The job hunting support thread

[BigTom]

I've been longlisted for a job as a research administrator at the uni of birmingham, and they've sent me a call document for some funding money that is available, and asked me to summarise it in 250 words or less... but there's a summary at the start of the document which is around 300 words long and I've basically c+p'd that and removed some of it, down to around 200 words, but I don't think there's the need to include anything else from the full document (which is 8 pages long).
I mean, the people doing the funding have summarised it, and surely they'd know the most important information, I just feel strange having a test which involves me doing almost nothing. I've been through the whole document, I didn't even really clock that the first bit was a summary until I noticed I'd copied some bits which had the same information, and I don't think anything else needs to be in there really, there's a couple of bits I might have put in but they would take it over 250 words. It sounds wrong not to include it but these are the success criteria - only I can see that they are meaningless - "scientific excellence is the key criteria" like someone isn't going to put in a funding application (in social sciences) that doesn't claim to achieve scientific excellence. I bet that or something similar is there on the success criteria of every funder, just like diversity and inclusion is for arts funding.

Can I really just send them back the summary from the document itself. c+p'd bar a few sentences dropped and the odd word changed to make it make sense? It feels wrong, I guess because I reckon most people could see that there's a summary there so just copy that. Seems an odd test if it's that easy I suppose.

 

[Cloo]

Sometimes it is that easy, I guess. Or could you phone them for some sort of clarification as to whether that 250 limit is correct?

Gone public on FB about the redundany, asked mates to look out for anything appropriate - they always say most people find a job through contacts, but damned if I know anyone in any connected field, really. Still, worth a try.

Work say I can't have copies of documents I asked for as they're generally not allowed off-site for commercial confidentiality reasons, which I understand. I can come in and go through them so I can get the relevant figures, though, so I'll try and pop by anyway.

 

[BigTom]

No phone number, I just sent it to them, haven't heard back yet which is surprising, I know I'll hear either way because the uni of Birmingham use an online system so even if you get rejected at the application stage you find out with a form email.
I'm assuming someone is ill or had to go away for a day ro two or something,.

 

[Cloo]

Hope it turns out OK.

I had my interview for the charity job yesterday but arsed it up, frankly. I was caught off guard by some questions I really ought to have been prepared for, but TBH I don't feel that about it, as it's early days and it's all part of the learning process. Basically I need to be really clear about the remit of the role I'm applying for, and able to talk about it, and better at articulating my previous role effectively. It just wasn't slick, and there was no spark with the interviewers really. I was also a bit unsure about the location - St Katherine's Docks. Great river views, quite picturesque, but nowhere nearby for affordable lunch or to buy stuff you might need or want to get in your lunch hour (clothes, gifts etc).

Spoke to an agent about a role, who was also responsible for my first interview last week and she told me they should know about the outcome of that by end of next week. Agent says they haven't seen many people, so there's a small chance that could happen. If it's a small pool, they might well not have had anyone as interested (very) or knowledgeable (not very really, but willing to learn) in the subject matter as me, so if my editing test was good maybe it'll happen, who knows?

 

[Cloo]

Went to initial appointment with local Jewish charity that specialises in job-finding support and advice. They seem pretty useful - I'll go to their introductory seminar at the start of September (can't do ones in between due to holiday) and then I can choose specific seminars I'd like to go to on stuff like interview skills, CV writing and the like. You also get monthly meetings with an advisor, who are all people who've been professionals in things other than advising people of jobs (they're all volunteers).

Just sent off application for publishing job at British Museum, which I'd love, but I'd be amazed if I got to interview. Plus it might be a bit tricky as they'll probably want/need to interview while I'm on holiday, but I'm not sure what they expect this time of year.

 

[BigTom]

oh yeah, I didn't get called to interview, no feedback though so I don't know if it was the test or my application that wasn't good enough.
Nothing much since then, half a dozen applications to jobs, all rejected or not heard back yet.

 

[Orang Utan]

Just had an interview for a job I could do with my eyes closed. Think it went well but my thoughts are now plagued with things I could have said and done better

 

[Cloo]

Always the way, OU. I try not to think too much about it, or else you just drive yourself nuts.

