The job hunting support thread

[Puddy_Tat]

How long have you been posting on this thread "Well there's this job I've seen /applied for but I'm not really sure..."?

too bloody long, to be honest.

haven't really felt settled in a job for a long time, and have lived here 20 years now and it still feels temporary.

 

[RubyToogood]

too bloody long, to be honest.

haven't really felt settled in a job for a long time, and have lived here 20 years now and it still feels temporary.

What do you actually want? What would it take?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

bugger





i'm a bit out of touch with it all, but inclined to think that you are may or may not get any money out of them.

although if you've been paying self employed NI contributions they might not count.

Yeah I thought that.

but this only lasts for a limited time - 6 months or a year (i said i was out of touch)

however, you might get national insurance credits if you sign on,

I would get them anyway as my daughter is in full time education.

even if you don't get money. you'd still have to jump through some of the hoops the DWP set for you. you'd have to tell them when you did get any freelance work - don't know if they can just suspend a claim for a week or so if you get short term work or whether they would close it and you'd have to start again.

This wouldn't be a problem. Im more worried about having to apply to be freelance again. . . I remember it not happening immediately when I first did it. Bit chicken and egg, because I needed my self employed number to get a job and i needed a job to get the job

others may know more, it may be worth a thread on the benefits forum, gut feeling is if in doubt, claim.

I am quite reluctant to claim. . . But I suppose I could just ask. Even if it just eased the bills it might help.

 

[muscovyduck]

So I received a very shitty email from the 'General Counsel' of the US firm I quit from a couple of months ago and went on garden leave as a result (because they're cunts). Somehow they discovered my portfolio 2 months after saying goodbye to the fuckwits and I now have this very threatening, very long letter telling me 'this is very serious'. I get that technically they're within their rights. I took the work I had done for them down immediately and sent them and email confirming that three days ago. No response.

I've no idea why they had to get their top lawyer to send this (they're a huge corporate cunty company). I'm a graphic designer, it was a few things like shitty brochures etc, nothing commercially sensitive, nothing that's not already on their website. My final payday is supposed to be tomorrow so im dreading that they'll withhold it.

Anyone else had experience of this kind of shit? I've whatsapped a couple of the colleagues I was 'friends' with and they're not responding which is very unlike them.

edit: I'm also at the final stage interview tomorrow for a new job which apparently im odds on to get but they do very strict vetting apparently. Really stressed.

Not experience with this specifically but definitely experience with companies getting heavy handed because they feel out of control once you decide to leave. I'd view it by that framework. In my case, final paycheck came through and it was great, presumably because they wanted me to feel like I'd messed up by leaving (that they were now trying to frame as them asking me to leave)

 

[Petcha]

I think they were shitty because I've sitting on my ass for the last couple of months on garden leave, ie full pay, not my choice I might add. Anyway, they paid me my final paycheck overnight plus the extra 'ex-gratia' payment as a matter of good will.

I've put all my work back up now and password protected it. The fuckers hopefully will now 'cease and desist' themselves. In their letter they used the phrase 'work you claim to have authored'. Um i lead the fucking design. If I see that guy in the future who I know was behind this I will sort him out.

It sounds like we both got the last laugh muscovy!

 

[Sue]

I think they were shitty because I've sitting on my ass for the last couple of months on garden leave, ie full pay, not my choice I might add. Anyway, they paid me my final paycheck overnight plus the extra 'ex-gratia' payment as a matter of good will.

As I said before, I aspire to getting put on gardening leave. Getting paid while legitimately doing no work? Bring it on!

 

[newme]

As I said before, I aspire to getting put on gardening leave. Getting paid while legitimately doing no work? Bring it on!

Sounds a lot like retirement!

Waiting on an interview Wednesday thats from a recruiter I was advised to use nearly a year ago. Wrong area, all kinds of no this guy won't be useful. Contacted me with a 1 day a month remote role that's paid fine even considering the travel for that. Looking for all levels and should be ideal really.

