# How hard is it to get a job these days?



## Worried62 (16 May 2010)

I know it is much more difficult than before, and I know it will vary from person to person. 

But just to get some idea of how long people are unemployed for between jobs? 

And some idea of how many CVs people are handing out? Hundreds? Thousands?


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## Leo (17 May 2010)

Impossible to say without knowing what kind of job you're talking about. There's a huge difference between the IT and construction markets for example.


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## ney001 (17 May 2010)

Worried62 said:


> I know it is much more difficult than before, and I know it will vary from person to person.
> 
> But just to get some idea of how long people are unemployed for between jobs?
> 
> And some idea of how many CVs people are handing out? Hundreds? Thousands?



My husband is in construction - has sent off and handed in well over 200 cvs.  Had 3 emails to say they received CV - no other responses.  Almost one year now unemployed. 

Good luck with the hunt - you'll need it!


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## Worried62 (17 May 2010)

Hi Leo and ney,
thanks for your responses.

I realise the question I asked is very general - but I am just trying to get an idea.
I don't have any third level degrees or diplomas myself. I am just an office worker familiar with MS Word and Excel to a large degree and other office PC systems peculiar to my branch of work, but have no special skills.

Some capabilities, I know, are much more in demand than others, I know.
I am more interested in how hard the less skilled are finding it to get a job.

Thanks for your response, ney001.


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## babaduck (17 May 2010)

I'm a very experienced PA with previous sales, marketing & customer care experience.  97% MS Word & Excel skills.  According to the careers consultant I saw at the end of last year, I am eminently employable.

So far, 112 job apps since January.  2 interviews, 3 agency callbacks, NO temp work.  It is breaking my heart.  I live too far away to make Dublin City Centre accessible as a job location and I'm not having any joy on the outskirts.


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## Purple (17 May 2010)

It's a strange thing but 5 years ago we couldn't get skilled people in Ireland and we still can't. We get applicants (pay rates are high enough; starting on about €38K plus overtime) but they just can't do the job.


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## Worried62 (18 May 2010)

Thanks, babaduck for your input. It sounds bad.


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## galw1 (18 May 2010)

I was out of work last year for 10 months. Got couple of part time jobs for a few months. Have degree in mfg but ended up with job back in construction! Long hours and pay rate I was on in 2003 but it is a job and am happy at it. Keep looking. Try get part time locally - even a day a week to start at min wage.


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## doubledeb (18 May 2010)

Purple said:


> It's a strange thing but 5 years ago we couldn't get skilled people in Ireland and we still can't. We get applicants (pay rates are high enough; starting on about €38K plus overtime) but they just can't do the job.


 
Hi Purple
Just curious to know what sector is that in?
My brother worked for a large pharmaceutical company for 13 years.  He is a qualified Electrician.  He did a degree by night on instumentation. He is returning to college full time in sept (unless A job comes up) starting an Engineering degree.  He has applied to hundreds of companys and 14 months on he is still unemployed.   
Are there companys still out there actually hiring?


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## cork (18 May 2010)

A number of years ago - I was out of work for 2 years.

It is soul destroying.

The only thing is - don't get dis-heartened.

You are not alone and keep plugging away.

It is easier said than done at times.


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## Worried62 (18 May 2010)

galw1 said:


> Have degree in mfg but ended up with job back in construction!


 
Gosh.



galw1 said:


> Keep looking. Try get part time locally - even a day a week to start at min wage.


 
Thanks for the advice.


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## Subtitle (19 May 2010)

Worried62 said:


> Gosh.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the advice.


You asked a question and got a civil reply from galw1. No need for sarcasm.


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## Moral Ethos (19 May 2010)

At the moment for every minimum wage job there are 20 to 30 people applying for them. I am talking jobs like shelf stacker's in shops, fast food etc. It is indeed soul destroying. 

People are resigned to the fact there are no jobs.


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## Leo (19 May 2010)

Moral Ethos said:


> People are resigned to the fact there are no jobs.


 
But there are jobs! Where I work has 15 advertised reqs at the moment. OK, industries like construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and retail are contracting, but there are areas of the market that are growing like financial services, IT, telecoms. In the first 3 months of this year, there was a 23% rise in the number of jobs advertised on IrishJobs.ie. There has also been a rise in the number of applicants who are currently in employment.

You just need to determine where that demand is, and if possible, cross-train to meet that demand.
Leo


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## Sunny (19 May 2010)

Subtitle said:


> You asked a question and got a civil reply from galw1. No need for sarcasm.


 
I didn't see any sarcarsm. Seemed a perfectly civil post to me.


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## Complainer (19 May 2010)

Moral Ethos said:


> At the moment for every minimum wage job there are 20 to 30 people applying for them. I am talking jobs like shelf stacker's in shops, fast food etc. It is indeed soul destroying.
> 
> People are resigned to the fact there are no jobs.


And of course, the Govt has ensured that minimum wage jobs are now considered 'work experience', not even worthy of that minimum wage itself;

[broken link removed]


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## Moral Ethos (19 May 2010)

That is appalling.


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## Worried62 (19 May 2010)

Subtitle said:


> You asked a question and got a civil reply from galw1. No need for sarcasm.


 
I was not being sarcastic.

I said "Gosh" because I was a bit shocked that he had a 3rd level degree and yet had to get ordinary work, and I said "thanks for the advice" because I meant it.


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## Subtitle (20 May 2010)

My apologies Worried, obviously I read the tone of your post wrong


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## csirl (20 May 2010)

A company that I do business with hired approx 100 people in recent months due to expansion. They had difficulties with recruiting the lower paid posts and ended up having to recruit from the UK and Europe - Irish people just arent willing to work in low paid jobs. Possibly because welfare is too generous. They also had to import people for a small number of the higher level jobs because of no qualified applicants from Ireland, but these were specialist jobs that a lot of people dont have experience off.


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## csirl (20 May 2010)

P.S. they did get a lot of applicants for the jobs they had difficulties with - they had a large advert in the national newspapers, so it attracted a lot of applicants. But when it came to the interview and job offer stage, most of the applicants had unrealistic salary expectations and werent willing to work for the salary offered.


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## Purple (20 May 2010)

doubledeb said:


> Hi Purple
> Just curious to know what sector is that in?
> My brother worked for a large pharmaceutical company for 13 years.  He is a qualified Electrician.  He did a degree by night on instumentation. He is returning to college full time in sept (unless A job comes up) starting an Engineering degree.  He has applied to hundreds of companys and 14 months on he is still unemployed.
> Are there companys still out there actually hiring?



Skilled engineering trades people (toolmaking, turning etc). Manual and CNC machinists and programmers. We're not the only company in our sector that can't get good people.


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## cork (20 May 2010)

It is pretty hard out there to find anything.

A mimimum wage job would keep you going.


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