Finding it very difficult to find a job - nearly 26yo graduate with little experience

sevva888

FBaby wrote: »

What kind work are you looking for? It seems a waste of a law degree not to try to get started on the ladder to a career.

You need to get an idea of what you want to do, and then try very hard to get some experience in that field, even as volunteer, in addition to part-time or full-time work if required. Look at schemes available, approach local organisations/firms directly and ask about experience, even if one day. Best way is networking, so get to know people who can direct you.

Then start thinking about how you are going to explain your previous 4 years. Don't lie, don't make things up, but try to turn it in a way that looks plausible and not negative. You've studied law, surely that's a skill you've acquired in your studies!

When I have not been working I have been gaining an income through online means.

I don't want to spend around £14k of my money on an LPC qualification in the knowledge that I might not get a job at the end of it. I cannot even get a paralegal role (most likely because I lack the LPC) but I cannot really justify spending the £14k because I could get another job which also pays the bills.

Also, I would prove my recent experience with my previous company (with evidence) because it is 100% the truth. There are many contacts I could share with the interviewers asking the questions that would prove that I led that project. Also I still a have a USB stick with the successful presentation that the chosen supplier gave me. I would also tell any interviewer the reason I left was because I got fired for a dispute. It's then up to them, the prospective employer, to make a decision on me.

sevva888

Thank you for answering my questions, I would appreciate it if the moderation team delete this thread. I realise now that the employers may not believe my achievements so it is up to me to provide proof and evidence.

[Deleted User]

Why do you need your thread deleting?

How do you know you aren't not applying to companies who just really aren't hiring and simply window shopping themselves.

Only yesterday when I always thought I was speaking to people not far from me, it turned out they were sitting in London. (Didn't even dawn on me no one ever spoke with that Suffolk twang lol)

Go and have an adventure and yes go to where the jobs are, before you get stuck down, again only yesterday I noticed quite a funky never knew they were there employer in Luton of all places.

sevva888

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Why do you need your thread deleting?

How do you know you aren't not applying to companies who just really aren't hiring and simply window shopping themselves.


Only yesterday when I always thought I was speaking to people not far from me, it turned out they were sitting in London. (Didn't even dawn on me no one ever spoke with that Suffolk twang lol)

Go and have an adventure and yes go to where the jobs are, before you get stuck down, again only yesterday I noticed quite a funky never knew they were there employer in Luton of all places.

Just want to remain relatively anonymous really. (Although that does sound pretty paranoid hehe).

Good point, they might be window shopping or they might have already picked someone internally. I guess I just have to try my best and hope something works.

Yeah, I have never travelled before.. I have already been afraid that I would be totally screwed and living out on the streets like a few from school that I know. I think what has made me so determined to get somewhere in my career is because I see so many of my school mates settling down and I know I have to grow up and get on a permanent path now.

Fireflyaway

My advice is get any job asap. Have different CVS for different roles so they can't say you are over qualified.
My cousin is very well qualified but had no part time job while at uni, did no work experience etc so although academically strong had not much appeal to employers who had no clue if he was dedicated, good at time keeping, could get on with a team etc. The longer you are out of work the lazier you will appear. Do some temping or a short contract etc. It is harder to find work. I'm looking and struggling so much more than 20 years ago but it will happen. Go and drop the basic version of your CV to shops / restaurants and call centres. You don't have to be there forever.

Barny1979

Not meant as a criticism, but being on probation and having an argument with a manager wasn't the best idea, especially with being fired from your previous job, will ring alarm bells with a lot of employers.

grad101

Try:
- Temp jobs through agencies
- Internships
- Contacting local firms and asking for a few weeks of work experience/an unpaid internship
- Going for basic admin jobs in companies you'd like to work for then working your way up
- Think about a personal project you can get involved in. Could you teach yourself coding or another relevant skill? Do you have any skills that you could use as a project or offering these to local community centres or similar?
- Volunteering on some level if the above don't work out to fill out your CV. If you can given the area you're in, try to find volunteering that can actually give you relevant skills - not just shop work but perhaps an office-based voluntary admin role in a charity where you can learn e.g. IT skills or whatever

getmore4less

sevva888 wrote: »

Because I fell out with a manager of another team and that was enough to get me sacked because she escalated the dispute to my director. That is what I will tell them at interviews because it is the truth. I would even provide them the names and contact details of the people I negotiated with (the suppliers) as proof. I was empowered by the director to own that project.

In light of this, then it is the decision of the graduate employer (for a similar role) to decide if I am worth the risk.

what do you tell them you have learned from that episode?

Telling prospective employers you got fired due to a personality clash is not smart.

Falling out to the point they raised a complaint and got you sacked is sign of someone that is not yet astute at picking their battles.

As your work claims were not enough to overcome this clash it does not look good.

if you are presenting a case of "it was not my fault" then no way you will get a job.

lincroft1710

sevva888 wrote: »

No. Not for that reason.

For what reason then?

sevva888

getmore4less wrote: »

what do you tell them you have learned from that episode?

Telling prospective employers you got fired due to a personality clash is not smart.

Falling out to the point they raised a complaint and got you sacked is sign of someone that is not yet astute at picking their battles.

As your work claims were not enough to overcome this clash it does not look good.

if you are presenting a case of "it was not my fault" then no way you will get a job.

To be more understanding with people and not get frustrated , they may have more pressing matters to attend to even though your department's work may seem like the most important thing in the world to me.

I don't think I have any other option but to tell them the absolute truth (including contacts), otherwise I don't think they are going to believe my achievements. I think I owe it to myself to present my achievements, but the cost of that is that I am going to tell them why they had to dismiss me.