[Closed] Who else is struggling to get a job?

it is hard thats a fact - I'm glad i have plenty of interests

Hi Scot, I went to one of those 'agencies' in Leeds- usual room in a managed office, so you have no idea on the size of the organisation. lots of great claims about their network, unadvertised positions etc.
first two meetings were free, so I went along. First did a short psych assessment ' for them to see if I was suitable'
Second Meeting guess what? I was suitable and please could I give them £3.5k to continue

Must admit I was tempted, but it's still early days and I've decided not to go with them for now.
I have had no follow up whatsoever from them, which makes me wonder if they are dodgy.
I did get some good cv advice from them, which I've put in place already.

I'd say go along and see what you can get for nowt, even if it's a 'critical friend' asking some tough questions.

otherwise, how are you getting on at networking with your industry contacts? do they all know that you're looking, what you're looking for specifically and what you can add to an organisation/team? I know it's all a bit cheesy, but it definitely works. I'm at second interview stage and one of the people involved remembered meeting me at a rugby match five years ago (when for once I could speak apparently). Good if you work in a specialist field/industry as you suggest.

also, could you consider interim stuff or anything else to plug the gap in your cv?

best of luck old bean

need to get this job myself to stop getting any quicker. regular riding mates are slagging me off as a jobless skinny whippet, but at least all the phys is keeping me sane.

First did a short psych assessment ' for them to see if I was suitable'
Second Meeting guess what? I was suitable and please could I give them £3.5k to continue

This sounds like Scientology.

3.5k? I'd be doing the leg work myself. You have two skills from what you've said, you come from a specialist background which will be difficult to transfer, I suppose, and a managemant position, which will be easy to transfer. I'd be focussing heavily on the management side and transferring to other industries. Let's see some of that initiative that got you into the management position in the first place... 😉

I would be extremely careful with these type of recruitment companies.

If they are so sure of getting you a position then what they should be doing (like a lot do) is getting you to sign a contract stating that upon starting a role you agree to give them their fee. Never give anything up front.

I've been out of work since April although I've been able to do loads of TA days which has helped. Anyhow I'm also in a fairly specialist line of work and there is less than nothing out there at the moment. I've applied for a few jobs that I've been almost qualified to do but nothing has come of it. Waste of time applying for jobs that you don't fit the criteria for these days as they get so many applications via the internet they can pick and choose.
Most jobs seem to appear on multiple web sites as well so they get huge coverage.
So - after nearly a year out of work I've had two interviews and been offered both jobs! Neither of those jobs were advertised and both of them heard about me through contacts I know there. I gave my CV to the 2IC of my team back in November, he works for a very big anglo American company - they rang me a few weeks, had me in for an interview and I start next week.
So my point is, many many jobs are never advertised - get networking to the max, get your CV off to everyone you know who works in your industry, maybe even send out speculative CV's (thats worked for me in the past).

Sorry but you are not a senior manager in a specialist industry if you are on the dole. If that were the case then i'm an unemployed astronaut.

Yes I'm struggling. The media industry was always ridiculously competitive and it's horrible now. I've only had 7 interviews since leaving uni last year and only got through to the "final stage" with one of those, who ended up giving the job to someone else because they already lived in London.

Luckily I have enough freelance work to tide me over but I really want to get into a stable job so I can move out.

If that were the case then i'm an unemployed astronaut.

I'm an unemployed centre forward for Manchester United, I've sent my CV off to them loads of times but I never get a reply.

Maybe it's time I look for something else.

SbR - bit harsh isn't it? Literally speaking, no he isn't but thats what he did prior to not working.

Agencies make enough money from the employer without having to charge candidates for services as well (and if they're any good and in the right industry, its a LOT of money). Dont hand over your hard earned to anyone, its just not necessary.

As much as it pains me to say it, LinkedIn appears to be the best way of making contacts/getting jobs at the moment. Get on there if you're not, connect with everyone you know in the industry and start firing off emails. You've probably got just as many contacts if not more than an agency that merely searches CV's for key words.

Good luck!

