Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello, please can anyone help? I am Mum of autistic daughter who is applying for jobs two years after university. In the 2 years she has been doing no work. I think it took this long to think about this as she was burnt out after university. She has in last 6 months been receiving universal credit. She is trying to applying for nhs jobs but doesn't have a reference for last two years as been at home not working. Also has no interaction with wider world, just friends and her parents. Any suggestions or ways of getting support. Thank you
She can get a reference from university, although they may be less inclined to do it after 4 or 5 years, but I'd say 2 years was still recent enough that someone in her main department can at least attest to attendance and quality of work etc. She can also get a reference from GP or health professional. If she gets one of those, then the other reference can be a personal one - a neighbour whose shopping she does, a friend's cousin she babysits for... anything really.
From experience working in NHS, the best way in would be to volunteer with the NHS in a role she is comfortable with. This happens a lot for non-medical roles. Bonus, the person you are volunteering with will write you a reference.
For some people, their first job is made from personal contact (not networking, but people you know already). Ask around your own family, and see if they have any part time roles or opportunities for work shadowing to help her work out what environment would help her contribute her skills.Office work doesn't suit everyone, neither does working outdoors...
I have to admit, I never thought there was any option to do anything other than work after uni, and though I struggled to get a job, I talked my department to keep me on a couple of hours a week as a tutor while I travelled up and down the UK going to graduate recruitment events and interviews, filling in application forms and trying not to get too depressed with every rejection. Also be willing to take a 'non-graduate' job to get started. What you commit to in your first role won't be what you do when you retire, so it's part of the growing up process to realise when it's time to leave a job too (I know that's not what you asked, but there is one school of thought that, as soon as you get a job you ought to be planning where you are going next, or what you want to learn next). A lot of recruitment at the start of careers is about having the right attitude, rather than the skills you can offer, as most places will train you the way they want you to work. In my experience.
What does she need support with?