Prime school graduate within the UK says job market ‘is damaged’ after 500 rejections

A 21-year-old who graduated on the prime of his class after spending roughly $125,000, together with bills, on his school diploma mentioned “the system is broken” after he utilized for 500 jobs and did not get one.

Khaled Sharif, 21, earned a level in digital media tech from Kingston University simply outdoors London, England. He started making use of for related roles after he graduated in 2025, information company SWNS reported.

But regardless of submitting 500 functions, he mentioned he’s had lower than 20 job interviews and is but to land a job — regardless of increasing his search into gross sales and different sectors that he “didn’t want to work in.”

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Sharif, who holds U.Okay. residency via his mom, moved to the United Kingdom from Qatar at age 18.

At the time, he mentioned he was the envy of his friends, due to the U.Okay.’s repute for providing among the “best opportunities in the world.” But Sharif mentioned he believes his diploma will not be the issue. 

“I just can’t find anything — and I’ve applied for everything,” mentioned a university graduate (not pictured) who’s having hassle discovering a job. “If people got a lower grade, how hard would it be for them?” (Getty)

Instead, he mentioned the job market is a “broken system” that’s “flooded” with graduate candidates.

“It does make me really upset. It’s really stressful,” he instructed SWNS. “I got [a] top-of-my-class [designation], but I can’t find anything. Kingston’s not a top university, but I just can’t find anything — and I’ve applied for everything. If people got a lower grade, how hard would it be for them?”

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He added, “Since I posted on TikTok about it, I’ve had people [who hold] masters [degrees] saying they can’t get anything.”

“Companies don’t want to hire. They’re looking to save money.”

He went on, “I could easily get a part-time job in a Tesco [supermarket].” 

But he needs “to use his degree,” he mentioned. 

He talked about how a lot he spent to earn a university diploma — and mentioned, “I think the system is broken. More opportunities have to be made, but because of COVID and now AI, companies don’t want to hire. They’re looking to save money.”

Khaled Sharif, pictured along with his household, mentioned he might take a grocery store job, however he needs to make use of his school diploma — arguing the pricey system is “broken” as hiring slows in an more and more AI-driven world.   (SWNS)

He famous that he might go “back home” to Qatar — “but if you tell people you’ve worked here [in the U.K.], they instantly have respect for you, but it’s been really hard.”

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He mentioned he suspects that when folks look into his background and see that earlier on, he went to high school in Qatar, “they instantly think I need sponsorship, even though I’m a resident, so I can legally work. I don’t think they read to the end of my application to see that I don’t need one.”

Life classes

Sharif was born in Egypt and moved to Qatar at age 4. He then moved to London in 2022, with a level on his resume that he mentioned is “essential in my culture.”

His mother quickly adopted to start out her enterprise, YallaCook — giving him residency.

He believed that London was the very best place to be as a “global hub of business,” he instructed SWNS. He mentioned that the job search has been demoralizing for him. 

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“From the 500 applications, I’ve had 10 to 20 interviews. … They all say I passed the first one, but after the second I hear back in two weeks, and they say they’ve decided to move forward with someone else,” he mentioned.

International college students finding out at Kingston pay an annual tuition payment within the area of $30,000 — and with price of dwelling integrated, he estimates his diploma price him about $125,000.

Sharif, pictured right here, mentioned that out of 500 job functions, he’s had 10 to twenty interviews. He mentioned he is usually gotten previous the primary spherical however then wasn’t chosen after the second interview.  (SWNS)

Having accrued work expertise as a videographer and a photographer whereas working towards his diploma, he is continued to freelance instead of full-time employment, he mentioned. 

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He added that working for his diploma “taught me a lot of life lessons but, honestly, I didn’t learn much. Everything I know content-wise is because of experience, volunteering and YouTube.”

He mentioned that on reflection, “I wish I [studied] filmmaking. But when I was thinking about it before, there were many fewer job opportunities [in that field] than [earning his degree]. I don’t think it makes a difference.”

As a results of his misfortune within the job market, he is now began his personal clothes model, named Zoqué (“my style” in Arabic). 

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He mentioned that is with the intention to mix his ardour for presentable clothes and images.

In the U.S., based on the most recent figures from quite a lot of sources, the standard price of a four-year school diploma varies extensively by the kind of schooling, the varsity itself and the monetary support that could be given to the scholar. 

For a non-public school within the U.S., the prices of a four-year diploma can vary from about $180,000 to $260,000 and past.  (iStock)

For a public school for in-state college students, the price of a four-year diploma can vary from roughly $80,000 to $120,000.

For a public school for out-of-state college students, the price of a four-year diploma can vary from roughly $170,000 to $200,000 or extra.

And for a non-public school, prices of a four-year diploma can vary from about $180,000 to $260,000 and past.