Graduates getting part time work

by Aidan on 15 November 2011 17:19

I graduated this year and have applied to many graduate schemes but instead of staying at home waiting to land a graduate job, I work part time. Some people seem to think that I am making 16-17 year olds disadvantaged by doing this but I would rather be earning some money whilst applying to graduate jobs than being skint, bored and waiting for a job to come to me!

Am i alone in this?

by Flick on 15 November 2011 17:43

I would be getting part time work if I could find any. Also, in the long run, I think I'm not going to end up in a graduate scheme/graduate role. I want to go into HR and I think I'd honestly prefer working up from the bottom.

by Annie on 16 November 2011 09:39

I'm not sure if any of you read the Metro, but in the Metro talk section there is a big discussion on this - I think its awful to assume that graduates want to go for any job out there and want to 'take' 15-16 year old jobs from them. I mean what else can we do!? I'm finding it hard to find any part time work at the moment so I am just volunteering but the loan needs to be paid back at some point!

by Maya on 16 November 2011 17:21

Just like those experienced professional who got redundant go and take the jobs meant for us (graduates), we are forced to go and take the jobs of more junior workers.
Let the government try and force companies not to give out graduate positions to those with experience, then we will not deprive teens from their part-time jobs!!!!

I have been looking for a job after getting my masters for almost half a year. I do some volunteering while applying. But saved money does not last forever. I have started looking for some PT job just to survive.

by Mutia on 18 November 2011 15:24

I have just completed a pstgraduate degree june this year and I have ever since being applying for Graduate positions in my field while I was still studying up till now. But I have taken on a temporary job in a small organistion outside my field, till I get my desired Actuarial role. Its really much harder now to get graduate jobs.

by Kayleigh on 18 November 2011 16:11

I agree , I dont think its a bad thing. Actually its quite smart to work part time for some extra cash whilst actively job seeking. Though it depends on your circumstances, Im looking for full time and just signing on because I rent my own council flat now and part time wont cover all my living expenses. I graduated years ago and was comforted by reading your discussion because it really is hard right now. It feels so unfair. I didnt got to uni to end up on the dole! :(

by Tom Earnshaw on 18 November 2011 18:42

Yeah, i've got a similar problem. Got my 2:1 this summer, and there are scarce few grad positions available. Considering each position must get at least a few hundred applications from a swarm of people with 2:1's or around that mark, it's not surprising we're forced into the position of working part time in an (often) unrelated area. That's if there are any jobs to be had part time, which are rare at the moment as well... Nobody wants a graduate who's just going to work for a few months and then quit.

by Js on 20 November 2011 17:04

I graduated in July this year and have been applying for grad jobs/schemes since the beginning of my final year. having no luck i've taken on a part time job in a jewellers just to keep some money coming in and give myself something to do so that i'm not sitting at home bored.

I get loads of people that come in and say to me that their son or daughter can't get a job because i've taken their place.

i think you just have to suck it up and keep going. 16/17 year olds still get free travel (well in London anyway) free medical treatment, free optician/dentist etc appointments whereas we no longer do. so what are we meant to do? my travel alone costs me an arm n a leg.

keep ur heads up and keep trying, we can't give up. we didnt get degrees for nothing!

by William on 20 November 2011 21:22

Well, in an ideal situation graduates would get graduate jobs. But far from it, beggars can't be choosers. So many degrees so little jobs and so many graduate jobs seem to ask for experience which basically narrows it down to graduates who have done a placement year. Brilliant.

Feels pretty bad though at the moment, been appying since March. Almost wish I didn't do a degree and went a different route but sixth form was ill-informing to say the least. Oh well, on we all plod.

by LD on 21 November 2011 02:45

Agree with what has been said above! not bothering to rehash the same thing, but it can be so hard. I just got a job at a cinema and although its almost nothing, im grateful for it. of course, im still looking for a graduate job or higher but its hard. Also staying at home motivates me to do something as we all didnt go away fro 3 yrs just to come back and be home mollycoddled lol! its important jobs are found so we grow our independence and maturity. a culture of recession and no jobs does no good to mature, espcially if no one can get a job!

by Samantha on 21 November 2011 11:54

Yep I'm in the same boat as everyone else. I've been working part time for Tesco for four years now and thought it would be a good idea to apply to their graduate scheme. I sent my application in on a Friday and by Monday I had received a rejection email. I was shocked to say the least, but their only reason was because I only had 240 UCAS points when they wanted 280! But aside from that they said eveything else was fine! I was mortified, but they wouldn't make any exceptions......

