You're sending me for which jobs??

[Pixilated]

I've been going to a local centre for the unemployed in a search for another job since school let out. A few days ago I thought I'd try the student job search place associated with my college.

I spoke to the woman who earlier this year who gave a (really lousy) presentation on job-hunting to my pharmacy tech. class. She went through a huge list of online jobs and printed off about half a dozen. So far, so good.

Except when I looked at them. Two were at a law office and both required formal training that I don't have. Admittedly, the training required by one is the course I hope to be in next year but ... that's next year! AND they wanted someone who had completed the course, which is two years long!

A third job was specifically for students between 15-30 years of age. I can't even pretend to be anywhere near the top of that range, LOL. (This is legal because there is government funding for the job -- the employer gets a couple of dollars per hour from the government for hiring a student. So there's a student who now has a job, an employer who's paying less than they otherwise might have to, and a government that gets to set the parameters for the job. And yes, I do agree that the government really needs to get up to speed on this; there are a LOT of students out there who are well over 30!)

Anyway, I'm not sure I'll be going back there ...

[Blue Ginger]

Aaahhh! the joys of unemployment centre job lists.

I have been dealing with these people for a while now. I am an admin/reception person. I have had them try and make me apply for jobs such as:
- forklift driver (no license)
- child care worker (I can't deal with kids and have no legally required training)
- pharmacy tech (no qualifications)
- nursing assistant in a nursing home. (no training and no desire)
- construction site labour (no muscle and too many restricts on physical activities)
- logistics consultant (no clue what this even is)
- teachers aid (I would have to pay for the police check - ah no! Too many flashbacks to my own school years )

Now they are trying to tell me I should try applying for Traineeships. That would be fine if I hadn't just had my 10 yr school reunion and I hadn't already done that when I was 19. I have way too many years in the job to want to do that again.

Hold in there. Something has to come sooner or later. Give up on the stupid crap that they give you and apply for the one or two that might be ok.

[Pixilated]

Thanks, Blue Ginger.

Actually, I'm willing to apply to a very wide array of jobs as it is: greenhouse worker, food service worker, data entry -- though I don't see any of those out there -- sales associate, cashier ... pretty much anything, as long as it pays and is legal. (And if things keep going as they are now, even that second issue is going to become optional ... oops, did I say that out loud?! )

But anything that requires extensive formal training that I have not got just seems to me to be a waste of my time and the potential employer's -- as in, "Did you not read the job description?!"

A few of the other jobs she gave me were a little more "iffy" -- for example, she also ran me off a job for a photographer's assistant. Now, I did indeed spend a decade taking photos as part of my job bacl then, and took some darn good ones, if I do say so myself. But ... this was BDC ... Before Digital Cameras. So I suspect my ability to do this job is not going to be anywhere near what the photographer requires. Also, the photographer not only does local weddings -- she also travels to Ginormous City which is 4 hours away to do weddings there. I have no desire whatever to make these runs, regardless of whether I'm going in her car or my own (ESPECIALLY if it's the latter). So I gently set that one aside as well.

A few others want things such as CPR and First Aid, which I have not got, but I applied anyway, whilst making a mental note to get those types of training as soon as possible.

I will continue to visit there, although not as frequently as the place which I go to 4-5 times a week and which is VERY close to home. Staff at the closer place do not look up jobs for you -- you do that yourself -- but they will give extensive help with virtually anything else, including those gawdawful online "assessments."

[ozcatbug]

I went through a lot of this when I was sick and unemployed (still sick but thankfully employed now). I was going to an employment agency that deals with people with medical issues, but this one woman I was seeing just didn't have a clue. She was convinced that with my background that a pharmacy tech was just the type of job for me. No matter what I said she kept pushing this position.

My background is that I have an engineering degree in Mechatronics (mechanical and electronics) and a masters in Project Management. Now how in the hell does that make me perfect for pharmacy tech. Plus I have sound induced vertigo, with one of my major triggers being children crying and screaming. Sounds perfect for a pharmacist to have an employee that can't be around crying children, don't you think?

CEA: Clueless employment agent
Me: Me

CEA: Well engineering is a bit sciency and pharmacy tech is a bit sciency so voila. (Yes she said sciency)
Me: But I studied mechanics and electronics, not chemistry.
CEA: But they are all science so you would be perfect. Let me get you the details.

Despite me having no qualifications, she kept pushing this pharmacy tech position. When I said I wasn't qualified, guess what they could help me pay to get the qualifications. Another 2 years of study on top of the 6 years of study I had already done for something that I had no interest in. I hated having to spend so much time at the pharmacy as a customer (remember I have medical issues), never mind working there. Plus they would help me pay for the course but couldn't cover everything. I was on unemployment and couldn't afford to pay anything to a course what with the visits to doctors, medicines and various medical tests and treatments I was still undergoing to find out what medical issues I had.

The other job she first tried to push on me was to become an accountant because I'm good at maths. Yeah, but being good at maths does not automatically mean accountancy, plus that would be an even longer course. Luckily she dropped that, but then went on to the pharmacy tech, because that was a better fit for me.

After 3 weeks of her pushing this position that I had no interest in, I requested a transfer to another agent. Actually I requested the transfer after 2 weeks, but it took the extra visit before they were able to move me. Thankfully I never had to see her again.

I did end up with an employment agent that listened to me, so much so they found the position I am still working at 18 months after starting. Engineering plus Project Management doesn't necessarily flow to games console technician, but it's more of a fit than pharmacy tech. Plus my current position fits with my medical issues more than an engineer or Project Manager. So shop around to find the right person to help you. Hopefully you can find the right agent sooner rather than later.

[Pixilated]

I'll have to pass that along to my pharm. tech. teachers if I see them next year ... that "engineering is a bit sciency and pharmacy tech is a bit sciency so voila," a degree in one automatically qualifies you for the other. It'll be fun to see whose head explodes first.

I'd be curious to know how she got her job. Not only did she not know when to stop beating a dead horse, she obviously didn't even have enough smarts to know how to match people's existing skills with realistic possible jobs.

Glad to hear you finally got a good agent who find you a suitable job!

[fireheart]

I'd be curious to know how she got her job. Not only did she not know when to stop beating a dead horse, she obviously didn't even have enough smarts to know how to match people's existing skills with realistic possible jobs.

Glad to hear you finally got a good agent who find you a suitable job!

I have no idea.

One job agency kept bouncing me around and doing nothing, the other agency were good for a while, then I got the crazy-ass bitch I wrote about some time ago.