Getting depressed because I can't find a job.?

Question

I'm seventeen and am about to start my second year of college studying A-levels. I've never had a job before, but not through lack of trying. As soon as I was legally allowed to be employed by companies I started applying for everything I could. You're legally allowed to be properly employed in the summer after you turn sixteen - so this was last May/June for me. It's now been over a year and I still can't find anything.

Over this past year my CV has gotten better - it's not fantastic, but I'd say it's pretty good for a seventeen year old. I've got a two week voluntary work placement in a hairdressers, one week voluntary work placement at a charity, I'm a registered volunteer for two charities, I have volunteered at a fashion show, I'm qualified in first aid, I'm qualified in extended first aid, I can speak two languages, I have taught my own class of secondary school pupils for a month, my grades are well above average and I've just started volunteering in a charity shop until the end of summer. I've also got some extra curricular stuff from college as well - such as volunteering at open evenings and living abroad on my own.

I'm mainly applying for part time jobs now, but I applied for a lot of seasonal jobs last summer, last Christmas and this summer. I have gone into many shops with my CV and asked if they had any vacancies but the majority of them told me to go online. I've applied for an awful lot of jobs online. I've applied for all the fast food places at least once, the majority of them I have applied for twice - McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and Subway. I had an interview for McDonalds but I couldn't make it as I had an important day at college and I couldn't change the date. I'm applying for so many jobs, in so many different sectors - retail, fast food, hotels, etc. I'm applying for big companies as well as little local companies.

I don't really understand what more I can do. I never give up and people keep telling me to keep trying and I'll eventually get somewhere, but I'm spending an awful lot of time applying for jobs and checking my emails - it's really starting to get me down. In the past I've spent ages writing a cover letter for companies, I travel to the company to hand it to the manager and they won't even accept it because I haven't had a paying job before. One manager wouldn't even look at my CV because I hadn't had a paying job before, even though I told her I'd done voluntary work. I'm fine with talking to new people and at interviews I'm always the first to break the ice.

I know I should keep trying but it's really depressing me. I've tried harder than all the people my age, who I know, who have a job and it's just infuriating. I feel like such a failure because I can't even get a job which everyone thinks is easy, and my family keep constantly asking me. I don't have any relatives who can get me a job because none of them really live near me. My mum and dad have tried speaking to people they know, they sometimes say they'll get back to me but they never do. Any advice would be really appreciated, because I have no idea what these recruiters want from me anymore.

Answer 1

So you're only looking for an entry-level job? It's not that serious, trust me. If you're seventeen and in college your main focus should be your school work anyway so when you graduate you'll be able to find an actual full-time job that requires a degree...

If you really want the work experience from an entry level position though, I would suggest being more persistent. After you turn in your application, wait maybe a week or so. Then if they haven't called you back feel free to contact them just so they don't forget you, say something like "Hi, I turned in a job application about a week ago and I just wanted to follow up on that. Are you still hiring? I'm very interested in the position." It lets the employer know that you are assertive and serious about working for them.

Good luck on your job search.

Answer 2

It seems like you did everything you can. All i can suggest is to keep your CV short, dont elaborate too much on a particular volunteering job. Just 2 to 3 short sentences about your main duties will be enough. Recruiters prefer short CVs becaise they can be scanned quickly. Also, keep track of all the jobs you are applying for. Write them down somewhere and call after 5 working days, if they do not call you back by then. You just have to inquire about your application status politely and confidently. Hope this helps :-) Oh, and if any of your friends work, ask them to put a reference for you.

Answer 3

It is really tough out there, and it does sound as though you've done everything that you can - the only thing I could suggest is voluntary work but you've already doing/done that. (if you have time though do more)



Bizarrely I was involved in running an Employability seminar in January that we recorded, where a director of a recruitment agency went through, in a lot of detail, all of the stuff that job hunters should and shouldn't do. Although the event was about construction I'd say that all of the advice was applicable to any industry. You might want to check out our videos at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD6aT3Uf3KfysHZQ162r6h-X-ZQvxeMuc

Answer 4

Try a resturaunt