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I want a job in birmingham.

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
New question on page 2, please help me!

But im finding it so difficult. I want to move to birmingham for personal reason and have been looking for work for six months. But all i get time and time again from the limited amount of interviews agencies have gotten me is either:

1) you could easily do the job and they had no complaints about you or the other candidates, but they chose someone else.

2) there was serveral other candidates better/more suited than you.

What can i do, i want to get a job so i can move and be happy but i cant!

I know photoshop, and illustrator, 3d Studio Max, Quark and have been doing graphic design for two years at my present company. I know loads about networks and computers and im a general dogs body for everything where i am now cos no one else can seem to do it.

Ive made a number of websites for the company, and maintain these along with my graphic design jobs, administration of the network and anything else thrown my way.

So what can i do to get a job, with these skills what should i be searching for? Im looking for graphic design/artworker jobs but maybe thats not for me, cos i never get hired and get hardly any interviews from the huge amount of jobs i apply for. So please any ideas, i cant stand being where i am for much longer, i want to quit but thats pointless cos then i'll just be spending my savings on rent and food with no income at all, and like i say, its been six months already with no job offers :(.

So what else can i do, what other jobs should i look for with my skills?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sadly graphic design and web design are very saturated markets. That is to say, there are a hell of a lot more people than jobs. Tough break I guess.

    You could start your own company but then again, there are hundreds of web design/graphic design people. Good luck whatever you decide.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So what else should i be looking for then?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NeoNero wrote:
    So what else should i be looking for then?

    What else do you want to do?

    There are shortages in the IT market, but only really at higher levels.

    Have you already got a degree, or might you be able to find and study an interesting subject in Birmingham?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I dont have a degree, only A levels as im self taught on pretty much everything. I dont really want to go back into education because i cant even get a job with the skills i have now, let alone spending a year + away from work.

    I dont know what else i want/can do thats why im asking what other people think i can do.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We don't know you so we don't know what you can do only you can know that yourself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Maybe you could approach a whole load of interesting looking companies, and instead of telling them what you want to do/ a position you're applying for, advertise yourself and the skills you obviously have. Have you looked at working from home? Perhaps you could approach charities and see if they have their web/design/media bases covered or if they'd take you on. Some people won't know they need you until you tell them. If you're not sure what other career avenues you could take, read through all of the job ads and see what takes your fancy.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ive tried looking through other job adverts but they are the most dull jobs to man or something i cant do. Either lots of sous chefs wanted or receptionist/PA's who just answer the phone and do data entry all day.

    To Lea_uk, i put in what im skilled in, you dont need to know me personally to be able to tell me what other jobs i can transfer them skills into, i just wana know what other jobs apart from graphic design i can transfer my skills to so i can search for them jobs too on the job boards.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I say keep trying with the job search don't be too put off by the noes.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    got another no earlier today...great :( i look on the job boards and most of the jobs are either made up, for recruitment people or for administrators to answer the phones and do utterly soul destroying work for 2 pounds an hour.

    Ive tried contacting companies a couple of months ago, most didnt wana even talk to me, often i wouldnt get past the secutary and the email address they always gave me, which never got answered.

    :(

    Im seriously thinking of just quitting my job in 3 months time and just moving, and errrmmm not knowing what i'll do for money, i just wana move and be happy!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, moving without a job set up might work but why not exhaust all avenues first. What about a bit of nepotism? WHo do you know- friends/ family who live/ work in Birmingham? Can they sniff around for a job for you? Offer you one themselves? etc. I've found this to be the best avenue when looking for a suitable job to be honest, and have been as frustrated as you seem to be in the past when sending out CVs and stuff. Good luck and keep us posted on the progress.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Further to previous post, and although obvious you might have overlooked it, does the company you currently work for have a branch in/near birmingham you could transfer to? Or, what about offering your skills to a similar or rival firm that's based in Birmingham?

