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

Is she regularly getting to interview stage? If so, her CV must be OK. If not, it will need work. Make sure she's tailoring her application/CV to each role.

If she's falling at interview stage, then she may benefit from a bit of practice. Do you have any friends who'd mock interview her? I've done this for friends/friends' kids.

The market is tough. For her mental health, it sounds like getting her out there is potentially the most urgent thing. A bar job or retail job will be very social and will get some money coming in. Summer is fast approaching - summer job somewhere in the UK or even abroad might do her some good and be a bit of a reset, before she resumes the search in Sept.

For you:

Stop applying for her - it's infantilising her and backslipping into adult/child ways.

For her:

Networking matters. List everyone you know then contact them and ask them to refer anything suitable from their work/business.

How's your CV? Lots of advice online re polishing it up.

Are you on LinkedIn? It matters. You can then connect with everyone you know and build your network. Post regularly about what you do, your field, getting it out there that you'll welcome referrals and opportunities.

Networking events - breakfast coffee, lunch events, drinks - good for practicing business conversation.

Get the elevator pitch polished - who are you and what do you do, what are you great at?

Do anything where you'll be busy, active, involved. Bar, cafe, local businesses, anything within reason.

Polish the CV again with what you've been doing.

Hobbies and interests - at this stage, they can be useful on the CV as they show skills and qualities and employer can use when you don't have much work experience. EG Writing, team sports, social media savvy.

Too picky. Loads of jobs in care out there or retail. She'll land her dream job after she's been working for a while.

Sorry I don't understand. You say that the 21-year old Cambridge graduate you interviewed was very impressive, with lots of experience and potential, but that you felt sorry for her and gave her a job anyway? Why "anyway"? Wasn't she a good candidate who could do the job, by your own assessment?

It s not even a year after graduation
She needs to keep applying for hradxjobs in her area of interst and busy herself with community volunteering and small jobs

Does she have experience in anything? DD1 is at university and has had a part time job in a restaurant since she was 16.

The job market was rubbish when I graduated in the 1990s and I didn't have the glowing academic results to walk into my career job. I temped in office jobs and gradually worked my way towards building up relevant experience and professionalism to make myself a better prospect.

Is she looking at civil service and NHS sites for admin type roles? Is she looking over a wide geographical area as graduates need to do that really? Is she applying for all hospitality and retail roles she sees as stopgap jobs? Is she sending speculative applications to large companies? Does she have several cvs aimed at different roles? Will her uni support her with some advice. Just some ideas.

I work in retail there have been a lot of graduates working in my store while looking for the job they want. My son was working in retail while looking took a while but then found his dream job

This is what employers like. DS started working part time aged 17 whilst still in school. Why are more not working part time when still in school?

It is so hard. DD graduates this year and has only go through to the final stages of two roles out of hundreds. 8k applicants down to 1k for 100 jobs nationwide, last year there was 4.5k applicants for the same positions, it is brutal for them.

Has she any experience or just none related to the roles she is applying to? I think she needs to be encouraged to apply for any job that helps build up her confidence and skills while she looks for her career job. Even if it is part time she will have time to spend on applications and interviews.

could she do accountancy?

Many think they can land their dream job immediately when it doesn't work like that. Any part time work will do. Your DD and others need to reframe how they think about employment.

Our school advised against part time work in 6th form as it can lead to lower A level grades if they're stretched too thin.

Im sorry I missed she had missed out on voluntary roles. What sort of roles did she try?

we're crying out for MFL teachers - she could sign up with one of the supply agencies as a TA and see if she can get some work. She might enjoy it - if so, consider applying for a PGCE. Guarenteed job at the end, assuming she is willing to move areas if necessary.

DS has only been working occasionally (currently unwell so not working just now but going back when better) and his grades have been fine in S5 and so far S6. Its good for them to be out getting some life experience. It should be encouraged judging from this thread!

With kindness and as horrible as her situation is, her mental health should never be conditional on her having a job. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take on board all the great suggestions on here about the job part, it’s just to say that I think you should prioritise her speaking to a mental health professional.

A-Levels can be full on if they are doing 4 or aiming for medical or vet school. I would then really focus on them getting a job in the summer before university in that case.

I didn't make DD1 work in a part time job, she wanted to. She wanted a healthy balance of study, work and social life.

@Bluelagoon02

What subject is her degree in?

Is she trying to find a graduate job in her degree field, or just any job?

Does she have any work experience at all? Even part time retail or hospitality?

Did she do any placements or internships during uni?

This information would be needed so posters on here can give the best advice on how to help.

Hi OP can’t offer a huge deal of help but just want to say I’m in the exact same situation as your daughter, same age and graduated into this recession so no jobs either.
I ended up doing teacher training. Is that something she’d consider? The PGCE is a great qualification with masters credits so even if she changes her mind, it’s something to do for a year.

Yes my daughter's first job post uni was a part time role. Just warn her to think of reasons to give at interview as to why she would accept a part time position, such as opportunity to pursue voluntary work in chosen field.

I agree, I hire graduates in the company I work for, theres hundreds of applicants many with the same good grades. We go for the ones who have had part time jobs either whilst at school, university or both. It shows they can commit to and do a job, and gain good skills which can be transferable too. Why would we go for someone who hasn’t over someone who has when there’s so many applicants?

Some Unis are in areas with masses of Uni kids and very few part time jobs. It seems unfair to be discounted immediately.
Do you consider the Unis the applicants went to?

Has she tried Citizens Advice Bureau for voluntary opportunities? When I did my degree they regularly advertised for voluntary advisors and it looks excellent on a CV because of the training given, admin experience and experience working with clients. Also the possibility of a paid role if one comes up.

Is there are careers officer she could speak to at her university? She is now alumni and at mine they still offered help for a certain period after graduating.

As others have said, any job at all at the moment because she will be networking and gaining transferable skills/