Any sites for 'crappy' jobs?

wontfallforit

Hi Delta,

I'm probably going to repeat what some other posters have said, but here goes:

- Firstly, you do have qualifications. You have a degree, for one, plus you must have some kind of qualification that got you into uni in the first place, if you didn't enter as a mature student?

- Why did you go to uni if you're dead set on a 'crappy' job? Don't get me wrong, I don't think a degree places you above menial work, given that any job is better than none, but your approach baffles me. Surely the most logical option is to aim 'high', and settle 'low', if need be.

- I think you're exaggerating the qualifications/experience requirements a little. Sure, many companies require them, but many don't. However, many employers will expect a person of graduate age (i.e. at least 21+, you must be at least 23 yourself) to have a bit of experience, even if it's from a part-time bar job. Have you ever worked? That can count towards experience.

- On that note, have you ever considered graduate schemes? Although they can be fiercely competitive, literally hundreds of companies run schemes. I'd say around 30% of them accept graduates of any discipline with 2:2+, around 30% accept any discipline at 2:1+, and the remainder will recruit within specific disciplines (there may well be IT-oriented positions out there).

- As others have suggested, there must be something 'wrong' with your CV, which can be an easy mistake to make. What about posting the format you're currently working with, to see if anyone has any suggestions?

- So called "crappy" jobs (by which I surmise you mean NMW, manual labour, etc.) are best found through the jobcentre, though pickings are admittedly slim at present.

- If you're dead set on applying for jobs that don't require qualifications, leave your degree off your CV. You'll come across as overqualified, believe it or not, and the employer will get the message that you may well leave once something more appropriate comes up. Saying that, it's not easy to 'lose' 3 years of your life if you weren't also working or doing something else constructive during that time.

- Post your CV on Monster. You'll get calls from agencies. There are two sides to the agency coin, but personally I've had positive experiences overall.

- You should really look into doing something constructive with your unemployment time. Voluntary work is ideal, but failing that, even helping out neighbours with a spot of gardening or dog walking looks more positive than a 2-year blank space.

euronorris

Hello there!

I saw you mentioned that the JSA is removed, unless they arrange the voluntary work. Have you asked them to find you some volunteer work then? Or, have you asked them if you arrange it, and they sign off on it, whether that would be OK. If experience is the thing you lack most, then you really need to push to gain some more, however difficult.

Also, have you tried your network of family and friends - see if any of them have small businesses that could maybe use an extra pair of hands, or if they would be willing to refer you etc?

As for the CV. I know you have re-written it a few times already, but have you received any feedback on it. Do you know anyone in a managerial position who could give you their thoughts on it?

I know it's tough, but you have to utilise absolutely every option available to you.

You have IT qualifications. How about any secondary skills that go with that? Like project management? Then you would be able to say, hey, I have the IT skills and I have the skills to implement them within a project etc etc

joeblack066

Hi OP,

I'm going to try to be constructive, and I speak from a lot of experience including years working with people who are long term unemployed and as the parent of 3 working sons, so please don't think I'm having a go! But.......

You need to change your attitude! I appreciate that you may be frustrated, but you have referred to 'crappy' jobs..... I'll tell my yardsman son that thats what you think of what he does every day shall I? When he's working in -10 degrees last week and you're complaining? That his job is 'crappy'? Even if you did get an interview, this attitude would come over and I doubt that you would get the job.
So....please start from today with a more positive attitude. Your full time occupation at the moment should be searching for work. All day. Every day. Thats what JSA is paid for. Get someone to look over your CV. Stop moaning. Start looking at the positives. And good luck!

honeyD

Im sorry but what you are saying about being on JSA and volunteering is a load of old codswallop! My Husband is on JSA and when he signed onto it he made them aware that he was volunteering and they were fine with it! Had no problems at all apart from it taking longer for payment to start since they had to check the company. As long as it doesnt impact on your jobsearch or stop you getting a job then it is fine.

There are plenty of jobs that say training will be provided. I have seen many and I only just started looking at the very end of October. Ive got myself an induction with a home care service for the elderly and I have no qualifications or experience in this field, yet they are training me and offering me a job afterwards.
If you have been looking for 2 years and not found a job, something must be wrong somewhere! Have someone look over your CV, write a really good cover letter for whichever field of work you are applying for - I have one cover letter for school positions and one cover letter for elderly care positions and just mess around with it to make sure it fits with the environment.

It is worth having someone look over your CV, I had an american businessman friend look over mine and he said it was too passive so he helped me change some words and now I get told my CV is excellent... yet I have never had paid work before. So it is quite simple to "make something out of nothing". I put on all of my relevant work experience that I had done at college and previous to that. I put on that I had been a kinship foster carer which people seem to find interesting - that is the only "work" Ive done really. So its all I can put.
Good luck with your future job searching. If you ever want someone to look over your CV Im sure someone would be happy to help, though with personal info taken out of course!

outofworksch

Why not look at companies you think you would like to work for and send in a speculative application form, asking for it to be kept on file for future reference.