    Sorry of these suggestions don't help much. Chin up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey, the company i work for is a big brand but is actually tiny. Only about 8 people work in the whole company.

    There are no other offices and what we do is pretty limited really, no other companies i know of do what we do.

    I dont really have any friends and family in bham, got a few friends, some who work, some at college and uni, but none that could get me a job :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    This moves away from the design / graphics route you seem to want to take, but if you're interested, PM me your e-mail address; a reputable chap I know is looking to take on someone for general on site IT administration, training and support based in Birmingham. Nothing glamourous or spectacular, but it might be a start if you're interested.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NeoNero wrote:
    I dont have a degree, only A levels as im self taught on pretty much everything. I dont really want to go back into education because i cant even get a job with the skills i have now, let alone spending a year + away from work.

    I dont know what else i want/can do thats why im asking what other people think i can do.
    You could accept a job doing something you don't really want to do long term for now (I'm sure they pay more than £2 per hour really) and study a part time course to help improve your long term work prospects.

    You could try your local adult education college, part time study at a local university (Birmingham has several) and a distant learning course for example the open university.

    Or you could look at other ways of improving your CV. Maybe you could do some volunteering that might improve your team working skills or communication skills. A good website to look at is www.do-it.org.uk for loads of stuff on volunteering.

    Maybe your CV could be presented better. It could be that you already have done lots of great and relevant things but they are hidden on your CV so someone reading it won't realise just how great you are! A local careers service may be able to help you with your CV or maybe you know someone else who could help you with it. Some careers websites give pretty good guides on CV writing.

    Are you getting interviews and not getting offered work or not getting interviews? Maybe your interview technique needs some practice.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its a bit of both, i dont get interviews because agency staff appear rather lazy, one particular agency i email and never hear back from unless i constantly bug them then i just get 'oh yeah sorry that position has been closed now' VERY frustrating as i have all the skills they want.

    In the interviews i often lose out because the other people they interview are ten years my age with loads more experience, and well, why hire me when you can hire someone 'better' for the same price?

    Im gona work more on my portfolio making it look nice and presenting it better and do something different to get me known.

    I dont think i could accept a job i dont want to do, ive done enough of it in the past and its killed me, i dont want to do data entry, or have targets to meet or answer the phone or clean the bosses toilet, which is what all the job boards have unless you specialise in either programming or highway maintence it seems :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Agencies can be like that. They are working for the employer who wants to hire rather than the prospective employees.

    You could try approaching companies more directly e.g. by looking at job adverts (in your local paper for example).

    Many companies put their vacancies on their own company website so its worth looking through the websites of companies where you would like to work.

    Or you could send your CV for companies for whom you would like to work even if they aren't advertising vacanies. Whilst you are likely to get lots of rejections as many places won't have a vacancy, if somewhere is thinking of hiring then you'll have much less competition since they are unlikely to have other people applying at exactly the same time. I have got a least two jobs this way. Infact one employer "created" a job around what I could do since they were vaguely thinking they might need some extra people so when they saw my CV they looked at what I could already do and what I could be trained to do and then moved some responsibilities around a bit with other employees etc and I ended up doing a job that was pretty much my ideal job. It's worth a try at least.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Randomgirl wrote:
    Agencies can be like that. They are working for the employer who wants to hire rather than the prospective employees.

    You could try approaching companies more directly e.g. by looking at job adverts (in your local paper for example).

    Many companies put their vacancies on their own company website so its worth looking through the websites of companies where you would like to work.

    Or you could send your CV for companies for whom you would like to work even if they aren't advertising vacanies. Whilst you are likely to get lots of rejections as many places won't have a vacancy, if somewhere is thinking of hiring then you'll have much less competition since they are unlikely to have other people applying at exactly the same time. I have got a least two jobs this way. Infact one employer "created" a job around what I could do since they were vaguely thinking they might need some extra people so when they saw my CV they looked at what I could already do and what I could be trained to do and then moved some responsibilities around a bit with other employees etc and I ended up doing a job that was pretty much my ideal job. It's worth a try at least.
    That's exactly the same as me, except for the ideal job bit.

