Interviews and Rejection Worries Strike Fear in Jobseekers' Hearts

LONDON, May 3, 2011 - It's no secret that finding a new job can be challenging but new research
by Home Learning College (www.homelearningcollege.com/?cp=HLCPRS0054)
reveals exactly what candidates find stressful. Topping the list of worst
things associated with job hunting is the prospect of being grilled in an
interview, as mentioned by 55% of British adults. In close second is the
difficulty of finding suitable vacancies to apply for, with 49% of the vote.
Dealing with rejection was the third most common source of pressure, as
chosen by 39% of respondents*.

Women display far greater concern at the prospect of attending
interviews, with 60% saying it is the worst thing about looking for a new job
compared to just 48% of men. Similarly, 42% of female job seekers struggle to
cope with rejection, while only 35% of males mention this as an issue.

Both sexes are in agreement when it comes to the level of stress
generated by the process of researching and applying for vacancies. Equal
numbers of men and women (37%) also mentioned writing a CV as the worst part
of job hunting. However, there is a significant gender disparity when it
comes to writing covering letters. Almost a third of females (29%)
highlighted this as causing anxiety, compared to just 20% of men.

The survey also asked about people's attitudes towards further study as a
means of reducing the pressure associated with finding a new position. Almost
three fifths (59%) said they would consider gaining a new qualification
(www.homelearningcollege.com/?cp=HLCPRS0054 ) to enhance their current
job prospects.

"Job hunting can be a daunting prospect at the best of times," says Dave
Snow, Academic Director at Home Learning College. "However, it's made worse
when you feel ill-equipped or under-qualified for the vacancies advertised.
In today's competitive job market, it's important to demonstrate your skills
to a prospective employer, whether via a covering letter, CV or during an
interview. Studying for a recognised professional qualification is the ideal
way to prove your level of knowledge and commitment to a particular role."

Life coach and best-selling motivational author Fiona Harrold offers her
advice to nervous job seekers: "The best way to offset interview nerves is to
enhance your confidence by demonstrating how you are suited to the role in
question. You could do this by creating volunteer opportunities in a
charitable organisation or through professional study, so you can comfortably
point to your initiative and proven track record. The more evidence you can
present, the more confident you'll feel and the more convinced an interviewer
will be of your abilities."

For a full list of Home Learning College's accredited distance learning
courses visit www.homelearningcollege.co.uk/courses.

*Research conducted among 2,000 British adults

About Home Learning College

Home Learning College is the largest vocational distance learning
provider in the UK, and is accredited by the National Union of Students
(NUS), allowing its 65,000 students to enjoy the discounts and services
available with the NUS Extra Card.

All Home Learning College courses lead to professional CV-enhancing,
employer recognised qualifications, including AAT, Sage, CompTIA, Microsoft,
ICB and CIW. Subjects covered include book-keeping, accounting, IT and
computing, web design and many more.

Home Learning College students benefit from a dedicated in-house tutoring
service and the Virtual Learning Community - an online learning environment
which facilitates the delivery of course material and peer networking.

For more information on all courses visit Home Learning College, follow
us on Twitter @home_learning or check out student testimonials and other
video content on our YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/homelearningcollege

About Fiona Harrold

Fiona provides personal and business coaching.

Fiona is the author of several best-selling books, appears regularly in
the media and coaches some of the best-known and most successful
entrepreneurs, media personalities and politicians in the UK. She was named
by The Times as one of the "new gurus who have got inside our minds to fill
society's spiritual void."

    Contact:
    Email: fiona@fionaharrold.com
    Tel: +44(0)207-731-4869
    Mobile: +44(0)7870-233985

    Contact:
    Tor Goldfield
    Home Learning College Communications Manager
    Tel: +44(0)20-8676-6258
    Mobile: +44(0)7843-335606
    Email: tor.goldfield@homelearningcollege.com

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