The job hunting support thread

[chilango]

sorry.

Don't be.

I'm not

Was useful to rule certain types of role out in future.

Was useful to remind me what I need to work on for future applications (my interview skills).

Was useful to remind me about what I like about the job I actually have, and appreciate that a little more.

I'm lucky in that sense.

 

[chilango]

...and for future use, anyone know of any good resources for improving interview techniques?

I spent a lot of time poring over CV etc. books a few years back and applications themselves are now pretty damn strong (according to all the feedback I get) but I feel like I haven't really put any of the same effort into honing my verbal/face to face skills. They're nowhere near as strong.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I think I'm going to be back on this thread more soon...

Anyone got any ideas on how to move on from leaving a job following a crash in health? (I'm on the point of leaving before I get turfed out)

I'm going to have to finance a bit of a break (I'm aware you don't get the dole if you quit, but think it's probably better in the long term to quit than wait to get turfed out)

I can't think of anything I can do that I could do on a self employed basis.

 

[friendofdorothy]

I think I'm going to be back on this thread more soon...

Anyone got any ideas on how to move on from leaving a job following a crash in health? (I'm on the point of leaving before I get turfed out)

I'm going to have to finance a bit of a break (I'm aware you don't get the dole if you quit, but think it's probably better in the long term to quit than wait to get turfed out)

I can't think of anything I can do that I could do on a self employed basis.

if your health isn't good could you have a talk with HR with a veiw to get your employer to let you go due to ill health? Could you look for part time job before you leave? or reduce your hours in your present job to part time?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

if your health isn't good could you have a talk with HR with a veiw to get your employer to let you go due to ill health? Could you look for part time job before you leave? or reduce your hours in your present job to part time?

Employer does not really hold with part time (I have floated the idea before)

Not sure it's in my interests for them to push rather than me to jump - I might get a few weeks dole out of it before DWP find an excuse to sanction me - I have a feeling that at the moment I'm somewhere in the gap between not ill enough for ESA and not well enough for JSA...

I don't see a lot of point applying for anything just quite yet - if employer finds out I'm looking, then the push will come sooner rather than later, and any application will fall at the health record / reference stage.

Ultimately, this job was a huge mistake.

 

[Jackobi]

Can anyone help me fill in this job application please?

It's this part of the form which is confusing me a bit

Should I put date, establishment attended then qualification? i.e.

1998-2001 ¦ Mickey Mouse University ¦ BSc Cheese Sniffing

It's doesn't seem very clear what format they want.

 

[friendofdorothy]

Employer does not really hold with part time (I have floated the idea before)

Not sure it's in my interests for them to push rather than me to jump - I might get a few weeks dole out of it before DWP find an excuse to sanction me - I have a feeling that at the moment I'm somewhere in the gap between not ill enough for ESA and not well enough for JSA...

I don't see a lot of point applying for anything just quite yet - if employer finds out I'm looking, then the push will come sooner rather than later, and any application will fall at the health record / reference stage.

Ultimately, this job was a huge mistake.

That is a shame. Can you discuss this with your doc/ health specialist / union?
Not sure I can offer anything useful, but heres a nice kitten in the meantime:

 

[friendofdorothy]

Can anyone help me fill in this job application please?

It's this part of the form which is confusing me a bit

Should I put date, establishment attended then qualification? i.e.

1998-2001 ¦ Mickey Mouse University ¦ BSc Cheese Sniffing

It's doesn't seem very clear what format they want.

thats how I would read it too. I think its sufficiently vague to include formal and informal stuff eg:
2000-2016/ xxxx School / GCSE grade z
or
2016 / voluntary charity/ certificate in helping
or
2016/ training course at work in work stuff/ - (where there is no certificate)

 

[Jackobi]

friendofdorothy

Thanks, I did it like that as you agreed. I sent it a couple of hours ago as the deadline was today.

 

[Jackobi]

Not sure it's in my interests for them to push rather than me to jump - I might get a few weeks dole out of it before DWP find an excuse to sanction me - I have a feeling that at the moment I'm somewhere in the gap between not ill enough for ESA and not well enough for JSA...

