Sitting at the bottom

the university seem to have jobs often that might suit you.

http://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/current-vacan ... ndyperson/

http://www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/fellows-staff/vacancies/

you could always retrain maybe as part off the jobs, plumber. sparky etc?

Slightly off topic, but has anyone used a cv writing service ? I dont want to spend £50-£75.

I am banging out my CV, with little success and i am starting to think maybe the CV is lacking.

Or any tips on making a CV stand out

A CV shouldn't be about you, but the job. Tailor it to each job you apply for. If your work experience doesn't match the job per say, concentrate on the skills used, that are transferable. Don't waffle, keep it in bullet point style, employers read hundreds, and want the important stuff to stand out, they don't want to look for it. Keep it as short as possible.

That's what I've been told, but it's easier said than done

Thats pretty much like i am doing, just worrying that something was wrong with it.

It may help just to give mine a refresh

Local job centres will also do a cv review that will help them identify positives, negatives and suggestions ..away from the scummers taking the piss , the local job centre offers far more than most realise

I found a copy of this book to be a great help when trying to sort out the next step of what I like to pretend is my career. It covers all the steps of the scary job search process from cold call to final negotiations.

i got my degree, landed a job, then was made redundant as the recession took its hold. i hunted for a job for 8 months (credit due to my girlfreind who helped support me along the way) but at the end of the day, its just about looking, looking and more looking.
the moment you stop looking, you could miss the chance to get your self a job - and maybe even a job you like.
the job i'm in now (will be 4 years this june) i found in a job centre in crawley (i work in shoreham).
you just shouldnt stop looking. EVER

The job centre will offer you more if you have no qualifications.

If you have qualifications you are f****d because they can't place you in a job.

The woman whom looked at my CV said she "felt ashamed" that she couldn't get me a job and that I should tone it done "a lot" because I am "over qualified" for the jobs on offer.

BTW - I do tailor it for every job I apply for...

In addition, your CV maybe bang-on-top-ninja-right, but I was once working in an agency and they had over 300+ applications for one designers job. The bloke in charge of picking the correct applicant, took 20 CV's, willy-nilly-lucky -dip style out of a massive pile on his desk and scooped the rest onto the floor.

"That's for the cleaners," he said through gritted teeth. He didn't want to do it, but he had deadlines to meet and didn't have the time to read them all.


Alas, he hired a prat whom lasted a week

..................I smell middle age in sight............you got kids ? if not have one, that will shake things up a bit ............hey seriously though my last job was an agency binman FFS........1 1/2 years i worked my arse off and had to get up everyday just in case i got a call ( i worked most weeks though)........only to get told, '' here sign this it will give you more rights...NO it meant being laid off every 12 weeks for 6weeks at a time ''... ..........i still hanker for my salad days when i managed a bike shop or even the previous mechanics/sales bit.........that that is gone............although i still dream about it, i do not have a time machine...

I had a big talk with my wife a year ago, we agreed i would start volunteering within mental health/drug alcohol ie something i believe in....i cannot do any more shitty jobs ever, just can't.......so after being a volunteer with a few places now, i have settled with a small firm who originally i was going to ditch, but ironically they have turned out the best and will be offering me work at the end of this month...................over the year i got certs for courses and lots of practical experiences that will help me in the future.......i nearly gave up a few times as things did not always go to plan, but i stuck with it cos i chose something i strongly believe in doing. I am also a NHS volunteer and there is talk of training to work for them, but that is in the future.................NEVER GIVE UP, in fact try harder, push harder,hassle people politely and be prepared for things to take longer, but once you get the right type of work you will see why it was worth being very persistant and don't be afraid to re-approuch things from different angles......................the very 1st volunteering position ignored me the first 3 times !!!!!! now the person i was trying to get to notice me is a friend and great reference

All the best

in the words of Yazz, the only was is up.

I had similar issues a while ago, made redundant, no job, recession was on. no recruitment, didn't get up before midday, mental issues, firing out hundreds of cv's to no avail, eventually got a job through a newspaper ad, super low pay, sales based with comm, turns out I am rubbish at selling, stuck it out for 10 months whilst hating every day, this did however, keep my CV constant and up to date, got another job and have gone to a situation now that many people would give their right arm for. The trouble is I remember those hard times, surviving on £10 for 2 weeks etc and it makes me super reluctant to blow a couple of grand on a pair of wheels or a frame even though I can.

First thoughts.
Get Help where needed, CV writing, Depression etc. There are a ton of sevices out there.
Find out what you like doing, and then work out what skills you have that are transferable and you can monetize
Claim as much money as you can from every source, you have, after all, contributed so you are only taking it back.
Keep on keeping on, keep the spirit up, find any job to get you out of the house.