Sure I'll stuff it up somehow but I have my 59th interview preparation guide ready.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

What do you actually want? What would it take?

i haven't been ignoring you, i just hadn't quite got as far as saying anything...

highest priority is job security - i'm already at a point where some employers / colleagues will see me as too old and i don't want to be job hunting / job hunting again in a few years, but i'm 12 / 13 years off retirement age. assuming the bastards don't up the age again.

as far as some employers are concerned, i have 'had too many jobs' - 2019 job was a mistake but escape plans were buggered up by covid. 2021 job was an even bigger mistake, and i can't afford many more mistakes.

current job is ok as far as it goes, it's just a bit far away on the (relatively few) days i have to be there, and i can't see it lasting me out - while it's not formally linked to money that the tories were throwing around on the basis that the next government would have to sort it all out, there is an element of that to it. and in all honesty, it's probably paid a grade or so higher than the work i actually do, and sooner or later someone else is going to notice that.

i'm a bit specialised in what i do - there aren't many people who do what i do, but there aren't that many jobs going either. going in to any other line of work i'm only really experienced enough to do basic admin work, and if employers are looking for someone to do basic admin, i've got the wrong sort of experience and would be seen as overqualified. i'm not up to doing anything physically demanding, and i'm not the slightest bit creative, so can't think of anything self employed i could do.

i don't really do 'ambition' - the idea of being a manager and having to check time sheets and give people bollockings for being ill and all that sort of shit doesn't appeal to me. but having said that, i don't want to be in the sort of job where i'm only there for the graduates to look down on and be 'fast tracked' past.

geographically, i've got to think about ability to get to mum-tat's in an emergency, so even being this far from SE London isn't ideal. but moving to london is potentially going to mean taking out a modest bit of finance so the job security bit is important for that.

 

[newme]

Well just came out of another for council procurement role, both of them seemed to be nice, it appeared to go well tho I know I went off on some tangents. Which has been beneficial and a problem before in interviews. So I am wondering whether I answered any questions despite talking for quite a lot of the time.

I am seriously thinking some kind of audio transcription during the interview that picked out the fucking questions and stuck them on my screen would be useful.
Especially when its something long and technical, I start off great and then I'm wondering wtf this was supposed to be going, realising this happens fairly often in general. Not working for nearly a fucking year hasn't helped I'm sure, interviews maybe good practice in theory but after a bunch of them what I have gained in experience is mostly being more comfortable in interviews. Which could perhaps come over as too lax? Idk.

It doesn't help this one is absolutely fucking perfect on paper, exactly the level of responsibility I wanted, remote, paid enough and at least 2 of the team including the senior and manager seem to be easy to get on with.

Yet I absolutely did not prepare properly for it, well not when that's the situation and could be ongoing indefinitely, could have done all kinds of things and I didn't. I started all kinds of bits of research and tech they mentioned in the application (none of which was mentioned in the interview whatsoever). Spent the last bloody week in just effectively executive dysfunction (seems to fit perfectly but I have no diagnosis for anything), I have got absolutely fuck all done despite there being a mounting pile of things to get done (literally in some cases).

Fuck now thinking thats something I maybe should have added when they asked if there was anything that I could add that might help the application.
All the desired things from the advert that no one mentioned but I can do would have been a good one......

 

[newme]

My first thought was I was going to get the job despite the interview. Then all that rambling came out.

Turned out I was right. Got the job and towards the top of the bracket. May not start for a few weeks cos it's August and council but now I can actually relax.

 

[RubyToogood]

My first thought was I was going to get the job despite the interview. Then all that rambling came out.

Turned out I was right. Got the job and towards the top of the bracket. May not start for a few weeks cos it's August and council but now I can actually relax.

Hurray! Congratulations.

 

[newme]

Hurray! Congratulations.

Thanks! Now wondering why on earth they are asking for a character reference and how I can possibly have one when it says "academic, religious leader, coach or mentor" I'm not at school, am not religious or in a team of any kind and the closest I've had to a mentor was some good work colleagues above me. Which would be professional... I had the Director and the Assurance & Compliance manager lined up it seems like that should be fine really. Looks a lot like its a generic form aimed at graduates.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

hmm.

i didn't get shortlisted for the local-ish but what i was doing 20 years ago job. think they may have someone already doing it on interim basis.

still uncomfortable after chat with manager about the london thing.

employer has poor reputation for 'hire and fire' approach (although seems to be trying to show they have changed following major take over a year or so back), location is meh and will get even more meh in a year or so. software they use to do my sort of thing is meh. accept that i haven't done all elements of the job (previous place i did this was a bit 'production line' so nobody did the whole thing from start to finish, this place believes in people seeing something through) but hmm.

current job has rumblings of re-structure on the horizon, currently at very high level, will be months before it gets to my sort of level, but i don't feel like making long term plans.

taking this job then wanting / having to move on after a year is not going to be good.

if i wait a year in current job, it's another year on hold and i might be out of a job then.

i'm maybe being irrational about it all, but i've reached a point where everything out there feels like it might be a last chance.

