Going back to work, and petrified!

dizzyrascal

saterkey wrote: »

ie with the unis once in you can get staff development for free eg the ecdl and move around and up easily once a member of staff.

I thought your advice was really good but:
A word of caution here about the above text.

I work at a university so I thought I would add something. Entry level admin jobs at my university ask for 5 GCSE's as a minimum. In practice the applicants that will get to the interview stage will have A levels or even a degree.
Competition is extremely fierce for places and they do use competency based interviews and fairly complex application forms during the selection process. These will ask for recent experience in any number of skills.
In practice most jobs will go internally because the skills they ask for tend to be gained whilst working at a university.
For instance, they may ask about experience of working with student databases. (just an example)
Also, and this is just a guide, but each grade roughly attracts the next level of qualification. Therefore if the entry level asks for 5 GCSE's then the next admin level will ask for A levels, followed by a degree and then a masters. So moving upwards can mean gaining further qualifications.
You are right about the in-house training but it is more like skills development. You can no longer do the ecdl through work as you are now expected to have it or complete the advanced levels.
Although it is possible to get funding for professional
qualifications if they will benefit the role you are in.
Hope this helps

Dontknowanymore

Ok so I am still doing my CV, one of my FB and MSE friends who works in HR (I think, well she hires people!) saw this thread and has offered to have a look at it for me over the weekend.

I left school and attended a PRU as I was quite rebellious, I only gained numeracy and literacy certificates (so frustrating as if I had of just behaved I could of got really good GCSE grades) So I am going to put all of that down. But do you think he fact I was rubbish at school will hinder me?

Since school I have gained an NVQ level 2 in health and social care in 2008 and last year I completed an adult literacy level 2 course, with flying colours I might add! The lady running the class even asked if I wanted to help out on the next one but unfortunately I couldn't get any childcare.

I have been looking and there are quite a few jobs around here on offer, some contract, some temp to perm and some perm, so I am going to register with all the agencies I can and hope for the best.
Also a girl on FB has just started with one of the big companies here that seem to be currently hiring and she has been out of work for 4 years raising her son so there is hope for me yet! I have messaged her for some advice.

I'm feeling positive, it's not going to be easy I know, but I don't need to worry about childcare now which was always a barrier so going full time mon to fri 9-5 would be fine for me and my boys.

Notmyrealname

Dontknowanymore wrote: »

Thanks, I haven't actually done the hairdressing, I have applied for September but I feel like my main priority should be getting a decent job and earning some money.
I can do the hairdressing 2 evenings a week another time.

If you are doing hairdressing with the aim of making a wad of cash from doing it, you may want to rethink that idea. My wife was a hairdresser. The only people who make any money are the ones who own the salons. The people who cut your hair, other than the salon owner, are barely above minimum wage.

A college course doesn't teach you sufficient to set up on your own and be fully competent at doing it - a proper hairdressing apprenticeship with work experience does that.

Dontknowanymore

Notmyrealname wrote: »

If you are doing hairdressing with the aim of making a wad of cash from doing it, you may want to rethink that idea. My wife was a hairdresser. The only people who make any money are the ones who own the salons. The people who cut your hair, other than the salon owner, are barely above minimum wage.

A college course doesn't teach you sufficient to set up on your own and be fully competent at doing it - a proper hairdressing apprenticeship with work experience does that.

No I am not. that is why I am getting a job!
I know about the industry (cousin owns 2 salons) and mainly wanted to do it for the trade so I can cut hair along side a 'normal' job.
But that is on hold for 2 years unless I can't find a job by September (I've already been accepeted).
Thanks for the post though, could be useful for others.