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February 2012

The Job Squad

On the panel today we had the first two Prince's Trust Job Ambassadors, Shabz and Kirt. They were joined by Ginny Lunn, Policy Director at The Trust and Michelle Dewberry.

Questions are shown in bold.

Thanks for all of your questions – we’ve been overwhelmed! It’s ten past six and the web chat is closed, but the panel are still going to answer your questions.

New questions will be answered at our next web chat.

I'm 22 years old, living in Swansea. I've trained for 2 years as a plasterer however to be fully qualified i need an NVQ 2 which you get from an apprenticeship, no one wants to take me on because of my age. I've been on to 100s of websites for apprenticeships, it's getting to the point where is if i don't start earning money for my trade soon i'm going to have to find a run of the mill full time job.

Please any suggestions would be amazing!

Damian

Michelle: Get yourself down to local firms in person and meet the people who could offer you a chance. Find out all the facts and figures about apprenticeships before you go, so they know about subsidies and the benefits they’ll get. You don’t need to be an expert, just able to answer his reservations.

Ginny: The Government has just announced more funding for small businesses to take on apprentices, so some that weren’t running schemes before might be now.

 

Amy Tomlinson @Minogue_1D

@PrincesTrust would i be able to get help from the princes trust if i want to set up my own business in say 3-4 years time? Id be 24/25 y/o

Ginny: Yes, we can help you with our Enterprise programme until you are 30 years old.

 

jill hunter @daisyqueen6

@PrincesTrust what do u say to a school leaver who says 'why bother - there are no jobs?'

Michelle: If you give up, you are resigning yourself to mediocrity at best – the benefits trap. You should always try, it is hard, but jobs are amazing. Why would you want to give up before you’ve started.

Ginny: There are jobs available, but you may need to start with an entry level job and work your way up.

Michelle: Looking for a job is full time job.

 

Kate says:

I’m a big fan of The Apprentice. You and Stella English have shown that you can get on in life, no matter what your background is. What or who has been the main thing that has spurred you on over the years?

Michelle: I had a lot of knocks when I was at school – people told me I was thick and would never amount to anything. I have a burning desire to prove people wrong and to be independent. I never want to be left stranded like a shipwreck. I also look to people who are doing the things I want to do and use them as my role models.

Ginny: I was at a Prince’s Trust centre on Friday and they would be inspired by what Michelle has achieved.

Michelle, You seem very confident and go getting. Was there ever a time when you doubted yourself?

Jess

Michelle: Every single day I doubt myself, because I’m human. But I have tools and techniques to appear confident even when I’m not. If you think I’m confident, my techniques are working! I used to go red in the face, then worry about it and it would get worse.

Now I focus my thoughts by squeezing my toes in my shoe (I know it sounds silly) it draws my focus from my face. No one knows I’m doing it, but it works for me.

 

I have a question about getting a job in the property industry. I want to work in an estate agents as a trainee lettings negotiator but there are no vacancies in my area so, I have been sending a letter of interest and a cv to different companies, but have had no reply. So, where do I go from here?

Also, if there were a trainee lettings negotiator job vacancy in, let’s say the north of England, would I be at a disadvantage if I applied for it and moved up there. When I say disadvantage, I mean not knowing the area that the company is located at.

Thomas

Michelle: If you’re getting no response from sending in CVs, then try visiting the offices in person You could offer to work for commission only while you prove yourself.

Ginny: Be proactive and go see them. If there’s the right opportunity in another location and you’re prepared to move then go for it.

 

I’ve lost everything I'm 28 what can you do to get me back on track?

Ashley @specialistkit via twitter

Michelle: Even if circumstances seem bleak, no one can take away your hope for the future. Find your fighting spirit and determination to make it happen. Start right now, get a piece of paper, take a deep breath and decide this is the moment to change your future.

Ginny: Work out where you are today and plan the steps you need to take to get back on track. Give us a call tomorrow at The Trust on 0800 842 842, I’m sure we’ll be able to help.

Michelle: We believe in you, so believe in yourself. Celebrate the fact that you’ve reached out through this web chat – well done!

 

I am 17 very soon to be 18. I did well at school, and I am now studying for a BTEC higher national at College which I am doing really well with, but I have seen a brilliant franchise business I think is perfect for me and I really like the idea of starting and running my own business. How do I go about raising approx £10,000 I need to buy and start this business.

Tom

Ginny: The Trust does offer loans but only for a fraction of this amount and you’ll need to be 18 or over to apply.

Michelle: Learn your trade, through finishing your course. Then, if you spend some time working for a competitor, then you’ll stand much more chance of success when you start up yourself. A job on the shop floor will give you invaluable experience and prepare you for running your own company – boosting your chance of success through learning from others’ mistakes.

 

I have a good higher educational background but I do not have any luck for jobs. I have been applying for the past 4 years to call centres and retailers but I never get a successful outcome. As I have never worked before I am finding it difficult to get a job. I feel it is due to my interview skills which are very poor and I feel I need extra help to gain confidence. I have joined several agencies websites for job alerts, I have applied for many jobs but still no luck.

Can you please advise me to what will be the best solution for me.

Kiran

Michelle: Have you ever asked for feedback at the end of an interview? You need to know what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. You can also do mock interviews with friends or contacts.

Shabz: There are short courses which help you boost your confidence and gain skills through mock interviews.

Kirt: Find someone you trust and are comfortable with to practice. They’ll give you good feedback.

Michelle adds: Visualise a good interview, practice a firm hand shake, standing tall and being confident – even if your stomach is churning. It’ll soon become a habit. Ask at the end of the interview: ‘have you got any reservations about giving me this job?’ You can then address their concerns before you leave. It’s one of the most powerful questions to ask.

