Does JSA make it harder to get a job?

willhub

Someone was telling me how getting onto job seekers allowance as soon as I finish uni was a bad idea as employers will look at this and not consider me for a job?

Basically, I've left uni, and in about a month or two my tenancy expires, which means I have to go back to York, but I'm trying to stay in Manchester, so one possible decision is to sign on to JSA and potentially get tax/housing benefits so that I know I can afford, as basically I have to make a firm decision within a week..

Now I don't want to sit on JSA, I want a job, I'm considering just getting anything, but at the same time think it'd be better to look at IT related jobs and get something even if it is basic so I at least have experience in my preferred field or can work my way up.

Any ideas what I should do?

Move back home?
Go on JSA to be able to stay in Manchester with getting a job asap in my best interest?
Or just agree to moving in without any job, and hope I get a job within a month?

All out the rent is 71 quid with bills, tax included. I would prefer to stay in Manchester though.

tim_wand

Will, dont do it , mate, no way, Having been in 26 years constant employment I had the humility of suffering two weeks of claiming JSA.

They are not there in any way to find you work, just to verify that you are looking for work, they offer no advice, training or support,

My job seekers plan after 26 years continious employment which included 12 years as a Royal marine and 12 years as a prison officer and 2 years cover teaching in schools was thus.

Look in local paper

Look in National Paper

Look on internet

I asked for funding to train to do SIA (security industies accreditation) of even FLT (Fork lift licence) refresher has i had it once and they looked at me as if I was taking the piss whilst I was surrounded by people who had signed on for the last 10 years and didnt want to work.

The best way mate is word of mouth or going round and hawking your C.V door to door . Or initiallly volunteering for something your interested in and making yourself indespenscible.

Failing that your could always be Bhimas P.R Man, Theres a brand that would sell a Million!!!

willhub

So I should move back home rather than go on JSA if it comes to it?

Tbh I was not wanting JSA for them helping me to find work, just for the money to live in the short term.

I'd have thought Asda was hiring in Manchester, appears there is no vacancies in Manchester at all O_o.

tim_wand

Will, I ve lived in York, and Loved it , but that was when I was a screw at Full Sutton,

I would imagine with an I.T based degree theres probably more work in your degree area in Manchester.
However my degree is in Sports Sciences and I know very few people who work directly in there degree area, its more an indicator of your ability to apply your self to study and scheme of working, Although I.T is a lot more vocational than my degree specialism,

I have a brother in law who is 32 and still lives at home with Mum and Dad, I estimate this saves him around £600 a month. If your Parents/Gaurdians are amiable to this, then take advantage of it to choose a career pathway you enjoy rather than need to take because of economic reasons.

I dont want to sound condescending , Independence is important, but if you have got support at home , then make the most of it to do things that you find interesting , rather than being forced into situations through pure economic need,

Leeds is a massive vibrant economic and legal centre which someone with your degree qualification should find work in. Register with every employment agency you can, Even if you end up working in Asda at Monks Cross stacking Shelves, if you display the right attitude you will progress, Unfortuantely nowadays the world is full of Graduates, its those who adopt the right approach and dont think the world owes them a living that gets on.

You seem a humble hard working guy. ( I loved your thesis and thought you were a bit hard on yourself/ but humility is a rare quality in the young) dont see going home as a failure, as long as you use it as a platform to develop and acknowledge the support you have, then you will suceed I m sure.

I ve had a fall from Grace recently, and it was not my qualifications that saw me through but my attitude to try anything and then develop it from there. You need to get a foot in the door and prove yourself.

Mrs W is an area manager for Starbucks and hires and fires everyday, she is more impressed by a persons attitude than there qualifications everytime, Saying that though , well done in completing your degree, no can ever take that from you.

If I was lucky enough to be in your position, I would go home and use that stabiltiy (roof over my head / food on the table) to pursue the things I loved, rather than the things I needed to do to survive.

Work is half your life or more, and its a lucky man who can do the thing he loves.

