"I'm just going to go home and try to find a graduate job." So frequently is this the answer people give when asked that dreaded question about their future plans. For some, the inability to immediately secure a graduate job becomes a source of frustration and the idea of working in a restaurant or store as a "stopgap" seems a like a step in the wrong direction, But a recent Guardian blog from Sara Barnard suggests that this need not be the case.
On the most basic level but perhaps also the most important in the minds of many recent graduates is the practicalities of such a position; it provides a regular source on income and something to do. Leaving university is for most an even more daunting experience than arriving there in the first place, and the stability provided by such simple work could help make the transition an easier one. Financially, it can provide a way to avoid costing parents yet more money and put you in a position where you have time to search for the graduate vacancy you really want, rather than feeling pressured to rush into anything. Furthermore, Sara argues, the benefits of a "stopgap" job could manifest themselves during the application process for graduate positions itself, and vastly enhance your employability. Key to this is the honing of transferable skills; you've almost certainly heard about these during university careers events of all kinds in relation to what your degree can offer, but functioning and communicating within such a different environment can both improve these and demonstrate adaptability and initiative. It may sound strange to suggest working behind a bar or in a supermarket as something outside of your comfort zone, but after three or more years surrounded by books and fellow students, this can definitely be the case. Such are the ways in which this process can ease the adjustment to life after university, while also preparing you for future graduate roles. Working on the "ground floor" of a major corporation or as part of a much smaller business can provide front-line insight into the business world and the people it is really dealing with that is not available in any amount of reading. That much-used phrase "commercial awareness" here acquires a different dimension, as knowledge of commercial processes at the very root of big business can provide valuable insight that others in the boardroom may simply see as a statistic. This insight could serve as a benefit that last years beyond you finding a graduate job.
Jon, GRB Journalist
