I.T. Support Jobs.

[Scarface2003]

Hi,

I have been unemployed for up to 18 months now and am desperate for a job. I am signing on at the jobcentre at the moment.

My background is that I am an engineer and have many years of experience within the IT industry as a helpdesk, 1st line and 2nd line support analyst. I have re-done my CV and covering letters so that it caters for the IT industry. I have also done courses offered by the jobcentre as an SIA security door supervisor and First Aid.

I have had many interviews, but no work has come out of it, I can’t understand what I am doing wrong. Is it just the current situation/climate and does this mean sit and wait or could anyone point me in the right direction ?

I have applied through agencies, online, direct companies, newspapers and jobcentre etc...
Can anyone let give me direct links to companies that I should be trying for as I believe I have exhausted my search and CV sending.

Thanks.

[d3xt0r]

Having the same problem matey. Was Grocery Supervisor in retail for 7 years.

now no fucker wants me. Could be down to my interviews i suppose, i get dead nervous and mind goes blank when asked questions lol.

Been unemployed for 6 months now

[raelmadrid]

i was in same position for about 6 months until i got sorted, a few quick tips are:

- keep your CV and cover letter to 3 pages max

- always try and send in a personally addressed paper copy rather than e-mail

- apply for everthing you see that you would not mind doing, don't just dismiss something because you think you would have no chance, I took a chance and was the worst on paper out of all the candidates but was told my cover letter and interview were the best and got the job

good luck and hope you get sorted

[MsDG]

Unfortunately, atm its more about who you know instead of what you know. Have you tried contacting old work mates for whispers of jobs?

What part of the country are you looking for work... you never know part of the DF might know of something available in your area?

[Brydo666]

Unfortunately, atm its more about who you know instead of what you know. Have you tried contacting old work mates for whispers of jobs?

What part of the country are you looking for work... you never know part of the DF might know of something available in your area?

Second this comment.

We're about to post an ad for an IT Support Administrator in the next couple of weeks. It'll no doubt be me that shortlists for it.

[evilsatan]

I was working for a toshiba repair centre all last year until they moved most of their work out of the uk to Germany. The money wasn't good enough to justify a move and as they had sponsored me through affiliated training I decided to go self employed. I am doing quite well for early startup, I was contacted by my old manager at the repair centre who offered me a job on the IBM repair contract but I turned it down. If you are in Essex I can point you in the right direction to get a job at the repair centre.

I have found that most businesses don't want a full time technician on their payroll so I now service numerous businesses and home users when required.

[Thalamus]

Companies are now pickier then ever when they recruit. I see an article the other day that more and more companies will only recruit and accept candidates with a BA honours degree 2:1 in some industries. Anything less like a 2:2 and no interview

@scarface2003 why not ask for feedback after your interviews.

[neo2810]

Location would help. We're currently looking for techincal candidates for sales designer/tech specialist roles in Newcastle.

[koola2]

Have you tried signing up to linkedin? Get some contacts in the industry.

[Over Carl]

From the salaries on offer and the required experience, I'm guessing each vacancy is expecting a shed load of applicants.

I find it annoying as when I started where I am, I only intended to stick it out for a year as the commute is pretty lengthy - I think I'm fairly stuck here until the credit crunch is out of the way now.

[BBK]

Echoing what has been said above, I've hired 12 people in the last 6 months, done loads of interviews and seen even more CV's. The market has totally changed since last year, and there are now so many candidates for each role I can afford to be really picky for the right candidate.

My only comments about the CV would be to make sure its short. For me there is nothing worse than having a 5 page CV, it has to be short and concise. I'm happy to have a look over your CV and give my feedback - I am NOT an IT Engineer specialist, more on the software side, but it may help just to give some guidance.

[TwoPlAnKs]

Avoid blaming the credit crunch, you'll never get a job if you just accept it's impossible because of outside forces. Unemployment is dropping which means more people are being hired than fired just now.

Edit: Just reread this and noticed the above paragraph is utter bullshit, unemployment isn't dropping at all. I must have been mad when I was typing that. It almost is though, and it has been in some months so it's still a positive situation for job hunters compared to a year ago.

Graduate roles looking for higher level degrees are because more people are getting higher level degrees. If you increase supply, more people can afford them. It's nothing to be scared of, and jobs market really isn't so bad.

