Why oh why can i not get a friggin job?

I am not a workshy fop

I have professional qualifications in my field

I have lots of experience

I am either over qualified for a job or they don't seem to think I have enough/the right kind of experience.

No mention of having a decent work ethic or attitude

Just got knocked back from a Customer Relations job based on the outcome of a friggin Psychometric test!!! No human opinion, just a score!

My C.V. says I am employable, my attitude is positive and I seem to say the correct things in interviews (based on feedback afeter being rejected)

I either seem to just get pipped at the post or don't even get my foot in the door!!

Been out of work since April and sick of trawling the sites and papers, sending off applications and not even getting an acknowledgement or just getting turned down flat!!

Bb what is it that you do?

Tell me about it. I'm an unemployed professional pilot and know exactly what you mean. Fortunately I think I've got a job as a simulator instructor starting in December, but it still means another month of dealing with the unpleasantness of the job centre.

This week I got sent two letters, one telling me to turn up at 10am and another saying 3.30pm. Arrive at 9.50, kept waiting 30 minutes and then they tell me I should have ignored the letter saying 10am and to come back in the afternoon.

FFS, it takes me 45 minutes to get to the damn place and then costs £1.50 to park, and they want me to do it twice with no apology? On their instruction I have now applied for a job as a kitchen porter earning minimum wage…

They're utterly useless, treat me with contempt, and put employers off. Tried to organise a work trial some distance away, not only did they refuse to contribute towards travel expenses (no pay on a work trial), but in order to make it legal the employer has to complete an 8 page form on my behalf.

I appreciate that some people need a serious kick up the arse when it comes to finding a job, but do they honestly believe that I'm deliberately avoiding work for the princely sum of £50/week?

I know it probably won't help or make you feel better but no remember the benefits system is all geared towards sick, lame and lazy no though SERIOUSLY wanting employment.

Mr MC signed on having completed a PhD. When he went to see spotty eark who was "helping" him job hunt he asked Mr MC what he though he should be earning, Mr MC's response was £17,000 per annum (this was around 10 years ago), spotty oik's response was "someone with a HND like you should be earning around £12,000 a year" … that's promising that he doesn't even know the difference in qualifications … 7 years of study!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck though guys x

Dear ****

Re: Assignment 313507 – Supplier Quality Assurance Manager

Thank you for letting us have a copy of your CV in response to our advertisement for the above position. From the many responses we received we have been able to identify candidates that more clearly match our clients specification. We regret therefore, that on this occasion, your application is not being progressed further.

We are however very aware that your qualifications, skills and experience will be sought by other employing organisations and we will therefore retain your details for review against appropriate future assignments.

Received this today, obviously I don't tick all the boxes despite being degree qualified and having 7yrs relevant experience and currently studying for further quals relevant to the field. ****' recruitment consultants! As for the job centre- don't get me started! Was berated (publicly) for not showing what I'd applied for, so went home printed off over 300 applications took them back and informed the jumped up jobsworth that I wasn't moving until she'd inputted every last one of them!

Her colleagues were all staggering to themselves… JacksonPollock 1, "The System" 0! 😆

Architect, seven years at university, only a couple of years experience (aged 26), i am finding exactly the same as you guys, overqualified for everything available, market saturated on worthwhile pursuits.

I don't have any idea's left. On the plus side I have a new girlfriend, she is lovely. 😀

I was made redundant in April and now have a great job which started in October – was it advertised? – No!

50% of all job vacancies out there aren't advertised. Don't ignore anything that comes your way but don't think that it will just land in your lap either. My advice to anyone, having been there, is contact the places where you'd like to work but do some research first. Companies only take on people to fix a problem they have so try and identify what problems which the companies you'd most like to work for might have – then – tailor your CV and letter of introduction to address those issues.
If you're on LinkedIn.com then use the contacts and also copy and paste any recommendations you get and send them in with your CV too.
Above all, try and stay positive.
The job I have now was not in response to the 250 odd applications I sent off, it came from networking.
All the very best and I hope this helps.

Keep plugging away, guys. The world will turn and employers will start hiring again. Found out today that I should be able to start hiring again in April (not soon I know, but better than never) – any good power engineers want a shout when that happens?

