Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

A question about : Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

Hey,

I fully expected to already find a thread like this here and wanted to join in but haven't seemed to find one (if I'm wrong please let me know).

There are debt free diaries, there's a big daily OS thread, why not have one for those of us looking for work? It can be demoralising and I figure it might help to keep us going.

I've only been looking a couple days but so far have joined a couple of agencies (not that I hold out much hope with them), applied for around 15 jobs and even had my first proper interview this morning! I think it went well and I hope to get the job, it sounded perfect for me.

Now I'm sat here half way through an online application form not quite finding the motivation to finish it... I'll get there

Interview Question Ideas:

Questions to Ask:

• Why has this vacancy arisen?
• How do you review performance?
• How was the job handled in the past?
• What would you expect of me in the first six months?
• What do you see as my key long-term challenges?
• What is the expected career path for this position?
• Do you expect me to develop new expertise in any areas?
• What are the characteristics of successful people in this firm?
• Where would I fit into the overall structure?
• Will anyone report into me?
• Who would I report to and what is the line of authority?
• Is any training required as part of this job?
• What are the opportunities for advancement/promotion?
• What is the firm's long-term strategy?
• Is the firm looking to expand into new areas?
• What is the largest challenge facing the firm at the moment?
• How would you describe the firm's values?
• Is there likely to be any relocation in the future?

Questions you might be asked:

Questions where you can sell yourself

Tell me about yourself.

• Why do you want this job?
• What would you expect to accomplish here?
• Where do you want to be in five years time?
• Do you consider yourself to be a natural leader?
• What attracts you to this role?
• What does success mean to you?
• What are your career aspirations?
• What have been your major accomplishments?
• How would members of your team describe you?
• What really motivates you?
• What special skills do you have?
• What is your greatest strength?
• What do you do on your days off?

Questions where the interviewer is seeking informative answers:

• What do you know about this firm?
• What is a typical week's work in your current job?
• Describe your greatest challenge so far.
• What are you looking for in your next job?
• How long have you been looking for another position?
• Why do you want to work for this firm?
• What can we offer that your current firm cannot?
• Do you deal with any of your firm's top 10 clients?
• How do you determine priorities?
• Why should I hire you?
• How do you handle criticism?
• What makes a good manager?
• How do you run a meeting?

Questions where you may need to turn a negative into a positive:

• Why do you want to leave your current employer?
• What has been your greatest challenge in business so far?
• What are your key strengths or weaknesses?
• What thing irritates you most in the workplace?
• Describe your toughest client.
• How do you work under pressure?
• Describer a difficult work situation and how you managed it.
• What do you dislike about your current role?
• Which tasks don't you like to do?
• Is there anyone in your current organisation you really don't get on with?
• Do you make your opinions known if you disagree with a more senior member of staff?
• How do you feel about working weekends?
• Why aren't you earning more at this stage of your career?
• Why were you made redundant/fired?

Blue-sky questions

• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• If you became Prime Minister what would be the first thing you'd change?
• What do you think of me as an interviewer?
• If you had to move to another industry, which would you choose?

Best answers:

• Dog eat dog world out there, got to do your own best to survive For every position advertised I suspect there are easily in excess of 100 people applying. Granted some will be chavs who the Job Centre told to apply who do not really want the job anyway, but that still leaves a high number to whittle down to one. There are so few jobs out there and so many people looking, it is bound to be the case that many will draw the short straw.
  The Government gives out messages like the disabled should be forced off benefits and into work, and get on your bike and magic yourself a job but the reality is while they're all sat there in Parliament voting for a pay increase and more expenses for themselves, and voting to sack as many civil servants as possible to maintain their own wages, there aren't as many jobs as they think there are.
• So, anyone got any tips on keeping the rejection blues from keeping you down for too long? I got two rejection letters this week, which is depressing, and I just felt like crawling into bed and crying - yet I feel guilty and panic when I'm not searching or applying. What do you do to switch off? I feel like I'm neglecting my family, which also makes me feel super guilty.
• Something WILL suddenly appear. You sound positive anyway so just try and keep this frame of mind
  Keep in regular touch with your temping agencies so they know you are available
• On a not so positive note... this application form is ridiculous! They are making me answer The Apprentice type questions, 15 pages long!
• I've been looking for seven months and it can be very depressing. I had two rejections last week, one from an interview and one from a straight forward application on line, at least they responded. Then out from nowhere today i've had an invitation for an interview next week, a job I applied for about six weeks ago. I've got to fill out their application form and take it with me.
  I'm sure some posters will come on here and say you should be spending seven hours a day searching for a job but it is impossible. I apply for all type of jobs and even get refused interviews for jobs which are for a lot less than I was on before. You can't stay in applying for jobs all day it would be completely demoralising, I actually joined the gym and spend most mornings there and then spend my afternoons job searching.
  Good luck to all still looking for jobs.
• Really intresting thread!! I was just wondering what you guys think of the new agency rules coming in October? Will it be even harder to get jobs through agnecies? I am currently on a permant contract in a Warehouse but i am thinking of changing jobs, but the prospect of the new agency rules worries me because there seems to be more limits, and less opportunities