I have a problem

DanBol

I currently work at the 118118 call centre in Plympton and have worked there for about 2 and a half years. On my day off i have studied the AAT qualification at Cornwall college Saltash and have already completed NVQ lvl 2. I am now just about to finish NVQ level 3. I found out in March that the call centre is going to close in June so i will be out of a job. Before I had actually applied for quite a few accountancy jobs but always failed. Now I have picked up the pace and am looking harder. I have now applied for about 40 different jobs and have only received 6 replies all of them rejections. I get the impression, and this is merely speculation, that this is down to experience.
I have never had a finance related job before in fact this is the second job besides Morrisons in Liskeard that I have ever had. So I am therefore stuck between a rock and a hard place. I need experience to get a job but I can only get that experience from working in a finance environment.
Has anyone else had this problem?

currywala

Yes I am in a similiar situation not only thatI am mature student 50+ so just wondering will it be worth completing the Diploma.
The other alternate I am thinking of is to start my own business as a sole trader initially may be just with one or two clients and then see where it takes me.
Luckily I still have a job so bills are covered

DanBol

Interestingly enough I have actually considered this.
Today the Jobcentre, Inland Revenue and Business Link came in and to be honest it is tempting. The only problem I have is that I am a little underqualified I think. Otherwise I would consider this.

Dipak Thanki

Try doing some voluntary work, so that you get some experience onto your CV, and then apply for proper jobs!

Good luck!

Dipak

SandyHood

DanBol I would assume that you are good at your job and well respected at 118118 because you take what you do seriously. This could pay off now.
My second assumption is that there is a finance/accounting function at Plympton. I would make every effort to try to get a job (or at least work experience) in the 118118 accounts department.
I advise you to go along to the supervisor, explain that you are making plans for yourself prior to the June closure, and aware that some of the accounts staff might leave before that time, and offer to help out.
Hopefully, as a responsible employer they will want to do what they can to assist you to find another job when they close, and they may even be worried that they could be short staffed if someone left accounts earlier than June. I can't imagine many local people applying for a job now that they know won't be there in 6 weeks time.
It might even be the case that the accounts team have a slightly later end date if they have to clear up loose ends when the call centre operation is closed.
Unlike other job applications, you are able to use your good name and reputation within the company, and even if you only get half a day a week, you'll get to meet others in the accounts department who might keep an eye out for vacancies when the closure does come.

anniem

Hi DanBol

I agree entirely with Sandy, nothing to lose by asking!

I have moved up from Launceston and have been training in Plymouth with
http://www.aplustraining.co.uk (just off Princess Yachts roundabout). I notice from their website that they run careers forums, they also sometimes advertise vacancies (but there isn't anything there at the moment).

From my experience living in Cornwall, it isn't particularly easy finding the sort of thing you are after.

I did find a small amount of work helping out at a practice by looking on the AAT website and downloading a list of all the MIP's in the area and posting my CV or phoning them to find out if they needed some extra help. Again, nothing to lose by trying.

Good luck.

Gem7321

I've pmed you!

DanBol

There is another connumdrum...
I have just been offered volunteer redundancy.
I have worked out that if I stayed on and worked until the 5th June then i would be paid an extra £50 but this does not include the £115 I would have to pay for those days on petrol and paying the bridge toll.
The problem I have is that if I do take voluntary then i would find it hard to get back into work as people would be less sympathetic....
As the old song says: Should I stay or should I go?

SandyHood

Stay

Rinske

I agree with Sandy on this.

Still easier to find a job from a job then from unemployed status.