Three-quarters of young people fear they’ll never get the right job

Emma Finamore
Last updated 24 Sep 2018

80% worry that other candidates have better CVs and experience than they do, and achieving the average UK salary is seen as unattainable.

Three-quarters of people aged 16 to 25 are unconvinced they’ll ever be able to get a job they love, while eight in 10 fear they are going up against candidates with better CVs and experience when applying for roles.

Research carried out in the UK by volunteering charity vInspired also found one in 10 young people don’t think they’ll ever be able to go to university.

The research aimed to explore what achievements young people felt were open to them. As well as showing a largely negative outlook when it comes to jobs and careers, 40% of respondents also think owning a house would be completely unattainable.

Being debt free, being able to cope without relying on parents for financial support, and earning more than the average British salary of £26,500 are all also seen as unachievable.

Jessica Taplin, CEO of vInspired, said: “The results highlight the pressures young people face today. Access to the job market, uncertain financial futures and mental health issues are all problems we see young people come up against first-hand.

“However, we believe that there are other ways young people can gain valuable experience and make them more employable despite some challenging economic circumstances.”

When it comes to securing their ideal job, seven in 10 young people this competition is so intense they would need completely new qualifications in order to stand any chance at all of success.

According to the research, the 10 achievements respondents felt were most difficult to achieve were:

Travelling the world

Owning a house/getting on the property ladder

Earning more than the average British salary (£26,500)

Being debt free

Reaching the top of your career ladder

Getting a job you love

Not having to borrow additional funds to get by

Not having to depend on other people such as parents for financial support

Having the opportunity to gain experience in pursuit of your dream job

Moving to a major city such as London or Manchester

"The results highlight the pressures young people face today. Access to the job market, uncertain financial futures and mental health issues are all problems we see young people come up against first-hand."