March 17th, 2009
Employability in the recession
The recession is seeing many recent graduates suffering in the employment arena. With more people being laid off from their jobs every single day, it makes it difficult for employers to take on new graduates.
One of the troubles my own brother suffered from when he recently graduated from university was “being overqualified” for the jobs he was applying for. Considering he got a first-class degree in engineering, I can see why he may seem overqualified; bosses worrying that he could end up taking their jobs, but being refused for a job for being overqualified is ridiculous. You’re should be either qualified or not, a Boolean value; yes or no.
Having the relevant IT skills should be relatively straight forward for students, you would have thought. My housemate struggled with computers before he came to university but has since learned how to download YouTube videos, search the web for files and documents, and even use cloud computing. Even his typing speed has increased by tenfold.
On the other hand, saying you can use a computer and perform a series of functions and applications doesn’t go anywhere unless you have a qualification in it. Many universities offer the European Computer Driving Licence, which show the employer you can use a computer to high standards and perform multiple important tasks designed for the workplace.
Many still don’t know about the student union aspect of university life. What’s important to remember is not only do the union support you if you get into financial difficulty but also represent you whilst you are studying. Student unions don’t appear to be a major part of student life in the US, from the research I have done, but especially in the UK and Europe, having a student union there is incredibly important.
Getting a job with the union should be relatively easy - especially considering they should be always looking for new positions and ever expanding to different areas. IT jobs within the unions should be a major player now as much of the union life goes on Facebook and events are advertised electronically. Having experience in the workplace is highly important for graduates as experience can sometimes speak louder than a degree.
Get in touch for an interview
In the coming weeks, I should hopefully have some interviews to publish, in “the day of the life of…” a web developer, a program manager, a data analyst, and a graphics and multimedia designer. If you’d like to get in touch for one of these interviews, feel free to drop me an email.
Zack Whittaker, the youngest in the ZDNet network, is a British student at the University of Kent, Canterbury, where he studies BA (Hons) Criminology and Social Policy. His insight into the next-generation is unique and first-hand, sharing his knowledge of the here and now but more so what's next and how to get there.
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