Has anyone else’s indeed being bombarded with army job listings? Half the jobs, despite what I search, seems that only army apprenticeships find me. Noticed this on other sites too. I have a museum customer service background, which I don’t think translates well to being an army electrician.

I have also noticed several times that foster caring is my being advertised on indeed. Seems highly inappropriate and bizarre that caring for vulnerable children is listed on a job site. Guess this is just the current state of the UK job market 🙃

Hey all.

I’m not sure where else to post this so I suppose this seems like the best place.

For context, I (24M) have just started a PGCE for QTS in English for secondary schools. I was very hesitant about this as I previously had experience working in education and, frankly, despised it. Anyways, I just completed my first day and it is a lot of work for something that I feel like I would not enjoy or want to pursue in the slightest. I’m quite an introverted person and don’t have a single ounce of passion towards it.

The reason for starting the course was because, like many people my age, I haven’t found any form of tangible employment since I obtained my masters in journalism and media. I’m now completely lost as I’ve took out a student loan for something that I really don’t want to pursue.

Do you think I’ve written this off too early or is it ok to feel this way so early into the course? Thanks

I’m in my early 20s. I went to university in 2021 and graduated in 2024. Luckily, I managed to get a job in early 2025 which I’m still in now. I’m very grateful that I have a job given the current job market.

However, I constantly feel regret for going to university. I’ve got tens of thousands in student debt which I’ll have for another 30 years and I know I could have gotten my job without my degree.

Unfortunately, like many others, I was sold the idea that going to university = getting a good job. My vice principal at college and my teachers were always encouraging me to go to university, no other option was mentioned. If I could go back in time, I’d leave college and look for an apprenticeship or internship or a retail/hospitality job to get my foot in the door.

I feel like those 3 years at university could’ve been spent building valuable work experience and earning money without having student debt.

Does anyone else feel like this?

I was browsing jobs and I'm seeing this pop up more and more. Companies are paying minimum wage for a standard role but then paying £13 an hour for a supervisor role? 29p an hour more? It's a 30 hour contract. I looked this up and it's an extra £27 a month after tax/insurance etc. Really? Your training other staff and doing your own work while dealing with complaints etc for an extra £27? Is it worth the extra stress for this amount?

What do you think a supervisor role should be paid above minimum wage these days? If you worked for a company while being paid minimum wage and we're offered a 'promotion' would you accept 29p extra an hour?

Serious responses only please. Before anyone says, I know these salaries are good.

I, 33M currently work for a large management consultancy as a mid level manager and my total comp is £90-100k. I like my work but hate my company. The targets are unrealistic, there is bully behaviour, massive favouritism and there’s no sign I will be promoted to the next grade anytime soon due to office politics. I also live an hour (door to door) from the London office and need to be in the office twice a week (sometimes more depending on client needs) and I pay around £60 per day I commute (including train, tube and parking at the station).

I have just been offered a role at a tech company/ solutions provider for the banking sector. It’s a similar mid-level manager role but the total compensation is £80-85k. The hiring manager highlighted reasonable targets and a big culture of work life balance (which has been reflected on Glassdoor). I will also only need to go into the office 2-3 times a month as opposed to twice a week. The title also “appears” more senior.

It’s a hard pill to swallow for my ego as I feel like I’m failing and regressing in what I worked hard for as a “high flying career” but has anyone undertaken a similar pay cut? Has it been worth it?

My dilemma is that I have kids (in nursery), mortgage and general cost of living. I don’t live a flashy lifestyle at all and still feel like I’m struggling some months, even with both me and my wife working. But my job sometimes feels like it drains me and has left me with a mild depression feeling over the past couple of months. I’ve tried to keep a brave face for the family but really unsure what to do.

Hello everyone,

I’m a 24 year old wheelchair user, and I have a disability called cerebral palsy. I’ve got my GCSEs and a BTEC Extended Diploma in Business & Law, but I haven’t managed to get into steady work yet.

I’m looking at HR as a route in to a career, and I’m considering doing the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice.

Here’s few things I’d really appreciate input on:

1. Does CIPD Level 3 actually carry weight with employers for entry-level HR roles (HR Assistant, HR Admin, etc.), or is it seen as “nice to have” rather than essential?

2. What else, realistically, do employers want to see alongside it — work experience, specific software skills, anything else?

3. Any advice on job hunting/applying as a disabled candidate in HR specifically — good employers, schemes worth knowing about (e.g. Disability Confident), or things to watch out for?

   ---

   4. Has anyone gone from BTEC Business to CIPD and actually landed a first HR role — how long did it realistically take?

Thank you in advance for any assistance/advice provided it is greatly appreciated.

