WHY does this always happen??

DeltaWhite

I havent been on boards in months, but today I felt compelled to get advice from fellow boardsies about my predicament..

I'm in a job 4 years now, I must have unbelievable endurance skills or else I just got lazy - but I hate the place. I've never liked it but I stayed because I had nothing else and jobs were scarce.

So the last few months I have been doing all I can to get out of here.

In the past 2 weeks I've had 5 phonecalls for interviews. As soon as I tell the caller on the phone that I am in employment, I can hear it in their voice - disappointment. I had a call today about a great job that I was getting an interview for on Friday and same sh*te again... "Oh are you currently working? Well we need someone to start on Monday, sorry"

WHAT IS GOING ON???

I have always been told the same drivel "It's better to be in a job, to get a job"

Who made that up? Because quite clearly in the times we are in that's not the case. I am furious at this stage, I nearly feel like if I quit where I am stuck, then I will probably have a better chance of getting a job..


Someone please tell me something positive, because right now I do not see light at the end of this dark tunnel

seamus

It's a weird market at the moment, so a lot of the usual rules don't apply. Depending on the jobs you're going for, employers may expect that you're out of work and can start immediately, so rather than give you a full interview, they move onto the next six people they have lined up on the phone.

Other industries are booming and expanding to quickly that they literally can't wait a month for someone to start.

To a certain extent it's a good thing for you. If an employer is in such a rush to hire people and unwilling to wait for you, then what will they be like at the other side if things slow down? Will they just let you go with a weeks' notice or will they fight to keep your job?

I find it a bit weird though that they'd be surprised you're in employment. Surely they can see this on your CV? Might be worth seeing if your current status is clear enough on your CV?

DeltaWhite

Thanks for your reply and I can see where you are coming from!

It is definitely clear on my CV that I am working right now and also with the cover letter I sent, I stated that "I am currently working as X in X for the past 4 years" so said caller must not have read my details! I could totally hear his voice drop, he was all bubbly and excited at first and then as soon as I said that I am working I noticed the change in his voice straight away.

One of the things I did ponder, is that they seem to be extremely eager for someone to start literally 1 work day after the interview, it does seem like either staff member left unexpectedly or they just have a busy period and need someone in urgently.

I work in a clerical/admin position. And they are the jobs I am applying to also!

I find these calls really really soul destroying! I have an excellent CV, I am really good at what I do so it's not like I have nothing to offer! I just dont get it!

Lucena

DeltaWhite wrote: »

Thanks for your reply and I can see where you are coming from!

It is definitely clear on my CV that I am working right now and also with the cover letter I sent, I stated that "I am currently working as X in X for the past 4 years" so said caller must not have read my details! I could totally hear his voice drop, he was all bubbly and excited at first and then as soon as I said that I am working I noticed the change in his voice straight away.

One of the things I did ponder, is that they seem to be extremely eager for someone to start literally 1 work day after the interview, it does seem like either staff member left unexpectedly or they just have a busy period and need someone in urgently.

I work in a clerical/admin position. And they are the jobs I am applying to also!

I find these calls really really soul destroying! I have an excellent CV, I am really good at what I do so it's not like I have nothing to offer! I just dont get it!

Try and get talking to the person. If you can chat to them for five minutes, you could get a lot of info out of them.
Is their business expanding? (possibility of future positions opening up)

What are their needs? (if you can convince them you have good experience, they might be willing to hold off for a few weeks in order to get the right person, rather than ending up stuck with someone who’s just “ok” for the sake of a couple of weeks)

This is all assuming that you're being called by the company itself. If you're being called by recruitment agencies, you'd probably be unable to get much info out of them.

Mrs OBumble

You really don't want to be working in a job that's so disorganised they they expect you to drop everything and start the next day!

My guess is that somehow your number has got into the mailing lists of the commission-based direct marketing companies, and they're hoping you'll be fresh meat.

Or maybe they they're really looking for someone eligible for JobsPlus.

Wishbone Ash

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

You really don't want to be working in a job that's so disorganised they they expect you to drop everything and start the next day!

In 1988 I called to see a friend at her workplace. While there a senior manager offered me a job and asked me if I could start in two days time. 25 years on and I'm still there.

dearg lady

I am seeing this quite often lately. I'm currently unemployed and job hunting, and a lot of positions are immediately available. It' still a struggle though, I've been looking for quite a while, so I wouldn't advise leaving your current job. I've found agencies in general not very useful and yeah, less likely to actually read what you've sent them which clearly states you're working! I would recommend applying direct to employers, if they are interested you can appeal to them to wait a bit longer.

Gongoozler

Made a thread in here about this very issue myself not so long ago.

Very frustrating if they are not even reading your cover letter.