Please could you help? A bit sad and desperate.

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

I've posted about my situation before, but am getting a bit desperate now. Please could I ask for your help? I've tried to be really honest. Please could you be kind and objective? I really don't want to get flamed

My situation:
I graduated with a French and Spanish degree from a very academic university in 2015. I speak fluent French and advanced Spanish.

At university, I did several placements with national newspapers and magazines, and held several editorship positions for student newspapers, as I wanted to get into journalism. However, entry-level journalism roles have extremely low salaries, especially in London, where many are based. At university, I had planned to do a journalism master's qualification after graduating, but they're so so expensive and don't guarantee a job at the end unfortunately, so I decided against it. I do hospital radio volunteering on the weekends though, as it seems like a good way of perhaps going into media-based roles.

Since graduating, I've been trying to find a full-time job and haven't found anything. While I was looking for a full-time role, straight after uni, I worked as a self-employed private tutor and freelance copywriter in my hometown and lived at home.

In summer 2016, I moved to London to do teacher training, which I resigned from in winter 2016 due to health reasons.

To try and give myself relevant and important skills, I've started training as a Citizens Advice adviser in London in autumn last year. It's been so so useful in so many ways, and I'm so glad I've started doing it. It is voluntary though, which means it's unpaid, and ideally I need to look for paid work.

I'm also doing tuition through a couple of agencies alongside the Citizens Advice volunteering. Although the tuition is well-paid per hour, it's ad-hoc and not very regular (it stops during the school holidays etc.)

I have an assessment coming up for a Civil Service job next week, but it's for one post and I'm sure lots of people are going for it.

The problem:
I've been looking for jobs and haven't had any luck with finding a full-time job.

Everything that I'm looking at seems extremely competitive and there doesn't seem to be a clear, straightforward path to these jobs, if that makes sense.

I've had quite a few interviews over the last few months, but they haven't come to anything.

I've tried looking for jobs through: recruitment agencies (Reed, Tate, VMA Group, Love Success), job websites (W4MP Jobs, Guardian Jobs) and companies' own website.

I think I must be doing something wrong. Any ideas and guidance on how I can get a full-time job please?

I'm 26, and getting on a bit, with elderly parents, so getting quite worried.

The industries that I'm interested in are:

• Communications, PR and marketing
  
• Politics
  
• Journalism
  
• Government and Civil Service
  
• Charity sector (Communications, PR, marketing and policy roles).
  

Thanks so much

[PrimalLass]

I work in publishing. I wish I'd made different choices when I was your age. It's a nice to have sort of career but 20 years on the salaries haven't really changed. If I were you I would think carefully.

[MojoMoon]

Civil service jobs can take ages to get through the application and then it is currently a few months wait for your background check to be completed after a job offer. That's not even for developed/enhanced vetting. There is a general backlog. You can't start before it is complete.

So don't wait for it because it could be months and months (they are also competitive and the competency assessment is much easier if you have actual work to draw upon as examples).

So work. Get a temp job. Stop thinking about what career you want. You need a job and then once you have a year under your belt you can think about a different job.

A career doesn't define who you are as a person or make you suddenly feel complete.
It's just a fancy word for job.
Sometimes you enjoy your job, sometimes you don't. Sometimes it leads on to other more exciting jobs than the one you currently have. Sometimes you get promoted. But they are all jobs.
Have you posted your CV on the most generalist websites like indeed and monster? Don't limit yourself to one or two small recruitment firms. Just get out there.
The second job is much easier to get than the first job. And a job is much easier to find when you are already in one.

I really like my job. But I didn't even know it existed when I graduated and if I had, I wouldn't have thought I could do it or would want to do it. So jobs surprises you but you need to be in one to find out.

[Buxbaum]

If you have an aptitude for languages, have you considered GCHQ or the security services?

[diymania]

There are opportunities within the Civil Service that cover many of the things you're interested in - comms, politics, policy worked if you're partial to charity work then public service is along vaguely similar lines. If you have an assessment for DWP then concentrate your efforts on that. But keep looking at the civil service jobs website.

What grade are you looking at? You might only assume HEO would be a typical grad entry job, but there are many grads at EO level. And then after you've had time in the job and gained experience you can deliver good competency examples to set you up for applying for the next grade up (and so on!).

e.g......

Assistant Press Officer for Charity Commission

Assistant private secretary for MoD minister

Content editor for government digital service at Dept for International Trade

There are brilliant fast stream opportunities but they are super competitive. Whereas whilst getting an EO or HEO job is not easy, it would certainly be easier than fast stream but still open up all the many and varied opportunities the Civil Service offers.

I would echo what others have said and say an admin temp job would give you experience and chances to develop your skills. The CAB should also provide that, and if it's not be as proactive as possible and see if there's anything that you've noticed that you could suggest an improvement to and then make it happen - doesn't necessarily have to be a huge thing. Try to find things in what you're doing now where you can add value.

