What am I doing wrong?

Arcana

shikoku wrote: »

Since when did having A levels leave you only fit to be a cleaner.

I did mention Carer as well in the same sentence and in a later post added Caterer.

Anamenottaken: yeah, it's fairly conservative for a designed CV. Just a bit different formatting and colours, that's all. No crazy pictures or anything like that.
I might upload the CV for everyone's perusal since there's so many questions about it.

Person one: thanks for the advice - I'll pass it on.

anamenottaken

Arcana wrote: »

Anamenottaken: yeah, it's fairly conservative for a designed CV. Just a bit different formatting and colours, that's all. No crazy pictures or anything like that.
I might upload the CV for everyone's perusal since there's so many questions about it.

I'd suggest no colour is used, just black print and a "conservative" font like Arial (or TNR if you want a serif one). Horses for courses.

seven-day-weekend

My lodger has six years experience in retail and even he has only had one interview in two months after being made redundant following store closure. My husband did his CV for him (he is dyslexic) and he has applied for loads of retail jobs and a few others not retail. He had an interview with Tesco several weeks ago and they just keep saying 'we'll let you know'. They are obviously able to pick and chose.

Same with my son's girlfriend, she has experience in cleaning, applied for a different job and had an interview, but didn't get the job. She was a strong, experienced candidate who fulfilled all their essential criteria and all but one of the desirable (having a driving licence- she has not passed her test yet). Again, I don't know what more she could have done, they obviously have their pick of candidates.

My son however, with about eight years of retail experience, was made redundant and was able to get a job at Morrisons before he had even finished the first job. But none of the other companies to whom he sent CVs even bothered replying to him.

People say it is easy to get jobs. It isn't always.

Caroline_a

How often does she contact the agencies? I have found that you have to be in contact at least every other day. Keep popping in, 'anything going for me yet?' then they get to know you, and if nothing else they might get fed up and work harder to get you a job! Same with the jobcentre.

The problem if she is looking for admin work, particularly temp work and she is dyslexic, she may struggle. This isnt really anything to do with discrimination, its more that when you go in as a temp, companies tend to want you to literally pick up and run with the job. There is very little training, and little time to give someone with dyslexia the help they need.

As for her CV, it should be as plain as possible - no fancy type faces or colours. It should be headed with her name and contact details, then followed by around half a dozen bullet points answering the question 'why should we employ you?', so good communication skills, cash handling experience, good attention to detail, that sort of thing. The whole CV should be no more than 2 pages and is her basic sales document. I think its a good idea to ask some of the agencies that she is registered with for an unbiased opinion.

Hoping she gets something soon!

Oldernotwiser

Arcana wrote: »

I did mention Carer as well in the same sentence and in a later post added Caterer.

Anamenottaken: yeah, it's fairly conservative for a designed CV. Just a bit different formatting and colours, that's all. No crazy pictures or anything like that.
I might upload the CV for everyone's perusal since there's so many questions about it.

Person one: thanks for the advice - I'll pass it on.

Colours on a CV are a big no no, I'm afraid.

Person_one

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Colours on a CV are a big no no, I'm afraid.

Have to agree, I have a design background too and I would never use anything other than black, even when applying for a graphic design or arts based job.

Tiddlywinks

OK, from the discussion so far I have formed some snapshot opinions / questions...........

1. Your wife doesn't seem to have an ability to motivate herself - why? Is she unhappy, depressed, lazy, lacking in confidence?

2. What does your wife actually want to accomplish? Does she want to extend her education or is additional study a way to escape having to deal with grown up life? You talk about the possibility of nursing.... this is a highly vocational course and not something to just take up because it might be vaguely appealing.

3. Your views of what qualifications alone can achieve are unrealistic. I really object to you saying that A levels alone only qualify you for non-professional posts - this view shows that your wife needs to seek opinions away from home.

4. Why go back to uni - for self development, a sense of personal achievement or to assist employment? You need to answer this honestly and them act accordingly.

5. At your wife's age, one would expect to see some evidence of demonstrated life skills on a CV - what work experience does she have - you haven't really answered this.

6. As a couple you do not seem to have a life plan - yes, you planned the pregnancy (based on age factors apparently) but you do not seem to have planned beyond this event.

I don't want to sound negative or get heavy but the two of you need to look at the reasons you are where you are and use that information to plan the future.

Eliza_2

sulkisu wrote: »

Most of the big retailers are currently taking on Cristmas temps - John Lewis, Argos, Selfridges, Boots, Superdrug, HMV, to name but a few. .

Smaller stores are too, I work in a small independent shop and we never advertise for staff. We always recruit from those who have been in and left us a cv - and a good impression! We take on full time and part time casual staff. I have been one of the latter now for 4 yrs and get lots of work, sometimes even a full week if I wanted it, not that I do! If we have your details on file we go through the file whenever we need someone with particular skills, such as counter work, cleaner, office work etc. but the softer 'people skills' are equally as important. I imagine lots of shops/small businesses operate like that! I would say not to rely on the internet, many employers still use old fashioned methods such as cards in windows or on noticeboards, the local paper or parish mag, or just word of mouth - in our shop there are a couple of mothers and daughters, a cousin, someone from the same village and a best friend. Get the word out that she's looking. While waiting for something to come up, your wife could be keeping her skills up to date doing free online courses in general computer skills, finance, or whatever it is she wants to do at university. (Which is what?)

Good luck, couldn't you persuade her to come onto this site? I feel really uncomfortable talking to a husband about what his wife could do! She could then look at some of the other threads, for example, 'up your income' etc.

Liz

kaych

I think Boots are recruiting for christmas temp right now. Try their website or just go to one near you to ask about it.

http://recruitment.boots.jobs/fe/tpl_boots01.asp?newms=se

and if you do get a job with them, you get discount from the store too. that will also save you some money for christmas presents!

good luck with searching

MrChandlerBing

This is going to sound cruel but this woman sounds an absolute no hoper. I'm not sure if you're allowed to post your cv on here but you should absolutely post it on here.

I don't care how unskilled you are, if you have been applying for jobs for 4 years you should get the odd interview.