To wonder why I can't get a sodding job?

[Needhelp101]

I've been running my own company in the creative world for the past decade. Unfortunately, I'm now rapidly reaching burnout and without creating more, I will have no income. I have children to support and am a single parent so no other income. So I'm looking for some part-time work alongside my business.

I am happy to do most work, bar work, retail etc - I have decades of experience in administration and have worked for some huge companies. I am still in contact with people I've worked with in the past who would (and have) provided good references.

So why can't I get a sodding job? I have applied for hundreds over the past six months - not even an interview. I've called several recruitment agencies, not one of which has come up with anything. I've even gone onto Facebook to see who is hiring locally and contacted the ones who responded directly - completely ignored.

My creative work is, by nature, very solitary and I was actually looking forward to working in a more social setting for a change but it's very dispiriting to not even be getting interviews.

Any suggestions appreciated!

you have honestly applied for 100s and not got one single interview?

In that case, your CV needs a complete overhaul because something is seriously amiss

Honestly you need to review your CV. As I'm not sure why you haven't got an interview at least.

Ask your friend and contacts about vacancies where they are. I've got most of my jobs by being recommended by someone who already works there.

I have a few friends who have children finishing a levels and I’m shocked there is just nothing for them at all. They’re all applying for everything and there are just so few jobs about.

Agree, surprised you haven't got anywhere. Have you asked for feedback as to why you're being passed over ?

Use ChatGPT to make your CV concise and relevant. Use it to create a cover letter that hits all the relevant points in the job spec. Re-read what it gives you and tailor it to your voice. I did this recently to change industries and got an interview and job offer second time around.

This has happened to me.

You are over qualified for all the jobs are you applying for. I was told by a coffee shop, i only want to work there because I am burnt out. They will spend 6 months training me up and i will be gone.

You need to massively pare back your CV, take everything out and say you are a a single mother looking to get back into the workforce

Print out your cv with a covering letter and take it round all the local businesses and hand deliver it.

YOu should have no difficulty getting bank work in a child care or elderly care setting

Yes, I absolutely think this is the case. And yes, there's something wrong with my CV - it must be getting screened out at an early stage.

Good suggestions so quickly! Thanks to everyone.

Really ? Would have thought coffee shops would have a general high turn over of staff, and not take 6 months to train.

Definitely agree that you applying beneath your experience. Apply above it - aim for the next stage up in income and experience.

Sort out your CV. Have you checked it is laid out in the most professional and eye-catching way? Once you've sorted the layout, reword it very slightly for each job you apply for that you actually really want and make sure vocabulary in the job ad and job spec is echoed in your CV. Loads of recruitment agencies use filterers who aren't experienced in a given field. Sometimes they even use AI filterers. They sort CVs and app letters according to how many direct matches there are between the two.

Finally - almost everyone I know who has got a job recently has done so by writing on spec to companies or delivering by hand if it's a small local company. Writing on spec means you are the only one applying at that time, you're not competing with hundreds of other applications. And it shows initiative. And your letter gets read by the relevant person not some recruitment agency person who is clueless in the field.

I am doing studying for a degree as part of the, the uni has a careers service, which I used last year to help with my CV, applications etc.

They advised that so many applications are screened with ai and unless you've got some certain key words in there, it will reject your application.

After looking for a long while, I amended my CV to a 'skills CV' using templates and I started getting more interviews. In the end, I got 3 jobs offers.

Also, agree to do a bespoke cover letter, if requested. Look up what the company ethos etc.
I would also recommend applying with companies on their website directly rather than Indeed and the like.

It might also be worth contacting recruitment agencies, although unless you've got in demand skills, they aren't that interested IME.

Good luck.

Retail and bar work is hard work and does actually require skill to do - even though many people seem to think of them as menial jobs which anyone can do. It’s likely that employers are seeing your application with no recent experience of either and a long history of self employment and not having confidence that you’d be a success. You need to focus on identifying transferable skills which demonstrate otherwise, or focus on jobs more in line with your recent history. Could you look at e.g. clerking, data entry, reception roles which can be very flexible?

Retail don't normally need a c.v, just go on your local supermarket websites and apply online to any jobs you like loom of, there will be long tedious tests to make sure you understand costumer service. You can normally only apply every 6 months.
Where l live there are always loads of care jobs, l worked in a care home for a while, they will literally employ anyone as long as you pass a dbs check. Back breaking work though.

How old are you?

Though they are not meant to be ageist, loads are so try not to give away your age by putting in dates where they can work it out!

Thanks again for all the comments. I do actually have experience in both bar work and retail but it was decades ago (at university) so isn't on my CV. I have been tailoring covering letters and applications but clearly it isn't working.

What I haven't done is call in in person with my CV so I think this is the way to go.

CV must be putting people off. My friend once asked me to look at her CV to see what the issue was, it was 6 pages long and full of utter shite that you'd never include on a CV. I'd say as a recruiter 2 pages max, keep it snappy, bullet point things, simple on the eye but covering everything it needs to.

Oh and yes, I'm nearly 50. Been wondering whether that's been having a bearing on things too. I have at least removed my DOB from my CV but I can see I'm going to have to do a major overhaul!

Your council is likely to have an employment support service that can help you with your cv and will help you to find work.

You could also try this. Says no experience required.
https://natcen.ac.uk/interviewer-opportunities?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwi_exBhA8EiwA_kU1MqOlVXd_NhsNKujss1koxjMGV476d-K9BItSR_UBZ_wYD67QsYSxjxoCDjsQAvD_BwE

The interviewer job will also get you out talking to people.

Few things, if your cv mentions your role as a parent I would remove them. I could be just a pessimist or just plain wrong but I think these company's see children as, "ohh when the child's ill they won't be in or when the child has an appointment they have to go". Secondly with regards to your buisness, by all means list it as something you have done but remove any mention of running it along side this role. They will see parent + live buisness = we come last priority, don't bother. In reality this probably wouldn't be the case but they won't take that risk. Look in the healthcare sector for roles nhs jobs is a good start, could be cleaning catering or caring role but there's always plenty and they are pretty child friendly. However I advise extreme caution if you get an interview, on mentioning children or any caring or buisness responsibilities. They are not allowed to ask but if you offer up the information they can elaborate and dig deeper. Once you have the Job you can mention any responsibilities you like. Good luck I hope you find something soon. Come back and let me know how you get on

If you are applying online, it's possible that your CV is being initially reviewed by an AI tool. To make sure you aren't rejected because of some weird algorithm, copy the text of the job spec and copy it into your CV - a footer is a good place. Make sure the font is tiny, so it doesn't take up much room, and make the text white. This should get it past the AI bit and into the hands of a human, who will review based on your actual CV. If this needs tarting up a bit, you still need to do that, but it's 1 step closer to an interview.

@Mummy2024 how would you hide a gap in a CV as a SAHM? I spent a decade out of the work force so have a sizeable gap, currently my CV reads "career break to raise a family". I managed to get a job in a care home a few years ago, but I'm desperate to get out of there and back into an admin role.

You can't. Its a very reasonable explanation of a gap. It should not be a barrier in the public or third sector ( I've never worked in the private sector).

Are your admin skills up to date? I doubt I could get an admin job as I can't use the packages they seem to require now, or can't to a sufficient standard.

On another thread for NHS admin people were advising trying to band 2 jobs or getting experience through the NHS bank agency. I know when I was in local government they struggled to get decent applicants for admin roles, but that was partly due to low pay rates. I've been job hunting recently and there do not appear to be many local government admin roles, I think they have probably been cut back a lot to save money. But still worth looking at. Also the police will have admin roles. All have good pension schemes.