Jobs.

[Tom27]

Job hunting isn't easy ;/

Heres a list of different companies & jobs i've applied for recently (This is not being picky, but simply applying for everything which is on offer from "Direct Gov", "Indeed", "Reed, & "Monster".)

Deischman - Sales Assistant
Anchor Financial Solutions - Sales Advisor
Anglian - Sales Person
Anglian - Marketing Person
Baker Hughes - Warehouse Operative
William Hill - Customer Services Assistant
Middlesbrough Council - Catering Assistant
Tesco - Warehouse Operative
Carillion Plc - Catering Assistant
Yates' - Bar Staff
NPower - Customer Service Advisor
Middlesbrough Commercial - Hospitality Assessor
Royal Mail - Delivery Driver
Sainsburys - Delivery Driver
Yates' - Team Member
Carillion - Hospital Porter
NPower - Energy Sales
Man Power - Parking Attendant
Co-op - Delivery Driver
In Touch Recruitment - Night Nurse
Saga Care - Carer

The list goes on.
(I have applied for all of these jobs & roughly 5-6 more in the past month).
My CV is up to scratch & "Well Presented & Readable" (So im told by my JC Advisor).

I've also gone through agencies, handing out CV's to local shops & restaurants and even stuck a line in the local news paper.

Where next? ;/

 

[hershire]

I did all of that, over and over, and it got me nowhere. I was unemployed for 2 and a half years, sent hundreds of applications, had a dozen interviews. It depends what sector you're trying to get into but it's ****ing difficult. The job I have now I actually interviewed for the previous year as well..



I tried that too, and they pretty much laughed at me. Good times.



Agreed..

Might have helped if you shaved prior to the interview!

---------- Post Merged at 10:50 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:47 AM ----------

if all else fails go work on an oil rig and make 10x what your worth!

www.toughnecks.com

 

[Sawell]

If you don't have a specific skill set then the worst thing you can do is apply to 'any' entry-level job. Recruiting managers are looking for CVs and cover letters that stand out, and especially people that can translate their experiences to the sector they're applying for. If you chuck a 'general' CV in the direction of every job you see coming then you only need one person who has tailored their CV more specifically towards the job to have you beat for shortlisting.

Think of it like this:

On average 23 people apply for every job, where customer services is involved that number doubles.
That means on average for every person that applies for a job, only 10-15% will be interviewed.
Now consider that in order to get ahead (better your interview chances), your CV and covering letter has to be better suited for the job than everyone else.

So if you were to go back and look at every job you've applied for, look at the person specification and job role for that position and compare it to your CV, how many times do you pick yours over 22 other random CVs, if you're being brutally honest? Let's also consider that although there will be people just chucking 'general' CVs in every direction, there will also be people who have experience looking for work. There will be people who are in current jobs looking for different work, and there will be people who have identified where they want to work and have tailored their CVs to reach that market.

Unfortunately, when it comes to job seeking, it is hard work. The reason it's hard work is because unlike so many things in life looking for a job demands quality and quantity. You need to send detailed and specific applications that show you have done the research on the role and can relate it to your past experiences (be that in work or life), and you need to do it for a lot of jobs.

So next time, before you apply for a job, look at the job description in detail. Look at what they want and expect from you, imagine yourself as the recruiting manager, imagine what qualities you would expect on an individual CV to interview for the role. Tailor your one shot at impressing them to meet this requirement. Don't be afraid to extend truth a little and find elaborate ways to marry your experiences and skills, but just make sure it won't catch you out at interview or on the job.

 

[dsmir3]

...What?

I asked were you got the funds from and the time to do this? i couldnt afford to do a BTEC in business management it probably costs what £500-£2000 depending were you go?, Not possible on minimum wage and bills to pay.

ever heard the saying stuck in a rut? thats what 60% of the population are now, i am barely living hand to mouth, let alone with spare funds to do anything with.


Its the way capitalism is built, a select 10% of population have half decent jobs, 5% run the roost and the other 85% barely live in poverty, its all right saying you can do this and that.

