Can't get a job

iamwhoiam · 11-12-2018 10:23pm

rob316 wrote: »

In a social media age where your content says everything about your business it's needs to be entertaining, fresh and stand out. If you hire someone to your marketing team and their personality is stiff as a board, it reflects in the content they put out.

Confident we hired the right person so the method has merit.

Why don't you make them do a silly dance or bark like a dog or hop like a frog next time ?

bfa1509 · 11-12-2018 10:44pm

seamus wrote: »

I wouldn't even be that sold on a cover letter. They're fairly 1980s, you're selling yourself to an employer who doesn't need an employee right now. If I have an open role, then the cover letter goes in the bin and I look at the CV. If I don't have any open roles, both go in the bin.

As said above though OP, unemployment is so low right now, that you should try take an honest look at your approach. Your CV might be crap. It might say more about you than you need it to, for example you don't need to put:

- Your age or date of birth
- Your religion
- Your nationality
- Your address (your location is sufficient, if at all)

It also needs to formatted nicely - clear and readable - with no spelling mistakes. If you know you're no good at this and know someone who IS good at this, ask them to look it over. I'll even do it if you want.

Take a look at your personal approach. If you are going around handing out CVs, you need to be clean. If your hair is a mess, you haven't shaven in 3 days and you're wearing a smelly Megadeth t-shirt and knee-high Docs, then forget about it. You don't have to be wearing a suit - a pair of jeans and a well-fitting hoodie is fine, but at least make it look like you showered and looked in a mirror when you got out of bed.

Don't just walk up and say, "I want to leave my CV in for jobs", hand it over to the receptionist and walk away. It's going into a bin. If you can, ask to speak to a member of management, and if they ask why, just be honest and say that you're enquiring as to whether they have any jobs. You may be told to leave your CV there, that's cool. Or that there are no jobs. Or someone might come down to you and have a chat. In any case, you'll get a better idea as to whether you've wasted your time.

Though online is really the main way now, especially for companies with head offices, like Aldi or Lidl. If they have an online application form, even better, because lots of people won't even go to the trouble of filling them out.

I say +1 to all of this and also add that usually when people hand out lots of CVs, chances are that 90% of what's on it is irrelevant to the employer. Employers (especially HR) read CVs like robots, they just want to match a CV to the position they have going. Some even put them through a software to look for "buzz words". I would say hand out less CVs but put some effort into tailoring them to the position you are going for. If the job has a description, make sure your CV matches it as close as you can and keep stuff that doesn't match it to a minimum.

As others have said, it's next to impossible (unless you have connections) to get a job if you are not currently doing something. I wouldn't even mind the two year gap so much as long as you were doing something currently. And definitely get help with interviews, no matter how many you have done in the past!

Ulysses Gaze · 11-12-2018 10:55pm

OP if you need to upskill, for free, then check out edx.org.

Lots of practical courses here.

fryup · 11-12-2018 11:00pm

rob316 wrote: »

Ugh a CV. We hired recently and I just told anyone interested send me in a video about you, make it entertaining then I'll consider you. We got some mad videos but definitely felt we hired the right person in the end.

Employers should be more interested in someone's character/personality than where they went to school.

Any CV we get in the mail goes straight to the shredder.

Naos wrote: »

What industry is that?

rob316 wrote: »

Office supplies. Boring as **** to be honest so I wanted to see what sort of creativity someone could bring to the job.

Office supplies :rolleyes:

if it was the entertainment industry i would understand...but Office supplies?? creativity?

c'mon now you're taking the p!ss

Raheem Euro · 11-12-2018 11:04pm

fryup wrote: »

Office supplies :rolleyes:

if it was the entertainment industry i would understand...but Office supplies?? creativity?

c'mon now you're taking the p!ss

Filing Cabinets are no longer a purchase. They are an experience.

Turbohymac · 11-12-2018 11:07pm

Hi..I know someone already said retrain..and you said been there Ã—100
I'm absolutely trying to help here..but exactly what skills do you possess.if looking for warehouse work do you have the absolute basic requirements..??? Forklift ticket..safe pass.manual handling ..as bonus do you have clean driving license..references from previous employers..etc..its fine to say I've retrained x 100. But honestly if you target the type of jobs that you are unskilled or qualified to do and you have all relevant requirements and courses up to date ..well I'd find it impossible to believe that you cannot get employment..
Also please ensure your cv is correctly made up otherwise you won't even get to an interview..and when attending interview dress neatly. Take Keen interest in trying to get the job..
If you cant get a job after rectifying any above mentioned issues then I would be amazed..finally because you will be asked at an interview..

Why have you been unemployed for the past 2 years and have you been actively seeking employment ever since..
This might seem harsh to you but an employer will delve into your past work history and dont like any negative issues..
Best of luck.
I absolutely think there should be no issues getting a job at present and especially since you say you're open to anything

whisky_galore · 11-12-2018 11:10pm

Ruraldweller56 wrote: »

One day all this crap will backfire badly. And I for one won't have an ounce of sympathy for them.