blaaaaaaargh

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Thanks! Now wondering why on earth they are asking for a character reference and how I can possibly have one when it says "academic, religious leader, coach or mentor" I'm not at school, am not religious or in a team of any kind and the closest I've had to a mentor was some good work colleagues above me. Which would be professional... I had the Director and the Assurance & Compliance manager lined up it seems like that should be fine really. Looks a lot like its a generic form aimed at graduates.

some places will seek a personal / character reference, especially if someone's not currently in a job.

but if those are the only options, rather than suggestions, it's a bit weird.

depending on policy of organisation you've worked for in the past, any reference from past boss / colleague might need to be on a personal basis rather than from the organisation. (some organisations have a policy that individual managers can't give references from the organisation, it has to go through HR, but if manager wants to give a personal reference and make it clear they are responding as an individual, that's OK)

 

[newme]

some places will seek a personal / character reference, especially if someone's not currently in a job.

but if those are the only options, rather than suggestions, it's a bit weird.

depending on policy of organisation you've worked for in the past, any reference from past boss / colleague might need to be on a personal basis rather than from the organisation. (some organisations have a policy that individual managers can't give references from the organisation, it has to go through HR, but if manager wants to give a personal reference and make it clear they are responding as an individual, that's OK)

I've had to give up and just submit it with the two professional references, they said email for any questions then didn't answer and there's a deadline so.. tho the hiring manager again was on holiday for a week, seems a strange but consistent issue while I have been applying but it went to a general inbox.

Was sure my 2nd last workplace had a policy which was basically x date til y date in role name. My line manager there quite happily sent one off regardless thankfully, maybe they asked legal but they usually took 3 weeks to reply to anything and it was way faster then that. Of course the fact none of it was bad probably changed a lot, I doubt many try and sue for a very good reference.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I've had to give up and just submit it with the two professional references, they said email for any questions then didn't answer and there's a deadline so.. tho the hiring manager again was on holiday for a week, seems a strange but consistent issue while I have been applying but it went to a general inbox.

Was sure my 2nd last workplace had a policy which was basically x date til y date in role name. My line manager there quite happily sent one off regardless thankfully, maybe they asked legal but they usually took 3 weeks to reply to anything and it was way faster then that. Of course the fact none of it was bad probably changed a lot, I doubt many try and sue for a very good reference.

Do you do any volunteering? If so, use your manager for that?

Or do you have any other roles, like committee member/chair/secretary/treasurer of any community groups, societies or teams? School governor? Treasurer of the Anytown Tiddlywinks Society?

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I'm unemployed as of today and looking for another job.

I think my almost breaking point was Boss having a go at me because he had to cancel his bank holiday plans in order to submit a RIDDOR form to the Health and Safety Executive to report an injury I'd sustained at work due to an accident caused by the company's failure to mend potholes in the car park. I ended up with an 8cm gaping and blood gushing 'partial scalping' wound partly on my forehead and partly hidden behind my hairline. A couple of weeks later, when I told him that I'd been filling out the accident report form and noted that scalping injuries were reportable to the HSE, he was complaining to me that he was going to have to cancel his plans to see his friend on the bank holiday because he was going to have to come into the office to file the report. I got upset, had to point out that he was complaining about maybe having to spend three hours in the office on the bank holiday, meanwhile I now have a permanent scar on my face.

But I think the actual breaking point was realising that it didn't matter how many inches I gave, he would always try to take another mile. I'd gone into work the day after that accident, Thursday, with temporary staples in my head and steristrips on my forehead, because I had some time critical work to do that needed doing before Boss went away for the weekend then straight to a trade fair afterwards. And then the Friday morning, I was in theatre with a plastic surgeon, for debridement (scraping and washing clean the wound), then went into work in the afternoon.

I felt like I'd gone above and beyond, more than the extra mile.

Then Boss asked me to do some finance admin tasks, because the finance administrator had been let go for making mistakes. So my reward for working hard was... to be asked for provide cover for a vacant role in a completely different department. I've had no work:life balance since I started, because it's so chaotic and disorganised, and Boss seems to think that time spent planning and organising doesn't 'add value' ie immediately impact on driving revenues.

Anyway, I'm now looking for a job that doesn't basically take over my whole life for a few pennies more than minimum wage.

 

[Elpenor]

Have to send a cv and supporting statement for a job I’m speculatively applying for

How long should the supporting statement be (it’s going to be the body of an email).

3 paragraphs?

