Early background - a new Employee
This will probably be a bit of a ramble, having been on both sides over the past five decades. As a teenager with good qualifications from a grammar school, I applied for a clerical position at a local branch of a national company. Despite my extremely short 'skinhead' haircut and fashionably smart clothes of the era, the interview with the 'old boy' in charge (probably aged around 50) went well and I was offered a job at a reasonable salary. A fast learner, I quickly progressed until such time as the office was taken over and closed. It was a great experience for a first job where I started from absolute zero and learned at my own pace.
Eventually, the experience from this and my next job landed me a role as team leader in the British HQ of an international company. This is the first time I encountered a 'ceiling' within the profession, as the company valued higher qualifications. To be fair, they agreed to release me at full pay for one day a week so that I could pursue a business degree. Part of the course covered computer programming and, at my request, the company assigned me as liaison between the administration department and the new computer department, in preparation of automating some of the menial admin tasks.
Recruiting: The Thatcher Years and the Fallout
The Thatcher Years meant that, in the London catchment areas, there was a demand for staff and the rewards were good. Having worked my way through various departments of a multi-national technology corporation over the years (information systems analyst, computer-user trainer, technical support and marketing support at management level), I was head-hunted to run the European Sales and Support department for a USA-based software company for a few years. Subsequently, I was again head-hunted to set up and run the UK office for a German tech company. Both these roles required staffing from scratch. Having used local recruitment agencies for the more generic vacancies, I used industry knowledge and contacts to fill the specialist roles.
When the boom years were followed by recession, HQ asked the likelihood of the UK office breaking even in the next business year. Having advised them that it was unlikely, I was asked to arrange termination of staff contracts by the end of the current business year. Staff were given a generous redundancy package and references for their next employment. Personally, I applied for a few positions but was never invited for interview. Jobs were like gold-dust. In one case, an agency's recruitment ad described me perfectly so I followed up their puzzling non-response with a telephone call. I was advised that there were so many applicants that the agency just picked the first twenty who ticked most of the boxes and discarded the rest, not even bothering to read them nor reply. Unbelievably rude and a poor service to their clients. Contacts from over the previous decade meant that I was able to offer freelance ad-hoc assistance therefore results of the recession were less significant than for those who lost all equity in their homes. It was a terrible time for many families.
Today - a young person's search for employment
Generally, for a career in admin or commerce, it is expected that GCSEs will be followed by A-levels or an equivalent BTEC, which will lead to a place at University.
The job search comprises endless applications that are mostly ignored. Companies are generally more inclined to respond than agencies, as those with good reputations will want to keep them. A good tip for applicants is to find out about the company from their website and contact them before submitting your application, asking a relevant question. This means that your name may be more familiar to them when they see your CV.
Personal bug-bears include the over-use of the word 'passionate' when describing the 'ideal candidate'. How can people be passionate about an aspect of a job they don't have? They can be very interested but passionate is definitely unlikely. Another annoyance is starter-level roles in which the potential employer lists the years of experience the ideal candidate will have, yet is offering very little remuneration. In certain industries, there is a pro-BAME policy therefore denying opportunities to applicants who, for example, are Caucasian, heterosexual males who live with their parents in a middle-class home.
It's tough. I wish both employers and employees the very best of luck. The unemployed, homeless, those with mental health issues, etc. are yet another topic.
