no formal qualifications needed

pinpin

Marmaduke123 wrote: »

I was really interested in this so had a look at the information about these assessments. They sound really difficult and demanding. Network Rail are obviously looking for people with very specific natural abilities which exams wouldn't measure.

Well done to your friend for finding a career which is such a good fit to his talents

Yes. I wouldn't have a shot in hell, hence i'm looking for other 'careers' that aren't based on your qualifications.
I figure there must be *something* out there that i'm good at.
if i had a big list of jobs with similar entry requirements (an assessment for example) I could maybe narrow it down and find one to suit me..??...

torbrex

I would be interested in a definition of career that includes a railway signalman, I had ancestors that were signalmen and they did it all their days as a job.

A utilities meter reader needs no prior qualification to get started and can progress to quite dizzy levels of management if the want to.

I am currently a stocktaker on a zero hours contract and there are people that started the same job at the same time as me are now count managers on a salary and looking to progress to area manager level.

InsideInsurance

pinpin wrote: »

Agreed.
That's why I was asking about job like the railway signaller where you don't appear to need any qualifications, but upon passing an 'assessment' and then some training, you can jump straight into a fairly well paid 'career'.

But that is what I am saying, you dont NEED qualifications for many jobs just if the hiring manager has the option of taking someone with no qualifications or someone willing to work for the same money but has a year or two experience, maybe some qualifications etc then the other person may find it easier to get the job.

With myself, I was working for the company already in the claims department on ~£15k. I applied for a job that required assessments and interviews but during that process I was "spotted" by one of the managers involved and offered a 6 month secondment as a Junior Project Manager for £25k. At the end of the 6 months I was offered a perm role as a Project Manager for ~£32,500. A decade on I now earn a day double what I earned a week back when I was in Claims. I still dont have any qualifications other than my A Levels

The challenging is convincing the hiring manager to take a punt on you rather than having a list of thousands of careers where the possibility exists.

pinpin

I'm not sure what you are suggesting?

Do you mean I should just apply for jobs where they specify that they want a degree even though I don't have one and see if I can charm the interviewer?

Or do you mean I should just work harder at loading lorries in the hope of getting spotted for some kind of internal promotion?

PS - Still grateful to receive other ideas.
So far we have railway signaller, fireman and pharmacy dispenser.

Just discovered another one:
Air Traffic controller.
It's a career with no A levels/degree needed but instead based upon an assessments (followed by training if successful), then straight into a decent pay.

Hedylogos

People say there are jobs out there for the less qualified (not to degree level) but i am not seeing it myself. On the news today it's said there are a record number of prospective students applying to attend university courses this year, so it shows you how difficult it's becoming for both younger people and the less qualified, especially for the latter if they want to improve themselves and get into a well paid ("well paid" being objective) job. It really does feel like everybody is going to university and studying for a degree these days, to the point where it's becoming more of an "in thing" to do rather than a place to improve your career prospects; that doesn't apply to everyone applying, of course.

I never knew what i wanted to do and comes a time now where i am trying to figure out what i'll excel in and be successful after having been unemployed for a long while. It is both frustrating and confusing, because it seems most jobs are hit and miss in terms of the true requirements needed. Some people can go in to the interview and talk their way into the job, whereas others just have the right look or the perfect credentials/qualifications.

What about the police force OP? That is something i was considering also, but then i am not sure it's suitable to my personality type. I am more someone who is creative and i thrive with thinking up interesting ideas. What are your strengths? I wouldn't advise going into something just because it pays well as it could end up with you being miserable. Think about your strengths and then try to find jobs that cater to those strengths.

pinpin

Hi, Hedylogos.
Yes, the police force would be another one that fits the bill in terms of the criteria given.
It's another one that I don't think would be for me, though. I have 2 friends who are policemen, and I know that they tend to want very confident, self-assured, assertive, bold people who like to lead etc.
That's not really me. I also have a had a few scrapes with the law in my past and a family member of mine was, for want of a better word, a gangster, very well known to the police, so i'm not sure that would do me any favours either!

Regarding 'strengths', I don't really know. I can't think of any.
Like you, I never knew what I wanted to do either.
You mentioned how choosing a career based on money could end up making me miserable. Better off being miserable with a half decent wage than miserable earning a pittance

patman99

In the East, there are a load of aprenticeship roles within the rail industry available from a Colchester-based training provider.

They promise a job at the end of the 4 years, but you only ever get 1 - 2 days work and then you are let go and end up on the dole. So be warned. Not all such jobs are what they promise to be.

As for jobs that require no prior qualifications. Add to the list Handyman, farmer, milkman, MP and TV/radio presenter.

85meowmeow

If you like thinking up ideas & are creative what about marketing? Start as an administrator, work your way to to head to marketing. It is not required from my experience to have a degree not in my area.
Or a postman!

[Deleted User]

Hedylogos wrote: »

People say there are jobs out there for the less qualified (not to degree level) but i am not seeing it myself.

See I believe it's more 'on mass', I'm starting to realise the real problems with this are you don't have a meaningful interview and I really feel a lot more sell the image of a job and never the reality, it's got to be the biggest problem


OP have you ever approached a company where it's obvious they have multiple vacancies going? don't let me put you of in some instances this might just work when a company keeps x number out of x number recruited

missbiggles1

There are quite a few jobs/careers where a degree or similar isn't an actual requirement but very few people without those qualification would be likely to be considered.