Greetings, programs

[JHarrold]

Well, I've been using this site for a little while now in my job searching and I thought it time to introduce myself.

 

Currently unemployed, and have been for the last 2 years. All of my applications are personalised to the job spec, as I believe if you don't make the effort then why should the recruiter.

 

Gah, I hate trying to describe myself (number 1 failing in my interviews!). I know a lot of people say this, but I am actually extremely clever (brain the size of a planet). I've got no problem with learning something new if I come across it and find it interesting (has served me well with computers, as I find everything about them interesting).

 

I have been distance learning for a CompTIA A+/N+ and an MCSE, and the only thing that has slowed me down is I had to wait for the company to send me new material and the activation codes for the next section of the course. Recently got my N+ qualification as I saw it as the biggest single challenge of the group (and could serve me the greatest in my future endeavours for employment). Now I just need to revise and book my other exams (having to space them out for financial reasons). One of the only reasons I've taken these courses is to get recognised proof of the knowledge I already have. Don't get me wrong I have learnt a few things that I didn't know before, but the vast majority I already knew.

 

It wasn't until about 18 months ago that someone suggested I try applying for schools as an ICT Technician, and at that point a lightbulb went off in my head. It satisfies all the criteria I want from a job: working with computers, check; solving problems, check; helping people learn, check; actually being able to physically touch the computers you're fixing, check; more job security than working in a call centre, check.

 

Ok, I think I should stop there as I just deleted a paragraph which turned out to be a rant

So if anyone has any ideas about how I could go about getting a job in the Birmingham area as either an ICT Technician or some such support role, I would be very grateful. I've already looked in to volunteering as an ICT Tech, but because you need to be CRB cleared to work in a school I have hit a bit of a road block (as private citizens can no longer request a CRB check, it has to be through the place you will work, and most schools I've contacted don't want the extra paperwork unless they have no choice).

 

Just so you know, I'll include a list of places I job search so you won't waste your time suggesting something I've already done:

Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell council websites (chosen due to travel requirements/limitations).

CWJobs

PurelyIT

MyBirminghamJobs

Monster

TotalJobs

Reed

Jobsite

JobCentrePlus

Fish4

ComputerPeople

ComputerFutures

And of course Edugeek

 

I'd like to thank you for reading, and for any help you may offer.

[kmount]

Welcome to Edugeek (formally!),

 

Have you had a second opinion on your CV/application style? Witch on here is a mod and she was previously an IT headhunter/recruiter and has been well praised by others on here who've had guidance from her.

 

I can tell you, IT in education is a fun and varied gig, but we'd all stay that.

 

Hope to see more of you

Edited August 7, 2009 by kmount
Rephrased.

[Little-Miss]

Have you tried Birmingham's EBriefing?

 

[url=]http://ebriefing.bgfl.org/index.cfm?p=resources,view_resource&id=6416&zz=20090807190346669[/url]

Edited August 7, 2009 by Little-Miss
corrected link

[tom_newton]

Call these guys: -- IT Executive Group --

 

Ask for Graham Feegan. He's a top recruitment type.

[JHarrold]

Thank you Little-Miss! I followed a link to that website about a month ago, and have been trying to find it ever since (in true computer fashion, I followed the link, found a job to apply for, and before I could bookmark the page my computer blue screened on me , and of course I'd forgotten where I'd followed the link from.)

 

Thank you for the link and the name Tom, I shall see if I can contact them on Monday. When I ask for this person, should I mention that you directed me to him...or I might seen a bit stalker-ish.

 

Kmount, I will admit one of the reasons I finally got around to submitting a post was because I saw that Witch had mentioned in someone else's topic that she used to be a recruitment person and was offering to look at their CV. Before I spam her with my CV though, I'd like to get an actual response from her in this topic...seems too much like cold-calling otherwise. I don't know about anyone else, but cold-calling is one of those things that really gets under my skin.

[dhicks]

I've already looked in to volunteering as an ICT Tech, but because you need to be CRB cleared to work in a school I have hit a bit of a road block

 

Is that what the new Vetting and Barring Scheme is about, though (and have I already said that in another post?):

 

Independent Safeguarding Authority

 

For system administrator type jobs, try ServerFault:

 

Server Fault

 

The main site is a forum, like this one, with a question-and-answer format to answering system administration questions. The people running the site, who are bright people and know what they are on about, intend to make some money advertising good system administration jobs - if a job is posted there then chances are it's been through some half-decent filtering.

 

--

David Hicks