Read our latest blog written by our Communications Intern, Hannah Butler.

There won’t be many people across the world who haven’t been affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic.

And for those of us in the employment world, job security (and lack of…) has had damaging consequences with rising unemployment rates reported daily. But what about those who haven’t started their career yet? How has the pandemic affected all those eager and bright-eyed students just a few months away from being released into the real world?

Being a student myself, I’ve been experiencing this first-hand, through my own struggles and watching my friends reach similar obstacles. Getting those all-important ‘cv-filler’ opportunities has been harder than ever, and the already unrealistic ‘at least 2 years of experience in this sector’ requirement of many graduate jobs has become impossible.

Volunteering duties suspended and Summer placements cancelled, I have found myself submitting applications for graduate jobs with an embarrassingly blank ‘experience’ section.

This is why it’s more important than ever that companies remain open-minded and do their best to facilitate the next generation of applicants, trusting that what they lack in experience, they will make up for in determination.

I experienced this exact mindset when I reached out to MK PR in November of last year; a final year History student with little idea about what I wanted to do in life other than make use of my creativity and passion for writing (PR seemed like a good fit), desperately trying to find some way to get my foot in the door (any door!), any way I could.

A few months on, starting my Internship with MK during a lockdown seems only fitting.

Joining the rest of the country working from home has certainly got me thinking about the future of the ordinary working week. Polls and discussions on LinkedIn seem to be indicative of a future where people will stay out of the office, making use of technological adaptations and working in the comfort of their own home.

But again, this leaves questions for those starting a new career. Will the next generation of workers start and maintain a career from home, forming relationships with colleagues over Zoom?

The only certainty is that we won’t know the answers to these questions for a while yet. In the meantime, if you’re a student or graduate, anxious about the future, or uncertain about what you want to do, the best piece of advice I can offer is to reach out to companies, use any connections, and be persistent!

Modern and receptive companies like MK are always looking for ways to evolve and better themselves. All you need to do is make yourself known.