If the whole population did what you said, We'd have alot of highly qualified skilled workers, wondering "Dsmir said i should get retrained and make my CV epicly awesome...but i still cant find a job in any proffessional capacity why why why...."

Because there is not enough "professional" "skilled" jobs for everyone who's trained, and this problem has come in the last 10 years with the boom in university graduates, the government obviously didn't understand there own Economics systems before pushing higher education and the effect it would have on the over-saturation of the job market.

Isnt it now Mandatory to stay in school untill your 18? Just to make the UN-employment figures lower....

What ever argument you come back with is invalid, its not possible for everyone to do as you say for various different factors 80% of the UK's population are destined to live on minimum wage or just above for the remainder of there lives. The sooner they except that's the way capitalism work, the happier they'll probably be.

When the recession started, I was like everyone else. My job prospects with the company I was working for, were worth the while of working for them. However as soon as the recession started back in 2008, that job became a meaningless job with no prospects at all. Managers and team leaders were being laid off, pay-rises were stopped and working for them became very expensive in travel costs. What made the whole situation worse, was the fact the company could afford to hire in contractors to do the same job, but at a higher cost than what we were earning and yet being told the company couldn't give us our pay-rises.

So I looked in to contractual work and what my potential earnings could be from working with an employer, to working for myself and it worked out with tax and everything else that I would be better off as a contractor. It was because of going in to contractual work, that I was able to afford the re-training and at half the cost if I home learned. Because I took this leap, knowing that it was a massive risk and one that has paid off. But I agree that a good % of the UK, are stuck in a rut and don't know how to get themselves out of it. Which is very sad to think, as it just points to an uneducated Britain about what is available to you.

There are things in place to help people get back into work and retrain in another sector or gain further skills in your current one. The biggest problem though, is it's not fully 100% common knowledge and so a lot of employers are missing out on potential funding to take on new employees and not have to worry about retraining costs. There is also funding available for subsidized wages, were if you take on new employee's as "Apprentices" a portion of that member of staff/s wages are paid, though I believe this is limited to either £16,000 or £18,000 per Annum.

Though the best advice I can give anyone, if you are struggling to find work. Look towards the security industry, as this is an area that pays well and doesn't cost that much to get trained or licensed and the Job Center can actually put you in touch with European funded training courses to get the necessary qualifications for free. To gain a license your only looking at £220 and you can work any where in the country once you have it.

 

[JoeDunn]

wait wait you actual expect a job to pay for your travel and accommodation. stop living in dream world, jesus........

u just said u have applied for around 25-30 jobs in the last month thats less than 1 a day. no wonder your not getting a job.

 

[Prai]

wait wait you actual expect a job to pay for your travel and accommodation. stop living in dream world, jesus........

u just said u have applied for around 25-30 jobs in the last month thats less than 1 a day. no wonder your not getting a job.

Most jobs will pay for travel, Quite a few pay for accommodation.

The majority still aren't living the high life.

 

[SmavidDavid]

wait wait you actual expect a job to pay for your travel and accommodation. stop living in dream world, jesus........

u just said u have applied for around 25-30 jobs in the last month thats less than 1 a day. no wonder your not getting a job.

My dad gets travel to london via train, petrol for car journey to the station, THEN ontop of that breakfast if he arrives earlier than stated & dinner if working later. Thats a standard contract with most places too.

 

[NightScare]

When the recession started, I was like everyone else. My job prospects with the company I was working for, were worth the while of working for them. However as soon as the recession started back in 2008, that job became a meaningless job with no prospects at all. Managers and team leaders were being laid off, pay-rises were stopped and working for them became very expensive in travel costs. What made the whole situation worse, was the fact the company could afford to hire in contractors to do the same job, but at a higher cost than what we were earning and yet being told the company couldn't give us our pay-rises.

So I looked in to contractual work and what my potential earnings could be from working with an employer, to working for myself and it worked out with tax and everything else that I would be better off as a contractor. It was because of going in to contractual work, that I was able to afford the re-training and at half the cost if I home learned. Because I took this leap, knowing that it was a massive risk and one that has paid off. But I agree that a good % of the UK, are stuck in a rut and don't know how to get themselves out of it. Which is very sad to think, as it just points to an uneducated Britain about what is available to you.

