Graduate jobs suck!

[gus and jack]

I'm in my final year of an egineering degree but trying to find a graduate job is an absolute nightmare! They don't even attempt to make it easy for you. They all want online application forms filled in that include all the info from your cv but you cant just copy and paste it, then theres the stupid questions like why do you want to work for us and what do you think you will bring to the job. Those ones are slightly relevant but then you have the ones about describing a challenging task you undertook and what do you believe is your biggest achievement so far. The forms take hours! And then.. they ask you the same questions at your HR interview if you get that far! :tickedoff: Then you have psychometric tests to do which are a pile of rubbish, and then if you've managed to get that far you have to go to an assessment centre! They grill you in HR interviews, technical interviews and group tasks for about 2 days before they even think about offering you a job! :tickedoff: :tickedoff:
You'd think that with all the stress of final year studies,companies would try to make it easier but I think they're intent on making it harder.
It's an absolute nightmare! argh! sorry just needed to rant about it xx0

 

[kellyandpiggies]

Aww, my husband is the same. Getting jobs in his 'field' are really low around here. Then when something does come up - it goes to someone more qualified! Nobody takes on graduates these days!

 

[Lucinda]

Don't get me started on this.

Still what use is an art degree anyway? :

 

[katiep]

yeah but if you want the job you have to go through this. The more you do, the easier it will get. Keep some standard answers on file, it will make it easier for you. "Why do you want the job" is not a stupid question - its the first thing I would ask someone if I was recruiting! And "What can you bring to the job!" is an opportunity for you to sell yourself. Think positive! If you have done a degree in engineering, the world is your oyster, companies all over the world are crying out for engineers, you just have to go thru the interview process but the financial rewards will be well worth it. You could end up working in the States or in Asia on a huge wage! But if you don't put int he effort at the interview stage no one will be interested in you.
What kind of engineering did you do?

 

[John Locke]

Sadly it's not just graduate jobs - they ask you questions like this for all jobs, even ones stacking shelves! I have had this kind of stuff in all my interviews, including my current graduate job - and I'm going back to uni again this year for a Masters so will have more to look foward to when I'm looking for an even MORE complicated job... ARGH! The best thing is to learn what they want to hear - you uni career service will tell you buzzwords and key phrases you should slot it. I have them down to pat now :

 

[gus and jack]

What kind of engineering did you do?

I'm just finishing a masters in chemical engineering. It's been a hard slog and this last year is the worst of the lot, but I must admit when I finally get a job the financial rewards will be worth it. It would be easier to keep standard replies on my pc but I have to tailor each application to the company and standard replies wouldn't do that.
I know that I have to put in the effort if I expect companies to employ me just needed to whinge about how much they contribute to the stress and workload of a final year.