There are plenty of jobs out there!

LadyMissA

rentergirl wrote: »

It's odd. Even with in some areas 28 applicants per job, people are still being blamed and punished into slow starvation if they are long term unemployed. We need to increase benefits. How you live on £68 per week.

28? Is that all????

LadyMissA

falko89 wrote: »

We get £70 a week in a few weeks time

JSA is going up to £70?

falko89

LadyMissA wrote: »

JSA is going up to £70?

Yeah in April, go knock yourself out:beer:

LadyMissA

falko89 wrote: »

Yeah in April, go knock yourself out:beer:

oh my god, what to do with the other £2.50 a week! Yes. that's it I can buy soap!!

silkyuk9

LadyMissA wrote: »

YOU are the one who was banging on about it and how we all can get a job paying £2.60 an hour if we really wanted one
I am not a teenager with NO expereince, unlike your daughter. Maybe she should have been working like I have been since the age of 13 and that would have given her more experience in the 'workplace' and maybe she would have found it easier to get a job.

Learn a trade? What is she doing? Car mechanics? lol

I left school and got a real job, not a £2.60 an hour job in fact it was £9kpa in 1987 which was good money then.

My daughter was far to busy enjoying life as a 13 year old, besides thats irrelivent. She did start work at 15 however for a large bakery/shop for 1 year then started an apprenticeship over 260 miles from her home. Through personal reasons the course was not completed. so a job in Card Factory for the summer and another bakery over christmas and a wool shop for several months until this apprenticeship became available. So she's not exactly sat on her !!!!! Completing this course will give her the relevant qualifications to get into nurse training uni if thats the yellow brick road she wishes to follow, or stay in the carehome sector. Or even move to somethnig completely different if she decided that she wanted to do something else. You never know in life whats around the corner. I know you are not a teenager but its you thats scoffing at apprenticeship wages. Some kids are very greatful for them.

LadyMissA

silkyuk9 wrote: »

My daughter was far to busy enjoying life as a 13 year old, besides thats irrelivent. She did start work at 15 however for a large bakery/shop for 1 year then started an apprenticeship over 260 miles from her home. Through personal reasons the course was not completed. so a job in Card Factory for the summer and another bakery over christmas and a wool shop for several months until this apprenticeship became available. So she's not exactly sat on her !!!!! Completing this course will give her the relevant qualifications to get into nurse training uni if thats the yellow brick road she wishes to follow, or stay in the carehome sector. Or even move to somethnig completely different if she decided that she wanted to do something else. You never know in life whats around the corner. I know you are not a teenager but its you thats scoffing at apprenticeship wages. Some kids are very greatful for them.

I worked to buy clothes and stuff and get independance where you drive your 19 to work like she's 5! She is 19 and has no idea what she wants to do? You can train to be a nurse right from leaving school you know!

Nozone

On the main topic;

Again reiterating the point that has already been made, yes there are jobs out there, but applications are more often than not in their 100s. I've been applying for EVERYTHING I can find that I meet the criteria for (and even pushing the boundaries for some and asking if they'll give me a chance even if I don't meet the criteria 100%).

I always ask for feedback and here are two examples that really highlight my point;

I saw a barwork job a day after it had been posted on the job centre website. I tuned up my CV for it and printed it off and went over to the bar to hand it in to the manager. On speaking to him he informed me that he couldn't consider me as he'd had almost 100 applications already (in the space of about 24 hours!). I did all but beg and he was very apologetic to be fair, but I can understand it was reasonable I wouldn't get a look in. He also stated that in the first instance he'd be spending about a minute on each CV and binning any that didn't stand out straight away. Granted, if I'd have seen the job earlier and gotten my CV in sooner I would have maybe got a look in, but against 100 or so for one (part time, 7 hours!) position the odds are really not good.

Second example is a job that I found recently with my old university. I was actually really excited (think of jumping around and grinning) to find this job as when I read the job spec it seemed to fit me like a glove - I ticked all the boxes, felt I had the right attitude for the role, and had the previous experience to stand a really good chance of getting the job. On top of that the pay grade was 28-35k, which is really heady heights for me. I spent about a week on the application to make sure it was as perfect as I could get it. Sent it off, waited and waited and heard nothing. After the 4 week cut-off date for hearing back about interviews, I called them up to ask if they wouldn't mind giving me some feedback (and also with the hope that they'd say they were still considering applications). To my delight they said they were still going through the applications as they had received over 500 (!). About a month later I received an invite to interview. Attended, everything went well, had to do a presentation, one of the interviewers was familiar with me through some of my past work with the university. A week later received the email telling me I wasn't successful, I was absolutely gutted, but they offered me a meeting for feedback if I wished. Took them up on their offer and they congratulated me on my interview etc. but said out of the 14 interview candidates, in terms of experience I had the lowest, with the person next lowest to me having 10 (!) years more experience. I was somewhere in the middle of their final rankings, but with such a massive experience pool amongst the candidates they couldn't justify giving me the opportunity. Obviously this left me with mixed feelings as I was pleased I had done relatively well, but unfortunately in the world of employment, coming anything other than 1st means nothing.

