Fed up with job searching

Fatpants

I really am at my witts end!

I left my current job in September, great workplace and salary but my boss was unappreciative of everything I did for him and I felt there was something better out there for me. Found a great job in the city, great salary and was really looking forward to starting. Handed in my notice and two weeks before I was due to start my new job they withdrew the offer due to 'the current climate'!!! I got some compensation money and found a temp job in the city and I am still there now, but I have no work to do and just sit there everyday waiting for the phone to ring. As I'm a temp no one really acknowledges me and I feel really lonely. The money is crap but I have to do it to pay the mortgage.

I have been searching non stop since sept for a job, I search every job website twice a day and apply for five or more jobs a day. Never hear back. I've joinned several agencies who all say I have a great CV and then I never hear from them. I have been to several interviews, several 2nd interviews and never get the job. I am totally fed up and feel like I'm jinxed and should never have left my job in the first place!

Sorry to moan as I know there a hundreds of people worse of than me but jsut needed to get it off my chest!!! Is anyone else experincing this?

SomeBozo

It hard out there at the moment. My customers asking for recruiting help has more or less dropped to zero (though the public sector seem less affected).

My suggestion is to print out some Cvs and covering letters, get dressed up smart and hand deliver some of these into employers you want to work for.

Two of my staff got a job with me like this (though I admit in better times).

Bozo

pinkshoes

Agree with Bozo, you should hand deliver CVs to companies who you'd like to work for!! Definitely worth a try!

A company is much more likely to remember you if you go in person, rather than just sending it in the post!

Competition for jobs is quite fierce, and we've even had recruitment companies phoning the company I work for to ask if any vacancies are coming up, as they have people to fill them!!

Butterfliesarepretty

Fatpants wrote: »

I really am at my witts end!

I left my current job in September, great workplace and salary but my boss was unappreciative of everything I did for him and I felt there was something better out there for me. Found a great job in the city, great salary and was really looking forward to starting. Handed in my notice and two weeks before I was due to start my new job they withdrew the offer due to 'the current climate'!!! I got some compensation money and found a temp job in the city and I am still there now, but I have no work to do and just sit there everyday waiting for the phone to ring. As I'm a temp no one really acknowledges me and I feel really lonely. The money is crap but I have to do it to pay the mortgage.

I have been searching non stop since sept for a job, I search every job website twice a day and apply for five or more jobs a day. Never hear back. I've joinned several agencies who all say I have a great CV and then I never hear from them. I have been to several interviews, several 2nd interviews and never get the job. I am totally fed up and feel like I'm jinxed and should never have left my job in the first place!

Sorry to moan as I know there a hundreds of people worse of than me but jsut needed to get it off my chest!!! Is anyone else experincing this?

Yes I feel very lonely too, live at home alone, I have been applying for jobs non stop, had an interview other day but it was for part-time work, you have to apply for everything really. I have joined three agencies and not one has found me a post to temp on. I know exactly how you feel and the job centre pick out jobs for me that are well above my capabilities, I mean I am a clerical worker and they pick out managers jobs for me at councils. I joined an agency called Randstadt and they have promised me an nhs contract in clerical work. But they are still slow at getting references. I am even advertising in local paper for word processing documents from home, no luck! I have also sent out my letter for word processing work to local firms.

Horace

Agencies will never call you - you have to call them constantly, ring them every day, make a bloomin' nuisance of yourself because that's how they find you work because it shows you are keen. I used to be a 'permanent' temp and worked for 3 years - sure it was hard to start of with but I badgered and pestered until I got something. It's the way of the world with agencies because they will give the job to someone who makes a nuisance of themselves as opposed to someone who sits quietly by the phone and waits.

Unfortunately, temps are not treated the same as permanent employees when you work in different companies, sometimes they will look at you as though you are something that they have stepped in - that's life I am afraid, you just have to rise above it.

Have you thought of trying to get work in a University? Universities and FE Colleges usually advertise in one place (you will need to register for their weekly emails and note down what type of work you are lookng for). The site is https://www.jobs.ac.uk

Try looking at TimesOnline - their job section is good and they have lots of different jobs in all sorts of fields.

When you get a knock back from a job don't be afraid to contact them and ask them for feedback - what they say will help you when you go for the next job.

The current climate is bad at the mo but you have to keep pushing - I was made redundant in 2007 and got to the stage where I was so fed up of applying and getting constant knockbacks (I was always overqualified) that I have set up my own business (I must be mad in this current climate:eek: ).

Good Luck and remember to pester the agencies, tailor your CV to whatever job you are applying for. Go through the job spec and write down what experience you have - even if its from a job you did 10-20 years' ago. It all helps.

fredsnail

I agree with the agencies - you need to take a look at their website - and phone and ask for more details about a post - any post and if it doesn't appeal tell them it's not your thing. If you've a good agency and you phone a couple of times a week (even for jobs you aren't interested in) they realise that you're actively seeking and will start to contact you.

I also agree with going into businesses with your cv etc - another tip is to leave your cv and also a little summary card of your cv (you can add a photo to this to remind them who you are).

