Young and Unemployed

[LightandAiry]

My 22 year old ds has had a few interviews with no success. He's signed up with temp agencies in the meantime but nothing. It's very hard. He graduated in 2023 and has travelled, had a temporary manual job working long hours and a short term contract relating to his degree, so some work experience.

Anybody with DC around this age how are they finding job hunting? It would appear the current climate is very tough :(

Would he do some volunteering while he’s waiting to get a job? Doing something, rather than nothing, looks better on his CV

I bulked out my CV with workshops relating to the sector I was aiming for. (Day events, seminars) I did some side projects (assisting neighbours in tasks which would be a requirement in the job) before interviews I would look at the job description and in conversation in the interview drop it in as extra bits. 😅 Like I love how your company does this, like this, or uses x program, this program is what I encouraged when assisting x and set up for them to do xyz.

I also created a portfolio of example work as a back up. So whenever they asked for further examples I could whip it out 😂

Yep we're in the same boat situation @LightandAiry
Plenty of others too.

Apart from the big name grad programmes, no-one wants new grads at the moment
Even entry levels roles have "experience in a similar role" as an essential requirement so it's very difficult for youngsters starting out to get through the first sift. The transferable skills gained in hospitality don't get a look in.

Mine has had more luck getting interviews with sectors we know a real person does the first shift and not a computer algorithm! But still no job.
It appears everywhere wants people who bring past experience to the role and in the current climate they can take their pick