Unemployed and jobhunting after redundancy - losing the will! Anyone else?

[Metabigot]

I was made redundant in November from a permanent job I enjoyed and then took a role out of desperation that turned out to be totally unsuitable for me so I didn't pass probation... since then I have been hammering the job market and had a fair few interviews but most have not progressed to second stage, or if they have I haven't been the 'chosen one'.

I took some agency work last week that turned out to be a total disaster.. they hadn't thought things through so had little work for me and after 3 days said they'd changed their requirements... bemused as to why they took me on in the first place and royally messed around but c'est la vie.

There seem to be hundreds of applicants in my field (professional/qualified) even for short term contracts that usually agencies would be scrabbling around to fill.

Permanent roles are few and far between - I have an interview for one this week and was told they had over 40 quality applicants in less than 48 hours.

Luckily we have a small mortgage and enough money to survive but it's sainsburys tu school shoes rather than clarks for the kids and no non essentials at all......

Wondering how long this will go on for now as I'm fed up to the back teeth and I don't even dare to hope I'll get a job offer when I go for an interview now after being knocked back so many times.

Just wondering if anyone else is in a similar boat and care to share stories, or if you have managed to land a job in these uncertain times

[daisychain01]

Here's a current thread running on this board. Good luck with interviews, it's a numbers game, you'll get there in the end!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/employment_issues/4243216-Just-a-bit-of-encouragement-for-anyone-who-is-currently-unemployed

[Hollyhocksarenotmessy]

No, but it's a pisser when you keep getting interviews but not the job (been there).

It can be a numbers game and often it's a case of whose face fits/best fit for the team/who is most like their other employees, who is the safe choice. That's down to luck. So don't get too downhearted.

It's also interview technique though. I hate doing recruitment as I know that sometimes we have to offer to the person who is best at interviews rather than the person who would be best at the job (particularly where there is a formal framework for questions/scoring). How are you preparing for the interviews?

All the best, it's an awful feeling, but you will get there.

[Metabigot]

I do wonder if I'm overegging the pudding sometimes by trying to make myself stand out as the best candidate, for example I have a particular passion for a certain element of my job (management development) and have tried to speak about this to make myself stand out, but I'm becoming aware that things can backfire and one interview where I was in 'pole position' after first interview according to the recruiter but they didn't give me the job and then twisted what I'd said into a negative thing, saying I wouldn't hand hold their managers (as I'd gone on about how I'd want to help them think for themselves rather than be too overly reliant on my support - if you haven't already guessed I work in HR)

So now I'm wary of trying to make myself stand out for fear of it backfiring, but if I don't say anything I feel like I'm not showcasing my USPs, feel like I can't win, any advice?

[Hollyhocksarenotmessy]

That's exactly what we are supposed to do in HR!

Are you looking for public or private sector?

[Metabigot]

@Hollyhocksarenotmessy

That's exactly what we are supposed to do in HR!

Are you looking for public or private sector?

As in, help the managers think for themselves?
So I was right to say I didn't want them to be overly dependent on me?

Somehow this got twisted into 'you would not hand hold the managers and would want to put them on a performance improvement plan which is against our company values.'

I'm looking for private sector ideally but at the moment would take anything on an interim basis just to get back in the saddle.

[SylHellais]

I really sympathise, @JorisBohnson2. I was made redundant last year before the first lockdown and it took me over a year to get another job. The first few months I was ok because I was outdoors a lot and busied myself with various things but by Christmas with a lot of unsuccessful applications and failed interviews under my belt, I was feeling pretty low.

I do have a job now but what did help me through was networking groups. It sounds a bit ugh, but I got into a couple of good networking groups and it was a lifeline for me as we were all in the same boat. We met every week via Zoom and had some breakout groups plus guest speakers and events. Happy to put you in touch with the organiser if you’re interested.

Best of luck, I hope you find something you love.

[mscynical]

I work in the public sector (in London) and am always seeing HR roles advertised on council, NHS and third sector job sites. A big change if you come from private sector admittedly but jobs are certainly being advertised.

[Metabigot]

@mscynical

I work in the public sector (in London) and am always seeing HR roles advertised on council, NHS and third sector job sites. A big change if you come from private sector admittedly but jobs are certainly being advertised.

Thanks @mscynical you are right there certainly are jobs being advertised much more than last year, but the problem is the massive over saturation of candidates going after them!

The (private sector) role i got short listed for said they'd had over 40 quality applicants in less than 48 hours so I was lucky/pleased to be shortlisted but it just shows what it is like out there. Not heard back from the interview yet and I was one of 6 at first stage so we'll see.


I am willing to do public sector on an interim basis whilst I search the elusive perm role but am wary of doing this for too long and it marring my CV. Much of the time employers are narrowing down candidates based on industry sector.. my philosophy is that HR is all 'variations on a theme' whatever the sector but I can understand if an employer has to narrow down the candidate pool they will use industry sector as a whittling instrument.