So yeah, for me these two examples really highlight the fact that whatever work you're looking for it's a massive uphill struggle. Despite this, it just makes me work harder which can only be a good thing.

I really hate the fact that people say 'there is work out there if you look for it, there's no excuses'. I can tell you from the 604 applications (yup I have a folder here on my computer with them all in) I've made since September 2011 only about 5% have resulted in an interview. The biggest problem for someone like me seems to be a lot of experienced people are looking for work, whether they are looking for something more stable with better prospects, or they have found themselves out of work in the current climate.

In response to apprenticeships - I've also been applying for these, although they are at the bottom of my list. I think they are fantastic - just not for me. I spent 5 years and invested heavily in my university education and spending 4 years on an apprenticeship in an area that would not supplement or enhance my Chemistry degree is just not a good idea, in my opinion. Like I said I've apply for them just as anything else because more than anything, I need a job and work. But nothing I find and apply for is anything but retraining - at the end of the apprenticeship I would either carry on in that area, or go back to Chemistry. There's no real combination that enhances my employability, just allows me into a broader area of work. I have mixed feelings here, whilst I could take up an apprenticeship if I was offered one, and still look elsewhere for something more suitable, I would be taking away the opportunity of that apprenticeship from someone who might really need it.

silkyuk9

LadyMissA wrote: »

I worked to buy clothes and stuff and get independance where you drive your 19 to work like she's 5! She is 19 and has no idea what she wants to do? You can train to be a nurse right from leaving school you know!

Haha, Driving my daughter to work like a 5 year old. Would you walk across badly lit areas and possible danger as a 19 year old female alone??

Why should she walk anyway what business is it of yours when she has a suppostative family?? Also she does have an idea what she wants to do, do you? you spend lots of time on MSE.

falko89

Second example is a job that I found recently with my old university. I was actually really excited (think of jumping around and grinning) to find this job as when I read the job spec it seemed to fit me like a glove - I ticked all the boxes, felt I had the right attitude for the role, and had the previous experience to stand a really good chance of getting the job. On top of that the pay grade was 28-35k, which is really heady heights for me. I spent about a week on the application to make sure it was as perfect as I could get it. Sent it off, waited and waited and heard nothing. After the 4 week cut-off date for hearing back about interviews, I called them up to ask if they wouldn't mind giving me some feedback (and also with the hope that they'd say they were still considering applications). To my delight they said they were still going through the applications as they had received over 500 (!). About a month later I received an invite to interview. Attended, everything went well, had to do a presentation, one of the interviewers was familiar with me through some of my past work with the university. A week later received the email telling me I wasn't successful, I was absolutely gutted, but they offered me a meeting for feedback if I wished. Took them up on their offer and they congratulated me on my interview etc. but said out of the 14 interview candidates, in terms of experience I had the lowest, with the person next lowest to me having 10 (!) years more experience. I was somewhere in the middle of their final rankings, but with such a massive experience pool amongst the candidates they couldn't justify giving me the opportunity. Obviously this left me with mixed feelings as I was pleased I had done relatively well, but unfortunately in the world of employment, coming anything other than 1st means nothing.

These are the worst, You search and search finally you find a job that suits you, it's like the gods are looking down on you for once, you can see yourself in the job, you can feel it, you go to the interview and of course it goes well, its like you are destined to get this job, then you get the letter "Sorry...." Its like someone ripped your heart out and back to square one you go. It soul destroying to say the least.

LadyMissA

silkyuk9 wrote: »

Haha, Driving my daughter to work like a 5 year old. Would you walk across badly lit areas and possible danger as a 19 year old female alone??

Why should she walk anyway what business is it of yours when she has a suppostative family?? Also she does have an idea what she wants to do, do you? you spend lots of time on MSE.

We all have to walk in badly lit areas I am afraid. Maybe your brother could walk her to work as he don't seem to be busy. Haha!

I am looking for the SAME job I have done for the last 20 years thanks, its called ACCOUNTS!

I am 'here' as I have the lap top on 18 hours a day, looking for work if that's ok with you. I only look back here every now and again.

You are the one with a job and you are here! LOL