Anyone else here a Law grad who can't get work?

[Hyperion]

I have an LLB and an LLM in Law but I can't afford to qualify as either a solicitor or a barrister. Either would take about 3-4 years and cost me a minimum of £30,000/$50,000 which I don't have.

I'm not in any way an exceptional graduate (got 2.1 on both degrees but in this day, even a 1st class isn't much unless it's from Oxford or Cambridge) so I can't get any kind of funding from anyone other than a bank which will happily charge me something obscene like 18% interest each year.

So I figured I'd try applying for anything related to Law (from paralegal to office assistant) but alas, the two responses I ever get are "over-qualified" and "not enough relevant experience".

So my fellow "brothers-in-law", share you horror stories of being unemployable in the field you busted your ass in for 5 years only to be worse off than when you started!

 

[Des C]

Same thing happened to me during last big recession (I graduated way back in 1987!). I didn't have a rich family to put me through the Institute so I ended up taking a series of sh*tty jobs, mostly pen-pushing. I also worked as a bouncer at a city-centre pub in Belfast - not nice! I experienced all the same over-qualified / not professionally qualified stuff too.
Don't let it get you down. Just keep working at something-even a menial post. Employers always prefer a tryer. Things will pick up again and you will still have your degrees unlike 90% of the population.
Good luck

 

[Hyperion]

Cheers mate.

I've actually applied to literally dozens of menial jobs (bar work, casinos, hotel reception etc) and I still can't get anything steady. I'm working as a translator right now, which pays really well but it's not steady work. I might get 5 hours this week and then nothing for 3-4 weeks, and then 20 the week after that. Not really something I can do and make any plans on (renting on my own, buying a car etc).

I've even tried some of these graduate schemes but again, a 2.1 just doesn't seem to impress anyone anymore, not when when it's the minimum requirement and another 500 applicants have one, and another 100 have 1st's.

I'm seriously considering going back to university, maybe doing a PhD and aim to become an academic instead. Or perhaps even try and study something entirely different to Law (not that I have a clue what I could do that would make me more employable but at least I'd be doing something constructive with my time).

So what's your situation now mate? Are you practising in NI? Do you guys have the same solicitor/barrister distinction in England? 'Cause I'm currently living in Glasgow and I know they don't differentiate like they do down in England and Wales.

 

[Des C]

Sorry about the delay in replying. Got a deferred place for the bar course but when family business went tits-up I couldn't afford to go ahead. I ended up managing in the public and charitable sectors. It's never going to make me "barrister rich" (yes I do wonder sometimes) but it's not a bad way to live.
The law degree can be a bit of a bind as too many people view you as a failed lawyer rather than a graduate! My tactic was to say that I had realised halfway through my degree that I wanted to pursue another path. No such problems in public sector where there were loads of LLBs.
I wouldn't strike out in a new academic direction at this stage. Perhaps an accounting or HR qualification to give you an edge for management positions? Just a thought.........
BTW, in my day even a 2:2 in law carried some clout. My Alma Mater (Queen's Belfast) only awarded three firsts during my four year stint LOL.

Thought about policing or is it not your bag? Accelerated promotion for smarties - Chief Insp in five years! Still have to do two years on beat...

 

[Eberly]

Friends,
Few years ago i complected my MSC Degree in physics. After completing I face same kind of problem. I start my career as a banker.But I try to do something of my related subject. And at last I manage it.So be cool.Don't be upset. At first you need to do something for your livelihood and after that try to find better job.

 

[Hyperion]

Thought about policing or is it not your bag? Accelerated promotion for smarties - Chief Insp in five years! Still have to do two years on beat...

I actually applied to the Strathclyde Police here in Glasgow during their last recruitment drive which ended on the 28th of August and they rejected me.

I was extremely disappointed as I have a friend who's with the Police here and I sent him my application before submitting it and he said it was perfect! All the right answers etc. I even got a Procurator Fiscal (the equivalent of an Assistant District Attorney in the US system) to be my character reference (I worked with him on a case concerning a Greek defendant) and my Police Officer friend who's been in the service for 8 years.

They didn't even so much as give me a reason why the rejected me, so my friend told me that he can only assume it's because I don't yet have my full driver's license (I'm actually sitting my practical test on Monday!). But I wrote on the application that I expected to have my full license by November and with all the stages involved in the recruitment process (3 interviews, 1 physical test and 1 written test), it usually takes up to a full 12 months before you start your training.

There is a job I'm considering to apply for as soon as a I get my license. A friend of mine here works for Aldi, he's seen my CV and thinks I'd be perfect for their Area Manager Training Scheme. It's very well paid (£40,000 start, up to £64,000 my the end of 4 years) plus a full-expensed Audi A4. The only catch is... you 're looking at 12-15 hour days, 6 days a week. But I have to try, it's not like the lucrative job offers are pouring in.

 

[Hyperion]

Friends,
Few years ago i complected my MSC Degree in physics. After completing I face same kind of problem. I start my career as a banker.But I try to do something of my related subject. And at last I manage it.So be cool.Don't be upset. At first you need to do something for your livelihood and after that try to find better job.

True, but it's hard to even find something, ANYTHING, to start in. This recession is absolutely destroying people with degrees and no work experience.

 

[Des C]

Sorry to hear about the police thing. The driving licence could well have been a factor. There's no easy answer to this one old son. Just keep your head down and don't get too frustrated - it's tough for everyone. I'm assuming that you don't have major financial commitments - that's a blessing. Try sweating it with a mortgage and five kids - like I do!! LOL!
The main thing is to stay relaxed. Sometimes the frustration comes through in interviews and you can seem desperate. This is not an attractive trait in a potential manager / leader.
Don't drop your guard and start drinking and feeling too sore about this. It will **** your life up like nothing else and you can kiss your new career good-bye before it starts.

Do keep training and maintain a structure to your day.
Look after your emotional health too
Keep in touch with positive people and ditch the wasters
Tell absolutely everyone you know and meet that you're looking for a new job
PM me any time.
Des C

 

[Hyperion]

Thanks for the advice mate.

It can get me down sometimes, especially after each rejection to a job I really wanted. I do try as best I can to keep myself constructively occupied.

At least I have the time to work-out as often and as long as I want to and make my dietary and eating plans without having to accommodate long or weird work hours (although I'd gladly do so if it meant getting work that was meaningful to me).

Anyway, I'm off to sit my driving test in a couple of hours, hopefully I'll get it and then I can apply to this Area Manager training position with Aldi. In the meantime I saw some fixed-term positions at my old University (nothing fancy, basic office-work, 12 month due to maternity leave, pays £18,000) so I'll also apply to those as well.

Thanks again mate ;-)

 

[Des C]

How did the driving test go?

 

[Hyperion]

Failed :yuck:.

1 Major fault, 0 minors... so close. I was in a 40 mile zone, got my speed up, but missed the 30 mile sign because a big truck was in front of me and slowed down just before the sign blocking my view of it, so I just over-took it and ended up traveling at 40mph in a 30mph zone for about 3-4 minutes... Argh!!!!!

But I booked myself in again for the 15th of November.

 

[Des C]

Hard luck mate! Well, one fault ain't so bad - you'll soon be sorted.

 

[Hyperion]

Yeah, I'm not too worried, I'm just a bit mift about having to pay another £100 to take the test over again (£62 for the test and £38 to hire my instructor's car).

Thanks for asking mate