Keep trying - Just had a job offer after 5 months out!

[cwis]

Hi all,

After applying for something like 200 vacancies, some with up to 400 applicants, 8 first interviews, 3 second interviews and 5 months and three days, I've finally been offered a decent job.

Keep trying - that's all I'm saying. It's easy to let off on the daily search (as I did for a week or so, here and there when despair and the feeling of futility got the better of me) but eventually you'll hit paydirt. Best of luck all.

Chris

[boobles]

Congrats, hope the new job goes well for you.
I have been told that i am being made redundant within the next 18/24 months but i am rather hoping that things pick up by then & theres more vacancies around.

[FNG]

Well done!

Thanks for the encouragement. Am sure I'm not the only one who needs to know some people are getting taken on again.


Having said that, 7 months & one interview, my industry on its arse.

I suspect I have a bit longer to wait yet.

[Matt_Tilda]

Me too Jobs are like buses - you wait ages for one, then 2 come along at once.

After 6 months out of work, I had an interview (just the one) for company A, then a first interview (of two) for company B. As I came out of that interview, company A phoned to say they wanted me. But company B still want to give me a 2nd interview (and I've already done a software test for them at home). Not sure why they're interested in me, as I've already signed the papers for the offered job. Might be useful if things don't work out.

Are things looking up at last?

I'm in software testing, by the way.

[T89 Callan]

Congrats mate,

I'm now on 7 months and only one interview, it's fked up.

I actually asked about a job in Blockbuster today but when the asked for my CV I didn't know what to do? How do you go from £25 per hour car deisgner to working in Blockbuster?

[FNG]

T89 Callan said:

Congrats mate,

I'm now on 7 months and only one interview, it's fked up.

I actually asked about a job in Blockbuster today but when the asked for my CV I didn't know what to do? How do you go from £25 per hour car deisgner to working in Blockbuster?

I'm in exactly the same boat - currently hearing that most potential employers aren't kicking off their new projects til the new year.

Trying to persuade a security guard supervisor or a Halfords manager that I'm a realistic prospect is a stretch too far for my blagging skills with a CV crammed with vehicle development experience. Too many other candidates out there with relevant experience and less likelihood of moving on quickly.

[RedRose123]

T89 Callan said:

Congrats mate,

I'm now on 7 months and only one interview, it's fked up.

I actually asked about a job in Blockbuster today but when the asked for my CV I didn't know what to do? How do you go from £25 per hour car deisgner to working in Blockbuster?

Better then me, 7 months and no interviews, no ones even called me in the last 3 months. I've got over 10 years experience and a degree. I'm signing on tommorow, doesn't get much lower then that.

[T89 Callan]

RedRose123 said:

T89 Callan said:

Congrats mate,

I'm now on 7 months and only one interview, it's fked up.

I actually asked about a job in Blockbuster today but when the asked for my CV I didn't know what to do? How do you go from £25 per hour car deisgner to working in Blockbuster?

Better then me, 7 months and no interviews, no ones even called me in the last 3 months. I've got over 10 years experience and a degree. I'm signing on tommorow, doesn't get much lower then that.

Don't beat yourself up. I thought it was just me being lazy/rubbish that meant no interviews but so many people have experienced axactly the same thing.

One tactic I have developed is the following:

-Find a job advertised
-Send CV and coevering letter
-Ring 5-10 minutes later to discuss said CV while it is still at the top of the inbox and in there mind

Seems to get my name and details into there mind.

[FNG]

T89 Callan said:

RedRose123 said:

T89 Callan said:

Congrats mate,

I'm now on 7 months and only one interview, it's fked up.

I actually asked about a job in Blockbuster today but when the asked for my CV I didn't know what to do? How do you go from £25 per hour car deisgner to working in Blockbuster?

Better then me, 7 months and no interviews, no ones even called me in the last 3 months. I've got over 10 years experience and a degree. I'm signing on tommorow, doesn't get much lower then that.

Don't beat yourself up. I thought it was just me being lazy/rubbish that meant no interviews but so many people have experienced axactly the same thing.

One tactic I have developed is the following:

-Find a job advertised
-Send CV and coevering letter
-Ring 5-10 minutes later to discuss said CV while it is still at the top of the inbox and in there mind

Seems to get my name and details into there mind.

Agreed. Been doing that for every role I've spotted in the last 7 months and in time, you get to know the agents and build up a little relationship (if you can be bothered to try and they can be bothered to spend an extra minute or two saying hello).

But my experience to date says that regardless of that, the only times they'll contact you is if something lands on their desk that suits you down to the ground - namely if a vacancy comes up that is EXACTLY the same as the one you were last doing.

Anything other than that and you need to strongly plead your case, so tailor your covering letter so that the agent doesn't even have to do any work. Point out how you meet ALL of the employer's requirements and take quotes directly from your CV. If your CV doesn't have handy quotes to paste straight into a covering letter, it needs to be changed such that it does.

If you don't lead the agent by the nose (for roles where you're not already doing the job you are applying for) then they are likely not to put you forward for consideration. There's too many people out there applying who have just been doing that job to warrant a lot of energy on someone who hasn't, so do the running yourself.

Also, if you don't fulfil every aspect of an employer's requirements, at the moment I think you're unlikely to get anywhere. Again, too many candidates to choose from so only the 100% fits will generally go forward for consideration. There are some very specialised exceptions I'm sure but employers and agents both seem to think they can be very fussy indeed, and I suppose that for now they're probably better placed to be right about that than us, positioned as we are at the grubbier end of the stick.

Good luck, it's not easy but you have to try...

[2 Wycked]

One month, about thirty applications and one interview later I have been offered a job. Sadly it's only for eight hours per week, which hardly seems worthwhile, so I've accepted but am still on the look out.

[T5R+]

some of my views - note am employed but would simply like to encourage fellow PH (as was in a similar position to many of you many moons ago).

NEVER, EVER stop applying...........there will be days that "the mountain seems too high to climb".

So take a few days out and not bother. BUT this few days has a time limit of only 1 week and then get back into applying.

Recruitment Consultants - those of us that think you have to lead them by the nose

A lot of these lazy sh*tes sat on their behinds and did minimal work when the economy was booming, but nowadays (hopefully) only the best will survive.