I've just applied for a job. Huge form to fill in. And then there's the extra gubbins if you've been unemployed: they demand that you let them ask the DWP. Yes, I'm really going to be able to send you an inked document by email. In reality, it's a filter: they're not interested in you if you've been unemployed.
The job hunting support thread
- Thread starter Cloo
- Start date
Cloo
Banana for scale
Do you specifically mean freelance editing? Those proofreading courses etc are by no means frowned upon, but people have a better chance of being able to build up a workload if they can connect it to previous experience - eg, a education publisher might be interested in a former teacher/school manager who's done such a course, or a finance/business publisher in a freelancer with some background there and so on.
Cloo
Banana for scale
So the agent for Friday's interview contacted them today - she thought I was the last person they were interviewing, but apparently they've just seen two more, presumably because they had two dropouts, that the agent told me about beforehand. That bodes a bit ill, as maybe they called them up after last week, if they weren't sure enough about anyone they saw last week!
Interesting development in our synagogue newsletter - looking for a publications officer, 2-day week, less money than I was on before, but more than I expected it to pay. Not worth it in the long run, but we've agreed the thing to do is to ring the person dealing with it (the chief exec, who we know) and be upfront that I'm looking for something else, but would love to do it in the meantime, if they'll have me on those terms. If they've only advertised in the newsletter so far, ie not invested that much in it, and not had much by way of response, they might be up for it. It'd just about cover my childcare costs, that's all, but it'd get me back in the game, have no commuting cost, and be on the same site as my daughter's school. So it's worth a shot.
Interesting development in our synagogue newsletter - looking for a publications officer, 2-day week, less money than I was on before, but more than I expected it to pay. Not worth it in the long run, but we've agreed the thing to do is to ring the person dealing with it (the chief exec, who we know) and be upfront that I'm looking for something else, but would love to do it in the meantime, if they'll have me on those terms. If they've only advertised in the newsletter so far, ie not invested that much in it, and not had much by way of response, they might be up for it. It'd just about cover my childcare costs, that's all, but it'd get me back in the game, have no commuting cost, and be on the same site as my daughter's school. So it's worth a shot.
Cloo
Banana for scale
Didn't get the job from last Friday. Editorial test was good, but they felt a few of my answers were a bit weak, and yeah, a few of them were. Interestingly, they felt some could have been more detailed. I've generally been advised that short is good, and I suspect the short ones were the weak ones. It's so hard to judge this stuff, though!
Applied for the business editing jobs, though be kind of surprised if they want to interview me. The jobs are definitely junior in responsibility to what I was doing, but the money's quite a bit better. Another one to go for in business commissioning, but for quite an interesting company - I worked next door to them in my first job, at a company that I think started from buying a part of the list of the one offering this job now. They do straight business stuff, but also more reflective titles about the psychology of business, consumers, employees and so on. So could be a gateway into more general non fiction commissioning.
Applied for the business editing jobs, though be kind of surprised if they want to interview me. The jobs are definitely junior in responsibility to what I was doing, but the money's quite a bit better. Another one to go for in business commissioning, but for quite an interesting company - I worked next door to them in my first job, at a company that I think started from buying a part of the list of the one offering this job now. They do straight business stuff, but also more reflective titles about the psychology of business, consumers, employees and so on. So could be a gateway into more general non fiction commissioning.
Cloo
Banana for scale
I've never had one myself- will ask other half, as he's had them sometimes.
Another thing that's popped up lately is our synagogue is asking for a publications person, 2 days pw. Only enough money to cover my childcare expenses, so not sustainable, but potentially worth it while I wait for something to come up. I worried about the idea of letting them down, then gsv and a friend both suggested I just be open about the fact I'm looking elsewhere, but would be delighted to do it in the meantime. If they've not had much response, they may be willing to go with it, and I could start pretty much immediately, as my mum could probably cover the childcare for just two days a week until everything else is sorted.
Another thing that's popped up lately is our synagogue is asking for a publications person, 2 days pw. Only enough money to cover my childcare expenses, so not sustainable, but potentially worth it while I wait for something to come up. I worried about the idea of letting them down, then gsv and a friend both suggested I just be open about the fact I'm looking elsewhere, but would be delighted to do it in the meantime. If they've not had much response, they may be willing to go with it, and I could start pretty much immediately, as my mum could probably cover the childcare for just two days a week until everything else is sorted.
corieltauvi
Looks like shit, smells like shit, tastes of shit.
