to think that I have been written off? (job related)

[sunnytimes83]

Short version
Looking for a job after a 18 month maternity (thanks covid, it looks great on my CV) and can’t get any interviews for ‘exciting admin roles’ (above £30k, Northern Powerhouse area). So my CV is missing the mark and I don’t get why.

Long version
I am applying for anything remotely interesting at the moment but can’t get any interviews. If all else fails I will apply for a simple £18k admin job, hopefully get it and then hate every minute of it. I don’t have a posh accounting or law or business qualification, but I have previously worked in solid roles and my previous managers were pretty happy with what I did. I don’t have any social contacts, exciting hobby, special skills etc etc. I just want a job that’s not going to crush my soul.

CV shows:
my name that looks like I probably wasn’t born in England
first class degree
a handful of diplomas and certificates
Job 1 - 2 years (as the company moved headquarters and everyone were made redundant)
Job 2 - 3.5 years (as the company closed down due to owners person problems)
Job 3 - 1.2 years (as this was my stop gap while waiting for next big thing)
Job 4 - 3.5 years (as the company moved department offshore and most people were made redundant)
‘All other jobs summary available upon request’ (junior admin and customer service roles)

AIBU to think that I have been written off as a credible / long term employee? Because my name is wrong, got the wrong degree, happened to pick employers who would make my role redundant a few years later or for other reasons that the recruiters are seeing in my CV?

Btw it’s a pretty good CV, not sure re formatting would improve it.

If you're able to pay someone, you're probably looking at 2-3 sessions.

1. to look at your CV and job search approach - you'd then need to do some homework based on those recommendations.

2/3. to follow up on the changes you've made and looking at how you then proceed to interview prep and offer.

if this isn't possible, deconstruct the job adverts that align with what you want to do next, and craft your CV around what they're asking for.

I would say from what you've described, your CV is upside down and in all honestly for an admin grade role, having a first (which I'm sure was well deserved) is fairly irrelevant.

£30k admin roles might have existed 20 years ago when it was a more skilled role, but these days everything is so automated they are typically junior minimum wage jobs.

Have you looked at what the actual requirement/qualifications are for these £30k jobs? Maybe it’s time to retrain or take some courses to get yourself there?

Can you define what you mean by an interesting admins role in the 30k region? Because I can’t think what sort of jobs your wanting/applying for.

Is a personalised CV really that big a deal?

I don't think you need to include anything beyond the last 4-5 job roles, especially if it's not significant.

Your "All other jobs summary available upon request" (to me) just makes it look like you have a huge list of jobs you've never stuck to. It's not necessary. Most employers don't care what you were doing 10-15 years ago.

Why should I need to? I have nothing to prove.

If you don't have any demonstrable experience in the jobs you're applying for, then yes, you do have something to prove.

It seems that your current approach isn't working, otherwise I imagine you wouldn't be posting on here.

Quite a few people who have good insight have shared similar guidance, ergo it's worth exploring if reestablishing your career is important for you.

It's all well and good not wanting an entry level position but then you need to put in the work to refine your approach to reflect those wants.

Nobody will see your potential unless you show them.

@StopRightThereDavidCopperfield

It seems that your current approach isn't working, otherwise I imagine you wouldn't be posting on here.

Quite a few people who have good insight have shared similar guidance, ergo it's worth exploring if reestablishing your career is important for you.

It's all well and good not wanting an entry level position but then you need to put in the work to refine your approach to reflect those wants.

Nobody will see your potential unless you show them.

Thank you x

I think 30k plus got admin in north is unrealistic. I’d try local authorities. Salary will be lower but prospects to progress.

Why should I need to? I have nothing to prove.

^^

No, but you need an income

@CristinaYangismySpiritAnimal

Can you define what you mean by an interesting admins role in the 30k region? Because I can’t think what sort of jobs your wanting/applying for.

More like ‘compliance analyst’ and not ‘compliance assistant’.

@immersivereader

Why should I need to? I have nothing to prove.

^^

No, but you need an income

Yup 😂

@Dixiechickonhols

I think 30k plus got admin in north is unrealistic. I’d try local authorities. Salary will be lower but prospects to progress.

Won’t it be soul destroying? Apologies to anyone who works there and loves it but our local authority is firmly in the 80s with couple of apps nobody at the office knows to operate

But if you have no experience in that kind of role, and are not tailoring your CV towards in then why would they call you in for interview?

Your previous jobs, what were they? What were the salaries?

For context, I'm in 'The North' in a supervisory, office based role - overseeing a team of 3 others. My Saalry is £27.5k and I'd not have got this job without significant experience in the role (I did not have the supervisory though)

I’d try and get back on LinkedIn I get approached through it and interviewers look. It looks like you are out of it completely not to be on.

But that’s not an admin job, it is its own role. Do you have experience in this? If the previous roles you have had have been purely admin based this is likely the issue.

Why not? Isn't the point of a job application to showcase that you fit their specific criteria which means you have to tweak your CV accordingly? Or perhaps I have misunderstood your comment?

sunnytimes83 I work for a LA and find it interesting not soul destroying but each to their own 😂 What were your previous job titles?

Your comment being that you couldn't possibly adjust your CV for each role

What about remote roles?

I don't understand why you wouldnt target your CV to each job. It's very basic stuff when applying for any role!

And yes to picking out key elements of your previous roles to target towards whatever you're applying for. If you think council work is beneath you, then good for you, but you're probably wrong....

You definitely need to tailor your cv to each job you apply for.

I would recommend looking for a job in the NHS where the application process is such that you name etc isn't made known to the recruiters until shortlisting has taken place but I don't think that it meets your salary expectations.

It sounds like you want a fairly high paid admin job but have very little to show that you're capable or experienced enough for a job at that level.

Add your other jobs just with job titles and dates.
Presumably with the jobs you've listed you've given details of your roles and responsibilities?

You haven't stayed in the last few jobs for very long really so, although you've got completely legitimate reasons for leaving, you might look a bit flaky.

I’m in Manchester and the 30k admin roles are hugely specialised and would want a lot of experience in that particular area. You’d be better off taking a £20k job and looking to move from there, the longer you are out the harder it will be.

There are 'exciting admin roles' at £30k+ in the Northern Powerhouse area? Where?

I'm up here, in a pretty exciting admin role, and I'm only on £30k because I've been working in this organisation for ten years so I've had steady payrises. If I had to leave and start again with another organisation, I'd probably be back down at the £20k mark ...