Why can’t I get a job?

I'm currently chief radiotherapy engineer in the NHS (earning > 30k), been a radiotherapy engineer for 8 years now. I'm about to retrain as a clinical scientist though, and go back to university (hence why registered on TSR). I have two degrees, my first was Computer Science, which I graduated with a 2:1 way back in 2007. Then I joined the NHS on a technical training scheme in 2009, part of which included a 6-year part time Electronics degree through Anglia Ruskin University, which I graduated with a 1st in 2015. Also did a 3-year diploma in Radiation Engineering with IPEM (distinction) and about to do an MSc in bioinformatics as part of clinical scientist training...

It's amazing what good qualification & work experience can get you in life! The 1st class electronics degree especially opened up a lot of doors. This is why my advice to anyone who will listen is work your socks off at university and get that 1st! It's extremely valuable, especially in STEM.

ETA - Also, there is a good argument for doing lots of very poorly paid horrible or degrading jobs in early life (like I did) as it makes you realize you have to work hard to get something better out of life... You have something you can always look back to and think "at least I'm not doing those things anymore". Not that working in a warehouse or curry factory is "bad" or anything, and for the life experience its invaluable. There are people who are forced to do such jobs their entire lives...

I have a pretty decent CV with 2 months employment at Waitrose and a week of work experience in Theresa May’s Office. I’ve sent my CV off to numerous places but haven’t heard back/been rejected twice. Ideally I’d like to work in Tesco because of their Sunday pay and I’m not too keen on working for less than £7.90 since that was what I was paid in my last job. I’ve also got great AS levels and good GCSE grades but I just can’t seem to find a job

I was hoping people could recommend places to apply to and things to brush up my CV? I’ve included activities not linked to employment and school such as doing photography, charity and sports.

It just annoys me that I reckon I’m pretty well qualified and get rejected by Tesco (no offence but have you seen the people they employe? The amount of times I see them messing around, unable to help, unable find items when asked and unable to speak proper English when customer service is in their title, it’s just ridiculous).

Also is it acceptable to request feedback on my application?

8 years as a radiotherapy engineer and still earning around £30k??! How depressing.

Are you actually an engineer? Did you do an engineering degree?

Because I want to feel like I’m spending my time well, at this age most jobs don’t give a huge amount of experience but you get some. I think a good pay compensates that so at least out of work I’ll be able to try new things, and I’d like to save up/become more financially independent, like I said there’s things I wouldn’t ask them to fund and some of the things I want are quite expensive and I’m not sure my parents would approve let alone fund it..

You’re right, I should just get my CV out there and take whatever comes because I’d be more motivated to look for a new job, and it looks better saying you’re currently employed rather than currently unemployed it’s also about university, I realise my CV could be better and I don’t want this issue when it comes to finding a job in my first year.

Why do people in the uk think £30k a year is a lot lol. That's not even $40000 USD/year, when I worked in Cali for a year as a registered nurse I was earning something aroung $90k usd...

god UK wages are pathetic

I get what you mean. My lowest paid job didn't really teach me anything, and the pay wasn't great. But it still paid enough for me to get the things I wanted or at least save up for them. You said you're 18 now, right? That means the minimum wage for you is currently £5.60. That really isn't that bad. If you're just looking to save for things your parents wouldn't buy, then working for £5.60 an hour is better than not working and earning/saving nothing.

You're not wrong in saying there are jobs paying under the minimum wage. When I was under 18 the minimum was £3.73 and I was working for £4.50. It was over, but not a whole lot over. Some jobs will pay a little bit over the minimum, but don't expect them to be like Tesco and other supermarkets that pay way over the minimum for our age groups. They're kind of an anomaly and they're extremely sought after jobs. I applied to Tesco and Sainsbury's and got absolutely nowhere. I don't know about where you live, but where I live all the shops have full staff so the only jobs going are temp contracts in the summer and in the winter. One of my friends had a temp contract at Tesco during Christmas. There were no spaces afterwards so she wasn't kept on, but if job roles become available their previous temps are the ones they go to first. So if they have any summer temp jobs, I'd try and get one of those first. Puts you in a better position for the future.

I know you say you have experience in retail, but it was only 2 months. So other supermarkets wouldn't see you as experienced. As for working in Theresa May's office, that's a great achievement. But it won't be really what they're looking for so they'll dismiss it.

I mean I would work for like £6 an hour given it was enjoyable and socialable like a pub or restaurant. If it was just like a small high street store I’d rather be unemployed and just do things I enjoy, my dad would also probably say it’s not worth it and insist I focus on other things.

Yeah I wish I stayed on longer and asked for a transfer to a closer branch with less hours but even at £7.90 an hour my dad insisted I quit and focus on education, since I’ll just be redoing one a-level and a few units next year which I mostly know, I should be able to balance things much better. My local Tesco’s seem to be a mix of FT & PT and only seasonal around Christmas but I’ll look out for them!

