Job Interview advice

I am me123

Hi.

Just looking for a bit of interview advice.

How to phrase the following at a job interview.

I have been working on a C.E. scheme for the past two or so years.

During this time, I managed to secure three separate paid employments. These varied in duration,

Employment 1 : Offered a temporary contract of a few weeks. I agreed a break from my C.E. scheme in order to take up this job. I returned to the C.E. scheme after the contract expired.

Employment 2 : Offered another temporary contract for four days in duration. I agreed to take leave from the scheme in order to take up this employment. I resumed my duties on the scheme when my temporary contract expired.

Employment 3: Offered another temp contract with an agency, and worked in both the scheme and the temp job concurrently on separate days during the week, for about a month or so.

Does a C.E. scheme look bad on a CV?

Advice please & thank you.

DubCount

Never try to twist the truth. Honesty is something most employers value.

I would try to turn it into a positive. "I had very little work experience, and was finding it hard to get a job. I went onto a CE scheme and worked at A, B and C and got experience doing x, y and z." This shows a desire to work, and that you value the work experience you received. All very positive for an employer interviewing you. Nothing to be afraid of.

Good luck

ThreeGreens

I agree.

You weren't on the dole doing nothing. You found an opportunity on a CE Scheme to do something and you took it.

Then you saw a brief opportunity to get employment off the scheme and you took it. It wasn't permanent so you worked and agreed that with the CE Scheme so that you would still have the scheme to come back to when the employment finished.

It looks to me, like someone who is determined to find work and better themselves.

I wouldn't see anything negative in it.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058242236/job-interview-advice

Employers are more likely to take on someone how is clearly trying to improve their situation than someone who just seems to be going through the motions.

Your behavior shows that you are someone who wants to get out and do a days work. You might not have had the opportunity others had, but what came your way, you grabbed with both hands and made the most of it. And that is something employers need to know.

DoctorEdgeWild

I was interviewing people all last week, if any of them showed your level of effort to find employment, they would have been in contention. It depends on the level of the position, but companies like mine (very hands on, physical work) just want to see someone who wants to graft for a living.

Be honest, be engaging, be interested, best of luck to you.

I am me123

Thank you very much to you all for all the replies so far. I feel much better about approaching job interviews after receiving all of your feedback above.

Have a good day. 😊

limklad

Back during the 2009 recession. My young cousin had finished college. The only jobs available was temporary 2 year jobs in dubai with an Irish company. I told him to apply and go. Get the work experience and it will show future employers that you did not sit on your arse at home. I told him take on jobs that no body wanted, and he told him to take on extra duties and was made responsible for sections of project management. He gained alot of different experiences. While it was difficult, it benefit him later when he applied for a permanent job. His new employer was impressed, that he did not need a second set of interviews. His references was more than enough.

I am me123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001767#Comment_119001767

Thank you very much. 😊

El_Duderino 09

Yeah I'd agree with all the other posters. I'm applying for jobs and thinking a lot about applications and interviews. I think we tend to focus on the things we're self conscious about and we tend to think we need to apologise for it or explain it. But the other posters have pointed out that it shows a qood quality in you that you identified areas you need to gain experience and proactively looked for ways to gain experience.

So instead of thinking you need to explain it, phrase it positively. You felt you needed more experience in X, y and z, so you looked for a C.E. scheme and gained experience in, X, y and z. Think of it as proactively looking for experience and be proud of it.

I am me123

Thank you for your feedback thus far.

It was always a worry of mine that if potential employers heard the words 'Community Employment scheme', it would automatically show me up in a poor light that it wasn't a 'proper job'.

I'll always remember in one interview, I talked about my work history, then mentioned my scheme ( without actually calling it a CE scheme), the interviewer asked "Is that a CE scheme?" and I think when I confirmed this, this eliminated me from being considered.