etc. Some philosophical discussion needs to be made to compare it with the types of science people understand such as Physics and Biology etc though. Even qualitative methods could be considered scientific, although I much prefer the quantitative side of things.

MrChandlerBing wrote: »

You're right its not easy, no degree is. But its certainly not as difficult as more traditional 'useful' degrees

Perhaps the level of usefulness depends on the perspective of the person judging the usefulness. I would argue the only lack of usefulness is in that it is a popular subject, there is bound to be plenty of graduates squabbling over the same jobs. Do remember that those with a first class honours from any University will have had to work particularly hard as work has to be sent off to another University to have the marking checked and agreed upon, so lecturers can't give good grades willy nilly. Also difficulty depends on the tenacity of the person studying the subject. For example, it was common for Asians people at my college to be studying their own language, e.g. Urdu, at A level. For me I could not possibly have hoped to do as well as they did in the subject. My point is people study what they are interested in, and someone uninterested in Psychology who thinks it is not useful and is easy would fail to even get a third if they were forced to try.

lexilex wrote: »

as I was applying for them I was just thinking what is the point. I spend hours on the applications and don't hear a thing back from 99% of them. I am never going to be good enough compared to other applicants.

I often feel much the same, as with preparing for the interview by trying to pre-empt questions and researching the organisation, and polishing my shoes and getting my suit on. Welcome to feeling like the most worthless piece of s*t on Earth and verging on wondering if suicide may be a good option.

Just make sure you claim for travel expenses where possible And I would not recommend committing fraud but some will pay a per mile pence rate which makes saying you travelled by car more profitable than the train ticket, plus you do not have to provide evidence (some do say restricted to same cost of standard train ticket though but that's still good if you got a cheap ticket in advance). Before anyone asks, no I have not done this but considering it for the future, lol. If I can't get a job or benefits and am not "fit" enough to sell sexual services to women I have to get money somehow