UKC

Do you believe that a person can be over qualified? or over experienced?

whats your opinion on changing careers?

for example if you were a qualified technical engineer and you got so sick of it, that you wanted such a simple change as to go for something like bar work? would you get frustrated at the knock backs?

and how would you apply for such positions or ammend a CV!?

more info to follow

In reply to El-Mariachi:

You'd probably be less desirable than an 18 year old who had only had a summer job at a bar for a couple of months. I'm sure you'd find somewhere though.

In reply to El-Mariachi:

a tricky one mate! Personally if hiring it wouldn't bother me as long as there was a reason attached for either leaving the previous job (eg career change, didn't like the time commitment, similar) or reason for applying for the new job (location, hours, whatever). Your CV, while it should include certain info as standard, is where you sell yourself. You can do this however you want.

In reply to Franco C:

Why? Expand if you could, I dont see an age thing dictating bar work or a waiter or similar?

In reply to El-Mariachi: Get yourself down to B & Q - that's my next stop! (Only half joking.)

In reply to Scarab9:

I have just completed an application you see, and thought, well I must be totally upfront and honest, I didnt want to come across as 'take take take' and only wanted to work for them for my gain as I believed this would not do so well, but i certainly know that I have everything they are looking for and more!

my only worry now is - 2 people with equal experience etc they wont interview me as my background is different. With a CV I guess I can ammend it to show skills etc rather than experience(word it different) and dress it up, but with an application its a bit harder

ggrrhh

In reply to El-Mariachi:

Part of the problem is it may be seen as a stopgap job and hence will be sodding off as soon as a chance occurs.

not sure how to get round it though beyond emphasising it is a swap in career.
for the barwork example possibly going for assistant manager/semi live in posts might help

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

This is my point! i would be happy in B&Q, cleaning, bar work anything, just a set routine to compliment Uni in Sept. But my background is my achilles heel

In reply to El-Mariachi:
I've seen people getting knocked back for being over qualified but only from 'technical' positions. Bar work shouldn't pose any problems but if you went for a junior engineering role then you may get turned down as they'd assume you'd up and scarper as soon as the job market improved.

In reply to El-Mariachi:

just read your profile and see what ya mean. Makes you sound interesting though so a lot of people may want to interview based on that. Is it bar work you're applying for or was that just an example?
Application forms are a pain in the ****! There's two possibilities there, 1/ the boss will be looking to tick boxes and discard anyone who doens't fit the mould - in which case sorry you may miss out.
2/ it's company policy to have a form but the person checking them has sense and realises the limitations. They'll quite likely appreciate something that catches their eye as a bit different. In which case you'll look fine!

This is obviously based on a quick scan of your profile and may be utter bollox based on assumptions :-p

In reply to El-Mariachi:


so alongside your studies rather than summer job leading up to it?
emphasise you are studying then on your cv or covering letter. that will help remove the worry about you just getting bored and sodding off (since the studying should keep you amused) and also gives some guarantees around the length of time you will be around.

contact the uni student union since they may keep a list of studenty part time open jobs (know in the last year i was at uni they opened up this facility)

In reply to Scarab9:

aaaah...just noticed your age says 76. Is that right? If so it's that that may hold you back more than anything and that I can't really advise on I'm afraid though there's some better voices on here who may be able to.

either way good luck!

In reply to El-Mariachi:

Well, there's a good explanation - makes it clear you are not looking for a permanent career-type post.

It might take more looking, but you might get on better if you can find an independent shop/restaurant looking for a bit of help, where you can explain yourself in person rather than having to compete through an application form. The kind of place more likely to appreciate a bit of independent thought and maturity rather than blind obedience to a system?

In reply to El-Mariachi: It's a bit difficult to give meaningful advice around this subject without full knowledge of the transition you are trying to make.

In todays market and increasingly so in the future we may need to be adaptable as the labour market is in constant flux. Some careers are more constant whereas some careers are short lived and require an individual who can truly manage their career change and transitions.

If you were to go for lower level roles there are certain things that you can do that could make it more likely. Contacting employers directly rather than going through the usual application routes give you an edge as you can talk to employers and explain your reasons, desires, skills etc.

You have to put yourself in the employers shoes. If they receive your application or CV and it says you are a nuclear physicist then it is unlikely that you will be employed. So if you wree the employer what would you want to hear from an applicant to convince you that it would be a good decision to give you the position.

Why do you want this job?
How long do you want it for?
Are you doing it to fund dtudy?
Are you doing it because you have a love for the industry and want to make a new start?

