Graduate struggling to find work near home

Ashes11

Hi Everyone,

I've recently graduated with a 2.1 in Business Studies & German from Trinity College. I have job offers from a very well known tech company in Dublin, several of the big 4 accounting firms and a financial services data provider. The issue is that I don't want to live in Dublin any longer - The rent is so high, I don't have many friends there and my family and friends live in Donegal which is a fair distance.

The problem is that I am really struggling to get work close to home. On paper I can't see the problem - I have a 2.1 in a decent degree from TCD, I have won awards from Accenture for a management consulting student competition and I won an award for my German from the dept. of Germanic studies in Trinity. I also completed an internship while on my year abroad and have worked part time, I basically feel that I am as qualified as any other student graduating from college in my area. This has been reflected in Dublin but I have applied for probably over 20 jobs in corporate organisations here in Donegal and cannot even get an interview.

I'm not really sure how to move forward and really don't want to live in Dublin any longer.

Thanks for reading and for any help or advice.

listermint

You've not work experience though. Unless you did positions during university?

You won't find a role unless they are specifically open for graduate positions. And that's usually between march and June .

sallydolly40

id imagine there isnt that many corporate jobs in donegal. what are the 20 companies you refer to? you need an entry level role so if you are not even getting an interview you are applying for the wrong jobs. maybe try a recruitment agency

OMM 0000

Companies are competing for staff in Dublin.

It sounds like staff are competing for jobs in Donegal.

If I were you I would take one of the jobs in Dublin, and keep applying for jobs in Donegal.

Couple of advantages:

1) Getting experience

2) Getting money

3) Not unemployed getting depressing

4) Easier to get a job when you have a job and experience

I understand Dublin isn't for you anymore, but it's not like Dublin is hell on earth. Make the most of it - get a decent room, join some meetup groups, exercise, etc.

GarIT

Athlone or Galway might be a compromise worth considering. Maybe Belfast.

OMM 0000

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Companies are competing for staff in Dublin.

It sounds like staff are competing for jobs in Donegal.

If I were you I would take one of the jobs in Dublin, and keep applying for jobs in Donegal.

Couple of advantages:

1) Getting experience

2) Getting money

3) Not unemployed getting depressing

4) Easier to get a job when you have a job and experience

I understand Dublin isn't for you anymore, but it's not like Dublin is hell on earth. Make the most of it - get a decent room, join some meetup groups, exercise, etc.

This is great advice. Think positive and tell yourself that it’s only for a set time, eg 5 years max. A houseshare might suit you best. Involve yourself in hobbies and activities. Do volunteer work. Don’t run home every day off.
Good Luck

Seámus-Púbach

Welcome to the real world.

Twenty Grand

Or look in Cork, Limerick and Galway?

Nekarsulm

Business studies and German?
Have you tried John Deere?
Excellent company to work for, with a global reach.
Accommodation in Mannheim probably less than half of Dublin prices...

Yurt2

I'd second the idea of Germany. If your German is decent, the large companies there will eat you up. Almost everything is better value for money there.

Slydice

If companies in Dublin are eager for staff, can you ask them if they'll let you remote work? Why not ask anyway?

Augme

Slydice wrote: »

If companies in Dublin are eager for staff, can you ask them if they'll let you remote work? Why not ask anyway?

I'd be amazed if any company would let a graduate with no experience work remote.

Slydice

hrrmmm

sounds like a huge opportunity for the company that figures it out to get access to an untapped pool of highly educated staff then

but that's just if it's untapped..

wirelessdude01

Slydice wrote:

If companies in Dublin are eager for staff, can you ask them if they'll let you remote work? Why not ask anyway?

I would imagine that no graduate would be allowed this. Generally a perk for experienced staff.

Slydice

So no company at all ever has figured out how to get a graduate working remotely?

Astonishing!

GarIT

Slydice wrote: »

So no company at all ever has figured out how to get a graduate working remotely?

Astonishing!

Graduates usually need to learn from more experienced staff. That is much more difficult to do remotely.

LimeFruitGum

The remote tech is there alright, but grads are probably doing more tactical work, and they would typically require more management & supervision.

Slydice

Tech sure.. The tech has been there years and years. That boat has come and gone.

