Job Seeking but scared

MRoss

I have been on a couple of student/graduate sites to get an idea of a "starter CV" but, with my cover letter, how do I account for the lack of employment history? Or do I just "ignore it" (although the recruiters wont)

elsien

Is there anything else you've done that might have some relevance to any job roles, hobbies or interests for example that can help to show organisational skills (for example.) Don't ignore because it doesn't look good. Just say something simple about now being ready to get into the workplace.

Volunteering isn't a bad idea so don't dismiss it out of hand. I get that the standard charity shop option doesn't appeal (it wouldn't to me either) , but there are other things you could do. They will give you experience, a reference and show willing.
Volunteering helped to get me my current role following redundancy because I was changing career and it meant they could see I was serious instead of applying for any job going.

IAmWales

Why is charity shop volunteering not part of your equation? You need to build up some recent experience, and charities are going to be the most likely to assist you here, and to provide a supportive environment that takes into account your disability. Perhaps a shop is not suitable for you, but there will be plenty of other things you can volunteer to do.

MRoss

Thank you all for your help; I do sense this is now turning into a less supportive, more confrontational-ish tone where I am having to explain why I don't want to volunteer in a charity shop (please remember, I vent given any details of my "disability" suffice to say I do not require a supportive environment that takes it into account - in fact the opposite. I am trying to start afresh and if I sound frustrated, its because I am - with my past which I am trying to shake off.

TELLIT01

MRoss wrote: »

Charity shop volunteering is not part of my equation and, call me a cynic/guarded, but are you involved with the DWP?

I don't know if that question is posed to me but as I raised the option of Charity Shops I'll respond. I did work for DWP for a few years but that makes no difference to the suggestion. I can understand you not wanting to do shop work, paid or otherwise. I did it for 2 years when I was much younger and it really wasn't my bag either.
What you have to look at though is that getting into employment isn't easy, and is far more difficult for an adult with no employment history. Potential employers are going to see a big void in the employment history and may put 2 and 2 together and make 22! If there is a choice between employing somebody with experience of a job, and somebody with none, they are likely to employe the person with experience.
You need to look at ways of showing you are capable of holding down a job, and the voluntary sector is one way of doing that. As has been said, charity shops aren't the only voluntary route.
Do you have any interests which may have relevance to particular areas of work?
Let us know how you get on after phoning DWP today.
Only one person has questioned why you don't want to work in charity shops out of a dozen or so replies, so I really don't understand why you think the thread is becoming less supportive and more confrontational. Some people are just nosey by nature, and others feel additional information can help to understand your requirements better.

StevenB12

For your covering letter it's a bit of a tough one, there are ways and means of going about it. At my old place we had an open day/recruitment day for people on JSA (Job Seekers), I ended up having a person shadow me for a few days before he would have a go at it etc, it was more of a work experience/trial to get them experience and potentially a full time job. I think on the day out of 20 people supposed to be attending, about 9 did.

Anyway, the person from the Job Centre who came to overwatch them would get feedback from us at the end of every day on how they did, and even he was basically saying that none of them had ever worked before, but when the Job Centre helped them with practice CV's and Cover Letter, he would tell them to give 'white lies' on their covering letters, an example of this being , you've used a hoover before, you've cleaned a room in your house, you have cleaning experience. You've made a shopping list, you go to the shop and pick the items from the list? You've got experience of picking goods.

They would try to emphasize to them that 'experience' in terms of the very basic jobs/roles was easy to come by in your home surroundings, rather than a professional environment.

So as your cover letters goes, explain to them why you haven't worked or aren't currently working, but that you have done this and that in the past etc.

pmduk

There are some excellent schemes, many sponsored by DWP, which combine college courses in work skills, together with mentoring and volunteering. If you have a helpful work coach it may be worth asking if there's anything similar available locally.

Cyclamen

Firstly .. good on you, I am in the support group and still want to work. It's not possible yet but someday I hope too.

These are questions that don't require answers as i knwo you want to keep details private..but my thoughts are

Are you well enough to work? Have you thought how you will manage every day living on top of work.

Would you be eligible for support from access to work once you have found a position?

What sort of job do you want/feel is suitable.. rather than volunteering in a charity shop could you ask for some 'work experience' in the sort of job you want for the hours you feel suitable to show you have the skills and get a reference?

Does permitted work apply to those in the support group? This might be a way to do a few hours but still keep ESA? I'm unclear on this.

Scope offer employment help..might be worth a look. https://www.scope.org.uk/support/services/employment

I wish you loads of luck in your job search. But please make sure you are kind to yourself and take into account your health, DWP are very choosy who goes in the support group so I think its wise to be kind to yourself too.

IAmWales

MRoss wrote: »

Thank you all for your help; I do sense this is now turning into a less supportive, more confrontational-ish tone where I am having to explain why I don't want to volunteer in a charity shop (please remember, I vent given any details of my "disability" suffice to say I do not require a supportive environment that takes it into account - in fact the opposite. I am trying to start afresh and if I sound frustrated, its because I am - with my past which I am trying to shake off.

You're in the support group and you've never had a proper job, unless you've made a full recovery and there is no chance of relapse then it is unrealistic to think you're going to be able to return to work without some level of support.

What kind of work are you looking for, and what skills and experience can you offer an employer? If your experience is lacking then you need to find a way to bridge that gap.

It's difficult to give more tailored advice on so little detail.

MRoss

Only fair that I give a concluding reply. I am truly grateful for the majority of responses on here but, have been offended by a couple, even though I do believe they were said with the best intentions. It demonstrates however that stereotypes still prevail and this reinforces my view that it is best to avoid the Job Centre and tell the DWP when I have something to tell them.

So right now I am constructing a "general CV" which can then be tweaked to suit individual applications. I do have a range of qualifications and training, more than enough to fill 2 pages of A4, and whether it is "unrealistic " or not to thing I can get a job without some level of support - let's just say "support" isn't all its cracked up to be and can make matters far worse. So for now, its little old me against the world.

Wish me luck!