Struggling to get work for years now

Gombeennation

I am in my thirties and a part qualified accountant, masters in Science and ex office administrator. I am struggling to get work. My personality is easy going, hard working but I dislike arguments. I worked as a Pharmacist in the UK for a year after qualifying but came home. There is not much work as a Pharmacist there now. I do try applying for jobs here as dispensary assistant but haven't heard back despite having loads of work experience in this.

I have had loads of Accountancy interviews but haven't got the jobs. I have only only years experience in Accounting and its very varied. I got 4 months work recently. Unfortunately, company moved operations to Poland.

I have lots of office administration experience but almost never even get called for interviews. I currently work as a part time mystery shopper which is really badly paid. I am too old to get a Australian or Canadian visa and I want to stay in Ireland.

I am starting to get very discouraged. Have you any advice for me?

jaymcg91

Leave Ireland? Haha would you not be able to go back to the UK, or qualify as a Foreign Skilled Worker in Canada?

mikemac1

Are you trying for fund accounting? The turnover in those large companies is massive and there is constant hiring going on

It's likely to be for contract, not so many permanent jobs but it'll get anyone started

porsche959

mikemac1 wrote: »

Are you trying for fund accounting? The turnover in those large companies is massive and there is constant hiring going on

It's likely to be for contract, not so many permanent jobs but it'll get anyone started

Dreadfully boring jobs though. Not wishing to be cynical, but speaking from personal experience.

On the plus side, decent salaries, and generally 9-5 (ish).

Twas Not

Gombeennation wrote: »

I am in my thirties and a part qualified accountant, masters in Science and ex office administrator. I am struggling to get work. My personality is easy going, hard working but I dislike arguments. I worked as a Pharmacist in the UK for a year after qualifying but came home. There is not much work as a Pharmacist there now. I do try applying for jobs here as dispensary assistant but haven't heard back despite having loads of work experience in this.

I have had loads of Accountancy interviews but haven't got the jobs. I have only only years experience in Accounting and its very varied. I got 4 months work recently. Unfortunately, company moved operations to Poland.

I have lots of office administration experience but almost never even get called for interviews. I currently work as a part time mystery shopper which is really badly paid. I am too old to get a Australian or Canadian visa and I want to stay in Ireland.

I am starting to get very discouraged. Have you any advice for me?

Have you tried the big IFSC companies ? State Street, Citi, BNY etc?

Mr. Loverman

Get someone to review your CV and do practice interviews with you. I suspect this will find the problem.

PhoenixParker

Try looking for temp work?
Both the accountancy and the office administrator experience put you in an excellent position to pick up temporary office work.

It's much easier to get a job once you have a job, even if it's only 2-3 months in an office somewhere.
In a lot of cases being in an office puts you in a position to pick up a full time job with the company fairly easily.

Tarzana

porsche959 wrote: »

Dreadfully boring jobs though.

Dreadfully boring decent-ish paid work is better than no work!

Mrs OBumble

Those are very different types of jobs you're looking for - I hope you have different base CVs for each one, and are then tailoring them to the specific jobs you're applying to?

If you don't do this, then
- Accounting employers are going to think "He's going to head back to pharmacy as soon as a job comes up"
- Pharmacies wanting dispensing assistants will think "She's too well qualified for this, and will leave as soon as an accounting job comes up"
- Office admin type employers will think "Too well qualified"

I would advise three different CVs, and on each one "dumb down" the other types of jobs you've had. At the most extreme, this means naming the company and describing your job in simple terms, but not actually putting in the job-title.

Also, as well as your CV, you need to work your networks. Figure out who you know that works in a company that you migth possibly want to work for, and ask them to let you know if anything comes up. (People are pretty dumb overall - even if they know you're job hunting, they won't necessarily think to tell you, unless you ask them to.)

And - what have you been doing to keep your life structured and yourself motivated in the meantime? Courses? Volunteer work? if none of these, then you need to start doing something, so you have a good story to tell about how you've been using the time. You will need this when you get to interviews.