Quote ="Cronus"Yes, it does. You think you're too good to earn a living in a job you deem to be below you. But that doesn't mean I disagree with your reasoning.
Sorry, I'm hearing excuses. Plenty of people (including graduates) manage to job hunt while in employment. '"
I know that I can do better than a minimum wage job. Stating that makes me sound a bit like a knob but its true. I'm definitely not a snob, I wouldn't be volunteering at a local charity shop if I was. I know that it's possible to job hunt whilst in employment, I just think that it reduces your likelihood of finding a graduate job, so I decided I wasn't going to risk it.
Quote ="Cronus" You think applying for jobs these days takes longer?
Try job-hunting when jobs could only be found in certain local or specialist papers on certain days of the week or by visiting job agencies, when you often had to pay to get a CV put together and printed, then had to post it off before attending several stages of the interview process, and when, weeks later, you were still waiting by the phone for 'that' call, or by the letterbox for 'that' letter. Time-consuming? You don't know the half. '"
All people of my parents generation that I've spoken with simply sent off a cover letter and a copy of their CV, then if they were successful went down for an interview. There wasn't a ridiculous number of tests to pass, competency and motivation questions to answer, second interviews, assessment days etc. Its easier to look for a job nowadays when it can all be done on the internet, but they seems to be a lot more stages to the application process, I presume because the applicant/job ratio tends to be much higher. I may be wrong - my parents and their friends don't have 'good' jobs, so this might be why they don't understand how complicated and time consuming the application process is.
Quote ="Cronus" ...your research can be done online. On that note - how on earth you can take 3/4 days to research a company and prepare for an interview is beyond me. '"
Very, very extensive research on the company that I'm applying to, their main competitors and the industry. When there are over a hundred people applying per vacancy, all of them with a good academic record (they literally won't even let you apply if you don't), and many with relevant work experience (which I don't have), I thought it was best to try and stand out by being ridiculously knowledgeable about the company.
Quote ="Cronus"Not sure I agree with that. The more 'prestigious' recruiters I recruited for didn't really care. They wanted the relevant qualifications, and of course if possible, relevant experience and the 'right' person. '"
That surprises me a little, but tbf that opinion wasn't really based on any evidence, just a gut feeling, so it might be completely wrong (in most cases).
Quote ="Cronus"Does the old saying 'it's easier to find a job when you have one' not apply? Perhaps genuinely not for a graduate straight out of uni. '"
I think probably not for someone straight out of uni (as long as oyu have previsou work experience of some sort), after a year the travelling/volunteering excuse runs out and gaps in your CV really start to look bad.
Quote Most of them probably expected the same from their degree as you do - a chance to obtain the first step on the rung of a good career. Problem is, that's getting tougher and tougher.'"
Yeah I know, I feel sorry for people who haven't got a 'good' degree from a 'good' uni, many of them have been sold a very expensive lie IMO.
Quote ="Cronus"I sympathise with you and other graduates, I really do. The job market is a horrible place for experienced workers, never mind young people with only a slip of paper and no experience. But for me that's all the more reason to take what you can get while you're looking. Unless your parents are willing to bail you out indefinitely of course.'"
Personally having worked in a supermarket for 6 years, I don't think any menial work would really give me any experience, or make me more employable. I know what you mean though, I have friends who are 22/23 and have never had a job, I wouldn't hire them.
I think my parents are willing to support me for 1 round of applications, if by the end of this application cycle I didn't have a job I think I'd have to lower my target significantly and take anything just to pay board (Luckily I've got an offer from one of the big 4 so I won't get to find out).
Try job-hunting when jobs could only be found in certain local or specialist papers on certain days of the week or by visiting job agencies, when you often had to pay to get a CV put together and printed, then had to post it off before attending several stages of the interview process, and when, weeks later, you were still waiting by the phone for 'that' call, or by the letterbox for 'that' letter. Time-consuming? You don't know the half. '"
