Best training or recognised qualifications help

wannaberich41

Hi hope you can help?

i got made redundant last month after working 28 years for the same company. (Since leaving college) Most of that was in the credit control department.
ive applied for a few jobs but feel my cv lacks qualifications or not standing out enough. (Got rejected today for 2 supermarket checkout jobs)

When I sat my GCSEs back in 1990 I was really affected by my nerves.  I was a very nervous shy person , so my overall GCSEs grades were awful. Nothing above c. Most d e and f.
My normal yearly exams were always A or B. 

  I was exceptionally good at my job in credit control as worked up from office junior. 

I debt chased, applied cash, cheque, credit card payments to customers accounts. 

Made sure daily accounts balanced to what was on the system.

Negotiated payments for those who were struggling with cash flow 
filing
Sent invoices and statements 

sorted customer queries and problem solving. 
excellent telephone manner as also looked after switchboard
filled out liquidation proof of debt forms

Now when applying for job I feel I lack skills. 

How do I make my cv look more appealing?
what would I list as my transferable skills for a job in retail, care or admin?
I found loads of online sites offering free or paid courses but no idea which ones are recognised by a employer.(free would be best at the minute as no money coming in)
Do they look at cpd hours?
Some courses which are free state that they a level 2,3,4,5 in said course or they state they’re a diploma, 
is see the gov website recommend Alison as a company but there courses are like 2/3 hrs then completed. 

Not sure which direction I want to go yet but currently would like anything which is part time.
So hope you can advise what training companies to use to advance my skills for admin, retail or care work please.
many thanks 

wannaberich41

Will care work or nhs admin work only employ you if you’ve done a nvq?
How do you get into hospital bank work? 

Apologies for all the questions 

KatrinaWaves

For retail emphasis your customer service skills.

for admin look at your clerical skills.

don’t take rejection from the supermarket jobs as you not being good enough for them. It’s a really tough job market out there and with supermarkets a pretty secure job, they will be popular! 

MalMonroe

wannaberich41 said:

Will care work or nhs admin work only employ you if you’ve done a nvq?
How do you get into hospital bank work? 

Apologies for all the questions 

No, you don't have to have specific qualifications if you want to work either in nhs or in care work. 

If you do have any qualifications (not just NVQ) it's obviously a bonus but people are appointed to these kinds of posts with no qualifications and very often with little or no experience.

Have you googled 'nhs admin posts' or 'jobs for carers' in your area? That's a good place to start.
You can even register to be advised of vacancies if you wish. Just have a good google, in my area there are always vacancies for admin workers in the NHS and in normal times (before coronavirus) they used to hold group recruitment sessions. There may be different recruitment tactics now but they still do need staff. Give it a try. Good luck!

wannaberich41

Which are the best organisations for training to add more to my cv?
Alison 
reed
new skills academy 
the skills network
ive seen a online course for a certificate in food hygiene for £10. Thought that might help.
Should I look for health and safety?

Sandtree

Reality is that its a hard market and a lot of people applying meaning employers can be more picky with who they take on. One obvious concern from potential employers will be if the applicant is looking for a stop gap job or intend to stay around; if you look embedded in a certain career and then going for something else they may be worried they’ll train you etc and you then leave as soon as you can.

Have you been speaking to recruitment agents and what they think about your CV? 28 years in Credit Control shouldnt need backing up with recent exams, in the UK we tend to favour experience over qualifications unlike some other countries. Adding new qualifications may make you look over qualified rather than helping you get an entry level role.

[Deleted User]

NHS jobs are advertised on the NHS jobs website, you’ll need to read the person specifications and address each point on your supporting statement. 

As for care, no prior experience or qualifications are needed, when I was a support worker I had neither. 

I recommend vision 2 learn, I’d do the business administration and customer service courses, both accredited and certificates awarded. 

MovingForwards

Are those actual examples from your CV or just what you have written down to tell us? If the former, then read through example CVs and redo yours. Have one stripped down for supermarkets, picking and packing etc and a good one for office / admin and credit control.

Your lack of qualifications won't matter at your age, it's how you sell your experience.

My current job insisted on a degree as part of the criteria, I haven't got one, it was my professional career, experience and transferrable skills which got me the interview, the interview was to make sure I was the right fit for the department.

sazaccount

wannaberich41 said:

ive seen a online course for a certificate in food hygiene for £10. Thought that might help.
Should I look for health and safety?

NEBOSH health and safety will set you back around a 1000 pounds, any of the other H&S courses are good if it an add on to an admin role eg I'm part of the employee H&S committee, however for an actual H&S role you will need either NEBOSH or (another company which I can't think off the top of my head)  

TBH is may not be the qualifications side it maybe just the shear amount of people who are in a similar situation to yourself all applying for the same limited jobs. 

Savvy_Sue

Food hygiene will be required in quite a few roles and useful in a lot of others. I'd do that over H&S formal qualifications every time: as sazaccount says, decent qualifications are expensive and experience will win over formal qualifications every time. 

I'd definitely get onto some agencies because they may be able to find you jobs using your experience. Also worth looking at jobs in schools because your experience could be very valuable there. Care work, I'd choose an employer carefully, there are good and very bad. You want one who pays more than NMW, pays for travel time if you are doing home care - and for that matter, care homes and care agencies may have need of your current experience! 

Normally at this time of year there would be LOTS of temporary retail jobs but I guess less of that this year, and the same in catering, where agencies would be providing staff for events. However it seems to me that there are more roles in supermarkets than there used to be: who ever thought we'd need someone to control the queues in larger places and keep the sanitiser stocked up? 

wannaberich41

Thank you for your help and advice.
ive not spoken to any recruitment agents as always thought they had a bad reputation for taking money off you and being in different jobs from one week to the next.
Or do they find you permanent jobs?

I just feel like a hate caught in headlights.

how do I say/list what I did in previous job above to say a school job or supermarket?