London: It’s a feeling that starts as a knot in your stomach and rises through your body, stopping in a lump at the back of your throat. Worry from everyday anxieties to full blown panic is a feeling we all experience about a full range of problems.
But for students there’s one anxiety that comes back again and again: will I find a job when I graduate?
For all the employability tips in the world, there’s no escaping the fact that the prospect of leaving uni and finding a job can be scary.
“I am still a year away from graduation, but unemployment is something I worry about on a daily basis,” says Madalina Ciobanu, a journalism and public relations student at the University of the West England, Bristol.
An NUS survey found that for 26 per cent of students, graduate employment was a major trigger of mental distress. Worrying about getting a job is making many students unhappy.
It’s normal to be anxious about your future, and it’s important to realise that you’re not alone. Natalie Wheeler, a counselling student, says: “It can be very scary to think about. The fear and worry of the future can make me upset and at times angry with others who have jobs even though I know it’s not their fault.”
Sophie Blumental is a geography student at the University of Brighton and says: “Often I worry that not getting into a top 20 university will affect my chances when applying for jobs.”
For the many final-year students who are finishing their studies, the pressure can be hard. Gemma Naylor, a final-year English literature student at the University of East Anglia says: “It feels like having a ticking time bomb over your head you feel like if you haven’t got something sorted for when you graduate you’re in trouble.”
Worries are normal, but if left unaddressed they can hold you back. “In my first term this year I felt so overwhelmed that I ended up not doing anything about my employability. But I’d say that’s the worst thing you can do. Being proactive really helps.”
Dr Rachel Andrew, a clinical psychologist, says: “When you feel overwhelmed by anxiety you can be frozen into inaction. So try taking a step back, maybe making a list of the things that might help you, and be sure to talk to others.”
Building a support network at university can really help. Your friends are probably feeling the same way, so it can help to speak to them about your worries.
“Make full use of the support available at university,” says Andrew. There are counselling services, but also speak to people on your course or your course tutor.”
Naylor says her university careers service has been really helpful in tackling her employment anxieties. “My careers adviser makes me feel like I’m not alone, and that finding a job isn’t something I need to be so worried about. She’s also helped me find work experience.
“There is support and advice at university, so I want to make the most of it. It’s much easier to help when you can drop in and talk to the careers adviser in person. It does seem daunting but it does help.”
Taking small, practical steps to improve your employability can really help deal with the feelings of worry about the future. Naylor recommends attending careers talks and events, and says volunteering and doing work experience has made her feel more confident about her CV, and her future.
Don’t be afraid to talk about your worries, and don’t feel silly if it all seems a bit much. Barbara McIntosh, national head of children and young people’s programmes and the mental health foundation, says: “Employment is increasingly something that we’re defined by, so if your future seems a bit wobbly it can create issues around your identity, your self-esteem and who you are.”
If your anxieties are becoming more serious, it’s important to seek medical help.
“A lot of young people I see who are faced with this very difficult job market say they are suffering with depression,” says Andrew.
“Often they link that inability to get a job to themselves — thinking they’re not good enough or they’ve not put enough work in. Students need to try and recognise that this is something that a lot of people are faced with and it doesn’t say anything about you as an individual. Try to look at the situation a bit differently and at a distance.”
Look out for the signs of anxiety that go beyond normal worries. Beth Murphy, head of information at mental health charity Mind, says: “If you’ve been feeling anxious in a way that’s stopping you from doing the things you would normally do, if you’re not going to lectures, if you’re not socialising, and if you’ve been feeling that way for more than just a couple of bad days that’s the point when you might want to see somebody.
“Start to keep a diary about how you’re feeling. If you consistently feel low levels of anxiety over a long period then it’s worth speaking to someone about that too.”
Your university’s counselling service, your GP and organisations like Nightline can help if you’re feeling really overwhelmed.
Thinking about the future and the prospect of job-hunting can be daunting, but the support is there at university to help you deal with the emotional and practical sides of finding a job. Don’t be afraid to seek it because you certainly won’t be the first person coming through the door saying that you’re worried about the future.
— Guardian News and Media Ltd
