MY day consists of waking up. Making a coffee and setting down on the net book for most of the day. On this net book and this sofa I constantly scan job websites and networks and send in job applications online.

I never believed that looking for work online was the answer to finding employment. I always believed you had to do the standard get up, get in a suit, take your printed CVs with you and knock door to door agencies down your local high street.

Recently I attempted this with a few ‘high street’ agencies of Swindon only to be told to take a business card and send my CV across via email and that they would then contact me.

Every agency I have been to has taken this approach. One agency even had the hide to reply to me via email stating that if my CV application was successful they would bring me in for a ‘Registration’ interview?

Now I had not known that I had to be considered fit enough to be ‘registered’ at certain recruitment agencies.

So far I have been unemployed six weeks, I have registered on a great number of online job websites and sent my CV and details in to every agency I could find in my local town; even as far to go face to face with these people before I actually sent my CV.

Six weeks later of applications/suits/agency door knocking and constant emailing, and nothing.

Not one call back, not one response email saying yes or get lost. Not one follow up phone call to ask me any further questions about what I’m looking for. Before I started to place the blame I took a look at myself.

I am presentable. I have a varied range of experience in the IT field, I have been in engineer support positions at some top international companies and I have a top CV.

I went as far as reformatting my CV around three times in wondering if this wasn’t as sellable as I thought.

Still nothing.

It couldn’t be me. I shouldn’t question my self worth due to others’ incompetence, should I?

During this six week period I decided that maybe I may have to wait a bit longer to get an employment opportunity. So I applied for various temp positions mostly on a well respectable job agency. I also called the lady in charge of these vacancies. She failed to call me back.

So what do they do with my details? Does my CV just disappear into an empty void? If so, I don’t think it’s lonely.

I don’t blame the recruitment agencies for the high rate of unemployment in Britain. It is not solely their responsibility though it would surely help if they shaped up and actually matched people, not just added your name to a CV list and then embark on an amazing adventure of doing nothing at all for you.

I think the days of cold calling and door knocking will have to be the main hope of gaining employment in Britain. It seems you won’t get anywhere unless you do everything yourself. Even though most Government funded agencies are paid to help you, don’t count on it.

C ARNDT

Swindon