The Best Podcasts for grads and twenty-somethings

 

I really fell in love with podcasts in Lockdown 1.0... I'd go on my lil daily allowed walk and pop one on and it was a fab escape from the world. Here are some of the best podcasts I've discovered that are brilliant for my fellow grads and twenty-somethings. They cover everything from delivering the lols, career advice, mental health and general life topics. 

Adulting with Oenone

"The podcast that's trying to figure out all of the things that we never got taught in school."

Suggested episodes: '#97 Selfishness, Communication & Taxes with Michelle Elman', 'Living Better with Alistair Campbell', and '#58 When Will We Be 'Successful'? with Louise Troen'.

How to Fail with Elizabeth Day 

"How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better."

Suggested episodes: Any! Everyone talks so openly and shares great advice. 

Things You Can’t Ask Yer Mum 

"Welcome to Things You Can't Ask Yer Mum. On this podcast we chat through some of those topics that you just can't ask your mum. There will be both tears and laughter as we answer questions from our followers and chat through our experiences of relationships, breakups, grief and friendships."

Suggested episodes: 'Comparison and working on yourself', 'Navigating Friendships', and 'S2 Ep 7 Money'. 

Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast 

"This practical and relaxed series explores everything from what anxiety is and why it happens to us, how our brains work and why it's actually very normal to the various tools and techniques necessary for owning it. Author Caroline Foran shares her story, along with some expert input, in an attempt to help you show your anxiety who's boss. Most importantly, this is a series that tackles the reality of anxiety from a refreshing and relatable perspective."

Suggested episodes: 'Owning It: Dissolving your career anxiety', 'Owning It: The power of decision making for anxiety', and 'Owning It: How to approach financial anxiety'. 

Life Hacks - Careers Toolkit 

"Vick Hope and Katie Thistleton bring you reassuring advice and guidance to help you navigate options for your career. They're joined by experts to help deal with your careers concerns; from first impressions to side hustles, job interviews to CVs."

Suggested episodes: 'What can I learn from work experience?', 'How can I impress when I start a new job?', and 'How can I ace my job interview?'

Good Influence with Gemma Styles 

"In each informative episode we meet a different guest, who’ll help us pay attention to something we should know about, but maybe don’t. Through relaxed, honest and relatable conversations, we learn together what these good influence guests have to teach us on topics from mental health to media representation, confidence to climate."

Suggested episodes: 'Dr Soph on managing emotions',  and 'Lucy Sheridan on Comparison'. 

Squiggly Careers

"Want to have a happy career and love your job but not sure where to start? The Amazing If podcast brings you practical, action focused advice on how to take control of your career and make better choices about your future. Full of tips, tools and techniques that you can put into practice straight away."

Suggested episodes: 'A Fear Of Being Found Out', 'A Fear Of Not Knowing Enough', 'A Fear of Being Too Young',  'A Fear of Failing' and '#170 Exploring and applying for a new job'. 

The Last 3 Digits 

"A weekly Podcast from Nego True, Bola Sol and Disunomics talking money & everything in between."

Suggested episodes: 'Is Financial Jealousy a thing?', 'Paying rent to parents, Rental or home or Rolex?! and online buying', and 'Can MONEY buy HAPPINESS?'

The Cut 

"The Cut is a weekly audio magazine exploring culture, style, sex, politics and more. Each week, an ensemble of voices, led by host Avery Trufelman, engages in the conversations that matter most in our current moment. Intimate, provocative, and probing, the Cut aims to ask questions before listeners even know they have them, always with a generous wit and an expansive idea of what is possible."

Suggested episodes: 'Would You Move Back Home? Could You?', 'You're Hired', 'You Should Probably Quit', 

My Dad Wrote a Porno 

"Imagine if your Dad wrote a dirty book. Most people would try to ignore it and pretend it had never happened - but not Jamie Morton. Instead, he's decided to read it to the world in this award-winning comedy podcast. With the help of his friends, James Cooper and BBC Radio 1's Alice Levine, Jamie reads a chapter a week and discovers more about his father than he ever bargained for." 

Suggested episodes: All of them, they are HILARIOUS 

Help! Handling job interview anxiety

Job interviews at the best of times are nerve-wracking experiences, everyone will experience anxiety to some degree - that’s totally normal. Of course, this can be amplified if you struggle with your anxiety on a day-to-day basis! 

