Unemployed, Young professional, seeking advice

Calamar460

Good Afternoon fellow MSE forum Bloggers,

I have come to this forum after a while of job searching, whilst I have been successful in certain fields which are linked to my degree ( communications) I am struggling to find work.

The sector I specialise is the creative sector, but I get little to no responses, I am unsure what to do for job hunting wise, I say to myself that I need to keep looking at the surrounding trees in the forest then the one tree, however I am at a stand still and is seeking advice on what to do.

Best,

Calamar460 :)

El_Torro

Your post suggests you don't have a lot of work experience, just qualifications. The job market at the best of times is hard for new entrants. Now is not a great time for anyone though, whether experienced or not.

Have you looked at lower paid apprenticeships / internships? Something to give you work experience.

Savvy_Sue

Also your university may still be able to offer careers advice, and if you're no longer local they may have a reciprocal service with institutions you are local to.

Calamar460

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81878867#Comment_81878867

I should have put my experience down

I have been freelancing in television production for the last couple of years.

I avoided Lower paid apprenticeships, due to the fact that I graduated from university and with my degree, in reality I should be able to get a job.

Thank you for the tip, much appreciated.

Calamar460

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81878905#Comment_81878905

Thank you for the tip,

Kind Regards,

Calamar460 :)

monkey-fingers

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81879749#Comment_81879749

A little hint for the real world.

Often degrees are worth Jack. 35 years ago, 14% of people went to University and generally that would give you a leg up.

Around 50% of people under 34 have a degree. It's not as special as it used to be.

You might need to set your sights a little lower.

gm0

>I have been freelancing in television production for the last couple of years.

Chin up.

Somebody has been paying. So you have experience of whatever aspect it was admin, logistics, technical. For some/all of 2 years. And some contacts who may hear of things that are happening - leads. At the organisations they were at - then - or now. Work them.

It's not necessarily about "lowering" sights.

But in the field you want to work in. Versus the location you are in/wish/can afford to be in.
And the creative aspects that you bring/portfolio if that is relevant. There will be a nature of that market - and it may more or less prone to having a "free tier" as with theatre - odd jobs/short gigs and few permie roles ever coming up. It's then a question of realistically working with the flow of it. You meet a lot of actor baristas and bar staff between the "jobs" they want. Doing the other thing.

Aso accept that post finding a target organisation - there may still be one (or more) "contract to start with" phase - which opens up an insider move 6-12 on - to more stable income - if that is what you want. And mysteriously. Most "noobs" are agency. And most "hires" to published jobs are contract to perm. Very common now. And logical. Have a core workforce. And an agency one to top up the volume - which can be shed (more) easily in severe downturns at relatively short notice - 3-6 months. Operationally very convenient. And probation sorts itself. Just don't renew the duffers wastrels drunks and strays. Agency as employer deals with offloading. And C2P the better people dealing with core growth and natural attrition. Nice model - for the company. Rite of passage for the graduates.

Both my kids of pandemic era emergence to job market had a year of questing when it just all stopped.
And then when they did find a way - a period as agency staff. Then contract 2 perm.

The message to you here being - don't ingnore agency roles and fixed term contracts as a way into a more desired organisation. It may be the preferred - or your only likely to be successful route as you may continue to bounce of permie advertised roles while something like I just described is happening. They know the other candidate - they have worked there for a year.

Zero response to many - often digital (and now AI) applications is nailed on.

It's rough and a bit depressing. But don't let it be stressful. Imagine having 5 roles and 1000 applications. (Not an exaggeration at all especially now digital - can be way more but for example). Personalised replies based on application content to each one. Not happening. So many hours effort. To no business benefit. So filtering with tools. Keyword matching. Read a subset - 100-150, Interview 20. 2nd interview 10. Offer 5.
850 people never got looked at by a human to any depth/at all. When it got excessive in the old days of paper - sometimes they literally took a pile of 500 and said. This pile is unlucky. Cuts the reading in half. And we'll find 25 to interview for 5 in the other 500. And it doesn't say fair on the tin. I have been in the unlucky pile myself. Digital keyword filtering is not so different. It's a judgment on your application preparation skill against the game - not a character judgement or about your suitability for the actual job. That spirit. Playing the game. Is needed.

If you like production and did any event/gig/on set work. And can broaden out your "I can do that" skillset in terms of the roles you could fulfill - then that's a good option. Volunteer efforts are time consuming and unpaid. But skills building and demonstration in the world - get you ahead of other paper only people. Camera. Lighting. Sound. (On the technical end) as examples. Amateur theatricals (free tier) etc. Gigs. Places of worship/livestreaming. Lots of demand for competent and in creative world - but free. Paid is the hard yard.

Absent that. Do something. Not so timeconsuming it mucks up your ability to get applications done

In the covid related delay. One son did covid cleaning in a logistics setting. This paid - a tiny bit - and more importantly demonstrated - appetite to work. And get stuck in. Getting up. Turning up. Being in the world. In old money - demonstrating "work ethic". You have that checkmark (from existing work) but it will decay as a credential the longer you are idle. And the quesiton mark will reappear in potential employers' minds.

Relevant work is always better. But most work is better than no work at all as filler.

Marcon

I avoided Lower paid apprenticeships, due to the fact that I graduated from university and with my degree, in reality I should be able to get a job.

You seem to be way out of touch with the sad reality: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1klry2rjm0o

That isn't meant to depress or discourage, merely to point out that you may be underestimating how hard you will need to work to get the sort of work you would like to do. You say you have been hunting for 'a while' but how long is that? If you expect to walk into your job of choice within a couple of months, you're setting yourself up for failure, so adjust your sights and expectations to cushion yourself for what could be a long haul.

Look at sources of help such as https://www.kingstrust.org.uk (I'm assuing you are under 30 if you are a graduate and have only a few years of work).

You will get there if you are resourceful, determined and realistic. Very best of luck.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81879749#Comment_81879749

I work closely with Film and HETV production, degrees count for between little and nothing in that sector. For most of the people in that sector a six month apprenticeship is seen as more valuable than a degree because it demonstrates practical real world experience, not just a theoretical knowledge. I would also say that if that tone of being entitled to a job is coming across in your application and/or interviews then you will almost certainly get nowhere, that will be very badly received.

Film and HETV production is about networking, making friends and being incredibly hard working, it is not about degrees. Apply for everything, be prepared to do the jobs at the bottom rung of the ladder and if you are any good then after six months you will be inundated with work. Look out for the programs that Disney, Apple, Netflix and Amazon offer, they are highly competitive but well paid for entry level positions. ITV, BBC and C4 offer apprenticeships but they are less well paid. Also look at Screen Skills, they are good at helping people where they can.

You might also want to get involved in some indie productions to build up more experience and get your name on some credits.