DS18 can’t find a job

[Redundancygirl]

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.

Not all Night Managers are the same thank goodness my DS1 treats his staff how he would expect my DGC's to be treated.

Thanks for the useful suggestions - noted point about not saying gap year unless applying for temporary role. He will keep applying.
He has had one interview so far but there were candidates with more experience. Has food allergy also that cuts out catering / waiting / restaurant work. Happy to work evening or whatever.

I think independent shops might be the way to go. Much more human. Garden centres, farm shops. I worked in a farm shop after retiring with no retail experience and they were brilliant at taking on people who simply weren’t being considered anywhere else. One guy was two steps from ending up in prison because he was so disillusioned as a teen and became a petty criminal and lout. They took him on at 17 and he really turned it round and is still there at 27, with a partner and new baby he is supporting.

He needs to get any job and if he doesn’t like it getting something else will be a whole lot easier because sadly having a job makes getting a job easier compared to when you are unemployed. Also like PP said independent retailers are better and my DD was taken on by an independent clothing brand before she/we tried big companies.

When my DS got his job at Next he must have applied at least 20+ times for multiple next positions in the area and numerous times where he eventually got a job.

My advise would be to keep applying.

What feedback has he received? Sounds like he needs to practice his interview skills. There are loads of videos on YouTube.

This is why I think people should work a Saturday job from 16 rather than delay.

Being currently employed somehow makes it magically easier.

My son applied for all sorts of warehouse/industrial for months and got nothing. Then I told him to say that he worked in shipping receiving for my limited company. He was literally earning £12 an hour that very evening.

When that contract ended 6 months later, he again struggled so I told him to put it back on his resume and he was earning the following day.

I wouldn't lie and say that he was performing brain surgery, but I'll say he does unskilled labour. It really helped.

I recommend your son work at a charity shop. A small local charity. The charity shops here are struggling to get volunteers. On his cv he can say that he does "customer service" or "stockroom" and there's no need to announce that it's a volunteer role.

can he do his SIA badge for security
my son did his at 18 and has never been put of work
presently working for the NHS direct in the security department
but he has worked for university's festivals like glastonbury clubs and bars

Look on the website of your local council. One of DS friends got a basic admin job. Another successfully applied for life guarding as they train you for that and it pays well.

What do you, partner and friends do? Does he have a linked in account? Can you and him put something out on linked in and Facebook explaining that he’s looking for work, what his skills are and does anyone have any suggestions. We did this and DS secured a fantastic job for his gap year

I would disagree. The store my daughter has started at has been great so far. Waited over a month for her to start until she turned 16, pay well. I know someone who has worked there a year and is still happy. Looks like they take the approach that if you pay and treat them well they will be loyal. Less cost to business in the long run surely.

Although there are others - her friend worked at a store paying 50% of what she gets with a disorganised manager who was rude to her. No wonder they have a quick turnover.

Sign up with a temp agency. He can just schlep round the ones in town with his CV, have a chat.

Can he type and use a computer? Doing an online touch typing course may open up office-based admin jobs.

Getting entry level jobs in a gap year is such a crap shoot. Loads of people will have more retail experience than he does. He’s competing against hundreds of candidates. If he doesn’t have the self confidence to play the numbers game and just put in dozens and dozens of applications, most of which will get rejected, going the temp agency route will be much better

If he can drive and has access to a car then food delivery in the evening.Washing up in a pub / restaurant depending on his health.

I agree with independent shops or local shops, and take his CV in by hand, smartly dressed (which can be jeans with a decent shirt) I'm not averse to taking in chocolate with a CV. Corny yes, bt they are likely to remember him.

Does he have any hobbies or skills? Have a look at summer adventure holidays for children, if he can climb, fire an arrow, canoe it can all be useful and you usually get accomodation.

Change his food allergy into a positive, something on his CV saying, "I have a food allergy so I know how important it is to keep to dietary needs at the forefront.. bla bla "

Sign up to a couple of agencies and see what that brings.

My 18 year old DD has just got herself a full time band 2 job as a lab assistant in the NHS. She's also taking a year out and wants to do biomedical science so this will help greatly. The NHS are crying out for staff.

Does he have a driving license?
Dd's friend managed to get care work with an agency. She needs that kind of experience for her future goals and it being an agency means that she can work more in the holidays and not at all during term.

There are lots of vacancies in care work.

Temp agency for Christmas warehouse jobs.

As it ramps up they'll pretty much take anybody on their books because they just need bodies. Common for them to run minibus transport to get their temps on site too (for a fee).

Find out which agencies are recruiting for which warehouses and register with them.

Admin in the probation service? He can stay on part time afterwards

Royal Mail Christmas recruitment is another one to watch out.

More competitive than warehouse though because it's better conditions.

Apply for Royal Mail Christmas casual roles if you live near a mail centre. Usually starts end of November and lasts until early January and the pay is decent.

My neighbours son is taking a gap year and found work via a recruitment agency - warehouse op - he's really enjoying it. She told me he found a couple of agencies that cover warehouse/logistics roles, gave one a call (rather than emailing) and they asked him to call in for a chat. He had a temp job within the week. If you go down this route, make sure your son makes the call, nothing more off putting than a parent calling on behalf of their offspring! Good luck!

Do you or a family member have a business? You can add him to the books and say he has been employed with you. Then apply. It seems jobs equal more jobs.

Try

Burger King
McDonald's
Local airports
Garden centres