How to search for employment

avantra

I am trying to help my young sister to find employment and just want to know what is the best way to go about searching for jobs.
She is an experienced professional in Desktop support (7 years) but find it hard to find anything as the competition is fierce in that field (we are talking hundreds of candidates in her area – Bristol).
From the agency side she tried for 4 month but when she got an interview or two, there are literally dozens of candidates running after the same job and employers are asking for very specific experience on very specific applications on top of the usual experience in that field (server management, installs etc'). The nature of her job is evolving a lot and she always evolved with it, so sometime she has about 90% of what required in the spec but still get denied a chance for interview by agents.
The agencies always call her asking for her CV but mostly they don’t comeback.
Is it better to apply directly to employers or to go via recruitment agency of some sort? I guess I am a bit naive and like to know is it even worth going via agency if one can apply directly.


In the old days we just sent the CV and called to speak to someone but is this approach can work today?


Avantra

Savvy_Sue

avantra wrote: »

Is it better to apply directly to employers or to go via recruitment agency of some sort? I guess I am a bit naive and like to know is it even worth going via agency if one can apply directly.

It's best to do what the employer wants. Some only recruit via agencies, others never recruit via agencies, some may do a bit of both.

If agencies alone aren't getting results, try direct applications, but make them focussed and directed to the right person. Scan relevant publications and websites for actual job vacancies being advertised. And apply, apply, apply.

solodanceparty

Look in the local paper, they usually do a job night. Have a look at companies websites, like NHS Jobs and other large organisations.

jamespir

try jobsite.com you upload your cv and they send you jobs in your chosen fields plus they send your cv out to potential employers

Itsmineanyway

avantra wrote: »

I am trying to help my young sister to find employment and just want to know what is the best way to go about searching for jobs.
She is an experienced professional in Desktop support (7 years) but find it hard to find anything as the competition is fierce in that field (we are talking hundreds of candidates in her area – Bristol).
From the agency side she tried for 4 month but when she got an interview or two, there are literally dozens of candidates running after the same job and employers are asking for very specific experience on very specific applications on top of the usual experience in that field (server management, installs etc'). The nature of her job is evolving a lot and she always evolved with it, so sometime she has about 90% of what required in the spec but still get denied a chance for interview by agents.
The agencies always call her asking for her CV but mostly they don’t comeback.
Is it better to apply directly to employers or to go via recruitment agency of some sort? I guess I am a bit naive and like to know is it even worth going via agency if one can apply directly.


In the old days we just sent the CV and called to speak to someone but is this approach can work today?


Avantra

Many options available but as you say competition is hard so the more ways you apply all the better! and you have to do something different to the next person - its a lot like the X Factor with thousands of people applying but only 1 gets the top prize !

(1) Go on the internet and visit jobcentreplus website for your area and search for the roles of interest
(2) Find out which companies are in your area and ring them and visit their website and email them etc -look at their careers sections
(3) sign up with agencies and ask to be considered for contract as well as permanent roles
(4) If she is signing on as unemployed she can get a form from them which she can send with her CV offering to do free work on a trial basis with potential for the employers to offer permanent work if they like what they see etc
(5) The jobcentre can pay for you to go on courses that you may want to do to help you find work (advance skills in your area of interest etc)
(6) Look at local papers etc

List goes on but with the market as it is you have to try harder and be on the ball because some positions that come up are taken instantly so keep your eyes open and NEVER GIVE UP!
When going for an interview always take a folder to show them some of your work and read up on the company that you apply too.

HappyMJ

I would offer advice but as I am competing against your sister for the same job then I'd rather not....seriously though. Desktop Support these days I think has reached the end. Hardware is now much more reliable, replaced less often and the software is now all remotely managed so that a deskside visit is now rarely needed. So a slight career change might just be necessary for her and me. Network management might be the way forward. If no applications are actually installed on the desktop and everything is used through internet explorer remotely then they are going to need high speed networks to handle all that traffic...that's my opinion anyway. Broadband will soon be fibre to the home and there may be more home working. More network experience required setting up vpn's. I need to go on courses myself...

My job search has been bad as well 3 months 1 interview, awful. Jobcentreplus website is useless, I look but never find anything. Ex-colleagues work well keep in contact.

Itsmineanyway

Itsmineanyway wrote: »

Many options available but as you say competition is hard so the more ways you apply all the better! and you have to do something different to the next person - its a lot like the X Factor with thousands of people applying but only 1 gets the top prize !

(1) Go on the internet and visit jobcentreplus website for your area and search for the roles of interest
(2) Find out which companies are in your area and ring them and visit their website and email them etc -look at their careers sections
(3) sign up with agencies and ask to be considered for contract as well as permanent roles
(4) If she is signing on as unemployed she can get a form from them which she can send with her CV offering to do free work on a trial basis with potential for the employers to offer permanent work if they like what they see etc
(5) The jobcentre can pay for you to go on courses that you may want to do to help you find work (advance skills in your area of interest etc)
(6) Look at local papers etc

List goes on but with the market as it is you have to try harder and be on the ball because some positions that come up are taken instantly so keep your eyes open and NEVER GIVE UP!
When going for an interview always take a folder to show them some of your work and read up on the company that you apply too.

