The Graduate Job Market and your Rights

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Today’s graduate job market is a tough one. With a steadily drying up economy, it seems as if it’s the worst time in history to be a bright graduate. But don’t fear - there is work out there!

Many of the problems in today’s graduate market occur because people simply aren’t aware of their rights when it comes to employment. If you’re a first-class honours history or geography graduate, who’s struggling to find work, the chances are, you’re not going to be up to speed on the rules and regulations concerning employment in the services industry.

Below is a quick guide to what you are entitled to and the things to watch out for when offered a job.

Minimum wage

Although the cost of living has risen greatly, minimum wages are yet to see a dramatic change. Most people who spend all day struggling to find and apply for jobs aren’t even aware of the national minimum. So here is a rundown of what you are entitled to (as of October 2012):

Workers aged 21 years or more: £6.19 per hour

Workers aged 18 to 20 inclusive: £4.98 per hour

Workers aged under 18 (but above compulsory school age): £3.68 per hour

Apprentices aged under 19: £2.65 per hour

Apprentices aged 19 and over in the 1st year of apprenticeship: £2.65 per hour

Cash in hand

If you’re offered a cash in hand job, however tempting it may be – do not take it! Paying workers cash in hand is illegal. Many employers seek to exploit the current state of the job market by not declaring some of their workers and outgoings. Also, chances are, they will be paying you under minimum wage by doing so.

Proper training at all times

Wherever you are working, proper training must be given at all times. If not, potential injuries could occur as a result. This can be anything, from operating machinery, to working in a kitchen environment.

Should anything happen to you in the workplace where you are not at fault, a company such as Injury Lawyers 4U should be contacted immediately, and a claim made against your employer. You should never be afraid to do so, as employers have a duty of care to all of their workers. Any accident which is caused through negligent action or miscommunication should be reported and compensation claimed. These costs are usually recovered from the business’ insurance policy and will prompt companies to review their health and safety practices for the benefit of all employees and staff.

Sources:

http://www.revenuebenefits.org.uk/blog/national-minimum-wage-increase-from-1-october-2012/

Your degree and what you can do with it!

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Coming away from university with a qualification that is too diverse in terms of lacking speciality can be a real problem once you find yourself scouring through the jobs market to launch your career.

Many people when starting university are still of an age where perhaps they do not know exactly where they want to be in 10 or 15 years time; which is perfectly understandable. Studying a degree which has a very broad spectrum of learning and therefore possibilities makes a lot of sense at the time to someone reluctant to commit to something but knowing what to do at the end of it can be problematic.

Further education

Many post-graduates decide to go down the avenue of furthering their education into a more specialised field. This can be done by either studying another similar degree or enrolling on a post graduate course such as a Masters Degree.

As logical as this might seem however, after several years of continuous study many people are not too enthused by the prospect of spending any longer living as a student and are keen to get to work in the real world where they can start to earn money. Other people may not have the time or finances to commit to furthering their education and have no real choice in the matter.

Transferable skills

The good news is that most university degrees have transferable skills that are valuable to any employer. Many degrees have potential applications that you may not have yet considered: foreign language students can teach abroad, engineers can look into oil careers and English Literature graduates can enter the field of publishing.

Recent news that North Sea oil recruitment could increase as a ‘boom’ is experienced has shown just how lucrative certain areas of employment can be. Between 40,000 and 50,000 new jobs are expected to be generated from this growth and mean that graduates with a variety of skills could find themselves in employment quicker than they anticipated – providing they demonstrate the necessary traits of course.

Experience and qualifications

Perhaps it is here where most graduates fall down. Academic proficiency is one thing which employers are keen to see but that doesn’t mean it is the only thing they consider. Prior experience is a highly valued skill but undertaking such an activity is not only beneficial from an employment perspective.

Additionally, undertaking work experience in a field you are interested in can help you ascertain whether it is really a suitable environment for you to work in. Often students can hold glorified views of certain workplaces and this means years of training may be left largely redundant when they find it is not quite what they expected.

Getting out into the real world as soon as possible is therefore highly recommended – if you gain experience in different fields of employment whilst studying then you’ll have a clear idea of where you want to be after you graduate and that can only be beneficial for your future.

Looking for a new job? Why it might be time you gave niche job boards a go…!

