looking for work is impossible, some adivce?

I am currently looking for work, and have been doing so for the past year. I live in Donnybrook, so i have good access to the city centre, Stillorgan and basically anywhere on the 46A bus route. I am Irish, so of course I am fluent in English. I have honours in six Leaving Certificate subjects at higher level (English, Irish, French, Geography, Biology and Chemistry), as well as a B in Ordinary Level Maths. I am courteous, willing to work and willing to learn.
Unfortunately, I have no work experience, apart from five days in a solicitors office. So I have been turned away from every position I have applied for. I cannot get work experience, because I am not on a work experience scheme; therefore I cannot get an insurance letter to relieve wherever I might apply of any liability to me.
As you can imagine, this is extremely disheartening. To put things in colloquial terms, I am 'running out of steam'. I am broke, with nothing to do with my time and college expenses to pay for.
What am I supposed to do? I can't go much longer without work. It's unfair that my father still has to support someone who should be out making their own means. It seems I'm stuck in a vicious cycle.

timetogetfit

you could try this


http://www.permanenttsb.ie/site/careers.asp

AARRRGH

Deleted User wrote: »

I cannot get an insurance letter to relieve wherever I might apply of any liability to me.

Could you clarify what you mean by this?

Deleted User wrote: »

I am broke, with nothing to do with my time and college expenses to pay for.

Are you a part-time student or a full-time student? Are you looking for part-time or full-time work?

Getting your first job can be tough. However I am going to give you the advice I followed myself. Get a job in McDonalds. They won't care that it's your first job, and it's not a terrible place to work. They were my first employer, and I don't regret it.

It'll give you money and experience.

pow wow

dublindude wrote: »

Could you clarify what you mean by this?

Some employers won't take on work experience people as their EL insurance doesn't cover them (because technically they're not employees). I presume on work experience scheme the person who is sending you out (i.e. FAS or similar) assumes the responsibility for you.

OP if you can afford some unpaid work experience (I know you need the money, but apparently you can't get that without experience!) try some charities, they'll have shops and offices etc. Dublindude's recommendation isn't bad either, you haven't lived until you've done your time flipping burgers (though I made kebabs in Abrakebabra lol). Some smaller businesses like juice bars, corner shops etc will also be less picky about you having had some work experience.

AARRRGH

Another thing: non-skilled jobs like those in juice bars etc. shouldn't require any previous experience. I also think it's highly unlikely those type of employers check references.

I don't really see any harm in spoofing a little bit and saying you worked in your Auntie's flower shop for a few years. It's not going to affect how good you are at making a smoothie.

Dudess

I'm assuming you're a full-time student (although do please clarify) so why not apply for work in some place on-campus? (Cafés, shops, the student centre etc). Apply to Tesco too. There are plenty of places to start off in - burger joints as dublindude suggested; call centres - there are lots of those. Are you being fussy about what you'd do or would you take anything?

the_syco

McDonalds take on the very-little-english speaking Chinese (or did, when I was working there), so you should have no problem. They also pay not too badly, but the hours do suck. There's also one in Stillorgan. Added bonus: for lunch, it's a more-or-less "all you can fit on the platter":cool:

Most likely, your CV sucks. Take this the wrong way if you want, but if your CV sucks, it gets binned, and that's pretty much that. Some vultures recruitment people here may take your CV to laugh at check out for you.

Dudess

What about just something very basic to start you off? E.g. glass-collecting, wash-up. These won't require work experience. Do you have any contacts that might be able to put in a word for you? Also try Penneys. And again Tesco. I got in there with no work experience apart from - like you - a bit of office work.

Four-Too

They seem to be employing only foreigners in all these places like cafes and juice bars. An I right when I say they deliberately turn down Irish people? Also, I have work experience in a bookies...but I can't get another job in pubs, bars or cafes! They don't seem to appreciate experience from a bookies (betting shop).

in my experience, no-one employs irish people any more v.v
and if they do, they haven't anything between their ears. the amount of times i've seen someone behind a register and thought 'they'll employ them?'
i went into burger king today. i was surprised. i usually avoid those places because i thought they'd be dismissive. but this guy actually showed a bit of interest
BTW what exactly would a 'good CV' be like?

ixus

Deleted User wrote: »

BTW what exactly would a 'good CV' be like?

There's a Sticky at the top to the this forum section that can help you out with this if you take the time to read it.

