Poor work history/mental health - what should I do?

SpicyChickenBaguette

Still hoping there there are others out there that can suggest a qualification I could look at that doesn't involve university and will get my foot in the door somewhere?

Folander

Yes you are at the bottom of the pile. It sucks - now it's time to do something about it.
You could look at AAT, which is a feeder into Chartered Accountancy. I started with City & Guilds level 1 book keeping and accounts as I was at the bottom like you. I had dropped out of uni and had nothing in my locker excpet jealousy and expectation. I dropped both and picked up the books. When I got my break my interviewer was impressed that I was studying off my own bat. a few years later I'm Chartered and without a degree.

To be honest you shouldn't be even thinking about promotion right now, you don't even have a job yet! What you need is skills and experience in anything. I worked in McDonalds for a while, best job I ever had it was a lot of fun, made friends for life there and I moved up a bit too, also taught me a work ethic, a minute to lean is a minute to clean! Also I friend of mine also dropped out of uni, got a job in a supermarket and now manages it.

Stop thinking of the people now, think of how they got there and how you can get there. You have been given more than enough advice on here, off you go now. Make us proud!

SpicyChickenBaguette

missbiggles1 wrote: »

There's no need to be rude!

Entry level, non graduate and professional are 3 expressions that don't go together in the same sentence, I'm afraid.

I am not being rude, I just found it amusing that I expressly said it was just an example and someone still thought I was interested in accountancy (actually I would be interested, I'm just poor with numbers if it's anything more intensive than GCSE level).

Can you offer anything constructive?

SpicyChickenBaguette

Folander wrote: »

Yes you are at the bottom of the pile. It sucks - now it's time to do something about it.
You could look at AAT, which is a feeder into Chartered Accountancy. I started with City & Guilds level 1 book keeping and accounts as I was at the bottom like you. I had dropped out of uni and had nothing in my locker excpet jealousy and expectation. I dropped both and picked up the books. When I got my break my interviewer was impressed that I was studying off my own bat. a few years later I'm Chartered and without a degree.

To be honest you shouldn't be even thinking about promotion right now, you don't even have a job yet! What you need is skills and experience in anything. I worked in McDonalds for a while, best job I ever had it was a lot of fun, made friends for life there and I moved up a bit too, also taught me a work ethic, a minute to lean is a minute to clean! Also I friend of mine also dropped out of uni, got a job in a supermarket and now manages it.

Stop thinking of the people now, think of how they got there and how you can get there. You have been given more than enough advice on here, off you go now. Make us proud!

Although I'm useless with numbers, thank you very much for being one of the first people to offer anything positive and constructive and not focus on how poor my employability is. All I'm hoping for now is someone with a bit of knowledge of another industry that can advise on a similar qualification to AAT that will provide some sort of starting point for another professional industry.

Scorpio33

SpicyChickenBaguette wrote: »

What you've described is what I've thought for a while, that even if I did have a degree I wouldn't have any relevant experience. I'm literally bottom of the pile and it's frustrating. I know everything won't just land on a plate for me, but it's hard to even know where to start.

In terms of what I enjoy, very limited - films, video games, gym/fitness.

Someone suggested I become a personal trainer but a friend of mine who is a personal trainer said not to even think about it and that he is looking for another career himself - he struggles to pay his fees to use facilities and struggles to gain clients.

Like I said I'm happy to work in any industry as long as I can get my foot in the door without a degree and as long as there are promotion opportunities.

So you could do a different job in a gym?
Or working for a film studio?


Your background is the army. That requires discipline, structure and a lot of effort. That can be transferred to other jobs.


The problem will always be making your self more appealing than other candidates, but it is a numbers game. The more jobs you apply for, the more chances of success you will have.


I have just googled film studio jobs, and have come across ITV apprenticeships
http://www.itvjobs.com/working-here/apprenticeships

BigAunty

SpicyChickenBaguette wrote: »

Where are entry level civil service jobs advertised? I've just had a look on the .gov civil service vacancy site and even entry level jobs seem aimed at graduates.

Hello?!!

Within 2 minutes of Googling, I found 297 vacancies across 6 sites nationally for the DWP for one type of position alone.

It requires absolutely zero qualifications or mandatory experience, though there are some essential and desirable criteria that you should be able to meet.