That no company or company exec has spotted this as an opportunity and that not one single ever graduate has gotten a remote working job sounds mad.

I was under the impression companies wanted to make money and what I'm seeing here is:
- companies having tech for remote work for years (boat sailed etc)
- worker supply at graduate level starting to dry up
- worker supply at graduate level available if remote working available

How can no company figure out how to get a graduate working remotely?
.. and I mean business processes here.. because the tech to do it boat has come and gone..

TimeToShine

Slydice wrote: »

Tech sure.. The tech has been there years and years. That boat has come and gone.

That no company or company exec has spotted this as an opportunity and that not one single ever graduate has gotten a remote working job sounds mad.

I was under the impression companies wanted to make money and what I'm seeing here is:
- companies having tech for remote work for years (boat sailed etc)
- worker supply at graduate level starting to dry up
- worker supply at graduate level available if remote working available

How can no company figure out how to get a graduate working remotely?
.. and I mean business processes here.. because the tech to do it boat has come and gone..

If you gave me a remote working job as a graduate I'd have spent my weeknights on the beer with my mates who are still in college, I'd be on the laptop at 9 just to sign in and wiggle the mouse around whilst dying of a hangover. Rinse and repeat until Thursday or Friday when I'd head home.

Half of the graduate role is learning to work with people in an office setting, make your opinion known in meetings and learning from more experienced staff. You're basically a liability for the first 6 months while you're being trained and even after that you are barely contributing enough to justify working from home when there are those with dependents who barely get to do so.

yoursaviour1989

Slydice wrote: »

Tech sure.. The tech has been there years and years. That boat has come and gone.

That no company or company exec has spotted this as an opportunity and that not one single ever graduate has gotten a remote working job sounds mad.

I was under the impression companies wanted to make money and what I'm seeing here is:
- companies having tech for remote work for years (boat sailed etc)
- worker supply at graduate level starting to dry up
- worker supply at graduate level available if remote working available

How can no company figure out how to get a graduate working remotely?
.. and I mean business processes here.. because the tech to do it boat has come and gone..

Because most 22/23 year olds being brought into an organisation have very little idea of how to do the work they are given or how the job they are about to do works in relaity on a day-to-day basis. As someone has said, they require close supervision and training/mentoring. This is much easier to in an office environment.
There's also the question of giving a 22 year old access to internal systems and potentially sensitive material on their own laptop offsite.
Then we get to the situation where many recent graduates still enjoy the college style social life which is fair enough. However for an employer it's not ideal if you've someone who is out 2/3 nights a week and then "working from home". Too much opportunity for skiving etc.

Slydice

so ye're honestly saying the tech companies have made remote working including:
- easy to use tech
- easy to use remote training facilties
- easy to use remote communication facilities
- all the tech stuff
- all the development done and dusted
- all the big tech infrastructure


and now business people who've been around for centures find it hard to:
- check people are working
- let people go if they don't work
- make training stuff for new joiners

Wow!

Slydice

Mr.S wrote: »

Yet to meet a graduate who wants fully remote work, they want office experience and learn from senior staffers. Working from home every now and again is a nice perk, fully remote work is a whole different thing.

really, you ask them that? for all these remote graduate jobs that don't exist and never had according to this thread so far?

donegal_man

The unfortunate reality OP is that there are very few gratuate positions in Donegal and those that do exist are mainly in tech rather than financial operations. You say you've had offers from some of the big four accounting firms, my advice is go with one of those then see if an opportunity opens in one of their regional offices that might get you closer to home. And you never know once you start working and living a regular rather than student life you might even decide Dublin isn't so bad after all.

Slydice

Mr.S wrote: »

Yet to meet a graduate who wants fully remote work, they want office experience and learn from senior staffers. Working from home every now and again is a nice perk, fully remote work is a whole different thing.

Would be a bit strange going from college to...working from home and only talking to your colleagues over VC / Slack!

I also really doubt graduates have access to a decent work setup at home

I didn't realise "edited by" doesn't show up for moderators like it does for regular users... until now.

yeah sure, changing work conditions seem strange alright, like.. whoever could've seen office users using Slack at all years ago.