Really think about what you are selling and think what is in it for the employer.

Feel free to email a with a bit more in depth information about your situation and I would be happy to give you some guidance.

Leo - Career coach

In reply to Scarab9:

My profile is just a goof! im not 76! and I wouldnt want to use my profile on an application, unless im applying for Shady Acres Mental Home.

Basically (the real situ)

Im highly qualified in the fitness industry, I hate it, cant man handle fat people anymore (coaching way, not pervy way)or listen to excuses, besides it just doesnt light my fire. Im off to Uni with a view to work in environmental conservation or similar field after (hopefully) getting to do the MSc in Conservation Management in year 4.

Im applying for roles in local/wider area wildlife trusts etc as admin staff, which they are recruiting for, this one in particular is looking for someone with volunteer and youth work experience to work as an organiser supervising a small team of volunteers with some manual work in animal welfare.

So the app is good, admin skills second to none, organising skills ok. so ive stated the Uni thing as they did say they are flexible with hours.

I drew on all my past skills etc without relying too much on the fitness/management but more emphasis on my community project manager and volunteer work but have this feeling I wont get anywhere

In reply to leroybrown:


Thanks, apart from the top 2 points covered all the rest


Will do, I think I struggle to word correctly 'transferable' skills, although I have a background in fitness, all my positions to date involved community work, admin and not the general fitness route, its pretty hard to sell the same skills from a different background I guess.

In reply to El-Mariachi:
For something like bar work you would probably be OK regarding the qualifications as staffing in such positions is very transient and very little training is involved so they don't really care if you sod off to do something else in a few months time. The only ting that may work against you is being over 21 as they'll be paying minimum wage and they'll have to pay you £5.93 rather than £4.92.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Yeah, me too .
Put in a covering letter your reasons and possibly a timescale e.g. Barwork for a year to support studies / 6 months while retraining / indefinately as career change & more free time/ less stress

In reply to jeanw:

Thanks Jean,

possible misunderstanding? when I say set routine, I mean regular hours, permanent job to suit me.

I did however say that the role would 'significantly compliment my studies' in subject and in the flexibility of hours, and also (in so many words) how the degree may compliment their field of work, along with any transferable skills they may draw upon from me? obviously the direct approach can put people off.

I was a little unsure to state on my last app that I wanted to work for you and stay etc, thought that would come across as a little hasty?

In reply to El-Mariachi: In reply to El-Mariachi:

put that in your covering letter/email or the bit about you. SAying your uni is 4 years should help too.

Also if you don't get jobs, call or email and ask why. that's helped me learn and get other jobs

In reply to El-Mariachi:

I've been there when I got made redundant. Wandering around job agencies looking for pretty much anything to fill in and keep the money coming in until I got a permanent job sorted out got very frustrating.

Which part of "I've got a mortgage to pay, I'll do anything" don't you understand!

In reply to LastBoyScout:

That's the problem. What you said above translates as "I don't give a stuff about the job, and as soon as something better comes along I'm off". Someone's not going to wade through a load of CVs, draw up a short list, sit through maybe a few days of interviews, sort out all the paperwork and give someone a job knowing full well that in the next month or two they'll have to do the whole thing again.

In reply to El-Mariachi:

I've had the:

"You'd be bored out of your mind doing this, and you'll be looking for another job all the time anyway"

response.

||-)

In reply to Ridge:

Not really, as the jobs I was looking for as temp jobs were jobs that typically have a high turnover of staff and little training requirements and I made it clear that I was looking for a stint of about 3-4 months.

In reply to Ridge:


I agree to a certain degree, (that an employer may be anxious your going to leave at a moments notice) but on the flipside, there are people who want that kind of work (whatever it may be)

I remember sitting with a careers advisor a few years back after a management role a while after leaving the Army. The advisor asked me to close the door and said - " Ill be honest, there's a few problems with your CV, if I was a manager I would feel threatened by your background, drive, skills and experience, and if you sent this CV for regular local work (such as bar, office admin or retail, they will think your gonna do one when you have had enough"

so what is a man meant to do eh? as at the moment I am making the decision and actually looking for work that doesnt really test the 'grey matter'

I am happy to plod on doing what I am now, but hey something will show up.

Response to Blue Roses:

'Also if you don't get jobs, call or email and ask why. that's helped me learn and get other jobs'

Now this really gets to me when the response is always "well we had a high level of candidates including yourself but on this occassion.....blah blah blah

I would much rather they be honest and give real positive/negative feed back, like you were crap at this, ok at that but totally rubbish on this!

the fear of litigation I guess