The other issue is that I’m not really a fan of afternoon/shifts, I much prefer early mornings like 6am-2pm, so I think I’ve restricted myself too much. I’m lowering my pay expectation to £7.50 for now, and I’ll just take any decent hours.

I just don’t understand how working in a place like Waitrose with good customer service isn’t favoured over someone who has little to no experience, can’t speak proper English and doesn’t come across as polite because that’s genuinely what my local Tesco’s are like. Last time this guy had to call his manager because he didn’t know where the Nutella was... they don’t even take the time to learn where things go despite it being in the food cupboard section where he works!... Also my local Tesco express is always has empty shelves and they just leave the cages blocking the isles, it’d ridiculous. It just annoys me that people are lucky to get these jobs yet have no commitment to doing the job properly

£5.60 is literally only 40p less. But yeah pubs would be a good place to look at and apply for. Though you don't have any experience in serving you might be put in the kitchen to start with, but I still found it to be quite sociable. It's more fun working back of house rather than front.

If you'd rather be unemployed than work in certain jobs then you really can't complain about not getting a job to buy these things you want, though.

Yeah they're mostly full-time and part-time positions when it comes to proper contracted jobs. I'm just saying, they mostly fire their temps onto permanent contracts if they performed well over the seasonal period rather than have to go through the process of interviewing new candidates

I understand the frustration. But do you know why they're favoured over you? Because they're flexible. They'll work any kind of shift and more often than not will do overtime if they're asked to. Given you're at college, it's not really you're fault if you can't do a whole load of overtime. But you're unwillingness to work later shifts will 100% put you at a disadvantage as there's people that will happily take whatever shifts they can get.

I'm like you, I much prefer working early shifts. I currently do 9am-3pm. But I just got lucky. I used to work evening shifts (5pm-10pm and stuff like that) and yeah it can get in the way of certain things, but it still fitted around college nicely.

- you only have 2 months of experience
-you don't really have any qualifications that other people don't have already

40p an hour adds up quickly though and I wouldn’t mind working in the kitchen, the actually bar looks pretty tough at nights but I think I’d enjoy it. Yeah but sadly no temp jobs have come up anywhere... I’d probably be more inclined to take them because at least I know I could stick it out if I didn’t like it but show on my CV I completed the full contracted term, or as you said use it as an upper hand to a permanent job.

I’m happy to work afternoon shifts on request but I wouldn’t enjoy it as contracted since It’d just block up my day. But if they asked in advance or even on demand I know what I’d be doing and could most likely say yes unless I had something else going on but I’d just prefer to have those hours open - if I had nothing else to do which would be quite a few days then I’d gladly take over time.

Ah I’d love 9-3! I think when I’m back at 6th form I’d probably need evening shifts anyway unless on the weekend, I used to do evenings too, on Fridays it was 4pm-9:30pm and Saturdays was 1pm-9:30pm... it just sucked the life out of me since that’s when everyone was planning stuff and there I was working. I’d love just mornings now but would do OT, during school I’d love early saturdays/Sunday’s and a week day evening. I’ll have to decide when I get my timetable though since I’ll probably have most days off. I’ve applied to a few more places, I think I just need to brush up my CV and apply around more, I checked how many I applied to and it’s nowhere near what I thought thanks for your advice though I really appreciate it

You worked in Theresa May's office? What do you mean?

I suppose. If you're just starting out in a pub though, don't expect anything more than the minimum, really.

Okay that's a little bit better! I wouldn't tell the interviewers you don't want those hours contracted because it "blocks up your day", though. But if you're willing to do them if you've got nothing else going on that shows a bit more flexibility. What times do you usually finish college? I used to finish some days at 1pm, so on those days doing afternoons would be easier?

Yeah it's really good! I bring in about £360 a month from just my contracted shifts. If I do overtime then it's more. I'll PM you with the company name if you want? I don't want to put it on here for privacy reasons.

But they do.. I’m not being unrealistic. This is the starting pay for Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, I think Tesco’s is £7.80. Most supermarkets pay teens well and employ a large number of them

You're gonna have to realise that not every company out there will pay what Waitrose or Aldi or Sainsbury's pays and especially not to someone under 21.

So either you remove the standards and barriers you've placed on your job search (and maybe get a bit more humility with it from the sounds of your posts so far), do something where your grades mean something like tutoring or just don't bother.

Ultimately any experience in a job is good experience as it teaches you life-skills you wouldn't otherwise pick up were you not employed.

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they are pathetic....i mean i've just graduated and my job is already paying close to £30k.

So to say after 8 years that's just depressing lol

Why did you move back here? Stay in Cali

moved back for personal reasons but will be returning to USA in a few years, luckily I was born in the states.

How are people surviving on £30k a year...

£30k a year is very good if you're up north where living costs are much much cheaper. But down south £30k is pretty much nuts.

Bare in mind Cali living costs are significantly higher than most cities in the UK so the $90k salary you reflected is probably equivalent to much less here.

moved back for personal reasons but will be returning to USA in a few years, luckily I was born in the states.

How are people surviving on £30k a year...