am finding it imposible to get that first step in the door, thirty years consrtuction experience, Nebosh gen certificate, SMSTS, and citb site managers card, cant even get a reply, do i, give up work and get futher qualifications?, keep pluging and writing,E mailing etc, or just admit it never going to happen? and seek a total change

Are you currently gaining voluntary experience to build some safety management into your CV along side your building experience and qualifications.

It is also hard right now due to the recession.

I'm in the same boat, i was lucky enough to get interviews with two companies, however for the first company, i felt i did a great interview, and even when i got feedback from the interviewers a week later, they said they couldn't fault me on anything, but unfortunately they felt i would be suited to a role that involved more health and safety duties, and the job was more office based.

Fair enough i thought, but with the second company, i eventually got through to the second round of interviews, it was between me and someone else; did the interview, everything went smoothly and got a positive vibe off the health and safety manager. After the interview the agency rang me to say that it was still very close between me and the other person and will spend more time thinking it over.

Today i called to see what the story was, and i didn't get the job, they felt i was an 'excellent' candidate, but felt (yet again), that the role was very office based, and they felt i was too eager to get involved with audits, etc, too early.

So i show eagerness to learn and that's what i get. I really don't know what 'attitude' i'm giving off in these interviews to make them think that i would not be 'office material'?? I mean i have worked in offices, but maybe i should dumb down my aspirations. I don't come across as cocky in interviews, as i clicked with these people well, and they brought me back for another interview, but i don't understand why being eager to learn/gain experience is seen as a no-no in interviews? Surely they know i want to progress from office based work eventually?

I'm fustrated because i just can't figure why interviewers come back with the same story. And i'm at a dead end now as well. I'm really thinking of giving up on health and safety and just going back to my boring job that i hate so much :)

Hi Cathal,

I really hope i wasnt just there to make up the numbers - those two interviews were over in England, which they said they would pay for my accommodation as it was alot of money to go over twice with a short notice period. They still havent, so now i feel ripped off. Really not interested in going over for any other interviews now because i really can't afford to keep flying over without any reimbursement (let alone actually getting a job)

I thinking of heading over to Canada now for a few years - cos there's absolutely no health and safety jobs in Ireland, and i'm not getting anywhere over in England.

Such a waste of 4 years in college really!!