Oxbridge graduates who can’t get a job

[AquaLeader]

Interesting article in The Times this morning.

Meet the Oxbridge graduates who can’t get a (good) job -
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/oxbridge-graduates-cant-get-good-job-d9ddj9dff

It is unlikely to be a coincidence that the graduates highlighted all appear to hold degrees in the humanities.

@TizerorFizz, my impression is that at least the first stages of recruitment are outsourced more and more even fby SMEs Self perpetuating I suppose that the more graduates feel the need to do many many applications, the more smaller firms will need outside HR type systems and AI to screen applicants.

@mondaytosunday - I am not “shocked” about Durham - just said, amongst DD’s wider friendship group, Durham seems more popular than either Oxford or Cambridge, despite the fact that most will likely make the grades for Oxbridge and on the face of it, would have been the typical Oxbridge types when we went in the late 90s. Top grades, high achievers in other areas too, sociable, but probably more all rounders than just experts in one field. DD could have done A level English, History and a Language or A level Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry. She is equally good at verbal and non verbal reasoning, equally good at Maths and English, languages/music and science. Further on into employment, I am going to assume that being well rounded in communication and mathematical skills will be a good, not a bad thing.

I am just querying why some of these girls do not want to apply, despite grammar school suggesting it. If the reality on the ground is that you can only get a graduate job if you also have time to work on the side and doing too many essays and uni work at uni actively gets in the way of that (potentially if you do have to also work through some of the holidays academically), then perhaps, unless you are aiming for academia, then they are making the right decision to go somewhere else. So that is all I am questioning.

I went to Oxbridge in the late 90s.I know a couple of people who struggled for work. Academically bright but workplace skills can be quite different…

Totally agree. They seem a bit entitled and like an Oxbridge degree is enough. Alongside other skills and experience I think it is helpful, but the idea you will land an excellent job easily is for the birds often. Showing your grit, determination and a bit of humility would help

@Londonmummy66 - your DD sounds lovely. I hope the major surgery goes well, that is very stressful for her so young and I hope it does not interfere with her studies too much. I reckon if you have a big thing like that looming, it is quite difficult to plan the rest of your life as there is this major thing that overtakes your worry space, even if it is mainly subconscious. Health is always more important than anything else.
DD’s older brother knew exactly what he wanted to do all the way through, since he was in late primary. That makes it harder for her. He has massive tunnel vision and a laser focus on where he wants to get to. He also hardly ever worries about anything. I don’t think that is normal. I think most young people take some time to find themselves and really discover what they are passionate about and how to match that to their innate skills.

When I was made redundant from a very large company back in 2020, they gave us the option of having some online training about writing CVs.
I took the opportunity up and was advised that many companies now filter initial applications (I often apply to jobs on LinkedIn with well over 500 applicants within the first two days).
I'm sure you can find something on YouTube to learn this, but apparently there are so many applicants nowadays that CVs are just run through an AI.
And ai's don't handle multiple columns or tables very well.
Additional they are programmed to look for keywords which are absolutely specific to the role.
I'd been unemployed for about three months (but that was during covid times), applied for probably 150 roles, not much success.
I rewrote my CV according to the best structure that an AI would recognize without any lying, got a role a month and a half later.
Here is what a 10 seconds search showed on YouTube.

I know lots of people who went to Durham and Oxbridge and the ones that went to Durham largely seemed to have done better career wise - although all have done well. More time for networking and sometimes potentially more rounded individuals.

Agree 100%.
They have shot themselves squarely in the foot.
Who is advising them? Are they completely bereft of common sense? You do not present yourself as a loser in public, ever, if you ultimately want to be seen as a winner. It's as if the entire world of social media has left them in the dust, and they've grown up in a bubble. They should all be casting around for courses in marketing.

maybe but its true plus sometimes you can be smarter than the person hiring you and the manage of the company etc but then with egos etc somehow your not ment to know more

Then they haven’t been smart or dilligent enough in their research to find the right company or organisation for them. The information is all out there if they bother to look.

but any company that wants to suceed and make profits should realise the potential the person has and use them to help make the company more profitable, rather than letting ego etc prevent that

Shock horror oxbridge grad has to compete with others and do assessment ... hardly news. They just need to keep trying and take any relevant job .

"Want a publishing apprenticeship? Sit a two-hour maths exam, design a mock page, pitch ten ideas to a Zoom interviewer "

Jeez another ‘it’s always someone else’s fault and not that of the little darling who can’t be arsed to put in the graft’ comment. Believe me, that kind of graduate will not succeed however academically qualified they are because they expect everything to be handed to them on a plate. I give up with you now.

because sometimes it is,

when you have an oxford degree and apply to be eg finance manager why would you need to begin at the bottom of any company

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianehamilton/2025/02/01/why-being-overqualified-is-costing-you-the-job-and-what-to-do-about-it

An Oxford degree - or any degree - doesn't qualify anyone to be a finance manager, unless the degree is in finance management.

You start at the bottom so you can learn about the company and acquire the skills you need in business and management, which are not necessarily the same as the skills you need to pass exams in your degree subject. And possibly gain professional qualifications in finance.

but if a company is recruiting for a finance manager as an example and you have the knowledge and skills needed for the role (although just come from uni) then how will understanding other departments help in your role especially if those departments are normal separate from each other etc,

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220705-the-over-qualified-workers-struggling-to-find-a-job

Wondering whether to advise to get into an industry early rather than do a degree? Fashion related.

personally get into the industry asap then you could always get a degree later on

overall as good as uni is, its better to get the work skills first and foremost when possible

Oldest got a Saturday job at Waitrose just before lockdown.

When lockdown hit he worked every hour on offer so by the time he went to Oxbridge he had a nice slush fund and real world experience eg being Checkout Captain etc

Sadly there was a death which rather upset his results and meant that he could not go for 'Graduate' jobs but did PGCE instead

Graduated last month and has a job starting in September

Yes, in a rational world ego would never get in the way.

But potential is not always measured by a degree. You demonstrate potential by having a track record of initiative, leadership, ability to work with others, and a progression of responsibility in your work history from the age of 15 on.

It would be helpful to have some experience of working alongside your degree, demonstrating an understanding of the interconnectedness of all the departments and functions of the average company. You wouldn't necessarily have to start at the bottom of the ladder as the tea boy in any given company, but experience in business operations as an adjunct to your degree would be much more attractive than a degree on its own.