Where am I going wrong

LisaB85

I worked in a BT call centre, if it is repairs then it is a demanding job and quite technical.

However when I got the job there I had no call centre experience at all but I passed their computer tests and got the job.

Xena_007

Emmzi wrote: »

You appear to think you are over qualified when in fact you have no call centre experience? So that is where you are going wrong.

Ask to do job shadowing free of charge at a call centre if that is really the career you want.

Also, this job seems unconnected to anything else you do. I would be questioning motivational fit and pretty sure you'd be off in 6 months so a waste of my training investment in you.

My motivation is unquestionable given the fact I've worked for the same company for the past 6 years from the age of 16 and still going added to the fact that I worked voluntarily for one whole year before being offered a paid position due to my success which surely demonstrates a high degree of loyalty...

The idea was to get my foot through the door and work hard...amid high unemployment times no one can be over qualified for any job especially when you out of employment... I wished to worked for the company and who knows long term work up to some sought of managerial position in which my degree "may" have better helped me

I appreciate the fact that I have no call centre experience but there are so many people who get jobs in this field who have never had any call centre experience and I am aware of people also working in this call centre who have no call centre experience....

Im not saying I'm over qualified but what I am saying that through working for the past 6 years and having a degree should surely indicate that I am articulate enough to answer a phone and resolve customer complaints, sell broadband and other services etc...

The disapointing element is that I did not receive a pre-screening call so I could actually promote my "long term" vision within the organisation.... Which makes me think what "acs" said in earlier post is the most relevant answer to the topic lol

Cheers

Emmzi

Just because you are motivated to do one type of work doesn't mean it will transfer to another!

If it is a sales job, what sales experience do you have?

But more importantly, what are you going to do differently next time?

If possible I would always call or email in advance of putting in an application and ask some sensible questions about the role. I make more effort to see people who have made the effort to do that, and their applications are usually better as they know what I am looking for.

DVardysShadow

Xena_007 wrote: »

My motivation is unquestionable given the fact I've worked for the same company for the past 6 years from the age of 16 and still going added to the fact that I worked voluntarily for one whole year before being offered a paid position due to my success which surely demonstrates a high degree of loyalty...

You are just too driven and you show too many signs of initiative which will run counter to the ethos of the workplace.

Now just accept your limitations and try and find work within those limitations.

vik6525

Xena_007 wrote: »

Yeah I agree, but on one hand Im getting to a telephone interview and then through another agency I'm not which surely is an indication of how flawed the recruitment process is....

I also know someone who works there who has not even got Cs at both Maths and English which is an "essential" requirement in the job description

Sorry to say this, but you sound incredibly self important, which may well be the reason you didnt get the job. Just because you have a degree, and 6 years worth of work experience, you're giving the impression (on here at least) that you should have just 'walked into' the job. It doesnt work like that.

Xena_007

vik6525 wrote: »

Sorry to say this, but you sound incredibly self important, which may well be the reason you didnt get the job. Just because you have a degree, and 6 years worth of work experience, you're giving the impression (on here at least) that you should have just 'walked into' the job. It doesnt work like that.

The fact that I've worked voluntarily for one whole year.... Does that make me self important.... The fact that I've done a lot of work with young people, the elderly, the unemployed does that make me self important...

I don't appreciate being criticised for being honest about my achievements and I don't think it's self important.

What's funny is if If I turned round and stated that I've never worked in my life and claimed benefits for the past 6 years I would expect to get berated however... It's ashame that after doing all the things I've done to still get put down lol

If I was to get asked an interview question... Tell me a bit about yourself? I would have to say that I've worked for the past 6 years whilst getting a degree because to me it demonstrates a good work ethic but to you it makes me sound self important? So if all employers think that what chance have I got?

Who knows, most people reading this might agree with your points as oppose to mine which is fine but it doesn't explain how 2 agencies recruiting for the same company, look at the same CV ... One agency states they would like to progress my application whilst the other agency rejects it at the first go... Any individual who's had the experience would be cheesed off... That doesn't make me self important... All I ask for is consistency and fairness

Hiccups_2

vik6525 wrote: »

Sorry to say this, but you sound incredibly self important, which may well be the reason you didnt get the job. Just because you have a degree, and 6 years worth of work experience, you're giving the impression (on here at least) that you should have just 'walked into' the job. It doesnt work like that.

I personally think Xena sounds passionate, not self important.

I'm sure we've all been in a situation where we thought we were the perfect fit for a job, but the recruiter / interviewer chose someone else. It can be frustrating and to me it sounds like that is what Xena's post is about.

Hiccups_2

Xena_007 wrote: »

All I ask for is consistency and fairness

Unfortunately, the recruitment process is often anything but and is largely dependent on the skill and knowledge of the recruiter / interviewer. The interview process is also skewed, because some candidates can talk the talk but when it comes down to doing the job, they can't walk the walk.

I work in a a technological field and it shocks me that most recruiters really don't know the first thing about what the job involves. So the net result is that they end up interviewing the candidates who have used the most buzz words, regardless of the level of competence and experience in each skill.

I say you would do well to try and cut out the middle man and perhaps do some cold-calling of your own.

Xena_007

Hiccups wrote: »

Unfortunately, the recruitment process is often anything but and is largely dependent on the skill and knowledge of the recruiter / interviewer. The interview process is also skewed, because some candidates can talk the talk but when it comes down to doing the job, they can't walk the walk.

I work in a a technological field and it shocks me that most recruiters really don't know the first thing about what the job involves. So the net result is that they end up interviewing the candidates who have used the most buzz words, regardless of the level of competence and experience in each skill.

I say you would do well to try and cut out the middle man and perhaps do some cold-calling of your own.

See I appreciate these types of comments because they are constructive and empathetic. Albeit it is good to be open and honest I think some people on the forum could construe their ideas in more productive ways lol (didnt mean to sound self important lol)

vik6525

Xena_007 wrote: »

The fact that I've worked voluntarily for one whole year.... Does that make me self important.... The fact that I've done a lot of work with young people, the elderly, the unemployed does that make me self important...

I don't appreciate being criticised for being honest about my achievements and I don't think it's self important.

What's funny is if If I turned round and stated that I've never worked in my life and claimed benefits for the past 6 years I would expect to get berated however... It's ashame that after doing all the things I've done to still get put down lol

If I was to get asked an interview question... Tell me a bit about yourself? I would have to say that I've worked for the past 6 years whilst getting a degree because to me it demonstrates a good work ethic but to you it makes me sound self important? So if all employers think that what chance have I got?

Who knows, most people reading this might agree with your points as oppose to mine which is fine but it doesn't explain how 2 agencies recruiting for the same company, look at the same CV ... One agency states they would like to progress my application whilst the other agency rejects it at the first go... Any individual who's had the experience would be cheesed off... That doesn't make me self important... All I ask for is consistency and fairness

But in the 'greater' scheme of things, 6 years is absolutely nothing. You could be up against people with 30 years of experience, and 2 degrees (for example!)