Recent/soon-to-be UK Graduates, lets have a chat.

[jh322]

Personally, having graduated in June 2010, I didn't really feel the recession until I was looking for a job related to my degree this year. I got a 2:1 in finance from a good university, second only to Oxford in that field when I graduated, I have solid A-levels, and my interview technique was good enough to get me into final stage interviews I wasn't even qualified for, having put out a lot of people that were.

So, I ask you, did you get into a job you wanted if you're a graduate, what did you get, and how's that going? If you're going to graduate in the next couple of years, how are you feeling about the job market, have you given it much thought?

On a sideline - anybody looking for jobs, have you come across organisations like the Per DM group that offer the world but don't really deliver (yes I got roped in for a couple of days but bailed because I didn't like their very poor understanding of statistics)? Or any other jobs that weren't really jobs?

Basically - how's it all going for you? I'm currently working in a bar, because I like bar work and I'm going to wait a (probably good long) while before I look again, because it's all a bit of a ball-ache.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I got pulled into a 'sales and marketing' role, thought I would be dealing with people over the phone, making deals with wholesalers etc.

They were quite vague about what the job entailed.

I bailed during the 'training day, designed to see where we can place you in the company.'

Turns out that meant walking up the same street 19 times, trying to get people to sign up to donate for the WWF charity.

Fuck that.

 

[jh322]

I got pulled into a 'sales and marketing' role, thought I would be dealing with people over the phone, making deals with wholesalers etc.

They were quite vague about what the job entailed.

I bailed during the 'training day, designed to see where we can place you in the company.'

Turns out that meant walking up the same street 19 times, trying to get people to sign up to donate for the WWF charity.

Fuck that.

This sounds like the Per DM group I mentioned: things like "the law of averages" and "atmosphere rooms" sound familiar? Which city were you in, and what were they called, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I got pulled into a 'sales and marketing' role, thought I would be dealing with people over the phone, making deals with wholesalers etc.

They were quite vague about what the job entailed.

I bailed during the 'training day, designed to see where we can place you in the company.'

Turns out that meant walking up the same street 19 times, trying to get people to sign up to donate for the WWF charity.

Fuck that.

This sounds like the Per DM group I mentioned: things like "the law of averages" and "atmosphere rooms" sound familiar? Which city where you in, and what were they called, if you don't mind me asking?

Nottingham. They were called Arakoola ltd or something. One massive scam if you ask me, the salary was 100% comission, meaning that I only got payed if people signed up for the charity (something like 30 quid for every person). The 'law of averages' said that basically meant that if I knocked on 100 doors, it would work out to around 3%. Turns out the 'law of averages' is a load of bollocks and you were lucky if you got even one person to sign up a day. Lot's of leg work for next to no pay? No thanks.

 

[jh322]

I got pulled into a 'sales and marketing' role, thought I would be dealing with people over the phone, making deals with wholesalers etc.

They were quite vague about what the job entailed.

I bailed during the 'training day, designed to see where we can place you in the company.'

Turns out that meant walking up the same street 19 times, trying to get people to sign up to donate for the WWF charity.

Fuck that.

This sounds like the Per DM group I mentioned: things like "the law of averages" and "atmosphere rooms" sound familiar? Which city where you in, and what were they called, if you don't mind me asking?

Nottingham. They were called Arakoola ltd or something. One massive scam if you ask me, the salary was 100% comission, meaning that I only got payed if people signed up for the charity (something like 30 quid for every person). The 'law of averages' said that basically meant that if I knocked on 100 doors, it would work out to around 3%. Turns out the 'law of averages' is a load of bollocks and you were lucky if you got even one person to sign up a day. Lot's of leg work for next to no pay? No thanks.

Exactly, the law of averages is also called the gambler's fallacy. The organisation are actually really interesting if you want to look into them. Not exactly a scam but not entirely legitimate either

 

[Lukeje]

I went straight into a DPhil; gives me another 3 years to decide what I want to do.

 

[Baradiel]

I'm (hopefully) heading to uni this year, to study History.

Not entirely sure what sort of job that can get me, probably teacher or museum staff or something.