I have always hated job interviews, I remember my very first interview for a sales assistant position at 16, god, I was so nervous, I didn’t eat for 24 hours. Safe to say, I absolutely flunked it, and got the call the same day to tell me I had been unsuccessful (brutal). I vowed to never go to a job interview again, feeling totally ashamed I couldn’t answer their question of, ‘where in the store is best to display our new handheld fan collection, and should we put the batteries next to the display or away?’ 

But of course, you can’t avoid job interviews, unfortunately, you just have to learn how to handle them!

Until I was 22, most of my job interviews were for part-time roles in stores or cafes, my first big interview was for an Educational Support Assistant role at a local sixth form college. Getting that interview was definitely a ‘right place at the right time’ sort of situation, after inquiring about work experience and being told they had a vacancy if I was interested. I’d gone in to speak, unofficially, with the SENCo of the college to ask more about the role, and knew straight away that I definitely wanted to apply. She pretty much told me on that day that she’d be up for hiring me, but we had to go through the official route of applying/interviewing, ‘there will only be 3 people on the interview panel!’ yeah, 3 people too many to my anxious brain! I really thought I would have gotten away with not having an interview, after explaining how I often struggled with anxiety, she was incredibly understanding and reassured me that she would be there, and she’d fight my corner. 

Going into that interview, yes I was nervous, but also felt some comfort knowing that I’d already impressed ⅓ of the panel, and just had to do the same with the others. The whole interview, I could feel my throat closing in, I was shaking, but I got through it and I received a call the same day to say I had been successful RESULT! I worked there from 2018 to the start of this year. 

The last time I had an interview was for my current role at a university. I hadn’t been sure at the time whether I wanted to attend, because I loved the job that I was in - I had been applying at a time where I was interested to see what other opportunities were out there with my experience, not expecting any results. Anyway, I received an invite to attend an interview, and at that point, I wanted nothing more than to avoid the whole situation and stay in the comfort of my familiar role. I was so close to saying no, feeling sick at the prospect of having to go and sit opposite a panel of people asking me questions I might not be able to answer (*flashbacks to the handheld fan*). But, I figured, my anxiety and clear desire to steer clear of interviews was just definite proof I needed more experience. And plus, I was interested in hearing more about the role I had applied for. 

I spent the time before my interviewing researching the role, pulling apart the job description to write about how my current experiences and skills matched up to the job role, and I tried to imagine the sort of questions they would ask me. As you expect, the usual suspects ‘tell me about a time you have successfully handled conflict’, ‘what are your strengths/weaknesses’? As had happened in my very first interview, I didn’t eat anything the day before - god bless physical symptoms of anxiety, and couldn’t face any sort of food/drink the morning of. I had planned my route, I would drive to work, park up, spend an hour in work answering emails, meeting students, and then walk across for my interview.

I spent that morning at work crying in the toilets for pure fear of going to the interview, for fear of being offered the job, and needing to decide what to do. I remember my colleagues having to hype me up to leave, reminding me how I would smash it and that they were proud of me. I spent the walk to the interview trying to hype myself up. It failed miserably, as I sat directly outside the building I was supposed to interview in having a HUGE panic attack. Despite the fact I was incredibly embarrassed to be having this experience in public, worrying the people interviewing me would see me, I was paralysed by anxiety and couldn’t move. At that point, I wanted to admit defeat, I couldn’t go in. 

I sat there for about 5 minutes, trying to calm myself down. And perhaps the strongest inside voice I had ever heard, appeared out of nowhere and said ‘Nope, you’re not doing this to me anymore. You’re not winning’. And just like that, I stood up, wiped my tears, hoped my make-up hadn’t smudged too much, took a deep breath, and walked into the building. I had NEVER felt that strong and determined, and there was no fight back from my anxious voice, it was like I had taken it by surprise! To this day, I can’t believe how quickly I was able to pick myself up.

As soon as the interview began, my anxiety began to dissipate, it didn’t disappear completely and there were times where I couldn’t answer a question and I wanted the ground to swallow me, but I survived. And all the while I couldn’t believe my strength. I felt like saying to the panel, I was a broken mess outside just 2 minutes ago, and look at me go!!! As I’ve already made clear, I did get the role! And to this day, I am immensely proud of myself, because I could so easily have left that day and missed out on this opportunity. 

SO after all this - what tips do I have for handling your anxiety in a job interview?

- Prepare, not just the night before! Sit with the job description, try to apply your experience and skills to explain why you could meet the expectations/specification. 

- Know where your interview is taking place, sort out your route ahead of time, and give yourself plenty of time, you don’t want to be rushing!

