How long after graduating do I get before not having any form of job becomes embarrassing?
I know it seems desperate asking here, but has anybody got any steadfast advice or tips that are better than the usual platitudes?
I crammed in as much work experience (relevant to what I'm going for), studying abroad, languages and relevant society positions as I could ready to hit the road and nobody will give me any flicker of interest. Yet, it seems those who sat on their arse for three years or made no effort to do more than the usual university bubble entails have all took jobs at leading newspapers and other respectable institutions.
I'm not envious (well, just a bit), just feel like there's something I'm missing to help wrap it all up.
It's not all bad though, I did speculatively apply to a company who said I sounded great, invited me to an interview and said they'd get back to me to confirm dates. They emailed me again to say they were still confirming the dates. I emailed them twice (a week apart) to ask if it was still happening and they've just ignored me.
>>5862 Thanks, noted. Didn't think much of it considering he seemed really keen and even emailed me successively to say sorry for the slow follow up, he was still working it out.
He could have at least emailed me to say the position was no longer going.
>>5863 >He could have at least emailed me to say the position was no longer going.
Don't be so naive. Some people in business are busy and others are lazy or disorganised. There is very little value in keeping warm dead leads. It's also worth noting that recruiters are notorious for their duplicitous attitude, where they'll blow smoke up your arse while putting you on the backburner. Evidently there's something about you that's turning people off. Have you cornered any recruiter/HRbod to ask what that is rather than bitching about your silly ideals about politeness?
>>5864 I won't get into it, but you seem a bit mad. I wasn't bitching. The guy worked for a successful company and emailed me twice of his own accord to let me know he was sorting out a time to come in and get interviewed. So twice he was aware, without me prompting , he had something to do.
Nobody was bitching, I just thought he could have spared the 5 seconds it takes to type an email and send it. Get a grip.
I've contacted recruiters, but most don't seem interested in fresh graduates and ones that do just keep saying 'my cv looks fine/ looks good/ nothing that can be improved' and then never actually return to me with any jobs.
Perhaps somebody could recommend some good ones incase I'm missing the boat or going through the wrong ones? Of course, nobody has to, but it'd be appreciated because I'm clearly going wrong somewhere.
>>5865 No mate. I seem a bit abrasive. It's not the same. Notice how quickly you've started an argument (immediately after pledging you wouldn't) with someone obviously only trying to help. You also misunderstood my clearly worded question and provided an irrelevant answer and excuses. Enjoy your unemployment.
You seem to want to find something to argue about despite there not being much you can actually argue about. You started going on as if I went on a rant about 'ideals about politeness' when I just presumed it was quicker for him to say 'sorry, the position has one' rather than receive and read repeat emails from me.
Anyway I'm not sure how much help I got from you, but thanks. I understood, but like I said nobody give me any idea what was turning people off, because as I said, they all indicated my CV looked fine at minimum, and good for the majority of the time.
Thanks anyway, I'd appreciate it if we could not carry this on and let it breathe for perhaps some people a bit more willing and a lot more patient to help a lad out.
>>5867 I'm feeling generous. I'll repeat my question without the hostility because you're clearly easily distracted and somewhat sensitive.
Have you asked any prospective employer that TURNED YOU DOWN or IGNORED YOU why they did so? Did you do this in a way where it was socially awkward for them to ignore you again? For example, by picking up the damn phone and asking to speak to the decision maker by name.
For example: "The panel felt that your application was very strong and you demonstrated a good level of experience of working in ________. However, we had a number of applications that had more relevant experience. "
I'm trying to build my experience, but fresh out of uni there was only so much time I had in summer and around my studies to build up experience.
I've spoken to a few on the phone and I've received similar. I'm aware this doesn't really mean much if I don't even make it to interviews.
I have asked for some criticism or what I could have done better and twice over the phone I've been told there was nothing really I could have done more and they were unwilling to point out any criticism. So as it stands, I'm quite unsure where to head.
>>5870 Well you seemingly think your experience is above average for a fresh graduate and the feedback you're getting is telling you the opposite. You don't want to offer any specifics, so we're at a bit of an impasse in resolving this problem. Maybe you're awful at framing your achievements in the most favourable light or maybe you're just deluded. One or the other really innit. Good luck.
>>5870 Are the positions your applying for specifically aimed at fresh graduates? It's hard to say for sure without knowing your industry but you should probably check if there are grad positions available. If so, you should definitely prioritise those, as it sounds like the positions you are applying for are really looking for experienced professionals (regardless of whether that was explicit).
Obviously, the strength/relavance of your degree and course are also factors employers take into account. If you're an arts graduate and all your friends are STEM graduates then it's hardly surprising that they appear to have an easier time job-hunting, like it or not.
Speaking of the devil who loves to grease a few poles, if you want a job at a paper it cnanbe done. Doesn't even matter if you don't want to do it as a career - it looks good on a CV to be working for a national paper.
Ring round all the nationals and ask to speak to the Web Editor, say you are interested in getting a foot in the dorr and ask whether they have any Online Journalist positions going. You won;t be doing any journalism, you will be doing night shift (well, evening to night) doing glorified data entry,but it is a piece of piss and quite fun. You will also get paid. Ask for weekend shifts because they will happily give you them and the money goes form approx 75 quid a shift to 150. And you save pennies not going out on the lash.
Keep calling, once a week to anyone who has expressed *any* interest, get them on the phone again and again and I can guarantee as soon as they have a vacancy they will take you on, just to stop you calling. Well, that and your name will be first to mind. I know Northern and Shell have no problem taking graduates straight out of uni.
I do warn you it is glorified data entry for shift pay, but it does look good when applying for other work.
Sage checked for possible typoes - the sun is right on my screen and I can barely read .gs
On a technical level, most definitely not. However it would be expected, as life is like that nowadays. If you are an undergraduate you might havea chance though.
>>5890 To post your CV here just change all the identifying stuff to fake placeholders. This includes not just changing your name to Simon Bennett and your address to 10 Downing Street, but your company name to Multinational Software Giant Ltd. or Upscale Supermarket Chain plc. As long as the stuff that matters is there, like your skills and responsibilities.
