To be panicking about DC’s employability post uni?

DD printed off NICE guidance, went with her to GP, strong armed an urgent pathway referral, the girl is now diagnosed, on treatment and getting PIP. DD is big into social justice.

An employer would kill to have this on their workforce. If she were mine, I’d be advising her to find out what area of social justice she wants to work in, and go for it. She has the ability and real life skills to make the impact she’s seeking to make, and if she chooses something that motivates her, she’ll be amazing.

HOWEVER (and I say this as one of the women you refer to as having been chewed in and spat out by the City), like a PP I too will be advising my DD that (1) she will likely be working for many years, so it’s a marathon and not a sprint (2) life is about more than work, and it’s a fact that it’s women who take maternity leave and bear the brunt of family obligations (3) she has a biological clock (4) she needs to make her own decisions, and be responsible for them (5) she would be very ill-advised to rely on a man/woman (partner) for anything (6) happiness is elusive and not the end goal, it’s an occasional by product of a life lived well. I couldn’t care less what my DD does, as long as it does no harm to her or others. She must do what interests her and whatever she’s good at. I’m willing to support her on a sliding scale while she finds her feet - it’s tough out there. But the tap will be turned off eventually, because she needs to search for fulfilment and satisfaction in the hope of finding it at some point.

I've had multiple career crises. I've never found the thing that makes me tick. Maybe most people never do. I like transformation consulting because I get to nose around in other people's jobs for a few months and then tell them how to do it better. If you get a job with one of the big firms, or specialise, it can be high earning.

I've worked in public sector for a long time and the only way to earn big there is senior management. You can't walk into that, you start at the bottom and move up. You might get an assistant director role on 70 to 90k by the time you are in your 40s if you are good at your job and can play the politics. The benefit of this sector is the massive variety of types of project you can work on. If you're someone who gets bored easily then it's great. Downside - got to get good at surviving restrctures. Continually retrain. Embrace technology.

The only other industry I have experience in is tech, and I would say anyone could go that route if they have an interest. Just do a python bootcamp and get a data science apprenticeship.

I've worked with educational psychologists and it is one of those fields that there is never enough people to fill the positions and will never be replaced by AI. Whether she is interested in children or persuing/funding a psychology masters and EP PhD is another matter!

I’m not completely sure where the line is but I think you’re well over it. I kind of hoped your first post was a parody.

Could look into educational psychology. Long path to qualification but rewarding, lucrative and never be without a job. And seriously worth doing. Alternative is social care but that's hard graft for lower pay.

OP your daughter sounds great and facing completely normal post-graduation life.

If she's interested in marketing but has no experience, and likes "doing" and "seeing results" then events/event management is a good entry point. It also segues nicely into project management which is an interesting and growing field.

I'm sorry that the university careers service is poor. To be fair to them, the possibilities are endless so she can help them by narrowing down her interests.

@NeedXanaxPlease would you mind sharing details of the career service run by occupational psychologists please? My youngest has no idea what he wants to do for a career and this could be useful to him.

You start with a hypothesis on paper and iterate in real life as you go along (and if needed switch jobs/re-evaluate careers etc.). I hate the uncertaintly that comes with it, but it is what it is.
Loving the pragmatism. Uncertainty and change are going to feature prominently in the career paths of our young people, however qualified/skilled/personable they are. My pet theory, which DS refuses to embrace, is that if you want security you go self-employed into an industry where AI can't readily make you redundant eg plumber.

I think I am getting my head around the fact that it's all about trade-offs - she needs to figure out what hers might be. And it's an ongoing exercise. You start with a hypothesis on paper and iterate in real life as you go along (and if needed switch jobs/re-evaluate careers etc.). I hate the uncertaintly that comes with it, but it is what it is.

Those are good things though - you need to reframe your thinking. Uncertainty means flexibility, it means not being stuck pigeon holed. It means open to a variety of options.

You've said you don't like the cut throat of your job, the inherent sexism, the long hours etc. But that now you have the expensive lifestyle you can't quit. Wouldn't it have been a happier life if you'd been able to try out and few things when you were younger, before youd got used to the expensive lifestyle and responsibilities?

