So you work your way through uni, work really hard, rarely use other people to get you anywhere and manage to come out of uni with a First Class Honours (sorry guys, haven't been on to tell you that!) and you come of uni at the most shittest time ever - during a recession, where there are no jobs and you're basically looking to take jobs you're overqualified to do. Its shit.
I'm currently a barmaid at a bar, it was my part time uni job and I've been working away cos the place is mega short staffed and I'm jumping at doing shifts just to keep the bank account in the black. My library buddy last year came out of uni with a 2.2, kinda coasted her way through first to third year, relied a lot on my help, pulled her finger out in 4th year but still needed to be told to get on with it a lot of the time. Big difference is she did a placement at uni, I didn't cos of the route I took - took one degree and transferred over to the Law course. We both applied to the same job the other week ...
I got a phonecall on the Monday evening offering me to an interview on the Thurs, didn't hear anything from my pal about it, so kinda assumed she didn't get it cos she's the type that tell you everything. Felt kinda bad that she didn't get an interview and kept it to myself. Anyway, the interview went horribly - was asked a whole load of questions and it felt like an interrogation and cos I was put on the spot my answers let me down. I knew as soon as I came out that I didn't have the job - interviewers kinda hinted it - "If you're successful, you will be taken back for an interview with the equity manager, or perhaps us again or if not, you may receive a letter telling you have been unsuccessful"
Came out the interview feeling pretty shitty, text my pal going "Oh my god, I just had that interview, there is no way I've got the job" sorta thing, as us girls do ... Was like "It was like an interrogation" Blah blah. She was like "Really? What did they ask you" yadda yadda ... "How were the interviewers did they seem nice to you, did you ask heaps of questions". Totally felt that her application had been unsuccessful you know what I mean.
I told her what they asked me, that I thought heaps of Diploma in Legal Practice students were up, I'm sure my pals' mate had an interview cos I saw somin on her FB, they were both nice enough interviewers ... etc, you get the picture.
I got a letter back from them on Tuesday saying I had been unsuccessful - ironically the line they used was "Although your interview went well, I regret to inform you that you have been unsuccessful in this position". I was like oh well no skin off my nose, I knew I didn't get it anyway, I'll just have to prepare better next time around. Text my pal to tell her this, just giving my attitude.
I got back from my gash bar job the night, bit of a spring in my step cos a guy who comes in gave me a heap of contacts for people in oil companies ... and there was a text in my phone from my pal - she got offered the job with them. Totally apologising for not telling me she had an interview cos she didn't want to 'jinx her chances', she's been offered one of the other positions as a paralegal doing admin work.
Fair enough, I was actually on the phone to my mum when the text came through. I'm chuffed to bits for her but at the same time, I just can't help to feel a little disappointed, I know my interview went shite and that's partly my own doing cos I didn't prepare for the questions they were going to ask - rather I prepared for all the wrong things. I'm not actually too fussed she got the job for said reasons, its just the fact that she went into that interview fully prepared for what they were going to ask her. I know I'm not blameless there either cos I went and told her, innocently thinking she didn't have an interview. So that's my fault there - I just don't know how to feel.
I just feel so mixed up - I was really annoyed at my younger brother last week whose classmate got an interview for a job and he didn't - he went and phoned one of his contacts through his uni placement who works for the same company and complained about the fact he didn't get an interview. He got an interview and subsequently got offered the job - I thought that he was pretty lucky to have someone on the inside and who could do that for him and I also thought I would never have dared to that - its quite a dirty thing to do. Partly I'm thinking this is the business world and I had better get used to it cos that's what goes on, people do this to one another all the time, whether they're friends or not, the other part of me thinks I'm just a pushover, doormat or I'm just too bloody nice for my own good and I wouldn't have done that to someone else, my pal's not a bitch either - she's actually a really nice person, the other side of me just feels so let down, I worked damn hard to get to where I'm at and no matter how hard I try, I never reach my aim, whilst other people just fall on their feet even if they haven't put the same level of work in. And finally, as I said I'm disappointed in myself for making assumptions and I just keep thinking oh the right jobs out there for me, its probably a sign and I just have to keep looking and try and be more confident in myself and in what I'm applying to. The shittest part of it is I'm still a barmaid, I work every weekend, I'm one of those people who are comin out of uni and rather than saying "Would you like fries with that?" I'm saying "Would you like a head on your pint?" or "Same again? ... Would you like a double sir?", being perved on by creepy old men who turn weird when they have one too many and give you the shudders, listening to drunk banter when you're sober, being perved on by the local football team - one in particular just reminds me on my younger brother and his pals - its like stop with the broody eye contact, its like you're Ryan outta The OC haha, getting the hassle of refusing service and that arsehole football hooligan who referred to my mum and her pals as "Ugly and married", just last week - GRRRRRR!, I hate his guts like ... I could go on and on but the worst part is the people you don't get it - "Oh but you are in a job - you're working here"
"Nooooo - since when did a Law degree have anything to do with pulling pints apart from the Licensing Laws which are about as dull as a game of cricket?"
