Cant get a JOB?! what do i do?

[Nadeem146]

I am studying the city&guilds 6127 at the Manchester College but is coming to end soon around May time, which means for me to go back in September to the NVQ level 2/3 I need to be employed or they won’t let me enrol!

Therefore I would like to work for an experienced engineer or a company absolutely FREE. I have passed the Refrigerant Handling 2078 in mid March 2009 just not received the certificate yet (they said wait a few weeks).

I really want the practical experience, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration is all I want to do and if anyone out there has any sort of work install, repair or maintenance I am available and willing to work from Mon-Sun.

I am from Preston and will work anywhere in the country, 1 day 1weekend 1 week201 month experience all for FREE, anything will be very much appreciated!

I just want experience to put in my portfolio and increase my knowledge to make me more employable so i can be employed sooner than later and be able to do my NVQ in Sept 2009!


City & Guilds 6127 nearly complete
Refrigerant Handling Certificate 2078 complete
Full UK licence with transport

Please Call me

0787 238 2349
Just4u146@aol.com
Nadeem Mansoor

[beagle]

Therefore I would like to work for an experienced engineer or a company absolutely FREE.

I can't be of any use to you but I just wanted to say that you're setting a fine example, I applaud your efforts and hopefully it won't come to the point where you have to work for nothing, good luck in your search, you deserve it!

[Toosh]

I am studying the city&guilds 6127 at the Manchester College but is coming to end soon around May time, which means for me to go back in September to the NVQ level 2/3 I need to be employed or they won’t let me enrol!

Therefore I would like to work for an experienced engineer or a company absolutely FREE. I have passed the Refrigerant Handling 2078 in mid March 2009 just not received the certificate yet (they said wait a few weeks).

I really want the practical experience, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration is all I want to do and if anyone out there has any sort of work install, repair or maintenance I am available and willing to work from Mon-Sun.

I am from Preston and will work anywhere in the country, 1 day 1weekend 1 week201 month experience all for FREE, anything will be very much appreciated!

I just want experience to put in my portfolio and increase my knowledge to make me more employable so i can be employed sooner than later and be able to do my NVQ in Sept 2009!


City & Guilds 6127 nearly complete
Refrigerant Handling Certificate 2078 complete
Full UK licence with transport

Please Call me

0787 238 2349
Just4u146@aol.com
Nadeem Mansoor

Hi Try www.integral.co.uk.

Good Luck Norm

[Sridhar1312]

For your attitude you will get it.i can straightaway offer you job in INDIA, where I am practicing as HVAC&R consultants and Carry out Energy audits.

[W.Miller]

You will get a job keep trying. Get a c.v out on monster.com and you'll be sure to get interviews. Someone will take you on. Trust me.

[W.Miller]

Only thing about this game is customers and employee's don't like to pay.

[Nadeem146]

i appreciate all your comments didnt think i would get many comments!

i have been looking at job agency websites and they mostly require the NVQ qualifications and i would like to speak to the employer using the agency but teh agency just wont pass any details or anything. they ask for NVQ which i have not got and they just decline me.

i dont know what route to go down or what pitch to use when writing or speaking to directors/managers about employment.

i need help or advice of what to do next to get myself into the trade. i just need my success story to start

[W.Miller]

Sometimes you have to tell white lies to get somewhere.

[beagle]

Agency fees are a percentage of the salary of the person they place, so you'll usually find the higher your salary, the more the agency will be willing to help you. This is why (in my opinion) agencies should be bypassed, the fee itself can sometimes put off a potential employer from taking someone on. Hit yell.com, look up any and all companies nearby that may have some demand for the skills you possess, small, medium and large companies, fridge, ac, building services, facilities management, the whole hog... send them all your cv with a comprehensive covering letter, I think your obvious enthusiasm will shine through and you'll be fine.

[Scramjetman]

Nadeem, as an employer, can I say that you have the right attitude and it will get you a job sooner rather than later. May I make some suggestions that will possibly expedite that outcome.