Don't even think about handing over cash to a recruitment company. Just don't.

I am struggling a bit too, got 3 weeks left of my contract, but had 4 or 5 interviews, lots of applications, but no luck.

Problem is my background is construction and the industry is on its arse in Scotland and no sign of it getting better any time soon. I am thinking of taking a lower paid job (50% pay cut) closer to home just for the quality of life, as I cant face the commute to Glasgow or Edinburgh. Luckily I have this option as Mrs organic has a much better job than me, but would still like to find something I enjoy.

I saw a local advert for a grave digger the other day and seriously considered it!

Scotabroad.
Maybe you are slightly off target. If you are a Senior Manager then the "Specialsit Industry" bit has little value. A good manager will be managing the correct people skills below him to cover the "Specialist ..." bit.
As such you should be seeking roles as Manager and amongst your experiences list Specialist Industries. Also make sure your CV shows the Specialist Industy bit is transferable to other types of work.

Can you do your type of work as a Consultant as this title will fill the gap in your CV. I was once asked if a gap in my CV was jail time?

All the same good luck in your hunting.
EDIT. I also forgot. Do NOT pay anyone as they are getting paid by the employer.

+1 for Linkedin
I start a new job on Monday. My first as a contractor. I got the lead from an old colleague/mate on Linkedin. I was not out of work but I had been looking for years.
Have you ever looked at taking a short term contract in something relevant to your career. Its always easier to get a job when you have a job.
Training might be another option. Anything to stop the apathy setting in. Shows willingness to prospective employers to 'push on'.

I would also say dont pay anybody to find you a job.

Organic355
Grave diggers get to "play" with mini JCB's!

If you have decent quals then you have almost no chance of going for an unskilled job as they are either scared of you or they assume you'll be off as soon as something better turns up.
The job centre advised me to "adapt" my CV is thats the kind of job i was thinking of going for.
Trouble is what do i say I've been doing for the past ten years!

And you need a ticket to drive said JCB which chances are you won't have but someone else will!

I second getting yourself on LinkedIn. I'm employed, but regularly get calls / emails from recruiters. One per fortnight?
Invite EVERY contact you know, and join relevant groups too then it will be amazing how may jobs you can find. More importantly, recruiters can find you.

I am too..

I'm a safety officer, made redundant last month, I had an interview a few weeks ago, I was told I didn't get the job as I didn't have the necessary experience.. then I was told by the agency they considered me over qualified.. 🙄

turns out the job went to a 'mate' 😐

I've sent of loads of applications but I get the feeling it's going to be a looong while before I get something 🙁

Surrounded By Zulus thats a horrible thing to say, presumably the OP has the skills needed to be a Senior Manager but you do not have the skills to be a astronaut.

Im a Computational Chemist. If I did not have a job that would not stop me knowing about Chemistry I'd still have the skills and expertise. So I would still be a Chemist.

I also have skills for many other thing including MTBing/Football which makes me an amateur MTBer/Footballer (obviously I dont have the skills to be professional).

Surely its your skill base which determines what you are not your current job. No wonder some people feel so depressed about unemployment, if their whole personality is linked to their current employment status.

I could see your point if perhaps you were talking about a job with no skills that the OP did not want.

Surrounded By Zulus thats a horrible thing to say,

it's deffinately tough going at the moment if you're looking for something specific in a specific industry. However I lack sympathy for the un-employed that just need 'a job' and complain there's nothing available. because there is.

Was looking and struggling for over a year, redundancy cheque dwindling, ripped off in a Governement-sponsored "training" flim-flam (Energy Assessment), desperate. Finally got hired at a much reduced salary, but head now just above the waterline.

It ain't easy and will take longer. Just keep kicking the door, chap.

Do not pay any agency any money up front for them to look for work.

Firstly, £3.5k is a huge amount of money and unless they are offering some kind of guarentee I would be walking away. Recruitment companies make money when they place people, by paying up front you are removing a large incentive for them to work on placing yuou.

Secondly, it is illegal for them to ask for money (unless you work as an actor or in modelling) so they are being very dodgy.

