I have run numerous recruitment campaigns for positions in my team and whenever I see these stories, I always think part of the issue is quantity over quality. Many of the applications I see have obviously been done with AI and are quite generic. It is as if people use chatgpt to produce a cv and then just spam it to every position they find.
The people that do well are the ones that clearly have spent time tailoring their application to the job requirements and demonstrate some interest in the role. It’s better to spend a few hours doing fewer really well written applications than it is to be pumping out two applications a day like the person in this story.
PJBuzz on
>He graduated with a first-class postgraduate degree in computer science, specialising in machine learning, from the University of Exeter in 2024.
…
“I know that I’m an employable person – I speak four languages, I’m fluent in English and Portuguese, and I speak French and Spanish as well.”
This is all rather concerning.
When I was getting into the job market, this bloke probably would have been able to take his pick of employers…
I have no idea what I could possibly suggest to the fella as that is a huge amount of rejections, which probably suggests he has already expanded his acceptable scope, but if he hasn’t then I would suggest looking into markets which are adjacent to the one he is trained, but adopting AI technology. Take any role that might give you the opportunity to spearhead a program and show the skills you have, rather than going directly into a role that fits straight away.
I dunno though man, this is bleak.
dbxp on
A masters in software isn’t really highly valued, the people who I know who got one did so because they graduated into a recession so wanted another year living as a student. If he’s trying to get into real AI that starts at PhD level. Junior positions in software have always been hard to come by since they have a tendency to reduce the overall productivity of the team and as soon as they’re up to speed they get a job elsewhere.
restore_democracy on
In machine learning? I find that hard to believe unless there’s some impediment that’s gone unmentioned. There is enormous demand at the moment for smart people who can apply AI/ML to solve business problems.
811545b2-4ff7-4041 on
Ironically, i know firms that hire people doing machine learning **in Brazil** where he’s from – because it’s a cheap place to employ people and it’s a similar timezone to the USA.
Knowing his qualifications and languages spoken only gives a tiny part of the story about why he’s not found work.
Arseypoowank on
How does the guy interview though is the main question, not saying he’s not bright but I’ve worked with people with computer science degrees that made me genuinely question if they were actually present for any of the course, and we’ve interviewed people with computer science degrees who failed to answer even basic questions about networking concepts.
HeftyVermicelli7823 on
A Masters degree in computer science isn’t worth the paper it is written on and he has zero experience. I can guarantee he has tried to apply for high paying jobs which require other qualifications rather than leaving uni and like the rest of us did starting an entry level and working up.
Legitimate-Leg-4720 on
Damn, I thought that was the kind of degree that guarantees a well-paid graduate job.
SingleAlarm5028 on
What the heck can he actually do with his MSc that tens of thousands of kids with AI Coding Agents can do just as well, perhaps even better?
Wiiboy95 on
100% believe this. I have a PhD, 4 years data analysis experience and a year teaching at a top 40 university, and yet I haven’t gotten anything from over 300 applications. People always say “there must be something wrong with your CV” but anyone who’s ever looked at it has said there’s no issue. I do not know what else I can do at this point.
friendlyfernando on
Feel so bad for the current crop of grads. Coming out of university 10 years ago with just a bachelor’s things weren’t easy but managed to get a job without too much trouble. Seems so much worse now
RhubarbImmediate7007 on
I’ve got an advert out at the moment. Every applicant so far has a masters degree. Some have 2 or more.
Is it possible we’ve over sold education? I’m 44, dropped out of uni and built a reasonable career, had a total career change at 32 and reached a senior level. I struggle to progress as I don’t have a masters, but get away with “or experience at senior level”, but if a masters is now seen as standard, how can anyone get into an entry level role and actually get experience?
pishnyuk on
The degree is in machine learning, lol. So he can’t code – he can only jerk off while staring at loss function charts
FreeTheDimple on
I bet he could pick up some shifts at tesco. Just because he can’t find a job he wants, doesn’t mean a healthy young person should be claiming benefits.
I had the tesco job when I left uni. And 5 weeks later I started in a grad job.
Maybe he has 500 rejections because he’s the kind of person to claim benefits instead of working an honest job?
Dark_Akarin on
I’m seeing more and more people with IT/computer based degrees with no job. Honestly, i think it’s over saturation of people taking those courses across the world. The biggest issue is the majority of those people that are willing to work for cheap are in India. So, if you have a degree in computer science in the UK/America, you will not be given a job on the basis that India is cheaper.
