To ask how to get a bloody job?

[CupCakes00]

I have been a SAHM for 9 years, so my last employment and on my CV is 2008!

I have had my CV professionally done, and with regards to being at home it just says 'taken time out to raise my family' (I saw the previous thread about SAHM and what they put on cv) and now looking to return to the workplace.

I think my CV is quite appealing, I sell myself but not too much as advised.

But why am I not getting interviews? Is it really because I've been out of work for so long, have DC? Many apply for every job so they would rather give it to someone with no DC because apparently these people are more reliable?

its so frustrating and I feel like I will never get a job.

Any suggestions please?

What kind of jobs are you applying for? Have you got up-to-date skills that they need?

I am in a similar situation and looking to change career from my pre-kids field. I'm considering offering to do work experience for a couple of weeks at places I would be keen to work to get references/understand the new industry...is that an option for you?

I'd start with tempting agencies. The jobs will initially be shit and probably below your skill level, but once you have a few recent roles and some up-to-date references you'll be able to leapfrog upwards pretty quickly. It's what I've done every time I've had employment breaks for e.g. studying.

*temping, obviously - there's nothing tempting about it!

Are you looking to pick up your career, or are you looking for "a job" ?

You need to fill in some of those gaps though, voluntary work - eg reading at primary school, PTA, caring for an elderly neighbour, or running your own small internet business (ebay etc) - no one can ever check that stuff but you can utilise the skills learned - eg : event planning, stock taking, marketing and so forth.

Every job application should have a tailored CV, so you have the generic one, then you tweak it to show the key skills required in the job advert.

How can you demonstrate up to date skills/ knowledge? What professional development/ volunteering have you done?
Loads available for free on line. You may need to invest some time in volunteer roles/ work experience / training as so much has changed in that time.

Great advice there, thanks everyone.

I thing volunteering is my next step so I can get some up to date work on my cv.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for really. I would love to go back to my old career but very difficult due to childcare as the hours were over 24/7

I've been looking for work for a grand total of ten bloody weeks and I've not had a single interview so I don't think it's entirely down to taking a few years out of employment to raise your family. Even applying for entry-level admin roles doesn't seem to be working for me...

Like other PPs have suggested, maybe look at volunteering or see if there's any distance learning courses at a nearby college so you can update your skills. Fingers crossed for you OP, I hope you find something soon

I'm a recruitment consultant and I have to tell you that unfortunately for 1 job we probably receive any where between 20-30 applications (depending on the job). If the job is in a well sought after location with good money, id say 50. Top lovel jobs 100+. Unfortunately most of the clients I work for who will send us their jobs to work specify in their job description that they require 'working experience within the last 2 years' so anyone who has been out of work for longer than this time is automatically rejected and sent an email. I know it sounds harsh but it's what our client ask for and if we were to send someone who had relevant experience more than 2 years ago but still hadn't worked in that time, our client would probably throw us off the list because we've ignored what they've asked of us (and FYI, it is SO difficult to get on a client list and work their roles as my industry is so competitive). Many companies use recruitment industries these days so don't do their hiring directly. I would say best chance to find something is to either use an agency who advertise positions that are your entry level positions as there won't be much competition or even better to go directly to companies yourself if you see them advertising a post. I work for a recruitment agency and I can honestly say that going direct is your best bet. Send in a CV and then always call and find out who does the hiring and see if you can have a chat also. Takes some time but should get you something you love. X

Great honest advice from poppy! Another suggestion- have a look at what colour is your parachute website and book- gives great ideas and ways to approach the employers you want to work for.

@Poppy, I have a question; having applied for quite a few entry level jobs, often the advert does not explicitly state you need any experience at all (I'm talking basic admin roles where your main duties are photocopying and typing up documents and the like...surely can't be that hard, right?) so I send away my CV and more often than not hear nothing back. I'm in a bit of a limbo where, because I have a degree (MA but technically a BA, weird Scottish quirk) I'm deemed too over-qualified for entry level stuff but haven't got any experience for any higher-up jobs. Volunteering aside is there any way to remedy this? I'm worried I'll either have to sign on soon or take yet another minimum wage job whilst trying to find other ways of boosting my skills

@DieSchottin93 are you applying for entry level 'graduate' roles with some kind of clear training or progression? Because you wouldn't be too overqualified for those so I don't thin having an MA would be stopping you getting interviews.

I work in recruitment and if we were looking to fill entry level admin jobs and applicants had masters level qualifications, we'd have concerns the role would be challenging or stimulating enough for them tbh. The likelihood would be they'd get through the door and immediately want progression, which isn't always possible. You'd then be recruiting again for your admin role.

I employ someone like this and she seems constantly disenchanted with her role - it's tough as there's nowhere for me to promote her to at the moment and she's becoming difficult to manage.

I think volunteering is a great way to go to evidence your skills, by the way. I worked in a family business for a while to end the gap and also chaired our pre school committee - it gave me something to talk about at interview.

Definitely try the temping route, I've had a couple of temping jobs that turned into permenent roles.

Is your CV revised to make it most appropriate for each job you apply for? Are you including what you achieved whilst in your previous employment?

@5rivers I've been applying for both really, I regularly check my uni's careers as they tend to have more jobs geared towards graduates portal but I graduated two years ago so I don't know if that's not "recent" enough?

@whirly Right now I just want a job that's not retail/hospitality (these were the types of jobs I worked after school and during every summer holiday since the age of 16) so I would quite happily stick at an entry level admin job long enough to gather enough experience, which from the adverts I've looked at seems to be between 1-2 years. I feel like I have a lot to offer as an employee but that somehow doesn't seem to be coming through on my applications

Go to a recruitment agency for advise and for them to find you jobs even temping ones. Sign up to a few and bother them if they don't call you let them know you want to be put forward for everything.

My CV was laid out for the jobs I'm qualified to apply for and yes gives details of what I've achieved. It may be worth sending it off to somewhere else to look at.

Will a temping agency take me on though if I've not worked for so long? Does the 2yr rule not apply for them?

What I meant was, for example, I have experience in 3 different fields

Management Accounts
Project Support
Admin to certain quality standards

I have done jobs that have involved all 3 some just 1 or 2.

For each finance job I apply for there will be more detail on my CV about that relevant experience, for Project Support my CV will focus on detail about that leaving out some of the detail about finance accordingly.

If you are doing a blanket CV for all jobs it won't be as could be.

Yes to volunteering.

What I have noticed in the last years though is that even volunteering roles want you to have X amount of experience in a certain field along with references. They can't even be bothered to train you up, they just want free labour.

Random, it's just a blanket CV for all. I never even thought to change it for different jobs. That's an idea.

How many years are you supposed to go back with your jobs?

A tailored cv for every application is key. Have a look at some examples of functional skills cvs on line too. Cover your whole career albeit only briefly for distant jobs. There are loads of examples on line.

Also you should be tailoring your CV for each company you apply to - try and echo/mirror in your CV what they are looking for in the job description. In this kind of job market a generic CV which isn't even tailored for the industry, let alone the company, could be holding you back.

Also, within 3 weeks, the high street will have those 'xmas workers wanted' adverts. It's step, it gives you experience and often leads to something more permanent.

I echo the poster above who suggested temping. I did it for two years. I had a couple of long placements but by and large, you move on every couple of weeks. It's easy money.

Could I also suggest the NHS? My trust has over 1,000 vacancies, many of them clerical.

[[https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/]]

Thanks so much for all the advice, you've all helped me loads.

First job, change the CV then look for voluntary or xmas work.