But I guess this is growing up ... I had better get used to it. The real world really isn't nice. Am I being a total drama queen by the way by this post? Just be honest guys, I trust you esp after coming on here for the last 8 or so years.
First of all, you are not the only one in this situation. I just moved back into the country after quitting my job last year and now I can't find ANYthing. My younger sister just graduated with a 4-year degree and is working as a cashier. She is just happy to have a job, and you should to. I know it is not your dream job, but it IS still income where alot of ppl don't have that. BELIEVE me I know how you feel; overqualified for anything out there. BUT you just gotta count your blessings and be patient. The right job for you WILL come along, just be patient. It's tough times and you just gotta wait it out.
And Second, as far as your friend is concerned, she TOTALLY used you. Even the best of friends can turn nasty when their future is on the line. She could have told you BEFORE grilling you for Qs about the interview, but she chose not to; blatantly deceiving you. I'm not saying you should write your friend off, but that was a pretty sh!tty thing for her to do. You guys could have prepared for the interview together, pumping each other up and being supportive. Instead your friend decided to use you. It's not your fault you gave her information. To you, you were just sharing your bad day w/ her and she totally screwed you. Who cares who may or may not have been best for the job, what she did was wrong.
All in all, stay positive. I, personally, had to take a break in my job search cuz it was just getting too stressful and disappointing. Cover letter after resume after no answer after no interview really gets you down after awhile. Breath and take it easy. Luckily you have a job to keep you afloat during this difficult time.
I wanted to ask you about one small part of your post. You mentioned you thought it was dirty that your brother used an inside contact to set up an interview. I don't know if things are done differently over in the UK but over here you use every single contact you can to get an inside track. This is not remotely seen as dirty - it's seen as getting your foot in the door.
Now if you have no contacts or friends it certainly is frustrating when you're trying to get hired on with a company but, at least here, that is the way it works. But especially in today's economy people looking for jobs are using any contacts they have (personal or through networking) because when 100 people are trying for one job someone's pulling a string or two for you might be the only way you even get an interview, let alone the job.
On a side note, my husband got a very good job last year that at least 100 people applied for (so the recruiter said) and he did it completely on his own; he knew no one at the company. So I am not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying here it's typical to use an employee to give you a boost.
Oh and I agree with Lizzie that what your friend did was crap. You knew you had a bad interview so knowingly telling her what they were going to ask you wasn't going to hurt your chances. She should have had the guts to be honest with you and let you decide if you were going to be a friend and tell her what to expect, which I imagine you would have.
:) I just feel like i have travelled back in time 15 years LOL
As you say , this is growing up.
Some people in life will trip you up , some will give you a helping hand.
It takes time to sort out who these people are and how to deal with them.
Getting on in a career can get messy, you have to use anything and anyone you can at times. Thats just the way it is .As long as you don't deliberately hurt people along the way there is no harm in it.
I wouldn't get worked up about what your friend did , just learn from it.
The tough thing about looking for a job right now, is that you're not only competing with your crop of new university graduates, but probably a lot of people with 20+ years of experience who have been laid off from their positions.
As Anne said, using your contacts is a good thing. "Networking," they call it nowadays, I believe. The experts are saying instead of being ashamed or embarrassed that you can't find a job, you should be telling everyone you can possibly think of that you need a job. Sometimes your parents' friends can be great resources. Your dad's golf buddy may know they're getting ready to hire where he works, that sort of thing. Does your uni have job placement assistance?
Also, there are usually local organizations for every profession. There is usually a small fee involved, but join some of these organizations and hob-nob at some of their lame social events and you'll be on the inside track to getting to know the people you need to know to land the job you want. Most jobs nowadays aren't advertised, they're filled by someone who knew someone. (Most of the clients where my husband works were discovered through networking in these types of organizations, rather than cold calls or advertising. It's well worth the money to join.) They'd probably be overjoyed to have a young person join their group and the old grumps would fall all over themselves to try to find you a job somewhere.
I also read from a job counselor that you should apply for several jobs you really don't want before applying for one you do. This gives you interview experience. Everything gets easier when you practice. Interviewing is a SKILL. The more you do it, the better you'll get. You'll know what interviewers typically ask and you'll get your answers prepared ahead of time.
I read new grads should expect to go on at least 10 interviews before you are offered a position. That's just the way it is now.
