Being realistic?

SmallL

agrinnall wrote: »

Are we missing something? I can see how zoology may be useful in getting a lab position, but what is the "massive advantage" that you have in learning and children with difficulties? If it's through a previous career in that area then surely you have a reasonable idea of what the jobs and salaries are.

Its a 'massive advantage' compared to other graduates.
Instead of a dissertation in my final year i undertook a scheme where i designed and implemented lessons in a secondary school for a class of children who had various learning difficulties. I would hope this could really show off my ability to go through the motions of creating a specialized project, something a dissertation, like most graduates have done, would not.

For the laboratory side outside of the degree scheme i have done 100+hours of voluntary lab work.
I have also done some paid work in the summer between the 2nd and third year, which comprised of measuring in the field and creating computational to-scale diagrams.

I feel that i'v shown relevant skills in both work inside and outside my course that allow me to chase various avenues for future employment, as i don't have a single particular career in mind!

I originally thought i wanted to teach but the dissertation alternative made me realize that i much prefere helping people with learning issues and watching them improve.Quite the fault of one boy in the class whohad poor literacy skills whom i took a shine to, he struggled to read words more than 4 letters long and he disliked writing/reading. Creating a lesson plan that could motivate and involve him in lessons was a wonderful feeling, even more so when he said in a later lesson 'I actually really like writing miss!' it was just an amazing sense of fulfillment.

SueC_2

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/SpecialNeedsTeachingAssistant.aspx

jobbingmusician

Sounds to me as if you would be happiest doing a PGCE and becoming a teacher!

Anyway, apart from applying for jobs, have you thought of developing your CV by doing some voluntary work with a relevant charity? One of the latest recommendations is for charities to have more young people as trustees, for example....

gibson123

What about combining the two things

http://www.animal-assisted-therapy-cheshire.com/

National_Careers_Service

Hi SmallL,

This is a really interesting question and it looks as though it’s attracted plenty of opinions.

I’ve been thinking about your original question; maybe it might be a good starting point for you to dig a bit deeper. Looking at your original question can you to get to the bottom of exactly what you’re trying to figure out when you want to know “how do other people value their skills/qualifications?”

For me, the key words here are ‘how’ and ‘value’. The varying responses to your post highlight that people calculate valuein different ways when it comes to work. For some, salary is the most important indicator when figuring out their own value or worth. While others it might be how they’re treated in the work place – the environment that’s provided for them, how their colleagues and managers interact with them, the opportunities and training they’re offered etc. Others might take into account a mix of salary and these other factors, deciding what they are prepared to compromises on along the way., such as long-term progress, training, how much enjoyment you’ll get from the role etc.

How do you value your skills/qualifications/roles?
Have you thought about what you value and how you might calculate the value of a role? It might be useful to ask yourself what you would like to receive in exchange for your skills and qualifications.

On the surface, for you it sounds as though the amount of money that gets paid into your bank account each month might be the primary indicator that you’ll use to measure your value to an employer. Perhaps you’re trying to figure out what is the maximum salary an employer will offer you in exchange for the skills, experience and qualifications you can bring to a role. Is this your bottom line or are there other factors you’re going to take into account when deciding which roles to apply for once you graduate?

How could employers value your skills/qualifications?
It would also be a good idea to think about things from the employers’ perspectives; what value can you bring to the role/company? As an example, you could think about how your degree might add to their role. For example for laboratory roles, think about the relevant knowledge and skills (perhaps lab skills, report writing etc) you can bring to the role. Which of these could add value when you’re compared to a candidate with similar experience who holds GCSEs. Will the employer will be able to utilise these skills within the role you’re applying for? If not, will they be able to utilise these if you were to be promoted within the company?

In relation to support work – what can your degree bring to this? Perhaps the subject matter might not be very relevant, however, are there skills you developed during your degree that you think an employer might be interested in for these roles? How would your degree ‘add value’ to this type of role?

A number of additional factors might come into play when employers decide what they’re looking for from applicants, such as:

· The competition (if there are a lot of applicants for a role, an employer may choose to increase their requirements)
· Geographic location (again, the skills an employer is looking for might depend on the ratio of jobs to applicants. If they struggle to attract applicants they might decide to lower their expectations and/or increase the salary)
· Industry (there might be a variation in salary ‘value’ and what they value in applicants between, say private and third sector employers)

I see from your research you’ve found suitable roles which suit your skills and experience with a salary range of 12-19,000. I wonder if your biggest stumbling block is your uncertainty about which roles you might have a good chance of being a successful applicant for. I suppose the question that follows this is what are the employers looking for, for these roles? Do they have similar requirements or do they tend to vary within the salary range? Also, do they differ in what they offer you in addition to salary?

If you have £17,000 as a rough figure in mind, do you meet all the requirements for these? I suppose, if you do, there’s no simple equation here, it sounds to me as though the next step might be to test the water with applications. Employers will give you the feedback you need – by the sound of it this might be the only way to answer your question about whether you’re “bring realistic’ or not.

I hope this helps!

SmallL

Thank you, your advice is really appreciated.
Its given me lots to think about and even reference points when i come to interview.
Im itching to start applying however im currently revising for my finals! My revision breaks are used to research the job market and its makingme really eager to get going!

No one tells you how daunting it is to get going in the job department after you've spent all your life in education up will 21!

getmore4less

What happed to cultivating a network and potential job opportunities while studying for a degree.

A lot seem to come here with the I have a degree in XXXX what do I do now?

At a young age with a lifetime ahead, restricting options by having a narrow geographical search area is often career limiting unless you are allready in the area with better employers.

[Deleted User]

You're going to hit a problem with your 'wanting to be choosy' mission - the area of work you want to get into (i.e. working with disabled kiddies) is typically not a highly paid one. It's also one where you'll need GNVQs, not a degree - and ideally you'll need a PGCE.

Even if you go into lab work, you'll find that too, is also not greatly paid initially. You might want to look at research assistant jobs here : http://www.jobs.ac.uk/

SmallL

getmore4less wrote: »

What happed to cultivating a network and potential job opportunities while studying for a degree.

A lot seem to come here with the I have a degree in XXXX what do I do now?

At a young age with a lifetime ahead, restricting options by having a narrow geographical search area is often career limiting unless you are allready in the area with better employers.

I think i have cultivated a decent network, iv got links to the university by working with them in paid and voluntary roles.
Links to schools should i decide to do a PGCE later on.
Preliminary searches have revealed that my target jobs vary wildly in starting salary, thats why i posed the original question.
Iv stated i originally aimed to be a teacher, however id like a couple of years in the job market before deciding on my ultimate career.

Im tied to this geographical area as myself and my OH are in a shared ownership of a house.
Plus my OH is going into a Masters and PHD in universities in this area.

SmallL

ringo_24601 wrote: »

You're going to hit a problem with your 'wanting to be choosy' mission - the area of work you want to get into (i.e. working with disabled kiddies) is typically not a highly paid one. It's also one where you'll need GNVQs, not a degree - and ideally you'll need a PGCE.

Even if you go into lab work, you'll find that too, is also not greatly paid initially. You might want to look at research assistant jobs here : http://www.jobs.ac.uk/

Stated earlier iv seen laboratory jobs that im qualified for ranging from 12k-19k, thus the original query in my OP.