Not surprisingly, didn't get to next round/job on charity role - they sent nice feedback. Maybe they were just being polite, but they said they thought I spoke well but they had, as I suspected they would, someone with more specifically relevant experience (ie someone from a charity editorial role) so that's OK.

Agent for the first job interview I went for still seems to be hinting I might get it - but she has just said that they might be looking at a six-month contract now. TBH, for that job that'd be just fine, as it's not one I'd really want to do for more than a year anyway, but I'd def take it as a contract. I wonder if they found through the grapevine someone who fits their bill better (for example, an Arabic speaker, which they ideally wanted), but who's moving over here in 6 months and they just want to fill the job now until this person comes.

 

[Orang Utan]

Bloody hell Cloo, sounds stressful! Is the job with MI6?

I kinda want to email the interviewer and tell her how confident I am that I can do the job, esp after seeing the place. She was impressed by the amount I did in my last job. No wonder I was stressed out so much by it! I just hope she's not put off my long period out of work, which i find it hard to be honest about. I was also asked about why I left the last job and I think I fudged it a bit as I'm bound to a confidentiality agreement. I think she will probably infer correctly from what I said, but that may make me look like a burnout, which in hindsight I was.

 

[Orang Utan]

Ps it is bad form to contact the interviewer after the interview isn't it? I've done all I can, haven't I?

 

[Cloo]

Ps it is bad form to contact the interviewer after the interview isn't it? I've done all I can, haven't I?

No, I was just reading a book which suggested sending a handwritten 'thank you' note to the interviewer next day (easy and worth a shot), and then following up with some intelligent questions a few days later by phone (harder). I was going to do the note thing for the charity job, but it didn't seem worth it in the end. I think it is worth, if you like the job and think you're in with a chance, displaying that you are thinking of it after you've left the interview - at least making it look as though you don't consider the end of the interview the end of the interview process.

The one I'm waiting to hear about is with an Islamic research foundation - very interesting stuff. But it's quite an austere work environment, I think, they were honest that there's nowhere to progress from the job, and in terms of job progression it's not really a leap forward, so I wouldn't want to do a role like that for too long. The difficulty with length of working there was that they only produce one book every year or two really, so depending on where they were, you could feel duty bound to stay as long as it takes to do one full project. But if I get offered it as a six-month contract, I wouldn't have to worry about committing to it.

 

[Cloo]

Well, that's it, today I am officially unemployed!

 

[Orang Utan]

Good luck!


I didn't get the job

 

[Cloo]

Sorry to hear that, OU.

Visited my now former office to save a few emails, get a few bits of info that might be useful for interviews etc, and just to see people.

One real old-hand member of the team is leaving apparently... I automatically assumed by choice, but actually, when gsv asked me which way it was, and I thought about it, it sounds like maybe he's been made redundant - she said 'I've only just been told...', not 'he's told me', so that sort of suggests he's been given the boot. In which case I hope he'll be OK - he's got a lot of anxiety issues and does not like change (or leaving his native Clerkenwell). Was glad to hear that the colleague who was made redundant as I went on leave has found a book production job near where he lives in Kent - will surely have improved his quality of life, as he had a massive commute, two young kids and a chronically ill wife, so I'm really pleased he's got something.

Want to know about this Islamic foundation job, now - cos if I have got it, I'll probably have to arrange my son's childcare before we go on holiday next week!

 

[Quartz]

Muffed my interview yesterday. Not sufficiently confident and missed a couple of opportunities.

 

[Cloo]

Sorry to hear that Quartz.

They promised an answer about this job today, but no joy. Might not be their fault really - could be they've offered someone else and they've not given a definite answer. But if they do offer next week they'll have to wait for me to start, as I can't arrange childcare until I back from holiday.

Been out all day, so was assuming there would be an email in the negative waiting for me at home, but nowt.

 

[Quartz]

Sorry to hear that Quartz.

Well, I've just got to learn from it.

 

[Quartz]

Want to know about this Islamic foundation job, now - cos if I have got it, I'll probably have to arrange my son's childcare before we go on holiday next week!

Fingers firmly crossed.