- Before going into the interview, take deep breaths.

- Avoid caffeine before your interview, if you already struggle with interview nerves, adding caffeine will amplify all the physical symptoms and can make it difficult for you to relax

- Research the company, if they ask you why you want to work for them - can you highlight parts of the company values which match with yours? 

- It’s okay to not understand a question, ask if they can rephrase. If you still don’t understand what they mean when they’re asking where they should place the handheld fans, hold your hands-up, admit defeat, and explain you are unable to answer. You could say: ‘I’m really sorry, I am unable to answer that question right now, am I able to come back to this at the end of the interview?’ This can buy you some time to think, or you could say ‘I’m sorry, I am unable to provide you an answer to that question’. You’re only human, not everyone has the answer to everything, we’re not Alexa.

- If you know you fidget a lot, try and take something with you to make it less obvious you are fidgeting, wear a ring that you can play with under the table, or find something discrete to take with you to channel that fidgeting. 

- Maintain eye contact, as scary as it seems - don’t look at the table.

- If they offer you water, take it - if you feel your throat drying up, or you feel yourself becoming particularly anxious, take a sip. 

- It’s okay if you don’t have any questions when they ask, but I would always try and have some banked… Perhaps you could ask what a typical day is like in the office, what they enjoy about working for the company? What sort of opportunities for progression are available? If you’re really at a blank, explain you don’t have any questions at that time, but you would be able to email anything to the relevant people should anything come up. 

- Treat any job interview - no matter how much you want the role - as purely experience, the more pressure you put on yourself to succeed, the more your interview will come across staged and intense, try and relax, of course, you’re aiming for the best outcome, but don’t pressure yourself.

After the interview, take some time to recollect. Don’t be diving straight into any taxing tasks. Reward yourself in some way, remind yourself how proud you are of yourself! Whilst you’re waiting for your result, try not to overthink it. If you get the job - celebrate!! If you are unsuccessful, don’t be too hard on yourself, you did amazing even going to the interview!

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Postgraduate education: is it worth it...What do postgraduates say?

I don't feel ready to leave uni yet… do you think it would be a good idea to stay in education until I decide on what I want to do?

1) Personally, I do feel as though I stayed on with postgraduate education because I wasn't ready for the 'real world'... But I think that it hasn't really done me any problems, as I was able to work alongside completing my MSc. I don't see it as an issue, but only if you use that time wisely. Plan for what you're going to do after your postgrad, try and find work experience, use the careers service, because it will be over before you know it!

2) No, university is expensive, if you could get it funded and defer for a year that would be great. You could then spend a year in a job, volunteering, etc. And figure out what you actually want to do. If you just stay in uni, you'll not grow, you'll not suddenly figure out what you want to do, because you're only getting exposed to that course, to that course setting. Get out there, get a 'crap' job, travel, see friends, make connections with other people not just students and uni staff.

3) Hmm, it may be a good idea to stay on, but having experience in different places and opportunities may help you decide and then your further studies will be more fruitful.

I don’t really like my undergraduate degree - can I choose a different postgraduate degree?

1) Yes! I think certain courses and universities will require different entry requirements, but I do think it's possible to specialise in an area completely away from your undergraduate degree. You may be able to take a conversion course etc., but as far as I'm aware, you can apply for most postgrad degrees coming from a different undergrad.

2) Yes, if you've decided that it's not for you why would you want to spend 3 years doing something to then have to spend 3 years correcting it. Leave, figure out what you want to do and come back if that's the way forward for you

3) Do you know what it is you don’t like? Is it the subject, the teaching, the other students or what? Of course, you can stop onto something else at postgraduate level, or do another first degree or even diploma to widen your field.

Is a post-graduate degree harder than an undergraduate degree?

1) I think the independent aspect of it, yes. I did a research masters so it all felt totally different to the constant support I received at my undergraduate. And despite the fact I'd only started my MSc in the September after graduation, I found it a LOT harder when it came to writing my thesis, to write in that academic style that had previously come so easy for me. Once I got back into the swing of it, it was absolutely fine, but yeah, you do need to prepare for the increased independent work.

2) I definitely think it is- much more isolating than an undergraduate degree - especially if it's your own research

3) Masters, no. Its usually the same layout as an undergrad and its familiarly comforting, the work can be slightly harder, but that expected, but the experience isn't much different. PhD however is lonely, its an entirely new setting, you're in charge of yourself to a degree you haven't been previously, it's hard to keep yourself motivated and because there isn't really actual hand in dates is sometimes feels like you're behind all the time, the work is definitely harder but the context sometimes is harder than imagined

4) Yes and no. You are more your own boss in postgrad studies, so that might suit you.

