Support Each Other in Looking For Work - Pt 2

Slinky

Stew68 wrote: »

Thanks for the repsonses.

I've been back to see about the other job and have accepted the role (though I think they're getting a bargain). It's not really me but finding a permanent job in this climate is so hard that it's got to be seen as a success.

I'll finish at my old job next Friday and start the new job on the following Monday.

Here's hoping for some luck for everybody else here.

Have a good weekend all.

Good luck Stew, onwards and upwards now.

fourthlinewing

Here's a question...

Can you be a bit too cocky in a cover letter?

Reason I asked is cause I've gone for a copywriting/creative assistant job that has "excellent attention to detail" in the job specs, and I noticed that several words (including "detail") were mispelled in the agency ad, so pointed them out in my cover letter to show that I had it. All the other specs are things I can do in my sleep (use Word and Powerpoint, work on own initiative etc)

Now wondering whether I might have just talked myself out of an interview with it.

Slinky

fourthlinewing wrote: »

Here's a question...

Can you be a bit too cocky in a cover letter?

Reason I asked is cause I've gone for a copywriting/creative assistant job that has "excellent attention to detail" in the job specs, and I noticed that several words (including "detail") were mispelled in the agency ad, so pointed them out in my cover letter to show that I had it. All the other specs are things I can do in my sleep (use Word and Powerpoint, work on own initiative etc)

Now wondering whether I might have just talked myself out of an interview with it.

It'll either be kill or cure. Maybe the 'mistakes' were part of a test which you have passed. Or maybe not. Only time will tell. I suppose a lot may depend on the manner you pointed it out.

lexilex

Slinky wrote: »

Lexilex, there's more than one way to skin a cat.....

Sorry you didn't get the role, but a similar thing happened to my husband last September. He came second. Three weeks later the person who came first walked out of the job. Husband got the call and got the job (contract). When he actually started the job, the company realised he was far capable of more than what he was doing for them at the time. He finished in January, then started for them again at the end of the month at a much better rate on another job. Still contract, but it's work.

Whilst it's galling not to get the job, why not get in there and show them in the nicest possible way that they should have employed you. You never know what may come of it.

I think you're right. If he calls me about volunteering I am going to do it. I have much more chance of getting a job there than at the place I am currently volunteering at. Got a feeling the phone call won't come though and he was just trying to soften the blow...

JamesK10 wrote: »

@ Lexilex - I didn't get a call or email last month about my volunteering and am not chasing them up, they've had enough of my time which I am now putting into full time applications. Depends whether the new place is willing to offer travel expenses or not as a minimum and there'd have to be the understanding that whenever a paid job came up anywhere you'd be on your way.

I'm glad it's not just me! I thought places would be crying out for volunteers but it's been me constantly chasing up from day one! In an ideal world I would love to just concentrate on applications, but I don't want that gap on my CV, and really I could do with the experience so I feel I need to be doing something.

Anyway, I'm over last weeks rejection. !!!!!!!! to 'em, their loss! Two applications and one begging... sorry speculative email sent already this morning. Got a really good job to apply for, but its a council job, and a ridiculously long application. Think I'm going to have to do it a bit at a time or die of boredom.

JamesK10

fourthlinewing wrote: »

Here's a question...

Can you be a bit too cocky in a cover letter?

Reason I asked is cause I've gone for a copywriting/creative assistant job that has "excellent attention to detail" in the job specs, and I noticed that several words (including "detail") were mispelled in the agency ad, so pointed them out in my cover letter to show that I had it. All the other specs are things I can do in my sleep (use Word and Powerpoint, work on own initiative etc)

Now wondering whether I might have just talked myself out of an interview with it.

Well today I went and checked the deadline list and found this high-level company here: http://www.globeapt.com/

- advertising a maternity cover conceriege job for the second time,if the job even exists, with the headline "xciting role for an Experienced Administrator - maternity cover"

If these idiots think text speak makes them somewhere I'd want to work they can think again. Since I applied already and now it's rolled around again, it was an easy one to delete from the shortlist. So correct away, as stated it might be a test, if they think you're being a smartypants and don't give you the job, then you don't need to be working there.

JamesK10

lexilex wrote: »

I'm glad it's not just me! I thought places would be crying out for volunteers but it's been me constantly chasing up from day one! In an ideal world I would love to just concentrate on applications, but I don't want that gap on my CV, and really I could do with the experience so I feel I need to be doing something.

Anyway, I'm over last weeks rejection. !!!!!!!! to 'em, their loss!

I know what you mean about CV gaps but I'm honest on my CV about the volunteering being an end of the month thing, except that one more month and I could've called it six months, a nice round number, but then again I am temping the rest of the time as the phone rings.

Like you it took a decent week to get over the last rejection, and am waiting for the new jobs list to be emailed as my email provider is creaking again and taking up to 24hrs to deliver Jobsite's emails, so I'll move over to Guardian Jobs and see what they've got.

JamesK10

Better news today!

Totally new agency put me forward for a job, connected through to the website, completed their own application, submitted again to the company itself.

Whatever happens, that's the morale booster I needed and I can get straight on with the newest jobs as the email finally turned up at 11pm last night, though I'd given up on it and was manually searching Jobsite myself.

JamesK10

Stage 2 of that application, another online web response with more general deatils, submitted today and this time within three hours not the whole day. Other jobs came up from old lists, applied to another and there's others to finish off today ready for the new ones tomorrow.

So whilst it's good to have further action on a single job, still no interview so I'll just have to move on again as it's April now, new budgets hopefully equal more work around.

JamesK10

Working tomorrow, I'm not knocking a day of office temp work now that the energy bill has landed and Council Tax is restarting for everyone, every penny counts and it's a day off the job search with the new posts listed to get on with on my return.

fourthlinewing

This has been a week that's been down and down with a sting in the tail.

Didn't hear anything from a whole bunch of jobs I applied for last week-went back to the website to track my application and apparently the application had been removed, so that was that, I'm guessing.

Applied for a job at Landrover on the assembly line, but haven't heard anything from that, either. It looked like another frustrating week...

...until yesterday, when I went for a long-shot application doing my dream job commentating on ice-hockey games. The job is with the second-best league in the world on their broadcasts to North America...so thought I'd have no hope whatsoever.

Anyway, I'm through the first stage. Already further than I expected to get so anything now is a bonus.

Still applying for jobs in the local area and also in Northern Ireland but not getting anything back right now. Same story as a lot of others on here by the look of it...