Uni Ending

Former Member

Hello I'm about to start my final year at Manchester Uni. However, I have been thinking about my prospects afterwards and I'm still not sure what I want to do.

I've therefore put myself in a pivotal position in a society, put my name down as a student mentor, and started writing applications for part-time jobs - in an attempt to make my final year as worthwhile as possible. It's worth 75% of my degree but I think if I manage my time well it'll be alright.

Anyway, I don't want to return to my home town when I graduate, but my financial situation is getting dire. What is the best way to manage this year so that I can remain in Manchester immediately after graduation?

When would you recommend applying for graduate jobs to maximise the chances that I will be earning as soon as I graduate?

I fear turning into the people that move back to my home town. There's no opportunities and they end up moving back in with their parents, and staying there. I didn't go to University to go back to working in my old fast-food job and losing the independence I've fought against the odds to obtain.

Former Member

Not many people get jobs they want direct from uni, there are too many graduates and to be frank not many people stand out, even if you do have a 1st.

So most people I know have started by getting experience, this means taking almost anything within the vague enviroment you want to go into. If its office based grab a temp admin job, it will lead to more if you are good.

Former Member

Alan wrote:

Anyway, I don't want to return to my home town when I graduate, but my financial situation is getting dire. What is the best way to manage this year so that I can remain in Manchester immediately after graduation?

When would you recommend applying for graduate jobs to maximise the chances that I will be earning as soon as I graduate?

Depends on what sort of jobs you want to apply for - if you want to try for any of the various graduate schemes or big financial-type jobs, then the application process for a lot of these begin in September.

If you're interested in working somewhere smaller or in a firm/area of work that doesn't do graduate schemes you'll have to wait until May/June kind of time and look in the paper and things for ads as and when things come up

Good luck with the student mentoring - it should be a fun job and will look great on your CV. I was a student ambassador for most of my time at Bristol and loved it - long live WP!

Former Member

They always say the mentoring benefits the mentor more than the mentee! :-D
Thanks a lot for replies.


I think I'd take any admin/office based job while I earned money and bought time in which I could find a more suitable job that I'd like to spend a reasonable length of time doing.

I'm feeling very anxious about my career as I haven't enjoyed my degree subject like I thought I would, and have learned along the way, at least, that it isn't the area for me - at the moment. I'm doing a science-based course, and I'm worried how this might affect my employment prospects if I wanted to do something different

Former Member

Get a decent 2.1 in most subjects and present yourself properly and getting basic admin type work shouldnt be that difficult.

Former Member

Alan wrote:

I fear turning into the people that move back to my home town. There's no opportunities and they end up moving back in with their parents, and staying there. I didn't go to University to go back to working in my old fast-food job and losing the independence I've fought against the odds to obtain.

That's how I feel mate, and it's quickly becoming a reality. I've only been home for6 weeks and feel my little insular town dragging me down. If only I could actually earn some money to escape but all the jobs are industrial/factory/hard-labour/call centre types...fuck that (for now anyway). Damn this ex-mining town.

Former Member

u could carry on living in student accommodation, if u still wana live there!

Former Member

not if they have finished uni you cant

Former Member

.

Former Member

MrG wrote:

not if they have finished uni you cant

My friends sister is living with her bf in student accom and she just finished uni, shes not livin in halls but u can live in houses if they are struggling to get tenants in! its cheap!

Former Member

billybob87 wrote:

My friends sister is living with her bf in student accom and she just finished uni, shes not livin in halls but u can live in houses if they are struggling to get tenants in! its cheap!

but then surely because students don't have to pay council tax, the non-student would have to pay it for the whole house?

Former Member

i dont know, i just know she is allowed.

Former Member

student houses are not always official student houses, they are just short-lease houses in shitty areas. that's why they're cheap (although usually not much cheaper, if any, from other houses in the area). yes, you would be able to live in one of those after uni cause it's just a privately rented house, but would you want to?

Former Member

well yeah whether u want to obviously is important, but if people are desperate to stay in that area surely its the only option due to lack of money.

Former Member

kaffrin wrote:

you would be able to live in one of those after uni cause it's just a privately rented house, but would you want to?

I would live anywhere that's not here until I get myself on my feet. It's unsettling and stressful here.

I've thought about it some more and thought I'd get a job for the year, save all the money or as much as I can to pay for a place to live, and sign up to a temping agency to keep the cash coming in when I've done that.

I'm reassured to know others share my fears. I need to retain my independence at all costs!

Former Member

Don't work too much in your third year, it's best to reduce your hours so you have more time to study/relax.

I graduated this year and my final year was the most stressful time of my life...so many worries about the future..it helps a lot to have some clear aims/goals and fall back plans.

You shouldn't need to save too much to survive, as you get a larger loan (I did), plus had no more studying to do once my work was in in May, plus you can claim benefits if you really need to, from July I think.

Former Member

My loan has been cut by over £500 for my final year because "it's shorter"! They seem to think you don't need a little extra to get yourself sorted. I didn't think of benefits but I suppose they're a possibility if need be.

I think I too will find this year the most stressful of my life. I just want to be settled.

What are you doing now, PussyKatty? Have you successfully found a graduate job?

Former Member

Yes I have, but it doesn't start till the end of September. I've been temping since June.