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When the time comes to track down a new job when you graduate, it can be hard to know where  to start. From the old classics like Monster and Total Jobs to more tailored job boards and social networks like LinkedIn, there are now more places to find jobs than ever before so how do you keep up? Are some job boards better than others? And how do you know which is the right one for you?

The first thing I’m going to tell  you is you need to forget about the big online job sites – they’re just not that relevant anymore. While generic job boards like Jobsite were popular in the 1990s, it’s now niche job boards that are really leading the way when it comes to getting a new job with some of the biggest brands. Unlike generic job boards, niche job boards only focus on a particular industry – this means that rather than just covering jobs from all over the market, they only ever advertise jobs in their particular niche.

The pros? The jobs on their boards are normally much more relevant to their target audience, and the fact they’re one of only a few job boards that advertise vacancies in their sector means they tend to attract some of the biggest names in their industry. This means that rather seeing an endless stream of jobs from the same old recruiters, you should be able to find unique jobs on niche job boards from key names that you actually want to work for. In turn, this means that you should be able to put together a better application which should give you a better chance of securing the job.

What’s more, because niche job boards only focus on a particular sector, they tend to be able to provide better, more specific advice for their candidate job seekers. Take the digital sector for example; rather than dishing out the same old CV and interview advice, here at Bubble Jobs we actually give our candidates advice on how to set our their social media CV and how to go about getting work experience in the digital sector –  in theory, the more specific the advice, the more helpful job seekers will find it. This means that in addition to finding great jobs, when you use niche online jobs board you also get amazing, FREE on-topic advice – double win!

Anything else? Well, because niche job boards only focus on one particular sector of the market, they have got a unique perspective of their niche. They know which particular jobs in the sector are in demand at the moment and which jobs have fallen out of favour – this means they can advise you on which particular areas to focus your applications on, depending on the type of role you’re looking for. Similarly, because they have only one industry area to focus on, they usually have amazing blogs which feature the latest industry news and comment – this makes them a great resource for any graduate job seeker looking to break into the industry.

So there you have it; while generic job boards have their own appeal, it’s sites like Bubble that have something different and more specific to offer graduate job seekers that are looking to break into their chosen industry.

Author Bio

Amy Edwards works for Bubble Jobs, an online jobs board that specialises in advertising the latest online, eCommerce, digital, online marketing and web development and design vacancies from all over the UK and Europe.

What Do You Want To Do?

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Some people who go straight into the job market without going onto university education maintain a lifelong belief that the majority of those who take a degree are in some way 'putting of' the decision of what they are going to do with the rest of their lives.

The sad fact is that in some cases this is often true, usually not exactly by design but more as a consequence of the dog eat dog employment market that graduates of the post-financial collapse find themselves looking at these days.

For those whose studies are job specific, there is the consolation that the learning years have been directly focused on an eventual outcome. For the others, the reality of finding themselves qualified to degree level in subjects they love but which a restricted job market is not particularly pleasing.

Internships

The very fact that 'internships' are now an established factor in the UK is a sad indictment of the way that trends from the USA always find their way into the cultural landscape of the UK. Being expected to do a job for essentially no pay with the vague promise of 'gaining experience' isn't something someone who has spent years studying should expect to encounter. Yet, in today’s world it is often necessary.

Whilst it may not be ideal or the situation you signed up for when accepting that student loan, it is necessary if you want to succeed in a diverse and dynamic workplace. After all, what use is knowledge if you’re unable to put it into practice?

Know what you want

Ultimately, the question that anyone who has graduated should ask themselves is "what do I WANT to do?" and everything should flow on naturally from that point. Winston Churchill had a way with words and, borrowing one of his brilliant phrases: "when you find a job you love, you’ll never work again."

The truth of this is self evident. Many people enjoy a sport as a hobby, but a sizeable number manage to make it into a lifelong career too. I don't mean high profile world record beating athletes but the local tennis coach or golfing professional who teaches others how to enjoy their sport.

Today, post banking crash, the whole financial system isn't exactly held in high regard, but what if you love the kind of work involved in investment banking jobs? Many people might look upon gardening as menial work but for those who have a love of the ways of nature there are plenty of perks – and the same can be said for working in finance.

Ultimately, a person can only be happy if they listen to their heart and follow their own path.

