Life after university: what next?

TriadSheep31

Hi all,

I'm a recent graduate from a good Russell Group university with a 2:1 in Modern Languages. It's been nearly a year since I've graduated and I'm still none the wiser as to what I really want to do in life. I'm not sure if this is normal or not for someone of 22, but I'm a little worried nonetheless about my future prospects and whether I'll ever know what kind of career path I want to go down. I'm even at the stage where I'm starting to doubt my degree choice, and whether I not I should have chosen a more vocational degree.

I'm currently working in a translation agency, proofreading translations principally, but the job is very boring and, as it's a small company, the salary is low and progression is minimal. I'm always on the look for more opportunities, but i'm losing a lot of motivation as I can't find anything out there that I really want to do and I think my mental health is suffering. I may have done a language degree, but I'm not truly sure if I want a job that's directly related to languages (teacher, interpreter, etc). I'm in a pretty weird situation.

So I'm just here to seek some advice from people and to see if anyone has been in the same boat? I don't want it to seem as though I am ungrateful for having a job (especially given the current climate), far from it, but I really don't want to be working where I am for the rest of my life.

Thank you all

xapprenticex

Rehab .....

TriadSheep31

Packing my bags as we speak

GarthThomas

No, I was never in the same boat. I did a physics degree then doctorate, as I wanted to be a physicist.

When I realised that doing it for a living wasn't as enjoyable as I had hoped I joined a graduate scheme in an investment bank, and have been doing it ever since.

It's not going to just "happen". You need to look at careers out there and work out which one you may like then get the skills to make it in and then to succeed.

A modern language degree is far better than nothing, but it shows potential, not much more, so you'll need to show employers what you are actually offering them.

TriadSheep31

Thanks for the reply. I think I fooled myself into thinking before I headed to uni that just because I can speak 3+ languages fluently, I'm going to walk into a job.

Also, what do you mean by 'shows potential, but not much more'? Would you mind elaborating?

sangie595

I suspect what is meant is that academic qualifications can demonstrate your intellectual ability, but are no substitute for work experience. Can you still access your university? Most university careers services still offer support to recent graduates.

Masomnia

I would say think about what you really want to do and work out how to get there, but if I could give myself at 21 one piece of advice it would be to just do something. Doesn't matter too much what, as you'll pick up skills and experience along the way. You're at a point where you can start something and it can be the wrong thing, but you can change in a year or two... so you'll lose a lot more by sticking with something dead-end than trying something else for a bit.

Good luck.

Mrs_Soup

To be fair you ARE doing something you are getting work experience and supporting yourself which will be helpful whatever you move onto in future, that is a lot more than many graduates manage straight off. So this is not time wasted but maybe you need to think about what you do want to do long term and start working towards that. Are there any particular bits of your job that you like or don't like, if so take the ones you like and see if those lead anywhere else. Are there opportunities for development into other areas in your current job. Even people who do what appear top be more vocational degrees don't necessarily follow that career. I work in a law department and the majority of our graduates won't pursue a career in Law.

theoretica

I have never had a plan for what I would do with my entire life - it is far to big. I found something that looked interesting for now and went for that.

System

TriadSheep31 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I think I fooled myself into thinking before I headed to uni that just because I can speak 3+ languages fluently, I'm going to walk into a job.

Yeah might have been the case once upon a time but not since the EU freedom of movement came along. A guy where I work is Serbian, has worked across most of the EU and speaks several languages fluently, not just 3/4. There are lots of Eastern Europeans who are similar to him so you need something unique like Mandarin.

TriadSheep31

Tarambor wrote: »

Yeah might have been the case once upon a time but not since the EU freedom of movement came along. A guy where I work is Serbian, has worked across most of the EU and speaks several languages fluently, not just 3/4. There are lots of Eastern Europeans who are similar to him so you need something unique like Mandarin.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. A lot of workers from the continent speak more than one language fairly well at the very least (and in the case of your colleague, many), and will also have a degree in business/HR/economics to boot: whereas I can only boast the former rather than the latter as well. I'm not sure whether I should just do a Postrgad in something such as finance, just so i'm not just stuck without any transferable workplace skills and/or knowledge.