For your tutoring could you reach out to other tutors and see if they want to form a network to keep skills up, meet for a chat etc. That would give you a good example of collaborating and partnering, for example.

Good luck!

[Jassmells]

As someone in marketing/comms I don't think your experience sounds bad but really look at how you are tailoring it towards your application. The copywriting skill is your most important one here and journalist experience you really need to push this as it shows attention to detail, creativity and (I hope) good writing skills/vocab/grammar.

Marketing and PR are hard to get into you just have to keep going. You also like public sector so consider combining the two? NHS or local council comms maybe? Where are you based? With local government devolution in the west mids and Manchester there is a new raft of these types of jobs where others have previously disappeared.

Guardian jobs, jobswm, NHS jobs.co.uk all worth a look. There is hope, keep going!

[Judydreamsofhorses]

I’m an ex PR/comms person who now lectures in the same. I started in an admin role after graduating, moved to another admin role which involved a bit of writing, and from there moved onto working freelance for the BBC and STV as a researcher. When that got too unstable (and I got a mortgage!) I switched to the marketing/comms side, then ultimately into teaching.

None of this was my Grand Plan, and I am 44 now and still don’t really know what I want to be, but I think the key thing is being able to be adaptable and build up experience where you can get it. In my first admin job I got involved in writing company manuals and procedures, and delivering training on them - this really helped develop my public speaking skills, and also gave me examples of “published work”,no matter how tenuous and boring they were. I guess what I am trying to say in a rambling way is that nothing is ever a waste of time, you will always gain something from even the crappest job. (One of my closest friends is someone I met in that first admin job, over 20years on!)

[bracken101]

I just wanted to say that I had a similar situation to you, and it's just getting a foot in the door that's needed.

In the end, after going for an interview but not getting the job, I asked for feedback and also said I was available for very short term work if they had any projects they needed doing. I was taken on for 5 weeks initially and proved my worth, contract kept getting extended, I was getting valuable experience and eventually a permanent job opening came up and I got the job.

[peachgreen]

OP, to be blunt, at this stage you need to stop worrying about what your career is going to be and just get a job. You're spending all this mental energy trying to analyse yourself and figure out what you want to do forever but in the meantime your situation is becoming more and more untenable. The gap on your CV is getting longer and from what you've said you will essentially be homeless soon if you don't get a job.

Stop thinking about it. Start applying for admin jobs. Once you've got one and you're earning and supporting yourself you can do all the career planning you want.

[Yazoop]

[I hope that doesn't come across as snarky, artifice - not intended to be, just a reflection on how hard it is to break into such fields]

[Yazoop]

@artiface - while I like George and its a really interesting piece, it is also unsettling for someone who grew up in a Henley to a family with prominent ties to the Conservative Party, and who went to Stowe, to be freely saying that people starting out should embrace the uncertainty and take "liberty over security."

While there is no doubt that becoming adept on living on £5k a year and specialising in a particular niche is the way to go to get a career in journalism these days, it is much easier when you come from a background of financial stability in the first place and, perhaps, already have a wider "network" in place. It is much harder for the average kid with no political or media ties, no top private school background, no future inheritance, to have the balls to take that risk.

[artiface]

www.monbiot.com/career-advice/

[artiface]

I thought this item by George Monbiot might be interesting to youwww.monbiot.com/career-advice/

[Yazoop]

I think you should try anything that comes up, tbh. You have a long working life ahead of you. You don't have to be on the same route for the rest of your career, you just have to start doing something. And see if you like it, what comes of it, etc. You'll learn more about yourself, and what you want to do in life, by actually doing than trying to work it all out in your head. I know it is hard to get out there, but it becomes easier - I promise.

Like other posters have suggested, one of the best ways to start working is by signing up to agencies that are somewhat related to the fields you are interested in. For someone with limited experience, this is likely to be administrative temping at first, but through this you'll get a flavour for things and meet people. If you do well, it could lead to other opportunities. In public sector, I recall Brook Street being one of the main places for temp work in the Civil Service and local government. A stint of temp work in any sector will allow you to get to know the structures, the types of roles on offer, the culture of the sector/organisation. You will be able to keep an eye on when interesting full-time opportunities arise, and get advice from relevant people.

All of the fields you are interested in are very competitive and, to be very honest, a lot of people out there will be very single-minded about getting into one of those fields from early on, getting very specific experience through university (and even school). So you have to start differentiating yourself through getting some real-life experience. You will gain transferrable skills and, most importantly, confidence.

Of course, you could do really well in your assessment next week and go on to get the CS job - so take it one step at a time, prepare well, and good luck

[LardyMardy]

I just don't know exactly what I want from a career and I don't know how I can find out what I want

I don’t understand your tone here. Most people need to work to pay the bills. Get a job and then start the navel-gazing.