So, what do YOU want to do?

Guest Post - God Save the Queen (it got Charles a Job)

TweetThis week we feature a fabulous post from Charles Oben who gives 5 fantastic networking tips, a must read for any graduate unsure of how best to open career doors. Be sure to check out his fantastic blog here, his Visual CV is pretty impressive.

Queen Elizabeth rules. Why? Well besides the fact that she's now jumping out of helicopters, she’s also helping people get jobs. Or more precisely her Jubilee celebration did because it was a great time for networking – this was when I happened to meet one of my brother’s friends whose sister works in advertising. 2 weeks later I met said sister in person when I started working for the same company. The saying ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ exists for a reason. As I think networking is something too useful for any student to miss out on, I’m going you give you my own take on Networking 101 based on my experiences.  

1. Who With?

Everybody. I like to think that every single person you meet either directly or indirectly knows somebody that you want to have in your network. So resist the temptation to rule people out because you never really know who knows who. Starting with family and friends is a given. It’s also important to not focus solely on the ‘big wigs’ of the industry – the CEO’s, the MD’s etc when you’re trying to build up a network. Because those lower down in the hierarchy can turn out to be just as useful.

2. How?

Meet people. Obvious yes, but true nonetheless so it’s important that you remember to put yourself out there. Attend events, go to talks, arrange lunch dates, do the whole shebang. LinkedIn is a good place to find out about events going on that are relevant to the industry you want to work in. But there’s tons of information out there on the internet. Find it, use it.

You could also mix that in with this whole online branding thing which seems to be the latest buzz. Depending on your particular interests – join lots of groups on LinkedIn, consider setting up your own website to showcase your talent and maybe start a blog. Then, and this is what some folks often forget, talk to people about it. Participate in discussions, comment in forums, share your content and ask for feedback. There’s no point being online if no one knows you’re there.

3. The Hook

You’re not going fishing, but you still need a hook - a reason for the initial contact. This is more so for meeting people in person but the same thing applies generally. So you need to have an angle, and often this means you need to do some research. Your hook doesn’t have to be ground breaking as no one likes a stalker, and if it’s all been done online it could be something as simple as commenting on an article, but you still need one. From that you can start a conversation, and from there, try to develop a relationship. A good hook can work wonders on a first meeting because if it sounds like you genuinely care about what you’re asking, people are more likely to remember what you said.

4. Networking 101

Good networking shouldn’t feel like networking. So try to keep things relaxed and make it seem like networking isn’t your only aim. It’s likely that it is, but it won’t do you any favours to keep reminding whoever you’re talking to of that fact. And when it comes to following up, try to be original. I doubt you want to be classed as just another student who wants Mr X to look at their CV. So try a different approach. If you do interesting things, interesting things will happen to you.

5. Stay In touch

Stay in touch doesn’t mean only contact someone when you need something; it genuinely means stay in touch, even if it’s just a quick hello here and there. Or if you’re not too keen on that then plan in advance – when you know you’re going to need something, start reconnecting with the person way before so that when somewhere down the line you magically happen to remember you need help with this or that, it seems far more genuine.

Lastly, and this is just common sense more than anything - be nice, but not fake, persistent but not annoying and know when to give up. No matter what you do, some people just won’t like you. As for when to call it quits, trust your gut, it’s smarter than you.

To find out more about me and my life as a recent grad, then please visit my blog: http://charlesoben.blogspot.co.uk/. (Beware, I’ve been told I’m prone to ranting)

Guest Post - Alice Davies Experiences Trying to Break into Digital Marketing!

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This week, Alice Davies' fabulous guest post telling us of her efforts to break into digital marketing in spite of holding a creative degree. After you have read this post be sure to check out Alice's blog.

Hi There!

So, just as I was about to settle down and write this guest blog post, an intriguing email popped up on my screen. It was certainly a not-so-familiar sight to me as I had become increasingly used to the huge amount of NOTHING that seemed to NOT filter into my inbox every day despite the hordes of cover letters, CV attachments and online assessments that I had filled out in order to gain the slightest bit of experience within the marketing world. I almost jumped at my computer screen trying to open the file, as this was no ordinary email... it was an “R:E” email, it was regarding something, something that I had applied to!

