Long term unemployed looking for suggestions on jobs (WFH/Remote?)

Grumpy_chap

PeteSouthgate72 said:

I've posted my CV in the thread now. 

The first thing that jumps out to me from that CV is:

• Meetup Group Creator/Head Organiser (UK & Thailand)  Jan. ’19 –current
• Professional Poker Player   Jan. ’06 –Jan.’18
• Shop –Retail Assistant   Jan. ’05 –Dec. ‘05
• Store -Checkout/Retail Assistant   Jan. ‘04 –Dec.’04

Where were you from Jan 18 to Jan 19?  If you don't tell a prospective employer, they have to guess and may well guess the worst?  

I know that is a non-personalised CV for the purpose of this thread, but are the dates all genuine?  Most people can't work in neat Jan - Dec blocks.  Maybe you changed the dates to de=personalise for this thread.

You might also want to make more of your mathematical capabilities and "adhering to mathematically profitable strategies using my ability to calculate probability" - people that are good at maths and understand probability are in demand in many industries.  Almost every industry needs risk managers of one kind or another.

PeteSouthgate72 said:

I've handed the CV to a couple of recruitment agencies and had them give me a call this morning asking what types of jobs I was looking for. Wouldn't going into work for a short time frame of just 6 months and then looking to move not be a bit of a red flag for a future employer? Everything's new to me in the 'real' world but I guess if more employers don't see that as a red flag it seems like a solid plan.

I think, if you are dealing with recruitment agencies, taking a temporary / contract / consultancy role would be a good approach as it would overcome the challenge that some recruiters might say about not staying in a position long term.  It would also give you the opportunity to experience an environment without the obligation of feeling committed to a long term exposure.  

I do think, even with these post-COVID times, your lack of "real world conventional" work experience may mean that WFH roles are harder to identify.  

Finally, the recruitment market seems to be "hotting up" right now so it has become a candidates' market - that should work strongly in your favour.

PeteSouthgate72

concerneduk2020 said:

Have you considered temp agency roles? As a lot of offices are covered by the wfh order you may be able to find something remote. We’ve found it really hard to get temps in place because they prefer full time roles, employment history might be less of a problem, and with the right company it could be a good foot in the door for something more permanent. When we get a good temp we’re always trying to find a way to make them permanent because it saves us having to train someone from scratch.

Seems like a really good idea for all the points you've mentioned. Imagine trying to get into a role this way would suit me whilst trying to upskill as well, I'll be adding that on the to-do list in the coming week thanks for the tip.

Grumpy_chap said:

PeteSouthgate72 said:

I've posted my CV in the thread now. 

The first thing that jumps out to me from that CV is:

• Meetup Group Creator/Head Organiser (UK & Thailand)  Jan. ’19 –current
• Professional Poker Player   Jan. ’06 –Jan.’18
• Shop –Retail Assistant   Jan. ’05 –Dec. ‘05
• Store -Checkout/Retail Assistant   Jan. ‘04 –Dec.’04

Where were you from Jan 18 to Jan 19?  If you don't tell a prospective employer, they have to guess and may well guess the worst?  

I know that is a non-personalised CV for the purpose of this thread, but are the dates all genuine?  Most people can't work in neat Jan - Dec blocks.  Maybe you changed the dates to de=personalise for this thread.

You might also want to make more of your mathematical capabilities and "adhering to mathematically profitable strategies using my ability to calculate probability" - people that are good at maths and understand probability are in demand in many industries.  Almost every industry needs risk managers of one kind or another.

PeteSouthgate72 said:

I've handed the CV to a couple of recruitment agencies and had them give me a call this morning asking what types of jobs I was looking for. Wouldn't going into work for a short time frame of just 6 months and then looking to move not be a bit of a red flag for a future employer? Everything's new to me in the 'real' world but I guess if more employers don't see that as a red flag it seems like a solid plan.

I think, if you are dealing with recruitment agencies, taking a temporary / contract / consultancy role would be a good approach as it would overcome the challenge that some recruiters might say about not staying in a position long term.  It would also give you the opportunity to experience an environment without the obligation of feeling committed to a long term exposure.  

