Dumb down your CVs to get a job, graduates told

Reporter

Friday 27 July 2012

GRADUATES have been told to "dumb down" their CVs and pretend they do not have degrees when applying for low-level jobs to avoid scaring off potential employers.

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Jody Harrison

Former students have been told their qualifications deter employers and have been advised to leave them off their applications altogether as they struggle to secure "survival jobs" such as supermarket or bar work.

The findings, uncovered in a survey published today by advice network Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), come as official figures give support to anecdotal evidence that former students are finding it harder to find graduate jobs.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) found hundreds more Scottish graduates are having to find work in manual jobs or retail sales as a result of the recession.The CAS report, Degrees Of Insecurity, surveyed 1000 Scottish graduates who are unemployed or have struggled to find a job that matches their qualifications since leaving university. It found almost one-quarter of those who responded were unable to find a job that required a degree, and were working in low-paid or short-term positions after leaving university.More than one in 10 of those graduates felt they had no hope of getting the type of work they expected, while two-thirds of those who took part in the survey found Jobcentres unhelpful at finding any work.As few as 1% said Government agencies were helpful in finding graduate-level work.One 25-year-old who left university with a degree in Art History last year said: "The Jobcentre was not interested in my degree and they were unhelpful in assisting in the job search process, either at graduate level or otherwise. "Frequently they seemed to suggest that, if anything, my qualification and level of education were a deterrent to possible future employers." Another former student, who also graduated in 2011, said: "Having worked part-time in retail throughout university, they focused on finding me a job in retail which 'suited my experience'. "However, this neglected the fact I had a degree, related internships and completely different career aspirations related to my studies in politics and public policy." According to the report, three-fifths felt they were poorly advised about their career while still at school and around two-fifths (43%) said their university failed to prepare them for work.Around one-quarter (23%) were unemployed for up to a year after leaving university, while one in 10 could not find a job for at least 18 months.The report has led to calls for students and graduates to be given much more support when they move from graduation into work.CAS chief executive Margaret Lynch said: "Having been told a degree was the key to a successful and prosperous life, and having worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get one, many have become entrenched instead in a culture of unemployment or low wages and short-term contracts."It's heart-rending to read so many accounts of people, once full of hope for the future, who feel their lives are on hold. Some are even questioning whether it was worth the time, money and effort they put into getting their degrees."We would never say a degree is not worthwhile but this survey reveals in stark detail the extent of the crisis that many graduates are facing."However, Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, hit back at the report, branding it "statistically invalid". He said: "The survey was deliberately and unashamedly targeted atgraduates who have struggled to find work. Therefore, it is completely unrepresentative of the graduate population as a whole and paints a far more negative picture than is the case."There is no denying the recession has had a negative impact on all young people and graduates have not been immune. However, national statistics on graduate destinations from Hesa show that despite tough times 93% of graduates from Scotland go on to positive destinations within only six months of graduating and of those in jobs, over two-thirds are starting directly into professional and managerial jobs."A Department of Work and Pensions spokeswoman insisted: "There's lots of help out there for jobseekers, including young people and graduates. Jobcentre Plus advisers can help with skills and training, work experience is available for those who need it and the New Enterprise Allowance helps claimants set up their own business. Jobcentre Plus offers tailored support to people and our work programme provides specialist help people get back to work."

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Dumb down your CVs to get a job, graduates told

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