Jobseeking is driving me mad!

looby75

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I don't understand their comments about giving incorrect information but you really didn't help yourself with getting this job. Surely you could've just left it at "full clean licence" and then rushed off for a couple of refresher lessons if offered the job? Presumably delivering for a village pharmacy would be pretty local and not involve hours in an HGV on the M6? Sometimes people do show a lack of common sense and initiative at times, it's not surprising that they struggle getting employment!

!!!!!! I was trying to be honest. I haven't driven for 10 years and I can't afford refresher lessons at the moment. I'm a single parent on benefits, the cheapest quote I've had is £15 a lesson. £15 is a heck of a lot of money to me (To put in it perspective £15 is about 1/3rd of my weekly shopping budget) If I got the job I would be expected to start immediately, it's going to take more than a couple of days to get me back "on the road". In an ideal world I would be able to take (and pay for) refresher lessons in anticipation of any job requiring driving but it's not an ideal world so I have to be honest about my limitations.

Believe me I've got plenty of common sense, I just don't have much money.

Oldernotwiser

looby75 wrote: »

!!!!!! I was trying to be honest. I haven't driven for 10 years and I can't afford refresher lessons at the moment. I'm a single parent on benefits, the cheapest quote I've had is £15 a lesson. £15 is a heck of a lot of money to me (To put in it perspective £15 is about 1/3rd of my weekly shopping budget) If I got the job I would be expected to start immediately, it's going to take more than a couple of days to get me back "on the road". In an ideal world I would be able to take (and pay for) refresher lessons in anticipation of any job requiring driving but it's not an ideal world so I have to be honest about my limitations.

Believe me I've got plenty of common sense, I just don't have much money.

I wasn't suggesting you had lessons before being offered a job, but you'd be likely to have at least a couple of days between a job offer and a start in which to be able to take a couple of refresher lessons, a leisurely month is hardly necessary. When my husband stupidly lost his licence some years ago, leaving me unable to get home from my late shift, I learnt to drive, from scratch, in a month and I was in my forties at that time. You do what you have to do.

My point was that you made a positive statement, ie " full clean licence" into not one but two negative points "licence - but not really" and "inflexible/slow learner" by your desire to be honest. There's no room for this sort of "honesty" in job applications. Even without the problems you have with finding employment, you NEVER put forward negative points to a prospective employer. You've lost the opportunity of what sounds like a perfect job for yoy by being unnecessarily honest. If that's not lacking in common sense I don't know what is.

I don't mean to be harsh but your attitude perfectly illustrates why some people have little difficulty in finding employment anywhere and any time and others struggle so hard. You can't help your location and your domestic responsibilities but you need to help yourself in whatever other way you can by being flexible and not putting obstacles in your own way. There's no point in railing against others because of your own stupidity. Sorry but it's true.

looby75

Excuse me but can you please keep your personal comments to yourself. I accept that maybe by being totally honest I have put my self on a bad footing, and I will take that on board for future reference but that does not make me stupid, lacking in common sense or slow. At the worst a bit naive and too honest for my own good but not stupid.

Just because you managed to learn to drive from scratch in a month doesn't mean that everyone is as fast a learner than you, if that was the case most driving schools would go out of business. As I said I haven't driven for 10 years, the road conditions are much worse now and I would much rather be honest than jump behind the wheel and end up causing an accident.

Oldernotwiser

I'm sorry if my comments were a bit brusque; I don't do touchy -feely. However, I think that the world is divided into "can do" people and those who put up barriers. That's why half the people posting on here have no problems finding work and the others find their problems insurmountable.

Have you really not a single friend or relative who'd let you go out behind the wheel with them for the odd half hour while you got into the swing of things again? Could you not have waited until you started the job before mentioning the fact that you'd like to take a couple of weeks before doing any driving? You have to give employers reasons to employ you rather than reasons to employ someone else.

As far as my learning to drive goes, I didn't have any choice. I suppose I could've given in my notice, signed on and come on here whinging about how difficult things are. Personally I thought that it was better to take control and do what needed doing. But then I've never been unemployed, whatever area I've lived in; there's always work available if you really want it and go about it the right way.

staindude

The problem with "can do" people is they end up having lived very blinkered lives and are unable to see things from a different point of view than their own.

I agree that looby possibly shot her self in the foot but it doesn't show a lack of common sense at all, it only shows a failure to recognise how cynical and selfish you really need to be to get anywhere. That level of honesty is commendable and if I was ever interviewing people I would mark it higher than the ones purposely leaving things out. Unfortunately most people don't think like me.