Ben6899

Will, he speaks the truth.

Great post, Tim!

shouldbeinbed

+ lots to the above

My sons girlfriend was knocked back for JSA as she'd made barely any NI contributions, still not convinced it is right based on DirectGov benefits advisor site, but the government agencies in person seem utterly determined to knock back or down any claim you may make and won't budge. I'm 100% with Tim on the attitude of Job centre staff - They seem to resent their new roles and it shows.
With the wonders of the internet, trains, the M62 + National Express or a helpful car owner, I would suggest going home and at least some modicum of flexibility in what you may get to do, either in hanging on for your ideal full time job (best of luck but don't hold your breath) or a temporary job that you can enjoy to bring in some cash whilst seeking the right job.

finchy

Dissenting opinion here. Will, go for JSA. There is no shame in it - JSA is paid for by the taxpayer and when you find a job you will be paying it back through your taxes.

You have graduated, through no fault of your own, into one of the worst recessions since World War 2. You don't know how long it will be until you find a job, especially as (I assume) you have little in the way of experience. Unemployment rates for IT graduates are appallingly high (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11652845) and lots of employers won't take on someone who is highly skilled for more menial roles. Employers know exactly what the situation is like and they aren't going to turn you down for being on the dole. You don't write it on your CV. If you are worried about not coming across in a good light, go and do some voluntary work for a couple of days a week until you find a job. Either that or contact people working in an industry that interests you and see if you can get a few days job shadowing or work experience or whatever. Just showing a bit of enthusiasm will take you a long, long way.

The Job Centre staff that I have met haven't been half as bad as the ones that Tim has come across. You can use their computers which have thousands of jobs advertised. You can also get help travelling to interviews if you are on the JSA, so if you see a job you'd like to go for in, say, Newcastle, you don't have to worry about travel expenses.

jgsi

Are you using JOBSERVE?
When I was in IT and went contracting, it was my lifeline into work.
Just done a quick search for Helpdesk/ 1st line support in Manchester area and there are many to apply for.
Ok, they is short term contracts but if you can handle dumbassed application/os support questions on windows platform then tbh - easy money, but you have to come across good to convince the recruiter people - advantage - they are usually the same age as you!
If you have wider UNIX or web, then even better for you.
Don't wait - do it now!

MattC59

Why not go for the best of both worlds Will ?

Move back home, and claim JSA. There's nothing to say that you can't live in York and apply for jobs in Manchester. When I left Uni, in '94, I moved back home, and got a job at the local builders merchant. It was purely a stop gap, but it gave me enough cash to contribute to my living expenses and to fund my transport costs to job interviews.

So, if you can't get a stop gap job, get JSA. Claiming is (was) a miserable process though. I was made redundant for 6months in 2002. Claiming was a PITA. They were of no help to me what so ever. I turned up at the job senter / dole office / what ever it's called, and the conversation went somehtign like this.

Dole Office: Are you looking for work ?
Me : Yes
Dole Office : What field of work are you looking for, what experience do you have ?
Me : I've been an account manager in the instrumentation and aerospacee industry for the past 8 years, and have a degree in Engineering and Business Studies.
Dole Office : That's a bit specific, need to look elsewhere.
Me : Why ?
Dole Office : To increase your chance of getting a job.
Me : I can get my own job, I'm only here as I have to have been signed on for a month so that my mortgage payment protection kicks in.
Dole Office : Well, I'm not sure if you can do that.
Me : Yes I can, I'm looking for work, I don't need you to do anything, I just need to be signed on.
Dole Office : I'll have to look into that, we can't make payments if you're not looking for work.
Me : I am looking for work, and I don't want your money. I just need to be signed on.

This went round and round in circles. I finally got signed on but it took so long for them to pay up that I never got any money. I'd got a job before I got any money. The dole office was the most depressing place I've ever been to, but I believe that now you only have to visit to prove that you're looking for a job, and payments are made automatically.