Don't get me started on those reprehensible 'meet the team' Web pages that people are coerced into being part of.

I can imagine the management of this place gathered around the screen having a good old chortle over the performing monkey videos.

Pawwed Rig · 11-12-2018 11:15pm

Get a bus/HGV licence. Easy to get work in that field if qualified.

Ruraldweller56 · 11-12-2018 11:16pm

whisky_galore wrote: »

I can imagine the management of this place gathered around the screen having a good old chortle over the performing monkey videos.

Oh that's all that's going on there. It's only an attempt to belittle and degrade the monkey on the video. A lot of these HR "creativity minded" types are the same. Asking nonsensical gibberish like "where do you see yourself in 5 years time", "tell me your 3 biggest weaknesses" and even "if you could be any animal what one and why" just to watch you squirm in the chair for their precious job.

TheQuietFella · 11-12-2018 11:19pm

frosty123 wrote: »

Honest to god...sending out cv's left right and centre, signed up with recruitment agencies, not being in anyway fussy even warehouse work would do and ......nothing, no replies nothing, even aldi & lidl don't wanna know.

Granted i'm long term unemployed (over 2 years) and in my late 30's..but i thought i'd get at least some sort of response esp this time of year, but ..no, zilch!

am i on the scrapeheap for life?

(i'm in the mid-west btw, near Limerick)

You need to apply further afield for employment.
I think that at your age it will be difficult and I'm talking from experience.
We seem to be type casted when we get beyond a certain age bracket!

frosty123 · 11-12-2018 11:22pm

erica74 wrote: »

I was in the same position around this time 2 years ago. I applied everywhere. The jobs I had the right experience for, didn't even get back to me, Penneys, Aldi, cleaning jobs etc, told me I didn't have the right experience for the job. People have this attitude of "if you apply for a job in Penneys/Tesco/the local corner shop, you'll get a job" but it's not that simple. The likes of Tesco seem to really want you to fit into a box where they have to provide as little training as possible.

Thank you, thats exactly the attitude i get from people

Turbohymac wrote: »

I absolutely think there should be no issues getting a job at present and especially since you say you're open to anything

well when i say anything, i mean within reason

Pawwed Rig · 11-12-2018 11:24pm

I was listening to the CEO of deliveroo being interviewed over the weekend. They have hundreds of (self employed) drivers all over the country. Just get motorbike licence.

Become a painter decorator. It is not a difficult job (if slightly tedious).

Pawwed Rig · 11-12-2018 11:27pm

frosty123 wrote: »

well when i say anything, i mean within reason

You are not giving much away. What is your experience? Previous training? You were asked a few times already but haven't responded on it.

kerryjack · 11-12-2018 11:41pm

Healthcare assistant. Nursing homes can't get them down here i know of one nursing home that can't take on anymore patients brcause they can't get the staff ****ty ould work i would say but it would but you would be in from the weather and plenty of food and you might get the leg over as well.

Purple Mountain · 11-12-2018 11:42pm

You say you've been unemployed for 2 years but if you've recently finished a CE scheme, then you were employed while on that.
You have that to add to your CV so it's not like you have a 2 year gap with no work.
Call in to see your old CE supervisor, they generally are very well connected with business people because they have so many sites with scheme participants.
Ask him or her to keep you in mind when they hear of any work or do a brainstorming session with them to see if they can think.of anywhere to approach with a CV.

frosty123 · 11-12-2018 11:45pm

You are not giving much away. What is your experience? Previous training? You were asked a few times already but haven't responded on it.

well my first job way back when was retail (hardware store) (1 year)

then it was mainly manufacturing/factory work - production line (6 years)

courier van driver - (2 years) never ever again btw hated it!

office - menial data entry (2 years)

warehouse - order picker/general operative (3 years)

* in between these jobs i had spells of unemployment in which i went to college as a mature student learning web-design
and PC maintenance ...and also more recently learning the basics of horticulture in my CE job.

and thats about it really

Ruraldweller56 · 11-12-2018 11:57pm

frosty123 wrote: »

well my first job way back when was retail (hardware store) (1 year)

then it was mainly manufacturing/factory work - production line (6 years)

courier van driver - (2 years) never ever again btw hated it!

office - menial data entry (2 years)

warehouse - order picker/general operative (3 years)

* in between these jobs i had spells of unemployment in which i went to college as a mature student learning web-design
and PC maintenance ...and also more recently learning the basics of horticulture in my CE job.

and thats about it really

Why did you hate the van driving? I'm a mechanical engineering contractor and I'd go back doing it in a heartbeat. You're out on the road, meeting folk (that has pros and cons I know). I like driving.

