do u find it hard 2 find work

[ALEX2525]

I wonder with dyspraxic do other peoplr like find it hard to find the right because the job centre don't no a lot i find if no what i mean let me no as 30 time stroger then all other normal what ever that is people. peace and thank

[Daniel]

I've fortunately just started a new job, but I had several unsuccessful interviews until I found a job that fit the bill; both for the employer and myself.

Should you be struggling to reach the interview stage, make sure you have a CV and cover letter which is well written and does the very best job of selling your skills to the specific requirements of the employer.

I'm now working in the public sector and although I'm not requesting any assistance with dyspraxia they do seem to be very set up for supporting disabilities, so for those who do feel they require special requirements it may be an area to look at. Although the private sector should theoretically do the same, in practice I find that priorities are seldom on anything other than the core sources of income to the company in question.

Dan

[gomababe]

Also keep in mind that it takes some people *years* to find a job these days. The UK is on an economic downturn which means unemployment is beginning to rear its ugly head and that makes things very difficult for those of us trying to look for work. I've been baack on the doe for the last 13 weeks and am finding it very hard to keep optimistic about my situation {23, still living at home with parents, dyspraxic but very mildly so noone believes I have any problems etc}. I'm caught in the catch 22 situation where you have to try to be optimisitc but also not to get your hopes up {at all at the moment it seems ¬_¬} which leads to this: .

All the advice I can give you is to keep trying, you'll get there eventually and recessions don't last forever ^_~.

[littlemadangel]

I tried applying for part-time evening/weekend shop jobs a few yrs ago when I was at school. But I always found myself completely freezing or stammering my way through questions in an interview situation. I never got anywhere with any of these jobs.

When I left school with 3 okay-ish A Levels, I kept applying for office jobs and the like but still never got anywhere.
I registered with a recruitment agency and they found me a temp job (I didnt go for an interview).

But that year, when someone finally gave me a chance, give me the bit more confidence. When that first contract finished, they set me up with a few interviews for other temporary jobs which I did have to go for interviews for and I did get them!

I'm now in my first permanent job (civil service) big, scary interview with about 3 people interviewing me but I made it through!

My advice would be just keep trying and trying and trying.

[Liz944]

The key things with interviews is practice and preparing beforehand by making sure you have answers prepared for questions that might come up.

[WTCCFan]

Do I find it hard to find work? God, yes I do!

I went online to the Garlands People website (a call centre which takes helps sells phones from companies like Vodafone and internet packages from companies like Wanadoo and Virgin Media and also offers technical support), which has recently located from Teeside to here in South Shields on Tyneside, in about May to fill out an online application form. And what seems like ages in July I was asked to arrage a day the following week to do two paper based tests. I did well in both and two days later I took the informal interview and did a phone test. Again which I did well in. Sometime later, about 3 months I think it was (something to do with finding a post in the company), I was asked for a typing test. Again which I did well in. I did 34wpm when the minimum was 30wpm and did an accuracy of about 90. And about 2-3 days later I was told to go for the full interview and again I did well in that. So imagine my abject shock and anger when I was sent a letter the following week saying I had failed to get a post because others were more suited to the role. I was left asking questions like "If I wasn't as suitable for the role as others what was all the tests for?" and the follow-up "Could they not have saved a lot of time and asked me earlier (ALOT earlier) if I had experience and things could have been ended there before things were allowed to be strung out as long as it was??". Needless to say I was left totally deflated by them.

That was the closest I have ever got to something good developing. Very few applications ends in a reply and as few again ends in being called back for an interview. So for me that was the most hopeful I have ever have been.

FIVE letters have been unsucesfull at the first hurdle.
TWO letters state no jobs were available.
TWO letters were places in which I had gone for an interview and it was decided I wasn't good enough (inc. Gardlands)
ONE letter sadly was after the closing date.

So I have in total 10 letter of failure for one reason.

It has been I think pretty much established that it is because, for all the qualifications I have, down to the pure fact I haven't had as many jobs. The ONE thing that counts against me. Because qualifications I don't see a problem with. On that basis I don't ever see myself in work because I need to find a place for me to start getting more experience of the workplace. Staggering ain't it what you can be rejected on the basis of thesedays! It just seems thesedays people look for the reasons to NOT employ you rather than the reason to employ you.

[Pooky]

If you are failing to get interviews then I would recommend getting someone to look at your CV and covering letter.

Remember to give a courtesy call if you haven't heard anything about your application.

[Liz944]

May be you need to re-gig your CV to cover other aspects of your life as well as work e.g. voluntary work, involvement with clubs, key skills and attributes etc

[rainbow501]

My advice is filling applications is to not put you got a disability or special need unless you need to specify it otherwise they may assume the worst! I am almost 23, I have dyspraxia and I have two part time jobs and I'm currently studying @ college and doing an access to social work course which is just about to end in June 09 and I am also studying with the OU in Health and Social Care and I have an unconditional offer to do social work. As I am not a social person, I put my career in social work first and just use the two part time jobs as "day jobs".

[rosie3]

Interesting to hear you say that. I am middle aged, have good qualifications on paper and voluntarily came out of work three years ago. I have no trouble getting an interview and have had about eighty unsuccessful ones since then. When eventually I was successful, I sneaked in with a multiple recruitment. I thought if was open about it that it might explain some of the things which causes their doubts such as broken dialogue; and limit the damage against the things in which I am sound.

[Calm]

Well let's put it this way I am 24 years old I have more college/work experience than actual history of working. I was told to go home from work experience in Sommerfield when I when I asked for help in where certain items went on the shelf and apparently according the manager he has employed 16 year olds who are more self suffient than me. To be honest I want to work but at the sametime I don't care because I probably won't be able to keep the job or have problems. I am also Dyslexic and my cousin who also has Dyslexia has always been fired or left so many jobs because of his difficulties and he is 33 now.

[djgard27]

I am good at finding work but seem to struggle to keep onto a job for long i have had a couple of jobs for about 2 years or more but i have moved around a lot im 28 been working for about 7 years now i think a big part of my problems has been in relating to people which have made things difficult.