I've had quite a few recently. If it's a job I actually want then I'll treat it like a normal interview - research the company, come up with a list of questions, wear something other than pants. In my experience the interviewers come up with the same sorts of questions they do for normal interviews. If you can check if they are going to ask test questions - I apply for lots of IT jobs so they like to test me on my IT knowledge. I have actually got through this stage to a face-to-face interview a couple of times.
The weirdest one I've had so far is a video Skype interview - very odd.
Good luck with it.
The weirdest one I've had so far is a video Skype interview - very odd.
Good luck with it.
corieltauvi
Looks like shit, smells like shit, tastes of shit.
Finally been offered some work and have cancelled job interview number 26 for later today. It's actually for an interview (number 17 in the interview list) that I had in August! They said at the time I'd come close to getting it and now the person who did get it has left - so not sure how to take that. But, a jobs a job and it is one I really wanted. Also I'll be working with someone I know from a job from about 5 years ago. Pay's crap too, but better than dole.
Off to sign on/off this afternoon.
Off to sign on/off this afternoon.
Cloo
Banana for scale
Fantastic news! My other half got a role with his current employers about two months after he'd interviewed for a different role (and four weeks after he'd been made redundant from his previous, much disliked job) - in his case, he wasn't experienced enough for the one he interviewed for, but they offered him a grade below.
I wouldn't worry too much about the person having left - sometimes that just means they might have had a late offer from a job they wanted more. I remember at work we had an IT guy start, and then leave two weeks later because he'd just been offered a role with the UN in Geneva. I think everyone agreed they didn't blame him for taking that one up!
Managed to start something constructive this morning. I have an 'interview skills' seminar next week, and have been reminded we have some homework, namely preparing a two-minute pitch for ourselves. It's going to be quite tough, as this is a Jewish charity that runs it, and you can be sure of your fellow Jews not being shy of giving frank feedback to anybody.
But I guess that's a good thing. I clearly need to get better at talking about my CV fluently. Anyway, have started drafting it, at weekend I think I'll have to read it back off paper to other half, then redraft, then get it to memory by Wednesday.
I wouldn't worry too much about the person having left - sometimes that just means they might have had a late offer from a job they wanted more. I remember at work we had an IT guy start, and then leave two weeks later because he'd just been offered a role with the UN in Geneva. I think everyone agreed they didn't blame him for taking that one up!
Managed to start something constructive this morning. I have an 'interview skills' seminar next week, and have been reminded we have some homework, namely preparing a two-minute pitch for ourselves. It's going to be quite tough, as this is a Jewish charity that runs it, and you can be sure of your fellow Jews not being shy of giving frank feedback to anybody.
But I guess that's a good thing. I clearly need to get better at talking about my CV fluently. Anyway, have started drafting it, at weekend I think I'll have to read it back off paper to other half, then redraft, then get it to memory by Wednesday.
corieltauvi
Looks like shit, smells like shit, tastes of shit.
Thanks for that Cloo. Your husbands experience sounds similar to mine - I hated where I was working this time last year and wasn't too unhappy not to be working there anymore, but it's taken 10 months to get a permanent role. I always seem to get the job I wasn't applying for. For the 25 interviews I had I either wasn't experienced enough or there was already someone doing exactly the same job - I started getting vertigo and other symptoms from the stress that caused me.Fantastic news! My other half got a role with his current employers about two months after he'd interviewed for a different role (and four weeks after he'd been made redundant from his previous, much disliked job) - in his case, he wasn't experienced enough for the one he interviewed for, but they offered him a grade below.
I wouldn't worry too much about the person having left - sometimes that just means they might have had a late offer from a job they wanted more. I remember at work we had an IT guy start, and then leave two weeks later because he'd just been offered a role with the UN in Geneva. I think everyone agreed they didn't blame him for taking that one up!
Managed to start something constructive this morning. I have an 'interview skills' seminar next week, and have been reminded we have some homework, namely preparing a two-minute pitch for ourselves. It's going to be quite tough, as this is a Jewish charity that runs it, and you can be sure of your fellow Jews not being shy of giving frank feedback to anybody.
I shall find out next week why he left. the wages are rubbish and it's in education so him having left/been pushed wouldn't surprise me. I've wanted to move into education IT for years so I'm happyish for a large pay cut. If my Jewish gran was still alive she'd be saying "there's not much money in that" - I know that because that's what she said about me starting as an archaeologist in the 80s.
I hate talking about my CV and always try to steer the conversation onto something more interesting. But I did have 4 stories I would adjust for any question I was asked.
