job seeking tips

shadowlight

sorry if this has been covered, I usually search forums before posting but can't see the search feature here and got bored after going through a load of pages of threads lol (though did find some stuff of use in he process :P )


long story short I am unemployed... and currently sanctioned


I am at college part time and even though it's below 16 hours a week and even though the job centre knew at every point they are determined to punish me for it, or at least it feels like they are. Way I see it I may as well try to become more employable, and I was literally going nuts sitting at home all day everyday (literally literally too as I do have mental health issues and get less stable when unemployed). And in part I went to college due to the job centre as before moving to this city I was a welder but apparently there are very few metalwork jobs here so I am retraining into woodwork.

(my moving is a long story but it was not exactly my choice nor a planned move. I essentially became homeless and had to move back to my parents)


anyway... I have tried EVERYTHING that I can think of to gain a job... I have even offered to work for people for free with the hope of it at least giving me experience if not leading to a paid job, but the job centre got uppity with me for this so I had to stop. I did have a voluntary job, but I left that to start college in order to stay under the 16 hours a week thing.


I was wondering if anyone might have some tips or advice for job hunters like myself? I cannot think of anything else to try, but at this point maybe its one of those cases that I can no longer see options as I am too close to the situation and just stressed lol


anyway, thanks for reading

shadowlight

lol, also I find the "newbie alert" sign that's appeared amusing :P

telboyo

While you are at college you might consider doing a basic literacy skills course.

GothicStirling

shadowlight wrote: »

lol, also I find the "newbie alert" sign that's appeared amusing :P

Yeah, and completely ignored by the poster above.

GothicStirling

telboyo wrote: »

While you are at college you might consider doing a basic literacy skills course.

I would also recommend one on punctuation and grammar for yourself (I'll give you a clue, you have omitted a comma.)

PasturesNew

Tip 1: Spill UR rezzumay proply

shadowlight

as much as it may not look like it I have got a GCSE in English and I did Functional Skills level 1 and 2 last year. All have been passed. I have also been to university, unfortunately though spelling and such are still a weak point of mine and I no longer have the software on my laptop that I had at university to assist in my typing. Numbers I can do, science I can do, making things I can do, spelling I struggle with. Only seems to be an issue on forums though, no-one off the internet ever really mentions it

shadowlight

also all my job applications and CVs are proof read by others before being sent out

Dovah_diva

shadowlight wrote: »

as much as it may not look like it I have got a GCSE in English and I did Functional Skills level 1 and 2 last year. All have been passed. I have also been to university, unfortunately though spelling and such are still a weak point of mine and I no longer have the software on my laptop that I had at university to assist in my typing. Numbers I can do, science I can do, making things I can do, spelling I struggle with. Only seems to be an issue on forums though, noone off the internet ever really mentions it

Seeking, not seaking. It is important, when asking for help and support in job seeking, that you make sure your spelling and grammar are excellent. If you don't it will be the first thing people pick up on - and quite rightly, as it would be sensible to assume that if you cannot spell and punctuate when asking for help, you also cannot spell and punctuate when applying for jobs.

I personally don't buy into the 'it doesn't matter on forums'. If you are competent at spelling and grammar then that will be self evident when using any form of media. You don't suddenly start spelling incorrectly just because you are on a forum. It is habit to spell correctly.

In respect of job hunting, and taking the above into account, have you tried speculative job hunting? My son secured a fabulous apprenticeship just by walking into a car dealership. Consider all the biggies like Homebase, B&Q, all the big supermarkets as well as smaller places. Have you joined any agencies?

claire16c

Dovah_diva wrote: »

I personally don't buy into the 'it doesn't matter on forums'. If you are competent at spelling and grammar then that will be self evident when using any form of media. You don't suddenly start spelling incorrectly just because you are on a forum. It is habit to spell correctly.

I have to agree, typos or missing out occasional punctuation on a forum is different to spelling things wrong like 'seaking.'

Be careful who you get to proof read things.

The other day my husband (who is not great at spelling or checking things himself) put a poster up at his work. I went in and told him there was a mistake on there which I saw within seconds of reading it, that made one of the sentences look completely ridiculous and almost the opposite to what it really meant.

I said to him did you not check it before you stuck that up? He said that a girl behind reception and one of the junior managers had checked it! And neither had noticed!

Then my Dad was in there (hubby works in a gym) and there was a sign on the door, something about lockers being out of order, and two words were spelt wrong - and again the person printing this notice and the person hanging it up both saw this and didn't realise it had mistakes.

So make sure you ask someone reliable!

Homeagain

The OP is asking for advice. I think you are being mean just pointing out errors in his post - its certainly not helpful at all. I have seen far worse spelling and grammar over this forum that that of the OP.