by Mark on 22 November 2011 15:47

In a wierd way I feel a bit better for reading this. I got my 2:1 in journalism this year and felt great knowing it's a subject that can take you down many roads (even with the journalism world in dire straits). Yet here we are in November and I'm down to looking at admin jobs that school or college leavers could do. Very disheartening but it's comforting to know you're not the only one.

by Ivelina on 22 November 2011 21:45

I agree with everything written so far!!! I completed my masters with distinction in July and I am applying for graduate jobs since April. But staying at home sending applications and receiving rejections only is so depressing and demotivating. I started a job two days ago as a catering assistant in a temporary agency and hope that it will really be only a temporary job!

by fazz on 24 November 2011 00:54

I graduated in september this year. Been applying for graduate roles, but so far i got only rejections for no resons. I got 2:1 Msc in telecoms + CCNA + BEng...wtf is going wrong :(

by Some One on 24 November 2011 12:01

Hope you all are well and hanging in there... well I guess you guys have no choice but, to do just that. Neither did I when I graduated in May `09. Let me remind you this was probably one the worst years to graduate while the whole recession "hoo haa" was in full swing. I, also like yourselves applied to many graduate positions but to no avail. I got an opportunity to work in a small accounts practice in Dec `09 for less than £10k p.a as salary for a full time job (lets say I gave alot more of my time there than it was worth); but I was hungry, I knew it was this or wait for another opportunity to come my way and I was not willing to leave that to fate. I worked there 12 months before I started to get calls for interviews, even though my experience was 'nothing' as was expected in the job descriptions, but that 12 months got my foot in the doors of the companies I applied to and they were grad positions with very decent companies. Anyways, needless to say I have found another job and am happier, even though I am still not getting paid as much as I feel I should be (even with 2 years of relevant field experience) but you have got to bite the bullet and continue fighting... One way to get out of this is by keeping a mentality that things will get better... It will take you a long way... All the best.

by Bex on 25 November 2011 08:42

I'm was a mature student and graduated this year with a first. I have bags of industry experience too and the knock backs still keep coming! It's so disheartening to have worked hard for years to be turned down time after time. I'm now working part time in a retail job I did when I was 16- but I love it, it keeps me sane while I wait for grad scheme interviews. I gave up a good job to go back to Uni and now I feel back to square one. I just keep thinking things have to get better!! Good luck everybody!
- and sod the 16/17 yr olds, when we have rent, student overdrafts & bills to pay!!

by Vicky on 25 November 2011 14:00

I graduated in 2009 with a 2:1 in Business Tourism Managagment, i loved university but regret going, i wish i had just worked my way up. I have a good degree have traveled extensively and worked in travel roles, however i have had so many knock backs over the years. I am now working with adults with learning difficulties a job my mum got me. I wouldn't recommend anybody to go to university unless they have to for particular job roles.

by Vicky on 25 November 2011 14:04

I wouldn't recommend university to anybody at the moment. Work your way up and get the experience and contacts. I have graduated with a 2:1 back in 2009 and still have no relevant job. I work full time thanks to my mum other wise i would probably be on benefits.

by Chris on 25 November 2011 17:11

I totally agree with you Bex, I am a mature student and graduated with a 2:1 with a BSc Hons in Business M/ment and i have rejection after rejection. I have 13 years experince in mobile phon salesa and went for a part time job at the Orange shop and 'didn't meet the criteria'!. I also went for 6 jobs at Kidderminster College since June and they had a go at me because I went for so many jobs, even though I had experience in all of them ! I thought the whole object of advertising was to get people to apply

by yasmine on 26 November 2011 00:42

I have not graduated yet but i feel like i have to do a masters to feel like i am suitable for a job after my degree. i agree that its ok to take these part time jobs because we need to start somewhere, and these kids still have plenty of education ahead of them, i didnt have a part time job at that age anyway. i guess it also depends on where you live in the country where most jobs are. The other reason i want to do a masters is so i dont go into a commercial job that i dont enjoy, but at the end of the day if theres nothing there then thats what i will have to settle with. I also feel like graduate jobs are hard to get. its also unfair that we get lead on to do unpaid/voulentary work and get no where. how long will this go on for

by Vicky on 26 November 2011 15:03

Wow, I thought that I was the only one unable to land any sort of paid work. I have with me a first class degree in accounting, part-qualified ACCA with under a year's experience in a practice firm. I have applied for jobs left, right and centre without any success. Mostly I am told at the interviews that my practice experience is irrelevant as the firm (sole practitioner) I volunteer for only uses sage line 50. One would have thought that different organisations have their own systems so would give you some training in their operations. The prospects of obtaining a graduate job are dwindling by the day, having graduated three years ago.
What is the way forward for us unemployed graduates?