Get on line and look for the recruitment agencies in the field of work that you're interested in. You may have to look further afield than Manchester in order to maximise your chances, but once you're established in your career, you can always move back there.

willhub

The reason for staying in Manchester is I know more people here, I hardly know anyone back at home now.

I don't really want to look elsewhere I'd like to get a job in Manchester.

rolf_f

willhub wrote:

The reason for staying in Manchester is I know more people here, I hardly know anyone back at home now.

I don't really want to look elsewhere I'd like to get a job in Manchester.

Give it a shot but just focussing on Manchester is a luxury that maybe you can't afford. Are the people you know in Manchester all in work? If not, maybe they won't be staying long. Ultimately, if you aren't prepared to be flexible when you are young, a lot of companies (even ones in Manchester!) are likely to look elsewhere.

If you want to work in IT I'd suggest you look everywhere for that - getting a good job is the most important thing and the longer it takes, the less likely you are to get a good job. Once you've got the good job you are in a stronger place to plan for getting back to Manchester.

willhub

I just feel I'd get a bit depressed going home and end up spending lots of money going to Manchester at the weekends.

How many jobs should I be applying for daily? Someone told me like 20, so like everything. I found a 1st line support job and applied, don't think I'll get it as it's 19,000 quid per year, was 1st line support, but I guess I can always hope I at least get an interview.

rick_chasey

I was unemployed post Uni for a good year.

Take the JSA.

You don't need to let anyone you're applying to know.

The job centre is also a pretty humbling place. Certainly for someone for my background, and I should be ashamed to say this, it was a good reminder, in case I needed one, to keep hitting those applications hard. They're not nice places to be. Bouncers on the door, people who are clearly disturbed or have other problems.

As for numbers you're applying for - you're right, up to a point it's a numbers game - certainly in this environemnt where a job for a grad is like gold dust. Ultimately though, you need to be realistic.

#1. How desperate are you for a job?

#2. Will the job harm your career/earning potential in the future if you take it?

Weigh those two up. If the balance works out, apply. Just make sure you put the effort into each application. A rushed application to hit the number is pointless.

Set yourself a target.

I used to tell myself "I'm not going to let myself enjoy anything untill I have 6 good applications out the door". If they were long grad scheme applicaions where you need to write a few thousand words of proper work or so, I'd drop thatf to perhaps two in a day. By 3 or so I'd be done and I'd go out and hurt myself on a bike for a bit, guilt free (for a bit).

Then you can enjoy your evenings.

Don't underestimate the effect of constantly applying and being constantly rejected has on your mental well-being. It's worth being able to relax and forget about it.

asquithea

I really wanted to stay in Durham when I graduated, but recognised that there wasn't the job market. I found a local IT job back home, and continued to live at home for the next 2 years. The pay wasn't great, but since my parents asked for only £100 board, I kept the vast majority of my take-home salary. This gave me a lot more flexibility and confidence to find my second job (in the South East).

If your family situation allows, I would really recommend a move back home. Any savings or overdraft will vanish alarmingly quickly without money coming in.

In terms of finding a job, I would spend more time selecting and researching a company, tailoring your CV to match the advertised job role, and working on your interview skills. As a graduate, you might find it helpful to practice the "aptitude" tests that companies like to use.

If you can get past the CV screen (that's what the CV tailoring is for), as an interviewer I look for relevant work experience or something that demonstrates enthusiasm for the role (e.g. for software dev, I ideally want to see a personal project or significant contribution to an open source development).

However, regardless of experience, if you spend your free time boning up on the technologies the company is using (get this from the job advert), you'll have a much better chance of getting through the interview than if you've spent all your time going out or filling in job forms.

Hope this helps.

rolf_f

asquithea wrote:

However, regardless of experience, if you spend your free time boning up on the technologies the company is using (get this from the job advert), you'll have a much better chance of getting through the interview than if you've spent all your time going out or filling in job forms.

Hope this helps.

Absolutely - and to do that takes effort. I can't see anyone managing 20 good quality, researched applications a day, day after day. Better 5 decent, bespoke apps than 20 mass produced ones.