I do think, even with these post-COVID times, your lack of "real world conventional" work experience may mean that WFH roles are harder to identify.  

Finally, the recruitment market seems to be "hotting up" right now so it has become a candidates' market - that should work strongly in your favour.

The last few years I haven't really been focused on one specific thing full time - if this was the case what would be the best thing to put in here to fill the gap? I've supported my lifestyle since 2018 from trading/poker on the weekends and building up a  passive income stream from the Meetup groups I've created.

The dates are rough guides so I could always move them to make the CV look a little less inconspicuous.

Yep fingers crossed on being able to get the foot in the door somewhere for the experience and also very pleased to hear it's a candidates market!

As a side note, I'll be updating the thread here on any interesting developments every weekend just in case others may find it helpful who are in a similar position as me.

getmore4less

Add portfolio management to create capital growth and  income stream.

kimwp

Not a recruiter, but these were my thoughts as I read your CV:
- Meet-up section: "Gosh, he's put a lot about something that people do in their spare time." - suggest you phrase it more in the context of creating a passive income stream/running a business and shrink the description to key points that demonstrate your skills (organisational, customer facing, negotiation)
 Poker section: "Hmm, think the poker playing could do with more thought to bring out the qualities he can bring to a job. 7 figures is a lot - has he lost it, if not, is he a risk for leaving a job if he doesn't completely love it?"
Retail jobs: "Why has he got so much space on his CV about jobs that were nearly 20 years ago"- suggest you delete those

Overall, it looks like a CV that you are trying to pad out. I'd suggest shrinking to one page and make every sentence count. I'd put a statement at the top about what you are looking for and why. Also, if you have passive income of 40k, then take some risks (on the job application front), you might win big!

kimwp

Ooh, also my Dad always said "if you lose your job", get any job until you can get one you really want, it shows a good work ethic.

MalMonroe

Congratulations on your recent marriage.

I think being a professional poker player is a fabulous job!  When I read your post I immediately thought of Victoria Coren Mitchell, who was, and is, one herself. And she's famous and also, on telly! Don't be embarrassed or ashamed of it. It was your job and it seems that you were - and are - very good at it. 

I agree with you when you say "I believe my skill sets that I've gained from poker would be relatable to risk management/problem solving/strategising."  And from your CV, which I think looks really impressive, it appears that you have great organisational skills too. 

I think you would be an asset for any employer - you just need to find your niche.

You could contact some job agencies and see what they have for you to consider. Be confident in your abilities, you have quite a few.

The Guardian also advertises jobs weekly, such as here - https://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/homeworking/

I've got a BA Hons 2.1 degree but it's not a vocational one. You don't need one to get a good job or to prove that you're clever. But you could always have a think about whether or not you'd like to try some kind of course to polish your skills. It's never too late to learn. 

sourpuss2021

How about a job in the online poker world?

For example online marketing, recruiting affiliates, etc?

Well I'd guess you've already thought of this and you must know 2+2 Forum?

I'm not sure if there is much money in that these days anyway as all the smaller sites have consolidated?

getmore4less

MalMonroe said:

Congratulations on your recent marriage.

I think being a professional poker player is a fabulous job!  When I read your post I immediately thought of Victoria Coren Mitchell, who was, and is, one herself. And she's famous and also, on telly! Don't be embarrassed or ashamed of it. It was your job and it seems that you were - and are - very good at it. 

I also thought of VCM but you have to remember she started writing at 14  already had a career in the media/theatre/TV  a major head start to compliment the poker which came later.

sourpuss2021

getmore4less said:

MalMonroe said:

Congratulations on your recent marriage.

I think being a professional poker player is a fabulous job!  When I read your post I immediately thought of Victoria Coren Mitchell, who was, and is, one herself. And she's famous and also, on telly! Don't be embarrassed or ashamed of it. It was your job and it seems that you were - and are - very good at it. 

I also thought of VCM but you have to remember she started writing at 14  already had a career in the media/theatre/TV  a major head start to compliment the poker which came later.

Oddly enough the words "Thailand poker player Victoria Coren" reminded me of Guardian article from 12 years ago.   Now that was a grisly tale! 