 

[Cloo]

We'll have to see what happens. If I don't get it, I'll be kind of relieved to avoid the faff - September's an awkward month to be working, and I'd expect that's the soonest I could start and that would be what the want ,with Jewish high holy days and my daughter starting school (one week of half days, and my parents likely to be away for most of that, so not able to help with the childcare), although obviously that's really a short-term concern!

The redundancy package has arrived in the bank - more than I thought, even factoring in a previous unspecified extra amount due to some screw-up finance made with my pension, so I am going to double-check with them that the tax has all been paid at source! Not yet going to count it as all mine. But have already shunted as much as possible into my ISA and hoping I can get a job before we need that bit.

 

[Dusty Bint]

Redundancy pay isn't taxable

 

[Orang Utan]

Yes, that's what I was going to say.
Or do you mean taxes from other payments?

 

[Quartz]

Redundancy pay isn't taxable

Only up to a certain amount.

 

[Dusty Bint]

£30k. Cloo said she worked in publishing . . .

 

[Cloo]

Yes, that's what I was going to say.
Or do you mean taxes from other payments?

Yes, I must remember to say 'if there's any tax on the taxable parts' as this is about the 95th time I've been told 'But up to 30k isn't taxable', which I did know

Yes, I mean on the pay in lieu of notice, holiday pay, etc, I just call it all the redundancy payout.

 

[Orang Utan]

Don't spend it all on crumpets and disastrous trips abroad like I did. Keep some for a rainy day!

 

[Cloo]

Well, I'm basically expecting to use £500 a month of it towards paying the bills, and hoping I get a job before I get too far into it.

I am giving myself up to about £500 for spending on stuff while we're in California on holiday from Wednesday, as frankly, some entirely frivolous spending has to be allowed for.

 

[smmudge]

The temp role I'm on is coming to an end, which I only got really because the agent informed me he wasn't putting anyone else up for it! It took me a while to get the CV/covering letter/application up to scratch, but I'm still shit at interviews. Thing is though I'm going for bog-standard admin temp jobs and I know I'm good - where I've been working has given me loads of praise for picking things up so easily and working well. I just find it difficult to pander to the stupid bollocks questions trotted out every interview.

I went for an interview at one place ages ago, for pretty minor admin job, and they didn't even have the decency to get back to me. And they told me that they were interviewing about half a dozen people - well, it doesn't take much to tell 5 people they didn't get the job, lazy fuckers!

 

[Cloo]

Didn't get the job with the Islamic institute - apparently they thought I was good, but they've ultimately decided to change the nature of the role and readvertise. As I said, kind of glad to avoid the faff - this means I almost certainly won't be working when Ez starts school, which makes that period much easier to manage.

Didn't get to the British Museum job interview, but I would have been amazed if I had, frankly!

 

[BigTom]

Did they tell you about how the role is changing? Just wondering if you might apply for the new job, and them already having seen you might be advantage..

heard last week about 2 admin jobs applied for, no interview. I'm not trying out a different tack on my application forms and instead of claiming I was just an administrator at my business, I'm now starting off by saying that the arts sector has been destroyed by recession/cuts (true) and that I'm looking for work so I can save up over 2-3 years in order to get qualified/trained so I can find suitable work for my soft/transferrable skills in a different sector.

Be interesting to see if that gets any different results.

Got an application now for a job I would really like, theatre production manager at a private school.. doubt I'll get it though as although I've been production manager and could do the job, it's not been in theatres, all live music / corporate stuff and I bet they'll have people applying with the same skills as me but in theatres. At least it'll mean I don't have to be concerned about working at a private school (I wouldn't teach at one, but this is essentially a stand alone theatre the school uses to generate income which also gets used by their pupils).

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I'm now starting off by saying that the arts sector has been destroyed by recession/cuts (true) and that I'm looking for work so I can save up over 2-3 years in order to get qualified/trained so I can find suitable work for my soft/transferrable skills in a different sector.

Hmm. Some organisations would treat that as "no long term commitment to the job" but some might be OK with it. Best of luck.

I'm trying to summon up the enthusiasm to start applying for a few admin type things locally. Blargh.