Starting to get resentful and feel like I am destined to fail.

It is getting beyond me now. I must have made 5 or 6 dozen job applications in the past few weeks and did not even get beyond stage 1. This starts to make me resentful that there are so many foreigners in this country, even though I know that this very unfair of me, it just pisses me off to see people who are clearly not from around here and have jobs, while I, who was born here, an not even considered for one. A lot of the people that are in charge here are foreign too. No joke, I did an experiment once. I called some fast food places and asked for a job in my British accent. The managers were always foreigners [at least from their accent]. Every time I was told there are no positions. I tried again and put on a foreign Eastern European accent and was told to hand in my application personally at the place. They did not offer a job but were more willing to consider me.

I am currently studying and have to get a job to basically help me live and it pisses me off when I can't even get to the face to face interview stage so they can at least see me and then make a decision. I have tried supermarkets, cinemas, book stores, other retail shops [HMV, WH Smiths etc] even Pizza Hut and other crummy fast food joints. The application processes in these places are really not that difficult and I get the feeling it is very 'luck of the draw' what applications they decide to take further. Either that or they just bring in the friends of families of those who work there first and then others. I am sick of the fact that I have made numerous applications to vacancies at Tesco and fast food places and not even had an interview. It makes me feel pathetic since this is hardly a skilled job. Once I tried for a job at KFC and got a call from the manager who told me to call him at a certain time on a certain day. I called and the phone was answered by someone who works there [they sounded foreign] and they basically tried to get rid of me [over the phone] as soon as possible. They told me the boss was not there and to call later. I tried a number of other times and the manager was never there, they always answered, so eventually I told them to tell their boss I called and ask him if he could call me back. Anyway too cut a long story short, he didn't call. I am in desperation now. There are plenty of students that have jobs, just not me and I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Sorry to post this crap on here but I just wonder if anyone else had this problem as a student or perhaps not as a student and whether they managed to get out of it and a get a job somewhere and if so where did they get it? So far I have tried so many places and every time it has failed. The closes I got was actually a Gatwick Airport Job, i.e the best place of all the places I tried, I got past a few stages such as online application, going in for one day for a practical assessment and then basically got called and told that I passed my phone interview [stage 4 or 5] but unfortunately there are no spaces currently and my application is on hold [for a few months now]. Anyway just needed this little rant time.

I think you have answered your own question in this rant. I agree with you but the reason why foreigners are getting employed on front of British workers is usually due to the low wages. Sounds like most of the jobs you're aplying for is minimum wage work which most Brits steer well clear of or maybe ask for a higher hourly rate. If you have a Polish surname then I'd try the dodgy accent ruse again and keep it up until you actually get a job.

Yeah but then I have to keep it up through out work otherwise it is clear I lied. For me personally it just feel wrong that jobs are given to foreigners over local people, just because you can pay them less or [in some cases] pay them below the minimum wage and get away with it [like some Asian convenient store owners do]. I stay clear of little business owned by foreigners as they employ only their own and often pay the minimum wage or lower. I have tried the big supermarkets as they pay above the minimum wage [though not much] and I thought they were generally fair with employment but so far have not got anywhere with them either.

I feel for you. Your story reminds me of the time just after I was a student. It was in the middle of a bad recession and I applied for 250 jobs in one year, moving from London to the north-east and then to Scotland looking for work. I got one interview. You just have to keep on keeping on. I know that won't help, but one thing you can be sure of is that things will change; they always do. Keep your pecker up. (mods. Don't delete. It's a British expression and not what you might be thinking.)

What country are you in? I assume you are talking about Poland, this being a Polish forum.

edit: You are in London.

I've got qualifications and experience and I've sent dozens of applications for jobs. Only got a call back for a couple. Its hard, we are in the middle of the worst recession of the past century.

You are trying to get unskilled work when you are a student, hardly an appealing prospect for employers. You are going to have to keep working at it, accept it may take months or more to get a job.

Don't kid yourself it would be easier if you were a foreigner, I know Poles looking in London and they have got nothing either.

Bottom line is keep working at it.

I'm sure the Daily Mail would be more than happy to help you on this one. "I can only get a job by putting on dodgy Polish accent" headlines are just what they're looking for. You might even get a few quid off them lol


If the only reason foreign labour is being employed is to drive wages down then I agree with you but don't forget the reason why many people came here initially was to fill jobs that Brits didn't want to do. Unfortunately, now that there's a Tory government in the UK and we all know how they like to create unemployment, competition for jobs means that employers can pick and choose.


There's a Polish mini market on the high street here that is run by Kurds and they pay below the minimum wage and cash in hand. Unfortunately no one is prepared to report them because then they'd get investigated too for taking untaxed cash in hand.

Wielki have you thought about a bit of voluntary work? Maybe starting a small business venture?

Nice one sanddancer.

as for the OP, register with employment agencies, thats how most position's are filled these days.

Probably you've already tried this, but upload your CV to Jobsite and Monster, also give Reed and Hays a CV.

I have done voluntary work at a Charity shop but obviously it was voluntary and I need to earn some money. I was there for about half a year but could not spare the time anymore. As for these job sites I have done that but thank you for the tips anyway. I just feel like it is too much to ask to have 30 or 40 people going for one position, even a crappy position. It means the employers now days can take the piss and they often do unfortunately.

