London jobseeker Gerri takes her search to the streets
20 May 2014
Gerri Spiers, a personal assistant (PA) from London, has been described as Britain’s most dedicated job-hunter by London’s Evening Standard daily newspaper after taking to the streets of London wearing a sandwich board to look for work.
Tue, 20 May 2014 | By Matt Bodimeade
Gerri Spiers, a personal assistant (PA) from London, has been described as Britain’s most dedicated job-hunter by London’s Evening Standard daily newspaper after taking to the streets of London wearing a sandwich board to look for work.
Spiers was made redundant in February, and over the past three months has submitted more than 1,000 job applications.
“I had been taking a rather scattered approach – calling agencies, sending out CVs. I was applying for anything and everything, secretarial-related,” she told Recruiter.
After getting nowhere with her online approach, Spiers decided to take her search to the streets of London, delivering 1,000 letters to companies along the Central and Jubilee tube routes.
“I went in anywhere that looked interesting, but again, probably only 10% of these companies actually got back to me.”
It was at this point Spiers decided to do some online research, and came up with the idea of advertising her services using a sandwich board.
“I did some online research and saw this type of thing had been done before, with a couple of people getting some success from it,” Spiers explained.
Last Friday morning [16 May], Spiers donned her sandwich board and spent the rush-hour commute walking up and down London Bridge, followed by a further two hours at Victoria Station in London’s West End yesterday [19 May].
She hopes to keep this up for the rest of the week, and potentially into next week, depending on the reaction to her job hunt.
“I’ve had some very positive feedback from the public, particularly being offered the opportunity to go on the [BBC London radio] Vanessa Feltz show (this morning, 20 May).”
Something, she said, would be “a lot more nerve wracking” than walking around London with a sandwich board.
Spiers was made redundant in February, and over the past three months has submitted more than 1,000 job applications.
“I had been taking a rather scattered approach – calling agencies, sending out CVs. I was applying for anything and everything, secretarial-related,” she told Recruiter.
After getting nowhere with her online approach, Spiers decided to take her search to the streets of London, delivering 1,000 letters to companies along the Central and Jubilee tube routes.
“I went in anywhere that looked interesting, but again, probably only 10% of these companies actually got back to me.”
It was at this point Spiers decided to do some online research, and came up with the idea of advertising her services using a sandwich board.
“I did some online research and saw this type of thing had been done before, with a couple of people getting some success from it,” Spiers explained.
Last Friday morning [16 May], Spiers donned her sandwich board and spent the rush-hour commute walking up and down London Bridge, followed by a further two hours at Victoria Station in London’s West End yesterday [19 May].
She hopes to keep this up for the rest of the week, and potentially into next week, depending on the reaction to her job hunt.
“I’ve had some very positive feedback from the public, particularly being offered the opportunity to go on the [BBC London radio] Vanessa Feltz show (this morning, 20 May).”
Something, she said, would be “a lot more nerve wracking” than walking around London with a sandwich board.
What is the most innovative approach you have seen by a jobseeker? Sorry for the glitch but just scroll right down and share your opinions!
