Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Recently graduated DD

20 replies

Treetreetreetree · 13/10/2026 17:05

My DD graduated this year and so far has had no luck finding any kind of job. She has had a couple of interviews but no actual success or feedback.
She is quite shy and very reluctant to talk to me. So I’m not asking her about anything - but is there anything I can suggest to help her. She has a LinkedIn profile and a friend has looked at her CV and says it’s good.

OP posts:
FancyKeyboard · 13/10/2026 17:14

What field is she interested in, even if very broad? That might help people to give advice.

Also, if you know anyone even remotely involved in that field, can she do some work experience for them?

AwfullyDifficult · 13/10/2026 17:15

My DD went on the 'dole' after she could not find a job for a few months.

It was really very helpful. For a start, she had to apply for a certain number of jobs every week and log those online. That meant she had to really push herself to apply for jobs. Before she was just applying for jobs on indeed but she had to spread her net much further. She got a job at next which she would not have applied for previously as the only advertise on their own website. But more importantly, she had meetings with the national careers service And her mentor with that was amazing she could contact her any time to get help with her CV. When she got an interview for a 'proper job' the national careers service advisor gave her loads of advice and eventually she got a job in her chosen field.

So she finished in the May got a job with Next probably in August I would say and then got her proper job in November.

Treetreetreetree · 13/10/2026 20:33

@FancyKeyboard Good point. Her degree is in geography. RG and an Upper 2:1 if that means anything. She seems very open to anything. Thanks for your reply.
@AwfullyDifficult Yes brilliant idea. I think this would be really helpful. Thank you.

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 14/10/2026 00:34

What work experience does she have?

Mulledjuice · 14/10/2026 03:57

has she used her university careers service?

OneRealRosePlayer · 14/10/2026 04:19

Indeed.com was a lifesaver for me. You upload all your details and most jobs you can just click apply. No need to keep repeating the same information

Treetreetreetree · 14/10/2026 08:15

@mathanxiety Some. I’ve put some feelers out for some more for her.
@Mulledjuice I sent her a link to that yesterday. I’m hoping she will engage with them.

@OneRealRosePlayer I will suggest that. Thanks so much for all the help.

OP posts:
Ilmiocompleanno · 14/10/2026 21:24

The current jobs market is really tough for graduates, so if your DD has already had a couple of interviews, it sounds like her approach is along the right lines. One piece of advice I would give is that when your DD sees a job advertised she should get her application in as soon as she reasonably can. A recent thread I read discussing recruitment from the recruiter's point of view confirmed what I already suspected. If an employer is inundated with applications (very common in the current market), it may take (say) the first 50 applications received and review them, and not even bother to review later applications unless there are no suitable candidates among the first 50.

SleeplessRoads · 14/10/2026 21:28

Ilmiocompleanno · 14/10/2026 21:24

The current jobs market is really tough for graduates, so if your DD has already had a couple of interviews, it sounds like her approach is along the right lines. One piece of advice I would give is that when your DD sees a job advertised she should get her application in as soon as she reasonably can. A recent thread I read discussing recruitment from the recruiter's point of view confirmed what I already suspected. If an employer is inundated with applications (very common in the current market), it may take (say) the first 50 applications received and review them, and not even bother to review later applications unless there are no suitable candidates among the first 50.

Worse than that, we will interview potential candidates knowing all roles are filled which is a huge waste of time. We do it as some candidates inevitably drop out / get multiple offers for roles and don’t take up offers, but it’s disheartening for everyone when you have to ring an incredible candidate and tell them that you won’t be making an offer at this stage as there are no vacancies for the role they’ve applied for at this stage.

KingCatMeowInSpace · 14/10/2026 22:41

She has a geography degree but no success yet since finishing her course- how frustrating. what within geography would she like to do? Did she do summer placements/internships during her summer breaks? Doing volunteer work within geography sector?

Treetreetreetree · 18/10/2026 07:17

@Ilmiocompleanno Thats really good advice I’ll pass it on.
@SleeplessRoads Thats so depressing.
@KingCatMeowInSpace No - which is a problem. She did work e dry summer but for our business. She properly worked but not doing anything related to her degree.

I feel like I’m failing her.