Jez mon

Rick Chasey wrote:

I was unemployed post Uni for a good year.

Take the JSA.

You don't need to let anyone you're applying to know.

The job centre is also a pretty humbling place. Certainly for someone for my background, and I should be ashamed to say this, it was a good reminder, in case I needed one, to keep hitting those applications hard. They're not nice places to be. Bouncers on the door, people who are clearly disturbed or have other problems.

As for numbers you're applying for - you're right, up to a point it's a numbers game - certainly in this environemnt where a job for a grad is like gold dust. Ultimately though, you need to be realistic.

#1. How desperate are you for a job?

#2. Will the job harm your career/earning potential in the future if you take it?

Weigh those two up. If the balance works out, apply. Just make sure you put the effort into each application. A rushed application to hit the number is pointless.

Set yourself a target.

I used to tell myself "I'm not going to let myself enjoy anything untill I have 6 good applications out the door". If they were long grad scheme applicaions where you need to write a few thousand words of proper work or so, I'd drop thatf to perhaps two in a day. By 3 or so I'd be done and I'd go out and hurt myself on a bike for a bit, guilt free (for a bit).

Then you can enjoy your evenings.

Don't underestimate the effect of constantly applying and being constantly rejected has on your mental well-being. It's worth being able to relax and forget about it.

I pretty much agree with this 100%. Especially the bit in bold.

Whilst it may seem churlish for me to compare my experience looking for a placement with Rick's horror of looking for a full time graduate job, getting repeatedly knocked back can be a horrible experience. The thing to remember is, they aren't really rejecting you, just a small bit of you that makes up your CV and your interview persona.

I would have a serious think about your options. If you think that going home is going to make you feel miserable and that there aren't many opportunities, I think you would be better off staying at Manchester. If on the other hand you feel there are opportunities at home and you get on fairly well with your parents, their support can be invaluable at times like this

Half the battle (for me anyway) was attempting to stay positive.

y33stu

I graduated in 2004, and it took me a year to find a "proper job". I worked in Mcdonalds, in a Shell petrol station, and in a bar until I found a graduate job that would take me on. Since then, I've never been out of work. When I have left roles I've worked for myself. I've always said I'd do ANYTHING to avoid JSA. Clean, sweep the streets, whatever it takes. I'd go back to horrible Mcdonalds. I understand that sometimes there simply aren't any jobs to get, and for that JSA is probably a necessity for some.

Will, you're not alone, its all too common now to be a graduate with no job. Just do some bar work or something, stay in Manchester to pay your bills. If you have to claim JSA then fine. Personally, I'd move home to the comfort of family, while still applying for jobs in Manc.

And on the applications, I would spend longer researching every IT related vacancy, and tailor your CV to every job, rather than bang out 20 applications per day. Nothing worse than a blanket CV or application. Sure fire way not to get a job.

CambsNewbie

MattC59 wrote:

So, if you can't get a stop gap job, get JSA. Claiming is (was) a miserable process though. I was made redundant for 6months in 2002. Claiming was a PITA. They were of no help to me what so ever. I turned up at the job senter / dole office / what ever it's called, and the conversation went somehtign like this.

Dole Office: Are you looking for work ?
Me : Yes
Dole Office : What field of work are you looking for, what experience do you have ?
Me : I've been an account manager in the instrumentation and aerospacee industry for the past 8 years, and have a degree in Engineering and Business Studies.
Dole Office : That's a bit specific, need to look elsewhere.
Me : Why ?
Dole Office : To increase your chance of getting a job.
Me : I can get my own job, I'm only here as I have to have been signed on for a month so that my mortgage payment protection kicks in.
Dole Office : Well, I'm not sure if you can do that.
Me : Yes I can, I'm looking for work, I don't need you to do anything, I just need to be signed on.
Dole Office : I'll have to look into that, we can't make payments if you're not looking for work.
Me : I am looking for work, and I don't want your money. I just need to be signed on.

