[Help] First job --- I'm going to be graduating this June with a masters in Chemistry, and will ... Updates to this post /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:49:38 +0100 Reply from ayc /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3686250 your at cambridge? omg you must be intelligent and commited. do your exams and dont worry about taking a little time out to travel. but im really not sure how funding works, i’ll ask someone i know and see. goodluck!!!!!! i hope you do well in your exams, that is your 1st priority ofcourse ;)

]]> ayc Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:38:44 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3682582 I applied to Cambridge– I also did my undergrad here and done some work in the labs here over the summers, so it was a natural choice, and I didn’t look anywhere else. I know there are PhDs out there, I just like the supervisor that I have applied to a lot (and they all say choose the supervisor!)

I guess they think I’m taking on too much extra curricular stuff and don’t believe I am disciplined or motivated enough to be trusted with funding =P I did fine in my first two year exams, but messed up last year because I thought I could put off going to the dentist by taking lots of painkillers during exams. Stupid, I know. So yeah, I just want to prove so many people wrong— thus the plan: 1. do the exams properly well this time round, 2. get a job and learn lots of stuff, 3. re-apply to PhDs. At the moment I don’t think I’m over the one which I didn’t get, even if I apply elsewhere I’m not sure my heart would be in it… and exams are in a month!

]]> upsilon222 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:22:33 +0100 Reply from em14 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3679467 Where did you apply for your PhD. I’m writing up my chemistry phd thesis at the moment and I know there are a lot of companies/research bodies such as the BBSRC and EPSRC who fund pH.Ds I currently get 13000 a year tax free for my studies so Its not too bad.
Em

]]> em14 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:17:13 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3666320 Interesting article… see, I like learning stuff, but I have traits like being too honest, too easily persuaded, and I tend to undersell myself (by 5-10k, as the recruiter who called me back said). I think I would get ripped to pieces in the business world…!

So yeah updates: I am now thinking either software development, research assistant, or teaching in a boarding school (which is not in London, but then I get somewhere to live anyways so that’s ok). Booked appointment to talk with university careers people next Wednesday. Woo.

I also just saw the PhD supervisor I applied to today… I haven’t seen her since I got the rejection email, and I didn’t realise she is so upset about it. She mentioned me taking a year off, probably would take me if I apply next year (again, funding permitting, sigh…) I know I could probably apply elsewhere to get in a PhD for this year, but she is just such a lovely person I just… don’t feel like it. (another trait, loyalty in bucketful excesses)

Anyways. You guys have been great help, keep coming with comments… I’ll post more developments as they come =)

]]> upsilon222 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:27:01 +0100 Reply from yourabi /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3665717 [quote Cookie Dough!]…I presume, being a Chem Masters graduate that you’re pretty good with number-crunching/ Excel? If you are, then have you considered Performance Analyst positions in the big asset management companies? I started out in this field, but then moved to Investment Consulting, which also pays well but requires some pretty in-depth investment knowledge, CFA exams, etc……Cookie Xx[/quote]Cookie has a good point, in fact I didn’t even think of a business type position ( you’ll have to forgive my own bias).For fun, if you have the time you might want to read up on Jack Welch, who got his phd in chemical engineering, started off in GE’s plastics division and eventually worked his way up to ceo.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Welch

]]> yourabi Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:09:51 +0100 Reply from Cookie Dough! /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3660938 Hey, you’re welcome.
Ummm…the recruitment process isn’t long. Just one interview with the employer. These aren’t graduate positions, so they’re a lot more straightforward. If you like Maths, you’d probably find them interesting, but yes the hours would be full time with occasional late evenings, so I suppose it would be hard (but not impossible) to study alongside.

]]> Cookie Dough! Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:21:18 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3660842 hmm interesting.. yeah, I guess I follow the blurb about experience requirements a bit too closely and didn’t read further when I hit something I don’t have. Now doing searches on graduate/junior developers and they actually seem a quite good fit.

