Life at a loss

Soldato
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I suspect books and youtube videos, while they might give you some pointers etc.. aren't going to solve the issue alone nor are they necessarily required even. You've got to get out there and do it, not just read about it or watch/listen to someone talk about it.
True. There are lots of Toastmaster groups and meetups around here, I'd imagine the UK would have those too. They're supposed to be great for public speaking and confidence! I know a few people who attend them regularly.
 
Soldato
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So I guess my question is, how do you figure out what you want to do in your job / career ?

Haha

I'm 44. I own a specialist pathology courier business with 40+ drivers and two licenced restaurants....And I still don't know what I want to do for a career........

Unless your in a specific profession (dentist,Lawyer etc) then I don't think you should choose before trying. I was a late bloomer I didn't start my own company until I was well into my 30's. But working for yourself is tough. Working for yourself and having the responsibility of people relying on you to provide work for them so they can pay their mortgages adds another layer on top.

Their is a saying somewhere about finding a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.
Thats easier said then done though.
 
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Haha

I'm 44. I own a specialist pathology courier business with 40+ drivers and two licenced restaurants....And I still don't know what I want to do for a career........

Unless your in a specific profession (dentist,Lawyer etc) then I don't think you should choose before trying. I was a late bloomer I didn't start my own company until I was well into my 30's. But working for yourself is tough. Working for yourself and having the responsibility of people relying on you to provide work for them so they can pay their mortgages adds another layer on top.

Their is a saying somewhere about finding a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.
Thats easier said then done though.

Thanks for your reply.
Having a company with employees is not really something I'd like tbh, although I did dream about having a restaurant previously.
But overall, I'd be happy just doing my own thing, but I don't know what to do right now.
I've heard that saying before, I pretty much agree with the statement, I see a job as being a chore, where if you are doing what you enjoy, you are being in essence paid to play.
 
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Associate
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Well in that instance it sounds like the Db experience was a must have for them, so having someone super clued up was a priority. Often this isn't the case for everything, and things that can be more important are team fit and softer skills. Having interviewed a lot of people, the common theme is that people try and answer the question even if they have no idea about the answer. I'd much prefer someone to say "I don't know the answer to that specific question, but the way I'd approach finding it would be..." your ability to learn, assess and problem solve are very high ranking on peoples' lists for most positions. That can often rank higher than someone simply with knowledge but doesn't demonstrate the above.

From my experience anyway!

Feel free to post what you're looking at JD wise and also your CV. I'm not the best CV writer but we have some great people in here!

Thanks again for your reply.
I will certainly post parts of my cv soon, thanks.

Funny thing was, when I was at mcd, one of my roles was recruitment, there was no training for this per say, just a script of stuff to ask for and to ask etc, from what I have experienced when I have been interviewed its completely different lol.
The example you just mentioned also about being honest if I didn't know something is definately something I will keep in mind, really helpful, and tbh its what I do when I want to know something, or need help with stuff anyway.
 
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Well getting a trade/getting into property development (in some capacity) is feasible at least and frankly you don't need to be a lottery winner to renovate and flip houses for example, especially if you get into the industry and build up a load of contacts of mates with different trades etc... While it isn't full on property development it is at least a similar interest.

Sounds like training to be an electrician could be a good move.

You could look at other options too like if you trained as a surveyor then you could have a stable, reasonably well paid profession that is also aligned with that interest. AFAIK you can achieve that via an apprenticeship or via an accredited university course.


Thanks for your reply

Thing is, I enjoy doing a lot of stuff myself and I rarely ever ask for help, I just get on with things, learn how to if needs be and just get on with it, I possess a lot of skills and i guess that makes me happy that I know loads of stuff, but then also useless at the same time as I'm not using those skills to do anything with. Funny thing a surveyor, just after a started my current job, a recruitment agency was very keen to get hold of me, multiple phone calls and emails and job description of a trainee surveyor, unfortunately the money was far too low that I couldn't even consider it.



Confident with regards to your skillset? Or confident as in social interactions?

Confidence with my social interactions. If im on my own, I speak very confidently, i'm at ease with what I'm saying, and as soon as I speak to someone, I go incredibly shy, i stutter and stammer with my words, even ,mumble and I could even revise what I needed to say to somebody for hours and i'd still get it wrong when I tell them. I've always felt like I don't "fit in" so when i'm in a group of people could be talking about trivial subjects, like sport, some tv show they watched, something they have seen, just crap really and it just never interests me, but I always feel awkward around people as I feel like an "outsider" and I just struggle with communicating with them.

My parents have always said I was smart, people who I met at mcd who started to find things about me or people who I helped would always say "why do you work here when you're smart" or "you can do so much better", but I never saw it in myself and I guess I felt I was in a rut, wanting to do something for myself, something I enjoy, but not having the motivation to do it nor understanding how I could get out and do something I wanted.

