It's very hard out there

Sambucus_Nigra

Reverbe wrote: »

Thats rather a gneralisation there tho I see your point.

Yes indeed. It IS a generalisation to say that completing the application form to cover each point and applying for the right jobs is the way to get another job - but the OP has no control over the management of recruitment so can only do the utmost to try to get to the top of the pile, of which applying for jobs which are a match for their skills and experiences, and writing the applications so that they meet each point is the barest minimum to be done.

scheming_gypsy

DCFC79 wrote: »

theres a few ex employes of various firms round here who have qualifications and job experience whereas i dont have qualifications and only limited experience.

Something to think about,

if you're fixing PC's from home you don't need qualifications, just the ability to fix it... I've worked in IT for 19 years and don't have any formal IT qualifications.

Terry_collins

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

If you aren't getting interviews, then you are applying for the wrong jobs or not completing the application out properly, or changing your CV to suit each time.

What jobs are you applying for?

I have been been applying for a wide range of jobs from IT project management to Retail assistant roles and CV has been tailored for each role without lying. My CV has been done by an outplacement company highlighting my achievements too. Currently after applying for jobs there is no response. Having had a few interviews too the feedback is generally somebody with more experience always is sucessful.

scheming_gypsy

Try doing your own CV from scratch, if you're getting no response after sending your CV there's a chance there's something about it that screams for them to stay away. It could be that the wording or layout tells them it's been done for you which gives the impression your experience has been pumped up by them.

Mistral001

I am maybe not in a position to lecture as I am looking for part time work just to tide me over until my business picks up, but I used to get a few CV's from prospective employees, and I was never too impressed by the ones that were professionally done, as when you interviewed them and the person did not match up to the glowing CV, you got a sense that you had been a bit conned.

There has to be a certain standard in a CV, otherwise it would be disrespectful, but the short ones which listed only the major items appealed to me most. Mention only those items that you can expand on well at an interview. A professional CV writer might think such and such might look good on an CV but when it comes to the interview it begins to look a bit ordinary or weak, then I will look very bad. Try to use plain language to explain your experience, rather than fancy titles which perhaps a professional CV writer might want you to use.

J_i_m

I've always written my own CV, or based it around my original CV which I did myself. I've only tweaked it when circumstances demand it, for example to add a qualification or experience, or change of contact address.

It basically lists my qualifications, experience and skills in bullet point form. It's needs to be short and to the point. The blurb can be in the covering letter.

kings981

One bit of advice, make sure your CV is up to scratch.

We have been recruiting recently and 90% of the CV's have been a poor standard - not necessarily in their experience for the job, but the way it is presented and how the information comes across. People don't seem to be able to sell themselves for the job, and to be honest it comes across as if people aren't trying.

You need to be able to persuade your prospective employer that you have some evidence of experience of aspects at the job description or at the very least keen and willing. I cannot emphasis how annoying it is when poor CV's come through that don't even have basic information such as an email address (if you have emailed it ). By the time you have printed off 30 CV's if the information isn't all there in front of you, it can take too much time to find the original to sort out a response.

Proof read several times, to make sure it makes sense and flows. Get someone else to read it too.

If you have had any employment gaps for any reason, write it in. It helps the employer to understand where you're coming from in life.

Try to elaborate a bit on your hobbies, anyone can write a list of things that sound good, but try to put a bit of background - not pages but a few words. If you like walking for instance, say a bit about a region you've walked in or similar. Too often you get a list of ten hobbies no background and you think do they really have time to do all this.

No doubt there are pages of information on how to write a good CV on the internet, but not enough people seem to pay attention to it.

bargainbetty

Reverbe wrote: »

A good few conversations I have had recently have lead me to believe that its not so much what I am doing as what the companies/employers are doing. Some only look at a few applications,some bin them. etc etc... To be fair how do they know they are getting best person for the job when they do this for example.. count off the first so many.. if you say 25 and then look at those .. the 26th person or even the 40th might be perfect for them. ...... I appreciate companies are busy but in my experience I dealt singlehandedly in one of my roles with a massive external job trawl for the Home Office at the same time as managing to do all the day to day HR stuff(tho only a temp most of the staff there were part time or effectively so:mad:) so I know it can be dealt with. There were thousands of applications and forms to send off etc.

And if you look at it from both sides, making sure you are applying for the right jobs, with the right experience and the correct application process is essential, to enable the company to properly assess your application. If your application is wrong to start with, why should we bother looking?

I am currently recruiting a receptionist, and placed an ad asking for postal applications only (stated NO EMAILS), with a CV and covering letter, and gave my name and address. So far I have received over 100 CVs. A dozen were by email, sent to random colleagues whose email addresses were on our website, at least another dozen spelled my name wrong, eight didn't bother sending a letter at all etc. One sent a CV with a Post-it Note on it. Seriously.

Once I have weeded out all the spelling mistakes, unformatted letters and users of American spell-check, I am left with 14 CVs. Only nine of them have any experience in the role. 100 down to nine.

Make sure your application is well-presented, accurate, relevant and delivered in the format the employer wants. That often gets you in the top 10%.

Good luck

westv

bargainbetty wrote: »

I am currently recruiting a receptionist, and placed an ad asking for postal applications only (stated NO EMAILS), with a CV and covering letter, and gave my name and address.

Good luck

Any particular reason for the restriction?

Also, did you state "experience essential" in the job add?

paulwf

westv wrote: »

Any particular reason for the restriction?

I'm similar to bargainbetty now and only accept applications via application forms that are picked up in store, filled in by hand and then returned in person. Unfortunately when recruiting using Cvs sent by email you get literally hundreds of people blasting off their generic Cvs. Once any of the agencies that work with the job centre get a sniff of the job they start spamming with dozens and dozens of random Cvs.

The effort required to pick up and fill in an application form may be small but it is enough to weed out those that can't be bothered. Filling in a form by hand means they have to put some thought into it and they can't edit it and spell check it as easily. Returning the form in person gives me a good first impression of the applicant.

I will make an exception if there is a genuine reason why an applicant can't go through the normal process but I have found it very useful to restrict emailed CVs.