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Scouring The Internet For A Job For Over 3 Months, No Joy.. Is This Normal?
8 Answers
I've been helping my husband look for a job for over 3 months now. He's had 1 interview, several people contact him directly about positions, but nothing works out. He works in the banking field, has a professional CV written up and is registered on most of the top job sites and LinkedIn.
We are both feeling really despondent now as our lives are hanging on him getting a better paid job with a better work-life balance.
I don't understand why he is not hearing back from any of the agencies, he calls them up and chases them but all they say is "your cv has been sent to the employer" and that's it.
Is this normal? How long does it take to get a job these days?
We are both feeling really despondent now as our lives are hanging on him getting a better paid job with a better work-life balance.
I don't understand why he is not hearing back from any of the agencies, he calls them up and chases them but all they say is "your cv has been sent to the employer" and that's it.
Is this normal? How long does it take to get a job these days?
Answers
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I can sense the frustration in your post and I have the greatest sympathy for you.Sadly,no time limit can be places on these situations but I hope you get a lucky break soon.
It sounds like you are doing the right things in trying to make something happen though.When you say that people get in touch but things don't work out,is there a particular pattern as to why this is the case? I'm guessing the terms or salary aren't feasable or that not enough boxes are ticked to suit your lifestyles?
Keep at it,things often happen when least expected.
Best wishes :)
It sounds like you are doing the right things in trying to make something happen though.When you say that people get in touch but things don't work out,is there a particular pattern as to why this is the case? I'm guessing the terms or salary aren't feasable or that not enough boxes are ticked to suit your lifestyles?
Keep at it,things often happen when least expected.
Best wishes :)
Thank you for your response.. Everything is acceptable our end, it's just when it gets to the employer we are guessing. Sometimes we don't know if his CV even gets to the employer, I've read so many horror stories about what agencies tricks are, spinning lies to candidates when they phone up, saying their cv's have been sent when they've been deleted, re-posting the same jobs over and over, posting ghost jobs (jobs that don't even exist), the list goes on! Would be helpful if they could just send a one-liner to say if the agency has sent the CV or not, instead we hear nothing, I feel it's really rather rude!
It's really hard to stay upbeat and positive when all he's getting is knock-back after knock-back. But like you say, something will turn up, eventually I suppose! Will just keep ploughing through. Thanks again for your message
It's really hard to stay upbeat and positive when all he's getting is knock-back after knock-back. But like you say, something will turn up, eventually I suppose! Will just keep ploughing through. Thanks again for your message
How old is your hubby? Even though age-discrimination is theoretically illegal it clearly goes on. In many fields (particularly in finance and banking), getting a job after the age of 30 can be tricky and getting one after the age of 40 nearly impossible.
I spent around 6 years largely unemployed (with occasional casual work helping me to survive). I've got a degree in maths, qualifications in both teaching and journalism, experience in both management and customer relations, plus computer skills. However my big problem was that I was over 50. I submitted well over 2000 job applications and only heard back from around 100 employers, of whom just three offered me an interview. (I was applying for everything from shelf-stacking upwards).
One firm invited me to do a day's unpaid work trial, consisting of a 13-hour stint starting at 5am, and then never even contacted me again.
One firm provisionally offered me the job, subject to the big boss's final approval when he returned from holiday, but he then decided that there wasn't a vacancy anyway.
The final firm asked me to a day's unpaid work trial and then offered me another paid day's work (during which time I sorted out a problem which the boss had been struggling with for many months). However they then wrote to tell me that they wouldn't offer me the job because I was 'too intelligent'.
I never got a job and only 'signed off' from being registered as unemployed, upon reaching the age of 60, because I then got a small pension (of about £6000 p.a.) and thus became ineligible for Job Seeker's Allowance.
Job hunting can be tough!
I spent around 6 years largely unemployed (with occasional casual work helping me to survive). I've got a degree in maths, qualifications in both teaching and journalism, experience in both management and customer relations, plus computer skills. However my big problem was that I was over 50. I submitted well over 2000 job applications and only heard back from around 100 employers, of whom just three offered me an interview. (I was applying for everything from shelf-stacking upwards).
One firm invited me to do a day's unpaid work trial, consisting of a 13-hour stint starting at 5am, and then never even contacted me again.
One firm provisionally offered me the job, subject to the big boss's final approval when he returned from holiday, but he then decided that there wasn't a vacancy anyway.
The final firm asked me to a day's unpaid work trial and then offered me another paid day's work (during which time I sorted out a problem which the boss had been struggling with for many months). However they then wrote to tell me that they wouldn't offer me the job because I was 'too intelligent'.
I never got a job and only 'signed off' from being registered as unemployed, upon reaching the age of 60, because I then got a small pension (of about £6000 p.a.) and thus became ineligible for Job Seeker's Allowance.
Job hunting can be tough!
That's quite depressing, Buenchico. I've also been looking for a new job, but as I'm over 40 haven't had much luck. I do have a job so can't complain, but it's really tough nowadays. I'm about to give up.
Sorry, Lisa-Louise, not much to cheer you up here. But as your hubby already works in banking, surely he will find something soon.
Sorry, Lisa-Louise, not much to cheer you up here. But as your hubby already works in banking, surely he will find something soon.
One thing I learned when job hunting is that if your cvs are on various job seeking internet sites then you have to go back into them on a weekly basis and effect a minor change or 2...this brings your cv back to the top of the pile..otherwise it sinks ever downwards and no potential employer will wade through loads to find yours...
No matter what they say the actual TRUTH is that many employers will not even consider an application made via an agency. You need to get out and do it yourself.
They are not keen on 'professional CV's' either !. They want it written by the applicant. ! I was actually told this by a personnel manager, that he (and all the other 'personnel' people he knows) throw any 'professionally written' CV's straight in the bin without reading them. His explanation is he wants to see how the person can express themselves not how much they can afford to pay someone to write it for them . Says it is like a 'would be author' getting someone else to write a book and try to pass it off as their own work.
They are not keen on 'professional CV's' either !. They want it written by the applicant. ! I was actually told this by a personnel manager, that he (and all the other 'personnel' people he knows) throw any 'professionally written' CV's straight in the bin without reading them. His explanation is he wants to see how the person can express themselves not how much they can afford to pay someone to write it for them . Says it is like a 'would be author' getting someone else to write a book and try to pass it off as their own work.
Crikey Buenchico, doesn't hold out much luck for my husband then! He has loads of experience in what he does though, quite specialised (Settlements in the Treasury departments). I don't doubt that age discrimination goes on and it's easy to fob a candidate off with some other excuse.
A lot of the time they want graduates, but what graduate has the experience they are looking for, Ie, Settlements Manager, you can't beat experience over qualifications for this type of position! They expect you to tailor your CV for EVERY job you apply for as well, it's near on impossible at his level and his specialism as they all want different aspects of their job to match perfectly.
A lot of the time they want graduates, but what graduate has the experience they are looking for, Ie, Settlements Manager, you can't beat experience over qualifications for this type of position! They expect you to tailor your CV for EVERY job you apply for as well, it's near on impossible at his level and his specialism as they all want different aspects of their job to match perfectly.
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