Experienced, well spoken and eager, but still can't get work.

ThinkingOfLinking

:mad: Where am I going wrong?!

I was made redundant from a Christmas temp job at the start of January, and although I am working part time, it is not reliable and my job is not safe anyway.

I have been applying for work, and I do have an interview lined up on Monday but I am still looking and applying and getting nowhere in terms of other jobs.

I am not picky, I am going for Asda type jobs as well as normal retail, and office work and bar work; I just want a job!!

It gets my back up more when I go into a shop for which I have applied (such as New Look) and am confronted with moronic or rude staff and it's like, I could do your job much better than you but unlike you I couldn't get your job. WHat;s that about?!

toniq

Maybe take a course in retail, or a course i something that will give u that extra advantage than other applicants xx good luck mate xx

Pee

Could you ask for feedback the next time you are not successful? Would there be someone in the job centre who would be able to give you feedback? (This might highlight your weak points, maybe say a lack of experience, and your strong points, maybe experience in a similiar area which you are not presenting to a future employer properly.)
If you have an interview, it sounds like your CV is working. Do you feel you do well at getting the interview but then underperform in the interview? If so, maybe the job centre could assist there with mock/ training interviews. (I appreciate that the services offered by various job centres vary enormously.)

pingu

OP i know exactly what you mean

i have experience in warehouse and shop work and can do more or less any jobs within a warehouse or a shop(supermarket)

but no luck yet

then you see some people in work places and wonder:mad:

also when you call or get calls from call centres it surprises me how they got that job:mad:

ThinkingOfLinking

toniq wrote: »

Maybe take a course in retail, or a course i something that will give u that extra advantage than other applicants xx good luck mate xx

Retail isn't a career; just a job until I get to go through clearing for university in August. I've got 6 years retail experience.

I've only ever had 3 job interviews in my life; 1 of them I got the job, 1 of them never got back to me and the other is an interview I am doing next Monday.

toniq

Maybe research the company a bit so u r fully prepared,how r u dressing? sounds daft but u have to dress right for the interview xxx

ThinkingOfLinking

toniq wrote: »

Maybe research the company a bit so u r fully prepared,how r u dressing? sounds daft but u have to dress right for the interview xxx

It was the one I thought was this monday but is actually next Monday; the one I am completely cut out for. And in answer: I'll be wearing one of their tops and bags. I have virtually everything they sell!:rotfl:

Pee

Good luck on Monday. Maybe the problem is that prospective employers think you will be temporary and then move on. I found it very hard to get a job doing something other than I trained for, even though I couldn't at that time get a job doing what I had trained for, and was told it was because they felt I was overqualified and would move on.

What do you want to do after university? Is there anything related to that you could try to get a job in, where you could show more interest maybe? Have you tried a temping agency?

Sharon87

Pee wrote: »

Good luck on Monday. Maybe the problem is that prospective employers think you will be temporary and then move on. I found it very hard to get a job doing something other than I trained for, even though I couldn't at that time get a job doing what I had trained for, and was told it was because they felt I was overqualified and would move on.

What do you want to do after university? Is there anything related to that you could try to get a job in, where you could show more interest maybe? Have you tried a temping agency?

At the interview ask what possibilities there are for promotion within the company, this will show that you're not just there for the short term! That worked with me! Even if you're not interested in being promoted there, its still a good thing to ask, shows that you're keen.

Also prepare. Most retail jobs ask for examples when you demonstrated good customer service.

ThinkingOfLinking

Pee, I am almost 24 so will be going for pretty much any course I can reasonably do, but have to now wait til August; I was sure I was going to get into the one and only I applied for but somehow didn't, so now have to do clearing.

Sharon, I do that anyway; the place isn't a chain but I am an expert on everything they do and sell and one of my references is so important he contributed to the history behind the place so I hope to get it. I still work in customer service so will be fine.

It's just a matter of wanting a job right this second. I sign on JSA as contribution based as I work less than 16 hours a week and some weeks not at all, and I hate every second of being in the job centre and am desparate to escape it!!

Pee

What do you want to do after University? Going to University as a mature student is financially very difficult and sometimes having a plan as to what happens next can carry you through. If it's because you want to study and love a subject, great, if it's just to earn more money in future, I would say that as a general rule that isn't the case.