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

I was going to suggest public sector including local authorities. Not a bad place to start, there are often lots of opportunities once someone is employed by them. A foot in the door?

@ballettap I second this advice. Our uni careers services are v good.

She needs to get in linkedin and get networks. Find some local organisations to get involved with. Needs to get out the house and see some people.

It's not easy out there for graduates.

Summer jobs will be coming too.

What about working in a youth hostel for the summer? I think some of them offer accommodation. Usually in lovely areas with some time off during the day to get applications done. In the meantime accruing experience dealing with people. Build her confidence up.
The CAB suggestion is a good shout as well.

Quite honestly we get hundreds of applications, we don’t look into which uni and whether the uni has part time jobs available or not, we don’t have time to analyze that and we don’t have to as we can literally pick from 100 or so graduates with good 2:1 or higher degrees and work experience. It’s not unfair, those who put the effort in and stand out get the jobs, we’re a private company and can hire who we like. This is the kind of thing that should be looked into when choosing a university, or a part time job whilst at school is also fine.

All of this, 100%! I’d add volunteering to the list – there’s LOADS to do from in-person stuff to remote work offering skills. Even just doing citizen data projects that anyone can join (so you can’t be rejected) is better than doing nothing, eg the RHS daffodil hunt and Kew’s specimen label transcription. Choosing lots of those in the same sector would be good to build skills and show interest in a particular area – jobs are competitive and you need to demonstrate you care about XYZ.

LinkedIn is a necessary evil. And it can make you look busy and important even if you’re not.

Your daughter could refer for some help with her mental health to your local nhs talking therapies service. Then once she’s open to them she should be able to access the employment support service (most have one of these) where they can support her with all aspects of employment, cv writing, interviews etc but also helping her find the right job. Our employment service has fantastic employment rates following referral to them so could be worth a shot

I did some voluntary work with the Kings Trust (formerly Princes Trust) and they had some good initiatives to help young people into work. Worth investigating if there are schemes locally that could help her.

We always look at the Unis they go to as part of the process.
Agree far too many applicants for places available although we don’t get in the hundreds, probably because we are Architects so only take one degree type.

We don’t consider work experience at all though, not for those just post degree anyway. For others out of uni longer we would, but only if it’s in practice.

Echoing everyone else - what’s her degree, what did she get, what’s she looking for.

Is she getting to interview or not even getting that far?

Theres a wealth of knowledge on Mumsnet but we need more to go from.

It is tough out there. This is entirely unfair but you need to look at your social contacts and see if there is an opportunity there.

Are you very rural?

Its often a vicious cycle because most jobs won’t take you without experience and you can’t get experience without someone giving you a job!

I would look for summer jobs in anything.
The fact that she can speak a second language is great because there are lots of jobs with international students.

I would also look at jobs like babysitting, nhs bank staff or teaching assistant cover work.
Anything that they struggle to get people for at short notice.

HMRC are taking on 500 this month. Indeed have thousands of call centre jobs. I know ten accounting firms hiring this month. There is a big show at the NEC for the next two days with 100s of accountant and it companies exhibiting. It's right in the middle of the country. Get loads of CVS printed and get herself down there. If feel if April there's another in Battersea Park same advice. I would question how hard she is trying to get a job. It doesn't have to be what she wants a career in. She just needs some money and experience

Would she consider doing a Masters? It's so competitive now and so many people have degrees. I moved from the UK to Switzerland and here it's almost a base level requirement for jobs. You're expected to have done a masters. Would she consider moving abroad? That's my biggest advice for any graduate in the UK - move abroad if it makes sense. Tax in the UK is high, cost of living is high, rent is high. We've been able to save a huge amount by being here where wages are higher. We could never have done that in the UK.

I'd say any job at this point. May it be bar work , supermarket, local cafe. Even if part time

Then volunteer work in the industry she wishes to work In.

So I would recommend she asks for feedback from everyone she’s interviewed with so she can work on any areas they suggest she is lacking. There are cv writing services and interview prep services that might help her if it’s a confidence issue at interview. If she lacks work experience then she needs to apply to things outside of her degree, ask family friends if they can offer any work experience, voluntary work etc. Does she have an interesting hobby/interests outside of work - something to talk about/mention on cv and gain confidence.

When you say 'I am very scared to lose her' what do you mean? If you are talking about her mental health then she must set up a routine for herself until she finds something. Maybe some free Google training courses, joining a low cost gym and doing some classes and writing to potential employers with a speculative application or asking for work experience? It is such a tough market right now. She should also get in touch with her university's career team as they have a vested interest in their grads securing work.
You don't say which degree or what she wants to do but could she explore apprenticeships?

You do need to come back @Bluelagoon02 and give more details if you want help.

I don't agree the job market is hard- there are more vacancies than ever. (Not sure where posters are getting info of no jobs.)

Nearly all cafes and pubs where I am are asking for staff.
Skilled staff are hard to find (both my DCs are in management roles and struggle to recruit good people.)

My immediate reaction is she's applying for jobs that don't match her skill set or she's not getting through the first stage of interviews (which are often phone or video calls.) So her CV and applications might need improving.

Has she applied for jobs to tide her over? Cafes. bars, shops etc?

Anything on her CV will help and volunteering is a good one.

Some unis offer career support for new graduates after graduation - has she checked if her uni does this?

What did she study?

I hope she can find something soon.

Ds had this problem, the year before his, in a niche degree, everyone got a job. Probably taking all the jobs in the area. He's done a masters and still go the you do t have enough experience to get a job. He's now doing a doctorate.

Plenty of Oxbridge arts grads working in hospitality and retail.

As PP explained, we need to know what degree, what uni, and what jobs she’s looking for. Do those jobs exist where you live? Is she only applying for a specific type of job?

This post could have been written about me in 2012. Including the year in Spain. It’s tough, especially when you work so hard at uni and then it feels like you get left behind. Can she look at seasonal work. Go be a tour rep and use her language and have some fun. Tour operators are often looking for people who speak more than one language. It doesn’t have to be a forever job but it does give you great opportunities to manage people, problem solve and build confidence.

Such a tone of rubbish! I certainly wouldn’t want to work for you as you don’t value education. Someone who works part time through education clearly hasn’t had the time to get proper education. They will have a lifetime of work ahead. Unless they don’t have the means they should focus on their education and enjoying life during uni. Volunteering is something that I would encourage but not work except for internships during holidays.

It can be really tough, I know it's hard but she has to keep going and keep applying to things. Other points: is her LinkedIn profile up to date? is she "open to work" on LinkedIn? You don't say what her degree is in but do you have any contact in those fields? Even for volunteering/internship type things it could be useful.

In the meantime can she start something herself? Teach English online? Tutor A level or GCSEs in her subject(s)?

I feel your pain OP! DS has a first class in engineering (not civil) and it's been a whole year, no job! Lots of applying. No joy. At first he felt confident, but now he's quite low about it. He really strived hard for a first, though I did warn him that it makes virtually no difference nowadays what class degree you have.

It's more difficult mentally for young people because of their lack of life experience and because at that age, they're in a unique place where all their cohort are doing, striving and (meant to be) achieving the same things broadly speaking, so they can be stuck watching their friends thriving, taking those adult life milestones and they're not and the pressure is harder. When you're older, your life doesn't have to resemble that of people in your age group at all. Some have kids, some dont, some have careers, some don't, some are divorced, some have live abroad etc etc.

I hope your daughter's mental health improves. There have been great suggestions on the thread and thanks for starting it.

My daughter graduated in maths and was lost for over a year. She worked nights in a supermarket to pass time. She has a fabulous job in her field now. It takes time. X