Applying for a job
- 1 September 2011 12:56124122I thought of revealing some personal experience in applying for a job.
Usually, when applying for a vacant advertised job, a CV that has been styled and approved with profession help, is included, together with a covering letter. The person applying is me.
Usually, for every 100 applications made, about 5 replies came, and these only to inform me that, unfortunately, I wasn't accepted.
The adviser who styled my CV, appointed at my request by the Jobcentre, told me not to include my date of birth.
Rightly so, if applying for factory, farm or warehouse labour. He said one can be victim of age discrimination.
However, the fact is, according to my own opinion, when not giving your age, the employer already knows you are not 21, and knows that if you were aged between 21 and 27, you would most certainly paste it big in your CV and in your covering letter.
And if you don't specifically put in writing that you have worked in a factory or warehouse, or whatever, for so and so many years, the employer knows that you are not the one for the job.
But then one is not suppose to invent things either. So be honest in your CV, and be reassured that you won't get the job.
After passing into part-time self-employment last year, I still applied for full-time work, but the results were the same: 95% of times no reply, 5 % of times to say: sorry, unfortunately...
So even if you work part-time and therefore presumably know how to get out of bed and dress yourself, it ain't enough for the employer, who knows exactly who he is looking for. In other words, show any sign of weakness, (not including your date of birth on the CV, being only PART-TIME self-employed, not having worked x years in a factory...), and you might as well forget even applying!
After passing to full-time self-employment (30 hours+) this year, yes, you guessed it, I still applied for jobs, but to date have received no answer.
Incidentally, on rare occasions (100-200 times or more) I have also applied for other kinds of vacancies, not just factory-warehouse. For example science-related, trade-related...but the response is the same.
I will admit, I don't have a degree, but still, give it a try, I say!
The conclusion: many unemployed British people apply and apply for work, but don't get even an answer, or only a pre-printed template saying: sorry, unfortunately...!
Always good to hear the other view too, I say.Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
Rule Britannia!
Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 1 September 2011 13:08124123Alex - first of all it is best to be honest in a CV. Miss something obvious out, like a date of birth or a date gap, and they will wonder what you are hiding.
This is not new, it has always been the case that most people do not get replies - not good at all.
I have always said that who you know is the most important factor and word of mouth in business and employment. When I have needed someone I 'put the word out' and never advertised (well, not for best part of 20 years anyway!).
Get out and about talking to people about what you are looking for, you never know!
Good luck. - 1 September 2011 18:49124174Thanks Barry.
Still, I do go out and about talking, which is where all my work comes from. This week I'm on part-time painting, which is reasonable and I'm happy with that.
But could you imagine anyone employing someone at the age of 32 in a factory, such as me
Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
Rule Britannia!
Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 1 September 2011 19:21124180What type of work are you looking for Alex ?
- 1 September 2011 20:44124189Good luck with your hunt Alexander and I know what you mean.
I had an interview 2 weeks ago for a local company and came out of it Very confident, I was told I would be told on the Friday either way if I had got it or not. The ignorant sods never even called me back.
Looking for a career change and at the moment I'll take anything.
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet. - 1 September 2011 21:59124195agree there about the "i won't leave you in limbo" bit.
i can only echo blue barry and wish the best of luck to alex who comes across as a real trier. - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
1 September 2011 23:10124203good luck alexanderALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - 1 September 2011 23:22124208Oh how happy I was, many a time,
until my fortunes changed, each time
now I sit there head in hand,
where once, proud, I would stand.
My biggest surprise came around February this year.
Last year I joined a writing company, based in Canada, and they were the best on internet. They accepted me straight away when I sent in the two requested proof-texts.
My revenues were increasing, the more articles I wrote. Then in Feb this year, Google introduced a new search-engine algorithm, called panda, and we, and other sites like ours, lost 90-95% of our page views, and our revenues went down accordingly.
We writers were shocked, we shared our views on our writers' forum, amd many stopped writing altogether.
The last revenue I cashed in was 20 dollars, and that was it.
The Company tried everything to get us writing again, and to reverse the downfall, but it hasn't worked.
The writers who earned 1000 dollars a month were getting 100 dollars, and those with 10 a month, went down to 1 dollar!
Meanwhile, 90% of the editors at the Company left, there was nothing to pay them any more! They took it bravely, but no-one could change Google's mind!
Many of my articles are top-ranking on Yahoo and Bing, but these two WWW operators get a lot less traffic than Google.
I make ends meet doing painting jobs, but money is more scarce than ever, and not many people have much of it to give out.
As I said, no-one in a factory would employ me, I've never worked in one before, and at my age they send people working in factories into pension!
(Or on the dole)
When I signed off, I made a resolution that I wouldn't sign on again, it was a nightmare, 10 months - the first time in my life -
until I managed some part-time employment of sorts and could declare some revenues. Signing on was a humiliation, so won't do that again!.
I ain't got a car, so won't get far, but somehow I mange to get through.Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
Rule Britannia!
Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