“All you need is hard work” – and potentially a family member in your industry. Recent graduates are currently faced with an employment crisis, and the older generation’s belief that hard work can get you anywhere is becoming more and more unsustainable.
The well-spoken adage, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is now a painful truth for many wishing to enter a job market heavily saturated by young professionals whose CVs look exactly the same as yours. Britain’s challenging economic climate means businesses are seemingly more interested in protecting profits than onboarding new, inexperienced staff in need of training, which has led to the painfully hilarious situation of entry-level jobs requiring several years’ worth of experience. On the other hand, many have received feedback that they are actually over-qualified for these entry-level jobs, and that’s when they receive any response at all.
It is more than soul-destroying for graduates desperately searching for work in the field they went to university in order to enter. There is absolutely no guarantee of a job after graduating, which has forced many to work minimum-wage jobs in hospitality, retail or temp work, whilst continuing to send out applications day after day until the process becomes meaningless – a vicious cycle with no apparent end in sight. Brexit has crushed any possibility of moving abroad for work, and students applying to sectors thought to be begging for skilled workers, such as STEM, are still sending CVs into the void and never hearing back.
Applying for jobs in a creative industry? It feels like it’s not even worth trying. These industries are dominated by unpaid internships, the majority of which are in London and often last multiple years, and if one doesn’t live within commutable distance or is unable to move back in with their parents, the idea of supporting oneself through becomes unfeasible due to the ridiculously high cost of living.
It’s also no longer a case of sending in a CV and cover letter. Many vacancies now require absurdly long application processes, with a written element, online assessment centres, and multiple interviews, all just to be ghosted by employers. Many have taken to applying for a “panic” masters, or even PhD, which of course, leads to even more student debt, and others question whether to neglect personal interests taking up something more vocational instead. Additionally, students receive little to no specialised help on how to begin this process of rejection. A recent poll conducted by The Student found that 61 per cent of participants found the University of Edinburgh careers service “unhelpful,” with 22 out of 33 having practised interviews with the service and not receiving any benefit. One commented, “I graduated in 2022 and am still struggling to find employment, despite having two degrees,” with another becoming used to the feeling of “waking up to a bunch of rejection emails.”
Ultimately, the days after graduation are terrifying for many students, who also struggle to balance these job applications while writing a dissertation and trying to enjoy their last days at university.
“Loneliness” by Ktoine is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.