£20,000 University Bill, Getting a Job: Impossible

I recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Journalism from the University of Westminster, I never thought that finding a job would be a challenge, five months later and I am still applying for an average of around eight or nine jobs a week.

I've applied for everything from Journalism and PR to Web and Online and even retail! I now have a Christmas temporary job at The Disney Store on Oxford Street, London.

I had my first shift last Monday and all I could think about when handing out baskets to customers, was how I have spent over £20,000 educating myself (BA Politics + MA Journalism) over the last five years.

I recently went to a John Lewis assessment day where I did exceptionally well, I got selected to stay behind with only four others out of 50. I am not sure how many people they were hiring but I suspect it to be around 50-80 as they are only temporary Christmas positions.

I haven't heard anything from John Lewis so I take it I didn't get the job, how I don't know, is that what £20,000 has bought me; interviews with 17 years old for a pathetic shop job!

Should You Go To University?

A lot of the feedback I get from failed interviews tends to sound like this: "We thought you were too over qualified for the job" of course I'm over qualified to work as a charity fundraiser but I need a job!!!

Have I educated myself out of a job? I hope not but the more time that goes by that's how it looks.

If a 18 years old were to ask me whether they should go onto University, I would say NO, don't bother. Instead go into an apprenticeship scheme or do a few internships for large organisations and work your way up the ladder, at least by the age of 24 you will have a job!

UK Graduates

Out of all the people I know from both my undergraduate and postgraduate degree I would have to say that only 5% of them have actually got a job that they can foresee becoming their career.

The rest are either desperately unemployed and only the dole or working in retail and hospitality to try to get some urgently needed cash to pay back the mountain of University debt.

They are not only competing with there own year of graduates (2008) now they have the class of 2009 to wrestle with for those all important secure well paid jobs.