Has anyone actually found a job/got an interview from job websites?

euronorris

Yes, I have an interview for a job on Monday, which I applied for through Reed.co.uk, and last week, I had an interview for a temporary position which I also applied for through Reed.co.uk (was through and agency and I wasn't successful in the end, but still, an interview is an interview).

Achtung_Baby

I got my current job after responding to a Monster ad but they can be restrictive. Not all companies outsource their recruitment, so it might be worth considering going direct to companies themselves? They'll often advertise vacancies on their site.

euronorris

Achtung_Baby wrote: »

I got my current job after responding to a Monster ad but they can be restrictive. Not all companies outsource their recruitment, so it might be worth considering going direct to companies themselves? They'll often advertise vacancies on their site.

I do that as well, and search council vacancies and nhs job sites (for admin roles) and buy and check the local papers every week.

dickydonkin

Yes - well sort of - through totaljobs.com - I was offered the job, but eventually declined the offer as my personal circumstances changed.

Nothing wrong with the job or the company - it was just not right for me at that particular time.

Good luck with your job searching - and never give up.

stix62

I've never had a response to an application I've made through Reed and other such jobsites, but I have had responses (and the odd interview) through Direct.Gov when there's been a contact email for the employer - cv + cover note.

I've had some good arguments with Job Centre advisors about the futility of sending emails 'on spec' to potential employers (pushing my luck as far as sanctions go), but stangely enough today I got a phone call from one of these companies inviting me to an interview next week. (I'm in shock!)

I'm not too sure what sort of position I may be being interviewed for (my 'on spec' email focuses on admin with a hint to check CV for additional skills and experience), I'm just really surprised I've had that response. Those that do answer either direct you to their online job vacancies board, or say 'sorry nothing doing at the mo, we'll keep your CV on file'

Jobsearching is extremely frustrating and depressing with the odd glimmer of hope thrown in

sunday_girl

My husband has had recent invitations to interview and accepted a job offer after applying for jobs via Monster and Indeed. These ones he was successfully shortlisted for were all advertised by the employers themselves rather than with agencies however.

easy

Yes. I was approached by an agency who saw my CV on jobsite and arranged an interview for me. I was offered the job, but turned it down as the office manager who interviewed me told me that the directors thought it was ok to shout at their staff if they felt like it, and it was far longer hours than the agency told me.

Then I saw an advert placed directly by a company on jobsite at the beginning of March. Applied on a Wednesday morning, got a phone call that afternoon, had interview on the Friday, offered the job that day. I have just completed my 3rd week working there.

The job websites are fine, but some of the agencies who use them are pretty useless from the jobseekers point of view.

jenzen

As previously said the .gov site is good. Helped me get a job a while ago.

https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/Jobsearch/PowerSearch.aspx

Good luck

nettles

I am working for an agency at the moment, and they found my cv on the reed website. Also a few years ago I applied for a job online via an agency and got the job.

curlygirl1971

I've just got lucky - extremely lucky, via Reed.

The last time I looked for a job was 13 years ago and I started again in January and was fairly horrified by it all - all the different sites and trawling through ad after ad. Its almost a full time job, and it quickly can become disheartening. Like you my back ground is Admin - so searches were difficult, but I concentrated on key tasks that I enjoyed from previous jobs like project management, co-ordinating etc etc

I also bought a recommended CV book off Amazon and totally re did my CV......I was really pleased by the time I'd finished and genuinely felt it was a good CV. Previously I'd waffled about the sector I'd worked in (as I was really passionate and proud of it) and had too much info, but I cut all of that out and focused on what I'd done and how I'd done it rather than for whom and where.

I uploaded my CV on Reed, spent long evenings trawling through various sites and found only 1 suitable job in 2/3 weeks of looking - I applied for it and heard nothing. Then things happened in my personal life and I kind of abandoned it for a few weeks with the intention of attacking it anew commencing Easter and intended to upload my CV on more sites and target specific organisations but before i did this, out of the blue I got a call from a Resourcer at a major employer who had seen my CV on Reed; telephone interview, face to face interview and job offer within 10 days. I don't even have all the 'essentials' on their job spec. Am gobsmacked as I realise how incredibly hard it is at the present - I can only think that I used words/phrases on my CV that they were looking out for?

Supporting/Analysis/excellent/exceeds/business to business/fast paced/customer focused/logistics/liaising/stakeholders etc etc

Good CV aside, i genuinely think my success is down to luck - not very helpful to you, but just keep ploughing away at it. But make sure your own 'advert' is the very best it can be. The CV book I used was mainly common sense but it really helped me focus on what was essential.

Best of luck