Trying to land a job after college is not easy, it’s very stressful and you can only be told that you’ve been unsuccessfully so many times before you begin to lose hope. For some it can be a straightforward process and for others, a long and difficult journey. I can only speak for myself and this was my experience.
College and Graduating
I was unsure what I wanted to do professionally, I was interested in the idea of psychology but after a career guidance counsellor frankly told me there are no jobs in psychology and that I should just read a book (probably poor advice but maybe not), I gravitated towards marketing.
I began studying a Bachelor of Commerce in 2014. I had never considered doing a master’s however, in my Final Year I felt that I wasn’t equipped to land a job post-graduation. Aware that the competition would be very high, I wanted to give myself the best chance and so I went on to do an MSc in Marketing Practice which incorporated a 37-week paid work-placement into the 1 Year course.
With the master’s degree under my arm plus a total of 20 months’ work experience, I felt I had a strong CV and was optimistic that I would land a job pretty quickly and everything would fall into place.
Unfortunately, this was not the case.
The Job Hunt
I began being full-time on the job hunt in July 2019 after finishing my placement.
It’s worth mentioning I began my search in Galway, this was where I was living at the time and went to college. I quickly realised that there were no marketing jobs available and as I was now unemployed, I had to leave Galway and move home to Laois.
Of course, there were no marketing job opportunities in Laois (which appears to still be the case according to LinkedIn) and I soon realised that all the work was in Dublin.
After a couple of weeks with no luck I went on the Job Seekers Allowance (around €70 a week if I remember correctly) which would then be spent on trains to and from Dublin for interviews.
Over the next 2-3 months I had made it to two final stage interviews but missed out at the final hurdle as well as numerous other first and second rounds that came to no avail. Some of these jobs weren’t the right fit and others I realised during the interview I didn’t want (which led to an awkward end to the interview).
Morale was at an all-time low and I was losing hope. My mother spoke to a local publican who is a family friend who offered me some hours which I was reluctant to take as I was afraid it would make me take my foot off the gas and not help me in my pursuit but I needed the money so I took it.
I worked in the pub for about 2-3 months while continuing my job search and one day I got a phone call from a recruiter about a job I applied for through their agency. He informed me that while I was not the right fit for the role I applied for, they were actually looking for someone internally within the recruitment agency. After a brief candidate call and sharing some details we agreed to meet.
Once again, I put on my suit and got the train to Dublin with my bag on my back. I remember I was a few minutes early and while standing outside the office, nervous and overthinking I irrationally decided that “Arriving with a schoolbag is unprofessional, that’s why I’m not being hired.”
I went into Grogan’s Pub on South William Steet (about 50 meters from the office) told the barman my situation and asked if he could mind my bag behind the bar to which he obliged and told me that I would get the job.
The first interview happened, I was unsure how it went but thankfully got called for a second round later in the week where I would give a short presentation.
Persistence and a Little Luck
A couple of days later, in Mid-December, about 6 months after beginning my job search, I got a call from Keith at Connexus offering me the Marketing Executive job. I was absolutely delighted and accepted on the spot. I returned to Dublin once more for a more informal meeting and began working on the 7th of January 2020. I was fortunate to live near a train station in Laois, so I was able to commute up and down daily before ultimately being able to relocate to Dublin later in 2020.
The Moral of the Story
Getting your first job after college requires persistence, resilience and a little good fortune. Everybody’s story will be different but if you are struggling know that you’re not alone, the majority of graduates go through it and if you persist eventually, you’ll catch your lucky break.
If you are a graduate and you’re struggling to get your foot in the door, feel free to get in touch with me. After three years working within a digital recruitment agency that focuses on marketing and digital, I might be able to help. My email is Curtis@connexusrecruit.com.
