Forgot how bad job searching was :(

[Vita]

Jesus

that does not bode well for me. Been thinking about looking for something else. Been in this forsaken civils industry for too many years now. I'm afraid I might die one day and done nothing else but argue with contractors, PM's, APM's and clients.

It really does suck.

I graduated last year and can't even get into a first line support role. I know my stuff however I lose out to people who have worked in them roles before, so employers would rather choose them.

Yet some employers also provide a few weeks worth of training?

 

[InKursion]

It really does suck.

I graduated last year and can't even get into a first line support role. I know my stuff however I lose out to people who have worked in them roles before, so employers would rather choose them.

Yet some employers also provide a few weeks worth of training?

Where did you graduate from? and what in? may I just ask.

450 jobs with no slim chances of a reply sounds quite extreme. Why don't you use your savings to do a free internship? Or scrape together odd money to do the same - if even only for a month?

Most of my friends that graduated this year simply gave in their CV/resumé to an agency and found the job offers gradually trickle down to them. 450 applications with no positive responses kinda hints that there is something drastically wrong with your application/credentials.

 

[Vita]

Where did you graduate from? and what in? may I just ask.

450 jobs with no slim chances of a reply sounds quite extreme. Why don't you use your savings to do a free internship? Or scrape together odd money to do the same - if even only for a month?

Most of my friends that graduated this year simply gave in their CV/resumé to an agency and found the job offers gradually trickle down to them. 450 applications with no positive responses kinda hints that there is something drastically wrong with your application/credentials.

Sorry I was incorrect. 350* Applications. I have had replies, attended a few telephone interviews and 1 interview in person. I have had my CV checked by agencies/family/friends, all of which have given advice and have helped me appeal myself a lot more.

It's just I lack any 'work' experience in the role I am wanting to get into. I graduated in Computer Forensics, from Leeds Met.

 

[InKursion]

Perhaps open your horizons a little wider and seek any office work experience? Or anything apposite to the role you want to go into? Computer Forensics seems like quite a narrow and specialist field. Perhaps just having any sort of position in a firm dealing with your industry would help your chances - even if it's just the social 'foot in the door'. If you lack the necessary work experience "in the role [you are] wanting to do", perhaps obtain some experience in areas related - even if only marginally - to that role? Better than sitting at home sending out 40 job applications a week, no?

 

[Vita]

Perhaps open your horizons a little wider and seek any office work experience? Or anything apposite to the role you want to go into? Computer Forensics seems like quite a narrow and specialist field. Perhaps just having any sort of position in a firm dealing with your industry would help your chances - even if it's just the social 'foot in the door'. If you lack the necessary work experience "in the role [you are] wanting to do", perhaps obtain some experience in areas related - even if only marginally - to that role? Better than sitting at home sending out 40 job applications a week, no?

I do have office work experience. First line support isn't exactly forensics. All I get from people I know is, 'You need to know people to get a job'. Which doesn't really help. I've tried the work experience route in schools, offices, no-one really wants to take someone on, keep saying they are 'full'.

 

[InKursion]

That's a pain, and an oft-heard line I think, too. Have you tried to socially network with any forensics experts, at all? It is a sad truth that the social side of things will often wrangle you a job placement much better than any CV. If you can get into communication with someone in the industry and communicate your enthusiasm, things should follow.

 

[Vita]

That's a pain, and an oft-heard line I think, too. Have you tried to socially network with any forensics experts, at all? It is a sad truth that the social side of things will often wrangle you a job placement much better than any CV. If you can get into communication with someone in the industry and communicate your enthusiasm, things should follow.

The worst is, even supermarket roles won't be given to me. Why? Because they need permanent people. Not someone who will work for 5-6months then leave.

Forensics takes a long while to get in to, and I wish, I really do wish I had done the placement year in the industry, it would have increased my chances a lot more. But to think I can't even get into 1st line I.T Support and work my way up, it's a shame, a real shame.

I'm trying agencies now, and you really have to be on their case these days to get the ball rolling and finding out new leads.

 

[InKursion]

I think the UK job market in general is going to experience a huge brain-drain in the young and freshly-graduated. People are going to go abroad and look into careers they otherwise would not have considered. It's the UK's loss, really. It sounds like you are earnestly doing everything that you can.

 

[Vita]

I think the UK job market in general is going to experience a huge brain-drain in the young and freshly-graduated. People are going to go abroad and look into careers they otherwise would not have considered. It's the UK's loss, really. It sounds like you are earnestly doing everything that you can.

I'm really trying. I've noticed that people who did do placements, they walked straight in to a job. People on my Uni course down south, all walked into a job. And these people which I mention didn't turn upto Uni half of the time.

So I'm trying other job's as well, something which I may start enjoying once I get into it. I really get annoyed by these people who are like "Work is annoying, cba working 9-5 etc etc".

They don't realise how lucky they are. People need to learn to appreciate a lot more.

It's like in one of my interviews, I told the interviewer what I knew about the company and she said I knew more then her. I instantly thought, well shows how much you care about who you work for.

I know working is a way of bringing in income, but you must be interested in what you do, and who you do it for to be happy. Otherwise you're just like any other sheep eating grass in the field.

 

[pepp77]

I am currently advertising for a couple of positions at my company - I decided to use jobsite and job centre plus (directgov).

We want to hire a trainee support desk analyst (basically 1st line support trainee) and a senior engineer (Avaya IP Office). This is my first experience of advertising jobs and hiring people (except when I interviewed Sainsburys till staff) and I must admit some of the poor applications amaze me - many do not fill in even the basic information like phone number and then many say they are looking for a wage that is never going to happen (eg 75k for 1st line trainee).

