64 comments Add a comment
I read in the news today that the number of people unemployed in the UK passed 2 million for the first time since 1997. In another recent story 3,000 people queued up for 150 jobs at Twycross Zoo. Well that's a sign of the times and probably paints quite an accurate picture of the state of our economy and the world as a whole. Employers (assuming they're in a position to hire) and employment agencies can really pick and choose from a vast number of candidates to get the right person for the job.
Being jobless isn't a lot of fun and apart from the lack of money there are a quite a few things that can make it unpleasant. However, if there's one thing that really gets up my nose about the whole job hunting process, it's indifferent attitude of employment agencies and employers towards those who apply for jobs. It was bad enough before the recession kicked in, but now that there are so many people looking for work and less jobs to go around people like myself are just treated with contempt. Is it really so difficult to pick up a phone or tap out an email and let that person know you've at least taken a look at their CV?
A prime example are the recruitment agencies who ring you up and quiz you about your skills (we're talking IT skills here by the way). You can see a picture of them in your head as they frantically try to fit a square peg into a round hole so they can get their commission. If you're lucky enough to be put forward for a job and the client likes you, you might hear from them again, but if you're unsuccessful then you'll be left wondering. Well thanks a lot. The jobs that come up through the Job-centre seem to be among the worst though. Forget applying for the jobs by email because you'll never hear anything one way or another. In actual fact, for some of the jobs I have rung the phone number and frequently get voicemail or no answer at all.
You'll take whatever you can get to pay the bills
I can recollect one job that came up locally recently and to be fair I was a bit over qualified for it, but in these times you'll take whatever you can get to pay the bills and put food on the table! When the job first came up I fired off an email application straight away, attached my CV and waited... Weeks went by so I figured the job must have been filled and yet again, no one can be bothered to even acknowledge applicants that don't make the shortlist.
The same job, however, came up on the Job-centre website about a month later so I thought I'd call this time. No answer, so I called back again an hour later. I did this for the rest of the day and through the next as well. I'd had enough by then and gave up. Nothing but a waste of time and effort.
I sent off another job application a couple of days ago and naturally haven't heard anything, not even an automated response! I fitted the job description perfectly and the salary was around about half what it should be for those skills. They really are taking the proverbial now AND they know they can get away with it!
I find all this extremely irritating. We are human beings too and it would be nice be shown some level of respect. When you're at the bottom of the scrapheap it's hard enough without being treated as a nothing.
Leave a comment
If you want to work in a particular profession you have to either commute or relocate these days. It's just the way of things. Industry has changed and many smaller firms are being swallowed up by the big boys. These big players generally absorb all local facilities into their main one meaning that regional factories are closing. That has nothing to do with the immigration status in the UK. Those smaller companies that remain are struggling to make ends meet and as a result end up employing the eastern Europeans because they're cheaper. You can only blame the companies for that, not the migrants.
I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and look further afield. I genuinely wish you luck with your efforts and hope you don't give up.
Which part of the UK are you resident in. Don't be too specific though, you are online after all.
Having lived in my small town all of my life I assume that you now expect me to relocate to take 1 of these 2000 opportunities that you say are available to maybe make my current rented property available for the next wave of Eastern Europeans and their families?
The nearest position I have found was 22 miles away from me and when I got there the whole fabrication department (7 in total) were foreign.
Whilst I understand and cannot blame these immigrants for trying to improve there standard of life they have been allowed to do this at the very expensive cost of mine and my families working life and future.
Just another point is you find in a lot of these welding and fabrication departments it doesn't matter if you are qualified or not, very rarely do these companies ask for a copy of qualifications because they rely on agencies and also these agencies do not always ask for qualifications. Once one of them has started work they immediately recommend another foreign worker and because at that time the company has a lot of work to do they take them on too. Within a couple of weeks they have had enough practise at welding that they can do it well enough to get by as a lot of it is generally classed as semi skilled work anyway.
Generally experience in this field is classed as being as good as a qualification.
Hope you see my point.
a 10 second search on www.indeed.co.uk just brought up 8018 current vacancies for welders in the UK. Now I accept that with the dross/filled positions etc. that the number is probably nearer 2000.
That's 2000 opportunities for you so don't tell me that there are no opportunities out there. Most of the Eastern Europeans cannot take these jobs because they don't hold the relevant qualifications or their qualifications are not recognised in the UK.
So instead of sitting there bemoaning your bad luck and feeling like the world has done you bad why don't you login and start applying. You never know your luck.
Unfortunately, some people can't afford to join job agencies on the strength that they might give you a leg up to a proper job,a room to live in and a result - they chose to go with The jobcentre or the like, and have to "put up" with less than adequate jobs. I agree that you get what you pay for and that with the jobcentre plus you can't expect the earth. However, common courtesy costs nothing and in the case in question, the person in the employment agency should have put their C.V on offer again. I never change my C.V on principle unless I am sure that the person in the agency will have a 'real' job and firm principles. I have spent many a day hunting down the jobs of some micky mouse company who has insisted on cash up front for their vacancy my word, I was not born yesterday! without a thought my discomfort they leave me in the waiting room for ages, I have vowed never to put up with this misery again!
Collar won't be made a fool of.
I think what upsets me is when you get brushed off with no response by a job you really wanted then after several months and you've found another job anyway they call you back out of the blue. I would go along to interview(take sick/hol from job) and try to negotiate salary to the max they will pay. And then if they ring after a few days tell them "No, thanks, I've had a better offer" if they don't pay what your current job does.
It is the employers who are the worst. People come to two or even three interviews and then hear nothing - that is just rude and obscene. You would not want to work for these companies but that is no comfort. There is a very nasty element in many company managers who feel they can treat people very badly simply because they are out of work. I am 60 and have just been made redundant for the third time in 12 years and it does not get any better when dealing with agencies and employers.
I don't beleive my applications are being read. Whenever I find a suitable job and it says "send your cv to Shelley at Hays recruitment" i know i am wasting my time.
I've been on anti depressants twice stuck in my current job. What does Shelley at hays do all day? Does she even exist? SHELLEEEEY!!!
Email countless jobs with a cv and get no email call or letter to acknowledge my application.
Best you can do is keep copies of the emails you've sent or photocopies of application forms and take a note of calls you made to show Jobcentre so you can at least show you tried.
I actually came this close to sending one of these no-replies a nasty email telling them what I thought of their dismissive attitude. Thought better of it in case I actually do need to get a job with one of them but I take the point about the author's frustration.
UQW
I know what your saying about the smaller firms having been made redundant 3 times now.
I know 22 miles isn't far to commute but I don't want to be working there everyday with no English speaking colleagues.
I'm not giving up just going to have to turn my hand to other things and see how it goes.