• Maintain a positive attitude. Don’t take rejection as a personal thing. Sometimes there are many pressures on a potential employer that prevent him taking on staff – even those who will work for nothing. (even staff who work for nothing come under regulatory laws and require insurance and workers compensation etc)
• Prepare a short but conscise CV. A potential employer will take about 15 seconds maximum to read it. If it is too wordy or there is too much stuff in there they will abandon it. Pick out only key information relating to the potential job and keep personal hobbies and skills and sports to less than half a dozen concise dot points. Don’t write large paragraphs about where you’ve been or what you’ve done – they won’t read it. Keep it to short dot points.
• There is nothing better than “face to face” contact. This means you need to get out the phone book, look up HVAC, write down the addresses and go and knock on their doors unannounced. If it is not convenient, they will tell you and if they want you to come back, they will tell you. Many employers become so wound up in dealing with day-to-day pressures they don’t get to place ads or organize interviews or read the “positions wanted”. But if someone knocks on their door and in 3 or 4 minutes they evaluate that this person will do what they need – next thing you’re hired.
• When you start calling on prospective employers – dress the part. If you want to work for guys who don’t care about themselves, employees, vehicles and customers then wear a singlet, shorts and open footwear. If you want to work for people with class, wear a suit and tie. Don’t be afraid you are overdressed -there is no such animal in the business world where the real money is. Employers sum up a snappy dresser as someone who is sure of themselves, can walk the talk, and is not afraid to get into the corporate arena. If they criticize your dress, they are not worth working for. Thank them politely for their time and go on to the next one.
• Be truthful when speaking to them. Never lie to a prospective employer. A good employer appreciates modesty. They know not everybody is perfect. And trust is everything. The job can get to be a pretty unhappy place if there is no trust and lying destroys trust.

I hope this helps. And all the best. Above all stay positive. In the words of Earle Nightingale – One of the most amazing laws of the human psyche is that “you become what you think about most of the time.”

[Nadeem146]

Thank you very much you guys, very helpful!appreciate it!

when is the best time to go see a potential employer? start/middle/end of the month? and which month would an employer start to consider maybe?

I have been to see directors face to face and still no luck they love the attitutde perfect candidate but just wont commit themselves!Its frustrating

[jdunc2301]

Heya firstly just want to say you have got the right attitude most people want want want for nothing.

I work for a real small A/C & Ref company, and i hope this doesn't apply to all companies at the moment.
Unfortunately due to this whole "credit crunch" scenario many companies especially small are tightening their belts and holding back on spending. Our company consisting of 3 guys is seriously going strong... income increasing every financial year. We are taking on an apprentice at the END of the summer period so September/October time, only if we have a good earning summer (busy) !!!
If not no trainee for me
Taking on an apprentice before or during a summer period potentially the busiest time of year can be a pain. Even though your labour may be free or a small cost. All jobs during the summer have to be hit once with no recalls giving the service engineer less time to spend showing you whats actually going on in the system. In the winter we could easily spend a day playing with an A/C unit to teach you but in the summer time is precious and any recalls on a job cost serious money.

I would try an express to an employer that waiting until the cooler months would be aceptable for you, try and get them to keep you first in line for any openings in september time etc...

Also don't concentrate on your City & Guilds certificates when selling yourself, push the technical ability you have, quick learner etc.......
Ask for a 1 or 2 week trial!!
And remember you may have a City&Guilds in whatever.... but try doing a full rebuild on a calorex dehumidifier.........

Good luck matey you sound like a good candidate... it took me ages to find a decent firm, when it comes along itl be the best thing ever.

[jdunc2301]

and as for directors and company managers in their pink ties and designer glasses..... talk to them politely like you would to your dad or something.... be normal they are normal just a little warped sometimes...

[Nadeem146]

and as for directors and company managers in their pink ties and designer glasses..... talk to them politely like you would to your dad or something.... be normal they are normal just a little warped sometimes...

thanks for your comment jdunc2301,

how on earth did you find your 1st company/ 1st job?
what was your approach?

[jdunc2301]

heya bud

I was lucky mate..