 

[freshapple]

Have to send a cv and supporting statement for a job I’m speculatively applying for

How long should the supporting statement be (it’s going to be the body of an email).

3 paragraphs?

Depends on the job/responsibilities/seniority I would think

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Have to send a cv and supporting statement for a job I’m speculatively applying for

How long should the supporting statement be (it’s going to be the body of an email).

3 paragraphs?

It depends.

I'd also be inclined (unless told otherwise) to attach it as a PDF rather than do it as the body of an e-mail.

If it's local authority, then - unless they give you a word limit - I've found that something reasonably lengthy isn't a problem, it's better to address the points in the person specification than not to.

if it's private sector, then tendency is usually one page for covering letter, two pages for CV, but longer may be OK at higher / more specialised levels.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I had a ticket for NT Live Prima Facie last night, but called and said they could resell it - it's sold out and I didn't want the ticket to go to waste if someone else could watch it (because I was doing a job application for a vacancy I'd just seen).

Turned out it was worthwhile spending time faffing about tailoring and reformatting my CV and cover letter, because I've already received a response inviting me to a virtual interview next Tuesday!

 

[starfish]

Id forgotten how annoying, whether neccessary or unneccessary, recruitment agents can be.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Have to send a cv and supporting statement for a job I’m speculatively applying for

How long should the supporting statement be (it’s going to be the body of an email).

3 paragraphs?

I tend to reference the criteria in the person specification, usually use bullet points to address each of the essential ones, and say something like:

I attach my CV in application for Role X, as advertised on Y website/newsletter. In summary, I meet your requirements as follows:

• I have experience doing Xyz from working as Role X at Company X (and Company Y and Company Z).
• My relevant qualifications are Abc.
• I demonstrated Skill Z while working as Role Z for Company Z.
• I'm computer literature and have used Required Software and/or equivalents.

Basically, make sure you cover their minimum years of experience, essential skills, essential/desired qualifications, and highlight relevant software that you've used.

The last one I submitted had eight bullet points, which I felt was really pushing it, as I would usually condense some of the criteria if I did 2-3 things in one of my previous jobs. It's probably preferable to have 3-5 bullet points.

I have a relatively high hit rate in terms of getting interviews, compared with people who apply for hundreds of jobs and don't hear back, so I figure taking the trouble to set out and tell them exactly how I meet their criteria, rather than expecting them to trawl through my CV and scour it for evidence to check off their check lost undoubtedly helps.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

My interview for the job in Lebanon is now on Friday.

 

[cesare]

My interview for the job in Lebanon is now on Friday.

G'luck!

 

[tommers]

I've got to give 2 references for an application. Been ages since I've had to give a reference tbh. I can use my prev line manager for one, what do people usually do for the second? I've got a mate who is quite high up and worked for a company I used to work for but he didn't manage me or anything.

It's OK, I'm going to put somebody I used to manage.

 

[Elpenor]

Got an interview for the council job I applied for. I am too fat for my suit. Can I get away with ordinary office trousers, shirt and tie?

Interview will be early October. I don’t ever wear suits so would rather not buy one for an interview and this was a speculative application for a local job, not looking to move jobs otherwise

 

[tommers]

Got an interview for the council job I applied for. I am too fat for my suit. Can I get away with ordinary office trousers, shirt and tie?

Interview will be early October. I don’t ever wear suits so would rather not buy one for an interview and this was a speculative application for a local job, not looking to move jobs otherwise

Last interview I went to I wore a suit. Afterwards the person who interviewed me said that he saw a suit as "a bad sign".

I've interviewed loads of people since, nobody wore a suit. Tech company though, not council. If somebody turned up in a tie I would think they were being ironic.

 

[Elpenor]

Last interview I went to I wore a suit. Afterwards the person who interviewed me said that he saw a suit as "a bad sign".

I've interviewed loads of people since, nobody wore a suit. Tech company though, not council. If somebody turned up in a tie I would think they were being ironic.

The one advantage of a suit jacket is it hides how badly ironed your shirt is

The council is relatively laid back I think and it’s not that senior a job that would mean wearing one daily or at all. Think ill chance the shirt and tie approach

 

[Puddy_Tat]

The one advantage of a suit jacket is it hides how badly ironed your shirt is

The council is relatively laid back I think and it’s not that senior a job that would mean wearing one daily or at all. Think ill chance the shirt and tie approach

council i work for, the only people i've seen wearing tie and jacket are chief exec / director level.

only council interview i have done in person since covid, i did shirt and tie but no jacket (although it was summer) and i did get offered the job.