I found a graduate job after two years and 70 applications – here’s what I learnt

When Scarlett Harris graduated with a first-class degree in digital media and society from The University of Sheffield, she thought she was set up to pursue her dream job. But it took the 24-year-old, from Sussex, almost two years to find a job in her chosen field after graduating in July 2024. She submitted dozens of job applications after leaving university, but found almost every role – even entry level – required professional experience that she hadn’t gained during her university degree, and the education itself wasn’t enough. Shorts Scarlett then travelled for two months before trying again, and still had no luck. Eventually, she decided to take a part-time job in a pub near home and started building experience through unpaid internships and volunteer work. But she still struggled to find a role and eventually went full-time at the pub. At her mum’s suggestion, she began exploring a career in events and discovered The Event Academy, where she signed up for a two-week diploma course. She received a distinction and was eventually offered an interview with The Brewery, a major London events venue as an event co-ordinator – a job she was offered and started last month. She now earns £28,880. “What I found most difficult with applying for jobs was knowing where to start,” she said. “I had quite a scattergun approach at the beginning and was applying for anything and everything, which didn’t really work. I think I learnt over time that it was definitely more about quality over quantity.” She added: “I’d say I applied to roughly 50 to 70 jobs over the two years. I had quite a few breaks from applying because I found the process very difficult mentally, while also working full-time at a pub. “I had quite a few initial screening calls that never progressed, around 10 to 15 first-stage interviews and a handful of second-stage interviews. But mainly, I just wouldn’t hear back at all or would receive an automated rejection email. It was so disheartening. It just felt absolutely impossible.” She said the diploma gave her more confidence as she learned some concrete skills that were applicable for events roles. “It made it much easier to talk about my skills and experience in interviews because I had real examples to talk about,” she explained. Flo Bullivant, a 22-year-old graduate from Camberwell College of Arts, UAL, has also struggled to find a job after graduating and has applied for over 30 jobs in the space of a few months – and has been outright rejected for all of them with no feedback. She originally trained as a painter, but during her foundation year she chose to move into graphic design in the hope it would give her better career prospects. Flo is currently undertaking a two-week internship programme with a public relations agency, Pumpkin PR, but still hasn’t had any luck with a full-time role. “The sad reality is the creative industry relies heavily on a financial safety net, making it an uphill climb for those without family backing,” she said. “I’ve applied across design, creative, social and PR roles, and so many entry-level positions ask for one or more years of previous experience. How are graduates supposed to gain that experience if they can’t get the first opportunity? “And when applications are rejected with no feedback, it’s incredibly difficult to know what you’re doing wrong or what you could improve,” she added. Scarlett and Flo are among thousands of graduates struggling to find jobs in an increasingly competitive market where entry-level roles are disappearing. A report by former minister Alan Milburn showed more than a million young people are not in education, employment or training – the highest level in more than 12 years. Andy Burnham has said he will put technical education on par with the traditional academic path to ensure there are “no dead ends” for young people coming out of the education system.