Banking… yeah, it’s really popular with my friends. It sounded very competitive, with long recruitment processes and lots of prep needed beforehand. The pay is definitely a drawing factor, but I’m not sure what I will learn and whether I would have time to have a chance to continue studies if that’s what I want to return to in a year or two. Also I’m quite likely to undersell myself and am not the best at negotiating for things…!

thanks for all the stuff so far, you’ve all been really helpful! =)

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:41:50 +0100 Reply from Cookie Dough! /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3660368 Hey,

Well I’ve worked for ages in the City and West End of London. When I first moved there, I got to understand pretty quickly that it’s not always so much about what you know, rather who you know.

I presume, being a Chem Masters graduate that you’re pretty good with number-crunching/ Excel? If you are, then have you considered Performance Analyst positions in the big asset management companies? I started out in this field, but then moved to Investment Consulting, which also pays well but requires some pretty in-depth investment knowledge, CFA exams, etc…

That does mean that I still get job specs in from agents, so this may be your lucky day, lol!! (Or not, if you hate this sort of thing!!) I also have a couple of very good contacts on that end who I could put you in touch with.

You could realistically look at a starting salary of say 25-28k per annum, which would increase to about 40k after two years or so.

If you want more info, feel free to shout me and I can perhaps email you.

P.S. As for suits, that may be inevitable in the Banking sector. This is probably a job that you could walk straight into though, and the last I heard they were crying out for people, so you may be able to negotiate a higher salary, but no promises!

Cookie Xx

]]> Cookie Dough! Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:14:56 +0100 Reply from yourabi /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3660266 Not really. Don’t get caught up on the degree / experience requirements. If an employer likes you they’ll look right past it — don’t be shy about applying for things with steep requirements — let them weed you out — don’t weed yourself out for them (within reason, don’t apply for senior positions obviously)

]]> yourabi Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:36:14 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3660215 My brother is a bit different… he had a few disappointments and I guess he deserves cheering up. I don’t mind not doing what he has done. They won’t “not” let me go but they would mind me going off doing what they see as random stuff. I mean, anything that doesn’t involve power dressing in a suit and putting 2 inches of make up and expensive jewellery is random to them, so it’s not like I’m doing what they want exactly =P I just want to prove, you know, that I can feed myself and live happily doing it my way.

Entry level software engineering? Reading the job descriptions they do sound more like what I want to do, but they seem to all require a computer sciences degree…

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:23:59 +0100 Reply from yourabi /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3660061 Look around for entry level software engineering positions (don’t look at web-design type stuff).

Work on your GNU/Linux skills, and look at distributed frameworks like Hadoop/PIG

They will help you crunch large data-sets when you finally go for your Ph.D

]]> yourabi Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:42:55 +0100 Reply from ayc /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659982 how honourable are you?!?! its a good thing! i admire it!
but you are young, have a little fun and don’t worry to much about guilt, worrying & guilt is for older age, and equally as rediculas then. if you really are that bothered with the guilt, talk to them? say its hard to find a job and you would really appreciate, enjoy, and above all become better and stronger, and wiser by travelling. they would understand im sure, they let your brother go?! they wouldn’t mind you doing that?
don’t be so caught up in the whole, be independent thing if you are young, enjoy yourself, be indepentent later, when you have worked hard and finished your studies well and proudly ;) thats your pay back to your parents for their caring ;)

]]> ayc Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:24:58 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659959 eh, parents sent me big stressy email today with the usual guilt tripping to go home (as in, go home and live with them, forever)… they live overseas. While they do want me to be happy they’d like me to stop squandering their money (well, they haven’t put it that way, but that’s what they mean), if I’m not going home and looking after them as they expected me to. Travelling is going to cost money no matter what and I’m not sure I can justify that. So yeah, I want to become financially independent… there are many levels of happiness and at the moment not having to live at home and hopefully not having to ask parents for money any more is good enough for me.

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:19:11 +0100 Reply from ayc /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659884 well do that, pick a nice interesting country that requires only one flight (you wont feel too guilty that way) and travel around it by bike? ;)
i assume you are kinda young, just enjoy yourself and do what you want to. who’s going to complain? as long as you work hard at your studies i’m sure your parents wouldn’t mind too much. they probably just want you to do well for yourself and have be happy, so do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =]

]]> ayc Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:04:14 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659848 heh, I know this makes me sound kind of sad but I do like the IT stuff, it’s fun for me (cue people scream “GEEEEEK” and run away), probably cos I don’t actually know enough yet.

