New graduate daughter can’t find work

[Bluelagoon02]

This is my first post so please be kind to me. I’m writing about my daughter who graduated last July (2024). Although she managed to get some interviews she hasn’t been able to secure anything yet. Her moods are quiet low and she also lost touch with most of her Uni friends. I’m seriously concerned for her physical and mental wellbeing. She was always very shy but Uni life really helped her develop. She was totally transformed and happy too. She also lived in Spain for a whole year which was part of her Uni business course. This is so frustrating but I can’t get upset with her. She has been looking for anything and keeps receiving rejection after rejection. It’s so heartbreaking to see her so sad and alone in her room all the time. I also looked for jobs for her but she does prefer to keep looking herself. She also applied for volunteering work with no success. I am very scared to lose her if something doesn’t come up soon. Any advice is truly appreciated. Thank you

what was her degree in?

Sorry to hear that, it can be tough with no experience. What sort of thing is she looking for?
Is she holding out for work from home or hybrid jobs? If so they tend to be much more competitive than in person jobs.
Which area are you in and would she be prepared to move areas to get a job?

Maybe she could join an agency and do some temping as a way to get experience and make contacts?

My dd got herself a bar job... And a job opportunity came via a customer! She has been in that company for over 10 years and is high up now.... And well bloody paid!!

what are her interests?
can she teach english as a foreign language?

I would encourage her to do some voluntary work, I volunteer, the demographic is very much the fit retired and very recent graduates who can't find employment. It is utterly dire out there for young people. Does she have any work experience? Plus do you know anyone who couldoffer something paid or unpaid? I introduced DS ex GF to my friend who is a section manager in a big business and she got a job there. One of DS friends has done an unpaid internship at his Mums place of employment, not ideal but it shows willingness and recent experience.

what about an apprenticeship?

The job market is terrible at the moment. What degree did she do and what sort of jobs is she applying for?

Do you have any contacts who could help her get a foot in the door? You need to throw the net far and wide including people you barely know.

Has she had feedback after interviews and worked out how she might be able to improve?

I'm not sure how she got rejected for volunteering, that's quite unusual. But she needs to keep trying to find another opportunity as she will gain really valuable experience which will 100% boost her chances of getting a paid job.

It's basically a numbers game. She will get something if she applies for enough jobs. She needs to tailor her application to each job.

Finding your first job is the hardest part of anyone's career so tell her not to be too disheartened. It's not her, it's the economy and I know many other people in the same boat.

Hi op. What jobs is she looking for and what jobs has she done previously?
What kind of work experience placements has she done?

Can she get anything at all - even if it's not perfect - while she keeps looking?

Would she consider an apprenticeship in her chosen field? You can get some at post graduate level.

What is her degree? What sort of jobs is she looking for, did she apply to graduate schemes when they were open?

She needs any job at this point as it’s always easier to find a job when you’ve got one. Has she tried bar or cafe work? Care work? School are always on the look out for teaching assistants.
Has she any work experience at all?

Could she enroll with an employment agency?
Any employment even as a temp, to pad out her CV would put her in a better position move forward towards working in her chosen field.

Any options via your friends or family for volunteer work or any paid job? Has she joined any agencies? Lots of jobs go through particular agencies.

Any local meet ups? Have a google to see if there is anything in your area in her field.

Is she only looking for jobs relevant to what she’s just done her degree in? If so, I’d encourage her to look for any job to close the gap between finishing uni and starting work and continue her search for a job that she actually wants in the meantime. Gets her earning and shows future employers that she’s adaptable.

Also when you say ‘lose her’, do you mean you are afraid she might try to take her own life? If you are truly concerned that her mental health is so poor that she might do that, she needs help ASAP.

She needs to do any job even if just for social interaction. It is a tough job market but employers value people with real life experience even if it’s a bar or shop job. Often they complain people have no work experience. Has she applied for UC and got a job coach?

What county or rough area are you in? What sort of job would she like?

Can she freelance? Start a small business?

Has she tried at a bank in their graduate schemes?

I work for Barclays and the graduates always do well.

I hope she finds something

Could she do a teaching qualification and teach?

It is bleak out there especially for people without experience and people with a lot of experience. Can she get any work? Part time daycare or cafe? Looking for a job when you already have one is much easier. And you can always aquire new skills.

Echo the above, she needs a job any job. It is not ok for her to be in her bedroom all day. Tell her to get out and pound the pavements, shops, cafes, pubs and ask for a job. No one is going to employ a graduate into a graduate role if they have no work experience. If she is capable of office work then a temp agency would snap her up and this could lead to something more long term.

Is she signed up with any recruitment firms?

My. DS took a year to get a job despite getting a first in his degree and A* in all of his A levels. He registered with employment agencies. He was advised that a lot of employers use a computer program to sort through applicants so you need to use certain key words.
He contacted his uni and they had a professor go over his CV and advise him on changes.
Hes now got a job he loves and is doing great.
I just kept telling myself the job that is right for him would come along eventually and it did.

It really can be so hard.

I once interviewed a 21 year old Cambridge grad recently with a 2:1 and loads of work experience and extra curricular and she had applied to hundreds of jobs and had countless interviews for entry level jobs and no success. I felt so sorry for her and she was so incredibly impressive I gave her the job anyway and she’s gone on to great success. I tell this story because it really is no reflection on your daughter; it really can be hard and a lot down to luck / someone taking a chance on you. She just needs an in somewhere and can then work hard / impress as she builds experience.
Could she look at further study or courses to enhance her skills? I imagine her language skills could be very useful, could applying for work overseas be an idea??

Please reassure her that it is just hard and not about her. In the meantime, keeping a routine will help, getting exercise, treating applying like a job etc, eating well, socialising.

It is hard for young people to get work at the moment. Agencies don't call back. Shop and bar jobs have 15 people interviewed for one part time job. Dd has just got a shop job after months of trying. I would suggest looking at all the business websites you can think of in your area, to see if they have a vacancy, rather than using Indeed or other search engines/agencies. There will be less applying then. Make sure she is ready with answers to standard interview questions. Sign on for universal credit. There are courses and advice on obtaining work. Go for jobs with unsocial hours. Less people apply for those. Consider doing a postgrad to get more marketable skills.

This is not uncommon. My daughter got a bar job after university (1st class degree) while she looked for her first job in quite a specific industry.
No success after 6 months so she did a couple of internships while working evenings, enrolled on a masters and worked in an Amazon warehouse while she worked on her portfolio before getting her first 'real' job two years after her first degree.
Now very successful. Resilience and perseverance is needed.