Son finding it hard to get a job.

miamoo

Are we missing something. Son left the army almost 2 months ago and is struggling to get a job, he has applied for lots of jobs, started off with things he is qualified for, well paid positions using his skills, he got 5 or 6 Interviews and a few rejection emails and most just didn't reply.
So the last few weeks he has been applying for pretty much anything, unskilled factory work, supermarket jobs, driving jobs, office based customer service. After the initial email acknowledgement he isn't getting any further communications. There is a huge local factory that employs pretty much anyone and he hasn't even been offered an Interview there, I just don't get it.

The feedback he has had so far has been great, good attitude, comes across really well, great CV, he keeps getting shortlisted but just gets pipped at the final stage.
He hasn't failed an aptitude or English/Maths test. He excels in the group interview situation and always gets through to the final stage. The only job he has been offered so far was selling vacuum cleaners, cold calling door to door!! (It was meant to be a mobile engineer job) and he turned that down.

He's at a second Interview now, for a job he really wants, and if he doesn't get this I know he's going to feel a bit downhearted.

Any tips or advice on what he might be doing wrong?

pmlindyloo

Hope your son is successful.

If not then there is help available.

Have a read of this link to find out more:

https://www.ssafa.org.uk/help-you/currently-serving/armed-forces-transition-support?gclid=CNnX0d3lz80CFUORGwodvkANBg

HappyMJ

miamoo wrote: »

Are we missing something. Son left the army almost 2 months ago and is struggling to get a job, he has applied for lots of jobs, started off with things he is qualified for, well paid positions using his skills, he got 5 or 6 Interviews and a few rejection emails and most just didn't reply.
So the last few weeks he has been applying for pretty much anything, unskilled factory work, supermarket jobs, driving jobs, office based customer service. After the initial email acknowledgement he isn't getting any further communications. There is a huge local factory that employs pretty much anyone and he hasn't even been offered an Interview there, I just don't get it.

The feedback he has had so far has been great, good attitude, comes across really well, great CV, he keeps getting shortlisted but just gets pipped at the final stage.
He hasn't failed an aptitude or English/Maths test. He excels in the group interview situation and always gets through to the final stage. The only job he has been offered so far was selling vacuum cleaners, cold calling door to door!! (It was meant to be a mobile engineer job) and he turned that down.

He's at a second Interview now, for a job he really wants, and if he doesn't get this I know he's going to feel a bit downhearted.

Any tips or advice on what he might be doing wrong?

Employers looking for unskilled labourers do not want to take on employees with any skills as they know they will leave and the employer will need to find someone else costing money to re-hire a new employee.

So it's a catch-22 the better he is the more he isn't wanted.

He needs experience to get the jobs that use his skills. As there are so many already skilled people with experience he will unfortunately most of the time be slightly less preferred than someone with experience.

All I can really say is keep trying. Eventually a job will come along that pays slightly less than average and no one that is skilled and experienced will apply for and he will be at the top of that list and he'll get the job. He can then after a year or two of gaining experience move up in his career either with that employer or with another employer and get the pay that he deserves.

Another option is self employment (but not selling vacuum cleaners)....

bugslet

Has he applied to smaller companies? What are the skills he picked up in the Army, is it something that will easily transfer into business?

I've got two ex-Army lads working for me ( HGV drivers ) and they really are both very good. They ended up with me because we came across one doing some Saturday casual work in a yard we visited and then when we were later looking for a driver, he recommended his mate.

I think smaller firms are sometimes more open to giving people a chance - that can depend on the boss' idosyncracies......:p

Andypandyboy

Why did he leave the army? Have they given him a reference?

miamoo

Thanks for the replies, and thanks for the link. I will get him to take a look when he gets back.

I didn't even realise people went door to door selling vacuum cleaners these days, cold calling! with the intention of getting people to let you in their house to give a demo. I was shocked. I was even more shocked when the mobile engineer job didn't even exist and this (that he was assured at first interview is not a sales position) was a sales position.

miamoo

Just seen the last 2 replies. He left the army as he didn't want to sign up for a further 8 years. He liked it, but had enough at that point. Yes a good reference, and he also has a reference from a small job he did while at school working as a mobile engineers mate. He also has his HGV licence and security clearance etc. His age goes against him for driving jobs though at 22.

korvskrot

All qualified jobs i've gotten in this country have been through contacts. Small companies looking for new people, asking around in their own circles before opening up to "the public". Worth mentioning here is that I don't think this practice is right.

Other than that, I've walked in to establishments that advertise vacancies three times (with a CV) and got part time jobs twice.

For me, it happened to be the case that I was much better off getting my interviews through recommendations, and when that was not the option, I applied in person, taking the opportunity to give an immediate personal impression. This is not a good strategy for everyone, but may be worth trying if he has the time and is able to appear presentable (which it very much sounds like he is!).

If you know anyone who does hire people as part of their jobs, see if you can set up a mock interview between them and your son, and get honest feedback and tips from them instead.

Sorry to hear about the cold-calling job. Hope he gets a decent offer soon!

spadoosh

If he just wants some money coming in i would suggeswt looking at the care sector, in particular domicilary care. Massively high turnover job, normally on or just above NMW, usually zero hour contracts but there is plenty of work to be had.

Its not for a lot of people though.

Otherwise as mentioned its about tailoring your cv. As an example with the unskilled factory jobs mention the army and ability to carry out orders but not worth mentioning he has a HGV licence. Someone sees that and thyell think hes not going to be around long, he can earn more driving. So dont have one CV, have a few displaying varying levels of his skills.

bugslet

miamoo wrote: »

Just seen the last 2 replies. He left the army as he didn't want to sign up for a further 8 years. He liked it, but had enough at that point. Yes a good reference, and he also has a reference from a small job he did while at school working as a mobile engineers mate. He also has his HGV licence and security clearance etc. His age goes against him for driving jobs though at 22.

Ah that does make it more difficult generally - we did take the two I referred to earlier on age 23 and 24, so all is not lost.

bugslet

korvskrot wrote: »

All qualified jobs i've gotten in this country have been through contacts. Small companies looking for new people, asking around in their own circles before opening up to "the public". Worth mentioning here is that I don't think this practice is right.

I will just about do anything to avoid advertising - it doesn't produce anyone better than getting a recommendation and it's a nightmare going through the applications,s ome are evidently just filling in an application because they have to, some don't have the qualification we've asked for, then you have to pick people to interview and no idea what they are going to be like - don't care how much you interview a driver, how they are in an interview is not necessarily how they are out away from the office. People are loathe to recommend unless they know it will likely work out.