Follow up in a month or so with a call - I wondered if any vacancies had become available etc.

What sort of work are you looking for?

paintpot

Excellent advice from Horace.

In a climate like this, the number of permanent positions always dips but the temporary market either stays the same or increases slightly.

In respect of temporary work, a temps controller working for an agency will always go to their tried and tested favourite temps first when a new booking comes in. Once you have done an assignment for them and done a good job then you are more likely to be contacted for further work.

If they haven't a tried and tested temp available they will then move onto recently registered temps. I would suggest calling first thing in the morning when the office opens to say you are available. Be prepared to grab your coat and go, as particularly at this time of the year people ring in sick etc and a temp is required urgently or another temp fails to turn up.

The temps controller will be looking at making the minimal amount of calls to fill the booking so if they know you are free, they are more likely to call you than leaving dozens of messages for temps who may already have an assignment elsewhere through an another agency.

Also be flexible, you might be a clerical worker for example but if you have a good telephone manner then you might be able to do reception work for example.

On the permanent side, it can be tough but again keep in touch with the agency, keep a look out on their website for new vacancies appearing and call them if you think you are suitable. Again, the consultant will be wanting to draw up a shortlist as quickly as possible so they will pull off the first few candidates they come across who fit the bill and most companies only want a small selection of potential candidates to look at.

Always ask for feedback after interviews to find out why you were unsuccessful whether that's been through an agency or employer. Some consultants at agencies will fob you off with "you were just pipped to the post" or "there was a candidate with a little more experience" because they don't want to have a more difficult conversation so tell them you don't mind hearing the negatives and press them for more useful feedback. (Providing you can take it!)

Make sure your CV is the best it can be. Seek advice if you are not sure. Some CVs are truly awful but the person thinks it is brilliant. Check it with a fine toothcomb for spelling mistakes etc. It can be the smallest thing that is the difference between you being selected or not.

I hope that helps.

CCFC_80

paintpot wrote: »

Excellent advice from Horace.

In a climate like this, the number of permanent positions always dips but the temporary market either stays the same or increases slightly.

Sorry but have to disagree with your comment on this. Not sure what area of the country you are from but in my area the temp market at the moment is dead. Even a lot of the major stores e.g Sainsburys & tescos were not taking on staff for xmas when they had always done so in previous years. I have been doing agency work wherever possible for the past 18 months mainly in office and also warehouse as very little permanent work available. Opportunities over the past 6 months on the temp side are now virtually non existant.

paintpot

I am no longer in the industry but have worked in tough times and generally speaking what I said is what happens. However, we are in extreme times at the moment and to a certain degree it can depend on the type of work you do/geography etc but I take on board your comments, these are exceptional times and the temp market may have been affected. However, people I know in the industry I worked in have said that the temp market is holding up but the perm market is dire.

Generally though, in tough times, rather than recruiting perm staff companies use temps to cover busy times, holidays, sickness etc over and above the seasonal Xmas rush that extends to many but not all companies.

andy46 wrote: »

paintpot wrote: »

Excellent advice from Horace.

In a climate like this, the number of permanent positions always dips but the temporary market either stays the same or increases slightly.

Sorry but have to disagree with your comment on this. Not sure what area of the country you are from but in my area the temp market at the moment is dead. Even a lot of the major stores e.g Sainsburys & tescos were not taking on staff for xmas when they had always done so in previous years. I have been doing agency work wherever possible for the past 18 months mainly in office and also warehouse as very little permanent work available. Opportunities over the past 6 months on the temp side are now virtually non existant.

Deep_In_Debt

I know exactly how you feel. I was made redundant from a job I loved in August after nearly 12 years with the company. However, I quickly found a temp job paying £12ph which is not bad for the type of work I am doing (admin/secretarial). The company I am working for are a great company, the people friendly but the job is dull and boring. I am sticking it out as it's a job and in this current climate, temp jobs that pay that hourly rate are not that easy to find. Also it's a huge company I am working for so I am looking within the company for other opportunities bearing in mind I've learnt some of their internal systems and know a little about the company .

I would agree about the temp market holding out at the moment. I got bombarded with agencies ringing me for temp work, and still have agencies calling me for temp work but I'm staying where I am for the moment.

Butterfliesarepretty

Deep_In_Debt wrote: »

I know exactly how you feel. I was made redundant from a job I loved in August after nearly 12 years with the company. However, I quickly found a temp job paying £12ph which is not bad for the type of work I am doing (admin/secretarial). The company I am working for are a great company, the people friendly but the job is dull and boring. I am sticking it out as it's a job and in this current climate, temp jobs that pay that hourly rate are not that easy to find. Also it's a huge company I am working for so I am looking within the company for other opportunities bearing in mind I've learnt some of their internal systems and know a little about the company .

I would agree about the temp market holding out at the moment. I got bombarded with agencies ringing me for temp work, and still have agencies calling me for temp work but I'm staying where I am for the moment.

I think I will start pestering all the agencies I have joined every monday. I need a job!