Madam, – I was distressed to read about Enda Heslin’s dilemma (May 20th). However, I found myself wondering how he went about the job hunt.
In the current job market most job-seekers send out hundreds of generic, unstructured CVs usually with a covering letter asking “if there are any jobs”. This process is doomed to failure. I hope it is not the method your writer used.
What has been proven internationally and nationally to be much more successful is to engage research before approaching employers directly, The objective of this is to get reliable information about the state of the market – what opportunities are out there, what the going rate is and the nature of work being looked for.
In the current climate, most employers are reluctant to offer jobs – because they cannot be sure if they can enter into that type of long-term commitment. However, they may be prepared to offer a short-term contract if the right candidates present themselves and are aware of what they can offer. What I can assure your writer is that there are jobs out there – even if they are not as well-paid and plentiful as they were at the height of the boom. But persistence, ingenuity and a bit of luck are required.
– Yours, etc,