Axe's unemployment mystery (or misery)

Ok, a little background:

It's been...
32 months since I started looking for work
25 months since I was last paid
24 months since I last worked
18 months since I left employment
14 months since I began claiming benefits

So far...
I have applied for over 30000 jobs
I have had over four hundred telephone interviews
I have had 72 first interviews
I have had 2 second interviews
I have had 1 third interview
I am registered with over 80 agencies

Each day...
I check 20 different job search-engines
I aim to apply for 25 jobs (and usually exceed that)

I am looking for...
Any job that I am capable of performing that offers either a sustainable salary or a genuine possibility of progression to a sustainable salary.
Any job that makes use of my substantial skills and experience. Preferably with the opportunity to learn new skills.

Some of my skills and experience...
I have been managing IT systems for over seven years with responsibility for training, co-ordinating the department workload and providing end of line technical support. I have experience in managing resources, sourcing suppliers, recruitment, training and mentoring. I have extensive experience of network design and administration including: Windows Operating Systems, TCP/IP, DNS, Active Directory and Group Policy.

I have over seven years experience managing and designing multi-site technical infrastructure.
I have implemented wide-area networks, secure wireless and fibre-optic links. I can install and terminate fibre-optic cable. I have experience designing and building servers and workstations to high-performance and cost-effective specifications. I am experienced in project management and delivery, requirements research, design, development, testing, deployment, documentation and support.

I am a fast learner and I have excellent problem solving skills. I am able to work well under pressure. I am able to deal calmly with frustrated users and I have a great deal of patience and understanding.

I have experience working with telephone systems, CCTV systems, access control, fire/alarm systems, audio and video distribution systems. I was responsible for disaster recovery planning and continuity strategy, asset and licence management. I have worked under a wide range of licensing conditions.
I have high-level experience with Exchange and SQL Server administration as well as other server software.

I have developed database systems and software to manage HR, policy, workflow, timetabling, curriculum planning and asset management to comply with regulations. The software I developed competes directly with SIMS (the company it now belongs to had over a million turnover last year; I don't get a penny).

A bit about me...
I work part-time in a computer repair shop (about 10 hours a week). I effectively work for free (all that I earn is offset against my benefits, I'm not a burden on the taxpayer).
I've always saved for the things I would like to have. I never had credit cards or loans until I lost my job; I wouldn't call it 'easy' credit at the moment.
I've wanted to start a family for many years now but I waited and worked hard to provide a stable home (being a responsible pre-parent), only to have my job taken from me and with it any chances of a family for the foreseeable future.
I don't sleep...

I only hope things get better soon.

I am sorry to hear of the problems you are having at moment I hope it improves for you.

Also pm sent to you.

Russ

Fair play to you mate; an honest and open post.

Where are you located currently?
Have you fired your CV off to SpecialAgent?
Have you contacted any "IT Specific" Agencies to look at Contract work in the interim?

Sorry to hear all that - presumably you have asked for feedback as to why you weren't successful at any of these interviews?
All I can offer is a look at your CV - I used to be an electronics/computer headhunter
pm me if you are interested

Hi Axe, in response to your question on the other post, i have applied at numerous companies and am now workin for the nhs on it projects started as a 6 month contractor self employed last june have just been made full time member of staff on a 10month nhs contract, would maybe beneficial to post your cv cover letter on here so that wecan help you find work, where abouts are you located have u looked at contracting. good luck axe

i feel for you axe, im kinda in the same boat as you, lookin for the best part of a year, go for the first interview then fall short, on MANY occasions.

thing is i think my problem is i dont have any accreditation, all i seem to have is a shed load of experience, so when i got for an interview, the agencies have sold me as being this all singing all dancing possible employee, then they et my cv and go "oh... no certificates.... NEEEEXT" at least thats what it feels like, the last interview i had it got to the second interview stage, a sligh practical test, it was a part time 10 hours a week in a primary school, i had a lot of suggestions for improving the networks/backup systems and i wasnt short of a few questions to get my head around the mess that was currently installed. however they chose the only other candidate who got the second interview who had cisco accreditation, microsoft accreditation, apple accreditation, the guy had a folder full of certificates... and the excuse i was given for not getting the job, the other persons got more experience. which is a lie because the guy himself admitted to me he didnt have anywhere near as much hands on experience that i do. thb if the job was paying more and was worth the hastle i would have argued the point.

hope you find something soon, im currently applying for anything and everything i think i can do, even if its a barperson, hell id take a job as a shelf stacker if the opportunity arose.

good luck dude.

Bob

Yet another in the same boat I'm afraid. I've been looking for 11 months following the collapse of my support company. 10 years experience, over 7 as an MS Partner, attended loads of courses and seminars but no certs.

Job centre doesn't understand IT employment market, agencies have no idea what my BCS CITP award means - all very frustrating. More so, as there doesn't seem to be any money available to go on courses to get certified and self study is damn hard when you're unemployed.

