Calling All Graduates: The Best is Yet to Come

Beth is a 23 year old Psychology graduate and Trainee Counsellor. She currently runs her own mental health blog over at www.memyselfnmentalhealth.wordpress.com

- Beth

I’d like to share with you a post that I sure would of loved to have read back when I finished my undergraduate degree. It’s for all graduates (or soon to be) that have hit that brick wall, been rejected or are panicking about that big old question: what now?

So, I guess starting at the beginning would be a good idea; firstly, I did an undergraduate degree in Psychology. We covered a LOT in those three years; we even had an option of doing a placement year halfway through. I actually didn’t do this for various reasons, which now, in hindsight, could’ve been more helpful than I ever imagined…

I left university after the third year (which was incredibly difficult all round) and moved back home with a 2:1, having the pictures in my cap and gown to prove it. I remember feeling happy to be home and hopeful for all those potential jobs coming my way. However, quite the opposite ended up happening.

It may not be the case for everyone, but I think a lot of graduates do struggle to get into employment. Sometimes people land a great job but equally, some graduates end up going into a job completely unrelated to their degree or in other instances, no job for months.

From my own personal experience, I was one of those people who did manage to get a job but not one I could use my degree I’d worked so hard for. Although this first job was of interest to me, it just wasn’t what I’d always seen myself doing. I left after just over half a year to fully commit to finding that “dream psychology job”. I was so determined, hopeful and enthusiastic I would find it, I spent pretty much every day searching and applying online. It was a huge reality check for me; I was so sure I was going to find something straight away but I was constantly met with rejection or, even more disheartening, no response at all.

I will admit it was difficult. It left me feeling like nothing good was going to come my way. I felt at a dead end, I just couldn’t get to where I wanted to be no matter how hard I tried. I was miserable and was beginning to lose hope.

BUT…

After months of feeling down, frustrated and worried that I was never going to get to where I wanted to be, I noticed that a university counselling course near where I lived had introduced some more places. I applied and the rest all happened very fast! Before I knew it, I had been offered a place and was sitting in the lecture room on my first day of the course suddenly with new hope and excitement for what lay ahead.

My point is, so much can change. This time last year, I wasn’t in a “dream psychology job” where I was using my degree; I couldn’t see a future in one anytime soon and I was facing bucket loads of rejection. Now I’ve completed a counselling course, have secured a placement in a counselling service with my own caseload of clients and have refreshed hope for the future.

When it feels like you’re at a dead end, I really believe that it can and it will get better. I’m living proof of that. We can feel defeated but this can change in ways we just don’t expect when we least expect it.

So, my name is Beth. I am a 23-year-old Psychology Graduate and Trainee Counsellor who struggles themselves with their own mental health difficulties. What many people don’t know about me is that I have OCD, anxiety and have previously had depression. Last year, I started up my own blog to share my experiences in the hope that people no longer feel that they are alone. You can check it out at www.memyselfnmentalhealth.wordpress.com