£100,000 Debt "club"

Debtomaniak

Emmzi wrote:

Hi there - the cv is designed to get interviews, not jobs... is he getting interviews? If he is, cv is ok and you need to look at interview skills coaching.

Let me know before I do you a breakdown on the cv (that takes me an hour or so!!)

Thank you, he did get few interviews, but not been offered a job. He looks very presentable, smart and has lots of common sence. Do not know why he is not getting any jobs though. Wondering if they can feel something negativ about him, because he has the burden of his debt on his shoulders?

Debtomaniak

lswwong wrote:

Wow!! That's some CV! My ex did very similar things.

Below just came to my head on first reading:
1. My OH's CV contains an "achievement" line under each job he did e.g. raised the value of the order book by X%. This has been helpful in attracting prospective employers' attention.

2. Which banking IT agencies is he registered with?

3. Sometimes it's just luck that stops the right job from turning up. Then it turns up the next day!

4. Has he got contacts at banks in the City who could check their firms' intranet boards for him?

Unfortunately, he has no contacts. He has registered with all IT agencies that are out there in the past year and keeps looking everyday, keeps appliyng, gets interviews, gets good feedback, but after that- "someone else had a better expirience"!!!!!!

Emmzi

Debtomaniak wrote:

Thank you, he did get few interviews, but not been offered a job. He looks very presentable, smart and has lots of common sence. Do not know why he is not getting any jobs though. Wondering if they can feel something negativ about him, because he has the burden of his debt on his shoulders?

If he's getting interviews, the cv is ok, or near enough. From a recruiter's standpoint the catering is a problem because it makes it difficult for people to 'box' him into the type of job he's looking for - it does scream 'I hated what I was doing so I tried something else - it didn't work, so here I am back again in what I hate!' so I hope he has a good covering letter to explain this departure - feel free to pm me an example of what he usually puts.

Yes, they could pick up negative vibes in interview, but is he up to speed with interview techniques? These days lots of people used competency based, where they are looking for data in a specific format. Examples here...

http://www.accaglobal.com/publications/ipi/28/1009390

Debtomaniak

gerretl wrote:

Hello
Heres my ha'pennys worth.
the bit that sticks out a mile is the restauranteur bit. Am I right in guessing that he thought quit the rat race, run a restaurant, and be my own boss? Thats not a critisism, but that business is one of the riskiest, most aggresive hardest work, longest hours, deal-with- more- bureaucracy- than- you- can- shake- a- stick- at, games going.
I am going to make an assumption that he is in his late forties/ fifties, and feels that no one will employ him. Jobs aren't just about the money, they are as much about feeling worthwhile.
The restaurant bit could be the key to get the foot in the door. He obviously knows how big systems work, but the time in the catering trade shows he knows how important it is to get the small bits right. Looking for work as a small business advisor in a local bank may seem a comedown, but he has two great assets, a knowledge of the banking industry, and how to actually generate cash from customers face to face.
Don't look at the restaurant time as an abberation, and he wished he hadn't done it. At least it shows he had the guts to get out of the comfort zone, and take a risk.
I have to go to work now, but I will try and come back to this if I can think of anything else.

Thank you so much. He had been made redundant about three years ago or more, at that time lots of people in that trade lost their jobs. He kept trying to get back to what he does for six month, but so were thousands of others who also lost their jobs. Anyway after that 6 month, we heard that the restaurant which we were regulars at was up for sale, it was 5 minutes away from where we lived and we thought, "Wow let's be our own bosses".
One year on, our relationship was at it's worsed, we were always tired, angry, overworked and underpaid. Shortly after we bought the restaurant, bigger one opened not far away from us and that just doubled our troubles. So happy, we had sold it.
You are right he is in his late fourties, 49.
I will pass the idea of business advisor, thank you. He just wants a job, he hates being unemployed.

Emmzi

Debtomaniak wrote:

I will pass the idea of business advisor, thank you. He just wants a job, he hates being unemployed.

Why? Seems he has a lot of experience to offer in this field. I'd see if local enterprise board are recruiting.. they usually need a fair number of people who have run their own businesses, however successfully or otherwise, to help bright sparks with start up businesses.

If he's really keen to work, why limit his potential employers because you don't "fancy" it?

Debtomaniak

Emmzi wrote:

If he's getting interviews, the cv is ok, or near enough. From a recruiter's standpoint the catering is a problem because it makes it difficult for people to 'box' him into the type of job he's looking for - it does scream 'I hated what I was doing so I tried something else - it didn't work, so here I am back again in what I hate!' so I hope he has a good covering letter to explain this departure - feel free to pm me an example of what he usually puts.

Yes, they could pick up negative vibes in interview, but is he up to speed with interview techniques? These days lots of people used competency based, where they are looking for data in a specific format. Examples here...

http://www.accaglobal.com/publications/ipi/28/1009390

Thank you, I will tell him to read that. I have printed various interview questions and answers for him before, he has read them. I do wonder, if he goes into interview room, thinking "I am not going to get this job, but I will give it a shot". That type of thinking changes whole direction in which his answers are going, that probably doesn't help. But after a year of trying, think anyone will feel useless and loose confidence.

Poor him, he never thrown sickies, well maybe ones a year, he was even sent home ones with terrible flu, always commited, always happy to work.

Can not believe that no one needs the expirience that he has! What about the knowledge, you don't just forget all that in a couple of years, do you?

Emmzi

Debtomaniak wrote:

Can not believe that no one needs the expirience that he has! What about the knowledge, you don't just forget all that in a couple of years, do you?

No.. and I know how depressing it can be, I must have done 30 odd applications and 10 interviews in the last 2 months and still *nothing*!!!!! Doesn't help that most of the decision makers are on holiday at this time of year so it can be 4 weeks to say 'it's on hold' or 'no' or 'you're through to the next stage'.

"Perky and keen" can be pretty damn tough!!

Debtomaniak

Emmzi wrote:

Why? Seems he has a lot of experience to offer in this field. I'd see if local enterprise board are recruiting.. they usually need a fair number of people who have run their own businesses, however successfully or otherwise, to help bright sparks with start up businesses.

If he's really keen to work, why limit his potential employers because you don't "fancy" it?

I will tell him that, that is something, that have not crossed our minds. Thank you. He goes to the local employment agents, they take one look at his CV and say, "we have nothing for you, you have too much expirience"!
?????

Debtomaniak

Emmzi wrote:

No.. and I know how depressing it can be, I must have done 30 odd applications and 10 interviews in the last 2 months and still *nothing*!!!!! Doesn't help that most of the decision makers are on holiday at this time of year so it can be 4 weeks to say 'it's on hold' or 'no' or 'you're through to the next stage'.

"Perky and keen" can be pretty damn tough!!

So my hubby is not the only one then? He probably had about 5 interviews in the last couple of month, all with good feedback, but there always seems to be someone else better.

Emmzi

In that case I would also look at interim. They're less picky about over qualified etc for that, because the manager who's scared you know more than him only has to cope with you for 6-9 months!

It *does* tend to be better paid, but it also does tend to be in London. Swings and roundabouts, but it might be worth it to get self esteem back up, too.

Also, local agencies are not so good when you get abut a certain level. Try google searching for 'executive' and 'interim' employment agencies outwith your area. Some of my interviews have come from agencies 200 miles away, because they're quite soecialist and don't have offices all over the uk.