Ref the social side of things - where do you live? Near a big city at all? I'd suggest taking a beginner acting or improv course. Honestly there are so many people out there who can't even sit or stand properly - have poor posture etc.. become poor at communicating, start getting in their head, can't look others in the eye etc... etc... lots of this can be solved.

I'm not suggesting a single short course would completely change you in the space of a few weeks, though would likely give you some pointers that help with presentation etc.. but if you liked a beginner course and they had more available then taking a few could almost certainly improve things.



If you tick most of the boxes then I wouldn't worry about not meeting all requirements, might well be that no candidate ticks all the boxes.

I'm a little bit unsure what to make of the comments from some people that they've applied for so many positions, that does sound like they've either been very unlucky and all those places were swamped with candidates or perhaps a good portion of those positions there were requirements they didn't meet and the hiring manager did deem them to be rather important requirements.

Do keep in mind that there are other means to get a job than just applying via a recruitment portal or replying to adverts - people don't like recruiters much but often if they think you're suitable for a role they're working on then the next step is to just to arrange a phone call or an interview with the hiring manager... don't need to worry about sending in some application to be filtered by HR etc... I'm not sure that is so applicable to the construction industry, though if you go back to IT then do make use of them.

Likewise meetup.com groups, linkedin etc.. (again perhaps more relevant if you were to get back into IT). Even online forums, I had one of my first interviews in London as a result of a forum related to that industry - I got another interview at a rival firm by just phoning them and asking to speak to a particular manager.



Ideally you have a phone interview first - just nip out at lunch, hopefully if you get through that then you're a serious prospect for the job and you can perhaps consider taking a half day off work etc.. could just book it as holiday. It is always worth asking if they can schedule an interview early in the morning or late in the evening, companies know that you can't always get time off. You can of course have a dentist appointment, but there are only so many times you can go to the dentist/doctor tbh... (and if you're caught lying then it really isn't good at all). If you live in a big city then Lunchtime interview could work, likewise if you get a morning interview and are at all flexible with your hours then just come in late.

Do you normally wear a suit and tie to work? If you work in an environment where it is a bit of a mix of business casual and suit/tie then it is worth wearing a suit and tie every so often regardless, then when you suddenly need to suit up one day for a lunchtime or morning interview it doesn't look immediately suspicious/out of place.

I don't currently wear a suit and tie, but I did spend 7 years at mcd when I become management wearing shirt, trousers, tie, so I'm used to looking smart.
 
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If you need to improve your confidence there are plenty of videos on YouTube on how to do this. Read a few books too, which helped me a lot.

I have watched a few videos over the years and read some articles, but can't remember what was said in them, but I do research into a lot of self help techniques.
 
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I mainly follow this guy call Jason Capital, he main talks about business and success now but he has a few videos about confidence. Here is one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxz1f0xeR00

He also released a book back in 2017, I think he's still giving the PDF away for free.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Higher-Sta...619615991/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Plenty of stuff in the book about eye contact, how you such conduct yourself in a face to face interview.


Thanks for that, I will check his content out.
 
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I have included snippets of my CV, whilst trying to keep some anonymity.
The majority of it is there apart from a few personal details, and education.

I've not yet updated it to include my current role.

Profile

A diligent, honest and reliable individual, who likes to be challenged and to have the opportunity to learn and put new skills to use. I enjoy working with others and have the ability to work efficiently both within with a team and as a team leader. I complete all tasks to the best of my abilities and relish any opportunities to enhance my skills. I am also aware of my limitations and know when I need to seek guidance and advice in order to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Assistant Manager at McDonald’s <town>: October 2008 – July 2018

§ I was employed as an Assistant Manager at a busy McDonalds Restaurant. The restaurant is in a particularly popular location and so I am required to work proficiently while under pressure, often working long hours or overtime, depending on the needs of the business.

§ Primary responsibilities include: training new staff members and providing ongoing training for longer-serving and more senior staff; cash procedures and management, both internal and external; repair and maintenance of business equipment; recruitment and interviewing of prospective employees; scheduling management of over 100 employees; providing customer service and conflict resolution. I also have several secondary responsibilities depending on the day’s requirements.


Labourer at "X" Building Contractors: March 2007 – September 2007

§ I was employed as a labourer for a local building company that specialised in all types of building projects and maintenance tasks.

§ I assisted in all areas of the job which required close attention to detail, and production to be of the highest quality, with every job being unique and requiring a new perspective.

§ Primary responsibilities included: construction work (including fences, patios, internal rooms etc.); electrical work; plumbing; daily maintenance of several buildings and businesses.


Technician at "computer shop": March 2004 – March 2007

§ I was employed as an IT technician for "computer shop, who dealt with the building of new systems and repair of older computer systems and other electronics. Additionally, the role also included dealing with customers, including local businesses and sales on a daily basis.

Primary responsibilities included: repair of computers and other technology; cash procedures and management, both internal and external; providing customer service and conflict resolution; managing urgent customer care phone lines; management and care of large amounts of expensive electrical equipment; receiving and checking deliveries; checking product validity and quality.

