Lack of jobs? Or lack of unskilled jobs

[jaythedon 10]

It seems there is an abundance of jobs for skilled people, the issue seems to be the lack of unskilled jobs. New supermarket opens 4000 applications. Lack

Of jobs not a problem... Lack of skilled people seems the real issue.

[tallanddopey 10]

I am a graduate Engineer and so I'm trying to get a job in my field, either a graduate engineer training programme or entry level engineer work. The jobs I am applying for get applied for by hundreds of people in some cases, which you wouldn't think would happen because it is a skilled job. The reason I believe that these jobs are getting so many applications is because there are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of skilled workers who in the last 5-6 years during the recession have been working in unskilled jobs such as shelf stacking, but now are starting to want to get back into there chosen career path.

 

I went to an interview the other week where the person before me was around 50 and the person coming in after me was around 40. This was for a job that in engineering terms was low paid and definitely the bottom rung of the ladder. and yet here were two people who must have been in the engineering profession before and yet were looking at getting a job that must have been below what they once worked. The problem this presents is that people like me, a graduate, are struggling to get work because there are thousands of people with years of experience going up for jobs against me, when I only have one years work experience that is not always relevant to the jobs I am applying for.

 

and there cases are not alone, one of my neighbours was made redundant a few years ago at the age of 55, knowing that there wasnt many other jobs out there in his profession he now works in Sainsburys. He says that he is by no means alone in his situation of working a job that you are over qualified for. However if you put yourself in the employers shoes, who would you rather employ, the 55 year old with a mortgage and family who will turn up every day and has good references or the 20 year old looking for there first job.

 

I think there will be enough unskilled jobs out there in the near future once the job market gets back on its feet fully and everyone is not only in the job they want but the job they should have.

[Mozilla 10]

I am a graduate Engineer and so I'm trying to get a job in my field, either a graduate engineer training programme or entry level engineer work. The jobs I am applying for get applied for by hundreds of people in some cases, which you wouldn't think would happen because it is a skilled job. The reason I believe that these jobs are getting so many applications is because there are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of skilled workers who in the last 5-6 years during the recession have been working in unskilled jobs such as shelf stacking, but now are starting to want to get back into there chosen career path.

 

I went to an interview the other week where the person before me was around 50 and the person coming in after me was around 40. This was for a job that in engineering terms was low paid and definitely the bottom rung of the ladder. and yet here were two people who must have been in the engineering profession before and yet were looking at getting a job that must have been below what they once worked. The problem this presents is that people like me, a graduate, are struggling to get work because there are thousands of people with years of experience going up for jobs against me, when I only have one years work experience that is not always relevant to the jobs I am applying for.

 

and there cases are not alone, one of my neighbours was made redundant a few years ago at the age of 55, knowing that there wasnt many other jobs out there in his profession he now works in Sainsburys. He says that he is by no means alone in his situation of working a job that you are over qualified for. However if you put yourself in the employers shoes, who would you rather employ, the 55 year old with a mortgage and family who will turn up every day and has good references or the 20 year old looking for there first job.

 

I think there will be enough unskilled jobs out there in the near future once the job market gets back on its feet fully and everyone is not only in the job they want but the job they should have.

 

Over qualified and age does not mean anything

Its all about if you want to do the job and they think you could do it and fit in...

 

If you have a non judgmental approach you will do fine otherwise you may need some personal development.

 

You getting interviews so you must be doing something right...work on your weakness and you will be ok

[999tigger 10]

Over qualified and age does not mean anything

Its all about if you want to do the job and they think you could do it and fit in...

 

If you have a non judgmental approach you will do fine otherwise you may need some personal development.

 

You getting interviews so you must be doing something right...work on your weakness and you will be ok

 

I think it also takes the employer not to be judgmental as well. Age can mean quite a lot if HR decides it does.

[ivanava 10]

It seems there is an abundance of jobs for skilled people, the issue seems to be the lack of unskilled jobs. New supermarket opens 4000 applications. Lack

Of jobs not a problem... Lack of skilled people seems the real issue.

 

What skills do you think are lacking in our unemployed that would prevent them taking a job in a supermarket?

[tallanddopey 10]

Over qualified and age does not mean anything

Its all about if you want to do the job and they think you could do it and fit in...

 

If you have a non judgmental approach you will do fine otherwise you may need some personal development.

 

You getting interviews so you must be doing something right...work on your weakness and you will be ok

 

not being judgemental at all, Ive not heard back from that one yet so could have got it.

 

Im just saying that in the current climate there are more people going for jobs that in other circumstances they wouldnt have gone for.

[SportsTrophy 10]

What really ****** me off is employers with a list of prerequisite skills. What has happened to on the job training? Shows a complete lack of commitment.

[smiggs 10]

What really ****** me off is employers with a list of prerequisite skills. What has happened to on the job training? Shows a complete lack of commitment.

 

If you have anywhere near the skills necessary apply anyway. I work in IT many recruiters put out adverts which amount to a wishlist of skills and experience, even for what are effectively junior positions. If you talk to the people who are actually doing the job you'll find they're perfectly prepared to bring in people who don't have all skills listed, one company put out several adverts in quick succession with a wide variety of skills and experience required, turned out it was the same job.

[El Cid 221]

What really ****** me off is employers with a list of prerequisite skills. What has happened to on the job training? Shows a complete lack of commitment.

 

There is a shortage of social workers, apparently, to be a social worker you need "three-year undergraduate degree or a two-year postgraduate degree".

 

Isnt the main quality of a good social worker common sense, so why all this extra stuff?

It is the same in other careers, they are starting to want people with a degree, is that a good thing?

[Mozilla 10]

not being judgemental at all, Ive not heard back from that one yet so could have got it.

 

Im just saying that in the current climate there are more people going for jobs that in other circumstances they wouldnt have gone for.

 

You saying a lot more then that....read your own post.

 

The problem with making assumptions is you will never get it right

 

Attitude is everything...always was... current climate or not

[Anna B 1,417]

There is a shortage of social workers, apparently, to be a social worker you need "three-year undergraduate degree or a two-year postgraduate degree".

 

Isnt the main quality of a good social worker common sense, so why all this extra stuff?

It is the same in other careers, they are starting to want people with a degree, is that a good thing?

 

As I understand it social workers are being made redundant / vacancies not being filled, and the work is being sold off to other companies who do it for less.

[salsafan 10]

If you have anywhere near the skills necessary apply anyway. I work in IT many recruiters put out adverts which amount to a wishlist of skills and experience, even for what are effectively junior positions. If you talk to the people who are actually doing the job you'll find they're perfectly prepared to bring in people who don't have all skills listed, one company put out several adverts in quick succession with a wide variety of skills and experience required, turned out it was the same job.

 

Actually those are not "junior" positions. But they are the skills from the previous person that did the role. What they really should have done is to ask for a lower spec person, and this is the fault on the recruiter side, cos they want too highly skilled individual (using an old employee's CV) for the new hire and they get confused, because they do not know the industry at all, or the fact that they have moved their structure to a lower one, post implementation. This is why you get some very mixed-up departments, and a lot of chaos, and confusion overall.

 

Most people who is not that great at their job, just tick the basic requirements, and then move on, that is why you get this bad situation happening, and further outsourcing occurs. It is also why the industry drive a lot of competent people into opening their own consultancies to work instead. The person that is left is just a more glorified receptionist, and is not aware of certain things, but have a team of outsourcers to back them up in case anything bad happens.

 

For anyone entering IT, I would suggest that they be frank and write their CV in a more structured way. e.g.

C++ = Entry level

Informatix = Advanced

 

Just list them out, and let the recruiters deal with the rest.