BTW sorearm started another thread about telephone interviews - IIRC he has a second interview but it's miles away.
corieltauvi
Looks like shit, smells like shit, tastes of shit.
That's weird - just had a call from where I used to hate working offering an interview. They can't seem to tell that I've been ignoring their phone calls. And I don't want to work where they've just made a quarter of the workforce redundant 
Cloo
Banana for scale
Things are funny that way - a start up that my other half moonlighted for with a bit of project management consultancy, which was not exactly plain sailing, have just asked if he'd be up for project managing for them. He's not sure they can offer the money, but is potentially up for it if they are - it's basically backed by lots of private money, as the young guy behind it is from a very wealthy family who are bankrolling it as far as anyone can tell.
Thinking I wouldn't hear anything from anyone for a while, I've just had an email from one of the consultancy editorial job with editorial and numerical reasoning (uhoh!) tests attached. interview is contingent on the test results, and they'll get back with 48 hours. Sounds like I'd best do them over the weekend. But it's a boost pre-weekend to have some interest, and it's encouraging to have it from a role that's a bit different from what I've been doing.
Thinking I wouldn't hear anything from anyone for a while, I've just had an email from one of the consultancy editorial job with editorial and numerical reasoning (uhoh!) tests attached. interview is contingent on the test results, and they'll get back with 48 hours. Sounds like I'd best do them over the weekend. But it's a boost pre-weekend to have some interest, and it's encouraging to have it from a role that's a bit different from what I've been doing.
got a call asking if I can attend a second interview ... yeah, but going for the experience, can't take the job (commute distance/can't relocate or live there through the week 'cos won't see my kids)
Cloo
Banana for scale
Oh, well it's something - have a good practise
Did the numerical reasoning test last night - I'll be lucky if I got more than 3 of thr 18 questions right, but if everyone else applying is an arts grad like me (likely) then chances are none of them were any better! There was no point trying to relearn my maths, too much else on this week to deal with that. The linguistic one was one of those reasoning tests, not an editorial one, so also quite difficult - more akin the bloody logic philosophy I had to do in the first year of my course and wasn't much good at. People have told me that the bar for these tests is usually pretty low, but we'll see.
Got a few things to apply for this week, and will probably send of for this synagogue job today - if they are interested, may need to ask someone to give me a few hour refreshing my InDesign skills, and an introduction to Photoshop. They want someone to use both for layout - I'm a bit out of practise with ID, but can pick it up again, and never really used PS, but I know the job won't require anything complicated in it, so I'm sure a quick demonstration would sort me out, and I know plenty of people who could help me out there.
Did the numerical reasoning test last night - I'll be lucky if I got more than 3 of thr 18 questions right, but if everyone else applying is an arts grad like me (likely) then chances are none of them were any better! There was no point trying to relearn my maths, too much else on this week to deal with that. The linguistic one was one of those reasoning tests, not an editorial one, so also quite difficult - more akin the bloody logic philosophy I had to do in the first year of my course and wasn't much good at. People have told me that the bar for these tests is usually pretty low, but we'll see.
Got a few things to apply for this week, and will probably send of for this synagogue job today - if they are interested, may need to ask someone to give me a few hour refreshing my InDesign skills, and an introduction to Photoshop. They want someone to use both for layout - I'm a bit out of practise with ID, but can pick it up again, and never really used PS, but I know the job won't require anything complicated in it, so I'm sure a quick demonstration would sort me out, and I know plenty of people who could help me out there.
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
Cloo - youtube is a fantastic resource for Photoshop. There are step by step tutorials for literally everything to do with Photoshop on there, and for simple stuff it is relatively easy to work out, so I'm sure you'd be fine.
BigTom
Well-Known Member
You'll find that you can recognise a lot of the tools from InDesign in Photoshop and the user interface is very similar and many things work in the same way, though of course some things are different which is always frustrating.
I went the other way and taught myself InDesign from knowing Photoshop and it's fine, although I keep on finding things I've missed (like free transform which is a tool for InDesign but in the drop down menus for photoshop).
Like Purenarcotic said there are loads of photoshop tutorials on youtube, whenever I've needed to know how to do something I've found one there that goes through it step by step and visually and it's really great.
Having someone spend a few hours introducing you to it is really good though, if you can get it then do, but if you can't then I think you'll cope. If you're around Birmingham (though I'm sure you're not) I can happily spend an hour or two introducing you to PS.
Cloo
Banana for scale
Thanks - my other half said I could just find anything I needed for that online, so we'll see if it comes to it. I think it's kind of unlikely they'll want me for this role - it's only if they haven't had much interest other than me, as I've been upfront that I can only commit to it until I find a job elsewhere.
