My "experience " isn't good enough

[wardrobescmose]

I applied for a job as a health care assistant at my local hospital outpatient department
It said no qualifications but maths /English desirable and some experience in a care setting would be helpful

I have grade B in maths /english
I was a full time carer for my gran with dementia
I did this for 10 years
It was hard and I did it alone
Washed /dressed /fed /medications etc

I've been told because it wasn't paid care work it's not classed as experience

Feel a bit deflated
I did everything a paid carer would but I had no respite and no money for it

Not really a question but feeling a bit sad
I know I could do this job

I also did volunteering with age uk but this isn't experience either apparently

I would apply to private care providers, do a bit of time and then reapply to NHS.

This job was out patient just checking patients in for appointments and making sure rooms were tidy for next appointment
I'm not sure why I need any "paid " care experience for that
I'm going to start applying for private care jobs to get some experience they class as experience

Sometimes feel like those who care for family members get overlooked

I think it’s actually quite tough to train bad habits out of family carers. I worked in a care home and, rightfully, there are lots of rules for a workers protection. Moving and handling, the wearing of p.p.e. Etc. carers who’d been trained properly from the get go are easier to work with.

Id get a job in a care home, get trained up, and then reapply.

Could you tell a white lie and say you were paid by your nan? You worked as a self employed carer for her but earned below the tax threshold?
If it's just the fact of money changing hands.

I don't think it is personal. These jobs may have high application rates so they have to filter many suitable candidates out and experience is an easy way to do this

I don’t think there are any occupations that accept what we do in the home and for family as experience in that profession - are there?

As a family carer doing a LOT of hands on care, I'd have to agree with this. I do stuff from sheer necessity that no trained carer would (or should) attempt.

Don't let yourself be put off. As a pp says above, there's a large element of that experience being the framework of standardised policies - ppe, lifting etc. Much like home educating your children wouldnt be acceptable in place of a structured degree.

I would apply to care homes, private institutions to get some paid experience under your belt and keep in mind that your time caring for your gran will reflect the behaviour and personality type needed for such a demanding role when it comes to reapplying.

I totally get that but this role isn't actually on a ward or anything like that and states no experience necessary

My friends cousin left college and got a job in a care home
Zero experience and did a basic one week shadowing
No idea how to lift or move and one day she was sent in the room to lift a man (should of been two people ) and left that day

A lot of the post was looking for people with "empathy and kind nature "
I assumed me spending so long looking after gran would show this

Budgets are really tight at the moment, lots of healthcare staff such as nurses etc are struggling to secure jobs (despite there being a desperate need for them). I suspect what's happening is as there are fewer HCA roles those with experience (which isn't always needed) are more likely to get them. It's probably also actually the opposite of what you'd think, because it's not on a ward where you'd have more supervision it's probably harder to get without experience in a healthcare setting; booking in and taking obs before apps you'd be on your own more.

If its what you want to do don't let it put you off, either wait and reapply when things are looking a bit brighter in terms of recruitment, or try and get work as a paid carer in say a nursing home.

Not necessarily - sadly just because you're a carer doesn't mean you're nice. I think the best way forward is for you to get some paid work as a carer, then try again.

You may find being a carer either in a nursing home or in people's homes suits you - I really liked it!

This happened to my friend and she was so shocked as was I!! She’d applied to be a care assistant after having looked after her own family member and she was a trainee nurse at 17 (but had to leave as her dad was in the armed forces)

She applied for a role where they were taking on several staff members and they said no experience required and she got an interview but they told her she didn’t get that job as she hasn’t got experience- so why give her an interview?!

They offered her to go on a course for 15 hours a week over 3 days for 8 weeks without pay to ‘train’. She declined and got a job elsewhere!

What a joke when they say there is a shortage….

It may not have been necessary, but if someone applied who did have a bunch of relevant work experience that would go in their favour.

Not getting the job offer doesn't mean they don't think you have any of the qualities they asked for. It's just that they found someone who showed those qualities to higher extent and/or could prove it with relevant industry experience, great references.

@Pootles34 I've been looking at nursing homes and my only worry is il get attached
Upset if someone passes away
Where in a hospital I wouldn't have time to form bonds (if that makes sense)
I would enjoy it but not sure I could do it without getting really attached to
Especially if some of them didn't have family

I see your point. Could you do agency works, visiting them in their homes? Unfortunately it is a pay off - one of the most rewarding things is getting to know people.

Remember you have no idea who else applied- they could have had people who have been doing similar roles for years.

Sorry you didn't get the job.

There may have been others applying for the job already working for the NHS with hosp experience etc or could have had someone in mind for the job already working in the hosp or even redeployment!
It does happen and vacant position needs to be advertised regardless, not fair for others applying but keep trying and you will hopefully get a position in healthcare.

The other issue with being a family carer is there's no proof. Plenty of people will lie about anything to get a job, if they think it won't be found out. If they got eg 300 applications for the job it's understandably going to go to someone who has been properly trained and has experience which is easy to confirm with references and qualifications. It doesn't mean they don't like you or you're unsuitable, just that someone else was a better bet for them to employ.

They can’t count the care you provided your gran as experience as they can’t get an independent reference for that experience.

In the same way that although I have raised my own children, I couldn’t say that I have experience in childcare if I were to go for a job in a nursery.

The volunteering for Age UK seems a bit harsh though.

And as others have said, even though experience isn’t a pre-requisite for an application, that doesn’t mean that everyone is on a level playing field. Individuals with relevant experience will still be viewed more favourably than those without.

don’t worry few people get the first job they applied for and there will have received many applications

Keep applying and the NHS do have strict criteria’s to follow (there is a lot of movement within the NHS)

just keep trying and possible look to studying there are lots courses that you can do home study.

I would look at agency work to star with

Also becoming attached isn’t a bad thing it’s how it’s managed, that you recognise this is the first step (surprising how many people don’t) it’s ok to care very much and to feel sadness towards someone you have supported passing away. You sound very caring and empathetic you will learn how to deal with these situations

Good luck

I've put my 8 years experience supporting a deaf and blind gentleman, on my CV. It doesn't matter if it was unpaid. Perhaps don't say it was unpaid?

That doesn't actually sound like a carer job. More admin/reception/general support type role.

Or was it providing whatever service/treatment the people with appointments were there for?

But someone else could have had direct experience of the role. Sometimes, no matter how good/suitable you are and how well you interview, if there's only one job, others might score higher than you and get the job.