PeteSouthgate72

getmore4less said:

Add portfolio management to create capital growth and  income stream.

I didn't think to add this onto the resume but maybe it's worth adding. Is it common for people to list this within a job section? As a Self Employed investor?

kimwp said:

Not a recruiter, but these were my thoughts as I read your CV:
- Meet-up section: "Gosh, he's put a lot about something that people do in their spare time." - suggest you phrase it more in the context of creating a passive income stream/running a business and shrink the description to key points that demonstrate your skills (organisational, customer facing, negotiation)
 Poker section: "Hmm, think the poker playing could do with more thought to bring out the qualities he can bring to a job. 7 figures is a lot - has he lost it, if not, is he a risk for leaving a job if he doesn't completely love it?"
Retail jobs: "Why has he got so much space on his CV about jobs that were nearly 20 years ago"- suggest you delete those

Overall, it looks like a CV that you are trying to pad out. I'd suggest shrinking to one page and make every sentence count. I'd put a statement at the top about what you are looking for and why. Also, if you have passive income of 40k, then take some risks (on the job application front), you might win big!

Yep I'm in agreement with padding down the CV and maybe it's best to remove the Retail experience as it's so long ago now. Originally I did have a statement at the top of the CV stating what I was looking for and why but many suggested to remove it. Anyway thanks for the tips on the above I'll implement them and repost a more polished CV at some point next month.

MalMonroe said:

Congratulations on your recent marriage.

I think being a professional poker player is a fabulous job!  When I read your post I immediately thought of Victoria Coren Mitchell, who was, and is, one herself. And she's famous and also, on telly! Don't be embarrassed or ashamed of it. It was your job and it seems that you were - and are - very good at it. 

I agree with you when you say "I believe my skill sets that I've gained from poker would be relatable to risk management/problem solving/strategising."  And from your CV, which I think looks really impressive, it appears that you have great organisational skills too. 

I think you would be an asset for any employer - you just need to find your niche.

You could contact some job agencies and see what they have for you to consider. Be confident in your abilities, you have quite a few.

The Guardian also advertises jobs weekly, such as here - https://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/homeworking/

I've got a BA Hons 2.1 degree but it's not a vocational one. You don't need one to get a good job or to prove that you're clever. But you could always have a think about whether or not you'd like to try some kind of course to polish your skills. It's never too late to learn. 

Bookmarked the Guardian page good shout on that. I've done two assessments the least week from pinging my previous CV out two weeks ago (One for a Technical Support at Kraken Cryptocurrency exchange and another for a Work from Home Plusnet Customer Service Rep) so hoping to get to an interview where I can see if I can come across well and answer any questions the HR will have. Haven't had time yet to re polish the CV, but I'm going to do it next month and believe all the advice I've had from here will come in handy!

sourpuss2021 said:

How about a job in the online poker world?

For example online marketing, recruiting affiliates, etc?

Well I'd guess you've already thought of this and you must know 2+2 Forum?

I'm not sure if there is much money in that these days anyway as all the smaller sites have consolidated?

I'm not interested in working within the poker world too be honest. 2+2 forum used to be amazing, I've been using it since I've been 16, think 2+2 was a big factor in how I managed to progress my learning of the game during the pre-UEIGA days.

sourpuss2021 said:

getmore4less said:

MalMonroe said:

Congratulations on your recent marriage.

I think being a professional poker player is a fabulous job!  When I read your post I immediately thought of Victoria Coren Mitchell, who was, and is, one herself. And she's famous and also, on telly! Don't be embarrassed or ashamed of it. It was your job and it seems that you were - and are - very good at it. 

I also thought of VCM but you have to remember she started writing at 14  already had a career in the media/theatre/TV  a major head start to compliment the poker which came later.

Oddly enough the words "Thailand poker player Victoria Coren" reminded me of Guardian article from 12 years ago.   Now that was a grisly tale! 

Yep pretty horrible story. I think this happened a few months before I'd actually arrived in Thailand. The first group of friends that I made knew the culprit from their time living in Phuket. I think there was a sentiment he was pretty crazy (slept with a gun under his bed or something sticks in my mind)