Slack ain't the only technology out there.
Tech ain't being debated here.
The tech exists.

That business people can't figure out how to do graduate remote work sounds so strange.

wirelessdude01

When I graduated I lived with 3 others all graduates I knew from college. 1 lad had Flexi time. Basically clocked in the hours(often on Saturdays when he hadn't anything to do) but would say now it was the wrong job for someone that young. He hadn't a clue what he was doin, what he was meant to be doing and this was a now defunct tech company.

Remote jobs need someone with a good base of knowledge and above all else maturity which most graduates don't possess.

Slydice

Mr.S wrote: »

I'm confused to what to what your argument is tbh. That there...is remote work for graduates, or there should be?

I'm sure there are a some grad roles that are fully remote (never seen one in Ireland) but I can totally see why companies don't offer them - for the reasons above.

I think you are looking for an argument from me where I'm discussing the previous posters argument that no remote working jobs for graduates exist.

Nobelium

Slydice wrote: »

hrrmmm

sounds like a huge opportunity for the company that figures it out to get access to an untapped pool of highly educated staff then

but that's just if it's untapped..

Seems to work brilliantly for the american multinationals in Donegal that's for sure. Lower wages, but lower cost of living, low cost housing, low crime, loads of young graduates needing work, low turnover of staff, decent unspoiled world class beaches and scenery on your doorstep. Surprised more companies have not worked this out. Business wise in these days of the information super highway, geographic physical location is of little importance any more. Might move there myself.

Slydice

Nobelium wrote: »

Seems to work brilliantly for the american multinationals in Donegal that's for sure. Lower wages, but lower cost of living, low cost housing, low crime, loads of young gradates needing work, low turnover of staff, decent unspoiled world class beaches and scenery on your doorstep. Might move there myself.

I'm confused, why would Donegal companies have trouble getting staff in Donegal?

..where we've been saying that Dublin companies are having trouble getting staff in Dublin?

Slydice

Mr.S wrote: »

Edited only shows up after a certain time has passed, FYI.

No is debating the tech Businesses haven't been bothered to invest in a remote grad scheme because....there is little demand for it and the nature of the programmes favour in-person interaction, this is common sense like.

That just sounds like they haven't tried or been motivated for it and now it sounds like there is a opportunity so..

Slydice wrote: »

If companies in Dublin are eager for staff, can you ask them if they'll let you remote work? Why not ask anyway?

Nobelium

Slydice wrote: »

I'm confused, why would Donegal companies have trouble getting staff in Donegal?

The american multinationals there don't, that's the reason they are there ?

Slydice

Nobelium wrote: »

The american multinationals there don't, that's the reason they are there ?

Sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic. Sounds like you have an idea of the business environment there.

I don't know if there are many multinationals up in Donegal or how they are getting on.

If there are some established / setting up and doing alright, then I'd guess they've spotted that untapped pool that Dublin companies might not have.

They'd probably also be getting in early to what sounds like a bigger supply of workers and so .. I'm guessing lower salaries

Slydice

Mr.S wrote: »

They haven't tried because there is no demand for it.

Remote work favours experienced workers, you can ask all you want - the answer will be no unless you posses some unheard of skill But yes of course, ask away - nothing to lose.

no demand?

yeah so back to that question I asked earlier:

Slydice wrote: »

really, you ask them that? for all these remote graduate jobs that don't exist and never had according to this thread so far?

WhiteMemento9

listermint wrote: »

You've not work experience though. Unless you did positions during university?

You won't find a role unless they are specifically open for graduate positions. And that's usually between march and June .

Some start this early but the majority usually start the recruiting drive for graduates in or around this time with the peak of the season being in July/August with plenty more roles available in the months after this. Most graduate roles don't start until August/Sept to give a bit of break between college and allow the results to come out.

daffodill50

Hi OP - check out lyit careers Facebook, some firms locally looking for graduates

You need to think more long term OP.

Sure, your friends are important to you and you want to be close by for going out together or whatever.


But in a few years, you'll find yourself spending less and less time together anyway as you couple off and have families. If you don't do it now, it will happen eventually anyway.

Making a break away from friends is not the end of the world and you could still meet up regularly.