Getting a job

[emphyrian]

At 16 i would go for the voluntary route. You have no workplace experiance which a lot of workplaces look for. I run a small catering team and will not take anyone on who has no catering experiance. I have CV's handed in all the time and i ask each one when they hand the thing over if they have experiance. They look suprised when i hand back the CV and say no thanks. Im not being harsh, I just dont want to waste their time.

If you went to some workplaces and get the managers email or phone number and then email/call and ask if you could come in and volunteer for a few hours a week, it not only looks good on the CV but you may even get a job offer out of it. You will need to have a set amount of time in mind for the voluntary period as they may see you as an easy opportunity to get work done for free.

Good luck though

 

[strings]

Also, (for application forms and online applications) make sure your response in the 'free text/supporting evidence' box demonstrates how you achieve all of the criteria in the person specification. Big companies tend to short-list by only inviting the people to interview that appear to meet most of the points in the person specification.

If you can, don't just say that you meet each criterion i.e. "I am able to use computer packages", but say how you meet each criterion; i.e. "I am experienced in the use of various computer packages including [x] which I used at [y] to [z]. I have also used [computer programme 1] to [do whatever] whilst I was [doing a project/task/something]"

It may seem overkill, but medium and large companies do tend to be very reliant on person specs when shortlisting for interview.

 

[Nibble]

I understand times are tough and there are a lot of unemployed people, but getting a job has really been getting me down. I'm 16, just finished school and am looking for a summer job. Every shop I go into either rejects my CV and tells me to apply online, which is literally impossible to find; or they don't get back to me even to tell me that I'm unsuccessful. Just makes me think I'm not good enough and has been getting me down, can anyone help me?

Did it ever cross your mind that you really aren't good enough? If you are getting this down about finding work after just finishing school and looking for a short time, chances are you don't have a thick enough skin for this working game. I say man up and stop whinging or go back to school.

 

[essbee]

Biggest problem with applicants in my experience (and I have a lot)
is a shoddily-written and badly-layed out CV. Make sure that there are
no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors - get someone to look at it for you....

It immediately gives a poor impression if you don't present yourself in the best
way.

Good luck mate.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Did it ever cross your mind that you really aren't good enough? If you are getting this down about finding work after just finishing school and looking for a short time, chances are you don't have a thick enough skin for this working game. I say man up and stop whinging or go back to school.

well that's nice isn't it?

 

[Nibble]

Yes, a CV needs to be done well. A friend's kid I know is borderline retarded, no personality and thick as shit in a milk bottle but by getting someone else to do his CV well for him he got a lot of interviews. He failed nearly all of them and works in an Uncle Sam's but you get the point.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Did it ever cross your mind that you really aren't good enough? If you are getting this down about finding work after just finishing school and looking for a short time, chances are you don't have a thick enough skin for this working game. I say man up and stop whinging or go back to school.

You do make me laugh Nibble, ever since you and you're mate arrived on NSC all those years ago. I think yours is the best spoof account on here

 

[WATFORD zero]

Yes, a CV needs to be done well. A friend's kid I know is borderline retarded, no personality and thick as shit in a milk bottle but by getting someone else to do his CV well for him he got a lot of interviews. He failed nearly all of them and works in an Uncle Sam's but you get the point.

Not 'your friend' but 'your friend's kid' It's the little subtleties that others miss

 

[Nibble]

Not 'your friend' but 'your friend's kid' It's the little subtleties that others miss

That's actually true, 20 yrs old, had a kid, a lisp and really bad at his spellings.

 

[banjo]

Yes, a CV needs to be done well. A friend's kid I know is borderline retarded, no personality and thick as shit in a milk bottle but by getting someone else to do his CV well for him he got a lot of interviews. He failed nearly all of them and works in an Uncle Sam's but you get the point.

Which Uncle Sam's ? I don't want him dribbling into My burger.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Did it ever cross your mind that you really aren't good enough? If you are getting this down about finding work after just finishing school and looking for a short time, chances are you don't have a thick enough skin for this working game. I say man up and stop whinging or go back to school.

He's looking for a SUMMER job, Nibbs. Does that not suggest that he IS intending to go back to school?

 

[Nibble]

Which Uncle Sam's ? I don't want him dribbling into My burger.

Shoreham maybe? Around there anyway.

