The problems I have found applying for employment recently, I was wondering is it me or has anyone else noticed, the job market these days seems to be operating a double standards clause.

When I left school, I went to college, but employers at the time wanted experience, not little bits of paper saying you could do a certain job. So I left to gain the experience needed, which served me well.

Till I decided to get married have kids and change career, then the job market seemed to change overnight, for they did not want experience any more, but those little bits of paper that say you can do a job when you have no actual experience in the field.

So I returned to college, did three City and Guild courses, gained a certification for the European Computer Driving Licence, and have just passed a diploma through a distance learning course. But all the jobs I see in the paper want both now: experience and qualifications.

So you spend money gaining the qualifications, only to be told you have no experience. Or you have the qualifications needed to do a certain job but no-one will give you the chance to get the experience.

So you again enter the catch-22 situation, where you are either qualified but lacking in the experience department, or the wealth of experience you have gained in the school of hard knocks is wasted as you don't have the qualifications. But being over qualified can be your worst downfall, as it will put employers off if they think you know more than they do. So what exactly should you put on your CV when submitting it for a job?

Martin Steele

Rodbourne