Post uni - job doesn't start till Jan 25

[Chasingsquirrels]

Ds has just graduated, did an internship summer 2023 and was offered a FT job along with the rest of the cohort. Was anticipating choice of start dates (as previous cohorts) but they've all been told Jan 2025.
Don't know if the employer is hanging back due to economy, political situation (although dates were announced pre-election announcement, etc), and I suppose this introduces concerns about whether offers may be withdrawn.

He has applied for other jobs, mainly IB which he was going for in the first place, but understandably they are mostly filled with prior year interns.

He doesn't want to take a retail/hospitality type job for a few months (and tbh doesn't NEED the money, which would be a big incentive).

He did a lifeguarding course when he turned 16, and worked throughout Yr 11 & until covid hit in Yr 12, but then it lapsed and he didn't renew.

I've suggested talking to some agencies to see whether temp office work would be an option (although he has no experience, but does have very good computer literacy). I don't know how likely this would be, but agencies would have more idea than me.
He is going to do this.

He also doesn't drive (again covid), and this is going to limit his options. He did take his theory but that has lapsed now. He only had a couple of months of lessons pre-covid but then drove quite a lot with me during the following 6-9m. I've suggested an intensive course to get his licence, and think he would be able to get up to speed reasonably quickly.
He thought this was a good suggestion.
We googled and it looks like it would be a couple of months before he could get on a course, but he is going to look into this further.

He was saying he'd rather look for other finance graduate jobs (probably accountancy training contract) and do that full time for 6m (then leave for his job) than do 2/3 days of retail etc for the sake of doing something. I can see his midset here, but am quite anti the idea from a management viewpoint.

I don't want him sitting round at home for 7m doing "nothing", and he agrees that wouldn't actually be good for him.

Travelling would be ideal, but he isn't interested in doing so.

Any ideas?

OnGoldenPond
Practice, medium sized - part of a top 40 firm, I'm based in East Anglia.
We have a decent reasonably sized audit base, plus general practice covering mainly corporate accounts plus some sole trader, partnership & LLP, corporate tax and personal tax department.

I'd suggest extending his search to regional firms, I'm sure the big players have their places filled but mediums & regional might well not.

Why not tell him that it is a golden opportunity to live abroad and learn a language. Either choose one he has started, or something entirely new. Spanish is v useful in IB and consultancy, and he could achieve near fluency in 7 months if he put his mind to it, and could live pretty cheaply in Spain /

• if you couldn’t persuade him to go to Peru! - earning money by teaching English or getting a bar job or something. quick TEFL course and off he goes…

Like you I'd be a bit concerned that a job starting Jan 25 may not materialise. If he started another training role, would his offer company need to know, I mean they are the ones who have chosen not to pay him until January?

But really I think anything is good. Even a minimum wage temp job stuffing envelopes and doing admin teaches vital skills about how to function in a work environment which would be helpful to all, but particularly if you suspect he is on the spectrum and needs to learn these cues.

@Chasingsquirrels thanks for the pointers, I will pass that information on to my friend

W4mp site has lots of interesting jobs & internships. Currently a six month internship paying London Living Wage for Association of Foreign Banks. He would need to work in the office 3/4 days pw in the City, wfh other days.

Try Brook Street for temporary admin jobs, they have some quite large Civil Service Contracts although they can be a bit slow recruiting, but that might suit him?

If he's got a life-guarding qualification, is there a swimming group for disabled people locally that he could help out at?

Letting him stay at home would make me nervous personally. If the offer he has already got withdrawn, he'll then be looking for a job or training and will be at a disadvantage compared to other applicants who are working.

I think the priorities should be getting his theory test again and putting him on your insurance. Finding a driving instructor. Applying for temporary admin work, if that's the only work he's willing to accept and encouraging him to have a hobby that takes him out of the house, whether that's related to his swimming or something entirely different like doing Park Run.

He's now had an introduction driving lesson with the instructor who ds2 learnt with last year, who is a sports-acquaintance of ds2. Said it went okay, instructor says he probably only needs 5 or so lessons if he gets some practice in as well. So he is booking his theory (which is a month waitlist, it was much quicker when ds2 did his a year ago) and will then try and get a practical test.

Some other helpful ideas as well, thanks. I'll pass on the agency info.

Park run might be a good shout, he used to go to a junior running club and does run sometimes. It is just the getting there...

And I'll suggest he goes and helps with Beavers (which he used to do), although there is only a few weeks left then it's summer holidays.

All of that sounds really positive and he has only been home how a short time

Could he do Beavers from September to the Christmas break?

Can you just insure him on your car? That's what I've just done with my son and he passed his test in my car.