This went round and round in circles. I finally got signed on but it took so long for them to pay up that I never got any money. I'd got a job before I got any money. The dole office was the most depressing place I've ever been to, but I believe that now you only have to visit to prove that you're looking for a job, and payments are made automatically.

Get on line and look for the recruitment agencies in the field of work that you're interested in. You may have to look further afield than Manchester in order to maximise your chances, but once you're established in your career, you can always move back there.

My partner went through exactly the same when trying to claim our mortgage protection. They couldnt understand he didn't want any money off them, just to get them to sign a form.

I also graduated in '94 when the economy wasn't great and there were record numbers of unemployed graduates. I worked full-time in a Burger King I'd worked in to pay my way through college. Within a month I'd been promoted to a shift leader, got head-hunted by another company opening a new BK and within a year I was running a restaurant (I admittedly use the term 'restaurant' loosely!) with a turn over of £1.5 million per year and between 45-65 staff depending on time of year.

Although this had never been the dream I learnt how to work in and manage teams, planning, budgets, legal compliance, training people, customer service and how to deal with stress. All skills which have greatly benefitted me later in life.

This was far more benefit to have on my CV than a big time gap waiting for the 'perfect' job.

rick_chasey

CambsNewbie wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

So, if you can't get a stop gap job, get JSA. Claiming is (was) a miserable process though. I was made redundant for 6months in 2002. Claiming was a PITA. They were of no help to me what so ever. I turned up at the job senter / dole office / what ever it's called, and the conversation went somehtign like this.

Dole Office: Are you looking for work ?
Me : Yes
Dole Office : What field of work are you looking for, what experience do you have ?
Me : I've been an account manager in the instrumentation and aerospacee industry for the past 8 years, and have a degree in Engineering and Business Studies.
Dole Office : That's a bit specific, need to look elsewhere.
Me : Why ?
Dole Office : To increase your chance of getting a job.
Me : I can get my own job, I'm only here as I have to have been signed on for a month so that my mortgage payment protection kicks in.
Dole Office : Well, I'm not sure if you can do that.
Me : Yes I can, I'm looking for work, I don't need you to do anything, I just need to be signed on.
Dole Office : I'll have to look into that, we can't make payments if you're not looking for work.
Me : I am looking for work, and I don't want your money. I just need to be signed on.

This went round and round in circles. I finally got signed on but it took so long for them to pay up that I never got any money. I'd got a job before I got any money. The dole office was the most depressing place I've ever been to, but I believe that now you only have to visit to prove that you're looking for a job, and payments are made automatically.

Get on line and look for the recruitment agencies in the field of work that you're interested in. You may have to look further afield than Manchester in order to maximise your chances, but once you're established in your career, you can always move back there.

My partner went through exactly the same when trying to claim our mortgage protection. They couldnt understand he didn't want any money off them, just to get them to sign a form.

I also graduated in '94 when the economy wasn't great and there were record numbers of unemployed graduates. I worked full-time in a Burger King I'd worked in to pay my way through college. Within a month I'd been promoted to a shift leader, got head-hunted by another company opening a new BK and within a year I was running a restaurant (I admittedly use the term 'restaurant' loosely!) with a turn over of £1.5 million per year and between 45-65 staff depending on time of year.

Although this had never been the dream I learnt how to work in and manage teams, planning, budgets, legal compliance, training people, customer service and how to deal with stress. All skills which have greatly benefitted me later in life.

This was far more benefit to have on my CV than a big time gap waiting for the 'perfect' job.

Not wanting to p!ss on your story, but things are different know. That '94 record was smashed some 3 years ago.

I was even applying to be a shelf stacker, to do bar work, wash bottles for labs, the lot.

Usually I got rejected for being over-qualified or (in the case of anything like bar work or being a waiter) lacking prior experience.

