Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

Drea

Hey,

I fully expected to already find a thread like this here and wanted to join in but haven't seemed to find one (if I'm wrong please let me know).

There are debt free diaries, there's a big daily OS thread, why not have one for those of us looking for work? It can be demoralising and I figure it might help to keep us going.

I've only been looking a couple days but so far have joined a couple of agencies (not that I hold out much hope with them), applied for around 15 jobs and even had my first proper interview this morning! I think it went well and I hope to get the job, it sounded perfect for me.

Now I'm sat here half way through an online application form not quite finding the motivation to finish it... I'll get there :rotfl:


Interview Question Ideas:

Questions to Ask:

• Why has this vacancy arisen?
• How do you review performance?
• How was the job handled in the past?
• What would you expect of me in the first six months?
• What do you see as my key long-term challenges?
• What is the expected career path for this position?
• Do you expect me to develop new expertise in any areas?
• What are the characteristics of successful people in this firm?
• Where would I fit into the overall structure?
• Will anyone report into me?
• Who would I report to and what is the line of authority?
• Is any training required as part of this job?
• What are the opportunities for advancement/promotion?
• What is the firm’s long-term strategy?
• Is the firm looking to expand into new areas?
• What is the largest challenge facing the firm at the moment?
• How would you describe the firm’s values?
• Is there likely to be any relocation in the future?

Questions you might be asked:


Questions where you can sell yourself

Tell me about yourself.

• Why do you want this job?
• What would you expect to accomplish here?
• Where do you want to be in five years time?
• Do you consider yourself to be a natural leader?
• What attracts you to this role?
• What does success mean to you?
• What are your career aspirations?
• What have been your major accomplishments?
• How would members of your team describe you?
• What really motivates you?
• What special skills do you have?
• What is your greatest strength?
• What do you do on your days off?

Questions where the interviewer is seeking informative answers:

• What do you know about this firm?
• What is a typical week’s work in your current job?
• Describe your greatest challenge so far.
• What are you looking for in your next job?
• How long have you been looking for another position?
• Why do you want to work for this firm?
• What can we offer that your current firm cannot?
• Do you deal with any of your firm’s top 10 clients?
• How do you determine priorities?
• Why should I hire you?
• How do you handle criticism?
• What makes a good manager?
• How do you run a meeting?

Questions where you may need to turn a negative into a positive:

• Why do you want to leave your current employer?
• What has been your greatest challenge in business so far?
• What are your key strengths or weaknesses?
• What thing irritates you most in the workplace?
• Describe your toughest client.
• How do you work under pressure?
• Describer a difficult work situation and how you managed it.
• What do you dislike about your current role?
• Which tasks don’t you like to do?
• Is there anyone in your current organisation you really don’t get on with?
• Do you make your opinions known if you disagree with a more senior member of staff?
• How do you feel about working weekends?
• Why aren’t you earning more at this stage of your career?
• Why were you made redundant/fired?

Blue-sky questions

• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• If you became Prime Minister what would be the first thing you’d change?
• What do you think of me as an interviewer?
• If you had to move to another industry, which would you choose?

wantsajob

Dog eat dog world out there, got to do your own best to survive For every position advertised I suspect there are easily in excess of 100 people applying. Granted some will be chavs who the Job Centre told to apply who do not really want the job anyway, but that still leaves a high number to whittle down to one. There are so few jobs out there and so many people looking, it is bound to be the case that many will draw the short straw.

The Government gives out messages like the disabled should be forced off benefits and into work, and get on your bike and magic yourself a job but the reality is while they're all sat there in Parliament voting for a pay increase and more expenses for themselves, and voting to sack as many civil servants as possible to maintain their own wages, there aren't as many jobs as they think there are.

Drea

wantsajob wrote: »

Dog eat dog world out there, got to do your own best to survive For every position advertised I suspect there are easily in excess of 100 people applying. Granted some will be chavs who the Job Centre told to apply who do not really want the job anyway, but that still leaves a high number to whittle down to one. There are so few jobs out there and so many people looking, it is bound to be the case that many will draw the short straw.

The Government gives out messages like the disabled should be forced off benefits and into work, and get on your bike and magic yourself a job but the reality is while they're all sat there in Parliament voting for a pay increase and more expenses for themselves, and voting to sack as many civil servants as possible to maintain their own wages, there aren't as many jobs as they think there are.

Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine? :rotfl:

The employer at my interview today said she was interviewing 7 people for the role, I did think it'd be more but surely if there really was that many people applying there would be more than 7 that would be suitable?

wantsajob

Drea wrote: »

but surely if there really was that many people applying there would be more than 7 that would be suitable?

They will have constraints on resources such as time, man hours to devote to interviewing and so on. They will have looked for those they felt best suited based on the application, being invited to interview is the first big hurdle to overcome. They probably think interviewing 7 is a good figure to be able to compare and determine who they think is best for the role.

RedSoleShoes

Drea wrote: »

The employer at my interview today said she was interviewing 7 people for the role, I did think it'd be more but surely if there really was that many people applying there would be more than 7 that would be suitable?

That pretty much takes a whole day out of her working schedule. I'm sure there were many more than 7 who could have been suitable but mostly it is just not practical for employers to interview 20,30,40+ people.

Hope you get good news though

katkim

So, anyone got any tips on keeping the rejection blues from keeping you down for too long? I got two rejection letters this week, which is depressing, and I just felt like crawling into bed and crying - yet I feel guilty and panic when I'm not searching or applying. What do you do to switch off? I feel like I'm neglecting my family, which also makes me feel super guilty.

November5th

Drea wrote: »

Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine? :rotfl:

The employer at my interview today said she was interviewing 7 people for the role, I did think it'd be more but surely if there really was that many people applying there would be more than 7 that would be suitable?

I have heard this, been up for two roles where I got knocked out of the eight people to be interviewed shortlist, gutting as I know they were quite keen, but they enforce this very strictly some places.
My problem at the moment is I get so excited when I am put forward for jobs, or when I apply, I find hard to manage the comedown. It's like a sugar rush

Drea

wantsajob wrote: »

They will have constraints on resources such as time, man hours to devote to interviewing and so on. They will have looked for those they felt best suited based on the application, being invited to interview is the first big hurdle to overcome. They probably think interviewing 7 is a good figure to be able to compare and determine who they think is best for the role.

LilyDeTilly wrote: »

That pretty much takes a whole day out of her working schedule. I'm sure there were many more than 7 who could have been suitable but mostly it is just not practical for employers to interview 20,30,40+ people.

Hope you get good news though

Yeah you're both right I guess, I never really thought about it that way. Still, it sounded better to me that I'm only up against 6 others than against 30 others!

Fingers crossed!

Drea

katkim wrote: »

So, anyone got any tips on keeping the rejection blues from keeping you down for too long? I got two rejection letters this week, which is depressing, and I just felt like crawling into bed and crying - yet I feel guilty and panic when I'm not searching or applying. What do you do to switch off? I feel like I'm neglecting my family, which also makes me feel super guilty.

I know what you mean about feeling guilty, I've only been at it a couple days and anytime I stop for food or something I feel I shouldn't be.

I know now though from the last time I did it I need to not do too much in a day because I just end up with no motivation and just going through the motions. If you feel you need a day off then do it!

RedSoleShoes

Drea wrote: »

I know what you mean about feeling guilty, I've only been at it a couple days and anytime I stop for food or something I feel I shouldn't be. I know now though from the last time I did it I need to not do too much in a day because I just end up with no motivation and just going through the motions. If you feel you need a day off then do it!

It's better not to spend TOO much time looking, otherwise you find yourself seeing the same ads over and over. When I was looking, I would generally spend Thursday and Friday going through all the sites (as these are traditionally job ad days!) so you can get your CV in first. Then I would look occasionally over the weekend. Monday I noticed was another good day for new ads, then it pretty much died down again til Thursday.

If you see an ad that seems older, there is no harm emailing to see if the role is still vacant. This way you can save yourself the trouble of sending your CV (and getting another rejection) if it has already been filled. Reduces your chances of feeling demotivated as it is better to hear that it has been filled than send your CV and be told your too late.

williacg

Drea wrote: »

Hey,

I fully expected to already find a thread like this here and wanted to join in but haven't seemed to find one (if I'm wrong please let me know).

There are debt free diaries, there's a big daily OS thread, why not have one for those of us looking for work? It can be demoralising and I figure it might help to keep us going.

I've only been looking a couple days but so far have joined a couple of agencies (not that I hold out much hope with them), applied for around 15 jobs and even had my first proper interview this morning! I think it went well and I hope to get the job, it sounded perfect for me.

Now I'm sat here half way through an online application form not quite finding the motivation to finish it... I'll get there :rotfl:

I'm fortunate to be in employment, but really do feel for those of you searching for work in this current climate. I think that it's an excellent idea to have started such a thread, as you can offer each other support when you're feeling down in the dumps or if your mojo has gone walkabout.

Wishing you all the best in your searches, and try not to let the rejections get you down too much.