Unemployable and can't get a job.

[Amiunemployable]

I can't get a job.

I currently work ten hours a week as a midday supervisor. Prior to this, at the same school I was a TA for a year.

I have recently graduated with a BA and will graduate in August with an MA.

Work history:

Customer service for six years at two different companies.

Then time out for raising kids and studying for the BA. This was 2020 - 2024. I then started at the school early 2024.

I can't stay in my current role, it's not enough hours and we're sinking financially.

I have been applying for jobs since February. Customer service/admin type roles. Full time. Both remote and onsite jobs. I've applied for almost 40 jobs and not heard back from a single one.

I had also considered applying for TA roles at other schools, still not quite enough financially but better than what I'm on now but the problem is that I had several months off sick in current role (TA/midday) and I'm concerned that it would prevent me getting another TA role as would come up on a reference from current job.

I just don't know what to do.

I feel unemployable.

Why would you apply for customer service roles instead of any role that actually requires a degree?

You need to hassle the head yourself.

there is a lot of demand for TAs and you are likely to get a job in that field fairly easily.

Why did you do the degree? You must have had a career path in mind, can you explore the options there?
There arw jobs out there you need to be creative with your applications and methods.

I know our local council run graduate schemes, that's how my ds got into project management. My nephew did the same. Look up your local council and see if they run them.

What about uni careers service. One of things you pay fees for is support with employment. You should still have access as a recent graduate.

You’re degree educated, you need to be applying for jobs that reflect that really. If I’m hiring for an entry level admin or customer service role and I’m seeing an application listing your degrees then for me, you’re not getting it, purely because I can’t imagine you’d be in it for the long haul. It looks like you’re just finding something to fill the time until you get the job you actually want- hiring is such an expensive and lengthy process for a business, I don’t want to do that just to have someone disappear in a few months time when something better comes along which is how you look to be honest.

Can you email your head to prompt the reference. Explain that you need more hours. They may be able to offer you something.

Or what about English tuition, for either GCSE, A level or primary. You could get to know the syllabus ( start with whatever level you’re a TA for) then go from there?

Can you spend some time volunteering? It was my volunteering that broke down the barriers I was facing

That doesn't mean you are unemployable, it just means you need a reference and someone is being a bit slow providing it, I am assuming you have chased it
I would say though I am not sure your BA or MA is doing you a lot of favours at this point unfortunately.
Are you putting it on your CV? Might be best not to for some roles

Teach First pay you a bursary to train (about £23k I think).
it’s a tough way of doing it, but you train to be a teacher and get paid at the same time. £32k in your 2nd year. Secondary schools are desperate for English teachers.

What was the nature of the absence? Several months off in a 1 year period (where only 39 weeks are working weeks anyway) isn’t great. Is it resolved or something likely to reoccur with the stress of teaching/cover supervising?

Are you on LinkedIn op? I’ve been contemplating leaving my employer and all the advice I’m getting is citing LinkedIn as a primary source of recruitment. ( I actually deleted my profile some time ago for various reasons). Networking & making speculative approaches is a huge part of getting ahead.

Can you get signed up with a temp agency - like Reed or similar? I used them a lot for medium term secretarial / admin roles when I was between jobs. As long as you’re relatively well presented and literate (obviously you check the second box!) you shouldn’t have a problem finding temp roles to bulk up your experience while you find a perm job…

You need to start temping

Could you register to be a childminder? With your experience in the schools.

Are you now well or is your condition likely to recur?

Several months off is a long time. I think it may be part of the issue for you so you would need to be able to discuss it really. It might be why your Headteacher is reluctant to give a reference - they are not always legally obliged to do so although most will confirm dates worked (and sickness dates are often asked)

@Amiunemployable it's not you. It's just the job market.

Try customising your CV into a few different versions. 1 for retail/food service, 1 for admin and 1 for schools/TA roles.

Then you can cut out the non-relevant stuff and tailor your application.

For example, the one for retail/food service you'd play up the customer service, food handling, HACCP and food safety knowledge and that you enjoy interacting with people. Things they will be looking for rather than you did X years admin work and Y years as a teaching aid.

Look at your local authority job pages as well. Many local councils are hiring service and admin staff and often on hybrid working FT and PT contracts.

Def this! Just do it diplomatically.

I’d probably take the degrees off the CVs for customer service (unless they require it).

@EmbarrassinglyuselessI don’t want to make this all about me, but would you recommend Reed?

I’m mid-50s, degree educated and looking to return to work in an administration type role after a decade rearing children (my former career was very stressful)

Decades ago I always found work with Office Angels before beginning my career - I would go in for an interview and they’d just start me working the following week. I spoke to them on the phone earlier this year and they just told me to upload my CV, and I’ve heard nothing since this time.

There are tons of jobs going in both the NHS and the prison service. All kinds of jobs. Take a look at NHS jobs site.
I've worked in both and they will snap you up. Good pensions too and lots of opportunities.

This sounds silly and not related to your qualification but what about working as a temp for royal mail? I did it and loved it

Grant writing
publishing.

editing. Specifically look for corporate jobs where they have staff whose job it is to polish up reports.

every new grad can apply for a generic admin role. If you can write well, apply for the roles that use your skills. You may not get to engage in creative writing, but helping make documents clear and accessible is a skill.

Doesn’t ChatGPT just polish up reports now?