Education

OCR Qualifications

§ Level 2 in adult numeracy

§ Level 2 in adult literacy

Bournemouth & Poole College

§ BTEC National Diploma in Electrical/Electronic Engineering triple grade: Merit Pass Pass

Queen Elizabeth School

§ 6 GCSEs: grades C-D, including English, Maths, and ICT



Hobbies & interests

In my free time I am a frequent gardener, and love to grow fresh produce which I use in trying out new recipes for family and friends. I am particularly interested in a broad range of technologies, and enjoy building models, playing computer games, and keeping up with new technological advances. I love to drive and work on maintaining my car, as well as exploring new improvements for it. I enjoy challenging myself to learn new skills, researching the ins and outs of any chosen subject in order to expand my knowledge. I also enjoy spending a lot of my time helping others where I can, which can include repairing their electronic devices, cars etc. Whenever possible, I like to spend time socialising with friends and family.
 
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Soldato
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Does anyone know if it would be a good idea to include my part time business fixing phones, ipads and pcs as part of my CV ?

Only if it's relevant, that goes with most bits of the CV, focus the CV to the job role you are going for. You can list other jobs with no (or little) description if you don't want a gap in the time line... Having things like diligent, honest and reliable in the profile is a bit of a waste of time imo - no one is ever going to claim otherwise on those traits!
 
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Only if it's relevant, that goes with most bits of the CV, focus the CV to the job role you are going for. You can list other jobs with no (or little) description if you don't want a gap in the time line... Having things like diligent, honest and reliable in the profile is a bit of a waste of time imo - no one is ever going to claim otherwise on those traits!

Thank you for your reply.
Do you have examples of other traits that could be used? I am useless at writing a CV :(
 
Caporegime
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Thank you for your reply.
Do you have examples of other traits that could be used? I am useless at writing a CV :(

I think that is missing the point a bit - his comment doesn't just apply to the specific traits you've listed.

I mean everyone can write a few lines of fluff on their CV telling the world they're hard working and dedicated and [insert good thing here] etc..etc... it is rather meaningless if unsubstantiated.

I mean if you want to include some stuff to show off a bit then perhaps back it up with some real examples.

re: the computer business, I guess you could mention it, but depending what you're aiming the CV at it might be relevant work experience or it might be more hobbies/interests... which again no one really cares too much about unless you've done something really impressive or perhaps you have a hobby that is shared by one of the interviewers, which might work in your favour when they're getting to the final round and are mostly just considering "will this candidate fit in, would I want to work with him/her?" etc..
 
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I think that is missing the point a bit - his comment doesn't just apply to the specific traits you've listed.

I mean everyone can write a few lines of fluff on their CV telling the world they're hard working and dedicated and [insert good thing here] etc..etc... it is rather meaningless if unsubstantiated.

I mean if you want to include some stuff to show off a bit then perhaps back it up with some real examples.

re: the computer business, I guess you could mention it, but depending what you're aiming the CV at it might be relevant work experience or it might be more hobbies/interests... which again no one really cares too much about unless you've done something really impressive or perhaps you have a hobby that is shared by one of the interviewers, which might work in your favour when they're getting to the final round and are mostly just considering "will this candidate fit in, would I want to work with him/her?" etc..


Thanks for your reply dowie.
Thanks for clearing that up, it makes a lot of sense, but then is a "profile" pointless on a cv? and what would you replace it with? just work experience?

Cheers
 
Caporegime
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Thanks for your reply Delvis.
That is what I would like to do, eventually, I think I need to work on a few things first and look into the area a bit.

I understand that I guess, but, if you don't take leaps sometimes, you can't step in the right direction.

Maybe look into some auctions, some small flats that needs a bit of tlc. ObcioObvi that costs money, but may as well look into it
 
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I understand that I guess, but, if you don't take leaps sometimes, you can't step in the right direction.

Maybe look into some auctions, some small flats that needs a bit of tlc. ObcioObvi that costs money, but may as well look into it

Fully agree with you on that, my main issue at the moment is getting enough money to be able to do that sort of thing.
I have the tools and experience to be able to do most of the work, just money is the big factor.
 
Caporegime
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Fully agree with you on that, my main issue at the moment is getting enough money to be able to do that sort of thing.
I have the tools and experience to be able to do most of the work, just money is the big factor.

Aye, get reading I guess :)

Maybe goto some auctions, see how it works,talk to a few people's ? Dunno, just saying what comes to mind! Hope it works out
 
Soldato
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The key thing to get right is to see if you can do something you are really passionate about. If you love your work, it's doesn't feel like working.

Make a note of when you are really happy doing something, and getting a buzz from it. Then, think whether there is a viable career to be made from it.

Also, like me, you have a lot of interests. You need to focus on one to three which have career potential. Allow yourself a set amount of time to think of them, say 1 month, then start to focus. Otherwise, you will waste your life.

Make a spreadsheet of possible career choices, and then rank them all in order of preference. Allow yourself a month, then focus on the best two to gain employable skills.
 
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