work coach recommended to put alison courses on my cv, is this actually something people do?
Posted by rhodescornflake@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 16 comments
absolutely fighting for my life to get a job at the minute, my cv looks a bit dire because i worked at one place since leaving school and was suddenly laid off and don’t have many gcse’s or alevels to doll it up. work coach recommended aside from trying out some volunteer work or doing a proper online course for something to put some alison courses on there.
admittedly, i have done quite a few because i just like educating myself on topics i like but i just feel like they’re not exactly something most places are looking for unless it’s something ultra specific, and i sure as hell can’t afford to buy the certificates to prove i actually did the courses anyways.
i’m just curious if this is something people do, if maybe it is worth doing? no clue, but i’m a bit desperate for a job lol.
Gingr_man@reddit
What are Allison courses?
rhodescornflake@reddit (OP)
i’m bad at explaining things but it’s basically a site with a bunch of courses about lots of different things. my work coach recommended it to help me build up some skills and just explore potential career options.
Gingr_man@reddit
Okay cool. They sound like good courses. I might need to do some myself! Typically it is formal qualifications you include, but since you may want to fluff up your CV it wouldn't hurt to include them. But not too many, only ones relevant to the applications.
iffyClyro@reddit
Also work on using capital letters in the correct places, first impressions will count.
rhodescornflake@reddit (OP)
this is reddit not an interview
iffyClyro@reddit
I know. You probably wouldn’t write down interviews answers in any case.
PhysTech9@reddit
Would recommend Harvard's CS50, I'm in the process of doing it right now, as I'm on a post-surgery sick leave sabbatical from my rather physical day job. it's free to audit and you can say you went to Harvard.
Brian_from_accounts@reddit
https://alison.com
Able_Arm_7201@reddit
Step 1 - find a company you feel you want to work at, that would benefit from your presence given your interests, skills, hobbies, your story
Step 2 - write a specific Cv and cover letter just for that company and yes include Alison or any other courses you've done. If you've collected stamps for 10 years add that you have attention to detail and are methodical individual and such 😊
Step 3 - apply online AND in person AND reach out to the ceo or whoever calls the shots on LinkedIn or wherever
People hire for your Hero's Journey - your story - and your initiative and zeal, and often how sociable you are because they will have to interact with you each day and if you are a socially awkward person or rude or sth there is no HR process to deal with that... If you lack skills they will happily pay money to upskill you if they see you are motivated...
CactusCastrator@reddit
I interview people. They're not going to be what lands you an interview, but it's something you can talk about in one and it also shows you're keen to learn.
lad4daddy@reddit
Not heard of Allison courses, but I have completed a number of courses through derby college via distance learning free when I was out of work, and never had to pay for any certificates etc.
There are a couple that may be worth doing for general work applications such as customer services, team leading etc that could apply to a lot of different roles out there
dogatadisco@reddit
Yes, if your CV is a little sparse then absolutely put them on there - if potential employers are looking for specific qualifications then these aren't going to suddenly fill that gap, but more importantly (in my opinion, anyway!) it demonstrates ongoing commitment to furthering your education, particularly when you're doing these courses in your spare time and not because you *have* to do them. I'd actually never heard of Alison Courses before now, but it looks pretty decent! You might want to think about how you would actually evidence that you've completed the courses if you're not getting a certificate at the end; basically, anything that goes on your CV ought to be something that you can provide evidence for. Even a screenshot taken at the end of the course, or a written reflection in your Notes app on how the course went, would likely be sufficient. Without knowing more about your situation, it does sound like you need to focus on exactly what sort of career or sector you want to work in. Until you laser in on something more specific, it's going to be a frustrating and scattershot process trying to build your CV without a goal to work towards. I genuinely wish you the best of luck though, it's a bit of a mad jobs market at the moment but you'll find the one for you! xx
NeverCadburys@reddit
I don't know if OP knows this, but you are prompted to download/screenshot the course summary letter at the end of the course, and at least my job coach said they all recommend people doing just that instead of buying the (stupidly expensive) certificates. So if OP follows at least the in-course instructions, he should have that as proof that he's finished the course.
dogatadisco@reddit
Just found this on their website (which confirms exactly what you're saying): "If you decide not to purchase your Alison Certificate, you can still demonstrate your achievement by sharing your Learner Record or Learner Achievement Verification, both of which are accessible from your Account Settings."
NeverCadburys@reddit
I have followed the same advice. I'm doing it not because the courses may be worth something, but because I want to prove that I'm at least doing something with my time. Without it, my CV would be emptier.
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