Graduate daughter still looking for work.

[Bluelagoon02]

Hello Mums.

Few months ago I opened up about my daughter’s job situation. She graduated July 2024 but hasn’t been able to secure anything yet. At first she was very much trying to find a job in line with her studies. But as time moved on it became obvious she needed to lower her expectations so she applied to just anything UK based and abroad, mainly Spain and Italy. She managed to get through several job interviews but her shyness and lack of experience landed her to nothing. Lots of rejections that if you are lucky to hear back from companies or recruiters. I was genuine very scared when I originally wrote my very first post on this forum. Now I feel literally petrified to lose her. Every morning I go to her room fearing the worse. She lost contact with most of her Uni friends who had moved on. Her bf has some serious family issues so my daughter is pretty much on her own apart from us.
What do you suggest I should do ? What can I do ? I fear for her mental and physical health. It’s just so sad to see her going through this given what she had achieved not just academically but on a personal level too. She tried so hard, now she just burnt out staring into space. This isn’t healthy !
Applications after applications with very little response let alone feedbacks. Maybe you are a Mum like me who is struggling to keep her adult child alive. Maybe you lived the same situation and can offer advice. I would love to hear from anybody who can help. Thank you

almost impossible at the moment. Huge cuts and fixed term contracts

I agree with you 100%. We are hoping to address her mental health somehow. But she is an adult only herself can decide if she wants help.

Where are you based, OP (generally speaking, I mean)? Because it sounds like you’d need to be within commuting distance of London for her to get work in line with her degree.

How about house/pet sitting as a stop gap, either here or abroad? A change of scenery might help her to clear her head. You could always visit if it’s further away. Good luck

Back in the 1990’s when we finished uni we all just joined temping agencies while we applied for graduate jobs. Do temping agencies still exist? If so, it is great for short term positions and usually working with other young people.

I think getting any job would be good for her mental health as getting out and being around people is so important. We just had a graduate working as a TA at our school for a year while she applied for graduate schemes and she has just left for a brilliant job. It can sometimes take time but working in any job will improve your daughter’s confidence.

Indeed the job market is crazy right now.

At first she applied to many marketing jobs then went to simple admin roles. She looked at shops, bars, restaurants. She signed up with few temps agencies too. She managed to get great interviews with some interesting companies, one in NYC also based in the West End. But her lack of experience played its part unfortunately.

How about volunteering at your local food bank? The one I used to help at was run by a huge variety of ages and was a lifeline for volunteers who had a limited social network.
Younger people often have skills that a food bank would really appreciate and the graduates (and teenagers!) at my local one play a valuable role in supporting with marketing, planning and running social media etc

Marketing is really hard right now. My brother took 10 months to get a new job after being made redundant and he has many years experience

It's really depressing.

Could she convert her degree to something more needed?

I totally agree the jobs world presently is really hard and employers don't seem to give a monkeys about responding or being decent about interviews.

Less than 30 mins to London Euston.

I’m glad your brother found something. Indeed you would expect people to be decent when you gave your time, sent applications did some tests. Sadly the world has changed.

Good while ago, but I got my first foot on the ladder of work through a simple retail job, few days a week in Marks and Spencer - this kind of start is good as it gets you used to working and the social aspect of seeing people is good for your mental health.

After about 6 months I got put in the office one afternoon to answer the phones - in front of me was the internal phone book, with all the head office extensions. So it being a quiet afternoon I decided to phone departments I was interest in and see if I could go and see what they did - that got me my first job as a junior graphic designer (which was my degree) in the print department.

The moral being don't view dead end as dead end, its a means to something, either a bit of money and socialisation or a way to get somewhere else.

I ended up going back to uni, getting a PGCE and have spent near 20 years teaching, would that interest her??

I’m in my 50s and it’s depressing to spend ages on an application to not even get an acknowledgment of receipt let alone any kind of a response. Definitely not a change for the better.

So sorry to read your post. I haven't read all the kind words and suggestions...

Police interpreters is a very flexible job for those with languages and I'm sure she would find something. She could also write to her local police commander looking for work experience helping victims which would help her broaden her communication skills and help give her confidence. May even give her a purpose helping others.

I know we all have opinions our police but I have a family member who has suggested the above so I thought I'd pass it on.

Or look into interpreters with all the public sector communities such as social services too. Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery.

It’s a tough time for many people, including graduates OP. They sell the dream to kids to go to uni and secure a well paid job after, yet that’s not necessarily the norm -particularly in this bleak economic climate. These young adults are then saddled with huge debts so no wonder they are desperate to get in to the corporate ladder.

This is an example of every day challenges that many people go through at some point during their lives. It’s tough times but things will change and she’ll find her way. I would start by lowering her expectations because as I’ve said, it seems like younger generations are sold this dream when the reality is far from it. It’s not her, it’s the bludy system! It is sad for them but she’s not alone bless her

It just didn't happen yet. Let her persevere. Have you tried picking and packing jobs. They might actually give you software experience and stock control and meeting customers not just making the boxes ....

You never know how things will happen. One shy man in my job was bullied by the alpha males yer the boss got rid of the bullies , unheard of and now the man is getting trained and promoted. Never stop trying

Also library jobs. The last time I went in my library, one man had a tick, one was very shy, one was clearly having hearing and eye sight issues and one woman had anger issues. These people aren't swept under the carpet

Has she looked at charityjobs as there are loads of marketing ones on there at the moment. Ds had to take a minimum wage manual job when he finished his masters and actually really enjoyed it as he needed a role outside where he had no responsibilities for a bit after so long in education. It certainly helped his mental health being busy and he knew it would just be a stop gap.

Has she been to the job centre?

Get her out of the house for a walk every day. Get her to do some volunteering.

If she has a GB passport she should not be applying to work in Europe. An employer can only employ her if they can't find a national to do the job.

Why do you think this happened? There are millions of happy, healthy people who live on benefits in this country. What finding work made it so fixated and fo you think she might suffered a broken heart also ?

Do you , instead fo you

Totally agree with this, she needs a small stepping stone to shape her into being an attractive employee for her future employers.

Volunteering 100% This is what I did as someone who is naturally quite reserved and it worked for me. It's hard but she really needs to get out of the mindset that her degree alone is enough because it isn't. If she volunteers she will have someone who can attest to how she behaves in a work environment and that is really valuable when it comes to finding paid employment.

Do you have a parkrun near you? They are always looking for volunteers and there are some roles you can do without having much interaction. It's not much but it'd be a start and it would get her out in the fresh air as well which might help her.

Do you have international language schools near you? Often they need multi lingual staff. Taking a training course to teach English as a foreign language? Has she tried the British Council - they have offices throughout the world? Volunteering, even if it's a local charity shop - it will give her work experience as well as build her confidence. The job market is very slow at the moment. Companies are getting rid of staff, rather than hiring. Can you get your daughter out with you? Exercise is a good way of boosting feelings good hormones - going for walks etc.