In the last three or so months I would say that I have gone for about 150 - 200 Jobs. OUT of those 150 or so jobs Ive had about 15 job interviews, out of those 15 job interviews 0 have called back to say yes you have the job or no you have not got the job.
Is this fair?
It is so hard to get a job in australia for single mums, school leavers, and people returning to the workforce! If you dont currently work basically they dont want to know you!
I think 2 or 3 of those 15 interviews were actually for the business itself. The rest were through job agencies. Im running low on the number of job agencies in adelaide I have signed up for. And its pointless. I have worked in a recruitment agency and I know what they do. They throw you into a database and if your resume is not a word document, basically you dont get a look in! Also you maybe apllying for a certain job, but rest assured the job they call you up for isnt actually the job you went for!
So your put on this data base and every now and then the agency will get a call looking for someone with data entry experience, so they pop up there search window and bung in data entry, and all the people with data entry experience pops up onto the screen. Does it seem fair?
Also they dont even bother looking at your cover letter! In my cover letter I have answered every question I have been asked over the phone or in a interview!
The most common one:
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
What I would like to say is :
Well if I dont have a bloody job in the next two months, I will sleeping in the park down the street under a news paper cos no one will give me a job!
What I do say:
I want to be able to say that I have been working in this position for the last 5 years or that I have started as a receptionist in this position and have climbed the corporal ladder in the last 5 years.
What a load of crap am I right? Who the hell goes into a job interview and actually acts like themselves? God if I went in there acting like myself I think the interviewer would have a bloody heart attack!
And in the end who gets the job?
Some blonde bimbo with huge bloody tits that can afford a gucci suit cos daddy paid for it! Whom actually have no references except for daddies executive friends that have been obliged to lie for them!
I dont think that job agencies are fair!
I have all the experience in the world. sheesh but no one will have me. EVEN saying I have just signed a 12 month lease does not help!
Have a preview of my cover letter and Resume and tell me what you think?
Dear Potential employer,
I am applying for the position you have available that was advertised on seek.
I have worked in offices across South Australia and New South Wales. I have plenty of experience in both reception and clerical Admin. Having worked in different types of offices I believe that I have an excellent understanding of general office duties, as well as having completed a certificate 3 in business admin in 2003.
I have an excellent phone manner, and know that customer’s always come first. I dress to impress and love to work within a team. I love to have new challenges and enjoy working under pressure and learning new things.
Key Behavioral Competencies:
• Typing speed of 43 WPM with an Accuracy of 98%
• Data Entry (Numeric) 90 NPM with an Accuracy of 98%
• Intermediate in Microsoft Word
• Basic in Microsoft Excel
I am currently looking for a stable job that I will be able to grow and learn new things within the industry. I know that my overall career will lead to somewhere in the office environment.
As I have moved around quite a lot in the last twelve months I know that this makes it hard for any employer to hire me as part of their team as I might move again. I know for a fact that I will be staying in Adelaide for quite a number of years and therefore would like the prospective employer to know this now. Being quite young still I am unsure as to where I want my life to head. Within the next five years I am hoping to say I have been employed in your business for those five years.
I am a people person and interacting with people is much easier in person. I get along with nearly every personality!
To have the opportunity to work as part of your team would be an experience I’d really like to explore.
I hope that you will give me the opportunity to discuss things further in an interview. Or please don’t hesitate to keep my records on file for any further positions that may arise. Please don’t hesitate to call me on the number provided on my resume.
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Nicole
Ok its pretty general but I do change the name and position and date and I do usually have my address in there but since this is a world wide blog I dont need any of you crazy people ending up on my door step :P
And my Resume:
(Insert Name addy and phone number here in the middle and it looks all pretty {use your imagination please})
Objective
I am looking for a stable job, a position that I am able to learn and grow within the business. I am eager to learn and be taught new things. Enjoy a challenge and dress to impress. I am able to start ASAP!
Education
Year 10 Cosgove High School 2000
→ Cooking → Marine Biology
→ Science → English
→ Math → History
Employment History
→ Customer Service → Data Entry
Receptionist Impresstik 2005 - 2006
→ Switchboard operation
→Customer Service → Data Entry
Receptionist Mynt Group August 2005
→Switchboard Operation
→Sales
Phone Sales Festival Trades & Services Jan 2005 – Aug 2005
→ Switchboard Operation
Office Assistant Our United Foods 2004
→ MYOB → Invoicing
→ Customer Service → Import/Export
Laundry Worker SA Linen 2004
→ Ironer
→ Team work
Clerical/Admin Trainee City Of Unley 2002-2003
→ Customer Service → Switchboard Operation
→ Organization of meetings and events → Interacting with the elderly and people with disabilities
Summary of Skills
→Clean and tidy office areas
→Operation of a switchboard
→Stationary orders
→Organization of meetings and events
→Booking of flights and accommodation
→Customer Service
→Dealing with complaints
→ Minute Taker
→ Competent in Microsoft Packages
→ Typing skills of 40WPM with an accuracy of 98%
→ Catering Orders
→ Sticking within a budget
→ Mail Merge
→ Stock control
→ Filing/Archiving
→ Organizing Rosters
→ Data Entry
Communication
Experienced communicating and assisting people with disabilities and the elderly
Able to understand & interpret given instructions
Excellent ability to speak with and connect with others of all ages
Highly skilled in communicating clearly and effectively in the written form
Able to work within a team
Certificates
→ Business Admin Certificate 3
→ Ring Ring communication certificate
Work Experience
Receptionist Wridgways 2000
Duties Operation of Switchboard Write up of final quotes
Customer service General Office duties
Referees
And more numbers hehehehehe that you can not have :P
And of course it stuffs up in this format. Please please dont hold that against me lol
So yes Ive signed up for nearly every agency in adelaide! I dont hear back from anyone unless its a rejection letter via email. And Im sick and tired of it! Why do employers need to use a job agency.
I think an agency would in fact choose the wrong person because they dont know what type of people are already working there, they dont know what type of attitude the company has!
Oh and another piss me off thing... An agency uses little tests where ya say your less like this but more like this and if you dont get the right score, you dont get that job! Trust me I didnt get a job that I could do with my eyes closed simply because on a stupid little card my graph didnt make it to the top of the box... It shits me to tears!
So yes my money is dwindling and I have MANY bills coming out my ears that need paying but no one will have me... sigh..
Ok my vent over... Already gone for 10 jobs today... sigh.. wonder how many will call me back :S