I kinda knew of the bloke through an ex girlfriend.

I rang the office spoke to the "office girl" and asked about a job, she said they had nothing but to send my C.V, i sent it in for her attention by special delivery so it had to be signed for with a cover note, the note just said thanks for taking the call here is my C.V as requested.

When i spoke to him i asked for 2 weeks work just to see what i thought, no pay! Explained i was handy with a screwdriver.. servicing my own car was a good example and that i knew nothing about A/C & R. Didn't mention my GCSE's or anything until he asked me.

He took me for a few days installing a chiller and the rest is history..

4 years on im looking for my own apprentice at the end of the summer, one thing i noticed is that just cracking C.V's to companies "whom it may concern" does NOT work.... we just bin them.

You need to get a name of the appropriate person who would deal with employment, or even an email, always send letters recorded delivery so you can track that they have arrived, always request read receipts on email's.

Good luck mate

[jdunc2301]

heya bud

I was lucky mate..

I kinda knew of the bloke through an ex girlfriend.

I rang the office spoke to the "office girl" and asked about a job, she said they had nothing but to send my C.V, i sent it in for her attention by special delivery so it had to be signed for with a cover note, the note just said thanks for taking the call here is my C.V as requested.

When i spoke to him i asked for 2 weeks work just to see what i thought, no pay! Explained i was handy with a screwdriver.. servicing my own car was a good example and that i knew nothing about A/C & R. Didn't mention my GCSE's or anything until he asked me.

He took me for a few days installing a chiller and the rest is history..

4 years on im looking for my own apprentice at the end of the summer, one thing i noticed is that just cracking C.V's to companies "whom it may concern" does NOT work.... we just bin them.

You need to get a name of the appropriate person who would deal with employment, or even an email, always send letters recorded delivery so you can track that they have arrived, always request read receipts on email's.

Work through the yellow pages....

Good luck mate

[Nadeem146]

thanks for your reply,

iv never sent my letters recorded delivery i might try that this week and then follow it up with a call next week.

do i just ask for a 2 week trial or something?

[jdunc2301]

It might help just to say that if they are not certain will a you be able to work a week or two as a labourer, this will give them a good opportunity to see what your like and you can see if you like the day to day work. Its worth the offer.....

Send them recorded delivery, its a orange slip you get at the counter, dont think it costs more if so its hardly anything. Dont send it "special delivery" cost's like £4.99 and is next day and a bit OTT

[GHAZ]

hello nadeem i had similar problem because my qaulifications or my studies in pakistan were,nt recognised in england,so i started working as a cheap labour and slowly built my skills and experiences, don,t give up hope and keep trying my friend

[Silhouette]

Hi Nadeem,
Have you tried the larger companies?
WR, Space etc?
Do a web search and send in your CV, it is usually to hr@Whoever!!

[jdunc2301]

I think alot of the big boys as mentioned above do majority of supermarket type work, dont hold me to it.

Keep in mind what sort of career path your looking at from what i know supermarket work can be very different to my line of A/C & R, all with benefits obviously. But demanding with hours etc.

Put me in a supermarket with a system fault to be found and il need some time.

I work for a small A/C & R company doing:-

A/C
Water chillers
Comp air driers
Refrigeration Not Supermarket Pac setup's
Small stuff...Vending machines etc
Majority of work is Dehum's, and AHU's for swimming pool's SPA's etc
Ground/Air source heatpumps
Air Handling units
List goes on....

Ive got a cracking wage, guaranteed to be home at sensible times and leave at sensible times in the morning, emergency response is very rare and overtime ie: Night work, Sundays etc etc isn't on the cards. But where there's emergency calls at 3am on a sunday night there may be Money........
Depends what suits you mate!

I know of a few guys that used to work for Space who classed themselves the same as me but only delt with "control side" of Refrigeration, me and many others im guessing on here would dabble in a bit of both.
They seemed to have very limited training aimed at purely one side of refrigeration, smaller companies tend to train you in a variety of skills. Like me!!! (Not that i know what im doing half the time)


Don't hold me to any of that by the way!!!!