OP posts:
BurntBroccoli · 18/10/2026 09:59

Ilmiocompleanno · 14/10/2026 21:24

The current jobs market is really tough for graduates, so if your DD has already had a couple of interviews, it sounds like her approach is along the right lines. One piece of advice I would give is that when your DD sees a job advertised she should get her application in as soon as she reasonably can. A recent thread I read discussing recruitment from the recruiter's point of view confirmed what I already suspected. If an employer is inundated with applications (very common in the current market), it may take (say) the first 50 applications received and review them, and not even bother to review later applications unless there are no suitable candidates among the first 50.

Yes I’ve noticed that a lot of companies are now saying in job ads that they have a right to close applications early.

BurntBroccoli · 18/10/2026 10:03

Treetreetreetree · 18/10/2026 07:17

@Ilmiocompleanno Thats really good advice I’ll pass it on.
@SleeplessRoads Thats so depressing.
@KingCatMeowInSpace No - which is a problem. She did work e dry summer but for our business. She properly worked but not doing anything related to her degree.

I feel like I’m failing her.

My son is doing a minimum wage service job at the moment but it helps to have something on your CV.

With Christmas coming up, could she try temp jobs in places like Tesco or perhaps retail? Is she registered with an employment agency?

mondaytosunday · 18/10/2026 10:42

I got a retail job at a department store for a few months while applying. It gave structure to my day plus a bit of cash flow. So she should get any job now - even a seasonal one like suggested PP.
My DD graduates next year and has filled her CV with loads of things. She has had three paid internships, one in Columbia, currently volunteers at the local cathedral and just became a UNESCO youth ambassador. She was an editor on the university newspaper and published an academic journal and so on. Yet still she’s worried. She’s hoping to go to the US to work for a year via the J1 visa scheme. But she’s also meeting with the careers office this week, has had her LinkedIn profile up and running for a couple years and is starting to look for jobs here as a back up. But she’s anxious, and is shocked that her fellow students aren’t being more proactive.
It’s not a good time out there, but it’s nothing to do with you! You haven’t failed her. Be supportive but one thing I’ve learned from having an older child - you may well be the last person they listen to, and offering endless suggestions is just irritating and not helpful.

saraclara · 18/10/2026 10:52

My DD left a RG uni with a first in geography, just as the financial crash happened. There was absolutely nothing available for her to apply for.

Just to keep busy she got an agency TA job, ended up working in just one school, and was encouraged and sponsored by the SLT to apply for the 'on the job' teacher training. And now has a very successful career in education.

So even a low paid interim role can pay dividends.

KingCatMeowInSpace · 18/10/2026 11:34

Does she really want a geography related career if she hasn’t done any related work experience/volunteering etc through her whole degree - she has a good degree from RG uni but she’ll be competing with every other graduate across the country who also has that - job market is so difficult, need to make yourself stand out- recruiters get sooo many applications so they need to see something of interest on your cv that makes u stand out and shows motivation and intetest. Has she been working or doing any personal projects
in the past 6 months or how has she been filling her time? Anything she can put on her cv? Can she start volunteering or doing a related personal project now so has focus whilst looking for something proper?https://www.rgs.org/choose-geography/choose-a-career-with-geography/work-experience-directory

Online and in-person work experience & volunteering

Our work experience directory provides a list of school, undergraduate, recent graduate and postgraduate experiences in various sectors.

https://www.rgs.org/choose-geography/choose-a-career-with-geography/work-experience-directory

Treetreetreetree · 18/10/2026 17:55

Sorry we don’t have a lot of money so she hasn’t been able to go off and do unpaid internships. She worked incredibly hard with her dad and now has a lot of work experience. Genuine hard graft.
So no she didn’t get the chance to do any geography based internships.
She is applying for any kind of job, working in our business and applying for every single thing she can think off.

Thanks for all the kind helpful replies.

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/10/2026 19:09

It is hard. Dd did a vocational postgrad and is getting interviews but no offers. About to start a seasonal retail job to keep herself afloat in the meantime.

Badvocthebad · 18/10/2026 20:29

Gepgraphy is a shortage subject now.
She could do a scitt and get a bursary whilst doing it.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page