Gaining employement after university/college

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I would like to start this thread as i think it would be intersesting to assess the current job market for graduates in the UK during this recession.

So for anyone who has graduated with a HND or degree in some form of computing course within the last 3 years let me know if you managed to go straight into an IT role and if so let the rest of us recent grads know how the hell you did it!

 

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You were lied too in High School, you were lied too in College and then they lied to you at University. The figures have been getting worse for years and the conveyor belt of graduates have been sold down the river in what I'd say is the biggest travesty of the 2000s.

That's not to say that a degree is worthless it's not! because it's a bleeding necessity for the most part these days. What they lied to you about was by convincing you all a degree was all you needed when the business world was shouting something different. It's disgusting that we have a bunch of nest feathering academics who are out of touch with the working world, leading 500,000 students every year into a life of mediocre work.

Want my opinion? I suggest you start taking some business specific qualifications, by that I mean certificates in Knowledge Transfer, Idea management, Change Management, Business IT. Something that you can tell an employer that "I've got a better idea than the graduate sat next to me about how IT fits into business".

My friend is about to graduate in Journalism, know what she said? "I want a break from Education". She has no idea how an workplace works, how to be an adult in the business world. All she knows about is the theory rammed down her throat by her degree which is only good when combined with the business and workplace acumen that is severely missing.

Keep applying, applying an applying. Work on your CV to make it the best you can. Separate your self from the masses of other graduates by doing further qualifications whether they be certifications or professional qualifications. You're degree only puts you on a level playing field, it is voided by the other graduates with the same one, what is important now is that you create a competitive edge by reinforcing your degree with something employers want.

 

Were you not advised yesterday on what certs you should get to help you gain employment.

This counts for anyone wether HND/degree qualified or not.

 

Yes but the reason i started this thread was that i wanted to find out from other recent graduates how they are finding the job market in the current recession.

I know of around 3 people who were lucky enough to go straight into a Helpdesk support role in glasgow with only the degree and no certs and another mate managed to go straight into a NOC support engineer role in London with the degree on its own as well.

I am interested on finding else who has been lucky enough to go straight into employment off the back of a degree

 

i graduated last year and still have not been able to land a job in the IT sector, good luck mate lol

currently doing some certifications though as i feel that a degree just does not cut it, i dont know how you feel about your course in general but mine just didnt show me anything that i could actually use in the real world or for any sort of company.

 

Think it was about 4 years ago I graduated took a year to get my first IT role was 1st line on help desk. All depends what area of the country you are in I think I am in London so may be different in Scotland. I had to move to London for work did not start out here.

All you friends have got good first line roles NOC engineer is more about hardware and cabling but still a good start.

Dont give up and just keeping trying is the best advice I can give.

 

Yeah the uni course shows you a little everything but not enough detail to actaully do the job for a company. Show you a bit about databases, a bit about coding etc.

 

Yes improve your CV as presentation and is readable to recruiters and employers is very important. Get other IT certification such as Micosoft and Comptia. Also download vitual software like VMWare I used and create your domain virtual network, list all the skills and the practical expereince into your CV will go along way in enhancing your prospect.

I know it frustating, hard for all your hard work getting your IT degree and but life a bitch unfortuntately. Your only way is to study more certification and definitely improve your CV to get notice and keep applying.

Also if you out of work for 6 months and getting jobseekers allowance you can offer to do a work trial when go to interview for IT jobs. Go to your jobcentreplus about these work trials. The work trial can be month or much longer.

 

The Job market is hard for everyone at the minute unless you have lots of experience. You just need to keep trying.

 

yeah its a such a little amount though its quite disgusting. I would of been happy spending a yearjust doing two modules and come out with certifications in those areas.

 

We just took a computer science graduate on as part of the companies wider graduate engineer programme. He has joined our IT ops division and will spend time in each team (server/desktop/networks). Started off with us in the networks team. From what i underatand he was a top student, probably picked out of many applicants.

 

Wish I had been able to take a degree ‘when I was a lad’! The only option I had when I left school was to join the junior leaders - Armed forces so I had somewhere to live!
Hard work will pay off eventually; just keep trying you will get there in the end...

 

The way to help ensure (but by no means guarantee) that you will have a job when you graduate is to start applying - and working - now, while you're in school.

 

Graduate here. I completed my MSc in October (Comp Science) and had quite a few interviews lined up, i was rejected from 2 and had 5 others remaining, some progressing to the 'final stages'. I took the first job that was offered to me as the company was a) huge and b) I liked the job - no regrets here.

Heres what I did:

a) make a good CV
b) sign up to all the jobsites
c) set up email alerts (get latest jobs emailed to me w/ keyword search)
d) apply for the new jobs daily that closely matched my skills

If you've done a degree in something relevant (Computer Science) you won't have too much trouble breaking into your first role - well at least it'll be easier than someone without a degree, harsh but true.

 

Except almost everyone he is competing with is in the same boat. What sets you apart is the Masters.

 

good u have a education trust me it helps, in the long run. A degree is important.

 

A degree isn't the be all and end all though.

Not being funny coolc but you seem to give out some slightly dodgy advice such as get your MCSE and you need a degree etc which is wrong to give out advice to someone with no experience to get the MCSE and saying a degree is really important when it isn't is also wrong.

 

i am currently doing an apprentiship. why dont you try that?

 

I completed my msc in computer forensics in Dec. Took xmas off and then started applying for jobs. Started a contract position on 24th Jan. I think i was fairly lucky. I applied for quite a few jobs at different levels, didnt really hear much back so took the first job i was offered. Im now on a mission to complete as many certs as possible before the end of my contract in Sept. I'm looking to specialise in computer forensics to make my self stand out more in a different job market.

 

see some ppl get hired.