Arts Graduate Unemployed and Angry

i came across a post at guardian forums which made me upset and angry too. Those graduates like me should find jobs after unis but it doesn’t work like that at all.

here is the post from unemployed graduate.

I graduated in July of this year, gaining a 2:1 in Visual Culture at the University of Brighton. I have had abosolutley no responses from any application I have made. I have applied for a total of 45 jobs thus far, and am currently signing on (demoralising) and volunteering at Brighton & Hove City Council in a role that I was getting paid for last year.

I have also applied for retail jobs – Marks & Spencer, Boots and H&M (whom I worked for as a teenager) are all not interested, not even offering me interviews. I have had one interview for an unpaid editorial internship which I was turned down for because another candidate had 2years experience. 2 years experience and she still wanted to work for nothing for 3-6 months!

I am applying every day for paid and unpaid roles in all sorts of organisations including arts based jobs and administration and typing roles. I have experience of working in the public art sector and in event management, but it seems nothing is enough for any employer to want to take me on.

I am beginning to feel utter dispair for my future, get angry with stupid advice about telling me to shake peoples hands at an interview and not to wear a shellsuit – I’m not even getting interviews, so right now I can wear whatever the hell I like! People also assume that because you are unemployed, you are not doing enough about it – this is complete tripe and makes me very angry. I was led to believe that getting a good degree from a good university would land me a job. Well it hasn’t, so thank-you New Labour. There are too many people (Iknow, I’ve met some of them) at university who shouldn’t be, and so it’s not enough anymore. As a 22 year old who has no experience and has no way of getting any, the future is looking pretty dim.

I have applied to do masters courses for next year, and hope that a post-graduate degree in Arts Curating will make me a more attractive prospective employee.

This is the only positive step I can think of taking, other than working for McDonalds and becomming a Store Manager by the time I’m 30.

I have moved out of home, staying in Brighton, believing this would enhance my opportunities, but it has just led to more stress and the inability to spend any money on anything other than rent and bills.

I am so completely dissillusioned with the whole process, and filling yet another application form for a job I will never hear back from is currently the last thing I want to do.

i wish you good luck mate…