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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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  • Another reason why you may see companies going through the motions of hiring for a role but never offering anyone the job is that there are tax breaks for companies who are hiring in certain sectors (told to me by the HR manager in my last place).

    When you are the hiring manager is it soul destroying to be wasting your time interviewing hopeful candidates then leaving them with dashed hopes but being unable to tell them to not bother about it.

  • in reply to Iain

    Is that in private sector I'm assuming? 

  • 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.

  • 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.

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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.

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