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Thanks everyone. You've all given me the momentum I need.

Snowdrop I'm not hoping my parents will pay my rent - they aren't in a position to, and I would never ask them to.

[Snowdrop18]

You sound like you've swallowed a self help book.

I can only say if you really have bills to pay, let that be a rocket up your arse to get any steady work you can get. You can navel gaze on your commute!

Are you secretly hoping your parents will pay rent for you?

[MrsHathaway]

Literally every post on this thread is trying to help you answer that question. Get into work and see what you're actually suited to. You'll discover fields and roles you haven't heard of yet. You'll find your niche.

Most new graduates don't know what they want! Don't put your life on hold waiting for inspiration: go out and find it!

[LardyMardy]

My response to your most recent post is that you should stop thinking about a career. Think about
A) a job, any job

Then
B) what do you like doing?
C) what are you good at doing?

Then think about how you can utilise answers to those questions to earn money.

Or maybe just get a job, any job, and develop hobbies and interests outside of work. Work to live, rather than live to Work.

Stop thinking about a “career” and just get a job, to give you breathing space.

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

I think what I've written below sums up my current situation, and I don't know how to change this at all. I've been trying to change this mindset for the last ten months, and still haven't managed to. Could anyone help please? PMs also very welcome :)

I just feel really stuck about what I want from a career. I feel a bit paralysed, to be honest. It's like the more I think about it, the more unsure I get.

I know that time is starting not to be on my side now, so I'm particularly keen to get the ball rolling. I just don't know exactly what I want from a career and I don't know how I can find out what I want.

I know I'm the only person who can really find out what makes me tick and who can try to translate that into the kind of career that I want.

But I still don't know how to narrow down what kind of career I want to go into.

Any ideas please on how I could work this out?

[Papergirl1968]

I was a journalist who went into PR/comms.
I’d agree with others in that the careers you’re interested in are a bit too wide ranging. To succeed in the highly competitive fields of journalism or PR you have to be single minded. To know what you want and to go after it.
Hospital radio is great training for regional radio while for newspapers or magazines, I’d look at building up a portfolio of published articles.
These days journalists are often required to be proficient in social media, photography and audio or video recording, so brush up on those skills if necessary. However the main requirement is to write well, to have a nose for news, and to make lots of contacts.
I would be looking at local papers, perhaps in the area you grew up in or went to uni in, rather than London, as having local knowledge is a big advantage. You could then look to move on to national newspapers, magazines or PR when you had some experience under your belt.
Echoing what others have said though, you can’t afford to keep dilly dallying, trying to decide what you really want to do, when you have determined youngsters right out of uni snapping at your heels.

[ilovesooty]

As others have said you need to sign up to a temping agency and get a job - anything really at the moment. You are falling behind other people in your age group and you haven't been able as yet to evidence a work history. The longer you remain in limbo thinking about what you might like to do the more you will get bogged down in contemplation about your career goals rather than taking action.
Brush up your CV and be proactive. The need is becoming urgent and it will be easier to plan your next steps once you're in the workplace.

[MrsHathaway]

OP will be well aware that a first degree in modern languages is no qualification for translation let alone interpreting. There's very little demand for French or Spanish anyway (unless you have a technical degree and can do specialist work).

Prove you're a good employee.

[Snowdrop18]

OP "With the next point, I can't really afford to carry on like this, no"

In that case, I think you need to switch priorities. Focus on getting a paid job now, then do that for a while, then look at what you want to do later. If you have a good reputation in any line, with good contacts and people who are willing to give you good references, that will be useful for all lines of work.

Could you swap your volunteering for paid work, have you got any savings at all? You will have to find 2 months rent deposit etc won't you?

[FurCoatFurKnickers]

At this stage, I'm still not sure about what I'd like to do, so that's why my career goals aren't very clear yet.

That's something that will come across loud and clear to any potential employers.

You want to work in journalism but have been doing work/courses that are totally unrelated, one of which you left after a couple of months due to ill health. This is not encouraging for a potential employer.

You are 26 with minimal work experience and will be competing against people of a similar age with equally good degrees and maybe 3 or 4 years of employment under their belts.

In order to secure some income and get workplace experience I'd suggest temping. I've gone from temp to permanent in 3 roles in the past as it gave the employers a chance to see how good I was in the role. The other option, as suggested, is to do translation if your Spanish is of a high standard.

You come across as a bit flaky to be honest.

[VioletCharlotte]

Hi OP I work in comms at a senior level in the south east. It is pretty competitive. A graduate looking for an entry level role level could expect to earn circa £20-23k, but with a couple of years experience under your belt, you could expect to apply for a comms officer role at £25-£30k.

There are many prestigious organisations in London, but the competition is fierce. There's lots of comms roles to be found outside London in some of the bigger towns and cities in the south east, so if you'd consider relocating you may find it a bit easier, plus the cost of living will be less.