^I didn't know that ... at least things aren't that different in my country ... people still ask you for laboral experience to apply to most jobs ... I'm in my sixth college year (fortunately my last :D ) and the friends who already finished have had that "experience" problem many times :(

Tavin, sometimes you have to take a job under your expectations to get that initial experience... I start working as a Mc Donald manager for a bad pay and bad shifts, now I have a good job... Every job has something to teach us...

Given your major, I think the best course of action would be to stick, at this point, with academia and look into graduate and doctoral studies. Of course it is a long process, but you might land a tenured job as a professor.

I don't know about england, but here in Quebec, Canada, many professors will be retiring in the next 5-10 years. If that is the case in the UK, then I can see why your advisors guided you towards such a program. Surely, they saw a potential in you to be a strong mind in that field.

I wish you goodluck though in whatever path you chose as I know how hard starting a professional career is.

If you want the best opportunities to get a really good job, you need at least a Bachelor's degree. Its just as simple as that.

Yeah it's slightly different here too skip. We have HNCs (1 year), HNDs (2 years), batchelors degrees which are "standard" (3 years), masters degrees (usually 1 year after you've got a batchelors degree). But there are also foundation degrees, professional qualifications, doctorates, etc. Masters degrees don't usually excuse you from needing any relevant experience and very few jobs specify anything academically higher than a batchelors degree but insisting on professional qualifications in addition to a degree is common.

I've done loads of unpaid and paid work experience but there's no way I can afford to do another year's unpaid internship. If I'm unemployed in 4 months I'll have to get a job in McDonald's or take another course or something as my parents want rent from May onwards and I have bills to pay, food to buy, etc.

helped me quite a bit ; )

 You're totally right on that ... specially on the "every job has something to teach us" ....

Well Ferret .... the only thing i have left to say is that I know things will be better :), you have put a lot of effort

in your studies ... and that won't come out unrewarded !! 

Try to get an assistantship and go to grad school (can be a teacher/professor) and pass on your acquired knowledge to yet more suckers. >

For a friend of mine it was :o

Went to university for a 3 year course, got his degree in accounting and finance, came back and had to start as a Trainee accountant as there were other qualifications he required to be at certain levels + experience was required.

Meanwhile back in the sunny Isle of Man, I spent 18 months travelling the globe, got a job when I came back as a trainee accountant, and working my way through the exams as I'm working. Already passed the first set several months before his course finished and starting on an additional 2 year course now.

I think my use of the last few years was a lot more fulfilling....he aint happy :D

Yeah it seems to be particularly true of accounting. One of my mates in my year didn't bother with uni and she's already Head of Accounts for a small business while someone else in our year who did an accountancy degree is now a trainee.