There are things in place to help people get back into work and retrain in another sector or gain further skills in your current one. The biggest problem though, is it's not fully 100% common knowledge and so a lot of employers are missing out on potential funding to take on new employees and not have to worry about retraining costs. There is also funding available for subsidized wages, were if you take on new employee's as "Apprentices" a portion of that member of staff/s wages are paid, though I believe this is limited to either £16,000 or £18,000 per Annum.

Though the best advice I can give anyone, if you are struggling to find work. Look towards the security industry, as this is an area that pays well and doesn't cost that much to get trained or licensed and the Job Center can actually put you in touch with European funded training courses to get the necessary qualifications for free. To gain a license your only looking at £220 and you can work any where in the country once you have it.

The goverment arnt going to pay for me to retrain? im not on benefits and have my own house.

Im also not polish/Pakistani or have 6 Kids.

So yeh im pretty much abondonded...i had to stop doing my AAT due to funding issues and the fact the collegue/the goverment would pay for it.

 

[Tom27]

wait wait you actual expect a job to pay for your travel and accommodation. stop living in dream world, jesus........

u just said u have applied for around 25-30 jobs in the last month thats less than 1 a day. no wonder your not getting a job.

[*] If you took the to read through all of the posts correctly, you would have seen that somebody recommended me to work away from home.
Now with the current wages given out in the North East / Teesside area, finding a place to rent would leave me with bare minimum which would be useless working for this company.
I'm not asking / requiring to be accomodated for, or travel expenses to be met:- I was simply getting the point across that working 20-30 miles away from home would not be an option unless the pay was exceptional.

[*] Again you misread this comment, I didn't say that I had applied for all of those jobs in 1 day.
If I could apply for that amount of jobs in 1 day It would be a dream..
Plus, how would applying for 25-30 jobs in 1 day "not get me a job"? In my eyes, the more you apply for the better chance you would stand of becoming employed, right? ...

 

[Far]

^^ You didn't say you applied for 30 jobs in 1 day. You said you applied you 30 jobs in a month, which is 1 per day. which is what Joe was saying. 1 a day (30 a month) isn't much at all.

 

[SmavidDavid]

HIJAX!

I applied for 20 odd jobs Horticultural & CAD Technician jobs. Got a reply month and 1/2 on! Shame it is an 1 hour 30min journey by car. Train would be longer ... BITCHES! Trainee position as well for a global company.. should i take it or not?

 

[Far]

1 hour 30 isn't too far. I used to drive an hour down the motorway every day and quite enjoyed it in the morning. If the pay is enough to cover living and petrol costs i don't see why you shouldn't.

 

[Tom27]

^^ You didn't say you applied for 30 jobs in 1 day. You said you applied you 30 jobs in a month, which is 1 per day. which is what Joe was saying. 1 a day (30 a month) isn't much at all.

Either way 1 job applied for per day is good I would say.
Like I said in a previous post, you would classify 2 job applications per day a "good day".
It just varies.

 

[Tai]

1 hour 30 isn't too far. I used to drive an hour down the motorway every day and quite enjoyed it in the morning. If the pay is enough to cover living and petrol costs i don't see why you shouldn't.

Gash. Depends how many hours you're working as well though.

 

[SmavidDavid]

oh well i ditched the long journey job, went for a 'talk' with a company about a job possibility, lied about how much i earn, on £4k more + a college course! and 30min drive on a good day.

Best thing is ask in person, adverts and CV sending is pointless got me nowhere. Asked 5 people in person got more response & valid feedback.

 

[Ardbeg]

oh well i ditched the long journey job, went for a 'talk' with a company about a job possibility, lied about how much i earn, on £4k more + a college course! and 30min drive on a good day.

Best thing is ask in person, adverts and CV sending is pointless got me nowhere. Asked 5 people in person got more response & valid feedback.

Yes, if they like what they see, and hear, in person, it can far outweigh a list of qualifications on a piece of paper.
Keenness, desire and, above all, showing interest and some knowledge in the business you're applying for can work wonders.

Gratz on your success.