Job hunting?

[Sidhe]

Any advice for looking for a job? I live in the UK and fear that my job is soon to terminate. Anyone know of any good web sites or sources for Job hunting apart from the Job center obviously, it's been a while since I was on the job market so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ComradeDavo]

I am also living in the UK and seeking a job

The best advice I can give is always ask people you know! I bumped into someone I used to work with and they alerted me that the company we were workign for (WHSmiths!) needed staff in it's smaller Bath branch (we worked at the big one before) so I popped in and thay said 'yes we do!' so I gave them a CV an dplan to visit tommorow to remind them.

 

[kingjoshi]

networking is obviously the biggest thing. I'll be looking for a job soon (not sure if it'll be US or elsewhere) and I hope to contact people I've met. Just getting your foot in the door with interviews is key.

 

[Red Stranger]

Employers hire based on skills, not based on connections. They could care less if you know their uncle's cousin's mothers neice, they care if you can do the job right. I'd say the best way to get a job is to make a good first impression, and to have a can do attitude. Then back it up with your education. A lot of people are smart, but they don't make good first impressions so they lose the job to other people who do.

 

[Sidhe]

Thanks guys, not exactly true Red, the old school tie netwrok is very influential in this country(sadly enough) In some jobs networking is key to finding another jobs, though in most it's pretty irreleveant, depends what you do, if you work as a financial consultant in the stock market then your networking skills will make it very easy to find employ outside of your company but then I'd imagine you'd be more likely to be head hunted than chose to leave.

 

[Red Stranger]

I assumed you're not in business, since you're looking for your job online. If you are in business, then networking is important. In fact it may be the thing that's most important. But in most jobs, it's the skills that count.

 

[Sidhe]

Unfortunately I am unskilled and I've spent most of my life working crappy unskilled jobs, this is due to a lack of training in jobs these days and personal illness. So really I'll be looking for semi skilled office work, nothing too demanding. If I could find a job that would actually train me instead of asking for A Ph.D in applied box making though I'd leap at the chance, unfortunately employers are all qualification obsessed these days and for most training is too expensive so I'm lumbered - untill I get my degree - with piss poor jobs that most people would only consider taking if they were about to be made homeless

 

[ComradeDavo]

Thanks guys, not exactly true Red, the old school tie netwrok is very influential in this country(sadly enough) In some jobs networking is key to finding another jobs, though in most it's pretty irreleveant, depends what you do, if you work as a financial consultant in the stock market then your networking skills will make it very easy to find employ outside of your company but then I'd imagine you'd be more likely to be head hunted than chose to leave.

Indeed that is true.

 

[kingjoshi]

Networking is key to get the interview. If you're not qualified in the interview, they probably won't hire you. However, if there are a thousand candidates and one of your current employees has a friend who applied, they're probably more likely to get an interview.

It's definitely possible to get jobs without networking. However, most people that do have white collar jobs used some form of social networking to get it.

 

[Sidhe]

Well it's Thursaday and the job page will be out soon, I shall be back anon. Anyone know any paticularly good web sites?

 

[bhsup]

It probably depends on your field. monster.com is decently sized here in the States. I just checked and it does indeed have a British-specific site.

http://www.monster.co.uk/

 

[Perfection]

Employers hire based on skills, not based on connections. They could care less if you know their uncle's cousin's mothers neice, they care if you can do the job right. I'd say the best way to get a job is to make a good first impression, and to have a can do attitude. Then back it up with your education. A lot of people are smart, but they don't make good first impressions so they lose the job to other people who do.

Neworking is very effective. Yes, you'll need the skills and a decent interview, but a reccomendation by someone the employee knows can do quite a lot (epecially toward landing that interview). Networking also allows you to find more jobs than what's available on the web by having people seek them out for you.

It's definitely possible to get jobs without networking. However, most people that do have white collar jobs used some form of social networking to get it.

It's just white collar either. A whole lot of entry level retail jobs are. given to friends of employees.

It probably depends on your field. monster.com is decently sized here in the States. I just checked and it does indeed have a British-specific site.

http://www.monster.co.uk/

remember to check out local sites too. They can be a great asset.

 

[Rambuchan]

Fired for spamming CFC at work eh? Tough break dude.

Give yourself a minimum of 3 months hunting time if you want to get a job that is truly suitable and rewarding.

 

[Sidhe]

Not quite more like fired for being off sick too much and being late once too often. I'm unlikely to get a rewarding job, I am unskilled and unqaulified, and to old to be a trainee probably. I'll be happy with a menial office job untill I pass my degree. Still one good thing is if I'm fired I get dole, if I'd of left I wouldn't.

Fired for medical reasons basically, they are suposed to try and find me another job before they "lay me off", but they can't or wont because the hospital has no jobs that are simillar to mine and it is 15 million in debt and is not allowed to hire staff atm. I think it has a limit of 15 jobs per month and that goes on essential jobs like Dr's nurses etc.

 

[nonconformist]

You all unemployed too?

 

[BCLG100]

Fired for spamming CFC at work eh? Tough break dude.

Give yourself a minimum of 3 months hunting time if you want to get a job that is truly suitable and rewarding.

didnt DoF get fired for doing that very reason.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Who is DoF?

 

[punkbass2000]

Having just found a job, I have some general advice. Put a lot of work into your resume. If possible, figure out a few general sorts of jobs you would like and make a few different resumes, one tailored to each type of job. Hand out resumes everywhere. Any place you would consider working. I handed resumes in to quite a few places that mentioned how they were actually looking for someone but hadn't got around to advertising yet. I agree with RS for the types of jobs you're looking for. Networking can work, but you'd likely already have a job if it was going to work for you in this situation. Networking for a minimum-wage menial task usually means you know someone who has a job they need filled. Aside from that, be polite and personable. Don't lie if you can avoid it (or are quite certain you won't be caught), but present things positively. Assuming you're a decent worker getting your foot in the door is most important. Employers will not fire you once you've started working unless you're either quite incompetent or generally an *******, I find. It's simply not worth their time to find someone else and train them as long as you're willing to at least give the illusion of caring about your job.

 

[blackheart]

Employers hire based on skills, not based on connections. They could care less if you know their uncle's cousin's mothers neice, they care if you can do the job right. I'd say the best way to get a job is to make a good first impression, and to have a can do attitude. Then back it up with your education. A lot of people are smart, but they don't make good first impressions so they lose the job to other people who do.

You're more likely to get hired if you have connections than skill. No employer is going to know how skillful you are until you're actually doing the job.

My advice is don't act desperate or too eager, be natural.