I am (was) a planning officer and ridiculous as it seems I resigned from my safe, proffesional job in Surrey to return home to Liverpool. Bugger all planning jobs and unlikely to be until well into next year so am now working as a data entry clerk for £6.50 an hour!! And whilst that is depressing, I suppose I am greatful that I have something in the interim. A truly sad state of affairs. Still, at least I now have lots of great riding with an hour if me.

badblood if you can't get work in your field,why don't you do something else till job market picks up.
After i finished my apprenticeship never worked at my trade,never had a CV or been to a formal interview,tend to get bored after a few years but never been out of work.
At the moment working part time at an engineering company(get to learn how to weld)so try to find something interesting to fill your time in ,even minimum wage is better than the dole+ its good to learn new things.

If you can find out who a consultancy has decided you're not suitable for, it's worth applying directly. I've had a couple of interviews and a long term job this way, because the consultants hadn't understood what it was that the employer wanted.

Yup tried all the tricks rj!

Ring them up and try and get the name of the company out of them(this will be hard won information)! Then apply directly.

This has worked for me on three separate occasions. All times I got an interview! and in tandem applied through the agencies (got e-mails informing me I'd not been selected for interview)

Admittedly these were positions 'outside my field of expertise'. Agencies tend to employ a 'tick all boxes' policy, if you don't then you've no chance.

Good luck in your job hunt and in dealing with the recruitment 'consultants'
My advice to someone else on here a few weeks ago.

Waiting for the results of the two interviews I attended this week. (applied directly for I must add)!

I naturally have a positive attitude to everything I do, but it does get you down. Something'll turn up. It least I've got the mortgage paid for…

belgian bob – I was a trainer for 12 years for Orange in their Business Customer Services side.

Covered new product launches, implemented a LMS, the usual induction training, coaching and elements of project management.

I have tried contacting organisations directly and have applied for positions outside of what I normally do, they seem to think I am over qualified, I have several versions of my C.V. that I tweak as required.

I have applied for xmas cover in Comet, bed shops, customer services and hear nothing back.

I applied for a Training Offier job through an agency and they refused to put me forward as I had too much experience!!! Do not know who the client was so I cannot go direct.

I was on £27k when I left Orange and I can't even get basic wage!

Yep networking is the only way to go. Traditional recruitment is bulls*it, just hr people trying to look busy so they don't lose their jobs – getting people in for interviews for jobs that don't exist.
I'm underemployed, but at least I have some cash coming in (beer means it soon goes out), although contract is only for one year and who knows if it will be renewed.

Think the problem for a lot of people is that they [/i]are overqualified. There's just not a whole lot of well-paid jobs out there for people who are well-qualified etc – and people looking to employ you for lower paid, boring jobs probably realise that you will be unsatisfied, unmotivated and probably move on as soon as something better comes along.

remember the benefits system is all geared towards sick, lame and lazy no though SERIOUSLY wanting employment.

Yeah it's an absolute disgrace imo. When I was on the dole I picked up a few days work here and there, and not only did they make it incredible complicated when I foolishly declared it, they also took almost all of it off my dole. So you could either do nothing and get your dole, or do a load of work and have a load of hassle to get your dole plus a fiver. No incentive to get a job at all unless you can go straight into a fairly well paid job, which is pretty unlikely a lot of the time.

Quite a few jobs here where training skills could be useful.

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs/index.aspx

Flaperon – if the JC call you in for an interview, other than your normal fortnightly signing, you can claim for the travelling expense (cost of the journey by public transport). If you were called in twice on the same day you have a good case for claiming for both interviews. Claim for both by letter, enclosing copies of the invites, and address you claims (& complaint) to the Advisory Services Manager.
You CAN claim travel expenses (*clicky*), and a daily meal allowance, whilst you are on a Work Trial.

cheers Joolburger – duly bookmarked

I know how you feel – I was out of work from April till this Friday when I finally got offered a great job. The person doing it now is leaving, so its not a new job being created.

There are no jobs out there – even the agency people have been telling me that.

To keep me from going mad I rode my bike a lot, did loads of DIY and ignored the idiots at the job center. Actually it should be called something else more appropriate.

I got my job direct, not via an agency or website – they never seemed to be uptodate or actual jobs.

Find an area you want to work in and commute to, get the websites of all the companys there and check them out direct. Or offer your services free for a few hours each week – so as not to miss out on the dole money.

But you do need to find something to lift your spirits and take your mind off it.

badblood if you can't get work in your field,why don't you do something else till job market picks up.

because those people are also looking for work, and you'd have zero experience…