Blame your government for letting companies just hire outside your country, they SHOULD be giving priority to their own people.
TheRealGouki on
If you want to get a job you got to network. It’s not what you know its who you know that’s the most important.
Confident_Quote_6782 on
While it may seem odd to people not in the field.
In AI we need 2 types of people: a) PhD and above for the hard work and b) high school education for the testing.
We really don’t have so many roles for people with a masters.
Unfortunately when it comes to many extremely technical and fast moving field a masters degree unfortunately isn’t that impressive or useful.
akathekam on
Or just get a full time job related to the master you are about to do.
eth0izzle on
There’s something missing here. On its own, there’s no way this guy with a masters in ML isn’t getting hired. What you studied is a small part of the overall picture. This guy is clearly unemployable for other reasons.
bloqed on
I can neither confirm nor deny that NHS job applications for tech adjacent roles *might be* absolutely filled to the brim with applicants from war-torn corners of Africa and South Asia, and they *might* not allowed to screen them out because it *might be* deemed racist. A ton of people who don’t necessarily live here (or use the loophole of ‘studying here’ by registering with an online degree mill with a PO box) claim the right to apply by playing the system. These applicants have got good at using all the tools available to check every single box in their mostly dishonest reading material, and will say absolutely anything in an interview too. Sure, there are some good ones there, but at what cost.
It deeply angers me these people are causing UK graduates to get pushed out of roles, because our own state institutions are absolutely addicted to cheap foreign labour
IdioticMutterings on
A friend of mine has a masters degree… In a subject nobody cares about.
It doesn’t stop him from applying from Executive Board level positions with zero job experience, and wondering why he keeps getting declined.
“But I have a masters!”
Yeah, they don’t care. They want someone with job experience. Start at the bottom.
Upstairs-War8556 on
You have a disconnect between reality and aspiration. Plus, it’s a seller’s market. Aim lower
El_Wij on
I’d love to see his CV.
What is his prior work experience?
Even 1 year in industry is going to give you a leg up, where did he do his course W/E?
What are his projects and how do they fit in with the direction of the companies he is applying for?
Expelleddux on
I’m suspicious of people that have sent more than 50 applications.
QUICKRICH93 on
No experience is the killer, University’s give out lots of degrees that not worth the Paper its written on. Sadly lots of degrees earned are not needed for the job you want, just got fooled into thinking its a must have.
TTNNBB2023 on
>The aspiring software engineer, who relocated to London from Brazil aged two
27 Comments
Poor guy made the classic error………
..
He wasn’t born rich!
I have run numerous recruitment campaigns for positions in my team and whenever I see these stories, I always think part of the issue is quantity over quality. Many of the applications I see have obviously been done with AI and are quite generic. It is as if people use chatgpt to produce a cv and then just spam it to every position they find.
The people that do well are the ones that clearly have spent time tailoring their application to the job requirements and demonstrate some interest in the role. It’s better to spend a few hours doing fewer really well written applications than it is to be pumping out two applications a day like the person in this story.
>He graduated with a first-class postgraduate degree in computer science, specialising in machine learning, from the University of Exeter in 2024.
…
“I know that I’m an employable person – I speak four languages, I’m fluent in English and Portuguese, and I speak French and Spanish as well.”
This is all rather concerning.
When I was getting into the job market, this bloke probably would have been able to take his pick of employers…
I have no idea what I could possibly suggest to the fella as that is a huge amount of rejections, which probably suggests he has already expanded his acceptable scope, but if he hasn’t then I would suggest looking into markets which are adjacent to the one he is trained, but adopting AI technology. Take any role that might give you the opportunity to spearhead a program and show the skills you have, rather than going directly into a role that fits straight away.
I dunno though man, this is bleak.
A masters in software isn’t really highly valued, the people who I know who got one did so because they graduated into a recession so wanted another year living as a student. If he’s trying to get into real AI that starts at PhD level. Junior positions in software have always been hard to come by since they have a tendency to reduce the overall productivity of the team and as soon as they’re up to speed they get a job elsewhere.
In machine learning? I find that hard to believe unless there’s some impediment that’s gone unmentioned. There is enormous demand at the moment for smart people who can apply AI/ML to solve business problems.
Ironically, i know firms that hire people doing machine learning **in Brazil** where he’s from – because it’s a cheap place to employ people and it’s a similar timezone to the USA.