It was like that when I left school, 100 of us applied for a job at a shop. I got an interview but not the job. 100s of us applied for a job sorting things for a bank in their mail room. It tends to be competitive for jobs more often than not in history. I would encourage you to bear in mind the economic circumstances but not give up. Network a bit if you can. A lot of people get jobs from people they know rather than from the outside. Years ago I was in the audience at the pre-recording warm up for a radio show and the celebrity guest revealed she got where she got from being a friend of someone at a temp agency, from the temp role at the broadcaster she got to write scripts and from there she got to act them. Network - and keep at it, even if your ambition is an entirely different field to the aforementioned.

I was only commenting to my bank manager yesterday some of the complete idiots in position of relative power here in the UK. If you use the red button on your remote control the amount of spelling mistakes within the information section is simply unforgivable and again the idiot that operates the motorway signs keep calling the M4 the A4. Who the hell is employing these people? and yet you need god knows how many years experience and shite loads of qualifications to carry out relatively menial tasks with many current employers.

Its really difficult getting through the red tape which is why so many employment agencies do well, potential employees have the opportunity to take on people via the agency sometimes on a temporary basis to weed out the slackers. Its difficult just getting a chance these days.

If i could do it all again and knew then what i know now, i would have gotten into banking and finance in the big smoke (London) as early as possible.

you're going to get a bunch of call-backs all at the same time. Be ready.

I theorise that people get their mates in to those jobs. Outsiders are kept out a lot of the time, especially if they seem cleverer than the majority. Nobody likes a smart ar$e!

What are your qualifications and abilities?
There is lots of demand due to skills shortages in my field at the moment (software development).

I don't quite understand why you've chosen to rant about it here, but you've raised the valid point that employers in the UK seeking unskilled workers favour eastern Europeans. The reason is very simply because they tend to have better work ethics and accept lower wages.

If I was recruiting, I'd choose someone who's had to struggle in life and take the initiative to emigrate for job opportunities, rather than the over-privileged dope-smoking media studies graduates that most of my generation have turned into!

When you employ certain individuals you are creating potential competitors that want a piece of what you have, they turn up for work in their Ford Mondeo and see the bosses Porsche 911 sat right there staring them in the face everyday.

Employers want good money hungry drones with lots of ambition in terms of making them more money - too much ambition is not good obviously for the above reason.

That's so true far more often than most (managerial) types would care to admit.


There were a lot of them around, seemed everyone had just done MS somewhere back in the day.

Funny as I am studying journalism. I am no dope smoker though. I think this is also a pre judgement made by employers in Britain, that the Eastern European is going to be hard working while the local lad is going to be lazy and not bother. Bottom line is a lot of folks to jobs purely for money as very few of us get the possibility to do what we love so we can care about what we do, not just what we earn. I hope to be able to, whether I am going to or not is another story [I know journalism is mucho competitive]. For now though I just need a job and am prepared to do it well to get some cash but I feel unfairly turned away at the first stage when I have not even met and spoken to the employer.

Being english you could probably move to the states, the schools are better (more fun for sure) and you'll be able to find a job if you pick the right state. Stay the hell out of NY or DC.

I hope you're not presenting yourself in an honest fashion to prospective employers. Landing a job is no different than landing a chick, you just find out what they want, then become that thing.

Texas economy is doing pretty well and the weather is agreeable, try this:

bealonghorn.utexas.edu/international/transfer

In case you get home sick this one is near Canada (Winnipeg) Good economy, lots of jobs

und.edu/admissions/enrollment/international-students.cfm

What you have to do is keep at the fast food joint until they hire you. Keep calling and going by. If they tell you the job has already been filled ask if there will be another position and if they will keep you in mind, you really need a job and am determined to get one.

No he can't. Emigrating to the USA is basically impossible and a massive gamble.


Yes, its funny studying for a joke subject when you try and get a job isn't it? I strongly suggest you go back a study a subject that will make you attractive to employers, not make you less employable. You have more chance of a job at MacD's than in Journalism

Absolutely


I strongly suggest you think a bit more before you type, who the hell are to hand out advice like that?

Thats your first mistake. get a foot in the door.
Dont just send letters,go to where the work is. Get suited and booted,make 50 copies of your CV and just crash any workplace in your area you feel you could fit into and even some you may not have considered.

Its really not about what but who you know, network in your chosen field. Free lance for the local rag ,get press acreditation and get into places and meet people most of us cant get access to. Good luck mate.


Rubbish.


And where else sells LM blue for £3.oo a pack? :)

Thanks for some of the ideas some people have given. I am not sure about hassling fast food joints until I get a job there. It might sound arrogant but I feel better than those places. I sort of feel a little like a black woman, I want more R E S P E C T even though I have probably not done much to earn it. I'll just keep looking. If I fail then I might just end up as some psycho who moves in on a bank or climbs some known building with a rifle and demands stuff, then eventually ends up in prison.

Just young and naive mate.
Any job is better than no job,maybe the stereotype of the Poles is close in your case at the minute.
I bet plenty of Polish graduates are flipping burgers till something better comes along.
How many Maccy D managers do you think dreamt of Burger flipping when they were kids?

Its spot on advice, he's welcome to ignore it.

I got a job within a month, basically because I have a skill that people are willing to pay for. Not many jobs out there for me, but you only need one.

youtube.com/embed/IEr7N630rAU

If anything the system has failed you and so many other young students!

but stay confident and check into those jobs I suggested.

wake up, eat a good breakfast, and shake your groove thing all the way down to these places!! :)

For a British dude it's easy. He already speaks English. This is the type we want over here.