I'm still unclear, are you looking for part-time or full-time work?
Are you in college and, if so, what are you studying?

ztoical

Deleted User wrote: »

in my experience, no-one employs irish people any more v.v

its not that don't hire irish people its more that they don't get irish people applying for those jobs as much any more. Read the sticky and get yourself a good CV - for most retail jobs they look for two things - being able to talk to customers and being able to use a till. You can get away with exaggerating a little as every shop will train you in on their system anyway. Print off loads of copies and spend a day walking around, handing your CV into every shop. I use to work in a bookshop and on a saturday we'd get at least 10 CV's dropped in. They all went into a file in the mangers office and when we needed staff she would go through them and call people. Cinemas are good places to try - I know places like UCI and cineworld tend to have young work force and high turn over of staff.

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

for a part-time job, have a look at your university / college job mailing list. Also McDonalds etc ftw. I worked in Supermacs back in the day and it was great fun.

caff

When job hunting I found temping work to be okay, not too stressfull. If you can drive it s a big bonus. Agenices like lacreme are pretty good. But be prepared for it to be pretty dull office work. Basically reception or data entry type stuff for 3 to 6 weeks then off to another place. Sometime if you impress they keep you on.

Then theres cheap reatilers like aldi or lidl, places have quite high turnover of staff so the managers might seem a bit 'rough' its just they are always training in people who will be slow at first getting to know how everything works, by the time they are trained they have left. So constant striving to meet the numbers required by head office makes them not bother to really connect with staff. Good experiece of dealing with people though and hitting targets. Pretty good pay too, though the work is hectic on the upside the days flies by.

indiewindy

You could always do some volunteer work for a charity to get some experience on your cv

MontgomeryClift

Volunteer work is worthless, and brings you no closer to a job. I've tried it. There's no respect granted to unpaid work.

ImDave

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

Volunteer work is worthless, and brings you no closer to a job. I've tried it. There's no respect granted to unpaid work.

All depends on what kind of job you’re applying for. Many employers won't be too interested, but it if a number of similarly qualified applicants is going for one spot, it might make your CV stand out.

cronos

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

Volunteer work is worthless, and brings you no closer to a job. I've tried it. There's no respect granted to unpaid work.

I think that depends on what volunteer work you are doing. And what responsibilities you have. For example if your a volunteer football coach then part of your job is minding children which is a massive amount of responsibility.

However collecting money on the street is not good experience.

MontgomeryClift

I dunno. I volunteered with an after-school homework project for experience. Personally it was useful. Professionally it was useless. I haven't got a single hour's proper teaching anywhere after two years. And that's with a Master's Degree.

Miss Fluff

What are you studying for your degree? You could think about getting a part-time work placement in a relevant industry.

i was wondering. i'm involved in street teams for two bands i like. should i mention that?

AARRRGH

Deleted User wrote: »

i was wondering. i'm involved in street teams for two bands i like. should i mention that?

Could you explain what exactly that involves?

Hanley

dublindude wrote: »

Could you explain what exactly that involves?

If it's what I'm guessing then it's entails doing promo work on the street and handing out flyers etc to get people to come to the bands typically small, local shows!!

And OP, seriously, you need to answer the questions people have been asking if you actually want help...

Are you a student?
If yes, full or part time?
What are you studying?
Are you looking for full or part time work?
Would you work literally anywhere, or do you have standards?

WindSock

Have you not tried popping down to your local FAS and registering? They will help point you in the right direction and tell you where to go and get help doing up a decent CV, as well as help you apply for the 100's of jobs that are posted up on their website every day.

Unpossible

Deleted User wrote:

in my experience, no-one employs irish people any more v.v
and if they do, they haven't anything between their ears. the amount of times i've seen someone behind a register and thought 'they'll employ them?'
i went into burger king today. i was surprised. i usually avoid those places because i thought they'd be dismissive. but this guy actually showed a bit of interest

I know you are feeling a bit frustrated with looking for work but you really have to leave your ego at the door when you go looking for these jobs, I doubt employers want someone who will consider themselves above the other workers.
You have been avoiding places like burger king yet you are desperate? Where exactly have you been looking for work? Are you just looking for a job to earn money for college or are you looking for practical work experience thats related to your course?

Dudess

Deleted User wrote: »

i was wondering. i'm involved in street teams for two bands i like. should i mention that?

Of course you should. And voluntary work with a charity shop would probably be beneficial in terms of learning how to use a till/handling cash etc. Wash-up/glass-collecting at a hotel plus the above would be ideal on your CV.