After 7 months of no work after redundancy, trying to get onto a completely different career path I now accept in the current climate this is nigh on impossible (even though I was willing to work for £6.20ph to get a foot on the ladder)
So I have an interview tomorrow in a role I have years of experience with and I have been successful in (engineering sales and project management)The interview is with a recruiter at a local airport who is flying in to meet potential candidates amongst them me. My concern is how do I address the matter of my period of unemployment, if I tell him about seeking an alternative career he will question my long term plans for this role and not put me forward for interview with the employer? However this role in question is one I feel I would be good at and as it is in renewable energy (an industry new to me) could perhaps open real long-term opportunities.
Thoughts and advice most appreciated.
Just say exactly that, be honest 'I was considering alt careers after being laid off, but seeing this opp made me re-consider that, I think I coul;d devote my life to slavery in your company, and I bring a wealth of exp from my previous career in x, y and z' ...
Career break ? You took time while you had the chance, maybe using your redundancy money, to focus on something you really loved family, mountain biking, volunteering for a local charity.
Just tell the truth. I doubt the interviewer will mark you down for it.
TBH, it's probably a non-issue. Unless you respond with something dull like "I couldn't be arsed job-hunting," recruiters are well aware that you can't just fall into jobs.
I'd agree with ADH ^^ - you were exploring alternative careers until this role appeared which really appealed to you.
Besides, it's a recruiter, not an employer; they won't give a toss if they think they can make some money out of you. You could probably tell 'em you spent seven months blowing your severance on beer and hookers and they'd still put you forward.
Would not worry about it.
Just state how you are keen to get into an exciting and growing industry at the early stages.
Talk about ongoing need for low carbon energy solution etc etc
Look at Carbon Reduction Commitement CRC which starts in April 2011
ROC's ( supporting wind power etc )
Government targets under renewable obligation- 10% renewable by 2010, 20% by 2020
Good luck
J.
Thanks for the advice guys but maybe I am old school but always thought that the best time to get a job was when you were in one.
I took a settlement the end of 2004 to change career slightly within facilities and after 2 years of short term contract work was still deemed under/over experienced, so in the end went back to my old line of work.
Personally feels as if I wasted those 2 years as financially I gained nothing and didn't progress anywhere. But a job is a job....
.If you get passed recruiter the employer will ask the question.
What about saying you haven't been wanting to jump for any position and have used redundancy to wait for the right opportunity to come along...
I don't like lying (except on value of new bike bits) but selective truth telling isn't lying.
So what Funkydunc said, except maybe even a bit further:
"I haven't been wanting to jump for any position - I see recruitment as a two way street and it would have been unfair of me to take positions I know that I am not committed to and waste other people's time and money in the process. So I have used the opportunity that redundancy gave me to take some time for me and the family while waiting for the right opportunity to come along."
Was in the same situation a year ago; so long as I could give a cogent reason for leaving the previous role and being unemployed, it was a non-issue.
Don't try to hide it. Everyone knows the economy is in a poor state and that finding the right job is difficult. Just make sure you can answer solidly on why it is the right job/you're the right candidate.
And don't get too excited about it. Over enthusiasm may well come across as desparation.......