To be panicking about DC’s employability post uni?

[NeedXanaxPlease]

DD is going into the final year of an Anthropology degree (might get a first but probably a 2:1) from a top RG uni. Has done a Fine Art foundation year. Always worked part time since finishing A-levels (Maths, English Lit, Art), first as a barista/front of house/waitressing, then as an after-school nanny during uni.
She loves working, is highly responsible, great people skills (and people judgement) and quite numerate/commercially savvy. She is a great kid and would be an asset to any team. But… she hasn’t had a single internship so no “relevant” work experience (didn’t get her act together after first year and a long recovery post an operation for a sporting injury after second year) nor does she really know what she wants to do after graduation. She is definitely not pursuing the classic investment banking, Bain/BCG/McKinsey, accountancy, law routes.
I am now feeling highly anxious and helpless as I don’t know how to support/guide her. I did the classic Tier 1 strategy consulting, MBA, corporate M&A so I am spending hours each week helping my friends’ kids who want to pursue this path (mock case studies, mock interviews, CV reviews) but am at a complete loss re how to help my own. I feel that I am spiralling. This is not helped by my being involved in graduate recruitment at my work – CVs I see are all full of Economics/Management/Sciences degrees, multiple internships/work experiences/summer schools – they are highly structured and tick all the boxes (to an extent where I can’t differentiate between them). My DD wouldn’t stand a chance on paper.
Sage mumsnetters, please reassure me that she can get a job without internships and with a “soft” degree? Does she stand a chance with graduate schemes? Should she even bother applying? What potential career routes she could explore?

omg - please READ!! I wasn’t earning above 100k when i complained about what my male colleagues were earning. Where did I say that? If you must know - I was on about 50k and they earnt double and over the next few years I doubled my salary. Jesus wept. You can argue all you want love, but is that fair? Are you saying that I should have just kept my trap shut? You are deluded.

and no - I don’t earn over 28k now. Are you happy now? Seriously - anything else you would like to attack me on?

PM me for my pay slips if you don’t believe I earn under 28k and want to call me a liar again.

OP your daughter sounds delightful. Has she considered an internship - initially - with a conservation NGO/charity?

@Aliciainwunderland No, that's fine. Thank you for the clarification. Although I don't believe I said anyone is lying.

• I am quoting you

‘I also doubt that being paid less than your male counterparts is actually true.’

https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/councillor-and-officer-development/impact-local-government-graduate-programme

Local government offers everything from Finance to Parks & Leisure to Economic Development. A great place to find out what interests you as you dip into different departments.

"while also earning a decent wage"
Decent is doing a lot of work there. Are you happy for her to be sharing a flat in Clapton with 4 other people? Or does she need her own 1BR in Vauxhall?

The latter LOL. The former she can do as a barista. No need for an unhinged thread on MN. Zone 3 would do though.

She is :-) something h to look at - she’d love this.

@Aliciainwunderland I was implying that you were mistaken, not lying. But you have since clarified that, thank you.

I agree with posters that if doing a Master’s it needs to have more of an angle or better still do it after a couple of years of employment.

I am getting very reassured by this thread and am losing my obsession with graduate schemes. It just seemed the most linear (if the most competitive) route. But whereas I am very linear, DD is the opposite.

I am actuallly happy for my DD to be in a houseshare. It would be less stressful than working in finance or law.

This is MN, do you expect hinge?
But to the point: your posts, including this one, show that your daughter is a lovely young woman who has had a soft easy life, has done a soft easy degree and now wants (or you want, on her behalf) to continue the soft easy life. Television, advertising; aren't those the usual routes? Doing a PhD is not the way to go; never do a PhD in subject X unless the thought of pursuing anything except X is unbearable.

Agreed re less stressful, but I hope (the whole point of this thread) that there are other oaths that would still allow for one’s own housing at some point. That’s the holy grail - the quality of life a teacher or civil servant once had.

Something like this might be of interest
"Archivist and Records Manager Apprentice - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK" https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1917357

Can I suggest she looks at Cambridge; the majority of UK/international conservation people have their headquarters there. My daughter did an internship (concurrently with working full time in Bill’s 😬) and successfully applied to the same charity. She’s been there for about six years now. She did have conservation experience and an MSc in Conservation Science/ that might be a sensible progression from your daughter’s undergrad?

She is an adult. You have to stop doing the worrying and planning for her. It’s up to her to find jobs she’d like to apply for, not you.

My sister did a few internships after she finished uni. Now leads a team in fin tech. She was also able to buy a flat in London before turning 30. So I think your daughter could go down the route of doing internships after she finishes in a field she's interested in.

That looks great. Good spot! If I were 20 years younger…

@Ethylred
Doing a PhD is not the way to go; never do a PhD in subject X unless the thought of pursuing anything except X is unbearable.

completely agree - same stands for art, music, ballet etc. as I mentioned prior, ex is an academic as was a lot of our social circle- they all loved what they did (at least initially) but all the pressure and competition was something out of a dystopian novel. You really do need to be brilliant to do well (and I don’t mean financially) whereas in a lot of corporate careers being good enough is more than enough.

She hasn’t had an entirely soft, easy life if one adds a disabled sibling into the equation but materially it was soft and easy. And you are totally right - that’s exactly what I want her to have - a soft easy life because I didn’t have it. I am not actually sure she does. I think she is ok with adversity but I don’t want her to have the soul destroying adversity of working 90-120hrs a week producing absolutely meaningless pitches or presentations. Zero impact, zero purpose.

Haven’t RTFT apologies but my step niece is working at Parliament - all the fast track civil service friends of hers quit since it’s not all it’s cracked up to be at the moment apparently so she went there. Also RG uni, politics degree but I think they are flexible. Anyway, she applied direct and is being moved around as you’d expect plus they pay for professional qualifications if you like an area with no payback should you leave. She’s on c£30k pa at around 23 and lives in a flat share in Hammersmith.
I’m you btw - chartered accountant, M&A etc and I look at her and think - nice, it’s a fantastic springboard if you don’t know what you want to do.

Look. I do appreciate advice on keeping my beak out. It’s a valuable perspective. But I think there’s a balance between being pushy and living their life for them and being an engaged parent trying to give a leg up. My own anxiety about this is a separate matter that I am trying to address.

But friends and I had multiple existential and career crises through which we supported each other. Endless conversations on what next, how to position oneself, helping with writing business cases for promotions, helping with case studies/providing feedback etc. If I’d do it for my friends and young mentees, why wouldn’t I do the same for DC?

Genuine question - where does healthy support stop and over- involvement begin?

Wow, so many interesting, exciting ideas! Thank you!🙏

If you're getting stressed and anxious now, what are you going to be like in a year when she actually graduates! You'll be a mess.
I do understand your position though as my recently graduated DS (Maths MA) spent last year unemployed.
As others say, she is an adult and needs to find her own way, with your support. There are plenty of grad schemes but many have closing dates in Nov/Dec/Jan for an Oct 2025 start. Be aware they are very competitive and applications are time consuming. I agree Civil Servive or NHs sound a good match but ultimately it's her choice. She sounds highly employable and she'll be fine.

Have you had her have a consultation with one of her favorite professors?

What does she see herself doing in 10 years? Does she want to use her degree in a public agency?

A basic degree in anthropology is fairly limiting without post graduate degrees.