What can I expect in terms of tutor support whilst I’m doing a postgraduate degree?

1) The support is definitely less intense as an undergraduate degree - especially for me, doing a research MSc and moving away from campus. You normally have a monthly meet-up with your thesis supervisors, and they will give you a list of things to do before your next meeting. Living away from campus, and working full-time, it was harder for me to access that support from my supervisor, but emails and phone calls are always an option. I think you're expected to be more independent when it comes to postgrad, but your supervisor will always be there for support with write-up and data collection, etc.,

2) Again, masters is pretty similar to undergrad. PhD is a whole new realm, make sure you have a good relationship with your supervisor, you get an hour a month and a lot of the time it feels like that isn't enough to cover the work, nevermind any of the common mental health issues associated with doing the PhD. 

3) I’ve had really good support, but in the past poor support from tutors, so it depends where you go to study, and what the tutors interests are. Plus your willingness to ask for help.

Can a postgraduate degree give me a better chance of entering into my field of interest after I graduate?

1) I think so, yes. Especially if you use the time to network, through postgraduate conferences, and events held at your university. It becomes a more level playing field when you get to postgrad, and there's less of a gap between yourselves and your supervisors/lecturers. Utilise any connection you can make, apply for conferences, write for academic journals (websites like the Conversation and Wonkhe), and gain as much relevant experience as you can during that time.

2) No and yes, it really depends on what job you want after. They always come in handy, so I'd say go for it but you also need to make sure you try to get experience in your field, volunteer, get a lower position, show up and make connections if you're in a highly competitive area. Maybe do a gap year to get it

My uni has offered me funding to do a postgraduate degree, but I don’t really want to - shall I just do it to not waste the funding?

1) It is amazing when your university offers you funding, as it happened with me. However, make sure you think it through. Yes, it's a great opportunity, and you may feel pressured not to waste that chance, but there's really no point in you putting yourself through more intense years of study if you don't even want to do it! Weigh it up, would a postgrad propel you further to where you want to be, or hold you back?

2) I would take any opportunity you can - if you're passionate about your research, there should be no question about it

3) Defer the position. You can usually do it for 2 years, get out there get a job, be normal for a bit and it's there waiting for you while you decide. I got funding for my PhD and jumped in as I didn't want to lose such a good opportunity, it went horrendously wrong, I didn't like the subject I was given, the supervisor was awful, and it was just a mess. I quit and deferred my place for 2 years and came back with a new passion restored in an area I'd never thought about before and its so much better this time round. Use the offer as a safety net, keep it on pause while you do something else, you never know 2 years later you might want it, and if you don't that's OK too, but at least you've had time to think so you're not being rushed into a decision you're not sure of. 

4) Who would you be doing it for? And why? You’d waste the money and your time if you did it.

Would I be able to work alongside doing a postgraduate degree?

1) I did, but it wasn't really great for my mental health, especially because I was working full-time in quite a demanding job, and writing up my thesis. I think only you can decide on that, really. You know your financial situation/your ability to balance commitments. I wouldn't, however, recommend working full-time, as it really did cause me a lot of stress and anxiety.

2) Yes for both masters and PhD. It would suck if you had to work full time, you won't have much of a life... And while doing the PhD that is something you shouldn't compromise, master you have your class and your mates, the PhD is lonelier. I had to drop a shift at work to be able to have time that was for me 35 hours at uni and 37 at work was slowly killing me, I did it for a year but then I noticed my mental health was... Well crap. So I dropped a shift and it's been much better, I can see family and friends and not miss out on theirs and my own life events because I can balance things a bit better. 28 hours or less I feel is doable, but it's what you feel you can do...and try to be realistic when planning it... My 4 days at work and 3 15 hour days at uni is doable for me so I have my 1 day and the evenings or morning before and after work to myself. But it does depend on you and your circumstances, and what you're willing to compromise on. 

What piece of advice would you give to someone who has decided to take on postgraduate study?

1) Prepare! Don't get out of the habit of writing academically, especially if you're going to be doing a research degree where you only have one piece of work rather than continual assignments. The end result will always be worth it, even if it's feeling hard. A postgrad degree is a great way of researching something of interest to you, and it is incredibly satisfying to watch it all come together. Enjoy it, there's a lot more freedom involved, which does mean a lot more discipline to be in place. Just keep going, 25,000 or 80,000 words seems like a huge mountain to tackle at first compared to your undergrad, so organisation and time-management is key. Don't put things off, a year or three feels like a LONG time, but before you know it, your deadline is staring you in the face

2) Time management, and ensuring you take time to yourself when needed.

