Any recruitment agencies for person with weird background?

S

shesells

Registered User
Messages
2,207
Am thinking about changing jobs - maybe it's time.

My problem is a weird background, my degree is science. Worked in that for 2 years. Changed to an event management job and have been there for 5 years. Just finishing a MA from a communications school...what to do now?

My experience of recruitment agencies is that they hate my cv as they can't pigeon hole me. Very few are willing to take the time to get to know me and my strengths and put me forward for decent jobs.

Any suggestions?
 
Do you know what you want to really want to do? Work that out first.

Then perhaps just go direct to the companies that you have targetted.

I must admit I dislike agencies intensely. They do very little for you and take a very large cut for essentially doing damn all. Giving an example, IT agencies generally take from 15%-20% of contractors fees. If you're in a contract for more than a year they've just made something like 15000+ euros from essentially taking your CV and putting their letterhead on it :-(.

I'm sure your CV isn't weird, but I guess that you might not be applying for a med lab job having worked in event management until now.
 
Not going back to science but want to change from my current role. After that I'm not 100% sure what jobs suit me... which is why I haven't moved sooner. Maybe why I was thinking of an agency for inspiration.
 
shesells said:
Maybe why I was thinking of an agency for inspiration.
Click to expand...
I think you might be waiting a long time as that isn't the job of a recruitment agency! In my experience they are exceptionally conservative and they often have a very superficial knowledge of the business you're in which they then use to pigeon-hole you. I would say you might be better paying a career counsellor if one exists and reading some books to see what you want to do. Others can fill you in on that. I left science 15 years ago and haven't looked back since. Good luck.
 
Maybe you're right. Do adult career guidance people exist - or is it a school thing. Not sure a life coach would be the right thing....
 
Why not start a recruitment agency for people with weird backgrounds ;-)

I've a similar CV jumping from Science to software, back to science and then something else and have no idea how I've ended up in my current role. Never found recruitment agencies much use. Applying directly to companies is probably the best route as long as you can explain why you keep changing. Try to put a positive spin on the changing directions - new challenges, wide ranging diverse experience of different industries. I've found with some interviewers they're more interested in how you would fit in, once your in they can bring you up to speed, as long as you prove you have the right temprement (you can always say your varying roles proves your adaptabile and versatile)

If you do decide to start the recruitment agency, let me know and I'll register with you.
 
If you're not sure what you'd like to do, why not pick the Goldenpages and do an A-Z to see if something tickles your fancy....
 
I contacted Premier a couple of years ago and I found they were very good and very professional. Maybe contact them?

Besides, all you need is a good CV. If you need guidelines, let me know. I can help. Once you have a good CV and prepare yourself for the interview (I can help with this too) you'll be fine.
 
Think the career guidance is a good idea - if you can then decide on the kind of area you would like to go in to, I wouldn't worry about the CV.

I know plenty of people with 'weird' CVs - myself included. It's usually just a matter of emphasising or playing down certain aspects and providing a customised CV to the potential employer in question.

If you have a good 'reason for leaving' worked out for each job you should be fine - forget about agencies.
 
event management job - personality, people skills, management skills
science - detailed, methodical, conscientious, diligent etc etc

I don't think "weird" comes to mind ;-).

Work out what you would like to do. Start with what aspects of each previous job you liked most.

I often get questions why I switched from biology to IT, but it's just an easy warm up act in an interview to break the ice.
 
Thanks everyone, plenty of food for thought...especially the recruitment agency set up idea (which someone has probably stolen by now but I'll look into it anyway!)
 
gearoid
*********************************************
I often get questions why I switched from biology to IT, but it's just an easy warm up act in an interview to break the ice.
*********************************************

What reply do you usually give?
 
RPR said:
gearoid
*********************************************
I often get questions why I switched from biology to IT, but it's just an easy warm up act in an interview to break the ice.
*********************************************

What reply do you usually give?
Click to expand...

Similar situation to above. I usually said that I had chosen to study something which I was extremely interested in, but realised that working in the area was not for me. For example Biochemistry is fascinating but in the world of work that, more often than not, translates into working in a lab examining stools sent up from the country a week ago!:eek:
 
I too have an academic background in biology (microbiology) and have gone through a number of different careers since, arts administration, music retail and others. The main reason I left science was largely down to the solitary nature of a lot of the work in the field, I was studying for a PHD in molecular biology and was spending long hours by myself in a lab and I just hated it! I think science is a fascinating subject when you read the facts on paper but when you are involved in the elucidation of those facts its a slow painstaking process that is solitary and requires huge dedication, often to achieve very little results over very long periods! So fair play to those who stick at it!

I have to say that I have never looked back and do not regret my decision but I am still glad that I gave it a go!

B
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top