All I can say is, try to keep positive, do any free training you can find to help enhance your CV (see the Info security one Russ posted plus check the MS e-learning site as they have some free courses), ask for feedback on why you've not been selected, tweek your CV monthly and keep resubmitting it to jobsites and finally ...... cross fingers and pray something turns up !

Whilst not in the same boat I have done my share of enquiring about possible jobs only to be knocked by a few times due to lack of degree and trade quals. The thing that has helped me is that I have specialised in educational knowledge and how technology makes a difference, I am active on my UK forums, mailing lists and so on ... If you want to work in a particular sector (eg education) then being active in some of those education groups may help ... don't just take your technical skills to the table, also take you customer specific knowledge too.

It might not always help you get to interview stage (which is harder than ever nowadays) but it could make the difference at interview.

HTH

Since December I have been working part-time (about 10 hours a week) for a local computer repair company. I have now been asked to train my full-time replacement.
On one hand I'm very grateful to have been offered the chance to work, even if it was for free;
On the other hand I'm disapointed that I was not offered the full time position.
The only employer that has given me a chance is now replacing me with an untrained paid employee. I just don't know what to feel anymore...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AXE

Since December I have been working part-time (about 10 hours a week) for a local computer repair company. I have now been asked to train my full-time replacement.
On one hand I'm very grateful to have been offered the chance to work, even if it was for free;
On the other hand I'm disapointed that I was not offered the full time position.
The only employer that has given me a chance is now replacing me with an untrained paid employee. I just don't know what to feel anymore...

---

I think you would be quite in order to ask why the job wasn't offered to you - I would !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AXE

Since December I have been working part-time (about 10 hours a week) for a local computer repair company. I have now been asked to train my full-time replacement.
On one hand I'm very grateful to have been offered the chance to work, even if it was for free;
On the other hand I'm disapointed that I was not offered the full time position.
The only employer that has given me a chance is now replacing me with an untrained paid employee. I just don't know what to feel anymore...

---

I'm sorry, but if I was felt to be not good enough to do the job full time, I certainly wouldn't feel good enough to train someone who was!!

I can understand you wanting to get the work etc etc. However. I think I would be inclined to (politely) request that they train the person themselves.

That seems a little unfair to say the least. Your not good enough for the full time position, but you are good enough to train them. Do you think that it could be due to your experience & quals that they haven't offered you the job? Thinking that maybe you wouldn't stay if anything else came up?

Speaking as someone who's partner has been actively looking for work for nearly a year I can honestly say that it is not only the person who is looking for work who is affected. Evenings are spent checking job application forms and changing supporting information to try and get to interview stages for any and all jobs. Weekends are spent the same, and it feels like the only time that it changes is during a bank holiday when new jobs are unlikely to be advertised.

It can get very depressing being constantly knocked back time and time again not only for you, but those around you. My only suggestion would be to try and find something to provide a little escapism now and again. Keep looking and good luck, I hope something comes up soon.

Sorry that is demoralising and taking advantage.

For them it's win-win. They can pay him less and get the experience from you for free, all for less money.

I know you sound a proud person and want to be busy, but walk away.

I wouldn't call myself the best in the business, but I left my last job for similiar reasons. No NM for a year, yet I was still on my same salary doing old and new jobs. So I have more hands on experience, but no title on my CV. Struggling now, but head held high as they had to raise the money to get someone in and when I spoke to someone there he knew less and had to ask simple questions like how to install Windows.

So frustrating and I can't figure it out, but I guess they took their chance on me not leaving.

On lunchtime I'd be studying in my office and you could see they hated it.

But back to you. You deserve better than that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AXE

Since December I have been working part-time (about 10 hours a week) for a local computer repair company. I have now been asked to train my full-time replacement.
On one hand I'm very grateful to have been offered the chance to work, even if it was for free;
On the other hand I'm disapointed that I was not offered the full time position.
The only employer that has given me a chance is now replacing me with an untrained paid employee. I just don't know what to feel anymore...

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How old are you? It is probably an age issue? Sounds like to me, that the company has employed a younger person and asked you to pass on the experience?

Wrong I know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GrumbleDook

Whilst not in the same boat I have done my share of enquiring about possible jobs only to be knocked by a few times due to lack of degree and trade quals. The thing that has helped me is that I have specialised in educational knowledge and how technology makes a difference, I am active on my UK forums, mailing lists and so on ... If you want to work in a particular sector (eg education) then being active in some of those education groups may help ... don't just take your technical skills to the table, also take you customer specific knowledge too.

It might not always help you get to interview stage (which is harder than ever nowadays) but it could make the difference at interview.

HTH

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It's called "value added". If every interviewee has the same qualifications as you, what extra can you bring to the job which they can't?