 

[Nibble]

He's looking for a SUMMER job, Nibbs. Does that not suggest that he IS intending to go back to school?

Well he's way too late then. He should have started looking for summer jobs back in May. His hols will be over before he gets anyone to look at his CV.

 

[willyfantastic]

Well he's way too late then. He should have started looking for summer jobs back in May. His hols will be over before he gets anyone to look at his CV.

unfortunately this is correct - should have started looking ages ago, summer holidays is only 6 weeks - 8 for private schools - 12+ for Universities - so you will only get a couple of hundred quid anyway by the time you get something

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

As said by others, I would try Temping Agencies. they aren't particularly secure but they can give you some vital work experience on the CV. Even if it is just a week or two here and there it may even lead to something else.

I went to one up here in Reading and was offered a job whereby I would sit and look through magazines and see who advertised in them, I would then check on a system to see if they advertised on Yell.com and if not would send them to a sales team. It was boring as hell but very easy money and got a big company on my CV. That led to further contracts and then being made permanent before leaving for a larger pay cheque.

The key thing with temping agencies, In my opinion anyway, ifs to make the most of every placement. Get out and meet people you are working with and make as many contacts as possible. Even if you will only be there for a month or two over the summer it is important as it can make getting a temp job the following holidays a lot easier.

Keep your head up with every rejection, the majority of people wont mean to be rude to you when directing you to go online but they have probably had numerous people coming in that day already and will be on autopilot.

 

[willyfantastic]

As said by others, I would try Temping Agencies. they aren't particularly secure but they can give you some vital work experience on the CV. Even if it is just a week or two here and there it may even lead to something else.

I went to one up here in Reading and was offered a job whereby I would sit and look through magazines and see who advertised in them, I would then check on a system to see if they advertised on Yell.com and if not would send them to a sales team. It was boring as hell but very easy money and got a big company on my CV. That led to further contracts and then being made permanent before leaving for a larger pay cheque.

The key thing with temping agencies, In my opinion anyway, ifs to make the most of every placement. Get out and meet people you are working with and make as many contacts as possible. Even if you will only be there for a month or two over the summer it is important as it can make getting a temp job the following holidays a lot easier.

Keep your head up with every rejection, the majority of people wont mean to be rude to you when directing you to go online but they have probably had numerous people coming in that day already and will be on autopilot.

yes I did temp work for a year in Exeter as I was going travelling after so couldn't get anything full time - i had pretty solid work throughout

i phoned up the agency (in my case it was Huntress, they also have an office in Brighton FYI) and asked about it, was told to come for some tests & an interview, which involved going through word processors/excel and database systems tosee how good/quick i was at them, then had an interview afterwards going through my CV
my sister actually did temp work for them too in their own office and found out they rate their temps - i was put in the highest rating as i turned up to the interview smartly dressed (in a suit) , had some good experience from Uni (raise & give society & charity work) and and had a good attitude to work

i also prioritised the work over anything else (including social events etc) so any time they rang with some sort of job, regardless of what it was, i would do it - this meant going forward i was given the better jobs with better pay (i started off organising a filing cabinet for a roman catholic diocese, but ended up with fairly regular work in an NHS office that brought in about £300 a week)

definitely worth a go - there will be a few jobs that really suck, and you'll get phonecalls sometimes at 8.30am asking you to be in at 9am or ASAP which were a pain, but if you stick at it, they should consider you for some of the more regular/consistent work

you also get paid holiday!

 

[Munkfish]

I wouldnt bother mate, you're 16 enjoy it, if we have a great summer spend it chilling out with mates and having fun, you dont get many chances in your life to do that once you have started work, so kick back and relax.

If you really want to start working, start looking around oct/nov time, most shops will be looking for xmas temps, its where I started many years ago now, you should easily pick one up then, unless you are of course a complete tard.

 

[Nibble]

Don't volunteer either unless it's for it's own sake and you want to. You will spend your entire life doing over time, being expected to go the extra mile for no extra pay, don't volunteer for it at age 16. Anyway, you're too late now, enjoy your summer being skint. All the best, Mr. Nibble G.C.S.E

 

[Springal]

Try casual drug dealing, for short term employment. You must have loads of friends you'd be able to sell to

 

[Nibble]

You're lucky. My folks attitude was "You're in school or in a job our you're not in this house"