Tips for Jobseeker?

elzzscottie

Good Afternoon all, 
I have decided in my infinate wisdom that mid pandemic is the right time to finish University and be in need of a job *insert sarcastic face*
Now everything I am applying for I can meet all the essential and desirable criteria, and many are quite broad roles, however I am getting endless rejections. So this is a question for the recruiting managers of MoneySavingExpert; What am I doing wrong, and how could I improve?
Alongside always meeting the whole person specification, I am using up to date knowledge on the HE sector (the one I am applying for) and many of the roles are entry level admin based roles simply asking for GCSES. I have a degree, but lets be honest, Geography degree doesn't allow you to walk straight into a job. Alongside this, I have almost 7 years of work experiance due to having to work alongside my degree.
I am also applying Nationwide and will pack up and move at a moments notice!
What more can I do?
Thank you!  

Savvy_Sue

Ask your university careers service to review your CV / application forms? 

Make sure you are signed up to receive any vacancies which are registered with them? 

Where's your work experience? Could be worth concentrating on areas where you have knowledge / experience, eg if you have retail experience look for retail jobs (perhaps at a higher level than you've been working?). 

But you're obviously aware a lot of people have been made redundant, and there are fewer vacancies than there would normally be at this time of year. 

james_smitha

work for your self selling your skills and experience

elzzscottie

james_smitha said:

work for your self selling your skills and experience

Hi James, 
I was previously self employed but that main industry is on its knees and theres no way I could get sustainable work now. Just how life is  

elzzscottie

Savvy_Sue said:

Ask your university careers service to review your CV / application forms? 

Make sure you are signed up to receive any vacancies which are registered with them? 

Where's your work experience? Could be worth concentrating on areas where you have knowledge / experience, eg if you have retail experience look for retail jobs (perhaps at a higher level than you've been working?). 

But you're obviously aware a lot of people have been made redundant, and there are fewer vacancies than there would normally be at this time of year. 

Hi Sue, 
I have already had feedback from the uni, get emailed alllll of the vacancies from multiple job boards alongside them and just in general exhausted the support they have given me.
All of my experiance is in either administrative or customer service roles (which is where I am pulling direct examples of meeting the person specification for.)
I've had a look at retail too as I have supervisory experiance in that, but there is very little going that would allow me to get a contract for a place to live, so have applied for everything I can but obviously can't move for a job with nowhere to live  
Yeah I'm aware, hence the coming here for some wider advice, its not an easy time at all for anyone, but I have bills to pay and an expiring student tenancy so I need to find a job and somewhere to live asap! 

[Deleted User]

Really wanting the job not just because it provides pay so are able to show passion. Trying to get rid of the desperation feeling. Accept some of the jobs aren't genuine - they can be companies fishing or unsure really want they need. Appearing to clued up or brainy, then the people interviewing you? I don't mean any of this sarcastic I'm not long back from first interview of the week, the poor girl interviewing had to correct me that the almost part time job wasn't temp to perm like head quarters explained to me and that could I cope in a male dominated environment (I've just got out of a sales environment where I was the only woman and felt intimidated enough at times doing that, although I've worked with drivers and even another parcel company before I don't know a few years I would actively have chased a parcel company after just sending a CV but today I couldn't even say I wanna progress) - trying to make chat turns out the lady interviewing is in her first job after college. I feel really blonde asking! Sure you'll get somewhere and will have edge, by being able to be flexible : ) enjoy being young and chose wisely now.

Savvy_Sue

Have you looked at the charity sector?

yksi

You're assuming you are doing something wrong, but it is possible you aren't. Others hinted at the huge job losses right now and it's very likely that you tick every single box and that someone else ticked them all but added something they didn't even ask for. Ask for feedback from every single rejection and see if you can see a pattern. You'll probably just get "someone else was a better fit" but at least you'll know.

I think you need to hone in on decisions you don't want to make. Firstly, apply only for jobs local to the address which is on your CV. Many employers will immediately discard applications from someone more than 30 minutes' travel time away. If you have the option to put your parents' address down because you "could" stay there when your lease runs out, you can also apply for jobs near them. And lastly, forget the minimum contract sizes. The reality is that customer service roles are generally offering a whopping 10 hours in their contracts, but it doesn't mean it's 10 hours of work, and many landlords won't have an issue with that. And if they do, focus on private landlords who either don't enquire deeply into your contract or will be satisfied with seeing a bank account balance instead.

Something you don't want to hear: seven years of experience in customer service and admin will still mean you're bottom of the pile for anything else. In fact, I've a similar number myself and still couldn't manage to move up the food chain in admin, that corner of the industry now expects years of experience, quals on top, and pays minimum wage. 

Are unemployed at the moment? This is another one that some employers immediately discard (I hate the practice, but it's still widespread, and if they have ten good applications to choose from, this can be how they sift). So make sure you're applying for everything near you, including "junior" roles and retail, because it's far easier to move upwards from "any" job than to find work when you're out of a job.

Good luck.

elzzscottie

yksi said:

You're assuming you are doing something wrong, but it is possible you aren't. Others hinted at the huge job losses right now and it's very likely that you tick every single box and that someone else ticked them all but added something they didn't even ask for. Ask for feedback from every single rejection and see if you can see a pattern. You'll probably just get "someone else was a better fit" but at least you'll know.

I think you need to hone in on decisions you don't want to make. Firstly, apply only for jobs local to the address which is on your CV. Many employers will immediately discard applications from someone more than 30 minutes' travel time away. If you have the option to put your parents' address down because you "could" stay there when your lease runs out, you can also apply for jobs near them. And lastly, forget the minimum contract sizes. The reality is that customer service roles are generally offering a whopping 10 hours in their contracts, but it doesn't mean it's 10 hours of work, and many landlords won't have an issue with that. And if they do, focus on private landlords who either don't enquire deeply into your contract or will be satisfied with seeing a bank account balance instead.

Something you don't want to hear: seven years of experience in customer service and admin will still mean you're bottom of the pile for anything else. In fact, I've a similar number myself and still couldn't manage to move up the food chain in admin, that corner of the industry now expects years of experience, quals on top, and pays minimum wage. 

Are unemployed at the moment? This is another one that some employers immediately discard (I hate the practice, but it's still widespread, and if they have ten good applications to choose from, this can be how they sift). So make sure you're applying for everything near you, including "junior" roles and retail, because it's far easier to move upwards from "any" job than to find work when you're out of a job.

Good luck.

Thank you so much  
I have listed on my CV/documentation that my address is 'term time', I can't move back to my parents area ( I can't afford it!) and there is 0 jobs going apart from healthcare where I am now (and I faint at even the conversation of blood!) I've tried to make it clear on my applications that my goal is relocation and setting up a new life near the right job  
I'll take you word for it with landlords, itll be my first time privately renting and I have been following some letting agencies advice  
I am technically not unemployed, I am on a 0 hour job at a supervisory/admin role at the Uni I study at; I'm lucky to get 10 hours a month, but I will continue it until I find something due to the need for money! I'll keep applying for everything I can; only ones I'm not applying for are ones which wouldn't actually cover the basic costs of rent/bills/food where I am moving to! I used to work in education but can't go back to that as unfortunately it won't cover the bills due to the pro-rata basis!

elzzscottie

Savvy_Sue said:

Have you looked at the charity sector?

I've had a look! thank you

moneysavinghero

Companies can be put off from employing someone who would relocate for a entry level admin role. They will be getting so many applications currently so this will probably get yours put in the no pile straight away. Also being overly educated may be a disadvantage too.