'We're all desperate – so many people are after jobs' Alex Moore, 22, Lincoln

Since graduating from Leicester in June, I've made about five-10 job applications a week. I must have done about 100 by now. I'm going for everything, really. With my sociology degree, I'm interested in social research and care work, so I've obviously applied for that sort of job. But I've also gone for retail positions, and I've looked at being a teaching assistant. I've had four interviews. At the last one, there were 120 applicants for just 20 jobs. And that was to work behind a bar.

Everyone's so desperate. Across every sector, there are just so many people applying for jobs. And in Lincoln, my local service has cut the bus service back, which makes it difficult for me to get into town for work.

The staff at the Jobcentre are always really friendly and helpful, but thanks to the cuts there's fewer of them, and so they're under a lot more pressure. Perhaps if they stopped cutting that kind of public service, the staff might be able to do a better job.

We also need to bring EMA back, so that more young people can go to college without financial burden. There should be job creation schemes that give people secure, properly paid jobs – rather than part-time ones. We need to re-open youth centres so that young people have places to go, and places to get support.

There's too much negative stereotyping of unemployed young people. They say we're lazy and slacking – and the constant barrage gets you down. I'm looking for work, and I'm getting constant rejections. My friends are all so downhearted because we can't get a job even though we've got all these qualifications and experiences.

That's why I'm currently marching from Jarrow to London. We're making a point. We're saying it's not fair that young people, every time there's a recession, have to pay for the crisis.

'I'm moving back with my parents to help look after me' Lizzie Polack, 23, York

I have spent most of the summer applying for jobs, mainly in admin because I have experience in that, having worked for my university accommodation office. I did a biology degree, and then a diplomacy master’s degree, and I would like to go into international relations, but those kind of jobs require internships which I can't afford to do.

My idea was to do an admin job for a couple of years and save some cash, but the problem is when you apply for an admin job they all wonder why you're not applying for a politics job.

If I got a job where there was career progression I can see myself doing it for an extended period but it's just getting my foot on the block. At one interview, they said: 'You're obviously academic, why do you want this job?' It's frustrating when they say they don't think a job is good enough for you.

I'm moving back with my parents and they're going to help with looking after me, but I don't want to be a burden on them. I'm old enough to get a job and it's pathetic that I can't. I've never had any experience of working in a bar or restaurant but when I move out of home I'm going to try and get anything I can. It's not what I was hoping for but any job is better than no job.