The ones I’m thinking of are much smaller - they tend to be spin-offs from bigger agencies. I’ll DM you a couple of names if you like.

LinkedIn tends to be the main recruitment route for vacancies from what I’ve seen.

Lots of the smaller boutique corporate comms firms take graduates with humanities degrees - ds did a short internship with one the other week and the majority of the staff were under 25, a couple had done anthropology.

This is what my DD is doing. She's good at it too and enjoys it.

Lots of the smaller boutique corporate comms firms take graduates with humanities degrees - ds did a short internship with one the other week and the majority of the staff were under 25, a couple had done anthropology.

His impression was while not as ‘prestigious’ necessarily, they had far more responsibility than at bigger firms and it gave them a really good trajectory within the industry.

Dd is about to finish an anthropology MA from SOAS after a first degree in MFL, she’s had offers from several companies for research posts but is instead going to follow her absolute passion and move into costume design for film and tv.

As a London-based grad, there are plenty of opportunities for your dd, looking away from
the conventional routes might be more challenging for you but it could be the right path for her.

Got to be honest about my ignorance, i didnt have a clue what an Anthropologist actually was, so i googled it.
According to the Bureau of Labour there has been a 4.2% growth in employment for this skill, the higher they qualify the better chance of work.
Does she have any idea in what area of work she intends to use her degree, healthcare, social work, public relations, archaeology, museums?

Project management?

My degree is literally in songwriting. I became a music and drama teacher, Head of House at my school, looking into leadership roles. I also work making top lines for electronic artists all over the world. My parents wanted me to do a real degree and biopharmaceuticals but instead of something I hate, I live a life I LOVE sooooo much. She’ll be fine. more than fine. Just gotta let her decide what she wants and support her.

*how about

OP how absolutely civil service fast stream? She won't get rich on it but it pays ok and offers fascinating work.

This masters might be of interest

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/digital-anthropology-msc

I don't think a masters is vital but it sounds like you have the resources to fund tuition and she can live at home in London.

She could start in Sept

i.e. are the CVs of privilege - no caring responsibilities nor disabilities, to name just two barriers.
@senua Heavily implied from this barbed comment so at least be honest, as for the rest of your post, @NeedXanaxPlease wasn't asking for an 'argument', they were asking for opinions/advice which I gave along with everyone else, that's usually how comments flow. Sorry yours weren't as unique as you hoped it to be.

@NeedXanaxPlease With all due respect, you seriously need to get a grip.There's a difference between working to afford basic security, Vs luxury.

You chose the latter. Nobody forced you to work 100 hour weeks in a erm 'soul destroying zero impact' job so that you could pay for private school, ski trips and expensive sports.

It's not a race to the bottom but so many others work much harder, in worse conditions yet can't afford any treats. If a 'lack of impact' bothers you so much why don't you become a carer or nurse... Work long hours on your feet, get paid peanuts.

Others like myself worked intensely in our youth then got out. Saved for important things like uni fees and a house deposit instead. If you really wanted your daughter to have a soft easy life, THIS is really what you should have spent your money on.

Anyway, I think the girl will be fine, even if she earns 30K and lives at home for 6 years rent/bills free she'll have close to 60K as a deposit, enough to buy a flat with a reasonable mortgage and bills.

But you need to stop projecting the consequences of your choices onto her. And stop thinking of yourself as hard done by. You've been very privileged, so has she (with that kind of money and time to do competitive sport she's hardly been disadvantaged by her disabled sibling although her life might be slightly harder).

I think what I lacked at your child's. age was a full appreciation of the competitive financial nature of life. Pensions, investments, property prices, mortgages etc. we're absolutely not on my radar in my early twenties and I think there is advice to be passed onto children without being in any way controlling or intrusive.

By floating around careers you are missing out on pernsion starting and getting a first on the housing ladder. While these things seem unimportant as a youth it becomes plain in your early 50s how much of your wealth and future security is tied up in these things. You and your children's lifestyles are impacted by these important career choices in youth.

I am certainly not saying a renumerative career is the be all and end all but it has to be a consideration in weighing up your life or there is an element of niavity about all this.