What hope is there really?

xbrenx

jennyjelly wrote: »

The point of my OP though is the dreadful state of a job market where 50 people will queue up to compete for 4 hours on minimum wage. That's so sad.

Agrees with this totally.
A colleague of mine is a single father of two teenagers and he's been forced to take a job that's only 16 hours because that's all he could get.

3v3

jennyjelly wrote: »

...

The point of my OP though is the dreadful state of a job market where 50 people will queue up to compete for 4 hours on minimum wage. That's so sad.

I do understand. And yes, the economy is in a dreadful mess and jobs are very hard to come by.

However, what your son *really* needs (while he looks for a suitable job) is experience! He can gain experience (although maybe not in his field, but certainly of "life" and the working environment) by doing some voluntary work - beats the heck out of doing nowt/blank CV/boredom. And I don't just mean charity shops

jennyjelly

3v3 wrote: »

I do understand. And yes, the economy is in a dreadful mess and jobs are very hard to come by.

However, what your son *really* needs (while he looks for a suitable job) is experience! He can gain experience (although maybe not in his field, but certainly of "life" and the working environment) by doing some voluntary work - beats the heck out of doing nowt/blank CV/boredom. And I don't just mean charity shops

Absolutely agree!

He has started by creating this website for a local amateur drama group and is currently contacting others organisations to see if he can help in the same way. Not only will this help the organisations and give him more experience, but it will increase his portfolio which will hopefully be of help in the battle for a job. For the same reason he has done filming and editing to final dvd for drama groups etc. Everyone wins.

925dancer

You know, if he can afford a few weeks in a youth hostel, all the fringe shows for Edinburgh are looking for volunteers at the moment (Gumtree, media section), a lot of it is promoting the shows etc but it's a great way to network

Heck if he wants to pitch a tent in my garden (I'd offer a room but, erm, my flat is teeny!) then he doesn't even need the youth hostel!

925dancer

Sorry, also meant to say, your son and girlfriend need to apply for any benefits they're entitled to, especially housing benefit, it will take the pressure off a bit.

I've been looking for work since March, lots of experience but only 4 interviews so far so I can't imagine how hard it is for graduates.

suicidebob

jennyjelly wrote: »

Absolutely agree!

He has started by creating this website for a local amateur drama group

Maybe I'm wrong, but I would have thought a 2:1 tech grad could make a website more impressive than this one.

jennyjelly

Ah well, you can't please all the people .......

Any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism you can offer?

jennyjelly

925dancer, thanks for the Edinburgh idea, I shall pass it on to them. They have left the benefit applications to the last minute as they were hoping to get enough hours, but they know it will probably be necessary.

ali-t

jennyjelly wrote: »

Sorry, didn't mean to sound prickly!

He's aiming at working in the TV/film/video industry, but it's a very oversubscribed field, we've always known that. He has loads of experience from working on things for other people while he was at uni, so hopefully that might help. He's also very good at web design (part of his degree course) so is looking at the possibility of getting some freelance work in that area. Something will come along in the end, he just has to keep applying.
.

I think he might need to ditch his grilfriend. The only person I know who works in the field after studying married an American, got her green card then dumped him for another one. She is now happy, working in the field she wants to be in but is still skint.

Person_one

How do they feel about moving to Salford? There are a lot of opportunities at the new BBC Media City. Its competitive, but if he's as talented as you say he should stand a chance.

https://careers.bbc.co.uk/fe/tpl_bbc01.asp?s=IrTqWByLjAMrOoAjg&jobid=31386,5698544702&key=48631187&c=343425364822&pagestamp=seefojdhnhhhiqgrqd