    With agencies, do they actually benefit at all from having you on their records? I mean swhen they're after new clients, do they say we've got 1000 skilled employees to choose from? Because two have me on their books but have never even called me, and I might as well take myself off. I don't want a half-arsed company making money with my name for doing bugger all.0
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well i had an interview with a newspaper company, it went really well but theres a couple of problems with it if i was offered the job.

    Firstly its only 12k, which is a HUGE pay cut for me, like 5 grand pay cut. I think i could live on it, id be paying out 300 a month on food and rent, and then i gotta pay for travel and most of all to go out so i can make new friends, the whole idea of me moving is to make friends and find a nice gf.

    I dont know if i could live off that especially as id wana save a bit each month, currently i save 500 quid a month for the future, mainly because i dont spend it cos im stuck in my room every day (except when im at work obviously).

    Secondly its only for 38 weeks, i dont really fancy having to look for another job again especially as its taken me so long to get an interview with a company who are offering me such a low wage.

    Finally the hours, they are 8-6 monday to thursday, with half an hours lunch each day. Now i get friday off which is great cos i can use that to look for new work and stuff, but the getting up early to be there for 8 and leaving at 6, its a long day.

    I dont know what to do, if im offered it do i take it? Ihate where i live, im desperate to move, i dont like my current job, i want to make new friends and enjoy my life. But if i do take it i take a major pay cut, cant hardly save money wont have much money to spend and then gotta carry on looking for work as i'll be against a ticking clock where the job will finish. I dont know what to do, please help me! :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NeoNero wrote:
    Well i had an interview with a newspaper company, it went really well but theres a couple of problems with it if i was offered the job.

    Firstly its only 12k, which is a HUGE pay cut for me, like 5 grand pay cut. I think i could live on it, id be paying out 300 a month on food and rent, and then i gotta pay for travel and most of all to go out so i can make new friends, the whole idea of me moving is to make friends and find a nice gf.

    I dont know if i could live off that especially as id wana save a bit each month, currently i save 500 quid a month for the future, mainly because i dont spend it cos im stuck in my room every day (except when im at work obviously).

    Secondly its only for 38 weeks, i dont really fancy having to look for another job again especially as its taken me so long to get an interview with a company who are offering me such a low wage.

    Finally the hours, they are 8-6 monday to thursday, with half an hours lunch each day. Now i get friday off which is great cos i can use that to look for new work and stuff, but the getting up early to be there for 8 and leaving at 6, its a long day.

    I dont know what to do, if im offered it do i take it? Ihate where i live, im desperate to move, i dont like my current job, i want to make new friends and enjoy my life. But if i do take it i take a major pay cut, cant hardly save money wont have much money to spend and then gotta carry on looking for work as i'll be against a ticking clock where the job will finish. I dont know what to do, please help me! :(

    It's 9 months experience (if that's 38 weeks!), and you get a 3 day weekend.
    Don't know much about the job, but it might give you experience in a different industry, which may be valuable.
    I don't know about your job market, though...which is something worth you researching.

    Have you calculated rent and stuff, or just guessing?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've calculated my rent and food (food im guessing will be about 20 quid a week, i dont eat much) which is 300 pounds a mointh straight off.

    So on a wage of 12k id be brining home say 800 a month, taking 300 off that right away, then take another hundred off for travel expenses leaving me 400 pounds to spend per month and to save from. Yeah 9 months is 38 weeks which is a lot of experience and the 3 day weekend is great but i really dont know about the wage. Guy has just called me gona call him back, got a feeling he might offer it to me, i duno what im gona say.