Work on your skills, think outside the box and be prepared to move about a bit in terms of your area of expertise and once you have become the best candidate for the job, you will get the job.

Training doesn't need to be hugely hugely expensive, have you considered Open University or a part time course whilst doing some menial work? It's difficult but possible to get a degree whilst working almost full time as long as your job isn't too taxing, so if you can live on minimum wage get a UCAS application sorted and chuck a CV into the local Tesco. You can then turn up to graduate jobs with more experience years than the other applicants have been alive for and you'll walk in, mature students are very sought after.

Consider moving physically too, unemployment varies between 0.5% and 12% across the country so you will be in a lot of competition in some areas.

[Scarface2003]

Hi first of all thank you very much for the replies.

i was in same position for about 6 months until i got sorted, a few quick tips are:

- keep your CV and cover letter to 3 pages max

- always try and send in a personally addressed paper copy rather than e-mail

- apply for everthing you see that you would not mind doing, don't just dismiss something because you think you would have no chance, I took a chance and was the worst on paper out of all the candidates but was told my cover letter and interview were the best and got the job

good luck and hope you get sorted

My CV is no longer than 2 pages.

Unfortunately, atm its more about who you know instead of what you know. Have you tried contacting old work mates for whispers of jobs?

What part of the country are you looking for work... you never know part of the DF might know of something available in your area?

I have tried contacting old friends and have applied for various roles, even if they are catered to be internal only, but no joy. Mates say that what the companies are doing is, advertising in papers for jobs, but recruiting internally first and most of the time an outsider doesn’t get a chance.

I have worked all over the country but am situated in Birmingham now and am looking for work in the Midlands – so have applied to Telford, Warwick, Coventry, Birmingham etc....

I was working for a toshiba repair centre all last year until they moved most of their work out of the uk to Germany. The money wasn't good enough to justify a move and as they had sponsored me through affiliated training I decided to go self employed. I am doing quite well for early startup, I was contacted by my old manager at the repair centre who offered me a job on the IBM repair contract but I turned it down. If you are in Essex I can point you in the right direction to get a job at the repair centre.

I have found that most businesses don't want a full time technician on their payroll so I now service numerous businesses and home users when required.

I agree most companies don’t want a full times technician on their payroll, but that makes it so hard to get a mortgage or to go into something long-term as you don’t know when they will get rid of you and there isn’t any stability.

[Scarface2003]

Companies are now pickier then ever when they recruit. I see an article the other day that more and more companies will only recruit and accept candidates with a BA honours degree 2:1 in some industries. Anything less like a 2:2 and no interview

@scarface2003 why not ask for feedback after your interviews.

I am also a degree holder and still not much luck, not really working in my favour when you consider that you take 3-4 years out of your life and commit yourself to getting qualified.

I have asked for feedback and times you don’t even get that. Or you get that “you were a very strong candidate, but we have offered the job to someone else as they have more experience.” Who knows whether that is the case? Most times you get a standard template of a letter back saying that you have not been short listed when it’s taken you about 2 hours to fill an application out.

Have you tried signing up to linkedin? Get some contacts in the industry.

Not signed up to this as it’s the first time I have heard about it. Will have to do look into it and sign up. I have just signed up to agencies and recruitment web pages, email alerts etc..

[Copex]

i have 14 years in telecoms pbx and VOIP, ive been unuseful in finding a job, i just don't seem to get anywhere when applying for unskilled jobs, there is very little in the area I am trained in, where i live.

so you're not the only one in the same boat. im now doing voluntary work in IT mainly rebuilding P.C's it don't pay but it gets me out of the house :-)

[Scarface2003]

i have 14 years in telecoms pbx and VOIP, ive been unuseful in finding a job, i just don't seem to get anywhere when applying for unskilled jobs, there is very little in the area I am trained in, where i live.

so you're not the only one in the same boat. im now doing voluntary work in IT mainly rebuilding P.C's it don't pay but it gets me out of the house :-)

I agree, it is very difficult, when I apply for unskilled work I get that I am too qualified after I have been interviewed. At what point do they decide that you are too qualified ? They have your CV outlining all your experience and qualifications on there already.

My last job was in telecoms also - B.T. - didn't do me any favours either.