Was quite pleased that the agency chased me up today about the business publishing job, as I said I'd get it in end of last week, but the tests and stuff rather overtook that, but that suggests they're keen to put me forward, as it doesn't close until next week.
Was quite pleased that the agency chased me up today about the business publishing job, as I said I'd get it in end of last week, but the tests and stuff rather overtook that, but that suggests they're keen to put me forward, as it doesn't close until next week.
corieltauvi
Looks like shit, smells like shit, tastes of shit.
Good luck
Cloo
Banana for scale
Good luck sorearm!
So, you remember the very high up publishing contact I had through my grandparents? (CEO of giant publisher) My grandad told me that he told her parents in great detail exactly my situation. Friends got back last week: 'G____ says if you let her know what type of book your granddaughter wants to get published, she can tell you who to send it to'
Obviously something lost in translation - I suspect either the friends or the daughter are so bloody used to everyone in the universe wanting her to get their book published that they just heard it as me wanting to get a book published, rather than that I was looking for an editorial job!
So, you remember the very high up publishing contact I had through my grandparents? (CEO of giant publisher) My grandad told me that he told her parents in great detail exactly my situation. Friends got back last week: 'G____ says if you let her know what type of book your granddaughter wants to get published, she can tell you who to send it to'
Obviously something lost in translation - I suspect either the friends or the daughter are so bloody used to everyone in the universe wanting her to get their book published that they just heard it as me wanting to get a book published, rather than that I was looking for an editorial job!Best of luck. Unless you're going for the job for which I've just been interviewed, of course!
Best of luck. Unless you're going for the job for which I've just been interviewed, of course!
Haha you'll have to tell me which part of the country and what city it begins with
... interview was good, was interesting - nice to have a 'discussion' type interview. It's in a commercial environment so it's refreshing to see things from that point of view.
I don't think I'll get it as basically the position is to come in and completely set up an analysis unit (not going to say too much) and I just don't have the background or experience in that. I could WORK in such a unit but I'm not able to set it up unfortunately.
Good experience and I enjoyed it.
Cloo
Banana for scale
Don't think I'm getting an interview for the job I did the horrible tests for - they said you should hear within 48 hours, and it's been nearly 72 hours. Fine, I can live with that. They might genuinely need someone more comfortable with numbers for that role.
Had a seminar on interview skills today. Outcomes were interesting - I had been thinking I was probably coming over OK personally, but a bit vague and empty professionally; feedback today suggested I was putting over my skills and experience very well, but not conveying enough personality. I still think in actual interviews I am more chatty and informal than I've come over in this context, but it's certainly possible that I come over all serious and not so engaging when I'm talking about the professional skill areas, so that's one to work on.
Had a seminar on interview skills today. Outcomes were interesting - I had been thinking I was probably coming over OK personally, but a bit vague and empty professionally; feedback today suggested I was putting over my skills and experience very well, but not conveying enough personality. I still think in actual interviews I am more chatty and informal than I've come over in this context, but it's certainly possible that I come over all serious and not so engaging when I'm talking about the professional skill areas, so that's one to work on.
bloody hell - seems they actually want to offer me the post.
I must have impressed them (which is a nice boost) and the interview experience was good, not sure that I can actually DO the job at the senior level that is expected.
Maybe I can BS like the best of them
... damnit! Why do I get offered a job that I can't really take as it means;
(1) relocation (commute is out of the question really as a train would be 1 1/2 hours on the train, not counting travel on either side. Plus the place is in an industrial park about 5-6 miles from train station. Would have to live there.
(2) Not see family. I've got a daughter with my ex who I probably could keep up the same level of contact.
Me and partner have a 5 year old who's in year 1. I'm doing a lot of the childcare, I do the school runs in the morning and the majority of collection from childminder.
Means not seeing baba through the week
... gawd *bashes head*
... why couldn't I have been offered the job I wanted last month that was at least in the same city I live in!!! (although they decided to go for box ticking exercises on who had a better undergraduate degree even though I had 10 years experience in the bloody job)
*shakes fist*
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
got rejected by a bot today after filling in an application form. instant rejection! that's nice.
Currently looking at non-school hours/part-time work and it's well depressing. plenty of call centre work but it's mostly sales, which i am not prepared to do.
Currently looking at non-school hours/part-time work and it's well depressing. plenty of call centre work but it's mostly sales, which i am not prepared to do.
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