Getting fed up now

1940sGal

Various job opportunities that had the potential to come off recently haven't, for various reasons. In one, after bemoaning my lack of success in job hunting my cousin said 'send me your cv and i'll get you started' (he works for recruitment for G4S) Anyway more than a week later i've heard nothing and my gut tells me it's not happening (some who saw my thread related to this might be happy to know that).

Another cousin said there were places going at his place so i sent my CV and heard nothing. I've tried to chase up but whenever i've called and asked to speak to the relevant person I never get through, it seems they're either always out the office or just not available.

I've sent my CV to a local ALDI store but not heard anything despite having experience working in a supermarket.

The other jobs going at the mo in the area are care jobs, where i don't have the experience they want; industrial jobs where i don't have the relevant licences and a lot of admin jobs, something i've never done.

Anyway, i've just graduated with a 2:1 degree in Photography. As much as i loved (almost) every minute and gained brilliant experience and knowledge, getting a job in the area I want, particularly around here, is just not happening. I do wish now i had done a degree in something else, perhaps English or History, but I can't change that now.

I don't want to go back to doing a dead end job just because it's money. I'm 29 and it's about time i had a proper career. Throughout uni I considered teaching but I'm not sure how to go about getting in to that. I certainly can't afford to pay for a post grad course right now. Can you get funding for a PGCE course even if you've already got a BA? Does it matter that it's in Photography? Could i teach, say, English? I was always good at it and i've remained passionate about it since high school (have a grade C gcse in it, among others obviously).

I'm just a bit...lost at the moment and feeling very low. I feel like uni was for nothing and I'm going to end up back how i was before i went to college i.e a total state of depression because I was working in jobs that lead nowhere and had no relevance to my passions.

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. If anyone knows anything about becoming a teacher...Please though only constructive advice, if you want to !!!!! or hurl hurtful comments about jobseeking or anything along those lines then please don't, i'm really not in the mood for that.

alyth

I think your first port of call should be your uni's career centre - I'm a mature student studying history and the career prospects aren't brilliant even for me - and I'm a lot older than you! However, you have your degree, I'm assuming you enjoyed it so you have to make the most of the qualifications you have.

If you work in a supermarket - and I do at weekends, have you approached your employed about getting onto their graduate recruitment scheme? I'm not sure whether you are in Scotland or England, but check out the getting into teaching website as to whether you would get funding for a PGCE and whether your degree would limit you getting into teaching - I don't know that's why I am saying check.

Do you belong to a photography club? Have you offered your services as an assistant to existing professional photographers? Do you have a facebook/linknin/twitter account where you can showcase your work - I have 3 friends who do that although photography is there hobby but one in particular does sell through facebook.

Don't despair - there will be skills that you learnt on your degree course that are transferable - my history degree will teach me analytical and research skills (hopefully!) so you need to work out what those skills are and how they can be transferred into the job market.

Good luck

1940sGal

alyth wrote: »

I think your first port of call should be your uni's career centre - I'm a mature student studying history and the career prospects aren't brilliant even for me - and I'm a lot older than you! However, you have your degree, I'm assuming you enjoyed it so you have to make the most of the qualifications you have.

If you work in a supermarket - and I do at weekends, have you approached your employed about getting onto their graduate recruitment scheme? I'm not sure whether you are in Scotland or England, but check out the getting into teaching website as to whether you would get funding for a PGCE and whether your degree would limit you getting into teaching - I don't know that's why I am saying check.

Do you belong to a photography club? Have you offered your services as an assistant to existing professional photographers? Do you have a facebook/linknin/twitter account where you can showcase your work - I have 3 friends who do that although photography is there hobby but one in particular does sell through facebook.

Don't despair - there will be skills that you learnt on your degree course that are transferable - my history degree will teach me analytical and research skills (hopefully!) so you need to work out what those skills are and how they can be transferred into the job market.

Good luck

Thank you

I'm going to call my uni career people tomorrow (100 miles away so can't visit in person) and see what they say.

