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Sat 2 Feb, 2019 05:34 am
I’m 27yr female living in London with my parents. I have struggled since completing university in May 2012 to find an appropriate job to kick start my career with. I have a business degree but this hasn’t seemed to help me in any way as I can’t seem to bag a decent job with good career prospects. I feel I have let myself down and my parents down as I’ve not reached a standard that I thought I’d be many years ago I.e good job moved out made investments found a partner start a family etc.
I’ve spent the years working in retail sales - progression here was slow and opportunities were shut down to me due to people above me suggesting i “wasn’t ready”. I’ve floated through administrative roles within NHS with no real path to progress or for development. I am now working in the council and again another role where by I have no real path for progression- I just seem to have landed roles whereby progression is very limited and it’s frustrating me. The future doesn’t look too promising if I’m honest at this rate.
I recently went to SAP Academy training for sales and distributing (I.t) - I figured this would be a field that I could definitely see myself working in however again I’m struggling with this - I can’t seem to find a company that will take me on board and I’m feeling as though I will never find a decent job whereby I can progress with and start living my life as I’ve always wanted. Most jobs I find related to sales SD require min 2 year experience using these skills as well as being part of a product life cycle and configuration etc I am yet to come across an entry level role for these skills - please help!
I need help and guidance as to where to go and who to speak to and how to get to where I want to be - I know there must be thousands of ways to approach my issue but I’ve not come across them yet so please provide your thoughts and suggestions and help.
You have a decent enough education and experience. A lot of opportunities should be open to you.
Since they don't seem to be, that begs the question of what your resume looks like, how you go about finding places to apply for work, and how you handle interviews.
Resume is a misnomer. It should be resumes. Yea, plural! You need to tailor your approach to each opening. Fortunately, you can have, say, 5 or 6 baseline resumes and then just alter the correct one accordingly. Try chronological, try listing your most relevant skills at the top, etc. Sales positions should get your sales experience at the top. More administrative roles should get your NHS work at the top, and so on.
Searching for places to apply to isn't a case of closing your eyes and pointing. When the interviewer asks why you want to work at their company, you need to have something to say that isn't you think it'll look good on your resume or the commute or pay are good.
This means research on companies. Make a list of things which interest you in working anywhere and see where a particular place fits. You say you want advancement opportunities. Everyone does. So why XYZ Company over ABC Company? Do you agree with their mission? Are they working on something that excites you?
Fewer applications, but to better-researched places where you are a better fit is a more productive use of your time.
As for the interview itself: of course dress properly. I truly hate that aspect of interviewing myself as it feels like junior high school judgements all over again, and I haven't been in junior high since 1976- but I know I still have to do it, and so do you.
Be nice to the receptionist; job applicants are often judged on such things.
Now it's time to meet the interviewer. Make eye contact, firm handshake. Have questions ready. One of those questions should always be: what are the objective measurements of success in this role?
Do your best to avoid letting them pin you down on salary. If you are backed into a corner, give a range and not a specific number.
Another handshake at the end, make sure to specifically say you want the position. Ask when approximately you will hear back from them. Then go home and write thank you notes immediately to everyone you met.
Wait, be patient, follow up in 2 weeks if you haven't heard back by then.
If you didn't get the job, lather,,rinse, and repeat.
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