Not so sunny in the sunny South East
Barry Whelan was dismayed to discover how few resources are available for the long term unemployed after attending an employment conference in Waterford
Print18 November 2011
Very recently, one of our long-term clients, Anne Marie Caulfield, of the Caulfield McCarthy Supervalu group, invited us to attend an employment expo in Waterford; Caulfield is also the president of the Chamber of Commerce and was motivated to organise the expo after the recent treatment of the Talk Talk workers in the city. Waterford is a city at the centre of the employment devastation in the South East of Ireland. We would always have a number of positions in the area and were glad to attend.
High unemployment in Waterford
Quite frankly, we were stunned on the day, not just by the volume of job seekers, but the volume of young job seekers heading towards long-term unemployment. However, what shocked me most was the lack of professional and coordinated resources in the region to help people in this situation. I wonder what the true rate of unemployment is in Waterford? 20% wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.
I met with many people who had not worked in three or four years, who had awful CVs, were unsure about how to job hunt and where to look and lacked any relevant training that could have been completed during this time unemployed. I would have thought a city like Waterford, with the obvious devastation of employment there, would have had stronger resources for people who are unemployed.
Tips
If you’re spending your time unsuccessfully looking for work, without any success, consider these tips for turning around a few thankless job search scenarios:
Keep on updating your CV:
A CV is a job seeker’s one must-have item but few people relish the thought of sitting down for an hour or two or three to draft this document from scratch. Even updating an existing CV can be a chore particularly if it hasn’t been updated in a while.
Save yourself the headache by updating your CV continually. Did you recently finish a large project at home? Update your CV. Completed some training? Update your CV. Work for free for charity? Update your CV. You get the drift: It is a working document.
Updating your CV as your professional life evolves will make the process easier. At the same time, you’ll also always have an up-to-date version on hand, which can be especially important if a role pops up you’re really interested in. If you don’t, you will be in danger of forgetting the details about a noteworthy professional accomplishment years later.
Never hearing back from employers
One of the most frustrating feelings is identifying a job you know you are perfect for, submitting your application and then hearing nothing from the company.
Unfortunately, you may find yourself in this situation from time to time. Some companies do not respond to all job applicants, particularly when they receive a high volume of applications. But you can improve your odds of hearing back, even if you simply get confirmation that your CV was received.
If it’s been a couple of weeks since you applied for a job, and you haven’t received an update on the status of your application, follow up with the employer to emphasise your continued interest in the position. Often, this small step will prompt a response from the recruitment manager. More importantly, you’ll put your name on the hiring manager’s radar and even may persuade the person to give your CV a second look.
Interviewing, but not getting a job offer
You answered the recruitment manager’s questions perfectly, and the two of you hit it off right away. You know you’re a shoe in for the job, but then you learn that it went to someone else.
You can reduce the likelihood of this happening the next time you interview with a potential employer in a couple of easy ways. First, consider asking the recruitment manager for honest feedback about your interview performance. You might say something like, “I’m sorry to hear I didn’t get the job. Do you have any advice for how I could improve my chances next time?” Not every employer will be frank with you, but you could gain valuable insight from the ones who are.
Practice
Remember to practice, practice, practice. Although the thought may make you uncomfortable, conducting a mock interview with a friend or family member can help you iron out any rough spots and build confidence for the main event.
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