any tips on getting a job?

Boffington

i really really want a job at my LBS as it is 5 minutes ride away and i feel like a kid in a sweet shop surrounded by all the bikes.

any tips on making a really good covering letter for my CV?

heres what i've got:

I am interested in getting a part time job with you. I am very interested in cycling and really enjoy mountain biking. I’m in year eleven at school and will be able to work at the weekend and one or two days after school. I am happy to fill any position available and I have a confident, enthusiastic and hard working approach to everything I do. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

i'm not too happy with it so feel free to be critical. also is there any way i can slip in i know lots about bikes or should i just leave it for the interview?

ride_whenever

I got offered a job at my lbs, just ask the manager, rather than dropping in a cv etc., informally and see what they say. If they aren't interested then there isn't any point.

Boffington

yeah i went in today to ask about hope hubs and asked about vacencies. the guy serving thought there could be and told me to ring them tommorow so i'm getting the CV and covering letter sorted in case they say bring one down

Bikedevil

Boffington wrote:

i'm not too happy with it so feel free to be critical. also is there any way i can slip in i know lots about bikes or should i just leave it for the interview?

To be honest you'd be better saying that you have some experience rather than you know lots. This dies one of 2 things:

1) Stops you looking cocky - chances are the manager has forgotten more than you've ever known

2) Makes you more employable because it means you learn to do things their way more easily.

I speak form my own experience, I thought I knew a lot about bikes when I got a job in my LBS.... I know now I didn't

Jimbob_no5

if you tell them that you know lots and you dont, its not going to look too good when they ask to do something and you dont know how.

as said above just ask informally, then do a CV if they ask for one

Boffington

cool thanks what i meant by "i know a lot about bikes" is that i know as a fact they get loads of people applying who aren't really interested in bikes and certainly couldn't fix one but i can see how it might back fire when they hand me a 3 grand bike and tell me to do a complete strip down service

the only problem with what bike devil suggested is that the only experience i have is working in a car garage for work experience

i think, if they say their not looking for a part time guy, i might offer to do some volenteer work. i thought they'd be more willing to let me work and then when a place does open up they'll know me andi could get it pretty easily

Bikedevil

Mine was my first job, I had work experience of working ion catering and an ICT firm in Germany. If you've got previous workshop experience it'll count for you

Boffington

mine suddenly seems hugley relevent compared to yours. where is/was your LBS

teacherman

same as getting any job. Come across as confident (but not cocky) and most of all display a genuine enthusiasm for and love of what you are applying for.

Be honest about the hours etc you are willing to work but remember you are selling yourself - you have a lot to offer!

Go for it.

Boffington

i'm ok and confident with speaking to people, i've done interviews for other stuff before and drama really helps. its getting them to speak to me seriously in terms of giving me a job i could do with some help with. i think i might check in personally tomorrow and see if i can speak to someone important (good idea?)

teacherman

Yeah, be pushy without being a complete pain in the arse!

Bighead

Hi, if you do write a covering letter I would use examples from your own experience which are relevant to the job. You could write about maintaining your own bikes and give some examples of what you have done recently. For example you could say that you recently bought a new frame and have transfered all the parts from the old frame to the new one. This will show you have a reasonable understanding of how a bike works and will require less training on their part. I would also say that you have given advice and serviced bikes for friends and family. This will then give you something to expand on in the interview. You could also write that you regularly read cycle magazines and reviews of new products. This will show them that you are keen on personal development and have a sound knowledge of the cycle industry at this moment in time.

I would also state why you want to work in that particular shop. It is probably the nearest shop to where you live ha ha. If it were me going for the job I would write that I have been a customer of the shop for many years and the employees seem easy to get along with and have a good knowledge of bikes. I would also mention that the shop has a good reputation amongst local cyclists and that you are particularly interested in joining in the group rides.

Good luck let us know how you get on

Neilio

In our shop we try to employ people who show a willing to learn rather than the people who 'think' they know.

CV's go a long way to impress people and give a good incite into your background, but dont constantly go on about bikes etc, make sure you show you have other interests and a social life, oh and dont lie.

When going for an interview as always dont try and finish the persons sentance for them (thrown 2 people out already for this) dont pretend to know everything, listen to what the person is saying and question things you dont understand.

Lastly, make sure you have something to offer the employer but dont big yourself up too much, dont go sprouting of product codes for rear mechs etc, but show you are knowledgable.

If you can do this then i would employ you, hope this helps.

Chaka Ping

Some great advice here. I can't add anything bike specific, but perhaps the best way to get across your enthusiasm is to ask the shop manager for advice on getting into the industry?

FSR_XC

Put things in like:

'have a keen interest in mtbing'
'looking to pursue a career within the cycling industry when I leave school'
'willing to work hard'
'eager to learn more'
'looking for weekend work and am also available a couple of days after school'

you can always add at the end:

'and I make a great cuppa!'

Jason Cole

FSR_XC wrote:

Put things in like:

'and I make a great cuppa!'

seriously, I got my first LBS job due to that skill!

z000m

"i make great tea and im handy with a brush" - this sentence will get u a job anywhere, end of.

Boffington

wow thanks guys thats great advice! i was worrying about not having enough bike related things in my CV/ covering letter but it seems as long as you come across as employable then they'll only want to see minimal knowlage in bikes (and obviously a keen interest)

i'm going to ring now and see what they say. fingers crossed....

batch78

Good luck

Boffington

theperson who sorts out vacencies is on the phone. i get a call back in ten minutes.

talk about an anti-climax!

BlackSpur

Have you already done your work experience? If not, do anything possible to get a placement there. I just finished my 2 weeks at my LBS and they were so impressed with what I did in the 2 weeks they offered me a job at the end. Needless to say I bit their hand off!

Boffington

yeah i did mine in a car garage. they said go in on thursday for a chat as they have a few peple leaving over the next few weeks/months. i suppose thats better than an interview less nerves means i'm not brickin it and they get to see what i'm actually like in real life. i'm tres chuffed!

Boffington

i'll keep you posted on how things go and whether i get a job

lets hope so!

jonny ramrod

dont forget, it is a 2 way thing. An interview is not just for them to see if you are suitable for a job, its also to see if you want to work for them. What they have to offer you etc...

And good luck..

Marjory Stewart BAxtor

if you don't like the face of the guy who's interviewing you, tell him in the first ten mins of the interview. He'll respect you for that. Only joking.

dude you'll mint it, you obviously have a passion and a bit of know how and are willing to work hard... just try and get what you've already got across instead of thinking up some interview facade

Chaka Ping

Like Jonny Ramrod said, make sure to ask about what you might get from them (more for a full-time than part-time role).

Will they send you on training courses so you can get the industry qualifications?

Boffington

they have a huge work shop behind the actual shop so yeah even if i'm employed as a sales assistant i'll become involved in the workshop and would probably ask if i could work in there if, after a decent number of months i wanted to. A lot of their business is based around their work shop so i would have thought they regularly trained they're staff

cunning-stunt

If you are asked to provide a CV,make sure your spelling,punctuation and grammar are 100% correct.

It goes a long way,and if you look at some of the posts on here and imagine their CV's going up against yours,you'll see what I mean.

Boffington

yeah i'm not great with punctuation and stuff so i've had 4 different family members several times. should be 100% by now!

Boffington

i said i'd keep you up to date and today i went to see them. they seemed pretty keen (she told me where i'd be working) but they've got people on a trial period at the moment who aren't cyclist so i guess they'd prefer someone who has an interest in it. should get a call back in about 2-3 weeks

BlackSpur

Nice one!