Also if you see many agencies advertising the same job send your CV to all of them, from my experience recently I sent my CV to many agencies who were advertising the same role for a client and I heard nothing because they had asked for experience in use of certain software packages which I hadn't used but I had used others . One of the agencies rings me up and went through my CV and we talked about the fact that I hadn't got experience in the required packages and the agency guy said no problem because he said that the client is being realistic and knows that potential candidates will have used other packages and could train easily etc. Brilliant thats just what I wanted to hear! I am now through to my second interview later this week! My first interview was a phone interview ! You will be surprised but all agencies are not the same, most will never call you to find out more about you whereas others will keep you updated with the progress and thats what I like! Good luck all!

avantra

Found few links that might help, please note that this was plagiarised from the blog on the IT job board,it is a comment by a pro that call himself Rob and that worked with the agencies for a while:

"The agencies are basically middlemen who specialise in people skills, and get paid for socialising with an agenda.





They are useful for finding contacts, negotiating hard-ball without upsetting a perspective client, etc. Depending on the agency though, they often have somewhat non-professional mannerisms.



Firstly you need to present your skills such that they feel you will get them a commision with zero effort. i.e. The employer will want you. If they think you are out of date, based on their non-technical and ill-informed school-leaver appraisal. Then they will pass over putting you forward.



If you go to several interviews and turn folks down, they will pass you over as they have lost commission. etc. For many of them I tend to think of the stereotypical US secondary school, cool crowd mentality.



This is a dis-service to some though, there are some quite professional agencies out there staffed by non-technical folk who really do try and understand their own shortcomings.


Some typical gotchas:
– Update your CV regularly. If it is static for more than a month or so, some agencies assume you are no longer looking. Idiotic, but true.
– Make sure you place keywords in it, They don’t know what is equivalent to anything. They just search on keywords.
– Mention any home projects you are working on and what you plan to do with them, setting up a linux server and developing database web apps, etc. Sell your boredom. An employer thinks, he is keen and these are relevant skills! An agent thinks “I might get a commission”.

– Don’t just apply to a few agencies, apply to any who are interested and try to start a discussion with them. If you find a good agent, keep in regular touch and ask for advice on skills they are looking for, influences your home project! (A demonstrable project is always best.)

– Don’t get annoyed with agents who are useless, work around them. They were born that way, it’s not their fault, some idiot hired them. Find an agent you get on with, tell them about the job you couldn’t get put forward to and see if they can get you in there. Dirty, dubious ethics, but if they are not representing you find someone who will.

– When you are applying for a role ALWAYS phone the agent.
– When you talk to the agent, ask how many CV’s they are allowed to put forward and if yours will be one of them. Ask how many applicants they have.
– Don’t apply for the same job from multiple agencies, this hacks off agents and employers. Tempting as it may be. Try your best to be represented for each job by only one agent. Sometimes they don’t tell you enough to avoid it, but be seen to try"


Also found the link below in regard to interviews, it is written for contractors but I feel it might work for any job seeker.

http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/killer_interview_technique_success_contractor.aspx

Itsmineanyway

avantra wrote: »

Found few links that might help, please note that this was plagiarised from the blog on the IT job board,it is a comment by a pro that call himself Rob and that worked with the agencies for a while:

"The agencies are basically middlemen who specialise in people skills, and get paid for socialising with an agenda.





They are useful for finding contacts, negotiating hard-ball without upsetting a perspective client, etc. Depending on the agency though, they often have somewhat non-professional mannerisms.



Firstly you need to present your skills such that they feel you will get them a commision with zero effort. i.e. The employer will want you. If they think you are out of date, based on their non-technical and ill-informed school-leaver appraisal. Then they will pass over putting you forward.



If you go to several interviews and turn folks down, they will pass you over as they have lost commission. etc. For many of them I tend to think of the stereotypical US secondary school, cool crowd mentality.



This is a dis-service to some though, there are some quite professional agencies out there staffed by non-technical folk who really do try and understand their own shortcomings.


Some typical gotchas:
– Update your CV regularly. If it is static for more than a month or so, some agencies assume you are no longer looking. Idiotic, but true.
– Make sure you place keywords in it, They don’t know what is equivalent to anything. They just search on keywords.
– Mention any home projects you are working on and what you plan to do with them, setting up a linux server and developing database web apps, etc. Sell your boredom. An employer thinks, he is keen and these are relevant skills! An agent thinks “I might get a commission”.

– Don’t just apply to a few agencies, apply to any who are interested and try to start a discussion with them. If you find a good agent, keep in regular touch and ask for advice on skills they are looking for, influences your home project! (A demonstrable project is always best.)

– Don’t get annoyed with agents who are useless, work around them. They were born that way, it’s not their fault, some idiot hired them. Find an agent you get on with, tell them about the job you couldn’t get put forward to and see if they can get you in there. Dirty, dubious ethics, but if they are not representing you find someone who will.

– When you are applying for a role ALWAYS phone the agent.
– When you talk to the agent, ask how many CV’s they are allowed to put forward and if yours will be one of them. Ask how many applicants they have.
– Don’t apply for the same job from multiple agencies, this hacks off agents and employers. Tempting as it may be. Try your best to be represented for each job by only one agent. Sometimes they don’t tell you enough to avoid it, but be seen to try"


Also found the link below in regard to interviews, it is written for contractors but I feel it might work for any job seeker.

http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/killer_interview_technique_success_contractor.aspx

Thanks for the link ref contractors - I have always had permanent roles but with the market climate now I am looking for contract work also and my interview later this week is for a year contract and I am determined to get the role because I don't seem to be getting many replies from other applications! just shows how bad the market is!

Regarding applying for the same role through different agencies I would still go for that approach because as I mentioned before not every agency will put you forward to the client BUT as long as one of them do and you get an interview who cares who gets hacked off!! because if you don't try you will never know!