Everyone thinks the same as you've suggested - there's only so much to go around.

orangepip

I have to agree with a lot of the points above though I thought I'd share my experience.

i left uni (at Salford as it happens) and wanted to stay in Manchester where my friends were etc. Unfortunately what happened to me was a period of accepting whatever temp jobs were available (thankfully there were temp jobs) and not generally getting anywhere with my career and things built to a stage where I was financially unable to stay anymore (my own fault) and was forced to return home (at 25 a lot more of a pain than when you're 21 believe me)

However being at home did give me the confidence to get the job I wanted and I haven't looked back. Personally I would totally recommend moving home, you can still apply for jobs in Manchester (it's not exactly miles away from York) and you can potentially hold on for the right opportunity rather than having to jump for the first opportunity you get.

The job market was a totally different proposition than it is now and it was relatively easy to find low level temp jobs on a regular basis, I was able to generally still live mostly as a student, change jobs on a regular basis and have a carefree existance which I'm not sure you'd be able to achieve now.

daviesee

orangepip wrote:

......you can still apply for jobs in Manchester (it's not exactly miles away from York) .......

Sorry but I have to differ.
According to Google maps it is exactly 73.2 miles from York to Manchester. :twisted:

plowmar

Being an old timer the only bit of advice I can give re applications is to take time and create a full C V and precie about yourself then use cut and paste to match the requirements needed in each different job description.

This saved me hours of work when applying for jobs 6/7 years ago and the information tends to be correct with nothing helpful missed out if you put your effort into getting the original perfect.

Good luck in your search I certainly wouldn't want to be in your position now a days.

OffTheBackAdam

Take JSA, your parent's have paid a lot of tax over the years, so make the most of it! (Today's Tax Freedom Day, btw, 2 days later than last year!)
Job Centres are virtually hopeless in terms of finding graduates jobs (Assuming it's a worthwhile degree you have!), so you're pretty much on your own there. Use your Uni career's dept to the full.
Go for jobs, show you're keen & eager to work, even if it's a shit job, it's easier to get a job, when you've already got one.

finchy

OffTheBackAdam wrote:

Use your Uni career's dept to the full.

Oh yes, definitely do this. Have you got a BSc or MSc? And do you have a specialisation or is it a more general qualification?

schweiz

I can't see how JSA will make it any harder to get a job. It's not something that's come up in any interviews I've had, although saying that I didn't have any gaps in my CV, so maybe there was no need.

I was lucky enough to graduate in 2000, I reckon applied for less than 15 'jobs' - apart from 1, they were all graduate recruitment programmes for large companies. I got interviews for over half of them and even turned down some interviews! I had four job offers before I'd finished my finals. However, there were plenty of people at Uni at the same time saying it they were struggling to find anything. The key for me was good preparation and a good dose of self confidence. I was only predicted a 2:2 (and got exactly that), but I played on my other strengths such a previous work experience and work placements.

I drafted a standard letter but tailored it for each job application highlighting aviation, telecoms, hardware, software experience dependent on what the company was looking for. This shows that you are writing a letter for that particular job and putting some thought and effort in.

Mostly, I had a telephone interview before being called for a personal interview. Preparation is the key. Go through the job description and highlight the key points of what they are looking for in the ideal candidate. Make sure that you can answer all the points. Be creative and think hard about what you have done and achieved. If an advert asks for example, a 'team player' or a 'creative thinker', then write down some examples from any area of your life which demontrates this. Read the company's internet page, read about what they do, read the last 6 months of press releases, see if the company has been in the news. Show that you are interested in working for that company rather than just looking for a job. Ask some questions back to the interviewer, ask about long term development opportunities, ask about continuous professional training, show that you are interested in developing yourself within the company.

Then, if you get called for a personal interview. Go looking smart, be confident in yourself and smile. People like working with happy, friendly people not sullen, misearable people. They'll know you'll be nervous, they're not trying to catch you out, it's not a test, they just want to find out the real you and what you know. Give complete answers to their questions, expand on everything. Don't just answer 'yes' or 'no', that just makes it harder for the interviewer and creates and uncomfortable atmosphere. Again, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions, so use it. Do they provide re-location help? What are the pension arrangements? What are the future goals of the company? Prepare some questions and ask them!

