My Sad Situation - Help :)

bumpoowee

Bismarck wrote: »

Here's my take on it:


I've got interviews where I said I've made myself good at stuff and that can make all the difference. Getign the interview and sitting there saying you've self-taught yourself "XYZ" in your "spare" time is going to sound pretty good...and it does wonders for your confidence to keep the ball rolling.

Good luck!

I agree with this completely. I graduated June 2005 and didn't get offered a job until September, however I did well in a number of interviews and the fact that I'd been actively self-learning while I was out of work always went down really well (I also highly recommend self-learning when you do start a job!). I've recently switched jobs (well early last year) and again the interviewer said they were really impressed with people who self learn.

There are a lot of graduates looking for jobs - however I'd suggest 85% are unemployable in graduate roles, so if you are good enough I wouldn't worry too much about the competition. If you come accross as highly motivated and willing to put the effort in to do well in the industry you will get a job eventually - obviously with the economy the way it is it's bad timing but there are jobs out there.

Bobby1985

What kind of self-taught skills would you recommend? And is there any specific way to go about this? e.g. Learndirect.

Burlesque_Babe

Try Learn Direct, yes. Also look at your local Adult Learning brochure. I work in Adult Learning now and we offer lots of vocational skills courses. There are also online courses you can do - ie Food Hygiene, Health and Safety which are officially recognised qualifications and straight forward enough to get.

bumpoowee

Lamby1985 wrote: »

What kind of self-taught skills would you recommend? And is there any specific way to go about this? e.g. Learndirect.

That really depends on what sort of jobs you are applying for - are there any skills in particular that get mentioned on a lot of the job adverts you apply for?

For self-learning I've always just bought books no more than £20-£30 from amazon at most it doesn't need to be expensive. Industry standard qualifications look good but can be more expensive.

Bobby1985

Ive been applying mainly for admin and retail work. Yet I dont want to be doing that long-term but work in the enviornment, however that is unlikely without more education and lots of expereince.

chriswatts

A First might still be a First but if it's not relevant to the job it might as well be a Third. After a while the only people who really care about degree grades are universities for acceptances on Masters or a Phd. Most employers look more at what subjects were included in the degree and if their relevant. I'm not sure about a Geography degrees but did you have to do other things on the degree like business studies and team work. Since most graduates work in business you sometimes find these added.

Also do you honestly believe that what's making other candidates better is +10 year experience? Usually when a job spec specifies a minimum number of years experience that's usually both the maximum and minimum number of year that experience will count. Someone with 20 extra years extra experience over the required doesn't really have any experience over someone with the minimum since it's usually classified as expired experience. I have known a few people BS a interview by cramming up on the jargon of the post and one by telling a few white lies and over exaggerating their experience! I know that some will probably say you shouldn't lie on a CV but these days most employers expect a CV to be slightly exaggerated.

Burlesque_Babe

Getting the experience - in any administrative area - is a good way to get a foot in the door. I started that way after graduating and once you get the experience you will find it snowballs from there. Local government is a good way to put a career together - I started there and have jumped on any opportunity tomove upwards and have also completely re-trained and started a completely new career as well.

bumpoowee

When you say work in the environment what do you mean exactly - ie Is that conservation/envronmentalism, landscape gardening etc? Maybe you need to be a bit more specific? Depending on what it is you're trying to go into, have you looked into relevant voluntary work?

Another good way into jobs for graduates is applying for graduate schemes, most big companies run these for a range of positions and they are more forgiving on the experience front. If you look at company websites they usually have a link where you can apply.

Its difficult if you're applying for admin and retail on a short-term basis as they will probably realise this and not want to employ you just for you to leave shortly afterwards. So you could try pitching yourself at a lower level and seem less ambitious to get round this.

Bismarck

just turn it on its head....when you look fror jobs, see what their essential/desired criteria are and, if you really want that type of job, think about the best way of showing someone who's never met you why you'd be suitable...make them really want to see you, imagine you sitting there doing it....not needing to be shown too much stuff, being able to fit straight in...make them look good for choosing you for an interviw in the first place!

treat it like :
ok, eployer...you want someone who is good at "XYZ", I'll show you I can do "XYZ" better than anyone else who's applied......

needn't cost the earth....libraries have so much good stuff in them nowadays.....if it's not there request it.

it's really up to you, make it so that an employer feels compelled to see you...if need be, downplay your degree so they don't see themselves as a stepping stone to your "proper"job....

good luck playing the game

bumpoowee

chriswatts wrote: »

Also do you honestly believe that what's making other candidates better is +10 year experience? Usually when a job spec specifies a minimum number of years experience that's usually both the maximum and minimum number of year that experience will count. Someone with 20 extra years extra experience over the required doesn't really have any experience over someone with the minimum since it's usually classified as expired experience. I have known a few people BS a interview by cramming up on the jargon of the post and one by telling a few white lies and over exaggerating their experience! I know that some will probably say you shouldn't lie on a CV but these days most employers expect a CV to be slightly exaggerated.

Yeah i'd also just mention with this that while experience often gives you an edge, there are a lot of people who have been in 'skilled' jobs for 10-20 years but don't know their !!!! from their elbow - when I started my first job I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the other people, but soon realised that a large proportion of 'professionals' with decades of experience were pretty clueless.

I think coming across as motivated is more important, provided the interviewer is satisfied you will be able to do the job.