Anyone else feel like they have/will have no idea how to help their kids enter job market now?

[Echobelly]

My kids are early and late teens now, oldest will start uni next year. He has a pretty clear idea what he wants to do, which is great. It's low paying and hard to get into but he's realistic about that. Youngest still no clue really, and that's ok now.

But I feel like things have changed so profoundly since I finished education, and may change even more in the next few years I'm a bit of a loss to how to help. Other than advising them to become HVAC engineers - I mean, looks like the UK is going to start needing air con in homes soon!

I don't want to be like boomers telling millennials that they should walk in to an office and hand the manager a CV. 😂

...With several thousand others also trying to get those jobs. DD got a grand total of £250 last year from an ambassador role when she was on campus for 51 weeks. That was just over 1 week's rent.

One of the issues is that technology is narrowing the promotions funnel, so whereas somewhere like PWC might have needed 120 first year trainees for every 10 partners now they only need 60. There are fewer entry level graduate traineeships and increasing competition, particularly in v international sectors like tech and finance. Many more grads going into “non- grad”
roles to get a foot in the door. Also everyone says “get a degree apprenticeship” but that’s often harder than getting into a top tier uni. You generally need stellar grades. I’d say it’s tougher than the 90s for sure. When I graduated almost everyone I knew had secured their grad job during their last year and that seems much less common now. But also the general grad employment stats disguise big variations between Unis and courses.

I should clarify- late 90’s. Early 90’s was tough because of the recession.

I’d be advising them to get a trade behind them and that university isn’t the only option. Whenever you see lists of jobs that AI won’t replace there’s always trades such as plumbers, electricians etc.

I think it’s also about developing a work ethic, knowing that not doing anything isn’t an option be that education, training, volunteering. Being prepared to roll your sleeves up, be flexible in what you’re prepared to do, being cooperative and resilient are all important in today’s workforce and sorely lacking in some of the young professionals I come across.

Agreed and also as you said to ensure you have done some voluntary work.

So if studying HE, if possible take roles of responsibility eg, in student welfare, sports clubs etc. to make your future CV stand out.

Also, due to AI, there will potentially be fewer entry level jobs. The Civil Service even has admitted this so no doubt many private firms will experience the same.

Gone are the days I fear where eg a working class person who wanted to do a creative but low paying job just set ff for a big city and wait tables inbetween job interviews, auditions etc. The job centre expectations are stricter and cost of living has made this difficult unless of course the parents are able to indefinitely fund the child - which is probably why so many of the recent British stars that make it to the top all seem to have cut glass accents and quite notable pedigrees!

Personally I’d be encouraging them into the trades.
I live in an average cost area and you can’t get a tradesperson for love nor money.
They are the ones living in the 5/6 bedroom detached houses and are unlikely to be replaced by AI

I’m not sure it’s any different now than when I was entering the job market. My parents still don’t really understand or have a clue what I actually do. There’s plenty of professional advice if needed.

My DD has applied for an admin job at the uni (6 hours/wk) and student ambassador work which is occassional. It's not a campus uni , there isnt a gym or a bar there.
Im hoping she has better luck now she at least has a bit of retail experience but its really competitive.

Well, you now have the internet with a hundred kinds of competing advice and a lot of crazy people!

I think its really tough out there and also dont know what advice to give.
I can do normal things like help with a cv or help him think about how his work experience gives him examples of dealing with a difficult situation etc

But the AI filters can be tricky. I have zero advice for these situational analysis tests as I haven't done them. I dont know how to do those pre recorded ai interviews.

There's also not a lot of entry roles.

Advice for apprentiship is great but they are so competitive.

And steering to trades still involves finding people to take you on.

DS1 was lucky to get on a competitive graduate scheme last year. They weren’t the least bit interested in his degreee, but grilled him about his part time job of four years and qualifications and experience as a junior football referee.
DS2 is currently applying for a placement year as part of his Mchem. He had one summer internship interview this year for which there were 750 applicants and 23 interviewed. They took on two! He too in into the fourth year of a part time job which hopefully will hold some weight. One can only hope!

@Fearfulsaints what's the pre-recorded AI interview thing about please?

I do think its different to eg 30 years ago, I had a weekend job because the ft staff didnt like working weekends, and most of them never worked Sundays. Now lots of retail jobs will require you to work any shift or any 5 days of 7.

DDs summer job was 4 hr shifts but not on set days so difficult to find something else to work round that, apart from babysitting or dog walking etc.

I mean is it a parent’s role to help their 22 year old enter the job market? I didn’t know this was a thing.

Its an online interview where AI ask preset questions, then you reply, its recorded, then ai reviews it. Then a human if ai liked it. Its hard as you get no human feedback as you go along and its strict with the timings. Like if it says 30 seconds to answer it means it and just cuts you off.

Im sure with practice its ok.

I recruited for an internship a couple of years ago; universities were offering grants to small companies to take on their students over the summer.
We were very disappointed with the quality of applicants provided by a top 5 uni - we declined the offer of a grant as their students had not prepared well, they were unfamiliar with our company and industry, and hadn't even taken the time to read our website. Their applications were littered with spelling and grammatical mistakes, and their cover letters were not tailored and many hjadn't even bothered to consider questions for us at the interview.
So I'd say get the basics right it will put you ahead of at least 50% of the applicants - it's easy to find out what you need to do to prepare - the internet is littered with great advice (maybe stay away from the American advice (different work culture). And if you don't want a job, don't waste everyone's time submitting a poor application.

As in to advise and maybe offer some pointers from experience, not as in literally helicopter around and apply for jobs for them, yes, I think that's historically a pretty normal role. Not an absolute requirement, but I'd say a pretty normal sort of thing for parents to offer support about.

My parents never advised me. I think this is one of those things where yet more parental involvement might be a hinderance.

I do understand that the world is a different place now but I’m not sure any parent should be steering their child career wise. Set them up with some basic life skills, interview practice, encourage work experience. Help them to understand their options and if they have a specific career in mind great but be practical and have a back up. If they're unsure get them to have a think about what their good at and what they enjoy see if any careers logically fit but ultimately I think it’s important that DC make their own choices.

There are something like 750,000 undergraduates…. UCAS are bandying round the phrase “project million” which means they think there’ll be a million undergraduates fairly soon…. And each year there are fewer than 18000 places on grad schemes. Makes me wonder about the value of even going.

My nearly 17 year old has never had paid employment, it’s rare amongst his friends! One works on the family farm, one gets casual hours in a pub but that’s it. On the rare occasion he gets any feedback it’s “needs more experience”

I think this nicely proves the OP's point that parents are out of touch with how to help their children find jobs.

With loans barely scratching the surface, more and more students are looking for jobs and supply massively outstrips demand. DC's university reckons over 100 applications for every part time job suitable for students in the surrounding area. Many never find anything. My DD (who has worked through sixth form and summer holidays in her home town) reckons she is unemployable in terms of getting a student job. She is 19.

Support their 22 year old, not do it for them. So encourage them to look at Indeed, company websites. Also check cv and job applications to see if there’s any spelling mistakes or anything they’ve missed out.

Tbf, the vast majority of graduates are not going into jobs through graduate schemes. I only know a few people who did that route.

Personally I think fewer jobs should require degrees in the first place, but what oldest is looking at will require a degree as things stand and I also I value uni as an experience in itself , albeit we are only just wealthy enough to afford it ourselves now even though we are pretty well off in the scheme of things. Basically we're lucky we have no mortgage because living costs and a very basic pocket money are going to be like having. our mortgage back again

@Fearfulsaints thank you