Unemployed ,no money, no future?

heretolearn_2

If you need admin experience I would suggest

a) voluntary work - contact a small local charity and offer to join the committee. I promise they will SNAP you up. I went to the playgroup committee meeting just after my son started, just to see, and ended up being voted in as Secretary! Can you do a few hours at local school? Charity shops need someone to look after their paperwork as well as serve behind the counter. My local hospital has over 20 volunteer places in admin roles (bit shocking to me, but there you go).

b) Work experience - even if it's a few hours a week. Offer your services to local companies but be sure to stress what they get out of it, not just you. We get lots of requests and we like the people who say they need to gain experience but what they can bring to us is A, B and C. We usually find them something and try to make sure they benefit from it/get to try something new. We don't like the people who just blatently want us to act as a free training opportunity for them.

Also - experience DOES count in admin, there's a lot more to it than people imagine if they haven't done that sort of role, and it needs more than IT competancy. Can you train (even a free on-line course, Open University has some interesting free short courses) on the sorts of other skills you might need, i.e. customer service, telephone techniques, time management, report writing etc...

chippy_250

heretolearn wrote: »

If you need admin experience I would suggest

a) voluntary work - contact a small local charity and offer to join the committee. I promise they will SNAP you up. I went to the playgroup committee meeting just after my son started, just to see, and ended up being voted in as Secretary! Can you do a few hours at local school? Charity shops need someone to look after their paperwork as well as serve behind the counter. My local hospital has over 20 volunteer places in admin roles (bit shocking to me, but there you go).

b) Work experience - even if it's a few hours a week. Offer your services to local companies but be sure to stress what they get out of it, not just you. We get lots of requests and we like the people who say they need to gain experience but what they can bring to us is A, B and C. We usually find them something and try to make sure they benefit from it/get to try something new. We don't like the people who just blatently want us to act as a free training opportunity for them.

Also - experience DOES count in admin, there's a lot more to it than people imagine if they haven't done that sort of role, and it needs more than IT competancy. Can you train (even a free on-line course, Open University has some interesting free short courses) on the sorts of other skills you might need, i.e. customer service, telephone techniques, time management, report writing etc...

Well I've done plenty of voluntary work if you read my original post. My worried though offering my free service to companies like you say, I don't want to be exploited.

ariarnia

how are you being exploited if you're getting something out of it - i.e. cv-able work experience

Person_one

BigLee_24 wrote: »

Agreed you cant 'down tools' but the first 6 months is probably the hardest depending on the job you do obviously (home sickness is probably the hardest thing in training).... It is impossibe to give an acurate picture as everyday is different! Also to go against public belief the Armed Forces is bigger than the Army....

Of course, I did expect someone to pick up on that, should have gone with mu first instinct and listed some branches!

Oldernotwiser

You could make the most of the fact that you didn't do well in your A levels and do a course for free. As you don't have a full level 3 qualification you could do a course at this level at evening class which would make you more employable.

Alternatively you could study with the Open University, starting with something like their sport and fitness management course.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/e112.htm

which could go towards a Foundation Degree, Dip or Cert HE or even a full degree.

custardy

chippy_250 wrote: »

Im male and 20 years old

stop right there
you have many many years ahead of you
im in my mid 30s now and am returning to university
so im no better off than you really
my previous work history will count for very little
so dont panic

dave4545454

wireframe wrote: »

"Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf"

I assume we'd all be speaking German now if you had your way, nein?


LOL!

yeah they are talking english in germany cos we won the wars

annie123

Below is one of many courses at your local college you could study
http://www.swancoll.ac.uk/node/457

Remember that life is not a savings competition, try thinking long term; what's the best or right path for you to follow.
The job market will improve and hopefully by then you will have all the skills, qualification and experience to get a fulfilling and well paid job.

Good luck

Driving_Soon

chippy_250 wrote: »

Im male and 20 years old living in Swansea. I passed 8 of my 9 GCSE's and stayed on in 6th form for 2 years. Although I didn't really know what to do with my life I just then I stayed on just to be with my friends. It was a good time but I only got one A level out of it and that was a D. So anyway after school I've had 3 temp jobs in the retail. So I have'nt had a proper job ever and I've currently been out of work since Xmas still on the Dole.
I have'nt being doing nothing though. I've been studying Football coaching with the Welsh football trust. I've just recently passed the level 2 (UEFA 'C' Certificate). Although the course was only about 6 weekends over 9 months, so it wasn't really even a part-time course.
I've made the most of my time off as well. I obtained an enhanced disclosure which allowed me to undertake some voluntary work with the after school football teams at local Comprehesive's. I've also helped with the Swansea City's football in the community program in a soccer camp.
Overall I've probably done about more than 40 hours of work for free. Which I loved. I'm not a greedy person I just want to be in a job that I want to do, I don't care about the money. I want a coaching job but it's very hard to get into.
I don't think I'll ever be able to reach above a minimum wage job. I just don't have "expereince" for anything more. If I can't get a job above 16K I don't think I'll ever be able to move out with my girlfriend and live a decent life.
But what is "experience" to me experience means ability + knowledge. So when I go for an Admin job for example they say I haven't got any. Yet I obviously have the ability and I have an above average knowledge of PC's so....
I had a review meeting recently and my job centre and one of the business managers was supervising my interview. She stepped in to see my C.V. and couldn't understand how I ever became unemployed.
She said "You have the ability to do these jobs and even better. Your one of the few people I've ever met that talking to now, I can't pick out any faults in your interview. Why you can't get a job I'll never understand"
She helped me a little with my C.V. but she said it was more or less spot on anyway.

So basically I'm doing everything right, but I won't get a decent job and won't be able to even move out. The last four interviews I went to I never even found out whether I was successful or not. Then when I phone them up, not one has had the decency to talk to me. "He's busy at the moment, he'll ring you back" etc

Heyyy

Hey, I was in ‘kinda’ the same situation as you around 2 years ago, though I was in a full time job but not happy (was in dead end shop and I wanted more than that). I had rubbish GCSE’s, no qualification in Maths or English and little experience only in the shop I worked in. I tried to apply for other jobs, but nothing! ..... So I did the best thing I could have ever done and went back to college, but this time I worked my socks off! 2 years later, I have now a maths and English qualification, level 3 qualification equal to 3 A’s at A level and work experience in 3 different places thanks to the work placements they gave me. My options have now opened up so more! By the way, like you, I was 20 when I went back to college.
My advice to you is get into education, if you want a good future, then get back to college (or enrol in any type of education) in September and improve your prospectus, obviously at the moment you’re not happy so do something about it mate!

wireframe_2

BigLee_24 wrote: »

Got to agree with Harry and Woody not only do the Armed Forces offer all that Woody said but they will also give you free education Ive just finished my second GCSE with them and are now looking at an A level all paid for....

:j Good for you! :j