University of Manchester Careers Blog

Written by Kareem Belfon, Marketing and Communications Assistant at the Careers Service.

So, you’ve been away at Uni all year.

Your aunts and uncles have been politely ‘liking’ all of your posts on Facebook, commenting ‘Looks like you’re having fun! Sending our love xxxxx’ every so often.

Your family group chat is lit. ‘Look! We’ve got new curtains fitted!’ your dad says. Mum asks if you’re eating properly. ‘Yes’, you say, opening up your 4^th packet of instant noodles that week.

All of a sudden, it’s the last week of term and you’re heading home. Christmas is upon us, and what does that mean? Your relatives will have one too many glasses of mulled wine over Christmas lunch and ask all the questions they’ve been waiting to ask all year. We’ve provided a few stock answers for you.

Q: Why haven’t you sorted out a plan for after you graduate?

Q: Have you got a job yet?

Q: I had 3 jobs, 2 kids and a house at your age, you know.

Q: Have you got a girlfriend/boyfriend yet?

Q: Your cousin has just got accepted onto a Grad Scheme. Did you hear? Why haven’t you?

Q: Maybe if you weren’t out all of the time you’d get a first!

Q: What can you even do with your degree anyway?

Q: So, Brexit ay?

There’s a few ways you can tackle these inevitable discussions.

1. Tell them it’s hard to determine exactly where you’ll be after graduation, but you’re taking every month as it comes and planning ahead as much as you can. (Hint – use ‘My Future Questionnaire’ to get you started.)
2. Only 10-12% of students actually go on to do a graduate scheme, with most going into graduate level jobs instead. Tell them to chill; it’s not the only option.
3. It’s quite common not to just walk straight into a job after you finish uni. Everyone’s journey is slightly different.
4. Chances are, you can do LOADS of things with your degree. Don’t get put into a box. When I was an English Literature and Linguistics student, everyone just assumed I’d be a teacher. At one point, I actually thought that was the only option I had! All it takes is a bit of research to see what options are available to you.
5. Probably best to just not mention Brexit, to be honest. Let’s keep things civil.