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Original poster

My daughter can’t find work!

84 replies

Dottypotz · 20/01/2023 23:54

I’m really in despair, my daughter is 22, living In the UK having moved from Ireland so that she can study. No matter where she applies or what she applies to for work she doesn’t even get an interview. Her CV is good with two previous jobs on it. I can’t continue funding her, it’s not possible anymore, please please can anybody help and guide us where to look?

OP posts:
Thoughtful2355 · 21/01/2023 08:43

There's tons of jobs going in Bristol, all she has to do in phone some care companies asking to work there and they'll jump at it

I was offered 12 jobs within a few days of applying for some

Thoughtful2355 · 21/01/2023 08:44

And if she can't do it herself then tell her to just sign up to an agency. They'll send her out on work.

user8545 · 21/01/2023 08:45

What level of qualification is she on now?

Patineur · 21/01/2023 08:47

I would be absolutely amazed if she cannot find a job in hospitality or catering, restaurants, hotels and pubs are absolutely crying out for staff. Are you sure she's applying?

FUEWC · 21/01/2023 08:47

Agency work. Catering. They’ll have work most Fridays and Saturdays, might have a regular slot she can fit into.

BlueBooh · 21/01/2023 08:57

Bristol!!! Blimey OP I live here and I can assure you every single sector is crying out for staff. In fact some of the restaurants have to close early (or not open at all) as they can't get the staff.

Adverts everywhere for care staff. It's nuts how many jobs there are available.

Something really doesn't add up!

sunflowerandivy · 21/01/2023 09:01

I live in Bristol and work in the hospital and they're desperate for all types of staff. Plus, you only need to go to Cabot Circus and see that everywhere is desperate for staff.

WoeBeCome · 21/01/2023 09:14

There are so many jobs in Bristol. I think she must not be trying that hard. There’s even recruitment open days in health care where you can be offered a job on the day. Loads in the NHS, there’s adverts all the time for them.

Is she tailoring her CV for each job? Is she ringing up afterwards?

Calmdown14 · 21/01/2023 09:19

Is she using a 'what I want to do when I finish uni' CV to apply for jobs where it counts for nothing?

She might be better to construct a more basic CV which focuses on the job experience she has rather than showcases her A in design technology or that she was captain of the netball team.

Short and factual with the focus on transferrable skills like stock management, using a till, cashing up.

She may even want to do a version for retail and a version for hospitality with a slightly different focus. She'd be better spending an hour doing this and an afternoon asking in local businesses than applying for more and more with documentation that's not delivering results.

AngelinaFibres · 21/01/2023 09:21

Does she have autism ,it often goes with dyspraxia ? My husband has both. Is that what is causing a problem for her ? I had many jobs in hospitality as an A level student and at uni. My husband would have really struggled with it.

Benjispruce4 · 21/01/2023 09:33

When Dd was looking for part time work, the companies like Next and Boots had long winded application processes. She easily found bar work though but it tends to be zero hour contracts so could be unreliable.

superdupernova · 21/01/2023 09:37

If she's studying at uni they'll have a careers team that can help with her CV and interview prep. She should also sign up to all the local agencies who usually find it easier to get candidates to the interview stage.

QueenofLouisiana · 21/01/2023 09:46

She may need to broaden her horizons, the work available here at the moment is the less glamorous end of the scale. However, DS found a job cleaning in a school in the evenings. He’s paid just above minimum wage, but they don’t take age into account so considerably over the amount offered to 18 year olds in the pubs here.

He now has a DBS and has been trained in safeguarding. All good for his CV, all paid for (and training time was paid, unlike team meetings in the pub he worked for previously).

Original poster
Dottypotz · 21/01/2023 09:47

@AngelinaFibres exactly… she was diagnosed with ASD but as she was over 18 she turned down the diagnosis. She didn’t understand the implications of not taking the diagnosis and I wasn’t allowed in the room with her because she was technically an adult - I was furious when I heard.

OP posts:
Benjispruce4 · 21/01/2023 09:47

Also look sure she also filters her searches to include temporary work as that is often easier to get and some employers recruit that way to lead on to permanent positions.

Original poster
Dottypotz · 21/01/2023 09:55

Thank you all so much for your replies, I really appreciate it. I told her I’d help and so it’s my mission now. As someone had mentioned, yes she was diagnosed with ASD also, she is living independently (in college halls) but things are just taking her longer.
I am due a baby this year, she knows this is her last chance and failing that then she needs to move home, which she is not happy about but completely understands.

you have all given me a lot of information to work off and I will start by her cv again. My sister is an employer I will ask her to check over it again. But now I know where to start looking, failing this then I will go to Bristol for a weekend and frog March her into every single shop/business etc.

thanks again!

