(Untitled)

[langtonsant]

Job-hunting is possibly the most depressing activity on the face of the planet. Perhaps under its surface too.
Nothing can beat the endless blank smiles as you hopefully hand across your CV knowing full well they're sizing you up and thinking "More meat for the call centre grinders then."
At least I'm not trapped in a position where I have to take

Comments

[stompyboots]

I don't know what your working patterns are like, but is there any way you could arrange shifts/take holiday and go and do some work experience in an office for a week or two? I know it sounds lame, but it may help.

CDEC should be able to place you/help you find somewhere - even if it's just signing on for the work-shadowing programme, which I don't think is restricted to students - and they're obligated to help you for three years after graduation.

[langtonsant]

Yeah, Angela suggested something similar, seeing if could find somewhere to volunteer and get some office experience. Luckily my shifts make it pretty easy, I have the entire front half of the week free.

[stompyboots]

That should see you sorted then. :)

I've just been told that the 8 weeks I spent doing work experience at literary agencies during uni holidays actually puts me in a really good position to become an agent, even though it felt like I did nothing at all.

[langtonsant]

Yeah.
I think I just hate the random crap they decide to care about for getting a job. Much of it seems to be completely divorced from any capability to actually do the job. :(

But I shall (attempt) to jump through their hoops. And I shall break free form this hell that is Sainsbury's.

[langtonsant]

I wasn't unisex, but was treasurer of LGBT as well as Comms, different years obviously. But yeah, that should definitely be makeable to sound like office work. The people yesterday didn't seem to even read that section of my CV though

Hopefully, as soon as I can figure out how, I'll shove my CV up on here for comment.

[eglantinedreams]

Ever thought of the civil service? I know there isn't lots of it around in Brighton (I mean national, rather than local government btw) but they definately give you the office skills you are looking for. They took me on with just A-levels. Anyone with a degree can fast-track if they prefer, but you get more respect from junior staff if you have been one. Added bonus is you'd know how to do the job unlike most graduates.

I am curious though as to what you actually want to do? Where, ideally, did/do you want that degree to have you heading?
I may have missed you mentioning this before (or it could have fallen into one of my brain's many wormholes).

[langtonsant]

Last Civil Service thing I saw (good benefits, poor pay :) ) was for physics graduates and required a 2:1 or better. If that's changed any I might have a look then. For humour, none of us could figure out why they wanted physics graduates to do their filing, it wasn't even reading and filing science papers, just everyday filing. And to be fair, I have absolutely no problems starting at entry level absolute bottom of the ladder.

What I'd like to end up doing is science communication. Along the way I'd like to return to study a masters and Phd but thats slightly longer term.
More immediately a good first step for science comm is, apparently, PR or Marketing for a science company. So I'd love to get an entry level job doing that.

[skielight]

Honey, I snuggle you. I've said it before and I'll say it again: job applications are of Satan.