Bored of looking...

qetu1357

ExploitationIsFun wrote: »

I was unemployed from September 2009 up until last Wednesday when i got offered a job which il be starting next week on Monday.

I looked in my email account and during these 11months i applied for 1,062 jobs!
(Only got 5 interviews)

And thats when ive got good grades from A-levels, plus 4years worth of work experience in wide variety of sectors.



All that i can suggest to help anyone, and this is based on what i was told when i asked my new employers why they choose me instead of the 299 other people who had applied for this job, most with previous experience in this role which i didn't have...

They told me it was that the other candidates who they interviewed had all been too arrogant instead of extremely polite like i had been, and, hadn't spent hours and hours preparing for the interview like i had done so they didn't instantly have such quick and detailed answers backed up with examples to all the questions asked like i did.
As id spent the whole weekend before both stages of the interview writing down every question which likely would be asked to me, and then writing what answer i would give to it and what examples i would use to backup my answer.

The 1 reason why they had been skeptible about me from my CV was that they didn't understand why i wanted this job as a large part of my qualifications and past work experience was in totally different sectors and with significantly higher earning than this job.



So all i can suggest to anyone else who like i was is severely struggling is to make your CV as specific to ONLY that 1 industry as possible.

Don't try showing off how much work experience you have in other unrelated industries as that will do nothing except put employers off you, even if the skills you gained from that are transferrable.

Employers basically are only interested in someone who wants to work in that sector, and only that sector, so make sure you portray that image to them even if its not true.



And if you do manage to get any interviews make sure you are extremely polite and friendly, make sure that the interviers (who would be your managers) can see that you would be easy for them to manage, not that your a person who likes to try acting with alot of authority themself.

As the manager will ALWAYS hire the girl with no experience but whos willing to obey all orders, over the girl with 20years experience who thinks they could do the managers job.


Make sure that you do what i did by writing down every question which you think they possibly could ask you at the interview, and then write down in bullet point format exactly what answer you will give and what examples from your past work experience you will use to backup your answer.
(For every 10 answers you give you MUST backup 9 of them with examples)



And a little something that i used which worked for me at both interview stages was that when the interview comes to a close and they ask if you have any questions this is what you say-

What are the key qualities you're looking for in a ''job title of the role'' so that if i get offered the job i could ensure i focus on those?


And then once they give their answer and you shake hands to say bye instead of just saying ''hope to hear from you soon'' like every other candidate would have also said,
you should say ''Thanyou for your time, and even if i don't get the job it was still very nice to meet you''.


This will help them distinguish you from the rest, will leave them with a great last impression of you, will show them how keen you are to get that job, and will show them that you are very friendly and amicable.



Goodluck

Excellent answer.

Some tips from me.

When asked whether you can do something, back it up with an example and details of how that was a benefit to the company. Benefit as in reduced costs, increased profit, reduced timescales.

Shake hands with everyone at the start and the end.

Dress smartly.

Turn up early for the interview.

Be friendly, polite and smile.

Maintain eye contact.

Show that you know what the company does. Research them beforehand.

Listen and don't talk too quickly.

Agree with the panel if they venture an opinion about ANYTHING. "That's right!".

Don't say anything negative unless you show how you have learnt from it and don't do it anymore.

At the end of the interview say "I really am impressed with company x and I really think my skills and experience will be of benefit to you in this role"

dave4545454

qetu1357 wrote: »

Excellent answer.

Some tips from me.


Agree with the panel if they venture an opinion about ANYTHING. "That's right!".

you forgot....push your tongue up their anuses;)

qetu1357

dave4545454 wrote: »

you forgot....push your tongue up their anuses;)

I suppose it all depends whether you want to come across as employable or not. And whether you want to be employed or not.

If you think agreeing with the person who may be employing you is crawling perhaps the following approach would be better.

When asked whether you can do something, say you can’t and just come across as a liability rather than an asset

Don’t shake hands.

Dress scruffily.

Turn up late for the interview.

Be aggressive

Don’t maintain eye contact.

Show you don’t know anything about the company.

Don’t listen and gabble.

Argue with the panel if they venture an opinion about ANYTHING.

Say anything negative you can think of.

tesuhoha

My son is 21, has been unemployed since he finished college at 18. He applies for jobs weekly but hasn't been given one interview. He's never had a job. He has just finished a Pitmans ICT course which the jobcentre people sent him on and achieved over 90% for each module. I don't know if there's anything out there for him. I honestly don't think he's ever going to get a job.

DCFC79

tesuhoha wrote: »

My son is 21, has been unemployed since he finished college at 18. He applies for jobs weekly but hasn't been given one interview. He's never had a job. He has just finished a Pitmans ICT course which the jobcentre people sent him on and achieved over 90% for each module. I don't know if there's anything out there for him. I honestly don't think he's ever going to get a job.

does he ask for feedback as to why he wasnt invited for interview ?
does he read his applications to see if they make sense or spot spelling mistakes ?
do you read his applications to spot anything he may have missed(i admit he should be ok by himself but an extra pair of eyes wouldnt go amiss)

donnajunkie

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Unless you are actively seeking work you should sign off JSA. You won't get an interview, much less a job, if you give up looking.

can you not see they are just demoralised? they dont need telling off. this post is odd coming from someone who claims to want to help people.

devehrey

Try freelancing. You are the boss of your own time. Plus more projects and jobs to do.

teabelly

If you get to the point of wanting to give up looking then I don't see any harm in taking a break from job seeking altogether. Just make sure you apply for one job or however many just before you sign on to keep the harpies at the job centre quiet. A complete break for a week or two where you don't do anything job search related and do other things eg spend time walking, reading, doing old hobbies, cleaning. Anything but just sitting there scouring for job ads would make a change. Then when you get back to it you might find there's something out there that wasn't there before.