In fact only this year I done got myself a C license. Seriously fed up with this engineering crap. But it's paying me too much to just walk away from it. For now

Richard Hillman · 12-12-2018 12:04am

When I finished college I went straight into a job for 6 months but hated the office and left. After that I couldn't even get an interview in my degree genre and gave up. I applied for a million low skilled jobs and they wouldn't give me the time of day. Eventually got something low skilled after about 9 months of persisting.

I think a lot of the cases is that they don't think that you'll stay for long. It's also very hard to go from working in an adult environment to something like retail where you get treated like a child. They really don't like anybody over an age where they will stand up for themselves. And in a lot of cases, are more qualified to do their managers job.

Lefty Bicek · 12-12-2018 12:06am

Ruraldweller56 wrote: »

I had a job before in an office where there was a CCTV camera pointed right at the back of my head. Needles to say it made me quite uncomfortable. I didn't stay very long.

I asked a solicitor that I know on a personal level if they'd be able to offer any advice. They got back to me after a few days and told me that they would be required by law to have what's known as a 'camera policy'.

As I'm the one being recorded in the image I have certain rights and am within them to know why its needed, (I need to make sure the little f*cker is working isn't acceptable) who has access to it, how long they're going to keep it on file, where the recording is being stored, even what type of security it's kept under.

A lot of employers do like to extract the urine around this type of stuff. Can't wait to see cases being brought against them because of it.

I don't know what any of that has to do with this case, though

Thanks for the info about 'camera policy' though... they've quite recently been installed in my workplace.

Ruraldweller56 · 12-12-2018 12:14am

Lefty Bicek wrote: »

I don't know what any of that has to do with this case, though

Thanks for the info about 'camera policy' though... they've quite recently been installed in my workplace.

In both cases a company is holding a recording of you. Like Whiskey Galore said, cretins gathered around a laptop having a lol at the video monkey applying for the job.

Have they a policy of what happens with these videos when they go in? Who sees it and who has access to it? Will it be forwarded on to other companies? It's a lot of legal crap I doubt our buddy has considered.

Ask your line manager for your companies camera policy. If he doesn't have one you've got him by the balls.

dartboardio · 12-12-2018 12:16am

frosty123 wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

but this is xmas! if i can't get a job at the busiest time what chance have i got come the new year???

Right now is the worst time to get a job. The new year would be a tiny bit better.

Everyone that was hiring for Christmas did that back in the end of November. As said, you’ll be lucky if you get something early January as that’s when most are very quiet

Paully D · 12-12-2018 12:17am

Healthcare Assistant would be a good way to go IMO.

There’s lots of people in a similar situation to yourself who have gone this route in recent years and the main healthcare providers literally cannot get enough staff. Every second job you see posted online these days is for HCA’s.

As far as I’m aware, a lot of companies will take you on with only a couple of specific modules of a level 5 done and you can even do them online with some training providers. You may even qualify for funding from the social welfare to do so.

The hours are not your standard Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, but the money is very good with some companies especially if doing night shifts and/or weekends, and I don’t know anyone in that field who is short of work.

frosty123 · 12-12-2018 12:27am

Ruraldweller56 wrote: »

Why did you hate the van driving

don't hate van driving per se but courier driving is a bloody awful thankless job its *stress central*

dartboardio wrote: »

Right now is the worst time to get a job. The new year would be a tiny bit better.

Everyone that was hiring for Christmas did that back in the end of November.

i've been looking since september

BeerWolf · 12-12-2018 12:30am

Took me two days to get an interview, and promptly the job.

I don't believe in this "hard to get a job" malarkey. More so for relatively unskilled labour that is always in demand.

frosty123 · 12-12-2018 12:33am

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

what line of work?

BeerWolf · 12-12-2018 12:35am

frosty123 wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

what line of work?

I am currently working in Dublin Airport, and there's a high demand for Ramp Agents, and other areas. Once you've got security clearance there's plenty of opportunity.

Ruraldweller56 · 12-12-2018 12:37am

frosty123 wrote: »

don't hate van driving per se but courier driving is a bloody awful thankless job its *stress central*

i've been looking since september

I was driving as a courier too. A large part of the job was drink into bars. Not kegs but mostly top shelf and wine. So it was boxes.

For the most part it was enjoyable. I guess in hindsight though 2-3 difficult customers a day could really p!ss a man off. And that happened a lot.

Maybe sometimes I look back on it with Rose tinted glasses. Maybe.

frosty123 · 12-12-2018 12:38am

ramp agent? whats that?

Purple Mountain · 12-12-2018 12:39am

BeerWolf wrote: »

I am currently working in Dublin Airport, and there's a high demand for Ramp Agents, and other areas. Once you've got security clearance there's plenty of opportunity.

If OP is Limerick side, are there jobs in Shannon?

BeerWolf · 12-12-2018 12:40am

frosty123 wrote: »

ramp agent? whats that?

The ground crew you see buzzing about dealing with flights, be it cargo or luggage or whatever services, as well as directing planes to and from their stands to the taxi way.

Can't get a job

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