by Vic on 27 November 2011 19:54

You shouldn't feel bad about doing part-time work, the 16-17 year olds have alot of opportunities open to them like training course on which they get paid and get work experience all paid for by careers services. If you go and try to get on a similar course to improve your CV as a graduate you get knocked back because you are too old. If you are a graduate nowadays and can't get a graduate job it is jobseekers or part-time work, usually in a job which is well below your skill level.

by Mike on 28 November 2011 14:40

Hi all first time post. I graduated from uni with a 2.1 degree in History and so far have struggled to find even part time work. I have had a few interviews but got no further as I do not have a lot of work experience as I never had a part time job while I was at uni or sixth form as I struggled to find one then. However I have done some voluntary work on two preserved railways in the hope this would assist in gaining me a job in the future as I have been no means idle during my studies as people think!!!! But as yet have felt as if I am in a vicious cycle where I have not got a lot of work experience yet have no means of gaining any. I do attend my local job centre every two weeks despite not being eligable to claim benefits but have found them most unhelpful and have had to struggle on alone!!!!!! Can anyone here help me?

by Flick on 29 November 2011 11:33

@Mike in Wigan:

If you're after office experience, try your local council. My local council seems to do work experience placements often. I went on one, and although it was only a week, I was in charge of writing a report. One person in the office was in charge of work experience for the whole council - it's likely there's someone like that there.

But equally, I have had no part time job and so now I can't get one, or a graduate job, or a non-graduate job.

by elle on 30 November 2011 10:26

Agree with everything that's been said. I graduated over 2 years ago with a 2:1, I want to work in mental health and have experience as a health care support worker, but no matter how many jobs I apply for, I never hear anything back. I am working part time in a shop where they keep cutting hours and I am also signing on. I am living at home and can't even afford to pay my mum rent.
I have been applying for full time jobs in anything and still nothing. Where do I go from here?
I feel my degree is worthless and the debt accrued from it a waste.
Feel much better knowing I'm not the only one struggling but also so much worse realising how bleak this whole situation is for us all.

by Christian on 30 November 2011 12:21

I have been reading all the posts here and just want to reassure you all! I was in exactly the same situation as everyone here when I graduated. Times were also tough and certainly didn't end up doing what I wanted straight away. To give you an insight, when I graduated I:

was a Sales Assistant for a retailer (4 months)
Customer Service member for an Insurance call centre (3 months)
Trainee Manager for Magestic Wine (8 months)
Assistant IT consultant (5 years)
Created my IT based business (2000-present)

As you can see, I didn't get to where I wanted to be straight away and took a while until I eventually knew what I wanted to do. These things take time and I do understand that a lot of graduates are finding it difficult to getting a job, but be persistant and don't give up! Good luck!

by Essam on 30 November 2011 13:01

I agree with Christian, Not only part time, get a full time job while you are at it, doing anything you can find, we all still need to pay our bills and rents, I myself am doing a 12 hours 6 days a week job while looking for permanent jobs, even though the pay is crap but i am surviving, as an international student, its worse when you cant apply for jobs that require natinality status. And its not only in the UK its everywhere that students are struggling to find jobs according to their degrees. Experience is experience no mater where it comes from, be it doing a call centre job or a reception job.

by elle on 01 December 2011 11:37

It's actually finding full time work in anything that's the problem, not even degree related.. its a struggle to get any job at the moment!

by Taz on 02 December 2011 23:56

Hey Vicky, I graduated in accounting 2 years ago and I am completing my ACCA exams, I know how you feel! Good luck. Anyone who passes the professional ACCA exams deserves a Job whether or not they have the experience!

by Emma on 03 December 2011 12:09

I have got on a graduate scheme for this summer and I dont finish uni until may.. why on earth did you not apply for these schemes the oct/nov/dec BEFORE you graduated so you had something. Early bird catches the worm.

by Flick on 04 December 2011 15:41

It's not simply a case of not applying before you graduate; I did and still got nothing. Not everyone can get on a graduate scheme for whatever reason so don't assume people didn't plan. Some might not have - some simply weren't successful.

Applying the year before guarantees nothing. The problem is there's very few jobs out there and a lot of competition for them which is why we are all looking for/have found part time work.

by Lailani on 06 December 2011 09:21

That's actually a wise thing to do, i am also in a similar setuattion, i have recently gratuated and i wanna get into the finance industry but i can't seem to find anything. I currently work at a local supermarket to pay the bills. These days anything is better than nothing....

by Matt on 06 December 2011 10:07

I'am in the same boat as everyone here. I say we all start a petition for Mr Cameron to simulate growth in the graduate jobs sector, both private and public sectors. Failing that a petition to cancel student loans if the graduate is not in full time employment within 5 years.