There is a single competency to submit for the interview, and three further ones at interview. There is an online test which you'd be better off practising via free or paid websites to improve your chances.

Not much time before the deadline. These jobs will attract thousands of applications.

https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1483584

DWP/133/16 Pensions Directorate - Administrative Officers



Hello, just uncovered another 255 jobs nationally with the HMRC!.


CSR/156/16 Administration Officer

SpicyChickenBaguette

BigAunty wrote: »

Hello?!!

Within 2 minutes of Googling, I found 297 vacancies across 6 sites nationally for the DWP for one type of position alone.

It requires absolutely zero qualifications or mandatory experience, though there are some essential and desirable criteria that you should be able to meet.

There is a single competency to submit for the interview, and three further ones at interview. There is an online test which you'd be better off practising via free or paid websites to improve your chances.

Not much time before the deadline. These jobs will attract thousands of applications.

https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1483584

DWP/133/16 Pensions Directorate - Administrative Officers



Hello, just uncovered another 255 jobs nationally with the HMRC!.


CSR/156/16 Administration Officer

Thanks I'll take more of a look, I only looked on the .gov site and all of the entry-level type jobs wanted either a degree or relevant experience.

SpicyChickenBaguette

Scorpio33 wrote: »

So you could do a different job in a gym?
Or working for a film studio?


Your background is the army. That requires discipline, structure and a lot of effort. That can be transferred to other jobs.


The problem will always be making your self more appealing than other candidates, but it is a numbers game. The more jobs you apply for, the more chances of success you will have.


I have just googled film studio jobs, and have come across ITV apprenticeships
http://www.itvjobs.com/working-here/apprenticeships

Have to correct you there, my background isn't the army, I only applied (and was due to start) before my car accident.

There are quite a few apprenticeships about but it's well known to most mature applicants that you don't really stand a chance getting one as the government fully funds 16-19 year old apprentices whereas employers have to pay for anyone older than that. Which is a bit unfair and annoying.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Scorpio33 wrote: »

So you could do a different job in a gym?
Or working for a film studio?


Your background is the army. That requires discipline, structure and a lot of effort. That can be transferred to other jobs.


The problem will always be making your self more appealing than other candidates, but it is a numbers game. The more jobs you apply for, the more chances of success you will have.


I have just googled film studio jobs, and have come across ITV apprenticeships
http://www.itvjobs.com/working-here/apprenticeships

Do you have any idea how many film and tv graduates want to work in film studios?

He never joined the army.

What other jobs in a gym do you think would be suitable?

BigAunty

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

If you believe the OP has qualities that would make him stand out among those applicants despite his lack of qualifications or work history, you're seeing something I'm not. Of course, neither of us know him.

If he was motivated in this area (and I'm not sure it meets his interests in anyway) then he could
- practice online situational judgement tests
- download the latest Civil Service competency framework
- dig out the active verb buzzword bingo sheet to help with his competency examples
- draft 250 words as per the Competency Framework and STAR formula for the following, using examples from his employment and voluntary work

Managing a Quality Service
Making Effective Decisions
Delivering at Pace, and
Leading and Communicating

- get feedback on improving them
- redraft them, re-review them against the Framewor and STAR formula
- seek out opportunities in his personal and employment career to better bolster proof of his competencies.

If nothing else, he will get significant experience in formal job applications and be able to pull out specific achievements from his employment and personal life that will help with future interviews that he's perhaps not fully aware of now.

He will also get exposure to just how competitive call centre jobs at the lowest level of the Civil Service can be, a reality check. If he gets the position and wants promotion, he will get another reality check about how insanely hard it can be even in a meritocratic environment, and how very much little increase he will get in wages despite a significant increase in responsibility.

How long it can actually take to write a very small competency statement according to a very specific behaviours listed in a Framework that 100% adheres to a very narrow STAR structure.

And make him much more mindful of considering what he can offer employers rather than what he feels they should be providing for him.

And how thousands of people are merrily flinging themselves at the lowest paid roles offered by the government (and not getting the positions) which probably involve being shouted at by benefit claimants and grumbling tax payers, working unsociable hours and in a climate that forces the employees to work as fast as they can every shift.