Demoralised - Can't find a job!

bookboo | 12:05 Mon 16th Apr 2012 | Jobs & Education

22 Answers

I'm a first year Law student and have been looking for part-time work for the last 8 weeks. As I have no experience, Solicitors firms wont consider me for Legal Secretary positions (I tried every firm on the I.O.W). So departing from this I've been applying for pretty much anything that is office based.

I have experience in a bank, estate agency and most recently a library where I worked for 4 years until I decided to get a decent education. Since 15th March I've applied for 20 menial office/retail jobs and I've not had one interview. I realise the job market is tough at the moment but I don't understand why no one is interested in me.

Quick CV Question..

yours issue 138

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DTCwordfan

How long is your CV?

How focused is it on the client needs - or is it just a generic one?

bookboo

Question Author

I've tried to give it as much direction as possible, so I've emphasised customer service and admin skills in order to attract certain employers. I regularly modify it to different positions. I have however put my education before my experience, should I put the latter before the former?

bookboo

Question Author

sorry that was meant to say 'for different positions'

naomi24

Part time office based work is hard to come by. Have you considered temping? It won't be what you're looking for, but it's work - and it's experience.

bookboo

Question Author

Yep, tried that also. No luck

grasscarp

Is Ringwood too far away for you?
http://www.totaljobs....s.aspx?JobId=53237192

bookboo

Question Author

Thanks Grasscarp but the cost of ferries here are extortionate.

cathfromsaron

have you been very explicit on what your skills and experience can offer new employers! remember that employers don't know what you have done by just saying 'blah blah' position at 'blah blah' place!

i would re-think your CV and have one very detailed one for perm office jobs and one friendly one for corner shops and barwork?

also, if you consider jobs to be menial, did you have a casual attitute when you applied? they may be menial to you, but employers still demand blood ...

DTCwordfan

How about doing something different to advertise yourself - has your IoW paper run a feature on what it is like to be unemployed, perhaps a diary format.....something well written may be of interest and attract a potential employer.

(ii) have you used family and friends to try and get an open door for you, at least to get you face to face.

(iii) experience before education and how that experience could benefit their needs (having done your research and been on line - have you tried asking their HR if you could meet someone for lunch to try and understand what they need better - a meeting where they should give you info, not the other way around, again to help focus your application.

What's your Facebook like - that sinks many candidates before they get to the front door, silly and embarrassing photos, stupid comments and opinions etc etc..........Remove it.

bookboo

Question Author

Sorry, I say menial because I've become bitter... lol. I would say that I sell myself well on paper and include my skills/relevant duties on my cv, but I will have another look at it.

Do you think there is a possibility prospective employers are put off by the fact I'm at university, as presumably they think that ultimately I would move on? If so, should I exclude this from cv

bookboo

Question Author

Thanks DT, some valid points that I will explore. Thankfully, or maybe not, I despise facebook so don't have an account

Eve

You have a huge other commitment in your life with uni and maybe employers are way of them suffering at the expense of your other commitment, changing hours, pressures of exam time etc... In this market they are probably looking even more closely at their investment, someone with no other distractions who will stay.

What about a supermarket or working in a cafe/restaurant/bar? As you are a student then you need to find somewhere that has more flexible working hours (ie shift patterns which fit in) and that is hard to do in more office based work and possibly more likely to employ people who will move on at some point.

bookboo

Question Author

That's true, thanks Jenna.

murraymints

my oh's son is also first year law student at Edinburgh..he is working for mcDonalds...he loves it !! a very very bright lad who has a sparking carreer ahead of him but in the meantime McD's pays him quite well as no tax or ni conts to pay AND they are very flexible with his hours...he is also learning how to mix and solcialise with those who perhaps do not meet him intellectually or socially..but he is quite happy at this arrangement..

cathfromsaron

why not apply for temp/summer work now, so that when you go back to uni you have something ready!

most people like employing students so that their regular staff can have their hols and they know you will leave when the season ends!

MarkRae

In addition to the advice already given, you might want to seriously consider casting your net a littler further than the shore of the Solent...

cathfromsaron

http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/

they are looking for bank* support staff on here.

*this means that (after interview and training) you say when you are available, and they call upon you on a casual basis!

BUT its gets you onto health board's books, and the pay per shift can be excellent!

bookboo

Question Author

Thanks. It's a thought, I'll look into it

Eve

That's the kind of work I did whilst studying, did Burger King, Pizza Hut, a supermarket, waitressing and kitchen work - can do part time shifts in term time and get more hours in holidays.

If going for agency work then be honest about your availability as if you get calls for work you have to keep turning down as you have lectures/seminars, an assignment due in, an exam etc... it might not make you a popular call for work. If it's still anything like the course I did (law degree too) then it's a pretty heavy duty timetable of class time and heavy on assignments and reading etc...