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No experience.... no job? Disappointed!

Giedrius

Hi everyone,

I am just recently graduated from London University with Master degree in HR management and I am an associate of CIPD achieved advanced level 7. 

At the moment I am looking for a job in HR, but the job market seems so tough.  Sending out my CV constantly average 30Cv's a day and only 2-3 negative replies, because of the lack of experience in HR. I am so dissapointed and desperate at the moment. Seems like all my education achievements falling apart and not irrelevant.  I mean, we are living at the time whe, the  education doesn't mean anyting or not valued? I do agree that an expirience is plays an important role, but still...?

Can you share how did you find a job in HR please?

Any advise or sharings very welcome. 

Thank you alot

Parents

  • Hi Giedrius and welcome to the Forum

    Not much to add to Robey's excellent response other than the fact that I was job hunting relatively recently and found I often had positive responses from direct applications via Linked In job alerts.  (If you are not on Linked in, register yourself and sign up for them.)

    I spent a lot of time on my cover notes and I think this made all the difference to the response rates.  So apply with a really well drafted cover letter/email.  Look at their person spec and address how you meet their criteria using examples - these can be from your holiday job, sports team, voluntary work if you have not got HR work examples.  Be creative and think a bit laterally (obviously do not lie!) but if you think you can make a case for why the skills developed through birdwatching, namely forward planning, preparation and patience would be a really good match for the skills needed for being an HR Officer at company x, make that case!  Explain how and why you would be a good fit for company x.  Also put a well-constructed case for WHY you want to work for company x and what it is that attracts you about them.  Obviously, spell check and re-read very carefully.   It is quite rare to get an application where people have actually considered the needs of the recruiter, so anyone that does goes to the top of the pile.  I once managed to get to 3rd interview stage despite missing interview 1!  My sincere apology, coupled with the positve 1st impression made by my application was sufficient for the very nice manager to give me another go (I eventually got to the last two).

    I would not use the same approach with agencies -  a few lines to entice them to actually open your CV should be sufficient as they are really not that interested in you other than in whether you look a vaguely interesting prospect to put forward to their client.  With them, carefully adapt your personal statement and your CV to match their ads. 

    Good luck!

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  • Hi Giedrius and welcome to the Forum

    Not much to add to Robey's excellent response other than the fact that I was job hunting relatively recently and found I often had positive responses from direct applications via Linked In job alerts.  (If you are not on Linked in, register yourself and sign up for them.)

    I spent a lot of time on my cover notes and I think this made all the difference to the response rates.  So apply with a really well drafted cover letter/email.  Look at their person spec and address how you meet their criteria using examples - these can be from your holiday job, sports team, voluntary work if you have not got HR work examples.  Be creative and think a bit laterally (obviously do not lie!) but if you think you can make a case for why the skills developed through birdwatching, namely forward planning, preparation and patience would be a really good match for the skills needed for being an HR Officer at company x, make that case!  Explain how and why you would be a good fit for company x.  Also put a well-constructed case for WHY you want to work for company x and what it is that attracts you about them.  Obviously, spell check and re-read very carefully.   It is quite rare to get an application where people have actually considered the needs of the recruiter, so anyone that does goes to the top of the pile.  I once managed to get to 3rd interview stage despite missing interview 1!  My sincere apology, coupled with the positve 1st impression made by my application was sufficient for the very nice manager to give me another go (I eventually got to the last two).

    I would not use the same approach with agencies -  a few lines to entice them to actually open your CV should be sufficient as they are really not that interested in you other than in whether you look a vaguely interesting prospect to put forward to their client.  With them, carefully adapt your personal statement and your CV to match their ads. 

    Good luck!

Children
  • in reply to Anka
    On the back of Anka's reply, if you have been a team leader you technically have HR experience. I don't know what you did before uni, if you worked and in what capacity, but if you've been involved in appraisals, new employee interviews, training, grievances that sort of thing then that's HR. You can add this to your list of duties or in your cover letter to show you've some experience in the basics, even if you didn't use HR software to do it you were part of the process.
    Good luck.