Question for anybody involved with recruitment.

floss2

Proc wrote: »

... the problem is obviously her CV.....

Not necessarily - the OP may be applying for jobs for which she is higher than the "expected" qualification benchmark, or for jobs that she is not suitable to be shortlisted for.

OP, when applying for a position, do you ensure that you have met all of the essential elements on the job spec, and are you also evidencing them?

Proc

floss2 wrote: »

Not necessarily - the OP may be applying for jobs for which she is higher than the "expected" qualification benchmark, or for jobs that she is not suitable to be shortlisted for.

Yeh. So her CV isn't right for the job. She either hasn't tailored it properly or she's applying to completely wrong jobs. Either way, it's her own fault and is something that she has the power to change.

dickydonkin

Proc wrote: »

It's not unhelpful.

Amber is obviously barking up the wrong tree. She's not getting interviews, the problem is obviously her CV. She can sit there all day blaming the recruitment consultants or whatever, and guess what? Nothing will change.

If you want to change something, then do something. But moaning about other people doesn't change !!!!!!. Get your CV out, get some friends who are in senior positions to take a look at it. Accept the feedback. Change it. Tailor it. PM me your email address and I'll take a look at it myself.

But seriously, my advice might not be sugar-coated but it'll make a difference.

I don't think she was moaning about anything - she just asked a question relating to the recruiting of 'child bearing age' women.

I don't recall her post stating she was blaming this as a reason for not getting a job.

There may not be issues with the person or indeed the CV, but she may be applying for jobs that are not compatible with her qualifications or experience as smartpicture alluded to earlier.

This is not unusual as there are just too few jobs around right now and overqualified people are applying for lesser jobs and underqualified people applying for jobs they realisticly have no chance of obtaining.

Factor in recruiters and employers can be more selective in their choice of candidates, then I would suspect many people with excellent CV's and qualifications are also not being considered for interviews in the current climate.

Offering to examine the OP's CV is an admirable gesture, but any addition or improvement would surely need to be tailored to fit the job she was applying for IMO.

olly300

amber1979 wrote: »

Do employers and recruitment agencies really avoid hiring women who they see as a potential risk? As in maternity pay? I've heard this as a rumour many times.

A minority of them do breach discrimination laws but in practise the people I know who suffer the most discrimination are those with disabilities, so I would get over this.

Also you need to consider that some companies will employ women or whatever people they normally discriminate against just to make their equality figures look better.

Lots of places I've worked I've started off being the only woman employed in a particular department then 3 months later when they are recruiting they recruit another woman.

amber1979 wrote: »

The reason I ask is this. I have two degrees, a post-graduate qualification and experience in more than one field... Yet I appear to be totally unemployable. Out of fifty applications I have been invited to two interviews. Still unemployed. Even jobs usually considered appropriate for school leavers have rejected me!

You are applying for roles you are overqualified to do.

I suggest you network to find a job then you will have more success. Use social media like twitter, and tell friends and friends of friends that you are looking for work in a particular field. Also apply on spec to companies.

amber1979

Proc, I posed a question. You have no idea what I am, or am not doing about my situation. I do however, know that you're really rather rude. Bit of a keyboard warrior I'd imagine.

Strangely, I have no desire to show something as detailed and personally revealing as my CV to a person such as yourself.

amber1979

Otherwise, some interesting stuff.

I recently had a rather "heated debate" about the over-qualified issue. My friend was convinced that it simply does not exist. They implied that most employers would be more than happy to take on somebody with far more qualifications than the job required. It's interesting to hear somebody else concur with me on this one!

The point about employers being concerned about the amount of time I've spent in education, well there isn't much I can do about that without actually lying on my CV! It's an interesting point though which I hadn't considered before.

Cheers m'dears (except Proc, obviously)

Proc

So what are you going to change?

Or have you just wasted my time?

Mini_Bear

I took my engagement ring off at interviews and i got the job. I didnt test to see whether i would get similar jobs if i kept the ring on. it would be something to consider tho if its obvious, ie an engagement ring and no wedding band = bridezilla wedding organisation in comapny time?! Thats very harsh though.
A lot of women put off havin kids until a lot later so i wouldnt think many firms discount an applicant purely on the fact they are of child bearing age.
Have you had any feed back re the unsuccessful applications/interviews?!

amber1979

Proc wrote: »

Or have you just wasted my time?

I really do not think that you require my assistence with that particular activity.

amber1979

Mini_Bear wrote: »

I took my engagement ring off at interviews and i got the job. I didnt test to see whether i would get similar jobs if i kept the ring on. it would be something to consider tho if its obvious, ie an engagement ring and no wedding band = bridezilla wedding organisation in comapny time?! Thats very harsh though.
A lot of women put off havin kids until a lot later so i wouldnt think many firms discount an applicant purely on the fact they are of child bearing age.
Have you had any feed back re the unsuccessful applications/interviews?!

Strangely I was told to keep the fact that I was married off my CV by a careers advisor once. It does make me wonder....

Feedback from interviews is always the same, I lack experience apparently. Which is not true and they knew how much I had from my CV....

Maybe I have horrendous BO and nobody has told me? :eek: