Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

Stew68

Evening all,

I'm still around and still job hunting. It seems a lot worse out there now than it has ever been in the last 18 months since I started job hunting. I'm still working in the temporary work I got back in April and still hating it but needs must.

I'm waiting for a response from a job that I had the first interview for three weeks ago, followed by a psychometric test two weeks ago and a second interview last Wednesday. Talk about jumping through hoops, huh? I wasn't too sure about them the first time I went and then after taking the psychometric test I was even less convinced but after the second interview I have been rather keen. Just waiting for an answer is a real killer isn't it?

I still pop in and see how everybody is doing and I wish everybody out there looking for work all the luck in the world.

Slinky

November5th wrote: »

Hello everyone and congratulations to the job getters and my best wishes to the hunters
Little update from me, leaving the job I got 6 months ago and start a new one next week. When I left work for the last time I had an attack of 'am I crazy' but my heart is in the new role - which is closer to home. It is in another industry which is amazing, but a scary learning curve.

Earlier in this thread you will see my struggles and I went to some dark places with my year out of work, but my career is hopefully back on track and I can look to my future again.

Thanks to all on this thread who helped me through, and all job seekers take heart!

Saw something you posted elsewhere where you indicated you weren't happy in the previous role. Glad you've found something which hopefully will suit you better.

Invicta

Not sure I can add much other than my best wishes to those who are trying.
I've seen various seasonal jobs advertised such as Christmas work at Royal Mail but i don't know what the rates of pay are like.
I got so fed up doing Temp work for minimum wage that I invested my ISA on setting myself up as a self employed gardener. 3 years later it's a realtive sucess in as much as it pays my bills and gives me a little left over plus it gives me a lot of pleasure.
Good luck people,
Bernard

Invicta

Just a couple of thoughts :-

There are various recruitment people on the LinkedIn social network.
It might be worth people trying to use that as a means of advertising their skills?

Also The Lady has some interesting jobs advertised in their electronic newsletter every week.

Hope this helps,
Bernard

Slinky

I'm trawling the job sites every day looking for work for my husband. He's on a contract at the moment but it may end at Christmas. What drives me mad is that some jobs you keep seeing coming up again and again. Is it because somebody started and then left, or is it as I suspect because the agencies haven't taken filled vacancies off the net. People can end up wasting hours of their lives applying for jobs which have already been filled. I know this for a fact as the job my husband has been doing for 2 months has come up again at least twice on the job searches and is still showing as live on the agency's website. Gave me a shock the first time I saw it as he had only been there a week and we thought they might be unhappy with him and trying to find a replacement. How many people have applied for this job in the meantime.......

It's bad enough having to apply for loads of jobs anyway, but to put time and effort into applying for a vacancy that doesn't exist is soul destroying.

confused76

hello, just wondered how people are getting on?

I went for an interview yesterday, i'm not sure how it went. I've got the experience but i stumbled over my words with nerves. Ever since i got home i've been thinking of things i wish i'd said

I've been looking for a few months now, i've had a few interviews but so far nothig has come of it. With every rejection i can feel my confidence falling

Invicta

Confused,
Very glad to hear you are still getting out there and good luck.
To help with nerves is their anyone you can think of who would be prepared to give you a mock interview the day before?

To keep your confidence up are there any charities nearby who you could help on a voluntary basis. I appreciate this won't pay the bills but it's helped me to deal with the public and retain my social skills in the past when I was between jobs.

You must be doing something right as you got the interview so keep that image and don't dwell on the "what I could have done better" bits.

Good luck,
Bern

confused76

Invicta wrote: »

Confused,
Very glad to hear you are still getting out there and good luck.
To help with nerves is their anyone you can think of who would be prepared to give you a mock interview the day before?

To keep your confidence up are there any charities nearby who you could help on a voluntary basis. I appreciate this won't pay the bills but it's helped me to deal with the public and retain my social skills in the past when I was between jobs.

You must be doing something right as you got the interview so keep that image and don't dwell on the "what I could have done better" bits.

Good luck,
Bern

thanks Bern, i already do some voluntary work! The mock interviews are a good idea...my OH already tests me on questions but i might ask my sister to test me as well.

Thanks for your encouragement. I didn't get the job i went for yesterday, but i have seen another one to apply for today. Onwards and upwards! xx

Invicta

Confused,

Well done you - keep going.
One of the thimgs I would occassionally do is try and put myself in the place of the interviewer and actually use that as part of my "pitch". e.g. "I am sure you have a lot of questions to ask and a number of people to see today I was wondering, would you mind if I told you a but about myself and why I want the job of ....... with your company?"
If you do this make sure you practise and time yourself beforehand to ensure you only use up a reasonable amount of time. Include information you can find about the company.

I was also taught to show how my experience would be a direct benefit.
e.g.
In my role as ..... I was responsible for IT systems which processed approx £12,000 of invoices daily. So I am capable of responding quickly to any problems which might suddenly arise getting them fixed quickly by identifying the cause and working with colleagues and suppliers as necessary.
I am sure a lot of people tell you they are good with people. In my case I can demonstrate this by the fact that I have taken the time to go and work with ......... on a volunatary basis. Although it can be demanding as you have to adapt to people's characters I really enjoy it and have been asked to .............. (e.g. come in on a regular basis as people look forward to seeing me).

Hope this helps,
Bernard

julesds

Hi Guys

Haven't been on for a while, so thought I'd catch up.

Congrats on everyone who has securred jobs. Good luck to those having interviews, waiting outcomes, etc.

I am half way through my 6 month contract, really enjoying it - but my mind is now back to what will happen once its over. I keep hoping they will keep me on, but they are going through restructure and I just don't know.

so, with this in mind I restarted my job search after xmas. Went for job interview this morining. I soon rememberd how the process feels - all the hope, preparation and then interview so short, didn't really get to show my full potential.

Not feeling confident that I will get second interview - so will have to wait and see.