 

I am currently unemployed and struggling with finding employment. Since my unemployment I have registered with all the job search engines I have come across and made endless applications for positions. I have completed a level 2 fitness instructing course and level 3 personal training course as well as undertaking temporary work. Can you think of other things I should try?

Alex

Shabz: The first place I’d go is the job centre, I’ve seen jobs like this on the machines.

Kirt: I’d approach the leisure centre directly, particularly with your levels of qualifications.

Michelle: I think you should create yourself a client list, by going down to your local gym. Introduce yourself as a personal trainer and offer some free sessions. Show how you can build a good rapport and make yourself invaluable. Personal training is also franchised – you may want to look into this, the start up fees aren’t always huge. Look at all of the options.

Ginny: You may also get support through our Enterprise programme. We’ve set up a few Zumba businesses lately, helping young people become certified instructors. They are already financially successful too.

 

I’ve just come out of work. I want to start learning for the future, like solar power, wind turbines, but there’s no funding from the government for this, do you know anything that can help me please?

I’m 31 from hull.

Chris

Ginny: Because you’ve got quite specific ideas, you should do some research and identify the specific companies that lead in the sector.

Michelle says: Siemens are investing in the Hull area – check out the jobs that they advertise at their other locations, then start to prepare yourself and position yourself for the jobs when they come along. Build your skills and CV through work experience and internships. This is a fantastic opportunity, so find out all you can – don’t miss this opportunity. Get online now – find out where the project is at. I got my first job in Hull, so good luck.

 

I'd just like to start off by saying thank you for having an organisation where people like me can tell you our problems and you can help solve them.

Right, iv been struggling with the problem which so many other youths are for quite a few years now - the simple matter of finding out what I want to do. But I keep telling myself I don’t want to end up doing a boring job which I wish I wasn’t in, so I thought about what I really like doing, and that simply is helping people. I have been thinking for a while about going to Africa and helping do whatever I can for around a year - well actually that is definitely something I AM going to do, but I am going to do that after I have the qualifications I need to do whatever job I want to do.

Sorry for the rambling, but what I need help from you is with what different routes I could take with what I want to do. I know I want to help people for my job, whether it would be caring for singular people or multiple people, counselling or whatever - but I need to know what routes I could take, and if you could also help tell me what sort of qualifications I would need for each of these different routes.

If you could help me with this it would be absolutely amazing.

Adam

Kirt says: Organisations like VSO are set up to help you with projects like this. You could start by volunteering and this could lead to a career.

Shabz: If you want some time to explore what’s best for you, then look at The Trust’s Team programme – it involves volunteering in the community. I did the Team programme and it made me realise there are lots of different types of careers.

Ginny: vInspired also have lots of great volunteering opportunities.

Questions are in bold

I’m doing A levels this year. With fees going up to £9000 is it worth going to uni? Do you know any companies who have school leaver training schemes?

Lucy

Ginny: It depends what your career goals are – you still need a degree for some careers, but not for many others. Make sure you look at all the routes available.

Shabz: Apprenticeships can be good for some careers – and you actually get paid, rather than paying fees.

Kirt: I’ve met a lot of people who are studying at College which is still free in many cases.

Ginny: There are lots of companies with school leaver schemes – too many for us to mention here, so make yourself a long list and research online.

Shabz adds: And don’t forget The Trust’s Get into . . . programme, a course to help you secure a job or apprenticeship in areas where there is work available.

 

What is the ideal way of approaching the question : Tell us about yourself? How do I market myself without over stretching or under selling?

Priyangee

Shabz says: Be positive and up-beat, keep it real and don’t go over the top.

Ginny says: Be prepared – you’ve obviously thought about the question. Understand the difference between confidence and arrogance.

Kirt: Be true to yourself.

 

I am a 22 year old guy and I am very driven to succeed and have a lasting career. However, I made a huge mistake that lead to me having a criminal record for theft. I am wondering what I can do so that this does not hold me back as I have been job hunting over a year and getting no-where.

What if anything can I do ? I have never been in trouble and know that if offered a position in the field I am interested in I will strive to succeed.

Scott

Ginny says: One in five young people supported by The Trust has an offending background – but we prefer to see the potential not the past. You should be honest with any potential employer. For some it’s true it will be an issue – for example in retail – but others may not be too concerned. Depending what you’re driven to do, you may want to consider self employment – check out our Enterprise programme for more details.

Shabz says: It’s good that you are applying for lots of jobs and you know what area you want to go into. Try to broaden your horizons as you may not be able to be too picky to start.

Kirt: Don’t let your mistakes set you back – everyone deserves a second chance.

About Michelle Dewberry

From her first job working on the checkouts in Kwik Save, she rose through the business ranks in different firms to become a self-employed global telecoms programme director.

In 2006, Michelle beat off competition from over 15,000 people to become the winner of the second British series of reality TV show The Apprentice, in which candidates compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for business magnate Sir Alan Sugar.

Michelle now runs a number of ventures. Find out more here.

Michelle says:

“Thousands of young people across the country, and especially in my home-town, Hull, are struggling to find work, which I find incredibly sad. I know what it’s like growing up surrounded by people who are on the dole – and it is really tough.

On the estate where I spent my childhood, my friends used to laugh at me when I talked about trying to find a good job.

They thought I 'was strange', and I frequently got rejected at job interviews. I had very little confidence - and I almost decided to give up on my ambitions. I’m so glad that I managed to change my life for the better – and I am living proof that other young people can do the same.

“We need to give young people today hope for the future, as the UK simply can’t afford to have a whole generation of wasted talent and dreams. With support from organisations like The Prince’s Trust, it is possible to turn young lives around.”

The February Job Squad

The Job Squad will also include The Trust’s policy director, Ginny Lunn and two Prince's Trust Young Ambassadors.