No job after graduation? What to do next

Not having a job after graduating is common, and it does not mean you have failed. Of the students who finished UK degrees and other higher education courses in 2023/24, 87% were working or studying 15 months later and 7% were unemployed, according to official figures published in June 2026. Graduate schemes recruit a year ahead and competition is at a record high, so many people are still looking months after graduation. The most useful next steps are to work out where your applications are stalling, widen where you look, use the free careers help you still have, and look after your skills, money and wellbeing while you search.

Is it normal to not have a job after graduating?#

Yes. The official Graduate Outcomes survey, run by HESA, asks graduates what they are doing about 15 months after they finish. For those who finished in 2023/24, the results published on 4 June 2026 showed that:

• 87% were working or in further study
• 57% were in full-time employment and 5% were in full-time further study
• 7% were unemployed
• 76% of UK graduates felt that what they were doing fitted with their future plans

Most graduates do find work, but not always quickly, and not always straight into the job they wanted. If you are still looking, you are in good company.

Why can’t I find a job after university?#

Timing and competition explain a lot of it, and neither is a verdict on you.

• Timing. The big graduate schemes recruit about a year ahead. Prospects says applications for many 2027 schemes open between September and December 2026 and usually close at the end of the year or in early January, with some closing early once they fill. If you were concentrating on your degree last autumn, it was easy to miss that window. The next one is open now.
• Competition. Employers surveyed by the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) received an average of 140 applications per graduate vacancy in 2025, the highest since it began collecting the data in 1991. The ISE links these high volumes partly to candidates applying more widely and deciding later whether they want the job, and to AI tools making CVs and cover letters quicker to produce.
• Fewer graduate adverts. Indeed Hiring Lab found that, as of 10 July 2026, UK job postings on Indeed with “graduate” in the title were down around 7% on a year earlier, the lowest for that time of year since 2020, as employers pulled back on junior hiring.

You cannot control any of this. You can control where you apply, how closely each application matches the job, and how you use your time while you look.

What should you do if you have no job after graduating?#

A calm, step-by-step plan:

1. Take a few days to reset. A short break after finals and a long search is not a setback.
2. Look back at what you have applied for. List every application from the past year and how far it got. Patterns tell you more than any single rejection.
3. Find where you are getting stuck, using the table below, and fix that stage first.
4. Book a careers appointment. Your university careers service is probably still open to you (see below).
5. Widen your search. Look at smaller employers, jobs without “graduate” in the title, graduate internships and apprenticeships, as well as 2027 graduate schemes. Prospects notes that many schemes are open to anyone with a degree, though some only take recent graduates. Our guide to getting a graduate job with no experience covers where these jobs are advertised and how to build your evidence.
6. Set a weekly routine and track it. For example: a few tailored applications, two speculative approaches to smaller employers, one conversation with someone doing a job you would like, and some time on one skill.
7. Review every four weeks and change what is not working.

What free careers help can you get after graduating?#

Your university careers service. Many keep supporting graduates for two or three years. For example:

• The University of Manchester supports its graduates, usually for two years after they finish, with appointments, events, application help and its CareerConnect jobs board. Its Manchester Graduate Talent scheme offers paid, graduate-level roles in Greater Manchester for its 2025 and 2026 graduates.
• The University of Bristol gives graduates access to its careers service for up to three years after they finish, wherever they are in the world. Its BristolGrad package adds extra support for UK-home graduates who completed an undergraduate degree at Bristol in the past 12 months.

Search your own university’s website for careers support for graduates or alumni, or email the careers service. The rules vary, so it is always worth asking.

Your public careers service. In England, from 1 October 2026, adults can speak to a careers adviser through the Department for Work and Pensions’ new Jobs and Careers Service, which takes over the National Careers Service’s adviser support. The National Careers Service website carries on under a new name, “Get careers information and advice”, with job profiles and free tools. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the equivalent services are My World of Work, Careers Wales and the Careers Service on nidirect.

Your jobcentre. If you claim Universal Credit and are aged 16 to 24, GOV.UK explains the extra support available through the Youth Guarantee, including work coaches, Youth Hubs, short work experience placements and help with CVs and interviews.

How can you keep your skills and momentum up?#

• Temporary or part-time work. A job outside your field still gives you income, routine, a recent reference and fresh examples for applications. Keep a few hours a week for your search.
• Volunteering. Choose something regular that builds a skill you need, such as running a charity’s social media, organising events or keeping its records. GOV.UK lists websites where you can find volunteering roles. If you claim benefits, check the rules on volunteering first.
• Free learning. Pick one skill that keeps coming up in the adverts you want, such as Excel, writing, a design tool or a programming language, and learn it through free online courses. Then use it on a small project you can show an employer.
• Skills Bootcamps. In England, Skills Bootcamps are government-funded courses of up to 16 weeks, designed with employers, in areas such as digital skills, construction and HGV driving. GOV.UK says eligible participants are offered a job interview when they finish. They are funded through local areas, so what is available depends on where you live.

What money support is there?#

This section points you to official information. It is not financial advice.

• Universal Credit. If you are out of work or on a low income, check whether you can claim on GOV.UK.
• Council Tax Reduction. If you pay council tax and your income is low, you may be able to get Council Tax Reduction from your local council.
• Student loan repayments. What you repay depends on your income. GOV.UK explains how repayments work, including when you earn below the threshold.

For questions about your own situation, contact your local jobcentre or council.

How do you look after yourself while job hunting?#

A long search with lots of rejections is hard, and it is normal for it to affect your mood and confidence. Keeping a routine, setting a limit on how many hours a day you spend on applications, and staying in touch with friends can all help. So can support from people who understand:

• Student Minds has practical articles for graduates, including on not having a graduate job yet and managing the end of your time at university.
• Mind has information and support on mental health, including money and mental health.
• In England, if you are 18 or over, you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression.

If you need help urgently, the NHS advises using 111 online or calling 111 and choosing the mental health option. You can also call Samaritans on 116 123. If someone’s life is at risk, call 999.

A note for parents#

If your son or daughter has graduated without a job, the most helpful things are usually practical and low-key: help them keep a routine, talk through their options, encourage them to use the free careers support they still have, and let them lead their own applications. Our guides to the 2026 graduate job market and how to help your graduate find a job go into more detail.