DD really struggling to find part time work in London

[Newmeagain]

My 18 year old DD is having a gap year. She is currently trying to find a job - ideally something she can continue when she starts uni but really, she is happy to take anything on offer. As we are in London, I thought finding a job would be really easy - but it turns out I was very wrong. Her CV looks good - she has lots of customer facing volunteering experience and also a short stint of paid work abroad.

she has so far applied for around 15 jobs and so far not even an interview. The jobs she has applied for are all basic entry level jobs in retail and hospitality. She is not fussy. There are also not that many jobs to apply for - even all the main supermarkets don’t seem to have any vacancies except for more senior jobs or things she can’t do (e.g.delivery drivers etc).

I am starting to wonder if the problem is that so many young people in their 20s with lots of experience are applying for the same jobs. Any thoughts?

DC never worked full-time but never issues with PT roles - they went around neighbourhood cafes, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops etc. Always multiple opportunities. They were picky and wouldn’t take min wage - generally local popular independent cafes paid better and generous tips. Can also try KoruKids - after-school nanny agency, lovely families and excellent pay.

Our Local private schools often advertise for gap year assistants although I have no idea if these are roles for the whole year so n which case I guess she’d be too late.

Care work?

There’s usually lots of that and it can work round college. I used to do it and liked it.

Def get signed up with agencies for temp work and I’d ask on local FB pages.

The problem is the time of year as lots of places will have taken on temps for Christmas that will be kept on.

My DD got a temporary job at the Natural History museum working in the gift shops. I don't know all the details but it was organised through an agency and she could 'choose' the shifts she did. Pay not very good though! I guess it would be classed as a zero hours contract? Was something like this:
www.google.com/gasearch?q=Museum%20Retail%20jobs%20London&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5#vhid=vt=20/docid=FPTvUf6n4NQKo9PbAAAAAA==&vssid=jobs-detail-viewer

She also worked for these people when she was in year 13. Although she wasn't keen on the work as it was mostly evenings/weekends of course. Also dreadful pay. They bussed staff to events in and around London IIRC.
https://www.atyourservice.co.uk/

and (short term) worked at Wimbledon during the championships in their retail and hospitality areas. More competitive to get in though.

She needs to hawk her CV round everywhere in the area face to face. Hospitality is easier to find than retail because the latter tends to be big chains that recruit centrally. You need to approach independents.

Both my DDs have lots of friends who have done agency bar work. It seems to be either at the O2 or Twickenham stadium when there are big events on. I'm not sure of the agency but I'm sure it is Google able.

Echoing @mugglewump she needs to traipse around the local high street with paper cvs with her email address.

After school childcare is a good suggestion. I know of quite a few university students in London who have done that. I’m really surprised that she can’t find any work in hospitality. DD had offers left, right and centre in the summer. The big issue was that all the retail and hospitality jobs were for 8 hour contracts, even though they always promised more, the hours weren’t always forthcoming. It was a nightmare because you have to be available for any shift so you can’t take on a second job, and might only get the minimum 8 hours.

I do some exam invigilating at university and schools and we have some school leavers/ students who do it as well. But may not be enough work for her as hours vary depending on exam seasons.

DD has a great job that works brilliantly around her studies. She works as a Health Care Assistant - but she's what they call "bank staff" so she just signs up to shifts when it suits her. It's like being on a zero hours contract.

I think most NHS trusts are on the look out for HCAs. They pay you while training you too... and once you've got some experience you can work with other NHS trusts.... so DD is now qualified to work in her uni town and back home in London. She absolutely loves the job - and the money she earns!! She's 20 and able to earn £25 an hour doing weekend night shifts.

HCA bank work is another very good suggestion but anything to do with the NHS can take forever to get through the recruitment process.

Lifeguard training (upfront cost of 350 although sometimes you can get it free if you commit to work for them afterwards). Have a look on the RLSS website to see where near you is running the course.

Where is she looking? Online?

I live in London and work in central and I'd say 75% of cafes and bars have signs up saying staff wanted!

If this might be an issue, it’s worth makingg sure here application and personal statement on the CV state that she is looking for work that she can continue throughout uni.

Lots of my friends’ kids worked for chain stores (tesco, superdry, decathlon) and have been able to transfer to local stores in term time and then back again when home for the summer - so I’d make sure she highlights this her applications and targets companies that have a national presence, or who she thinks might offer flexible hours during term time?

When I did an MA recently 70% of my classmates all worked for Waterstones, in 4 different locations (EngLlit/creative writing degree)

Make sure her CV doesn't say she is going to be going to uni in a year, that's just giving them a reason to pick someone else

It's definitely a numbers game, took dsd quite a while to get an entry level job despite some experience, none of the supermarkets are interested in youngsters as they generally leave too quickly. She worked for a concession in a supermarket, definitely worth applying to those as huge staff turnover issues. She's since left kind of proving their point

Thanks for all the responses.

We live in central London and she will be going to uni here, so that’s not a problem.

Think there is just a lot of competition. It’s probably much easier outside of London.

Not at the moment. I have seen places advertising for staff in the past but I think the job market is pretty tough at the moment.

Echoing comments above, is she only
looking on job websites? As a lot of smaller retailers and cafes etc will probably not advertise vacancies on job sites. She could walk around and look for signs up and/or look on local social media sites - nextdoor, local facebook page, etc. She could also advertise herself/her relevant experience on these sites.

@Newmeagain Monmouth coffee are hiring. My Ds worked for them for a few years and while he was studying for his masters degree.

https://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/jobs/

We have done all that @minipie unfortunately it seems there are many other 18 year olds in the same boat!!

Thank you @Rebootnecessary - I will forward that to her. She would love that and even has some experience for that but I suspect she will be competing with many highly trained baristas !

Definitely before/after-school nanny.

She could get herself DBS checked and then advertise (childcare.co.uk, Koru Kids or similar) offering after-school care for kids? Pick them up from school, take them to their home and look after them/supervise homework till the parents get back. A lot of working parents I know are desperate to find someone like that.