Here’s What Today’s Grads Have to Say…
The transition from university to the working world can be made all the more difficult if your home is not where you would like it to be. Graduating only a couple of months ago myself, has led me to realise that having a degree does not always leave you on a level playing ground. In fact, the struggle for getting your foot on the career ladder can often be down to something external to your qualifications and experience: where you live.
When the end of your university days starts approaching, you might begin to think about where the jobs you want are located. Countless numbers of graduates are compelled towards the big UK cities, sold by the vision that these cities are career opportunity hotspots, but not all graduates agree that it is a smart move. Below is a combination of current students and recent graduates’ thoughts on the matter.
It Depends on the Industry
The jobs market in the UK differs around the country. For instance, Newcastle is believed to be a prosperous city for civil and mechanical engineering, whereas Cambridge flaunts a thriving science jobs market and Norwich remains an ideal location for working in environmental sciences. Showing that, contrary to popular belief, not all sectors concentrate themselves in London.
However, if you are someone whose eyes are fixed upon joining the private sector e.g. finance, accountancy or law, the capital cities are your calling. London, regarded the business hub of the UK and epicentre of global firms European offices, boasts numerous graduate schemes with the expectation graduates will relocate and rent in the capital. Yet, opinions vary on whether more graduates jobs equals easier chances of securing yourself a spot on their schemes. Toby, a third year student of Law, is convinced the competition per position in London law firms remains fiercer than in other UK cities. Fortunately, for those applying for graduate schemes in the private sector, your salary is normally enough to give you the choice of living comfortably in such expensive cities – a choice which graduates looking to other sectors may be forced to dismiss.
Perhaps, the greatest flexibility and choice over post-university location comes to graduates seeking to join the public sector. Working as a doctor, policeman or social worker are demanded jobs across the country. Ben, a BSc Molecular Biology graduate, describes how his mistake was believing Sheffield with several hospitals to its name, to be full of medical career opportunities in comparison to his hometown Ipswich. However, after a year of unsuccessful applications due to fierce competition for places against more qualified graduates, Ben returned home to Ipswich and got his ideal job after only one application. Simultaneously, the move home was a blessing in disguise, saving him money previously spent on rent. Ciara, a BA History & Politics graduate, agrees that she is not feeling the benefits of living in a major city, explaining ‘I hear a lot of things about Manchester being the new up and coming place for graduates…but I’m finding it difficult enough to get an ordinary job here, let alone a graduate job’ due to the high competition. Naturally, success always depends on where demand lies, and sometimes this requires a move from even the big cities.
The World of Unpaid Internships and ‘Non-Graduate’ Jobs.
Nowhere have I seen the issue of location become more important than in the case of my own career aspirations as a BA Politics graduate. I soon realised some strategic advantages to living in London that are unavailable to my course friends from elsewhere. For one, the majority of the civil service, think tanks, national and international charities are based in London, but also a high percentage of these organisations require graduates to intern on an unpaid basis; something only practically possible for those lucky enough to already live in London, or those able to afford rent without an income. Instead, many graduates unable to access the cities easily are ending up in typically ‘non graduate’ roles such as hospitality. A new report, released on the 19th August by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (see also: More than half of graduates in non-graduate positions) shows how 58.8 % of graduates are ending up in jobs deemed to be ‘non-graduate’ jobs. Although the report does not outright suggest this, graduate experiences have led me to believe this shocking statistic could partially be the result of a lack of choices available to graduates living in rural areas. Several graduates I spoke to considered living in the countryside to be the reason they took up ‘non- graduate’ skilled roles after university. Amy, a recent BSc Biology graduate, eager to work in the conservation industry but currently working in a restaurant in Salisbury, is a prime example of this disadvantage. She explains how ‘sometimes when I’m wiping down tables I think “I have a degree, what am I doing?” but there are no other opportunities in Salisbury’. Amy therefore inevitably foresees a future move to London or Bristol in search of greater opportunities.
5 Steps of Advice for Students
The above discussion features only a few perspectives but below are some universal tips that may want to consider prior to applying for graduate jobs:
- The size of a city isn’t always related to job prospects despite popular belief.
- Consider cost: You may save a lot more if you work outside of the expensive cities.
- When choosing your degree/university – take some time to think where the majority of jobs you like will be located, and whether you may have to move in the future.
- Have a think about what is more important to you post university? Whether it is earning money or getting valuable experience? Because sometimes you have to initially sacrifice one.
- Remember that job prospects can and will change. Increasingly, industries are moving away from London due to extortionate rent and an inability for workers to afford to live nearby.
Clare Duncan 