It's true what SBZ says; people take on the status of the job that they do.
Consultants charging money to career coach you make convincing arguments for their service, but paying £3500 is way too much. The cheapest i've found was £400 and I don't think you would get too much help for this sum of money. The most expensive one was nearly £8k.

I thought long and hard about the cheaper one, but as there were no guarantees, so I abstained. Had I used them, I pictured myself £3500 lighter, but still without a job and imagining getting the cold shoulder from the these people i'd paid a load of money to help me.

When you aren't earning a bean, £3500 is kinda important to hang onto!

The only way I would employ the services of a company like this was if they deferred all fees until they delivered, I.E. you get employed. No chance of that!!

I have been looking for work for a long long time now. I've got savings, low outgoings and a wife who has a good job, so i have not been forced to seek and take any old job where they will have me. It's been incredibly tough, but just lately, the finance sector is in good shape. This means they are now starting hiring and spending money again. This has a kncok n effect to service providers and they are hiring more too. I am getting more hits on my profiles on various job board sites, more jobs advertised and even one or two agents contacting me.

LinkedIn hasn't yielded anything much so far, but i wouldn't overlook the importance of this. Those hiring prefer to get people without having to pay agency fees!

I think the best way to secure your job is through your old contacts. People who know you are far more likely to give you a chance at something than a total stranger.

The hardest thing for me are the successive ingored applications. I'd say most carefully worded applications I make don't even get read. I never ever hear back and chasing recruiters up by phone usually results in a range of brush offs. Very disheartening! This affects your confidence over time. I believe the problem is that every Tom Dick and Harry are spamming for jobs with a blanket letter of application. Imagine being a recruiter and having to sift through that lot every day?

My number one bit of advice is never give up. Keep applying, keep calling your contacts. Don't expect a quick result, it might take more than a year, but keep applying every day (even weekends).

You WILL get there eventually.

Good luck!

Stabilizers YGM

Took me 6 months from Nov 08 to find another job after redundancy so I can understand the frustration. I turned finding a job into a full time job in itself.

Slightly OT: I am happily now gainfully employed, but looking again. Is it worth putting a temporary (pretty rubbish) job of 4 months on the CV, which creates a non-relevant break in my job history or is it best to leave if off and wait to be asked about it at interview?

SBZ = Troll

I sympathise Spongebob re the applications treadmill.

Linkedin has been kind of useful, and worthwhile, not sure how to quantify its effectiveness, but its useful to have your info out there so recruiters/ employers can check you out before interview is my opinion.

CV is registered with several websites which yielded some phone interviews.

I am willing to take a substantial pay cut, however recruiters/ employers dont seem to accept that - I assume they think you will soon move onto a better paying job??

Yes I have been through all my contacts I did that after a few weeks and spent a few days writing to them via e-mail. But I think its time to do a second round of that for sure, because the first trawl yielded a couple of interviews for sure.

One useful contact has been a past HR colleague who I have discussed interview techniques with an reconstructed my CV.

Cheers

S

I am happily now gainfully employed, but looking again. Is it worth putting a temporary (pretty rubbish) job of 4 months on the CV, which creates a non-relevant break in my job history or is it best to leave if off and wait to be asked about it at interview?

Good question - I think its worth putting it in to fill in what would otherwise be a gap, but do glean out of it the better aspects and what was worthwhile and relevant about the job - apart from the obvious one of earning money of course 🙂

Problem is my background is construction and the industry is on its arse in Scotland and no sign of it getting better any time soon

Interesting.

My old man's in construction (plant hire) and he says they're mobbed at the moment with loads of work on. (Glasgow based)

Don't even think about handing over cash to a recruitment company. Just don't.

+1, especially one asking for that amount of money!
All the recruitment agencies I've ever been in touch with (again, specialist field) were without fail utterly [swear filter] useless.

If you've got £3500 lying around spare, go on holiday for a month and forget about a job, it's the only chance you'll have! Something will turn up but that something only turned up for me with a complete change in career.

