Masters Marketing Graduate - Finding it Difficult to Get a Job

PurvesGrundy

I am writing this to bounce off a few people and vent as well to a certain degree, as presently I am feeling pretty downbeat about my career prospects. I am a 25 year old male who just completed an MSc. in Marketing last year in one of Ireland's most respected universities. Prior to that, I studied a Level 8 Honours Business degree which I graduated with in 2014.

For the past 4.5 years I have worked in the motor industry both on a part-time and full-time basis. It was a career I had romantic ideas about due to my love of motor cars and general interest in business. I have been employed in a large dealership where I am tasked in helping out in sales and performing a lot of running around collecting and delivering cars etc. It has provided me with income since my early twenties and directly funded a number of things, including my own postgraduate education. It has been a job that has served me well as a student but which I have now outgrown and need to move on from. By my superiors, I have been informed that there are no further career prospects within the organisation and it is time to look outside.

Since I completed my Masters, I have been actively applying for a number of jobs across marketing, banking and the motor industry. I have been to interviews with recruiters (waste of time...), assessment days for grad programmes, one-to-one interviews for specific roles and have even approached high profile people asking if I could send them my C.V. During the last few weeks it began to feel as if I was making progress and had some logs in the fire on two positions, but only today I was landed the killer blow with both jobs. One of these jobs had been a grad programme which I had been pursuing since before Christmas, but fell down on in the assessment day when neither myself or my team performed well in a major set task (supposedly none of the other members got offered jobs either).

I really am feeling like a hopeless case now and do not have any more fight left in me. I know this is starting to sound like a 'Personal Issues' thread, but I don't know any other present way how to ask for advice. I am running out of patience checking my phone routinely for emails and waiting for calls to come through from jobs I have applied for. As a candidate for any employer, I feel I am somebody that has a lot to offer and have a level of ability which can not always be seen through a rigid assessment or structured interview. I never imagined that progressing my career to the next level would be this hard, particularly with my education and entry level experience I have under my belt.

What do I have to do?

highlydebased

What are you using as your selling point? The masters or your experience? Because, imo, the latter is more important

beauf

Rather than focusing on a job. Can you do little marketing projects for people you know. So you have get some experience.

PurvesGrundy

highlydebased wrote: »

What are you using as your selling point? The masters or your experience? Because, imo, the latter is more important

A combination of both. It is just impossible to get on the ladder with even entry level positions. I have been subscribing to the theory that it is beneficial to know somebody within an organisation before applying for a position.

beauf wrote: »

Rather than focusing on a job. Can you do little marketing projects for people you know. So you have get some experience.

Worthy suggestion but I don't have my heart set specifically on marketing. I view it as more of an added skill I can bring to an organisation rather than something I am directly qualified for. Also my existing job (despite being dead end) takes up significant amounts of my time as is.

beauf

Do you have any positives to bring to the party...

PurvesGrundy

beauf wrote: »

Do you have any positives to bring to the party...

I reckon I have significant positives to contribute to any organisation. It is just getting across what I can offer is difficult and sometimes cannot be demonstrated through rigid assessment centres.

I once thought I wanted to work in the motor industry, but I realised it was not for me and therefore went back to college and self funded my masters (which partially speaks for itself). I now want to start again and just be given the opportunity by an organisation to prove myself. I am someone who is highly motivated with a positive work ethic and good interpersonal skills. I would be willing to go to the back and beyond for any potential employer and always reach for the highest results. Honesty, integrity and a straight talking nature are key strengths of my personality.

I just want somebody to recognise me but have become frustrated by the lack of success I have had in putting myself forward.

beauf

Everyone says that, its just get ignored.

You won't get a basic job if you present yourself as over qualified. Likewise spending too long in a student job, isn't helping. Especially if that job 1) has no future and 2) takes up too much of your time.

You need experience, that demonstrates a useful skill set for the job you are going for. The experience you are getting in your current job does not differentiate you from a 18 yr old, and they will be a lot cheaper to employ. People want to see a list of successful projects you've been involved in recently, like in the last two years. Those kind of positives.

Web Graphic Designer

Are you marketing yourself‡, properly?



‡As a USP product offering, and not just a 2pg CV?

PurvesGrundy

beauf wrote: »

You won't get a basic job if you present yourself as over qualified. Likewise spending too long in a student job, isn't helping. Especially if that job 1) has no future and 2) takes up too much of your time.

You need experience, that demonstrates a useful skill set for the job you are going for. The experience you are getting in your current job does not differentiate you from a 18 yr old, and they will be a lot cheaper to employ. People want to see a list of successful projects you've been involved in recently, like in the last two years. Those kind of positives.

Do you suggest I leave it then? The only reason I am still at it is because I don't think it would look good if I leave before finding something else. I do need an income also, but mentally it is driving me into the ground.

Web Graphic Designer wrote: »

Are you marketing yourself‡, properly?



‡As a USP product offering, and not just a 2pg CV?

No to be fair, I am not differentiating myself in that way.

My C.V. used to be very long and intimidating to read. I have recognised this and since narrowed it down, rejigged it around and made it concise and easy.

beauf

No dont leave it. But get some other experience while you are working.

PurvesGrundy

Mr.S wrote: »

You mention working in the auto trade since your early 20's, the logical thing to do would be to approach dealers and the bigger auto company's?

I regularly see auto dealers advertise marketings roles on LinkedIn, like really regularly. Even some experience with sales will help you big time.

Send me a PM, I know of a role that might suit you, it's a marketing co-ordinator real for an online auto trader and they are actively looking for candidates to interview.

PM sent !