Graduates - what did you do next?

Pienaar's gloves · January 4, 2016

So come this summer I will be graduating from Liverpool JMU with my undergraduate degree - hoping for a first, would be shocked if I don't get at least a 2:1.

Can't wait to go out into the real world, however I've spent most of the Xmas break researching careers and my prospects and it all looks decidedly bleak even if I get my first. I can't see any realistic opportunities. My academic background is in Criminology and I've volunteered in offender rehabilitation but I'm willing to do anything for £20k per year. I have a retail job that won't pay my bills and the rent if I'm still there in 12 months time!

My plans all went up in smoke when the graduate scheme I was desperate to apply for was dropped.

I'm looking for inspiration and wondered: what did the graduates of GOT do after they left uni? Was uni helpful to what you went on to do in your worklife?

Tramps_mate · January 4, 2016

Ran my own business for 8 years after.

Then got employed. Hate working for others still.

Be working for myself again in the next month or two fingers crossed... Thank god!!!

Edit*

My business had nothing to do with Uni.

Current work does, and new business venture will do also. Degree turned out to be useful after all!

ItsOKImAPilot · January 4, 2016

Both my brother and I went into the military. He enlisted in the Army and worked Intel now has a really awesome job in a federal agency. I went into the Air Force as an officer and am hoping to do a full 20-year career. It's not a path for everybody but the training and free education help most people land jobs in a very competitive market (in both of our countries), especially if you do not have much of a work history in your chosen field.

Tramps_mate · January 4, 2016

Pienaar's gloves said:
So come this summer I will be graduating from Liverpool JMU with my undergraduate degree - hoping for a first, would be shocked if I don't get at least a 2:1.

Can't wait to go out into the real world, however I've spent most of the Xmas break researching careers and my prospects and it all looks decidedly bleak even if I get my first. I can't see any realistic opportunities. My academic background is in Criminology and I've volunteered in offender rehabilitation but I'm willing to do anything for £20k per year. I have a retail job that won't pay my bills and the rent if I'm still there in 12 months time!

My plans all went up in smoke when the graduate scheme I was desperate to apply for was dropped.

I'm looking for inspiration and wondered: what did the graduates of GOT do after they left uni? Was uni helpful to what you went on to do in your worklife?

Were there no 3rd year work placements or affiliated companies to the course at all?

Tramps_mate · January 4, 2016

ItsOKImAPilot said:
Both my brother and I went into the military. He enlisted in the Army and worked Intel now has a really awesome job in a federal agency. I went into the Air Force as an officer and am hoping to do a full 20-year career. It's not a path for everybody but the training and free education help most people land jobs in a very competitive market (in both of our countries), especially if you do not have much of a work history in your chosen field.

OOOooo FBI? CIA?

ijjysmith · January 4, 2016

I got a degree in media and film studies and I worked at JJB Sports for the next 3 years after graduating eventually managing a store. But hated every single second.

Only in the last 2 years have I used my degree and been fully happy in my job.

ItsOKImAPilot · January 4, 2016

I should specify that I studied applied mathematics and my brother did international relations.

GlosBlue · January 4, 2016

Pienaar's gloves said:
So come this summer I will be graduating from Liverpool JMU with my undergraduate degree - hoping for a first, would be shocked if I don't get at least a 2:1.

Can't wait to go out into the real world, however I've spent most of the Xmas break researching careers and my prospects and it all looks decidedly bleak even if I get my first. I can't see any realistic opportunities. My academic background is in Criminology and I've volunteered in offender rehabilitation but I'm willing to do anything for £20k per year. I have a retail job that won't pay my bills and the rent if I'm still there in 12 months time!

My plans all went up in smoke when the graduate scheme I was desperate to apply for was dropped.

I'm looking for inspiration and wondered: what did the graduates of GOT do after they left uni? Was uni helpful to what you went on to do in your worklife?

I reckon do a bit of travelling if possible then crack on with finding the career that you want. Don't get stuck in a crap job like me for ages (Tesco!) before finally deciding to do what my dad wanted me to do years before (Not that I love my job - I'd way rather be doing something more interesting but it pays the bills)!

jal123 · January 4, 2016

Tramps_mate said:
OOOooo FBI? CIA?

KFC

ItsOKImAPilot · January 4, 2016

Tramps_mate said:
OOOooo FBI? CIA?

Department of Interior. He dresses in the Smokey the Bear costume.

Pienaar's gloves · January 4, 2016

Tramps_mate said:
Were there no 3rd year work placements or affiliated companies to the course at all?

Supposedly a tie-in with Merseyside and Cheshire Police forces that was supposed to see us all interviewed for regular constable jobs on graduation with Special Constable experience and the academic background that the Police want now. I decided to volunteer elsewhere because I anticipated that the Police wouldn't be hiring and I didn't really want to be an officer anyway.

It was right though, Merseyside are laying staff and officers off.

GlosBlue · January 4, 2016

Pienaar's gloves said:
So come this summer I will be graduating from Liverpool JMU with my undergraduate degree - hoping for a first, would be shocked if I don't get at least a 2:1.

Can't wait to go out into the real world, however I've spent most of the Xmas break researching careers and my prospects and it all looks decidedly bleak even if I get my first. I can't see any realistic opportunities. My academic background is in Criminology and I've volunteered in offender rehabilitation but I'm willing to do anything for £20k per year. I have a retail job that won't pay my bills and the rent if I'm still there in 12 months time!

My plans all went up in smoke when the graduate scheme I was desperate to apply for was dropped.

I'm looking for inspiration and wondered: what did the graduates of GOT do after they left uni? Was uni helpful to what you went on to do in your worklife?

If criminology is what you want to do then I'd just go full steam at getting something in that field. You might regret it if you don't try. You could always do conversion degree if it fails? My mate did a degree in design and converted it to law and is now a solicitor!

Failing that you could do accountancy - don't necessarily need a degree in finance to do it and pays well eventually!

evertoniandy · January 4, 2016

Got a degree in mathematics, started the master's but never finished it as I lost a lot of work and then lost interest.

Got into financial contracting and have been here since. It's not really anything to do with my degree but I'm not really that arsed as I was beginning to despise mathematics, although transferable skills do come in handy allegedly.

hallamblue · January 4, 2016

Dole, then back to the same crappy admin job I had before Uni, then decided I needed to leave that, so back on dole. Then a terrible commission only sales job. Then dole again, whilst doing voluntary work in the Everyman Theatre. Then, finally, 4 years after graduating, got a Trainee Manager's job with a major theatre company and haven't looked back.

I got a History and Politics degree by the way, and that was 25 years ago and we were in a recession, so I'm sure you'll be fine.

Deleted member 28206 · January 4, 2016

Pienaar's gloves said:
So come this summer I will be graduating from Liverpool JMU with my undergraduate degree - hoping for a first, would be shocked if I don't get at least a 2:1.

Can't wait to go out into the real world, however I've spent most of the Xmas break researching careers and my prospects and it all looks decidedly bleak even if I get my first. I can't see any realistic opportunities. My academic background is in Criminology and I've volunteered in offender rehabilitation but I'm willing to do anything for £20k per year. I have a retail job that won't pay my bills and the rent if I'm still there in 12 months time!

My plans all went up in smoke when the graduate scheme I was desperate to apply for was dropped.

I'm looking for inspiration and wondered: what did the graduates of GOT do after they left uni? Was uni helpful to what you went on to do in your worklife?

Moan