If you're presently dole scum (I spent a while there last year, I can fully sympathise), then get down to your local Job Centre Plus (plus what?) and ask them about the recruitment courses for unemployed professionals.

I went on one last year and it was invaluable. They started doing them as they were getting increasing amounts of unemployed highly-qualified professionals who, to be frank, they just didn't know how to deal with.

So they subcontracted it out. The course I went on was run by a City Headhunter. Not only did it offer invaluable advice about networking (a lot of which has already been mentioned), it also gave fantastic advice about dealing with the frankly disgusting and despicable tactics and methods employed by certain employment agencies. That part was a real eye-opener I can tell you!! Some of them really are bottom feeders. You need to be equipped to deal with them, and go in with your eyes wide open! There were 5 other people on my course. It was fantastic and included a great deal of one-on-one time with recruitment professionals going through your specific needs.

Press the Job Centre about the courses available, as to be honest I suspect I got very lucky meeting a member of Job Centre Staff who was fully clued up. A lot of them didn't look like they were aware of much beyond handing you another form and staring out of the window

SBZ != Troll

If you're a 'senior manager' then your 'management' skills should apply to any industry. It's people you're managing, who do the 'specialist' work for you (whether it be engineering, manual labour, selling double glazing)

At the moment, you're NOT a senior manager - you have [i]experience[/i] as a senior manager.

Second the Job Centre, but let me repeat YOU need to tell THEM that you need a training session and that you will need expenses to be paid. In my experience the vast majority of Job Centre staff no nothing and care even less.
Meanwhile Census need 5k follower-uppers in June to check on all the smart ars*s who claim to be Jedi, check their website.

I hope they are following up on all those smart ars*s who are not claiming to be Jedi too!

Smartarse finders who are immune to the Jedi Mind Trick might be hard to find

Are you prepared too move,

I am an engineer, in a very highly specialised field, and when I need a new job, I have to move around the country!

Tough but beggars cant be choosers.

I find that most people in my field who moan about the lack of jobs arent prepared to travel more than 45 minutes up the road. Well its a tough world!

£3.5k for someone to get you a job! Blimey, I'm in the wrong business! its almost certainly a scam at worst and a total wast of money at the very least (assuming they are legitimate)

Although it amy be worth paying to have your CV sorted, worked for me.

A HR friend reckoned that for every £10k you were earning add a month to how long it will take you to get a new job. And if earning over £100k, add two months for every £10k.

I got laid off from a senior perm role in Oct 08, finally found a p/t contract in Feb 10 and then a full time contract in Jan 11...

Nearly two years for me. Currently working for expenses only at a friends Chartered Accountants doing Excel vba development. No money but at least it gives me a sense of purpose and keeps the old brain ticking over. Good job I really enjoy what I do! Even better, glad I ride a bike. Without that I'd go bonkers.

Are you prepared too move,

I am an engineer, in a very highly specialised field, and when I need a new job, I have to move around the country!

Tough but beggars cant be choosers.

I find that most people in my field who moan about the lack of jobs arent prepared to travel more than 45 minutes up the road. Well its a tough world!

Yep can tick that box as well, in the past been in South of England, SW Scotland, USA, NE Wales and back to Scotland again. Currently have been to interviews in SE England, Midlands, and Central belt Scotland, have had telephone interviews for the Highlands as well so cant be much wider than that in UK/ USA at least. However family has moved a lot and kids currently need stability for studies for next few years so its Dad that needs to move around at the moment rather than the family.

I got laid off from a senior perm role in Oct 08, finally found a p/t contract in Feb 10 and then a full time contract in Jan 11...

😯 gulp!

I didnt work for the whole of 2008, partly through choice, partly not. In the end I started working for a guy I had known before, contacts went full circle.

1. Don't even think about paying an agent, that is a scam. Recruiters get paid by employers to fill specific roles, end of.

2. LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool for employers and recruiters. Use it as an online CV, make sure you mention all your key skills so that they flash up in a search. Pal of mine is a partner in a large management consultancy, seems almost all their hires (in N.America, they're a bit ahead of us) come via headhunters using LinkedIn.

