Hopes, rejection and lessons of the graduate

It’s scary to see how competitive graduate recruitment has become, 40 applications per advert is six times more than average so I feel for the Grads of 08; it was tough enough when I was a bright eyed jobseeker:

As a student you’re told that getting a degree (any subject) will fast track you to the good life. Naive and keen, I started planning what marina I’d dock the yacht at before I’d even passed my first module.

When I’d achieved that precious 2:1 in Journalism and Communications, recruiters told me that I should have studied economics or history in order to be taken seriously by an employer (thanks for nothing Mrs Careers advisor)! Our stats show that media orientated careers receive tons of applications but no one ever tells you that when you are flicking through the dusty career book post-A levels. Instead, you’re told to focus on what you like doing (talking) and what your teachers say you’re good at (writing) to help you decide what you want to be when you grow up.

Full of those pre-work hopes and aspirations, my baby sister opted to study drama, much to my mother’s angst. Two years on, sick of “pretending to be a tree” and sporting a hangover of £20k debt, I think she’s starting to realise that mother really does know best! With bags full of talent and loads of contacts in the industry, I’m sure she’ll be fine, but it has made me think. Should we sacrifice creativity to increase our chances of getting a job or should we pursue our dreams and hope for the best?

My heart tells me the latter, but where did following desire ever get any one? Leaving university in the red with recruiters saying that you’re about as useful as a chocolate teapot sucks, but with perseverance and will I do think a degree is worth it (albeit a creative one) in the end, just look at me, who ever knew I’d be loving the Bean!