Otherwise I’d like to cycle a really long way somewhere, camping everywhere. That’s my second idea of fun…

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:55:13 +0100 Reply from ayc /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659824 erm well… i’d always keep in mind, if its only for a year, because you have other things you want from your life, get a fun job, even if the pay isn’t great, something you just enjoying doing, whether its the people you like being with, or the fun job.
but if you are going to london in august and your place isn’t until next september (keep my fingers crossed for you!) then can’t you enjoy where you are in the world and just study later?
have some fun time?! we are all entitled to it!

]]> ayc Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:49:18 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659794 hmm, I live away from London now, though I will start living there from end of August so I could get the papers with job adverts more easily.

yeah, travelling would be great, but I don’t want to do what my brother did, cos I would be really guilty if my parents pay for all the flying around. I row and do some martial arts, and I coach a little bit of rowing, but I don’t think anyone would hire me for that because I really don’t know all the technicalities… I’d love to keep those going as well, but don’t think it’s going to be easy in London.

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:40:19 +0100 Reply from ayc /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659730 lol travelling would be great! but if you want/have to work thats ok, do you have any hobbies other than the above (if they are hobbies), you can find work in your local paper, agencies, the job centre, the net. hope you find something you would like to do, even for a year, try something random and fun sounding?
or just work in a supermarket, most people are very funny and students themselves! its fun, easy money normally, lots of parties ;)

]]> ayc Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:21:25 +0100 Reply from Mas1st /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659729 I think you should look at the job adverts in the Evening Standard - it’s the London evening paper or even the Guardian. If you have trouble give me a shout - I’m recruitment mad

]]> Mas1st Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:21:18 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659722 Teaching– yeah I’ve done some actually, and enjoyed it. Not sure I’m good at keeping to syllabi though…

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:19:04 +0100 Reply from upsilon222 /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659721 wow that’s quick guys, thanks for the help so far =)

yeah I’d love to be a chemist, but there aren’t much chemist jobs in London. For the IT job I don’t know what I can do! The job titles confuse me and they seem to all want a computing science degree, grr (but then, the only jobs I’ve been actually reading are those at google and facebook, heh)

yes there is a careers office in uni, but the next useful event they have is somewhere in June, barring the “intro to careers services” that they have on in a couple of days… also I need to revise for my finals and can’t really do a lot of research/job hunting until I’m done, grr again.

mas1s, it’s not boring– BBC as a runner, what do they do? (googling as we speak)

yeah I’m taking it as a gap year, thing is my brother just took one before his uni, and spent a lot of money travelling… he had a good time, but my parents are a bit nervous of the phrase now.

]]> upsilon222 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:18:00 +0100 Reply from Mas1st /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659699 year not yeay

]]> Mas1st Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:11:17 +0100 Reply from Mas1st /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659696 OK I’m a headhunter by trade - you are lucky in the respect that you will not have to commute too far. Personally I’d go for a job that doesnt even apply to your degree - there is good money to be made in London - despite the dreaded credit crunch. london is desperate for people who have your skills and understand English. get a job at the BBC as a runner or something - still 25k a yeay - Icould go on but dont want to bore you. Use this like a semi-gap year. Jump into the unknown and earn good money whilst you are there - you must make time for your studies though

]]> Mas1st Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:10:48 +0100 Reply from gimli /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659677 Will the school that you are graduating from hire you as a research assistant or something?

And, it may be possible to get hired to teach at a private school (as in one that doesn’t get government funding). I realize that might not happen until the fall, but there may be some good opportunities if you can wait that long.

]]> gimli Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:07:07 +0100 Reply from ayc /post/153861-first-job-im-going-t#reply-3659674 i know it sounds bad, but for a year, how about a chemist? 16/17K a year (at a guess, london prices are different to here in the midlands lol). that enough to share your flat?
if not, with your computer skills maybe an IT job? because you actually have quite alot compared to the masses. you have lots of positions open to you, it depends on how much you can put up with.
try signing up to a recruitment agency, they are horrible, but useful to you for a quick job. hope i helped i alittle. goodluck with your career & funding next year!!!!!!!!!

]]> ayc Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:06:25 +0100