3. Network like crazy. People hire their mates, or mates of mates. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for a new job.

4. Ride your bike

Good luck and don't worry, will be fine in the end, I know this to be true.

I was unemployed after uni for about 8 months. (after sept 2008)

But what I did was said I'm going to apply for almost anything and take each stage as it comes.

So I got offered a job for the summer working shifts in a factory (for little above min wage and 6am start at the start of the line). I took it. I took the attitude that almost no job should be discounted in a bad recession. 2 weeks into the factory job I got offered my first proper job. I've now progressed to my 2nd job and feel a lot better about things. The factory job helped me for both the last 2 interviews as it showed I was prepared to work hard and do tasks other people might think they are above doing.

Has anyone had their CV professionally re-written.

The cost is not out of reach at about 500 pounds and if it helps get a job that much quicker its sounds to me like a reasonable investment.

McBoo has it nailed there.

Hi, only signed up to respond to this post.
PLEASE dont spend your money on these companies that garantee work etc.
It is impossible to make such a promise and therefore is not worth the paper it is written on.
The sort of advice they give (network by joining the local golf club and loitering near the bar) is nothing that you wont allready have thought of yourself.
I have a lot of experience in this field and lost count of the number of senior execs i spoke to who paid up to £15,000 (they will try and charge you what they think you are worth) and got nothing.
It might be worth going to a decent CV writing service as if they are any good they will probably highlight things you may not have thought of and speak recruiters language in a way that you wont but shop around and never pay what they ask for because you dont need to!

damn I wish I was still unemployed, I was racking up 100+ mtb miles a week up until last monday, when I had to start a job, jobs just get in the way of riding, i hate them,

Had an interview today, apparently 500+ people applied and only 8 others being interviewed 0_0 They said my cover letter and CV are great so at least I don't have that to worry about - it's just my interview technique still isn't brilliant which is annoying when it's so competitive.

I was made unemployed a long while ago from a management position the day after I'd exchanged contracts on my new house. I took a much more junior and unskilled position to ensure I had an income. I ended up doing other work during this time including cleaning out pig sheds not nice but much needed extra income.
In the end my past experience and skills improved my position/earnings within that company. I kept looking for other jobs, moved and increased my position further bringing a new view to such management positions.
At the end of the day you need to be or doing whatever is required to bring in an income more so if you have a family and liabilities to meet. As they say pride comes before a fall.

To those that are still looking I can offer a few tips.

Get yourself noticed. As you have already read 100's are applying for the same job as you. Make your CV stand out by ensuring it's on quality paper, well laid and no spelling mistakes (shocking how many come through with these errors). If you have done other work to fill gaps in your career include them and say what you gained from the position and what you brought to the role. Applicants with gaps in their employment rings alarm bells so do something even volunteer work.
If you're sending out a CV on the hope of gaining employment even though the company aren't advertising then make sure your covering letter makes it clear that you have researched their company. Try to and get it deliverd to the relevant director in charge of the department you are looking to get into. Follow up on it even if you hear nothing from them with another CV and covering letter with reference to any development within their business or company.
It takes hard work so ensure you are organised and professional to keep one step ahead of your competition.
Interviews are awkward as most people are asked to attend one on the basis that they already meet the requirements. The face to face is to get to know the person, so relax and be yourself. The interviewer may not be that good so try and keep the conversation going instead of giving just one word answers and don't be afraid to ask questions as your progress through the meeting. Again you need to stand out so make sure there is something that gets you noticed such as bright but smart shirt or tie. At the end of the interviews most people are referred to as to what stood about them such as bright shirt guy, the woman whose the Man Utd fan so make sure you're not remembered as sweaty guy that looked a mess because they only arrived 2 minutes before becuase they didn't know where the building was.

Good luck.

Go to ten different CV "companies" and you'll end up with ten very different CV's
Please don't pay anyone £500 to sort it out for you. The Job Centre can point you in the direction of companies who will do it for free.

[i]Go to ten different CV "companies" and you'll end up with ten very different CV's
Please don't pay anyone £500 to sort it out for you. The Job Centre can point you in the direction of companies who will do it for free. [/i]

I'm sure it will also be worth the money...

