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How are you finding the job market at the moment?

ComputerGeek1337

I did a vocational degree, so I guess I'm perhaps more fortunate than others on this forum, and have been intensely interested in my area of work since a young age. 

However, at the moment there still don't seem be too many entry level roles in the sector I'm looking at getting into. Additionally some jobs labelled as entry level smuggle in 'subtle hints' that they're not actually looking for a complete beginner. And have skill requirements in the job description  which ironically can only be obtained within a prior job in the sector. Irritatingly, I'm finding that jobs labelled as 'graduate surveyor' in a sense mean little more than 'qualified' as opposed to unqualified. It doesn't mean new starter. 

I have seem a few roles that are targeted at entry level folks but often they include doing a Masters course alongside the job. Ironically, I've already got a Masters degree in the subject, and have been explicitly told that I would not be accepted for job. 

I'm under-qualified and over-qualified at the same time. You just can't win!

I may be wrong on this, but I think more generally there seems to be extreme risk aversion at the moment in most job sectors, that no one seems too willing to take the risk of training new graduates up at the moment. Built environment seems to be no exception. I'd also say that for those who are working, there seems to a glass ceiling between generic entry level job which has no degree requirement and more specialised role. 

Its funny, because when I applied for my course, I was told statistically it was one of the most undersubscribed courses in the UK. 

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  • in reply to ComputerGeek1337
    ComputerGeek1337 said:
    Like the term thought crime is probably extreme

    This sort of behaviour will be the death of productivity for so many companies I feel - there are too many staff plodding on doing their average work and using their time to try to catch their colleagues out for any perceived slight.

    I once received and HR complaint from one of my staff that I was impying she was incompetent because I asked if she had any skills she wanted help with.

    The approach I took was to ask an HR person to attend while I explained the situation that I offered all my staff training, coaching or mentoring if they wanted it and I treated her equally to everyone else.

    In the end she got over her complaints compulsion (there were many against anyone who she had the slightest issue with) and I built a mentoring plan with her to help her find a healthier perception of interactions. In retrospect I think she could have been on the spectrum.

  • in reply to Iain

    I had a friend who applied for a civil service job, but gave up over how much 'pre-screening' tests you had to before you were considered for interview. 

    Like the term thought crime is probably extreme, but they seem hell bent on stifling dissenting opinion. Like one of the online interview questions (multiple choice) was you see a member of staff being subject to microaggressions (apparently asking someone where their from is now no longer friendly, its racist) and you have to select the 'correct' response from a choice of four. I think IRL, it would probably be more flexible would it not? Its best its patronising, at worst its bordering on mandating what people are allowed to even think privately. 

  • in reply to ComputerGeek1337
    ComputerGeek1337 said:
    Civil service seem to be very politically correct from what others have said. 

    Big time, mostly in the day to day interactions of staff rather than the hiring side though. We did get extensive training on hiring - how to remove bias from decision making, be diverse, inclusive etc and how to mediate disputes.

    I got into trouble a lot as you can imagine as I didn't tolerate fools and the place had plenty, but luckily I was irreplacable at the time due to the project I ran so they just overlooked it.

    I'm surprised at how many completely useless staff there were, like just dead weight and there was no way to get rid of them. The only place I found that was worse was a university I was called into to resolve a 65% staff absentee issue. Now that place was mostly dead weight,

  • in reply to Iain

    Civil service seem to be very politically correct from what others have said. 

  • in reply to ComputerGeek1337

    Yes. I did a lot of hiring in the civil service too but their vetting process is so longwinded that when we did have a role we often lost the candidate because of how long it took to get all the approvals in place, and then there was the hurdle of getting security cleared as well.

    I'm surprised at how many failed at that level too - lots of dodgy types out there I guess.