How do you know she'd have had time to secretly relearn to drive on the quiet? They might have expected her to drive somewhere after a couple of days and for her to turn round and say "well actually I haven't driven for 10 years" doesn't look very good.

Looby - is it possible for you to contact the pharmacy on your own and explain what happened with the agency? I know people frown upon contacting employers directly when they use agencies but I think the agency screwed you over and they might not look so fondly on them if they find out they were keeping well suited applicants away.

Oldernotwiser

staindude wrote: »

The problem with "can do" people is they end up having lived very blinkered lives and are unable to see things from a different point of view than their own.

I agree that looby possibly shot her self in the foot but it doesn't show a lack of common sense at all, it only shows a failure to recognise how cynical and selfish you really need to be to get anywhere. That level of honesty is commendable and if I was ever interviewing people I would mark it higher than the ones purposely leaving things out. Unfortunately most people don't think like me.

Why is it cynical and selfish to be able to come off benefits? I would've thought just the opposite. I'm not advocating dishonesty here but suggesting giving information on a "need to know" basis. As you say, most people don't think like you.

I also completely disagree about "can do" people; they usually think more laterally than those who come up with dozens of reasons why things can't be done. Employers value problem solving skills very highly rather than those who see problems as being insurmountable. It's usually the second highest rated skill, after good communication.

staindude

I didn't say being cynical and selfish was a bad thing, just that it's needed and some people don't recognise - or are even comfortable with - how much. Benefits I didn't mention at all, they're not the point in this thread.

You would disagree because for one reason or another your can do attitude has gone well for you. It doesn't always go well, it can backfire terribly leaving you in a worse position than if you'd never tried at all, but it's these people who end up learning much more as they've experienced the failure.

You're proving my point really as you think everyone not exactly like you is thinking up reasons not to do things. You don't know their history. Years of a can do attitude that's backfired can leave you with little self esteem and if you've never felt this way doesn't mean that someone else isn't allowed to.

Oldernotwiser

staindude wrote: »

You're proving my point really as you think everyone not exactly like you is thinking up reasons not to do things. You don't know their history. Years of a can do attitude that's backfired can leave you with little self esteem and if you've never felt this way doesn't mean that someone else isn't allowed to.

For years it's been part of my job to help people overcome barriers to regaining employment so I certainly don't think that everybody is like me. I've been very fortunate in my life and I know that as well. People who can solve their own problems don't usually come to see someone like me; they sort it out for themselves. Many others are really grateful for a fresh approach and some lateral thinking and go away thanking the adviser because they would never have thought of some of the solutions for themselves. Others put up barriers to everything suggested with really "picky" reasons why these solutions won't (not mightn't, just won't) work. This isn't just my experience but the experience of everyone I worked with.

I've come to feel that some people just don't want to solve their problems; if someone were to knock on their door and offer them the perfect job, well paid, suitable hours, childcare included, they'd say they couldn't take it because they had a doctor's appointment booked for that day! This is no exaggeration; I had a client who turned down a suitable job because it meant working on Wednesday and her mother came for the afternoon that day. The suggestion that mum could come on another afternoon (she didn't work) was greeted with the incredulous comment "but Wednesday's her day!"

(These comments are not aimed at anyone here, they're just general.)

therealdessie

Just back on the point of driving - they said it wouldn't be all the time... so doesn't that indicate that it wouldn't be within the first month of the job? I've applied for a few jobs which involve travel and in all cases was told it would be three months or so before I had to "hit the road", the first period would be learning the ropes. I know it's a different type of job, but...? If this agency won't put you forward, then go to another one and ask them to - they'll be more than happy to oblige in many cases.

As for the time taken to learn, you could do it in four lessons. I did, after twelve years of not touching a car, so that's four rides home after work with the instructor

Oldernotwiser

therealdessie wrote: »

Just back on the point of driving - they said it wouldn't be all the time... so doesn't that indicate that it wouldn't be within the first month of the job? I've applied for a few jobs which involve travel and in all cases was told it would be three months or so before I had to "hit the road", the first period would be learning the ropes. I know it's a different type of job, but...? If this agency won't put you forward, then go to another one and ask them to - they'll be more than happy to oblige in many cases.

As for the time taken to learn, you could do it in four lessons. I did, after twelve years of not touching a car, so that's four rides home after work with the instructor

You've said exactly what I was trying to say but more tactfully and more politely than I managed. Thank you.