Writing a CV, with no experience after long-term illness?

DigitalBiscuit

Hello, dearest MoneySavers.

I hope you're all doing well.

I am seeking your famous expertise and good council on how best to craft a CV, as someone who is mature in age (late twenties), but has an incomplete education, and no experience, due to illness. Now somewhat recovered, I am to "debut" on the job market.

Don't get too excited over there, potential employers.

I understand I am transitioning from ESA, via the Work Related Activity Group, to the Job Center in approximately 3 months and I'd dearly love to be employed before I'm defaulted to the Job Center, for obvious reasons. They don't exactly have the best reputation, and as nice as some of the folks at my trips to the WRAG people have been, they're honestly a bit of a shambles as a help and guide. I am not expecting hope of the JC being an improvement. So far, I've experienced months without contact, fast turn around of staff, mistaken timetables, information not passed on, etc.

More than once I've gazed over a desk at someone who stares at me blank-faced about simple questions. I'm expected, per the latest worksheet, to start sitting in their tiny office and phoning (!) and sending out job applications. I am quite frankly, trying to swallow the taste of rising anxiety, and failing.

My trouble is, well, how do I take this first step? How do I take the initiative here, and stay out of that humiliating office and get on the first rung of the ladder?

I aim, most probably, to be re-entering education -- family circumstances (and confidence) permitting -- in September, for an Access to Higher Education Diploma. So I've been trying to include that, as in, "mature student", not mentioning I'm not yet enrolled. I am having trouble accounting for the gap between school and now -- what prospective employer wants to hear about illness? Even if I do have things to offer and may become a valued employee.

If I read one more article about graduates having trouble getting work with degrees, etc, I'll weep salty, salty tears into my keyboard.

How do I start to solve this problem?

iclayt

What are you hoping to study after your Access diploma? If you're worried about gaining employment - quite rightly - aim to do something that at least qualifies you in some way, or offers a route to qualification. Health/Social/Community studies leading to Social Work, for example. Childhood or Education studies leading to working in education, mentoring, TA, teaching etc. Try to have a goal!

I am quite honest about the two years off I've had off due to cancer on application forms. Always be truthful. Decent employers will look past it, like mine did. I think what helped on my form though is that I tried to do voluntary work whenever I could while I was off - maybe you could look at that over the summer before starting your course. Look on https://www.do-it.org.uk - even a few hours a week fills in a gap on the CV.

DigitalBiscuit

iclayt wrote: »

What are you hoping to study after your Access diploma? If you're worried about...

I've had connection issues, so was unable to reply promptly as I would have liked, but I just wanted to thank you, iclayt, for the constructive response.

I think volunteering may well be my first port-of-call. It's something I've been meaning to do, as my health returned, anyhoo. It's also hard to beat recent references, outside of friends and family, I would expect. Employers have their needs, too, I understand.

Heading strongly in a particular direction, will probably be more difficult to navigate. Without funds, and in a small town, education will be expensive, in time, travel and money. And that's after theoretical employment.

The word 'downsize' is looming large in my field of vision, I fear.

I suspect it's going to be another difficult summer. Hm.

It remains a challenging issue to tackle, and I wall-of-texted a tad so I appreciate any response at all, frankly. Back to my CV of doom!

(Perhaps if I wrap it in delicious edible ribbon, I'll just jump to the head of the queue?)

*desperate eyes*

Thanks one and all for reading.

theoretica

I think you need to be honest about ill health - trying to obscure that elephant under your coat would make it obvious you are hiding something and people might assume the worst.

You have let friends, relatives, acquaintances and the flower shop down the road know that you are after a job?

DigitalBiscuit

theoretica wrote: »

I think you need to be honest about ill health...

I'm uncomfortable with lying, too. Even the little white lies have a cost, eventually, and just trying to think of what to say, to who, and why, makes more complications than I could keep track of without magic spreadsheet skills. I'm in too fragile of a position to poison the well with a bad reputation.

Letting it be known I'm open for employment, I hadn't considered. I suppose, in my poor health, it's uncomfortable for me to admit I've made my world a smaller place. Shame's a cruel thing, like that. Making it harder to ask for help when you're sick, and to sell yourself when you're well.

It reminds me of a book I skimmed recently, how we're transitioning into an age where we are all in sales, whether we want to be or not.

I'm going to have to teach myself how to be a squeaky wheel, it seems. I think maybe reaching out to the wisdom of the mind-hive, like this, has been a start in a small way.

Thanks for your insight and suggestions, Theoretica!

Sanne

Could you financially afford to do an apprenticeship? You may need to contribute to the cost as you're over 21 but there are loans available.

I've recruited for an apprentice last year and we've had an application from someone who must have been in his late twenties, based on his CV. His application was great so we invited him for an interview where he mentioned that he had health problems after an accident which led to him starting his career that late. We didn't give him the job but he was our (very, very close) second choice - nothing to do with his health at all though, just that another candidate fitted the bill a bit better.

In his feedback, I did say that it would have greatly helped had he mentioned his health problems on his CV - not in detail but to at least explain the large gaps. When looking at his CV I did think, hm, what has he done with his life? and knowing this would have helped greatly.

So, why a I writing this... I just wanted to say really, don't give up, there's employers out there who understand that things like these happen and are willing to employ people who've had health issues delaying their career start. Be honest about it in your CV, no need to go into great detail but let the employers know why there is a gap (and, if you can, reassure them that you are now better and ready for work).

In terms of education, try to do something that helps you with your career goals - I've had another applicant for that apprenticeship in his early twenties who started an access course and complained that it wasn't really practical. He wanted to ditch it for an apprenticeship. I just thought he should have done an HNC or HND rather than an access course.

Good luck!

DigitalBiscuit

Sanne wrote: »

Could you financially afford to do an apprenticeship? You may need...

Interesting to have a peek from the other side of the desk, Sanne, thank you.

I had been wondering about all the apprenticeships -- whether it would be just uncouth to apply for them. I felt maybe it was just 'not done', at my age. I might revise, in that light...

I've also had doubts about the Access Diploma -- it seems like there's little point to it for students or employers unless I'm diving straight into a degree on the other side. Maybe there's part of me that feels... obligated to get a degree, for all sorts of reasons, rather actually being passionate about it. A price to be payed, either way, I think.

Whatever I chose, in terms of education, I'm realizing, it's best to launch from a secure base of employment. Trying to jump into both work and education because I'm under emotional and circumstantial pressure, at the expense of choosing the right qualification, seems to go against the 'mature' part of being a mature student.

With my health in tact, and some kind of regular job or apprenticeship, I'm sure will do a lot to focus the mind of what/how/where to study. September 2015, will come soon enough. Also, online education is changing, too, with Massively Online Open Courses, offering me some taste and variety of study in the mean time.

A lot to think about. Oy!

I appreciate everybody's responses, really. Thanks again, everyone. Enjoy your Sunday evening.

globalhobo

Go onto 'national career service' website, it's got alot of information. Can't post links I'm afraid.

See if perhaps you can also book a session with these guys? It's advertised via your local job centre. I went to one last year when I was out of work, and it proved quite useful..the person who hosted it was very resourceful.

Worth a look anyway.