Struggling to land a grad/junior tech role in the UK. what should I be doing differently?
Hi all, I’d really appreciate some honest advice.
I graduated with a First in Computer Science from a lower-ranked UK university. I didn’t manage to secure a grad role at the time, so I went on to do an MSc in Advanced Computer Science at a top 10 UK university as I got offered a partial scholarship. I’m currently on track for a Merit/Distinction and finishing this December.I’ve been applying consistently for grad schemes and junior roles. I am getting more interviews than before, but I haven’t been able to convert any into offers yet.At this point I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong or what I should change.
A few things I’m unsure about:
Should I focus less on grad schemes and more on junior/entry-level roles? Is it worth messaging people on LinkedIn (recruiters, hiring managers), or does that not really help?How important are personal projects at this stage vs just applying more?Is my MSc actually helping much in the eyes of employers, or is experience still everything?
Also, worst case scenario if I graduate with no offers:
Should I take any job (even unrelated/part-time) while continuing to apply?Or should I double down on projects/skills and treat job hunting like a full-time role?
For context, I’m open to relocating anywhere in England and I’m mainly aiming for software engineering / AI / data-related roles.I’m just trying to maximise my chances of landing something at this point.Any advice from people who’ve been in a similar position (especially in the UK market) would mean a lot 🙏