To be gutted and annoyed that DD did a degree and now works in Tesco?

[whitman]

DD is 21 and also pretty miserable. She has just had to up her hours at Tesco. She worked there part time while being a student and absolutely loved it for a part time job (only working 1 6 hour shift a week). She is in her 3rd full time week and hates it. She is really upset, to the point of tears. We all told her that she would be better doing a vocational degree (one that actually let to a job).

She applied for lots and lots of jobs that didn't even require a degree but definitely matched the sort of thing she studied.

She then applied to be an RSPCA officer, but unfortunately struggled at interview.

She did Biology with Animal Behaviour.

She doesn't have much work experience honestly.

It's just a shame that she spent all them years and money to end up doing the job she was doing before the degree.

She's very upset and is pretty miserable all the time. Is there hope for the future?

I did a degree that was completely useless in terms of vocational application. It wouldn't have led to anything except a job in an extremely niche acamedic field. Whilst I was at university however, I did lots of volunteering in a sector that I was (and am) passionate about, and as a result of my academic achievements combined with the volunteering experience I am now employed and successful in a professional role. I definitely recommend that your DD volunteers in her area of interest. It will signify commitment and genuine interest to prospective employers and make her CV stand out from others.

I work in a supermarket now. Was a manager of a very well known highstreet store out of uni. Its the experience along with a degree that matters. Experience thats completed within the course requirements isn't really enough anymore. Im friends with a girl from a similar feild who for 2 years post her degree has worked hard doing voluntary work at 2 animal charities, did a summer placement at a zoo as an educational person. She has now landed her dream job at another zoo. It involves alot of traveling and long days but it was the only way to do it. A supermarkets shifts make it ideal as your likely to be able to change hours to suit the voluntary work.

Three weeks? Wow, that's forever! She needs to get tougher. Life has a lot of knocks, things take time, and you don't always get what you want. In any animal related career there is always far more applicants than jobs. It's very competitive. If that's what she wants to do, then she needs to up her game. Volunteer at local rescue centres. Counter at the vets. Find any useful experience possible. If she doesn't, what's wrong with Tesco? They have graduate management entry programmes. Working at Tesco provides her with valuable experience in lots of areas. And it gives her an income so she has some independence in the grown up world.

If she gets so down after three weeks of working full time, goodness knows how she'll cope with everything the next few decades will throw at her. Encourage her to look for the positives, and to get her backside in gear to go for what she wants, not whinge about what she hasn't got. She'll be better prepared for life if she does!

My niece did Animal Science at Nottingham. She worked at Asda throughout University.
She couldn't get a job in her field after she graduated and went to work for Asda full time. She's a manager now and I'm proud of her.

I'm sorry if I seem naive. I left school at 15, so even having further education seems amazing! Let alone higher! I'm just super proud and yes (probably am being ridiculous) view her as the best for every job she goes for

What did she plan to be when she chose her degree? It's not a subject I'm familiar with so what would the job prospects be?

It's not working full time that's bothering her. She worked MUCH harder when she was at university than she does now. It's that she just hates the job a lot. Maybe she should just toughen up, but she's worked hard, so I do see her disappointment.

Many of my friends spent a few years after their degree not doing what they wanted and not necessarily earning more. 10/ 15 yrs later they now have better jobs and earn more, give it a couple of years. Hopefully she can try some things in her field even part-time get some experience and focus, good luck to her

Well it's biology. It's just with animal behaviour, something about more modules being in that field so it gets added? I'm unsure the ins and outs.

She could look into starting her own business. I started as a dog walker and ended up doing grooming too before got into helping with behaviour problems. It’s not what I do now but it was great!

It’s still early days. She probably has just graduated. Can’t she view Tesco as a temporary job until,she finds something more suitable.

If she is going to be doing retail maybe she should try and get a job at somewhere like Pets at Home. At least she will be able to use her animal knowledge and interest.