I’m going to uni in 2 weeks to start my primary education with QTS degree. I just quit my full time TA job, and idk why I’m just starting to worry because I feel like I let a lot of comments go over my head but now I’m just thinking is this worth it? I’m 22, been working in a school so I do have experience in that environment and I do like it but I know it’s a huge step up from TA to teacher. A lot of people say that it’s too stressful, too much workload, or I see a lot of people leaving teaching on social media. I understand you have a passion for the job and it’s not something you’d choose lightly and I really love being a TA so initially for me this is the next step. Just want some honest advice or opinions from teachers, or maybe if you know a teacher. Is it as bad as people say it is?

It's only day one of September, but I can only hope.

I did about as much groundwork and preparation in August as you can (considering nearly everyone is away) and am just ready to go for it, I suppose.

I started a new job just less than 2.5 months ago, with 6 months probation. A couple of weeks ago I was sent a mid-probation assessment form which I filled in and have been waiting for my manager to fill as well and schedule a 1:1 to discuss, but it’s also annual appraisal month at the company so she hasn’t had time. Then today my line manager sent me the final probation assessment form to do with a comment that “they want to bring my probation forward. Nothing to worry about, it’s just something they sometimes do.”

It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to worry about it had she not said that! So, do I need to worry? Anyone else had their probation brought forward, and what does that mean? My logical brain is saying it’s fine, if they wanted rid of me they can do that at any point during probation anyway and there’s no need to trigger ending the probation, but then my panic brain thinks they’re going to bin me!

I’m good at my job, but bad at “corporate” so it’s entirely possible that my approach can rub people the wrong way, but I have really been trying to be a bit less… outspoken?

I am a January 2025 masters graduate. If I applied to graduate schemes for 2027 is it likely I will be considered? I have a few decent years of work experience but want to get into investment banking, particularly asset management, and thought this would be a good step.

Any tips for applications for JP Morgan, HSBC, Barclays etc?

How do you professionally say no to a business trip? I’ve been asked to do 2-day trip to Europe, but I’ve literally just got back from another work trip in Asia and I really don’t want to travel again so soon. On top of that, I genuinely don’t think I need to be there in person and could contribute just as effectively remotely. I’m happy to support the meetings virtually, but I also don’t want to come across as difficult or not being a team player. Has anyone pushed back on something like this before, and how did you phrase it?

Received a message that I made it to the second stage of the interview process and then was asked to record myself reading a paragraph? This has to be some AI training scam right?

EDIT: I was applying for a Digital Project Manager role and the company is called UrbanCGI. Like people have said below I’d stay away from this company

I’m due to start a new job soon and would be receiving a “subsistence allowance” along with “travel allowance”. Both of these would be “subject to tax and NI”.

How would these get taxed? For example if I were to receive a £25,000 PA subsistence allowance, £5000 PA travel allowance and £35,000 PA base salary then how would my total monthly pay be calculated?

Hello, I have an interview at a Barclays office on Thursday that involves competency questions during an individual based interview, and also a selection of group activities which is more casual from what I’ve gathered.

I feel pretty confident about the interview but I’m just looking for any advice from anyone who has been in the same position with Barclays? For reference, the position is a specialist customer care advisor.

Any feedback or advice would be appreciated, thanks!

Hi All,

I’m thinking about taking an undergraduate course either in Finance or Health. These are the only 2 areas that I genuinely have interest in. From the health side, I do not want to be a dr. as I (to put it plain and simple) have no desire to help people directly or see ill patients. I’d like to work behind the scenes, like lab work, research, epidemiology etc. Just sick people make me very uncomfortable and scared, I’d like to help from a different angle.

From the Finance side, I’m interested in FinTech, Investment & Analytics, Business Data Analytics etc.

I have always loved reading medical papers and research findings, I don’t find latin and scientific words and texts off putting, I fly through these papers, recently about colonoscopy biopsy samples. I’m also equally very interested in money making more money, stock market, investments and the money side of the world, banking etc.

Now reading statistics is one thing, real life and reality are completely different. Do you have any good advice if you work in one of these fields and would you mind sharing how hard/easy your journey was, biggest pros & cons and why would you do it or not do it? Also interested in employability once out of uni.

Please treat me like I’m 5 and explain or share even the silliest, most basic thing you think I’m missing.

Hi,

In all my years of interviewing, I have never received feedback quite like this. I can't help but wonder if there's a deeper meaning I'm missing, or if it's simply as straightforward as it sounds. I want to improve and not make the same mistake(s).

I had a vibe-check phone call, which was the first-stage interview, about two weeks ago. I felt it went really, really well, and I received positive verbal feedback from the recruiter. However, he told me I didn't get through because they didn't feel I was an ideal candidate for them, and that my needs wouldn't be met.

While I understand the recruiter was just the messenger, this comment has left me questioning the entire process, especially since I was reached-out, looked over the job spec and agreed to go ahead.