    I really wan move to bham, ive been offered a good job but in my mind is the money thing is a HUGE pay cut which is really getting to me, if it was more id be fine, but as it is its the biggest con against all the pro's ive listed earlier today and i just think its too much money im losing out on. Well here goes nothing :( think im just gona see if i can negotiate something with him, otherwise probably turn it down :(

    And i so desperatly wana move too :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well just spoke to him, was offered it, was told the wage isnt negotiable sadly and turned him down :( i feel really really depressed now, first job since ive been looking over 6 months ago to be offered and i turned it down, and im so desperate to move too :'(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if i were you id have taken it. yeah, its less money but it would have been enough money to live on, you could have managed and it would have given you the new start you want.

    but as you turned it down there's not point getting depressed about it - you chose to do that. just take it as a positive thing - if you can get offered one job, you can get offered more, with the sort of pay you're looking for.

    you just have to keep trying and stop getting so down about everything. noones life is perfect.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NeoNero wrote:
    Well just spoke to him, was offered it, was told the wage isnt negotiable sadly and turned him down :( i feel really really depressed now, first job since ive been looking over 6 months ago to be offered and i turned it down, and im so desperate to move too :'(

    Christ.

    It's only that wage for 9 months, and being somewhere you enjoy is more important than money.

    If it was a agency, ring them back and try and try get the bloody job offer.
    That is all I can suggest.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Money is needed to pay the bills though, 12k wouldnt leave me with much left over after paying bills like car, rent and food and travel, so once the job finishes i wouldnt have any money saved up to survive till i get my next job.

    It wasnt an agency it was with the company direct, i wont bother phoning, more i think about it the more i feel it was the right thing to do, because then id just be worrying about money, but still gutted i wont be moving yet :(

    I get down cos im on my own with no one to talk to or chat things over with and no one is here for me when i need them :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You can live off £12k fine. At least if you were working you'd have some money. As a student I live off far less than this a year. As long as you are single and childless that is.

    £12,000 pa is £822 a month after tax and NI. If your rent is £400 per month (which is generous for one person in Birmingham), your household bills about £30 per month, your phone about £30, food about £100 per month you'd still have over £200 to do whatever with.

    It's not loads but its enough.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah i know its a bit doable but i wana save money too to buy larger things and for the future, for example car insurance is due in a few months and thats gona be a lot for me cos im a newish driver, and id want money to live off in case i didnt get a new job after this one finishes.

    Anyways i feel better this morning, i feel i made the right choice cos it would have been a huge step back pay wise and i'll keep trying, just hope another offer comes soon enough.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NeoNero wrote:
    Yeah i know its a bit doable but i wana save money too to buy larger things and for the future, for example car insurance is due in a few months and thats gona be a lot for me cos im a newish driver, and id want money to live off in case i didnt get a new job after this one finishes.

    Anyways i feel better this morning, i feel i made the right choice cos it would have been a huge step back pay wise and i'll keep trying, just hope another offer comes soon enough.

    Sometimes you have to sacrifice one thing for another.
    You could get public transport places (it's pretty good in most cities).

    Anyway, good luck with finding your preferred balance between location and money.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    An agency thinks they can get me a 6 month contract in bham at 10 pounds an hour. Whats that work out per year? I like the sound of the wage, contract of 6 months bothers me a bit but i think im at the point now id do it if it helps me move, last job i was offered was only 9 months but the wage was like 6 pounds an hour as ive said above which was the major thing that put me off. But if i were to get this one id be earning enough money to save as well as live on and well it'd give me six months to look for work, and if at the end i had no new job then i could always do data entry rubbish i guess till another job came along.

    What do you guys think? Only other thing the agency guy was rather pushy about stuff, i said i gotta give 3 weeks notice and he was saying, cant i get it down to 2 etc etc. And as my boss doesnt know im looking to leave i cant and dont want to. I wana give two weeks notice and then at least a week giving me time to move everything in. So in the interview i think i'll just state 3 weeks again. I dont like pushy recruiters, cos the jobs always turn out to be crap.
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