OP posts:
Stressfordays · 21/01/2023 10:02

Try care homes. We love staff with no experience but have a caring nature (they don't come with bad habits). We also love students who want the shifts no one else does like weekend.

Hazelbrazil · 21/01/2023 10:09

She is going to struggle with most entry level jobs as they require practical skills and people skills which she struggles with.(dyspraxia and asd) Quite probably facing new situations of a workplace will terrify her so she won't be motivated. She might not cope and will be the first to be let go. With the pressure you are putting on her that thought will not help and might put her off trying. With dyspraxia even organising herself to put in an application is tough. She might well not present well when she approached people for the first time. A lot of jobs are now requiring remote workers and online work. She might be better with that especially if her course is computing then there are coding jobs. If she is enthusiastic about her course or an aspect of it she could try a tiktok or YouTube channel. She could record in her room so don't have to interact

Luredbyapomegranate · 21/01/2023 10:31

I’d get your sister to sort her CV and then I’d go over and sort it out.

I’d also contact student services, they might be able to help with work hunt given the ASD. I’d also re kick off a diagnosis of ASD. If she’s struggling with finding work she may end up struggling with studies and the diagnoses will help her get the support she needs.

She might struggle to get bar/cafe work or clothes shop if she comes across as young for her age or not a great communicator, but as PPs have said there is care work, warehouse work and supermarket work. There will be plenty of work in Bristol, she just needs a push.

Luredbyapomegranate · 21/01/2023 10:33

Hazelbrazil · 21/01/2023 10:09

She is going to struggle with most entry level jobs as they require practical skills and people skills which she struggles with.(dyspraxia and asd) Quite probably facing new situations of a workplace will terrify her so she won't be motivated. She might not cope and will be the first to be let go. With the pressure you are putting on her that thought will not help and might put her off trying. With dyspraxia even organising herself to put in an application is tough. She might well not present well when she approached people for the first time. A lot of jobs are now requiring remote workers and online work. She might be better with that especially if her course is computing then there are coding jobs. If she is enthusiastic about her course or an aspect of it she could try a tiktok or YouTube channel. She could record in her room so don't have to interact

A TikTok channel is not a practical immediate solution, for heavens sake.

The OP cannot afford to fund her daughter, she cannot avoid this pressure.

There is lots of work that doesn’t need to d communication skills barwork does.

WinterFoxes · 21/01/2023 10:44

If she's just mailing out her CV then she will be added to a pile of thousands of others. She needs to be strategic. Go into a small cafe or shop with a notice in the window rather than apply to a big chain through a central sifting system. Be prepared to work for shit money for a few weeks just to learn the ropes of changing till rolls, helping customers etc then she has experience to apply somewhere better.

There will be care work wherever she goes. Having helped with her grandad is excellent experience. She needs to specify what she did (helping him dress, making tea and snacks etc) and say she;s prepared to learn more.

Mariposa26 · 21/01/2023 11:03

AlisonDonut · 21/01/2023 08:33

Remember by law she is entitled to an interview if she has a disability

@Humphplumf what law is this?

There’s no such law, this is incorrect. Some companies may have a policy to do this, but it’s not the law. They just can’t use a disability as a reason not to interview of course.

Hazelbrazil · 21/01/2023 11:12

WinterFoxes · 21/01/2023 10:44

If she's just mailing out her CV then she will be added to a pile of thousands of others. She needs to be strategic. Go into a small cafe or shop with a notice in the window rather than apply to a big chain through a central sifting system. Be prepared to work for shit money for a few weeks just to learn the ropes of changing till rolls, helping customers etc then she has experience to apply somewhere better.

There will be care work wherever she goes. Having helped with her grandad is excellent experience. She needs to specify what she did (helping him dress, making tea and snacks etc) and say she;s prepared to learn more.

With her neurodiversity she may well struggle to do this as a job when there is time pressure. Helping with family is different as there will be allowances made for being abit clumsy

KnickerlessParsons · 21/01/2023 11:20

There are loads of work from home call centre jobs being advertised. Flexible and part time hours to suit.
The most recent I've seen are with The Nationwide.

Hazelbrazil · 21/01/2023 11:22

Luredbyapomegranate · 21/01/2023 10:33

A TikTok channel is not a practical immediate solution, for heavens sake.

The OP cannot afford to fund her daughter, she cannot avoid this pressure.

There is lots of work that doesn’t need to d communication skills barwork does.

Show quote history

She needs to apply for university hard ship funds. It's really important she completes her course as she will struggle to find and keep entry work at home with her asd/dyspraxia just as she is now. If she completes her course she will be more likely to find a job where she is an asset to have on board.