I think these graduates underestimate the reputational risk. Some may feel that being honest about their struggles is the way forward. Oxford can create immense pressure, so if they didn’t land top-tier jobs or feel lost post-graduation, they might want to push back on the myth that elite education equals automatic success.
It’s fair to say that whatever made these graduates decide not to plan for their careers post-graduation also made them agree to this interview. It shows that being book smart or educated at an elite university doesn’t always equal being professionally strategic. It’s privileged miscalculation.
They’re saying, “It’s shocking that I, an Oxford graduate, am facing this,” and “I’m failing, but I’m still special enough for The Times to write about me,”, continuing to not read the room (or the job market).
To a potential employer, the way they present themselves in public could easily come across as lacking drive, direction, and self-awareness in short, likely to be slackers and a potential burden to their team. I guess, for privileged middle-class youngsters with a safety net, the consequences of such an interview might feel more theoretical than real.