What am I doing wrong?

AP007

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Have you considered AAT teaching? With your qualifications and experience it might be worth contacting your local college that offers it and asking what their requirements are and whether they can offer the teaching qualifications while working.

Oh dear no I couldn't do that - not confident to teach people

scooby088

AP007 wrote: »

As soon as I had been out of work 6 mths they didn't want to know

the agency who I spoke to yesterday has had my cv for 24 mths or so and nothing and then says the perm job wont see me as I have been out of work too long and he said all of his clients state NO ONE out of work 6 mths or more

He said:

'I charge my clients a fee for my work and as such I have to respect their requirements and they are usually pretty specific, one of the criteria is always, no one who has been out of work for more than 6 months'

I have seen adverts on UJM from agencies which states as much in the adverts. Even though technically I have been unemployed for 2 months they always asked what I did before then.

AP007

Hudson1984 wrote: »

why are you being honest out of interest?

On my CV I put years instead of months i.e 2011 - 2012 I worked at "x"
rather than March 2011 - march 2012. You can be honest once you've dazzled them at an interview but then you can flip it around and say it means you can start right away.

SO not so much lying just not bringing awareness to the fact you're unemployed as long as you don't list it as present empolyement I can't see that it's doing anything wrong.

Out years not months and years? LOL

Yeah still 2010 looks like 2010 no matter how you write it.

I though about not putting a leaving date on the CV but then they will find out at interview and trust me I have even had a telephone interview where they asked 'where are you working now' to which I replied 'I am not it says on my cv I was made redundant' - the telephone interview ended with her saying 'erm oh we didn't realise you were not working I will have to talk to the manager and get back to you'. Three days later I chased the job and got an email back saying they would not interview me as I was out of work.

AP007

scooby088 wrote: »

I have seen adverts on UJM from agencies which states as much in the adverts. Even though technically I have been unemployed for 2 months they always asked what I did before then.

Yes they are lots of jobs who say recent experience meaning you have to be in work.

My old boss stated a new job this year and the 1st Q the agency asked when he applied for the job they had was 'are you working' and told him if he wasn't they could not help him. This was Morgan McKinley in London

LannieDuck

If you have a lot of experience with accounts, could you set up your own small company (I understand it doesn't take much), and see if you can attract a small client or two... or maybe do some tax returns for friends?

Then you could quite honestly cite being self-employed on your CV. And the friends that you had done (e.g.) tax-returns for could be referees for you.

AP007

LannieDuck wrote: »

If you have a lot of experience with accounts, could you set up your own small company (I understand it doesn't take much), and see if you can attract a small client or two... or maybe do some tax returns for friends?

Then you could quite honestly cite being self-employed on your CV. And the friends that you had done (e.g.) tax-returns for could be referees for you.

Tax returns for friends? What kind of friends do you think I have? lol :rotfl:

It costs money to get an accounts package etc and then set up and I am not an accountant.

LannieDuck

AP007 wrote: »

Tax returns for friends? What kind of friends do you think I have? lol :rotfl:

It costs money to get an accounts package etc and then set up and I am not an accountant.

What kinds of people do you think have to do tax returns? Some of my friends (not well off by any means) have ended up in a trap of having done a tax return one year for whatever reason (e.g. complicated tax statuses/self-employed), and have then been expected to continue doing tax returns year after year.

But the 'tax return for a friend' suggestion was really an afterthought - I was mostly suggesting you try and get some small business clients. There must be some cheap online tools that would allow you to keep accounts for small businesses. You could offer a cheap service to local shopkeepers etc.

But all that's predicated on the idea that you were an accountant... I thought you did account roles and payroll?

[Deleted User]

Just a thought have you tried re-applying for jobs you've already gone for?

A company 6 weeks ago wrote and said no thanks and no offer of interview, I then saw a similar job reposted applied with a refreshed CV and have now been successful in getting them to interview me!! total reverse so persistance might pay!?

Keep your chin up

AP007

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Just a thought have you tried re-applying for jobs you've already gone for?

A company 6 weeks ago wrote and said no thanks and no offer of interview, I then saw a similar job reposted applied with a refreshed CV and have now been successful in getting them to interview me!! total reverse so persistance might pay!?

Keep your chin up

Yeah I have applied to one company 6 times in the last 18 mths

Not sure what that says about the company though but Id work for them

Pennywise

AP007 wrote: »

It costs money to get an accounts package etc and then set up and I am not an accountant.

That's a prime example of the lack of a "can do" attitude that may well be part of your problems. Setting up a book-keeping or small accountancy practice has never been simpler and cheaper.

You can prepare and submit VAT returns, payroll and tax returns via the HMRC website completely free of charge.

There are free basic book-keeping packages you can use widely available to download from the web. A full ledger based system can be bought for just £130 if you need more.

You can use free spreadsheet software to create book-keeping, schedules, annual accounts (P&L & balance sheet) to an acceptable standard.

Book-keeping and basic accountancy has a remarkably low "entry" cost. Basically, a computer, printer, broadband connection and you're away. You don't need to be "a practice" to do it, you could offer your services as a freelancer on the various websites.

You don't have to be "an accountant" to do this. The AAT qualification should have given you skills regarding basic book-keeping, accounts preparation, VAT and payroll - that should be adequate for the vast majority of small businesses and private individuals.