How to get a job after years of unemployment?

Georgie_Porgy

Not me - my BIL

seven-day-weekend

My son got a job at Matalan after nearly three years of unemployment when the Jobcentre sent him to a Training Centre and they got him a two-week job placement at MataLAN. This gave him a chance to show Matalan what he could do and helped to overcome the gap in his CV. Bear in mind that he had sent his CV in to Matalan twice before and received no acknowledgement, never mind an interview. He has been working at Matalan for three months now.

His friend is now doing a similar thing with another company.

Maybe this sort of thing could help your relative?

Conor_3

Give all the agencies a ring, especially those offering factory work. They tend to be less fussy about employment history and for many, you merely need to be breathing.

Money will be rubbish but it gets him some current employment for the CV and as they say, it's always easier to find a job if you're working.

Errata

Many large towns and cities now have projects for people who find themselves in the same situation as your BIL. They help people to get job ready, and have good contacts with local companies who welcome applications from people who've experienced mental health problems. For instance, my local one has found jobs for quite a number of people with local national supermarkets, hospitals, and the council.
Social services will have contact details if there's a project in your BIL's area. HTH

cazziebo

Conor wrote: »

Give all the agencies a ring, especially those offering factory work. They tend to be less fussy about employment history and for many, you merely need to be breathing.

Money will be rubbish but it gets him some current employment for the CV and as they say, it's always easier to find a job if you're working.

On the contrary - and I hate to disagree with you Conor because I usually totally agree with your posts - recruitment agencies are usually stricter on references. They have too much at stake not to be.

It sounds as if your BIL needs more support than usual. There are several govt or public funded bodies you could try. Both Reed and Randstad have programmes for getting long term unemployed people back into the workplace. There is also an organisation called Routes to Employment who will also help, and they also have links to training organisations. There is the govt funded Training for Work initiative that sponsors eligible people (more than 6 months unemployed, ex offenders, recovering drug addicts, single parents, residents within certain postcodes) to do training courses leading to recognised certifications. Part of this training also includes job hunting skills, confidence building etc. The job centre should have details.
good luck

Conor_3

cazziebo wrote: »

On the contrary - and I hate to disagree with you Conor because I usually totally agree with your posts - recruitment agencies are usually stricter on references. They have too much at stake not to be.

Not the ones supplying factory workers, which is what I was really aiming at, although I'll not argue about others such as Reed etc.. Even the HGV driver agencies who once upon a time would never break the "Two years min experience required" are sending out people who have just passed their test.

cazziebo

Georgie_Porgy wrote: »

The job centre haven't been very good with him at all. He is nearly 53 and is on one of their courses again to deal with c.v writing etc but they don't seem to help him actually get a job. He reckons the course available are only for New Deal and that he asked about courses such as plumbing and plastering but they aren't for the over 50s. can this be right?

Can't think why that would be - and surely with Age Discrimination Laws would be illegal. I'm not that up on this now but when I worked for a training company there were no age limits for our training courses -and indeed welcomed over 40s because there was more chance of them completing the course and the placement. (I only left a couple of years ago so not that out of date)

Newstart_4

I just happened to be out for an early moring bike ride at 6am and headed into the city and noticed a place i thnk is called "labour ready" from what i can gather they offer unskilled grunt work on a day by day basis, as there were 3-4 guys stood outside in work boots etc, looks like you can just turn up and be assigned a days work, i presume you would need to registered, but as someone said if ts manual labour or factory work i would doubt they would be that bothered about skills and experience.

does anyone know if im right about this? im at a loose end for a few weeks and would rather be earning than spending.

cheers.

europa16

Georgie Porgy,

You mentioned your BIL has had counselling and has been on anti-depressants, is he claiming incapacity benefit or something similar?

If he is/was, he could contact a job broker in his area, who would be able to help him with getting on the right track back into work.

I've been out of work for 6 years due to depression, and have found a brick wall when trying to get back into work, so I contacted one of these organisations to help me.
The one I'm seeing helps with CVs, interviews, getting extra training, and putting people into work placemets with a view to getting confidence back and a job.

If they can't help directly, it may be worth asking if there are other organisations who may be able to help - I'm sure they will have been asked many times before... the link is http://www.jobbrokersearch.co.uk/

Hope it is of some help.

rachnbri

What benefit is he claiming? I ask because there are different types of support for different benefits. There are sometimes schemes available through the jobcentre where an organisation will spend a number of weeks with an unemployed person. They first X weeks are spent CV writing and job prep etc then they organise a work placement (which would at least be some recent experience on his CV) and sometimes they guarantee an interview if the person has proved themselves on placement. Ask at the jobcentre if there are any schemes like this available.

Also if he is over 50 is he aware of the 50+ tax credit? This is an element of working tax credit paid to people who are over 50 and have been on certain benefits for over 26 weeks. It would enable him to take a job with fewer hours but still be able to pay the bills etc. The jobcentre should be able to do a better off calculation for him to work out exactly what he would be entitled to.

joeblack066

Labour Ready is an agency with a difference..........you turn up in the morning (having pre registered with them), they allocate a day's work to you, and you get paid at the end of the same day, obviously taxed at BR but adjustments are made and refunds given where appropriate.Works well in both the big Cities near me.