A job application...

[Gwadien]

There's a job at a 'Explore Learning' which is like a educational place, but it's saying the bare minimum requirement to get the job is a B(GCSE) in Maths, I got a C, because I fucked up...

My question is zis; as I want to be a teacher in the future, would there be much point emailing them/applying anyway, see what happens and highlight I want to be a teacher, would this perhaps make them change their mind or would it make me look like a tit?

 

[TdC]

ofc you should apply. go and see, learn something from the experience. even if they don't want you, doesn't mean you won't pick up some additional information you can use.

 

[Ormorof]

How old are you? if you have been working a few years, or studying a subject that involves maths (any science or business really) you can probably ignore your GCSE result, worth applying regardless, you wont get accepted if you dont apply

I only got a C in GCSE maths but as i studied Chemistry at A-level & Uni my GCSE result is ignored (im not bad at maths i was just a lazy shite when i was 14-16)

 

[eksdee]

Go for it. What is there to lose? Like you say, highlight your ambitions to be a teacher and generally embelish your application by talking yourself up in your covering letter. GCSEs are basically worthless and regardless, if you become a teacher and go the PGCE route you'll have to take English and Maths exams as part of the course anyway. The profession is in a dire state due to the inordinately high workload meaning the amount of trainee teachers that actually get through the training/first year end up quitting anyway, so anyone that expresses interest in being a teacher tends to get a helping hand to be honest.

Good luck with it, applying for new jobs myself at the moment and it's tough!

 

[Gwadien]

That's the point, I'm 17, and I've not managed to get a job, purely because most businesses request proper work experience, I worked with my Uncle over the summer, but that doesn't count, and the so called Work Experience you do at school is worth absolute fuck all, the first question you get when you apply for a low-level job - IE at Tesco for example is; "Have you had any retail/customer service experience?" I reply no, obviously, becuase, erm, I haven't, then it says, sorry, all our staff need to have previous experience to work here, it's just retarded, how can I get a job whilst at College? :s

 

[eksdee]

Send your CV everywhere. Somewhere _will_ hire you, especially if it's just shop work or whatever you're looking for.

If you really want to be a teacher, volunteer at local schools. Ask if you can go in and observe, offer to help if they'll let you - it could be anything from just helping out in a lesson by helping to answer students' questions or doing a practical demonstration in a practical lesson - Art/DT for example - or doing something like giving GCSE students a short talk on what college is like and so forth. Schools are extremely receptive to this sort of thing, as well as it both looking great on your CV and giving you an excellent insight into teaching. Before I did my PGCE I had about 3 months' total experience volunteering in various schools and it gave me a huge advantage over other students on the course and I still mention it on my CV now even though I am not in the profession.

 

[eksdee]

double post >:O

 

[Ormorof]

and if you are still at college ask them to help you with local volunteering in schools, i imagine you will need a police check (costs around £80 if i remember correct) and it may be that your college will pay for it so you can provide it to any schools you work at.

volunteering may not be ideal but it will provide experience which can then help a lot when applying for jobs (also shows you havent simply been sitting around doing nothing)

 

[Sparx]

Best place to go to if you are having problems at 18 upwards is bar work. They will take anyone on and will at least give you some sort of customer experience. How long till you are 18?

 

[TdC]

That's the point, I'm 17, and I've not managed to get a job, purely because most businesses request proper work experience, I worked with my Uncle over the summer, but that doesn't count, and the so called Work Experience you do at school is worth absolute fuck all, the first question you get when you apply for a low-level job - IE at Tesco for example is; "Have you had any retail/customer service experience?" I reply no, obviously, becuase, erm, I haven't, then it says, sorry, all our staff need to have previous experience to work here, it's just retarded, how can I get a job whilst at College? :s

don't give up. go everywhere, apply for everything.

Send your CV everywhere. Somewhere _will_ hire you, especially if it's just shop work or whatever you're looking for.

