How hard it is to be a Graduate *now*?

Suaimhneach

Sparked by this news

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lenihan-to-order-jobs-freeze-as-slump-bites-1
THE Government is planning a recruitment freeze across the public service in the first round of spending cutbacks sparked by the deepening economic crisis.

Ministers are also understood to be prioritising projects under the National Development Plan, as some may have to be stalled.

The Cabinet is thought to be considering bringing forward the timeline for a proposed redundancy scheme in the Health Service Executive.

And the cutback plans, being drawn up by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, include a clampdown on hiring external consultants.

Mr Lenihan will announce in the coming weeks that no new staff can be taken on in the civil service or State agencies, even to replace existing vacant posts. Staff on temporary contracts will find their deals will not be renewed.

And being someone who bothered to do the test only two weeks ago, how hard is it to be a graduate now, considering all of the things that the world economy and our own economy are suffering? This has been and I think will continue to effect jobs, job oppertunities and our prospects.

Some of my collegues are considering further education, hoping a masters or such will help them to ensure a position.

Through my job hunting experience I heard many times that there arent as many graduate programmes.

Personally, I am working on a 5 month contract, and the staff were taken on to deal with the busier months / holidays, but a month into the job and I think it's not nearly as busy as they hoped... which means in turn that we're not nearly as needed as they thought.

Many say this is a man made recession, and while I would agree entirely, the fact is we're dealing with real world effects as a result.

What think ye, graduates?

Shiny

I found the Poll a bit confusing but i went for the further education
option as it seemed to make more sense than the others.

I have been looking for a job for nearly 6 weeks now and I haven't
even been offered an interview.

I don't know what to do about further education to be honest.

I would like to have a good job now so that I could cash in on the
inevitable housing market crash. :rolleyes:

Suaimhneach

Yeah, I wanst too sure what options to put in the poll and I had to stop dossing and do some work... heh.

I dunno about cashing in on the housing crash, I mean there are no more 100% mortgages and the banks are seriously buckling up so might not even be an option for graduates!

LegacyUser

Just giving my perspective. I'm working in an Engineering Consultancy at the moment for a year and I've found that the amount of work has actually dried up over the past few months. The company is still looking to expand but experience-wise I don't think I'm getting any quantifiable experience.

I've been considering jumping workplace since where I am at the moment just simply isn't heavily involved in a field that I'm interested in - I really just went for it since it was a start, rather than something I was really interested in. I've heard from many newly finished engineers that it is a lot more difficult to get a job this year than from what they've heard before - and even the numbers of companies attending the graduate talks in the college have reduced.

I think I did the right thing in just getting my foot in the door with a years experience and seeing what I can do from there, and that's the way most graduate jobs are going to go I believe. So really right now if there is anyone who is looking to what they're going to do after college and are in their summer break - go find a relevant company who are offering summer apprenticeships.

Offy

Ive being working in engineering since 1990, longer than some of you are alive and I havent seen the industry this bad since the mid 90's. Work is hard to find over the last year or two and the income is dropping but in the long term this makes little difference as when it picks up again the reverse will happen. Keep looking and then keep looking, something always turns up for grads.

Suaimhneach

Token Rooster wrote: »

Just giving my perspective. I'm working in an Engineering Consultancy at the moment for a year and I've found that the amount of work has actually dried up over the past few months. The company is still looking to expand but experience-wise I don't think I'm getting any quantifiable experience.

I've been considering jumping workplace since where I am at the moment just simply isn't heavily involved in a field that I'm interested in - I really just went for it since it was a start, rather than something I was really interested in. I've heard from many newly finished engineers that it is a lot more difficult to get a job this year than from what they've heard before - and even the numbers of companies attending the graduate talks in the college have reduced.

I think I did the right thing in just getting my foot in the door with a years experience and seeing what I can do from there, and that's the way most graduate jobs are going to go I believe. So really right now if there is anyone who is looking to what they're going to do after college and are in their summer break - go find a relevant company who are offering summer apprenticeships.

Experience is always great, even if its just in the general field you're in.

A lot of people have voted but not shared their opinions... just to let you know that anon posting is enabled as above so feel free to post that way if it's easier.

LegacyUser

Where I work, what we offer is for people with disposable income, and too be honest I dont think they're as busy as they expected, which as a result means I dont think they would have taken on as many staff as they did at the start of the summer, which means there are less opportunities to stay on when our probation period of 6 months is over. I think a lot of places are suffering this at the moment and as a result are tightening their belts.

This would be my main reason for concern, because companies take on graduates to fill roles and then from that they have a potential to go forward, however if those roles no longer need to be filled, there might be less opportunities as a result.

Phototoxin

Detailed anser (I picked "we're fecked")

After I graduate I will earn and save for a while then (hopefully) go to England to do an MSc. I'm leavin the country as there are no jobs for what I want to do basically.

DJDC

Grow some balls and go abroad. Dublin is rubbish for ambitious graduates. The work is boring and the pay rubbish.

Go to London, Tokyo or NYC.

jaffa20

Yeah,i graduated this year and it must be the worst time. I've applied for over 50 jobs in the last 3 weeks and have got one response. That was the civil services which could take ages. Anyway, i'm going to lower my ambition and just take a ****ty job to tide me over. It's depressing that i can't put my qualifications to use. The other problem is that these low end jobs may see me as overqualified and refuse my application. You can't win :mad:

Suaimhneach

DJDC wrote: »

Grow some balls and go abroad. Dublin is rubbish for ambitious graduates. The work is boring and the pay rubbish.

Go to London, Tokyo or NYC.

Hey hey now, no need to be so sharp!

I am currently considering Canada... but just for the fun of it.

My friend, how has qualified as an Architect is going abroad, just as soon as she can find a job! London probably as well!