Applied for eighty jobs and rejected all

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You need to focus on giving the employer evidence that you have the skills to do the job you are applying for. Starbucks couldn't care less that you have an A* in Geography, they absolutely do want to see evidence that you can serve people, be friendly, keep up a fast pace, follow hygiene rules, use a till etc.

Putting that you will be going to Uni is Sep will put employers off unless they are advertising seasonal work, so either don't mention it, or only apply for summer jobs, or apply to the large chains that have a student programme where you can move the job to your Uni town.

I've put a "skills" section to my CV which lists skills such as customer-service, telephone, reception work

I've also put a paragraph under each job, telling all the skills required eg for the hostel: "the hostel could get very busy and so this required a lot of stamina"

Thanks for the help!

Ok, then your CV needs a major reconstruction. Employers don't want to see an isolated 'skills' section, it removes all context from the skills and makes them more like a list of claims. They want to see the context/events under which you demonstrated those skills.

You also don't use paragraphs in CVs, no-one has time you read them. You use bullet points that begin with a relevant verb (Led, Managed, Organised, Helped, Used, Negotiated etc) and then give scope and scale to what you actually did. They don't want stories or descriptions of skills required, they want evidence of what you actually did.

There's a CV Help forum on TSR that can help with formatting and content.

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Are you on a gap year from university or A levels.

Because if you've been to uni, you may be without conceptualising your acting a bit stuckup. Like these roles are beneath me, its easy to do.

It also intimidates people your on a gap year from uni, and you may be entering there career area.

In the vein of, shes a uni girl, can't compete with her bet shes clever... Next applicant!!

There is something not quite clicking with your CV> Try the National Careers Service. You can go on line and then make a face to face appointment. They will advise and even rewrite your CV for you. Any idea what has happened in the interviews and trial periods you mention? Always worth asking for some feedback.

It's also because these places are only looking for one candidate. The bowling alley, for instance, had thirty people at the group interview for one job. Next had fifty applications for one job.

It's also a lot to do with the volume of applications. One person leaves, so fifty try for the job.

Are you on a gap year from university or A levels.

Because if you've been to uni, you may be without conceptualising your acting a bit stuckup. Like these roles are beneath me, its easy to do.

It also intimidates people your on a gap year from uni, and you may be entering there career area.

In the vein of, shes a uni girl, can't compete with her bet shes clever... Next applicant!!

Hello,

I am basically on a gap year and from middle of January I have been applying for jobs at Starbucks, Subway, Topshop and lesser known shops, hotels, coffee shops and bars.

I am getting rejected everywhere I go. All 80 places have rejected me, even for the most basic minimum wage jobs. I have had interviews for a small handful and trial shifts, though no luck.

I spent the beginning of my gap year working at a hotel, then the rest has been a mix of volunteering at charity shops, festivals and a hostel.


Why am I getting rejected? I haven't been mentioning I am on a gap year and will start uni in September, as I thought that might be putting off.

I also have put my grades (A's) and some of the sports and other extra-curricular I do in my spare time.

I don't understand. Should I take away my school grades and extra-curricular?


It's not like I have no experience. Okay, I've only had a paid job once (and it was abroad) but I have done a lot of volunteering and I thought that was a good thing.


Please give advice

Like another poster asked, did you request feedback from the trial shifts/interviews you did get?

It does sound like your CV needs work -- remember, your CV should ideally be tailored to each job you apply to, to make it stand out and be most relevant to the employer. You shouldn't be sending the same CV to tens of employers who all offer different jobs (and therefore have different priorities/desired skills in an employee).

Get your CV checked by a careers adviser, as this will at least help you to get more interviews.