If you really want to be a teacher, volunteer at local schools. Ask if you can go in and observe, offer to help if they'll let you - it could be anything from just helping out in a lesson by helping to answer students' questions or doing a practical demonstration in a practical lesson - Art/DT for example - or doing something like giving GCSE students a short talk on what college is like and so forth. Schools are extremely receptive to this sort of thing, as well as it both looking great on your CV and giving you an excellent insight into teaching. Before I did my PGCE I had about 3 months' total experience volunteering in various schools and it gave me a huge advantage over other students on the course and I still mention it on my CV now even though I am not in the profession.

what eksdee said.

 

[Ch3tan]

That's the point, I'm 17, and I've not managed to get a job, purely because most businesses request proper work experience, I worked with my Uncle over the summer, but that doesn't count, and the so called Work Experience you do at school is worth absolute fuck all, the first question you get when you apply for a low-level job - IE at Tesco for example is; "Have you had any retail/customer service experience?" I reply no, obviously, becuase, erm, I haven't, then it says, sorry, all our staff need to have previous experience to work here, it's just retarded, how can I get a job whilst at College? :s

You are fucking up the interviews, Being asked about customer service experience does not mean you actually need it. You have to demonstrate throughout the interview that you have the skills they are looking for in relation to customer service. Now retail interviews, either one on one or group sessions, will always be geared towards giving you the ability to highlight these skills. They will want; good communication, someone who smiles, a friendly person, a good team player, ability to problem solve. That's all basic stuff that you can highlight easily.

If you are asked in an interview if you have any customer service experience, answer "I've never worked in retail / customer service, but in my opinion, based on how I have been treated as a customer, the important things are..."

The idea that employers only hire experience is an easy excuse used by too many people. It's certainly not true in retail.

 

[Gwadien]

You are fucking up the interviews, Being asked about customer service experience does not mean you actually need it. You have to demonstrate throughout the interview that you have the skills they are looking for in relation to customer service. Now retail interviews, either one on one or group sessions, will always be geared towards giving you the ability to highlight these skills. They will want; good communication, someone who smiles, a friendly person, a good team player, ability to problem solve. That's all basic stuff that you can highlight easily.

If you are asked in an interview if you have any customer service experience, answer "I've never worked in retail / customer service, but in my opinion, based on how I have been treated as a customer, the important things are..."

The idea that employers only hire experience is an easy excuse used by too many people. It's certainly not true in retail.

That's clever, How I fuck up the interview stage without actually getting to it, the point is, when you apply, you get like a application form online/paper one question is, have you got retail experience? - go on WHSmiths website, that's evidence.

 

[Ch3tan]

Don't do the on-line applications then, download the paper applications, and apply that way. That will only work if they have vacancies though. Retail doesn't do summer work, it's the slowest period and it will be hard to get anything. Xmas / Easter is a different story.

Or you could just answer yes, and then elaborate.

 

[old.Tohtori]

One good tip is to use your work experience with yer uncle(excluding pokey bum wanks) in your CV. Just list what you've done and what you've got experience with. Just saying "i worked in retail for 5 years", or listing what was included in that work makes all the difference.

Oh and as said previously, keep at it and you'll get one. No one expects a 17 year old to be a job finding bloodhound

And ignore people like Ch3t saying you f*ck up, 'cause 9 out of 10 times f*cking up isn't even on the table.

 

[Gwadien]

Thanks Toht, love you.

xxx

 

[Helme]

Just keep at it, take it from someone in the same situation. It's all a numbers game, I get called to maybe 1 out of every 10 jobs I apply to for an interview, I've yet to land a single one. It's a mix between no experience for me and I guess not doing well enough on the actual interviews. I did however notice a pretty major increase in the rate of interviews I got after I started blowing some previous non-work I did for my cousin out of proportion. So include the shit you did for your uncle, put some ridiculous spin on it and have him be a character reference if you have to. Everybody else seems to lie about their previous experience so you might as well, just make sure your uncle is in on it beforehand.