She’s got plenty of time. Finishing uni is a depressing time. You live in this bubble of friends, uni life and endless potential and then it ends. I don’t think people speak about depression after uni enough there is too much ‘oo welcome to the real world cupcake’. She needs a plan and to work out what she wants and work in getting volunteering roles. There is nothing wrong with earning a decent wage.

I’d count her as lucky to not work for the RSPCA, hideous ‘charity’ who don’t give a damn about animals.

There is hope but your DD needs to decide (broadly) what type of jobs/career she’s aiming for, get work experience in that area and keep applying for jobs. A degree is no longer a passport to a better paid career I’m afraid. Too many young people have been encouraged to go to university so now a degree in itself isn’t enough to give them an advantage when it comes to jobs. She can get out of retail but she needs to do voluntary work/internships until she has enough experience to get her first paid job in her desired field. The good news is that she is only 21 and presumably lives at home. If she can I’d probably suggest cutting her hours in retail back so that she’s got a few days in the week to commit to volunteering.

Jobs she has applied for:

• assistant conservation officer
• RCPSA officer
• kennel worker
• cats protection assistant
• trainee lab assistant
• assistant survey officer

Might not be exact titles but those are just a few. Most obviously don't require the degree she has, but she'd be extremely happy with any.

She’s 21! Many of my friends did jobs like this for quite sometime after university. They have often ended up with more successful lives than those of us who rushed straight into careers.

If she doesn’t do well at interview then volunteering etc might be a good way to get her foot in the door?

Alternatively if she applies for entry level jobs in a big organisation there are often ways to get trained up and progress if she is enthusiastic and hard working.

Please don’t write her off at 21!

My friend got a similar degree from a good university, she always wanted to work as a zookeeper with elephants. After she left uni she got a job in the zoo gift shop, she then got a job with the parrots then the penguins and now she works with the flamingoes. She left uni in 2004 so this is 14 years down the line. I’m sure she will get to the elephants one day but I think people die before those jobs come up!

Jobs with animals are highly competitive but as others have said, the more experience she can get the better.

Does she only want to work with animals? I definitely think volunteering would be good. Also ask for feedback on the interviews each time she has one. It could be something in common across them all and therefore something she can work towards improving.

Is she interested in teaching? There are always opportunities for STEM graduates.

Tell her to keep applying and not to give up on what she wants to do.

More practice interviews with someone who does interviewing to give her constructive feedback.

Look up local animal sanctuaries for voluntary work. She needs to build her confidence to take the knocks. Every kick back is a learning opportunity - take the interviewer up on their offer of post interview feedback when she does not get a job to help her understand where she can improve.

Two of the jobs you listed are ones my DH has on his CV - he’s now a ecological project manager.

He got those jobs because of his experience, and professional licenses (CIEEM etc) not his undergraduate degree. Whilst working he did a PT MSc which was very much practice based.

In short - volunteering and experience rather than her degree will get her much further. Are there any AONB near you with wildlife conservation or wildlife management aspects? That could be a good place to start possibly?

And whilst living at home, could she drop down to maybe 20-30 hours and focus 1-2 days a week volunteering? I assume she’s living at home with you, sorry.

They have to make their own mistakes, doesn’t make it easy to stand back and watch though. 3 years ago, DH sorted our Nephew out with an apprenticeship to be an electrician , he didn’t take it, wanted to be an ‘astrophysicist’ 🙄 , despite barely passing Maths and Science, DD is a Maths teacher and tried to talk him out of a foundation Uni course. He ended up failing that and has just got an apprenticeship as, you guessed it, an electrician 😡

No, she is more than happy to not work with animals.

She is also into plans and ecology. She'd be interested in Conservation but most jobs are trainee and they prefer someone with an ecology degree.

She also tried to go for some lab jobs. Trainee lab jobs that only require 1 A Level, a couple said she was over qualified and she didn't hear back from a couple others.

The fact is that in a lot of places experience will trump, having a degree. There will also be people who have a degree and experience.

She has been working full time for 3 weeks. She has been looking for work for a few months at most. These things take time.