Good Luck Will. It's not easy at the moment with the state of the economy but there are jobs out there. You just need to show that you're the right one for the job. If you get a knockback, think of it as good experience and keep positive.

willhub

Well I've decided to stay in Manchester, for 60 quid a week, and I've never had massive troubles before, and where there is a Will there is a way, I'm confident I'll "come through smelling as roses" as someone tells me lol.

I'm spending 4 hours a day at the moment looking for jobs, I've got till August till I start paying rent now, just got a 150 quid deposit to pay, so I've got 1.8 months to find a job, and I will only use JSA/Housing/Tax benefit at the last minute if I really need it, but going to try and stay confident that I will secure some sort of job.

Here is my CV (Lacking in the experience section I know ) : https://docs.google.com/open?id=15DTfFh ... rzxWl4s7TI

schweiz

Coaching Establishment – 2009 onwards. The coaching establishment is ran by Harold Nelson BEM at his house, responsible for coaching...

should be 'run'

Run is both present and past participle. Ran is only used in past form.

I would write...

Coaching Establishment – 2009 onwards.

The Coaching Establishment trains cyclists to improve their fitness for racing. I help with the setting up of the stationary bikes and the attached computers, making sure the data is being correctly transferred from the bikes to the computer. I am also on hand to help if there are any IT related problems such as (.....???). The establishment is not for profit and I volunteer up to 25 hours of my time per week to support this organisatiom.

The guys name, the fact he has a gong from the Queen, the fact that its based at his house, the fact that you are coached there and for how long are irrelevent to the fact that you have experience in working with computer systems.

Jez mon

Will,

Fairly OK CV, I've seen a lot worse having had a butchers through the ones which got sent in when I was coming to the end of my placement year.

A couple of things;

Selby High School - September 2000 - July 2005

English, Maths, Science Double Award, Geography, Art, Business Studies.

Are these your GCSEs? Is it English language or lit? and what grades did you get

Also, what class of degree are you going to get?

Your "experience" section straddles two pages, a minor thing, but I just don't think it looks great.

Also you've got a fair amount of empty space at the end. You could try and write a 1 page CV, I think it's quite a bold statement.

schweiz

and change this too...

Was:

Cycling is my main and preferred method of transport as well as my hobby, I am a
member of two cycling clubs, Manchester Wheelers and Clifton CC, and I partake in long
distance events as well as time trials which I thoroughly enjoy. I successfully completed
the Clifton CC Challenge series of long distance events in 2010.

Is:

I am a member of two cycling clubs, Manchester Wheelers and Clifton CC. I partake in long
distance events as well as time trials which I thoroughly enjoy. I successfully completed
the Clifton CC Challenge series of long distance events in 2010.

I deleted the bit about cycling being your main form of transport because that is not an interest!

Also consider marital status and other qualifications (driving licence).

rick_chasey

Have you signed up to any recruitment firms?

(says the recruiter...)

finchy

What class of degree did you get? What exam grades did you get? In employers' eyes there is a whole world of difference between a 1st and a 3rd.

You need an apostrophe in "several years' experience". It's "computer-related problems" followed by a full stop and then a new sentence.

I would say "I am a reliable and punctual person, able to adapt and respond enthusiastically to
situations, eager to learn and gain experience." Not perfect English, but sounds businessy.

What type of knowledge of all those Windows systems do you have? Extensive? Use a suitable adjective to give the employer an idea.

What did you write your dissertation on? That might be helpful if it is related to your potential employer's field of work. When you do send your CV, tailor it to make sure it matches their needs. For example, if they ask for good standards of numeracy and literacy, mention any units which helped you develop those skills.

If I were you, I'd drop into your university's careers service and get them to look at your CV with you. They can give you far more detailled advice than anyone on this forum and help you to emphasise your skills and qualities.