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28/10/2009

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Blog
Archive: October 2009

After a ten-month blog hiatus, Andy Holland returns to deliver further quirky reflections on life in the 21st Century. The internet is a global, interactive tool. My aim is to make full use of the two-way conversation it facilitates between me, the author of this blog, and you, the reader. With this in mind, I've placed easy-to-use comment links below each of the entries that appear on this blog. If you find an entry particularly engaging, interesting, funny, or thought-provoking, whether it is the latest one, or one from the archives, feel free to write a comment.

Add this page to your bookmarks and visit regularly for further updates on just one of the world's 6.76 billion life-stories. Alternatively, follow me on twitter to receive a tweet each time this blog is updated.

To view older articles please use the archives links to the right.

"The Journey, Not the Arrival, Matters"
Wednesday, 28th October 2009, 01:12 GMT

It's now four months since I left university. Despite committed and continued attempts to secure that elusive graduate job, I remain unemployed.

I didn't want to blog about my personal unemployment woes - mainly because I thought that any attempt to do so would come across as clichéd, self-pitying, self-indulgent drivel. However, after digesting a fair number of disheartening reports which suggest I'll probably have to tackle this predicament for a little while longer, I've decided to break my silence. If nothing else, I hope this brief entry provides some comfort to graduates in the same position: fellow members the so-called 'lost generation'.

"They are the 'New Labour generation', the class of 2009: the most educated, the most indebted and potentially the least employed ever." - The Guardian

"For graduates, the future is about as bright as a wet weekend." - Financial Times Online

My Journey So Far

I graduated in July with what I consider a well-respected, useful degree from a highly admired Russell Group university. Nevertheless, like many of my peers, I have toppled off the higher education production line and joined the one million or so young people without paid work. Although I made numerous attempts to secure employment before I left university, each of my applications were unsuccessful at some point in the recruitment process.

Andy Holland - Working on the Move

Keep Your Options Open?

I've tried try to be flexible in my job search; rather than targeting a single, narrow sector, I've decided to seek roles in a number of different areas. I would hope that studying a varied, joint-honours degree has given me the freedom to do this. I have a mélange of interests after all; I'm not simply a one-dimension character craving an obscene salary. Perhaps, however, this is a mistake: do employers prefer applicants who are more divisive and eager to break into a specific sector?

With this in mind, I wonder how best to consume the vast swathes of useful and engaging information my degree has bestowed upon me; it is quite clear that the majority of employers seek only those oft-cited 'transferable skills': 'outstanding verbal and written communication skills', 'the ability to work well within a team', and so on. I am convinced that my degree has given my the correct accumulation of these abilities, yet I also know that it would be more rewarding if the knowledge I amassed over the past four years were actually put to good use. Should I have narrowed my search to only those positions which directly relate to my degree?

Perhaps, perhaps not. As Sir Alan Sugar revealed during Monday night's Tonight: 'Make me an Apprentice' programme, the learning proper starts now. Assimilating the quote below: it's not the accumulated knowledge that makes a degree worthwhile, it's the skills developed, the passion, determination and confidence to utilise those skills well that will help me to succeed.

Positive Thinking

It's extremely disappointing, nay unquestionably gut-wrenching, to receive a rejection letter for a position you so eagerly desire. The inevitable question must be posed: was a four-year degree really the worthwhile investment I had hoped for? I remain determined, passionate and optimistic. Perhaps, after all, it's this journey, not the arrival, that matters.

"The great end of education is to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers, rather than fill it with the accumulation of others." - Tryon Edwards

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"Back in Business"
Friday, 9th October 2009, 00:58 BST

After a ten-month hiatus, I'm back in business! During this absence, I've graduated from university with a fantastic degree in German and Business Studies, successfully qualified as a formation skydiver, taught English-language writing skills to international students and began volunteering at my local Cancer Research UK store whilst I attempt to find the perfect graduate job.

Rather than attempting to bore you with a lengthy recap of these past events, I've decided I would make this entry short and snappy; an entry that simply states: 'I'm back'.

I've revamped the basic structure of the site using W3C standards, re-coding each individual page from scratch, and I'm now able to update freely on my shiny MacBook. andyholland.co.uk should now be much more accessible and user-friendly. Visit again soon for the latest updates.

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Disclaimer: andyholland.co.uk is committed to protecting your privacy and does not disclose any information about you to third parties. We reserve the right to edit or refuse to publish any content submitted. Your email address will not be published on this, or any other website. For full details see our Privacy Statement.