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Original poster

DS18 can’t find a job

48 replies

Redundancygirl · 15/10/2023 09:52

My DS18 has taken a year out to gain experience, life skills and confidence before going to Uni in 2024.

He has been looking for a retail job but no luck. So far rejected from 5 or 6 high street stores (festive jobs & permanent ones). He has done some volunteering and is keen and enthusiastic to learn. He can’t work in a restaurant due to health conditions.

Any suggestions for strategies to job hunt? Or tips for getting in somewhere? The little confidence he has is rapidly ebbing away. Thanks.

OP posts:
Frenchfancy · 15/10/2023 09:55

Work on the CV. There's loads of advice on the web about how to write a CV even with little job experience.

Apply to everything, contact temp agencies and see what they have. Be prepared to do short stints to get more experience on CV.

Augustus40 · 15/10/2023 09:56

Why not apply for part time warehouse.

Peaceandkindness · 15/10/2023 09:56

Volunteer at a charity shop

in a school as a reader to primary

a friends daughter started doing the 6 am shift at the local pub cleaning etc

Whatapickle23 · 15/10/2023 09:58

Can he do bar work? Could he apply for hospitality work? I worked for a hospitality recruitment company where I could pick my own shifts on their app. I could choose bar work, waitressing, cleaning, retail, there was a good variety. They're called Arc Hospitality. There's another company called Mint. There's quite a few companies and some of them are all across the UK. They also have shifts working at festivals. They pretty much accept anyone, there's a basic application form and then you attend a training session. It's a great starter job for a young person. If you don't like one place, you don't have to go again, you can just choose to do other shifts elsewhere.

StevieKicks · 15/10/2023 09:59

Does he drive? How about signing up with a temp agency and doing warehouse/factory work? Delivery driving? Uber Eats? Restaurant pot wash? Cleaning?

Frightenedbunny · 15/10/2023 10:02

What about trying care or support work? The industry is crying out for staff!

muchalover · 15/10/2023 10:08

I find the filter process for retail odd. I've never been able to get through even though I have quite a lot of retail experience but local families have, them and their kids - who didn't get on with school - working at the same stores - national companies. Is there an inside scoop? Is that fair?

decionsdecisions62 · 15/10/2023 10:08

Not sure why that would be. My daughter (18) has 11,12 friends and they have all secured local jobs. In fact some secured multiple jobs. People are crying out for staff.

Mumof1andacat · 15/10/2023 10:11

There's always admin work at local hospitals. Look for band 2 roles

Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 15/10/2023 10:13

I don't think 5/6 is that many tbh. If you look indeed some retail jobs have 2-400 applicants. My DD16 has just got a job. No experience working but 12 months volunteering. I think she applied for about 20/25 retail jobs all through indeed.

Got called for an interview for Asda but missed out as she missed call and when called back they had filled the slot. Interview for a cafe (that was from handing out cv) but hours no good. Then interview for another high street chain which she got.

Look at salaries - for ones she applied for it ranged from £5.50ish - £12 an hour - quite a difference.

I think flexibility is key - it's not like my youth where you had a Saturday job fixed hours. Seems to be varied shifts now - they just guarantee the overall number of hours.

23Oct · 15/10/2023 10:14

When you say rejected, what do you mean? Is he not passing interviews or not getting to that stage?

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 15/10/2023 10:14

He needs to apply for way more than 6 jobs. It is a numbers game and you have to apply for loads. Look at the more unusual retail shops - my daughter loves her uni job at B&Q though I would never have thought of them as a student job.

You mention a medical condition would it prevent warehouse work?

SM4713 · 15/10/2023 10:17

Did he work when at high school? Any experience other than volunteering? What sector was that in? Any hobbies, sports etc that could lead to work? Does he mention the medical issue when being interviewed?

Zwicky · 15/10/2023 10:18

Is he applying online or in person?

Is he getting rejected before or after interview?

6 applications is very few.

Is the health condition related to food or hours worked or something else? Warehouses and supermarkets are often crying out for night shift workers but if it’s an evening hours problem then that wouldn’t work.

abigailsnan · 15/10/2023 10:28

My DS1 is the Night Manager of a well known Supermarket and they have awful problems keeping night staff they are paid very well but they have very poor work ethic they all think they should be CEO's of the Company when all it boils down to is the amount of money goes into your bank each month.

SoEffingGrumpy · 15/10/2023 10:34

decionsdecisions62 · 15/10/2023 10:08

Not sure why that would be. My daughter (18) has 11,12 friends and they have all secured local jobs. In fact some secured multiple jobs. People are crying out for staff.

You do realise that people live in areas that are completely different to the one you live in?

My teen has only just secured a job after applying for countless jobs, but not even getting interviews. There’s a lot of competition in some places.

autiebooklover · 15/10/2023 10:35

What about McDonald's then he has some transferable skills

MyCircumference · 15/10/2023 10:37

has he tried bar work?
cafe work?
go to all the cafes/bars in the area?
band 2 at a hospital as said above.

caring?

IDidntKnowMyOwnStrength · 15/10/2023 10:39

I have seen first hand how appalling the night staff are treated in supermarkets, the general manger is never around at that time and the night managers treat them like shit.

IDidntKnowMyOwnStrength · 15/10/2023 10:47

I think that most jobs for this age are utterly dire. I would completely forget about retail or fast food. Most stores and fast food are permanently inundated with requests for jobs from young people so it's easy come, easy to attitude.
Can he put leaflets through doors or work for royal mail sorting letters ?
Tell him to keep trying, we had a young lad who just started where l work, he had sent 10 applications.

MyCircumference · 15/10/2023 10:49

does he put his health conditions on the application form?
it might help, in some places

TiredArse · 15/10/2023 10:50

Retail can be surprisingly difficult to get into. Has he signed up with any agencies? Might not be his ideal job but it will get him some money and a reference.

He will need to be prepared to chase the agencies a bit though as for basic jobs they won’t chase candidates.

RosieMilkJug · 15/10/2023 10:53

Garden centre.

Jethia · 15/10/2023 10:57

Has he applied for loads and only had 5 or 6 interviews since he left school?
It's a numbers game really and my student DC applied for over 30 to get a job over the summer. Has he asked all his friends, friends parents, family members if their workplaces are hiring and who he should send CV to? I think youngsters underestimate how hard job hunting can be.

What about local, independent shops and cafes, could he pop in and ask about jobs? The online applications can have weird algorithms that filter out people who have relevant experience!

Has he tried all the big supermarkets? What about companies supplying hospitality or security staff for events? Local factories, admin or portering jobs at local hospital. I would advise him not to say he's going to Uni next year unless it's a temp job, just take job offered and hand in notice next august.

MyCircumference · 15/10/2023 10:59

does he say he only wants the job for a year? probably wise not to