I have had a website/facebook group since before starting uni which I have updated over time but nothing has ever come from it. I even exhibited in London in June which came to nothing. The problem is not that i'm not a good photographer, but that the kind of work i do just doesn't sell. Fashion/Editorial/Commercial is what sells and I'm a mix between fine art and documentary. I really want to work in a museum/gallery environment but the only way in to that sector at the minute is through volunteering, and nothing's coming up here and I can't afford to travel in to the big cities regularly.

At the minute my biggest skills are my theoretical knowledge and writing. I've been looking at this so will give it a go http://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/trainee-schemes/ptp-application-process

But like i said i'll call the uni tomorrow and see what they say. I'm just so desperate to do something that relates to what i love for a change.

MissSarah1972

Be a wedding photographer. My friend has no professional training at all but knew someone whos photographer let them down at the last minute and they asked him if he'd take the photos at the wedding a few weeks ago telling him they had £2.5k to spend!!!

1940sGal

MissSarah1972 wrote: »

Be a wedding photographer. My friend has no professional training at all but knew someone whos photographer let them down at the last minute and they asked him if he'd take the photos at the wedding a few weeks ago telling him they had £2.5k to spend!!!

I'd be really useless at it, it's really not my niche at all. Besides which I don't have the equipment for it, or the money to buy that sort of equipment.

All my equipment is analogue. Obviously I can work in digital but I just don't have the money for high end stuff.

dandelionclock30

Absolutley, undercut existing peoples prices and there you go. Also take photos of Kids, pets etc. You will make money if you get your name out there.
You can get pretty good digital slr cameras now fairly reasonably.

MissSarah1972

1940sGal wrote: »

I'd be really useless at it, it's really not my niche at all. Besides which I don't have the equipment for it, or the money to buy that sort of equipment.

All my equipment is analogue. Obviously I can work in digital but I just don't have the money for high end stuff.

How long ago did you graduate then? Wouldn't it have been an idea to keep up to date with new technology.

It's pointless mentioning you have a degree in photography when you aren't going to use it.

1940sGal

MissSarah1972 wrote: »

How long ago did you graduate then? Wouldn't it have been an idea to keep up to date with new technology.

It's pointless mentioning you have a degree in photography when you aren't going to use it.

I graduated in July. I am perfectly up to date with technology but do you have any idea how much it would cost to buy the kind of equipment a successful wedding photographer needs? Runs in to the thousands.

And just because i took a photography degree it does not go that i want to be a photographer. A Photography course teaches you many skills which could lead to many varied roles. I have already mentioned my skills toward the theoretical side of things and that's what I'd like to do.

You just seem to think what a lot of people think. That i've just spent £20k+ to become a wedding photographer.

MissSarah1972

1940sGal wrote: »

I graduated in July. I am perfectly up to date with technology but do you have any idea how much it would cost to buy the kind of equipment a successful wedding photographer needs? Runs in to the thousands.

And just because i took a photography degree it does not go that i want to be a photographer. A Photography course teaches you many skills which could lead to many varied roles. I have already mentioned my skills toward the theoretical side of things and that's what I'd like to do.

You just seem to think what a lot of people think. That i've just spent £20k+ to become a wedding photographer.

I never said spend £20k at all or assume that you have spent it. Nevermind it was just an idea.

dandelionclock30

What about medical photography? they provide the equiptment and employed by the NHS.

1940sGal

MissSarah1972 wrote: »

I never said spend £20k at all or assume that you have spent it. Nevermind it was just an idea.

Yes it was an idea and i replied only to get a snarky comment back assuming i wasn't up to date with technology or that i wasn't going to use my degree. I have every intention of using it but right now i feel like there's nothing to allow me to do that so i'm looking for other ways, wedding photography is not one of them.

The 20k referred to what it cost me to go to uni. My point was no one pays that to be a wedding photographer. One of my course mates was a successful wedding photographer before he started uni but he went to uni for a reason. So did I.