3) Keep checking in with yourself, your mental health is important. Make sure you know your "why" going in, when you feel like you can't do it anymore and it's not worth it, go back to it. Remember, changing your mind isn't failing, it's knowing yourself and where you don't want to be, even if you don't know where you're going. Make sure you research your supervisors well, you've got 3 years working with these people, make sure you trust them enough with your life not just your uni life, things happen and you may need to to discuss upsetting things with them (you don't have to like them, but you need to know they're professional and understand that you're not doing it in a bubble). Enjoy it while you can, there are more moments of boredom and stress, remember the good bits. 3 years, seems ages... Its not... Know how you thought that song came out last year and its been 5, that's the PhD, stay on top of it. Plan, plan, plan, and not just your schedule for work and uni, put in time where you can just sit, go for a walk, exercise, see friends. It's very easy to trap yourself in a weird vortex of assignments and work, carve out that time its just as important... Also, go outside.

4) Go for it and enjoy it. Make the most of your time, engage with what might be going on.

Meet: Holly - Nursing Science graduate (BSc)

We spoke with Holly, a graduate of Nursing Science about her experience of leaving education behind. And whilst most graduates make the move from England to Australia, Holly did the opposite, moving over to not so sunny England earlier in this year. We asked her some questions about preparing for graduation, making the transition, and moving across the world and working in her desired career!

What degree did you do and when did you graduate?

Bachelor of Nursing Science, graduating end of 2016. I was rather stoked it was just a three-year course!

What was it like coming up to graduating, what was on your mind?

The excitement of graduating and stepping out of being a poor uni student but then also utter panic at not getting a job or getting stuck in a job I hated.

How were you preparing to graduate - did you have a plan for your next steps?

I did a few things. Firstly, I had my main dream of where I wanted to work. I did a placement at this hospital and on my last day baked an extravagant chocolate cake to try to win them over. I may as well have written in white chocolate icing "hire me!!!" Secondly, I had numerous other jobs I applied for as backups. Lastly, in the fear of not getting a job, I tried to give myself a backup option of perhaps being an au pair for 6 months before trying my luck again in getting a job.

What has been the most exciting part of leaving university and education behind?

In all honestly: $$$$$$ haha. In uni whenever I'd go out for a meal I would always look at what was the cheapest option on the menu. I had this nice realisation after starting work that I didn't HAVE to always get the cheapest option but I could get whatever I was craving! Also, another exciting part was no longer having the uni guilts of where you would constantly feel guilty for doing anything other than study. Those were the worst!

What has been the least exciting/challenging part of being outside of education?

Probably realising this was the start of the next 40+ years of working. It was no longer the relaxed working part-time, studying, hanging out with friends, chilled lifestyle but the beginning of full-time work. Something about it made me feel quite trapped!

What was it like moving country after leaving university?

Quite challenging! I had worked for two years in Australia as an operating theatre nurse but always knew I had wanted to move to the UK to make use of having British citizenship (thanks Dad you Sussex boy!) Unfortunately, some degrees are not easily transferable so I had to really jump through hoops to get here. It was all worth it though as I am loving working here so far.

Is there anything about the 'real' world you didn't expect, weren't prepared for?

Just how different what you actually do is from what you studied. In university you're in this bubble where you assume what you're studying will be directly transferable to your new job but I felt like I had to start fresh. Each workplace has its own way of how they do things so you end up spending a lot of time learning their way of doing things. All my friends have felt the same ranging from degrees such as occupational therapy, law, and business.

Is there anything you wish you would have been told about leaving university?

Just how time-consuming and mentally exhausting it is applying for jobs. You realise you're graduating with a rather large cohort and you'll be competing for the same jobs. I wish I had known this as I would have been able to handle things better and not have as many stressy breakdowns (many tears were shed, along the lines of "but what if no one hires me?!")

Three words to describe your transition from university?

Daunting. Exciting. Freedom.

What is your top-tip to offer to someone who is going to be graduating soon?

Show your passion! I can't stress this enough. When I was applying for jobs the thing I remembered most was the quote "they may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel". So when I went for jobs I tried to show how passionate I was about not only what I studied for the job I was going for. I didn't have the highest grades compared to other people but I had a passion which made me get my dream job.