?

haydonwynter

Is it just me or is getting a job more about who you know, not what you can do?

I have applied for about 50 jobs at the moment and got nothing. Most of my friends work but it seems like it has been their brothers, sisters or parents that have got the jobs for them.

Whilst I have been unemployed for a while, I have not sat around doing nothing. I have been in education and I am due to start education again in September (Due to lack of work). I am 27 and really want to get stuck in, but I feel because I don't really know anyone that my chance of work is very limited.

Again this is just my opinion but I can't even get a MW job. My father thinks I am just stuck in the gray area of the jobs market. I am educated to degree level with no degree (for now at least).

He says "If you have more then a GCSE or A level most MW paying employees don't want to know you and if you don't have a Degree most Top job employees won't let you through the door"

Does anyone think there is any truth in this?

To be honest I don't care about the money side of things, I would just like a job that helps people

dmg24

Can you elaborate on how you are educated to degree level without a degree?

haydonwynter

dmg24 wrote: »

Can you elaborate on how you are educated to degree level without a degree?

Sorry mate.

ICT, Computing, Mathematics & Business Studies all Certified a Level 4 (I done a few specific, unrealted course moduls and have about 200 credits)

I even done a Level 1 sure start course with my sons school lol, that was weird because I was the only dad there with about 12 mums. (not really worth having lol but it beats sitting about like a spare wheel :P)

I just got accepted to do a Criminal Justice Degree at university in September, but I would rather work to tell the truth

Fang_3

Without a degree you are not educated to a degree level. Have you ever worked?

dmg24

haydonwynter wrote: »

Sorry mate.

ICT, Computing, Mathimatics & Business Studies all Certified a Level 4

I even done a Level 1 sure start course with my sons school lol, that was weird because I was the only dad there with about 12 mums :P

My brother has taken the same route as you, and he has hit problems because to those outside his field (or inside but in a generalist HR role) they don't understand that the qualifications are equivalent. Does your cv note that they are at degree level?

I am inclined to agree with you about people getting jobs through friends and family, in recent years all of my work has come through friends of friends. I started by doing a set of accounts for a friend, and now do several (and various other projects) for friends of friends. I also have a friend who built a database for a friend, and is slowly receiving more work as a result of it. However, although the work is through friends, I would not have received more offers if I was not able to perform the tasks well, so it is a mixture of contacts and ability.

(I hope that made sense - I am ridiculously tired!)

dmg24

Fang wrote: »

Without a degree you are not educated to a degree level. Have you ever worked?

You can be educated to a certain level without the qualification. You can even be educated to postgraduate level without having studied for a postgrad or undergrad degree, which just seems a contradiction in terms!

haydonwynter

Fang wrote: »

Without a degree you are not educated to a degree level. Have you ever worked?

I have completed Degree level work and I am Certified in degree level modules, hence why I said educated to degree level without a degree.

Also yeah I have worked.

Security, Telesales, Order picking, Marketing, QA tester, General factory work & cleaner to name a few.

dmg24 wrote: »

My brother has taken the same route as you, and he has hit problems because to those outside his field (or inside but in a generalist HR role) they don't understand that the qualifications are equivalent. Does your cv note that they are at degree level?

I am inclined to agree with you about people getting jobs through friends and family, in recent years all of my work has come through friends of friends. I started by doing a set of accounts for a friend, and now do several (and various other projects) for friends of friends. I also have a friend who built a database for a friend, and is slowly receiving more work as a result of it. However, although the work is through friends, I would not have received more offers if I was not able to perform the tasks well, so it is a mixture of contacts and ability.

(I hope that made sense - I am ridiculously tired!)

HAHA that made perfect sense

I have got it all on my CV but not had much luck, I just applied for a job as a Project support worker for a charity so I am hoping I at least get a chance at an interview, but I would not think my qualifications are really relevent for that type of job.

The only reason I went down the ICT route was because as a kid I was told that was the thing to be involved in, but to be honest I am much more intrested in helping others then becoming a desk jocky lol.

If the Criminal Justice plan plays out I would be hoping to join some sort of youth offenders program or the princes trust, which may seem like a plan, but I want to contribute aswell.

I don't like being on the dole and it make me feel down when you see people on benefits posing for the Daily Mail saying they get £30,000 a year for nothing, because in reality its not like that, but people seem to tar you with the same brush.

What has your brother done to help his situation? Has he got back on track or is he still having problems?

Fang_3

dmg24 wrote: »

You can be educated to a certain level without the qualification. You can even be educated to postgraduate level without having studied for a postgrad or undergrad degree, which just seems a contradiction in terms!

The point that I'm making is, to be educated to a degree standard, you need to have done everything that comes with getting a degree. A few random modules does not count.;)

PassedAtFailing

haydonwynter wrote: »

I am educated to degree level with no degree (for now at least).

You come across as being ashamed about not having a degree or at least ashamed of your education. If an employer were to perceive you in this way it would do you no favours at all.

Be proud of what you have. NVQ4 is degree level, anyone who thinks otherwise simply doesn't understand the system. This could be a fundamental probably for you, because believe it or not employers are as varied as every member here and we can clearly see some people don't realise NVQ4 is degree level.

For extra clarity, there are five levels of NVQ:

• NVQ 1 - Foundation Level,
  equivalent to 5 GCSE's grade D to E
• NVQ 2 - Intermediate level,
  equivalent to 5 GCSE's grade A to C
• NVQ 3 - Advanced level, equivalent to A Levels
• NVQ 4 - HNC / HND / Degree Level
• NVQ 5 - Degree / Post Graduate level

It's just the way the system works, degrees are more popular or at least more commonly understood than NVQs. However, it would be impossible to have a single name to push all the equivalent qualifications into. For example you have iGCSEs and GCSEs or GCEs for the (slightly) older members here! O-levels, A-levels and SQCs. The list could go on and on. Are they different? Well, of course they are. Is one worth more than the other? Not really. There's going to be a variable distribution and some of one will fall one side of that while some of the other will fall the opposite side.

haydonwynter

Fang wrote: »

The point that I'm making is, to be educated to a degree standard, you need to have done everything that comes with getting a degree. A few random modules does not count.;)

One module did not earn one qualification, each qualification required study of at least three separate modules.
Whilst I said they were unrelated they are by no means random


ICT ties to Computing, Computing ties to Mathematics and Business binds them all. Tactical thinking in action
I would imagine ICT, Computing, maths & business qualifications will come in handy with regards to studying Criminal justice as I suspect motivational theory, structures of organisations, managing project budgets and even compiling an analysis of young or repeat offenders will play a major part in my studies. The courses I have done are interchangeable with many areas of the jobs market.


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PassedAtFailing wrote: »

You come across as being ashamed about not having a degree or at least ashamed of your education. If an employer were to perceive you in this way it would do you no favours at all.

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Sorry I did not mean to sound like that I only mentioned it because of what my father said about the jobs market

He says "If you have more then a GCSE or A level most MW paying employees don't want to know you and if you don't have a Degree most Top job employees won't let you through the door"

Oldernotwiser

Have you applied for jobs in the care sector as this seems to be more what you want to do?