Thursday, 24 May 2012

FAO Housing and or Policy Officers

Posted in: Need to Know | Ask the Experts

work experience

15/11/2011 8:19 pm

Clark Roberts

Clark Roberts

Posts: 2

FAO Housing and/or Policy Officers,

I know this thread isn't of particular discussion, however, I was hoping to gather a few ideas/views. I'm a recent graduate having studied 'The Built and Natural Environment' at the University of the West of England. After finishing my dissertation this August (Viability of the 5 year housing Land Supply Plan), I've got my heart set on becoming a housing or policy officer, i spoke to many during my dissertation and got a real insight to how they worked. I've applied for a few housinh officer vacancies, but I've been knocked back a few times because I have no real experience, I've emailed my local councils and even offered my services for free, anything to get my foot in the door and get involved. Has anyone been in this kind of situation? If so, does anyone have any advice?

or cheekily, would anyone take on a recent graduate?

Im from the Birmingham area but would definitely commute in order to get some on the job experience. Thanks for taking the time out to read this.

Clark Roberts

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Anonymous

Anonymous

16/11/2011 9:07 am

If I was from Birmingham, rather than commute I'd relocate.

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F451

F451

Location: Europe
Posts: 181

16/11/2011 2:58 pm

Hi Clark

Your predicament appears to be increasingly common, with a Million people who's education has failed to secure them employment. However, your proactive attitude should give you an advantage, plus the ability to think innovatively about approaches to try to improve your situation must indicate that you will succeed where others may stumble.

That unitinentionally patronising but hopefully supportive piece over - with the new approach to planning, local communities are going to need knowledgeable resources to assist with their local plans, and in relating 'localism' from principle into action. Whilst local Council Planning Departments can do so much it is clear that additional, even voluntary guidance to Parishes and Community Groups will be needed. Why not explore how you may be that resource.

It would make use of your most recent experience whilst keeping you connected with your choosen public sector working area. It will bring you into networking opportunities with all the people who could be impressed by you, and who could assist you become aware of more formal roles in the offing.

You could also have a chat with some people already working in policy development, for instance, at the Landscape Institute (I think I'm remembering the title correctly) which despite its name is exactly the area of your qualification.

The stepping stone approach that you are considering is a positive way forward - most of all, don't just do nothing waiting for the preferred role. For some reason employers like to employ those already employed. Once that CV gap lengthens past a month it can be like a curse.

You are wished well Clark.

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Derren Cooper

Derren Cooper

Posts: 36

17/11/2011 3:46 am

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the job market is not healthy at the moment, and when it comes to anything in the public sector, or services to the public sector, you'll be seeing a lot of competition from experienced workers who have been made redundant.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you to register with the various agencies for the industry and various other tips, but I will add that it's worth expanding your search to related roles, or any other roles within the industry, it's a way of getting your foot in, which is always helpful.

Good luck

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Anonymous

Anonymous

17/11/2011 1:47 pm

Clark - my advice would be to apply for other housing-related jobs, not just Housing Officer positions.

Be prepared to 'work your way up.' Perhaps start out in a customer-service type role within a housing organisation or local authority. You might have relevant experience for these types of job already - e.g. if you worked in a shop / bar while at uni.

From there you should get the opportunity to 'shadow' colleagues in other departments, gaining the experience you need. At the very least you'll be better placed to ask questions of housing staff, and have access to secondment / acting-up opportunities that are often only advertised 'in house.'

Good luck!

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Clark Roberts

Clark Roberts

Posts: 2

17/11/2011 2:49 pm

Hi guys, thanks for all the advice and support, really appreciate it. I've already applied and sent my cv (and cover letter) to over 30 local parishes and housing associations within my area, no luck yet either. I'm posted my cv on a variety of different property recruitment consultant websites, nothing yet. I currently work In a very demanding and high paced retail environment, at almost a management position. I just hope my persistence pays off! Please keep posting your advice, like I say I really appreciate it. 

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Anonymous

Anonymous

17/11/2011 4:09 pm

Tough one really as experience is key, housing officer roles at the right salary will attract experienced applicants. You might want to look for housing assistant roles to get your foot in the door and gain the experience, with experience your qualifications will pay off in the long run, but it is a catch 22. 

Acting up opportunities is how I gained all of my experience and gradually worked my way up.  

You might want to look at a large association who's head office is in Worcester (you'll figure it out), you might not work in a department relevant to your qualification, but they normally have a few jobs going, but if you got in then opportunities can present themselves as they operate housing services all over. 

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Expert post

Helen Giles

Helen Giles

Posts: 10

14/12/2011 11:38 am

Sad to say it, but this really isn’t an environment where employers are going to consider fast-tracking you into their organisations at the kind of level you want to be at on the basis of your degree learning and skills transferable from a near management post in another sector.  In fact, unless you happen to have really hard-to-find skills like surveying/development, this sort of break after speculative submission of a CV really never has happened in social housing to any great extent.  This is a sector where there’s an expectation that you see a specific job advertised that you think you have the competences and transferable skills for and then apply for it.  And the more recessionary the landscape and therefore the more unemployed people competing for jobs, the more junior that first step is going to be.

The current scenario reminds me very much of the last time we had really serious unemployment levels in the 1980s.  I wanted to change horses from my initial choice of career and applied to no end of organisations as a graduate entrant before realising that the only way to go was to learn the basic skills that employers actually wanted (at that time secretarial and admin skills) and start at the bottom in an admin support role.
 
So I hope you’re lucky and someone wants to give a keen graduate a break, but my more realistic advice is to apply for an admin, customer services, or assistant housing officer type job, show your great potential and work your way up.

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Richard Baines

Richard Baines

Location: Blackheath West Midlands
Posts: 1

15/12/2011 3:11 pm

Give me a call and I'll see what I can do. Black Country Housing Group is "in the book", just ask for me by name.

Speak soon?

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Julie Fadden

Julie Fadden

Posts: 23

19/12/2011 4:08 pm

Hi Clark,

The main message is don't give up!! Many employers are also looking for enthusiasm and the right attitude - experience is fine but this industry needs the people with the right motives and attitute to do the job well - everything else can be learned.  Please see the post below from Richard Baines at Black Country - follow it up, it could be a chance to have some useful experience at a good organisation that really cares about their customers - go for it - make 2012 your year to get a foothold in housing - a wise old sage once told me it would be impossible for me to get into Housing Management - I proved him wrong - look around you, if you feel you could do better than others already doing the job then have a go - you won't look back!!  Good Luck!!

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Blair Mcpherson

Blair Mcpherson

Posts: 54

21/12/2011 11:24 am

Whilst this is not a new problem it is certainly getting harder for young people to get jobs in housing when they have no experience. I don't think the answer is to offer to work for nothing this just comes over as desperate and good employers would not consider it appropriate.

You can off course do voluntary work in a housing related environment to get some experience. Working as a volunteer with a homeless charity would help you gain skills in working with some of the more challenging clients that housing officers work with and give you a reality grounding as a future policy officer. It would certainly make a future job application stronger and give you material to draw upon in a job interview. One more thing don't just look at housing probation and social services are frequently looking for volunteers.

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