To those who have began their working life in the recession...

bugslet

Didin't come across as a whine at all:). I was just trying to say that there are times it's rubbish and times when it gets better. Unfortunately this time is the former!

I think where it's harder is that there are shorter term contracts on offer and so much work put through agencies that it's difficult to make plans for the future. If you had a proper skill/qualification when I left school, then you had the idea of a job with the same company once you got taken on, now that doesn't apply.

kabayiri

Back in the 80s I thought high tech engineering; robotics; advanced CADCAM -- these were the things that represented 'the future'. Why wouldn't I? James Burke had made many a tv program from the late 70s onwards banging on about the chip revolution etc.

The high tech business I used to work at is now a housing estate.

Okay, bit of a boring rant just to say, you just can't predict the future.

Some professions seem more guaranteed. You rarely hear of lawyers being outsourced to India. I've not heard of a robot replace an MP (though I have my suspicions about Ed Balls).

The government go on about a lack of engineering and science grads, but I'm not sure it's a very safe area of occupation for job security. I won't steer my kids into it.

aardvaak

Why do these people think to get a degree is "the be all and end all" (just to please their parents) the sooner they get off their !!!!!! and get qualified for a real job everyone will be better off.

N1AK

quantic wrote: »

I got my first job in late 2007, 5 years on now all I've known is recession, economic woes and what feels like endless half empty attitude within society. I must admit, that before I had my first job I had very little interest in the economy, politics, house prices or anything of that nature - you might say that I was completely ignorant to it all.

I have been employed since before even leaving University but it has not been easy. I have had 3 jobs since University, none of the companies I have worked for have ever given anyone within them a pay rise, no bonuses, all have experienced pretty heavy redundancy and generally speaking its been a pretty depressing experience.

I have not really known anything other than this in my working life, sure I had 7-8 part time jobs before all of this but that was pocket money. So to my question, I'd love to hear from others to see what their working experience in life has been like, both people around the same age as me (mid 20's) and also other people with more experience.

Its beginning to feel like this on going economic struggle is going to be all I'll ever experience, will the UK recover or have we peaked? I can't decide if times are really as bad as we think or just if we have better tools now to moan about them (internet, social media)?

Hows everyone hanging in there? :beer:

I'm 27 and graduated in 2005. My friends who graduated at the same time and I seem to have done reasonably well. I think that couple of years makes some difference. I studied Comp Sci, there were plenty of web devs on my course :beer:

My sister and her friends graduated 3-4 years later (1-2 years after you) and it's been really tough for them by comparison.

I honestly encourage you to not let your experience so far get you down or lower your expectations. Work hard, plan ahead, build relationships and you can still get ahead

N1AK

aardvaak wrote: »

Why do these people think to get a degree is "the be all and end all" (just to please their parents) the sooner they get off their !!!!!! and get qualified for a real job everyone will be better off.

Why do you have to go demeaning someone's achievement when it's barely relevant to the discussion. The sooner you realise that it doesn't make you look smart, it doesn't diminish what they've done and everyone rolls their eyes at it the better off we'll all be

I know plenty of people without degrees who have a achieved a hell of a lot, invariably they are not the one's who need to comment on how pointless degrees are; they let their achievements speak for themselves and have sufficient self-confidence.

N1AK

Masomnia wrote: »

Not great, similar-ish situation to you. I graduated in 2010, and really have just been doing bits of part time jobs to pay the bills and get experience where I can.

My experience of the world of work is mainly therefore rejection letters from countless applications. Oh well!

you certainly got the short end of the draw there Masomnia. If there's one thing the opposition has a reasonably valid point about it's that we need to do something about providing more, and better, jobs for the young. I wish I had a cunning trick I could share but all I could do is wish you good luck

ILW

N1AK wrote: »

Why do you have to go demeaning someone's achievement when it's barely relevant to the discussion. The sooner you realise that it doesn't make you look smart, it doesn't diminish what they've done and everyone rolls their eyes at it the better off we'll all be

I know plenty of people without degrees who have a achieved a hell of a lot, invariably they are not the one's who need to comment on how pointless degrees are; they let their achievements speak for themselves and have sufficient self-confidence.

The OP did put the fact that they were a grad in the thread title.

I would suspect that 30 years ago, the equivalent of a web designer would have been considered a trade or craft rather than a degree type of employment.

vivatifosi

I suspect that I'm a similar age to worldtraveller and bugslet. Started work in a tough job market back then too. Key difference: it was easier to get a job then without a degree and then get a degree/masters while working.

Through my work I meet a lot of people seeking jobs. Many my age now unemployed including from very high level jobs and having to adjust accordingly which is hard. See some very talented people unemployed for months. One important element is if an industry has retracted severely, it is harder to change industries in your late 40s early 50s in a downturn. At the other end of the age spectrum I can see some new graduates really finding it hard. Equally I see some who refuse to let the job market get them down and eventually they stop coming in (to the library) and you know they've finally succeeded. Staying positive, often for a prolonged period of time, seems to be the hard part. Being clear as to what your USPs are over your competition is also important.

quantic

aardvaak wrote: »

Why do these people think to get a degree is "the be all and end all" (just to please their parents) the sooner they get off their !!!!!! and get qualified for a real job everyone will be better off.

Ok ill bite, I did a degree, against my parents wishes, they didn't think it was necessary, in my field of work you cannot do it unless you have a degree. What do you do out of interest? I assume your a surgeon or something?

Can I just clarify, I have never been unemployed since university, I am not having a whinge, I actually did pretty badly in my final year of uni because I worked full-time as its more important to have experience in my job than a degree. I don't really understand whats made you come out with that comment?

N1AK

ILW wrote: »

The OP did put the fact that they were a grad in the thread title.

I would suspect that 30 years ago, the equivalent of a web designer would have been considered a trade or craft rather than a degree type of employment.

It's still barely relevant to to the discussion. He wasn't suggesting being a graduate made him special just that he and a very large number of people who have graduated during the recession entered the workplace at a tough time.

I'd definitely put it in line with a profession and I think a degree is a perfectly relevant way to learn it (but not the only way). I got paid decent money for working on website development around 8 years ago. I have continued to keep a passing interest but would be completely unemployable in the field now (I even technically work in IT!). Web development is one of the most quickly changing area of computing, which in itself is one of the quickest changing fields.