Looking for a job!

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Its a tough bastard time to be looking for a new job, particularly if its a career change but you've just got to keep plugging away.

Oh, and follow up every application, I had an interview recently as a result of asking why I hadn't been asked to interview.... If your applications not accepted chuck an email across asking what you can do to give yourself a better chance next time, if you don't hear back phone or email just to clarify whats going on and again, ask what you can do to increase your chances next time.

A lot of employers will be impressed by the positive attitude and determination this shows to get your foot in the door, and if it doesn't help with that company theres still a chance that they'll talk to friends/colleagues/random people in the pub and you'll find yourself getting a chance elsewhere. It can be even more helpful if you follow up with recruitment companies as they are more likely to see your CV again in the not to distant future!

 

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Well waiting to hear back from another one so hopefully its 3rd time lucky

 

Rid yourself of the negative attitude for any interview you have - what will elevate you is enthusiasm, motivation, passion... Maybe elevate you further than applicants WITH experience, qualifications... It certainly did for me.

I love that saying mentioned here earlier in the thread 'you can't fail if you never give up'

Spot on

 

I know exactly how you feel, when I was trying to break into IT I must have applied to probably 200+ jobs, got knock backs for 99% of them, and to start with, interviews were few and far between, but towards the end I was getting interviews quite regularly... I certainly think this helps, you end up being able to do interviews in your sleep, so you can answer the similar questions easily and relaxed, and then make sure you wow them with whatever else you come out with
All I can say is hang in there, keep at it, dont give up, I felt like you did, had some real low points, and I had never worked in IT before, had a real sh1t job before this one too, just need that one company to give you a chance

 

I was fortunate enough to be working in IT since the age of 16, so getting an IT job has not really been an issue for me. Infact I have turned down 4 job offers in the past 6 months. Once you get to IT learn the basics and specialise in something niche as fast as you can mate. That's what I did, once I learnt my specialist role I went back and learnt more about networking / security / linux etc. So you get an overall good rounder dude as well as a specialist.

 

I understand youre feelings only to well.
But, like Sandi Thom said "Smile... It Confuses People"

Thats what i try and do... Not easy..

 

Thanks for everyones comments, it really does help alot. It gets you down, but with response I have had it has made me more determined than before!
I think the phrase "If you never quit you can't fail " could be my new mantra.

If anyone knows someone in the northwest/north who could help me out let me know

 

I'll second that you need to follow up on all applications. If i didn't, i wouldn't be in the job i'm in.

 

hey guys quick question, i would like to do Network roles or an Analyst roles etc I don't want to do IT support however there are some roles coming up in Support around me that i could go for, in your opinion if i did this would i get the opportunity to move to another department after a period in support?

 

Well... the problem is that networking jobs are usually given to experienced techs. Until you get some IT experience, you'll continue to be passed over for the "good jobs". Unfortunately, you've got to start at the bottom and work your way up; going for a networking or analyst role isn't starting at the bottom. In truth, how can you analyze something you've never worked with?? Experience is what you need. You can get that experience by grabbing one of those support jobs.

Don't kid yourself: networking and analyst roles are also "Support" jobs. If you don't like the support aspect of IT, you're in for a rough road... because IT is all about support of the end user... even if you're a server room rat.

 

You won't generally walk into a Network or Analyst role without having come up through the ranks, you need to experience that doing support gives you. After all who in their right mind gives access to someone who doesn't have a support background because by rights you won't be able to 'support' the system you're working with.

Please understand that you stand more chance of improving your chances further down the road if you have the right background than if you try and get into a role that you're simply not ready for, everyone has to start at the bottom and work their way up, it's the same in most jobs.

You also have to understand that how well you do in a job also requires the assistance of your colleagues and the only way to do that is to have them wanting to help you, if you try and buck the system and run before you can walk you will not only fail in what you're doing but also run the risk of damaging your career long term (it's a small world, people know people, especially with the likes of LinkedIn and Facebook now days).

 

It's not so much the support I dislike it's the call centre aspect I'm not keen on.
Like you have said this is a way of me getting experience, I will follow it up for sure. How many years experience before you think I could go for a different position? I'm open to many things networks, general analyst roles even project management.

 

In other words, stuff that isn't entry level.

I think you've acquired a negative view about call center support work without having worked in a call center before. Not all call center jobs involve reading from a script. Some actually involve actual hands-on tech support work.

That's not to say that you MUST work in a call center. My first "real" IT job was as a field service tech, going out to businesses and fixing their PCs, printers, and occasionally, servers.

How long will it take? Depends on where you end up and what experience you get while you're there. There's no way anyone can answer that for you. You might do nothing but log tickets and escalate calls. You might get some valuable desktop admin experience. Or you might get some light server admin experience... or a combination of the three. But no matter which of these you get, you'll STILL be getting more real-world IT experience than you're getting now. Now is not the time to be picky and choosy about what jobs you want to take and don't want to take. Later in your career, you'll be better able to do that.

For the record, I stayed in my field service tech role for approximately 9 months until one of the customers I serviced wanted to hire me away from my employer. They worked out a deal and I joined their company. Your mileage may vary.

 

Your right I think when you envisage your job you have unrealistic ambitions. I think my interpretation of call centres is skewed so I have a negative attitude towards it.
But I have to start somewhere, il take the advice on board, hopefully il get something soon then in the future il get my dream role!

 

Now you've got it.

Be careful and don't let that negative attitude fester, because if you do, I guarantee that it will show in an interview. Employers will believe that you won't truly be happy in an entry-level role and won't give you the opportunity. Would you, if you were in their shoes? Make them believe that you will enjoy the job and do well at it, and they'll be much more likely to give you the opportunity.

Get on that IT career ladder... cause you can't start climbing it till you're on it.

 

Hey OP, I'm in kind of a similar situation and it sucks, no luck in finding jobs...

Hope everything works out for you though so atleast one of us is happy!

 

I think the reason I'm like this is that I had an interview with HP and got to virtually the last stage and didn't get it, so it knocked my confidence and this role does not sound as glamourous. But you are definitely right I can't climb the ladder unless I'm on it!
Hopefully il be in a role soon!

 

That doesn't mean you're a bad candidate... it just means that they found someone more qualified, less expensive, or a better fit for the job, that's all. And those people are out there... it doesn't mean they're a better tech than you.

In fact, getting to the last stage is a GOOD sign! Not getting an interview at ALL is a bad sign! Know what I mean? Have confidence!

 

Yeah i know what you mean, it was a graduate scheme so I would have benefited from the training but c'est la vie.
once im in the position of turning jobs down Il have the confidence!

Also i like the idea of project management, could i do that whilst working through IT support or would i have to take a different path?

 

Arj, start at the bottom mate, project management in the "job role" sense is probably a long way off, experience managing a project is something that is unlikely to be at the entry level is any meaningful way, however the levels immediately following could do. For instance, I am about to start a migration of two seperate businesses almost single handedly, so that's my very first proper bit of project work after 2 solid and very hectic years in IT.

Focus on what your career is at now mate, i was where you were only a year ago in terms of envisioning my career and where I wanted to go, so it certainly isn't impossible to see very real movement upwards in a short period of time, but that comes with hard work and very serious pushing forward. Don't sit there going "I want to be up there" once you land your first job at the BOTTOM because thats where it will be. Focus on getting everything under your belt and drawing the best snapshots of that time onto your CV and moving up. Or just sit in a call centre role for 5 years, it's 100% down to your own motivation my man.