Still, I just need to get off this island! (Isle of Man, by the way)

 

[AfterAscon]

I graduated in June 2010 with a 1st in Business Studies, with a focus on marketing in the last year, and I was unemployed for about 6 months. From June to December I was very picky and didn't put too much effort into my job search, as I only applied to 12 roles in that time, but I got interviews with most and always seemed to receive positive feedback (just not the best person there

Eventually one of the places I applied to (also the place I worked for my placement year) called me and offered me a 3 month temporary role, which I accepted. During this role I applied for another position in the organisation and got it!

I'm glad to be still in the organisation as I already know a lot of the people I'll be working for/with and I'm more than happy to do it. Currently I'm two weeks into a six week break between finishing my temporary role and starting my full-time role in May.

I was originally offered a place on the graduate scheme from my placement organisation (if they re-started it), but they never did due to re-structuring and cost saving. I was also unable to apply to anything during my final year because I was so focussed on my studies, but it really helps when going for interviews!

It wasn't the plan I originally had going into my final year at Uni, but it seemed to work itself out.

 

[Nickolai77]

Mental note taken to about the Per DM group, i'm not going near those guy's when i graduate. Then again, there is a bit of a clue when you google them and the words "field marketing" appear. Even through business jargon i can tell they are not my kind of thing at all.

I graduate next summer, and after graduation i may hopefully go into an internship in the Civil Service (if i am lucky) and if not, more realistically, i will probably spend the year finding some work experience or doing some voluntary placements. I don't know what exactly, and frankly i don't have time to think of the specifics whilst i am at university. Then after that i may try to enter the job market proper or go back to uni and study a masters.

Tell you one thing, i'm not looking forward to graduation at all.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Mental note taken to about the Per DM group, i'm not going near those guy's when i graduate. Then again, there is a bit of a clue when you google them and the words "field marketing" appear. Even through business jargon i can tell they are not my kind of thing at all.

I graduate next summer, and after graduation i may hopefully go into an internship in the Civil Service (if i am lucky) and if not, more realistically, i will probably spend the year finding some work experience or doing some voluntary placements. I don't know what exactly, and frankly i don't have time to think of the specifics whilst i am at university. Then after that i may try to enter the job market proper or go back to uni and study a masters.

Tell you one thing, i'm not looking forward to graduation at all.

Looking for a job is a pain in the arse.

I graduated with a Law and Criminology degree last year and have been searching for a job ever since.

The easy way to avoid companies like Per DM (on job sites anway) is just to completely avoid 'sales and marketing' roles that look like they pay way too much.

 

[Nickolai77]

Mental note taken to about the Per DM group, i'm not going near those guy's when i graduate. Then again, there is a bit of a clue when you google them and the words "field marketing" appear. Even through business jargon i can tell they are not my kind of thing at all.

I graduate next summer, and after graduation i may hopefully go into an internship in the Civil Service (if i am lucky) and if not, more realistically, i will probably spend the year finding some work experience or doing some voluntary placements. I don't know what exactly, and frankly i don't have time to think of the specifics whilst i am at university. Then after that i may try to enter the job market proper or go back to uni and study a masters.

Tell you one thing, i'm not looking forward to graduation at all.

Looking for a job is a pain in the arse.

I graduated with a Law and Criminology degree last year and have been searching for a job ever since.

The easy way to avoid companies like Per DM (on job sites anway) is just to completely avoid 'sales and marketing' roles that look like they pay way too much.

Well, i won't be looking at salaries when applying for graduate jobs because i'll be glad if i can find a graduate level job at all. It's especially hard if you only have vague ideas of what you want to do, otherwise you can target any experience you do towards that one dream job, making you more likely to get it.

 

[Wadders]

Hey, I'm coming to the end of my 2nd year at Aberystwyth University, studying History. Based on my grades thus far, it looks like I'm on track for a decent 2:1 (but I don't want to speak too soon )

I dont want to be a teacher, so jobs that I can use my degree for are going to be pretty thin on the ground as it is. I'll probably just end up working in the warehouse where I work over summer while I try and find something better, or maybe some kind of work experience.

If that fails, I'll train like fuck, join the Army and hopefully get into Sandhurst to train as an Officer. Which I could do without a degree anyway :-(