£350 with this guy, so less than a days pay

craig.heeley@yourcv.com

www.yourcv.com

Pleased with the result

To OP,

Have you tried AussieLand or Canada or NZ?

Ship building? or Oil industry? or related?

Too specialise then you might have to wait for a long time until the economy gets better again ...

£350 to write a CV 0_0

need to get into that line of work!

I haven’t used those agencies, and don’t think I ever would! I think there are many companies that can potentially help you the same way without the massive charge. Re-vamping your CV may be a good start though. I went to www.cv-shop.com and they had loads of articles, free resources, services etc and they were kinda useful.

Mid/Senior Contaminated land professional here, so pretty niche.

Redundant March 09. A years sabbatical with pre-school kids, with the Mrs back to work and a fair amount of 'We like you, but we've no positions' since March 10.

TBH, I could be back in work by now if I was prepared to move, but I've done too much of that and I'm sick of it - Its strips the life from you because you're constantly away from friends, family and the things you enjoy.

Working as a bike mechanic at the moment, which is more rewarding than I thought it would be, but pay is atrocious. Keeps me the right side of the overdraft though, with some care.

http://www.cv-shop.com

The use of apostrophes on their homepage is questionable though...

Anyone need to employ a pedant?

Have you tried AussieLand or Canada or NZ?

Ha ha ha yeah that's right our economy is positively boooming.

To be fair Christchurch has a wee bit of building work lined up - in all seriousness you'd get work there immediately. Small risk of death but completely random likelihood.

I am trying to recruit at the moment, my company has the enviable position of having grown quite significantly in the last 4 years. Even though, I am looking for *just* over entry level support analysts, the quality has been atrocious! I have three posts to fill and out of over one hundred CV's, interviewed 10 and offered a position to one!

C.V.'s are my biggest bugbear, this is your one chance to sell yourself to me, it does not have to be amazing, just intelligently structured with [b]no spelling or obvious grammar mistakes[/b]. Make sure that your sentences end and all make sense, get some one else to read it over, twice.

When it comes to interview, personality goes a long way. I have interviewed lots of people who are very skilled but I would never let on a Support Desk as they would bore the pants off our customers, not to mention that they would never fit into the team dynamic.

It does not matter what the role is, Customer Service skills will be critical and the ease and confidence that you communicate with is one of the main factors in an interview.

Don't let age put you off at all, all bar one of my team are under 35 and the oldest has just celebrated his 60th!

Just be confident in your abilities and use the spell checker on the computer (Watch out for Americanisms) and you will be fine!

Good Luck!

Rysz.

Don't let age put you off at all, all bar one of my team are under 35 and the oldest has just celebrated his 60th!

As your team probably includes you does that mean that you are the only old one at 60.

Doesn't sound like a good spread of age to me.

TurnerGuy - Member
Don't let age put you off at all, all bar one of my team are under 35 and the oldest has just celebrated his 60th!
As your team probably includes you does that mean that you are the only old one at 60.

Doesn't sound like a good spread of age to me.

We go from 22 (The apprentice), through the range of the twenties into the early thirties, I myself am a fresh faced 31. Funnily enough, there are not that many IT professionals looking for first line support work, it is an exhausting position to have. I consider myself lucky to have someone like my sixty year old on my team for the wealth of experience and steadying nature he brings to the team dynamic. So really don't worry about your age.

Rysz.

[quote=rysz][b] Funnily enough, there are not that many IT professionals looking for first line support work, it is an exhausting position to have.[/b]

That's because it's probably their [u]first[/u] IT job - every person I have met in IT support (not development) worked for up to 2yrs on first line support.

It's the bottom rung of the ladder, and the pay acknowledges this. Everybody hated it, but it was a necessary evil.

I was earning 1/3 of my current salary on 1st line support.

What I meant was older IT professionals!

Support is a young man's game to be honest as it can be soul destroying and exhausting! I agree though it is the best route into IT that there is!

Rysz.