Azzaqueens

If you are looking for a job have you tried security? If you have been unemployed for two years you should get your training to get your SIA licence paid for by the government. As long as you are prepared to work shifts, dont have a criminal record, you can get a licence, and will almost certainly get a job, as the churn rate in security is relatively high.

HTH

Before i put my two pennies in, i will start by saying hello eveybody i am new here as you have gathered

Currently in security myself and have been working in it now for 7 months. At first i was doing mega hours (84hrs a week) patrolling building sites. Basically, the job is pretty easy however can also be dangerous depending what site you get put on and what you are guarding. Some of the guys on our firm ended up buying their own stab proof vests due to some of the threats they were getting ect.
Anyway, if you don't mind being on your own for 8-14hrs (again depending, but in my exerience usually 12) then i guess i would say go for it.
However, at the moment the firm i work for are severely lacking in contracts and alot of us are only getting 1-2 shifts a week which is poor.
So as a warning, security can be like the building game (my old proffession) and you never know what will happen. Dribs and drabs really if you understand what i mean.
The company i currently work for don't look after you at all really and send you all over the place to different sites which involves a hell of alot of travelling and not a single penny is given to you for petrol. So be aware that there are many many bad firms out there. Do your homework
Let me just list some pros and cons for you:

Pros:

• Get with a good firm and you'll get paid well if you put the hours in.
• Most firms you work for will give you a variety of sites to cover (helps stop getting bored of the same old same old)
• Mostly your hours will be spent in your cabin/building which means you will be out of the bad weather.
• Most firms will allow use of laptops,TV's,radio's ect ect whilst you are in your cabin/building and this can help pass the hours by. In some circumstances, the site you may be on, may already have most of these luxuries if your lucky.

• Your pretty much your own boss alot of the time as again in most circumstances there is nobody watching over you. Just make sure you do your check calls though.

Here are some cons:

• Hourly rate is usually not that good for a reason: they expect you to put in insane hours to get good pay.
• Your social life will rapidly take a nosedive
• Very very unsociable hours
• Extremely boring, although saying that it's what you make of it i guess.
• Most security work involves you being alone which on most sites can be actually quite scary when it's pitchblack.
• You will have to put up with being spoken to like dirt as any form of name calling ect can seen you done for assualt which means you can lose your job. Pathetic i know, but this is how it goes now. You will be taught all this rubbish on the course as this is what it consists of.
• SIA license = Stealth tax in my opinion.:rotfl:

Well these are just a few of them anyway. I don't mean to put you off in anyway however i am simply warning you that it's not all that great as some people think.That being said i wish you all the best Delta and hope you find something soon. I too am seeking employment now as i don't think i can carry on woking this way for the company.
Well i hope this helps anyone (not just Delta) wanting to know a bit about what it's like.
Remember, most of this is from my experince so far and others will tell you thing's that are different.
I'll sum it up for you though: If your single, don't mind working the hours for good pay and dont have much of a social life then go for it!

All the best.

DCFC79

Delta-NC wrote: »

I have tried agency's a few times in the past and only one ever got back to me, even then I got a few days and that was it.

with agencies you dont just sit back and wait so to speak you have to keep on calling them say everyday or every 2 days to keep you at the top of they're list so to speak

euronorris

DCFC79 wrote: »

with agencies you dont just sit back and wait so to speak you have to keep on calling them say everyday or every 2 days to keep you at the top of they're list so to speak

Very true! Most agencies I've used required a bit of pestering to get them moving.

elsietanner71

@Delta NC - if you were advising a friend in the same situation as you on how they could improve their chances of finding work, what would you say? Without being negative?

I only ask because you seem to have an answer for most suggestions that are being made eg the job centre won't let you volunteer, the agencies won't get back to you etc.

It seems you are content to accept this rather than thinking of ways you can address these problems.

You are responsible for your life and you need to take control of it. Until you realise that and stop blaming Labour, the university, the job centre, job agencies etc you aren't going to get anywhere.

If you think I'm being unfair, then I'm sorry but if you change nothing, nothing changes.

DCFC79

Delta-NC wrote: »

The Job Centre often suggest this, then when they find out you are they try and stop your money. I would consider it (and not tell them) but right now I am in the middle of nowhere.

sorry if im a bit behind the times eere but you say the job centre stop you from doing voluntary work, did you make them aware it was voluntary work, your able to do voluntary work as long as it doesn't impact on your job hunting, have you checked you cv is up to scratch ? checked it over for spelling mistakes etc ?