To give some context, my current role is quite dull, and anything I applied for would be considered as a massive improvement. I made it clear during the interview that I'm eager to take on more responsibility, adapt to different environments and take on more work. I also highlighted my past experience doing exactly that. Yet the feedback I received seems to suggest the opposite, that I wouldn't be suited or satisfied. I double-down saying that I am very eager and this new role would fill the gap to the interviewer and on top of that the interviewer expressed how different it would be compared to my current role. Well, that's what I am looking for! I expressed much interest in the role and said it's a great fit.

I'm struggling to reconcile what I said with what they heard. Did I say anything that would have given them negative thoughts? I sense it's to do with my need of progression, but like I expect that to be normal. Any clarity or outside perspective would be hugely appreciated so I can avoid making the same mistake.

I need some help deciding between 2 jobs.

I think i still want to be a barrister and I have finished everything and got my BPC. However that only lasts 5 years and I've lost a year so far.

I have just started last month a paralegal job in my town and field I am interested in however I am not enjoying it. It's very admin based and not much client focused. The probation is 3 months.

I have a police detective job lined up in march and unsure between the two.

Paralegal pays 26k, I can live at home, no progession, not enjoying but might help me become a barrister.

Police detective pays 32k , I have to move about 5 hours away, clear progression. Might not help me be a barrister.

Any help and questions are much appreciated.

I’m in my early 20s and potentially choosing between two permanent full-time opportunities in completely different areas. I’m curious what people with more career experience would do.

Job A is an account/operations coordination role.
It pays roughly €7–10k more, is predominantly remote and has a very good benefits package. The work involves coordinating accounts, keeping processes moving, dealing with issues, tracking progress and communicating between different internal teams.There’s also potential progression into things like account management, operations, customer success, service delivery or project-based roles.The major downside is that the working hours are later than a normal office job, so I’d sacrifice most of my weekday evenings.

Job B is an entry-level Recruitment Consultant position. It pays less initially but has normal office hours and a hybrid working arrangement. I’d be managing candidates through the recruitment process, interviewing/screening people, following up with them and getting them ready to start work. It’s also performance-based with individual/team targets.

This is where I’m struggling with the decision:
I’ve actually been thinking about getting into recruitment/HR for a while.
I enjoy talking to people and I think the relationship-building side would suit me. However, I don’t have an HR/recruitment degree or direct recruitment experience, and I’ve found that a lot of jobs in the area want previous experience. So part of me feels like being offered an opportunity to enter recruitment without already having that background is something I shouldn’t dismiss, because once I have experience I could potentially progress into senior recruitment, talent acquisition, HR-related roles etc.

On the other hand, Job A is objectively the stronger offer financially. It pays considerably more from day one, has better benefits and is more flexible. The operations/account-management route also seems to have plenty of progression, so I’m wondering whether I’m overvaluing recruitment simply because I’ve previously considered getting into it.

I’m not particularly attached to either job title. I’m mainly trying to make the decision that gives me the best combination of earning potential, career progression, job security and quality of life over the next 3–5 years.

If you were starting out in your career, would you:
A) take the significantly better-paying operations/account role and build a career from there
or
B) accept less money to get your foot in the door of recruitment/HR because it’s an area you’ve already been interested in?

I’d especially love to hear from anyone who’s worked in recruitment/HR or account management/operations. What does progression and earning potential actually look like a few years in?

not even a rejection email. just crickets 😭

Hi. Struggled to find a grad job but i got an offer for a Level 4 Apprenticeship at a good company. Does this matter? Will i be behind doing this? Thanks

I used to think general admin jobs would be my best bet as they're jobs that almost anyone can learn. Obviously they get about 500 applications on a bad day and I have no idea what else to apply for.

I'm in a bit of a dilemma and would love some help.

I recently accepted a full-time role (financial coaching/fintech space), signed the contract, and I'm mid-onboarding right now. Good pay, solid benefits, warm team, genuinely no complaints.

Then, I landed an interview for a role in a totally different industry, one that's actually much closer to where I want my long-term career to go, and something I'm genuinely passionate about, not just interested in on paper. It's still full-time, but the pay is noticeably lower, roughly £5-8k less. The field itself is where I actually want to end up eventually.

I haven't even had the interview yet, let alone an offer, so this is still hypothetical. But if it did turn into an offer, I'm torn between:

* Staying somewhere stable, well-paid, and full-time, but not in the space I actually want long-term
* Taking a real pay cut for a role that's a better long-term fit for the career I actually want

Also I can imagine the implications with leaving a role when you would be a month in.

I received a job offer that I interviewed through a recruiter with a 10% pay rise for a tech company owned by an Australian private equity firm.

I am in the process of having the final interviews for 2 jobs, one at the end of the week and another one at the end of next week, where I know the salaries are going to be higher and the career prospects will be better.

I do not like my current job, so I wanted to ask, would it be okay if I accept the offer and down the line if I get a better one turn it down?

Would there be any implications to me turning down the offer down the line? As the other 2 roles work with Private Equity companies I am worried that there may be negative repercussions.

I don't really care about ruining the relationship with the recruiter or the company itself, there are thousands of them out there anyway.