Knowing his qualifications and languages spoken only gives a tiny part of the story about why he’s not found work.
How does the guy interview though is the main question, not saying he’s not bright but I’ve worked with people with computer science degrees that made me genuinely question if they were actually present for any of the course, and we’ve interviewed people with computer science degrees who failed to answer even basic questions about networking concepts.
A Masters degree in computer science isn’t worth the paper it is written on and he has zero experience. I can guarantee he has tried to apply for high paying jobs which require other qualifications rather than leaving uni and like the rest of us did starting an entry level and working up.
Damn, I thought that was the kind of degree that guarantees a well-paid graduate job.
What the heck can he actually do with his MSc that tens of thousands of kids with AI Coding Agents can do just as well, perhaps even better?
100% believe this. I have a PhD, 4 years data analysis experience and a year teaching at a top 40 university, and yet I haven’t gotten anything from over 300 applications. People always say “there must be something wrong with your CV” but anyone who’s ever looked at it has said there’s no issue. I do not know what else I can do at this point.
Feel so bad for the current crop of grads. Coming out of university 10 years ago with just a bachelor’s things weren’t easy but managed to get a job without too much trouble. Seems so much worse now
I’ve got an advert out at the moment. Every applicant so far has a masters degree. Some have 2 or more.
Is it possible we’ve over sold education? I’m 44, dropped out of uni and built a reasonable career, had a total career change at 32 and reached a senior level. I struggle to progress as I don’t have a masters, but get away with “or experience at senior level”, but if a masters is now seen as standard, how can anyone get into an entry level role and actually get experience?
The degree is in machine learning, lol. So he can’t code – he can only jerk off while staring at loss function charts
I bet he could pick up some shifts at tesco. Just because he can’t find a job he wants, doesn’t mean a healthy young person should be claiming benefits.
I had the tesco job when I left uni. And 5 weeks later I started in a grad job.
Maybe he has 500 rejections because he’s the kind of person to claim benefits instead of working an honest job?
I’m seeing more and more people with IT/computer based degrees with no job. Honestly, i think it’s over saturation of people taking those courses across the world. The biggest issue is the majority of those people that are willing to work for cheap are in India. So, if you have a degree in computer science in the UK/America, you will not be given a job on the basis that India is cheaper.
Blame your government for letting companies just hire outside your country, they SHOULD be giving priority to their own people.
If you want to get a job you got to network. It’s not what you know its who you know that’s the most important.
While it may seem odd to people not in the field.
In AI we need 2 types of people: a) PhD and above for the hard work and b) high school education for the testing.
We really don’t have so many roles for people with a masters.
Unfortunately when it comes to many extremely technical and fast moving field a masters degree unfortunately isn’t that impressive or useful.
Or just get a full time job related to the master you are about to do.
There’s something missing here. On its own, there’s no way this guy with a masters in ML isn’t getting hired. What you studied is a small part of the overall picture. This guy is clearly unemployable for other reasons.
I can neither confirm nor deny that NHS job applications for tech adjacent roles *might be* absolutely filled to the brim with applicants from war-torn corners of Africa and South Asia, and they *might* not allowed to screen them out because it *might be* deemed racist. A ton of people who don’t necessarily live here (or use the loophole of ‘studying here’ by registering with an online degree mill with a PO box) claim the right to apply by playing the system. These applicants have got good at using all the tools available to check every single box in their mostly dishonest reading material, and will say absolutely anything in an interview too. Sure, there are some good ones there, but at what cost.
It deeply angers me these people are causing UK graduates to get pushed out of roles, because our own state institutions are absolutely addicted to cheap foreign labour
A friend of mine has a masters degree… In a subject nobody cares about.
It doesn’t stop him from applying from Executive Board level positions with zero job experience, and wondering why he keeps getting declined.
“But I have a masters!”
Yeah, they don’t care. They want someone with job experience. Start at the bottom.
You have a disconnect between reality and aspiration. Plus, it’s a seller’s market. Aim lower
I’d love to see his CV.
What is his prior work experience?
Even 1 year in industry is going to give you a leg up, where did he do his course W/E?
What are his projects and how do they fit in with the direction of the companies he is applying for?
I’m suspicious of people that have sent more than 50 applications.
No experience is the killer, University’s give out lots of degrees that not worth the Paper its written on. Sadly lots of degrees earned are not needed for the job you want, just got fooled into thinking its a must have.
>The aspiring software engineer, who relocated to London from Brazil aged two
What awful writing.