The email was regarding an assistant marketing position with SEO responsibilities that I had applied to a couple of days beforehand. You should probably know that this is my absolute dream position, and an aspiration that I will not let my creative degree get in the way of. The application had escaped my memory for a while amongst the hundreds of other emails that I had sent to many a marketing agency (I feel like I may be exaggerating). Once I had opened it, I felt the usual pang of disappointment as I saw the words “Regrettably” and “High Volume of Applicants” amongst the other pitying terminology used in the corporate world designed, I assume, to make you feel better.

To all businesses, just for the record, it doesn’t.


On the rare occasion that I receive this type of email, I will usually delete it before I can wallow in self-doubt and plot a personal vendetta against the admin assistant who sent it to me (damn you Tom!). But this time, for the purposes of “research” and to maybe find out what I was doing wrong, I kept reading. Suddenly, I came across the sentence:

“…we believe that other applicants are a closer fit for what we are looking for...”

Now, you should know a little bit about me in order to grasp some context as to why these few words angered me. I am a design student, I have a design degree and if it were just for that, I would walk away happily knowing that the employer had made the right decision. But during my placement year, I was hired as an office junior working on the design and conception of promotional website material, copywriting and there was a strong emphasis on SEO marketing techniques. This is where I first felt at home and started to really discover what I could enjoy as a career. All of this, I feel, had prepared me to become the perfect candidate for any marketing internship, somewhat naively it seems.

I could forgive Tom, and I will, as I’m not one to hold a grudge. But I feel this has highlighted the fact that companies often don’t have the time to tell you WHY you’re supposedly not suitable, what you could do to improve and if it is your completely unrelated degree which is holding you back.

Being at the start of my graduate journey, I have not yet discovered the answers to these questions.  But I am determined to learn more, improve my skills and hopefully find employment with someone who can see my potential. Hopefully, one day, I can email Tom back telling him he missed an opportunity to give a creative, determined and bright young graduate the chance to shine.

If you would like to read more about my graduate journey, hop on over to my blog http://alishinwonder.blogspot.co.uk/ which will be updated regularly with personal experiences and reviews of the routes into graduate employment.
Alice
xXXx

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Guest Post - Guardianjobs - How Best to Protect your Online Identity

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How to effectively promote your online brand when hunting for graduate jobs

It can often be easy for employers to find information about prospective employees who are looking for graduate jobs. This makes effectively promoting one's brand all the more important.

Social Media Considerations
You can be found on Facebook by a potential employer. The Facebook privacy settings, when in default mode, will only give out basic information about you. Even this, though, can make a difference in an employer's eyes, as your interests will be listed. If you are happy to make your profile public, then people who aren't your friends will be able to view it.

Twitter allows its users to protect their Tweets. If you do this as soon as you join Twitter, then no information about you will be visible on the web. If you change your settings, when you have already Tweeted, then those Tweets can still be found on Google.

LinkedIn should really have information available for employers. You can, however, choose who is allowed to view both your activity feed and your connections and your personal activity broadcasts can be turned on and off.

Personal Website It pays to have foresight regarding protecting an individual brand. Social media is the easy way to promote oneself. It also helps to have something that will make you stand out from the crowd. Having your own website is one way of doing this.

A website allows you to project yourself in a positive way. It will also give an employer the impression that you are prepared to go just that little bit extra and are serious about your future career. Setting up a simple website is not too difficult or expensive. The site will only need to consist of a few pages and include relevant information. The domain name should include your real name.

The tone of the website should be positive without being boastful. List your skills and ambitions, but don't make claims that could latter lead you to being found out. An example would be if you exaggerate how much experience you have had in a particular field, for instance. Competition for graduate jobs is fierce, but always avoid the temptation of trying to find work at all costs.

Think about putting up information about different aspects of your life and not just information related to future employment. If you do charity work in your spare time then that should be mentioned, as that will create a good impression. Employers will not just look at your skills, when considering you for a job. They have to think about you as a person, too and how you will fit in with the rest of their employees.

Your website address should be on your social media profile pages and a possible future employer can then easily go straight to your website. This won't always be the case, so be sensible about the information that you do put up on your social media sites. Try and think like an employer and what would impress you and what would dissuade you.

Graduate jobs are chased after, by definition, by intelligent people. That intelligence should also be utilized in promoting your brand and portraying yourself in the best possible light.