I have had about 30 CVs for the senior and 10 for the trainee (5 days and 1 day of being advertised) and probably half a dozen of those 40 are potentially any good, and have currently only considered 2 for interviews.

Whilst I understand it is hard out there for some it will be even harder if you cant even do the basic application well.

Pleased to say I filled the trainee position with an OCUK member and he has now completed his first week which went well.

 

[XeNoN89]

Got a job!

I must be better than I think at interviews, it was my 3rd interview in my life and I got the job, so not too bad!

 

[Hitman_UK]

Just managed to get a job after year and half 4th interview. It's been tough my only most of my interviews was with people I know

 

[JGBR]

I've been offered an interview with a certain well known tech company which has a fruit as its logo.

I've been goggling the interview process, and they want people in the retail stores that are really "fluffy/smiling". I've applied for a help desk role, they have said im better then all the other applicants (its a new store) but i know i wont like the interview process.

They do things like: you get given a fluffy toy and must sell it? do a document in twenty minutes advertising yourself? take photos of yourself etc.

Fine if your extrovert but im not and wondering if i should just cancel my interview as i may know more then geniuses they have in store and would work well but not the fluffy type that wants to be locked down to how he looks,speaks,breaths in store.... ( I know that all outlets have policys but its the hyper controlling nature, examples of being fired if you dont use the right words, IE: seem to have a problem should be, we have some issues...)

Or i could just go along and see how the murky secret little firm works...

 

[ash_scotland88]

I need to get out of my current job for the mental health issues, it's slowly (or quickly) making things worse.

But what I want to get into there's basically nothing being advertised that I can find, even increasing the city to three different ones.

Looking for trainee cad technician or trainee architectural technician in either Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen. Nothing =[

 

[qqg3]

I've been offered an interview with a certain well known tech company which has a fruit as its logo.

I've been goggling the interview process, and they want people in the retail stores that are really "fluffy/smiling". I've applied for a help desk role, they have said im better then all the other applicants (its a new store) but i know i wont like the interview process.

They do things like: you get given a fluffy toy and must sell it? do a document in twenty minutes advertising yourself? take photos of yourself etc.

Fine if your extrovert but im not and wondering if i should just cancel my interview as i may know more then geniuses they have in store and would work well but not the fluffy type that wants to be locked down to how he looks,speaks,breaths in store.... ( I know that all outlets have policys but its the hyper controlling nature, examples of being fired if you dont use the right words, IE: seem to have a problem should be, we have some issues...)

Or i could just go along and see how the murky secret little firm works...

If it's that fruit-related company, then have fun with that! I've been far through their recruitment process and it's both intriguing, bizarre and disturbing all at the same time. But never unexpected of them really!

 

[Kamwah]

I've been offered an interview with a certain well known tech company which has a fruit as its logo.

I've been goggling the interview process, and they want people in the retail stores that are really "fluffy/smiling". I've applied for a help desk role, they have said im better then all the other applicants (its a new store) but i know i wont like the interview process.

They do things like: you get given a fluffy toy and must sell it? do a document in twenty minutes advertising yourself? take photos of yourself etc.

Fine if your extrovert but im not and wondering if i should just cancel my interview as i may know more then geniuses they have in store and would work well but not the fluffy type that wants to be locked down to how he looks,speaks,breaths in store.... ( I know that all outlets have policys but its the hyper controlling nature, examples of being fired if you dont use the right words, IE: seem to have a problem should be, we have some issues...)

Or i could just go along and see how the murky secret little firm works...

There's been quite a few personal documentaries of employees there and supposedly they are really controlling. If you don't feel you could be extremely active like their employees are then I wouldn't bother tbh.

I wouldn't be comfortable bull****ting people and pushing certain products over older ones even though I'm an apple fan.

 

[Tefal]

In my opinion you get positions on how good you can BS and sell yourself. Skills comes in secondary more often than not.

yeah it's almost as if making a good impression and "selling" yourself is a skill.....wait a second!

 

[Sinny]

Well I'm back on the job market after finishing my 6 month contract at Chester Zoo, got my car and some money out of it so I got what I needed out of it, I'm going to try and look for Electrical or voluntary work for a week or two then go back into the retail job searching.

 

[kirbz]

Congrats to those who have secured jobs, I'm sure it's a huge relief to get a job after being unemployed.

To update this thread
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...ight=review+cv

I had the interview, I'm really not expecting much. I waffled a fair bit because of nerves and literally fell to pieces trying to play it "cool" when the wages were mentioned

The job salary was advertised as "competitive" which is a nasty trick imo.

The company seems like a good place to work for though and I hope I do get it but not holding my breathe.

I still haven't heard back from the above interview despite ringing a week and a half after the interview to see how its progressing . He said "I'll let you know next week" which is why I rang, he then said "yeah I'll let you know next week as I have an interview this afternoon" that should have been last week. Basically been waiting almost 3 weeks.

I feel like I'm being messed about if I didn't get the job just tell me, don't just keep fobbing me off

Is it normal to be waiting ages for a response? or am I being impatient

 

[Dist]

Looking at what entry level IT jobs there are out there makes me wish I went for a software development focused degree, but instead I followed my passion towards networking and my ICT degree seems useless as there are so few entry level jobs in that field, and the jobs they are I'm seeing hundreds of people applying (one 1st line support job I saw on a jobs site had 420 applicants, and it was a low paying one too and required experience (which I don't have)).

Right now I'm working towards a MCITP server admin certification, in the hopes that it will help me get my foot in the door along with my cCNA and ICT degree (and 0 experience).