I work on average forty hours a week and people still think that I don’t have a job?
Judging from firsthand experience, most people in their late teens or at some stage during their twenties begin their undergraduate studies expecting these to lead on to a good career. They may not know at the point of starting what this career will be in, where it’ll be or whether they’re doing the right thing in undertaking a degree, but a strong career as the outcome is usually on the cards.
They have a fabulous time studying, partying, developing life skills that come with the whole invaluable university experience and soon come to the realisation that the job part at the end is going to prove more difficult than initially imagined. Particularly if your degree subject is broad.
You’re told throughout your studies how competitive the graduate pool of employment is and often you’re steered away from certain careers that originally sparked interest in you because ‘you’ll never make any money doing that’ or ‘you need far more experience’. You then may speak to third years or (even worse) the recently graduated who tell you how disheartening it all is finding a graduate position and you’ll be told to get yourself in Costa and put on an apron or to be ready to revise your cocktail making skills at the local as soon as Uni ends.
The negativity surrounding graduates who haven’t leaped out of their graduation ceremonies into a junior graduate position is what bothers me the most. The judgement your get from people who are judging from their experience fifty years ago. This is the part I have a huge problem with and I shall tell you why.
I graduated in May 2017. Well, no, I officially graduated in November 2017 but my studies finished in May. At this time I’d just handed in my dissertation and eagerly awaited the results for my degree. The dissertation that I’d worked on ruthlessly for a solid year. The piece of work which had brought laughs, determination, screams of frustration, tears of despair and an overwhelming sense of relief once I’d handed it in and sat downing a pint of cider black in the student’s union bar.
The results I was waiting on would show whether my hard work had paid off. The work which had to be done on top of learning to live on my own. Discovering how to deal with the emotional roller-coaster of being this age (and a girl at that) without my Mum by my side (though often on the phone). To sort little things like shopping, bills and health appointments. Dealing with not being home when I felt I was needed. These results wouldn’t come until July.
As dramatic as this all sounds and despite loving every minute of my time at Uni, what I’m trying to express is that university is not an easy escape. In fact, it gears you up for a lot of things and gives you enough stress to deal with so that your methods of coping progress. This is one of the many reasons that I decided to go travelling post third year mayhem.
I went in July until November. I explored so many countries across Europe with my sister and then took the rest of the world (almost) on myself. I had the most fantastic time, met some of the greatest people and learnt a hell of a lot about myself and life. I learnt how never to feel alone. I figured how to deal with distressing hiccups when things went wrong and how to get out of sticky situations I’d got myself in calmly and carefully. I realised that most people you meet are fabulous, but most importantly how young I am and how much of this great life I have ahead of me.
I returned from my travels and almost instantly spent a week working with The Observer Magazine at the Guardian Media Group in London. Here too I learnt so much. I learnt how big media companies work, how vibrant and open the office space makes your mind feel, how willing to teach and guide me the staff were, but the lesson which has influenced me the most is how being yourself will always pay off which I remember when I read the reference given to me by the Editor.
Since this eyeopening and highly insightful week which I’ll never forget I have been working full time hours at the shop where I’ve worked on and off for the past seven years. Frequently interested customers or people I meet in the street who know me ask what I’m doing with myself. ‘What are you doing with yourself?’ What a delightful way to put it.
They want to know whether I’ve got a job yet or how the job hunt is going. I love that people are interested, really I do. What I don’t love is how some people pass over the fact that my job is that thing I go to each week, six days and tirelessly work. Like many other of my graduate friends I am yet to start my career, I’m yet to find that opening into the role I’ll work in and progress through for the next fifty years of my life, but I do still have a job.
I’m twenty three. I’m not settled and I wouldn’t want to be quite yet. I’m actively looking, I’m working while looking, and eventually I’ll use my degree subject to pursue that career. For now, I’m enjoying life. Enjoying being young and having so much ahead of me to look forward to. I’m enjoying living in limbo and not having a clue what the future holds but being open to all opportunities that come my way whenever they do.
I’m using the skills that I’ve gained from all my life experiences every day. From school, university, travels and work experience. From friends, relatives and working in a buzzing environment where all walks of life come through the door. All the above gives me advice and helps me to develop as a person and progress towards a successful future.
Of course my career is a huge priority right now and I deeply consider it every day, but it’s not just going to come out of nowhere. Searching takes time, applications take time, rejections take time and the entire process is long. I also need a life on top of this and not to forget about enjoying the present circumstance. I love my job, I love my life and I love that my future could be anything I want it to be. I am incredibly lucky.
I’ll keep searching and anybody else in this predicament needs to stick to their guns and know how great they’re doing. Here’s a video that you may want to watch. Anybody. It may change your perspective for the better.