You can quit a job with 'good reason' and still claim JSA, but it's a bit of a risk as there are no solid guidelines to what 'good reason' is. A decision maker would look at your case and decide. Ill health could be considered a good reason. If you were successful in claiming with 'good reason', you could then get a fit note from your doctor and put yourself on an "Extended Period of Sickness" for up to 13 weeks. Which means you would still receive JSA but not be subject to providing evidence of job seeking or having to sign-on.

If you can get a fit note from your doctor, you can put a claim in for ESA, so you would not be subject to 'good reason' for leaving your job as when claiming JSA. This would put you in the assessment phase. You possibly wouldn't receive any money for a few weeks but when you eventually did, it would be backdated. It's the same amount as JSA, £73.10 per week. This would give you some space, with income, but waiting for a medical assessment, which can take a few months.

During that time, a fit not would need to cover you, but you would not need to show evidence of job seeking or sign-on.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Jackobi

Thanks for that.

Have bought a bit of time - work have agreed I can take a fortnight's holiday starting now (I've not taken much holiday this year - and done a lot of overtime - which is probably all part of the problem) and am pursuing one or two things with the doctor.

So your advice isn't needed quite yet - will wait and see what happens.

 

[Jackobi]

Can anyone help me fill in this job application please?

Fuck me, I just got offered the job!

 

[Puddy_Tat]

 

[sorearm]

woop woop!

 

[friendofdorothy]

Oh the year's nearly over and there's only been a few jobs I wanted to apply for and only the one interveiw, but no new job. umm.
Must re-think or try harder.

I am being fussy - as I have a nice easy job, with nice people, in a nice environment and those things are very important to me. Life is too short to do a job you. The next min wage increase will overtake what what I'm paid. I always said I'd never work for min wage out of self-respect. And a desire to afford beer.

Our contracts were changed last year meaning we are now obliged to work bank hols too if they fall on a normal work day. Boss nun has graciously allowed me Boxing day bank holiday this year (but not bank hol tues) but says she won't next year and I'll have to work both, and I really really dont want to. grrrr. I really hope I have a new job before then.

 

[friendofdorothy]

Well, I spotted an admin job I like the look of! Its localish, part-time, in an historic place run by the Cof E. Sounds easy. I've spent ages perfecting my application, and plan to hand it in in person so I can have a peek at the place soon.

 

[Thimble Queen]

Well, I spotted an admin job I like the look of! Its localish, part-time, in an historic place run by the Cof E. Sounds easy. I've spent ages perfecting my application, and plan to hand it in in person so I can have a peek at the place soon.

Good luck FoD.

I'm applying for lots of things atm. No bites yet but I've got a few more weeks grace before things start to look grim. Wish me luck

 

[Jackobi]

Good luck friendofdorothy. I'm in my third week of a new job and enjoying it immensely.


Good luck Thimble Queen !

 

[Thimble Queen]

Good luck friendofdorothy. I'm in my third week of a new job and enjoying it immensely.


Good luck Thimble Queen !

That's lovely to hear Jackobi long may it continue

 

[Thimble Queen]

Two rejections already today

 

[friendofdorothy]

Good luck FoD.

I'm applying for lots of things atm. No bites yet but I've got a few more weeks grace before things start to look grim. Wish me luck

Thanks. Wishing you luck - chin up! x

 

[friendofdorothy]

Good luck friendofdorothy. I'm in my third week of a new job and enjoying it immensely.


Good luck Thimble Queen !

great news! well done. Did they say why you were sucessful?

As I'm in a job I'm only applying for jobs I really want, so not many submitted - I'm obviously saying the right thing in my applications as I've been to 3 interviews, plus one 2nd interview, but no new job yet. Any tips?

 

[chilango]

Well, yet another day of utterly frustrating, and avoidable, job threatening nonsense led to me coming to work with the bright idea of applying for a job today to relieve some angst...

...couldn't find a single vacancy to realistically apply for

 

[Jackobi]

great news! well done. Did they say why you were sucessful?

Not really, just that I was up against another strong candidate, put in a good application (3 days solid work) and did very well in my interview.

As I'm in a job I'm only applying for jobs I really want, so not many submitted - I'm obviously saying the right thing in my applications as I've been to 3 interviews, plus one 2nd interview, but no new job yet. Any tips?

I was previously unemployed and had been volunteering in a very similar role for 15 months while claiming JSA. I had also recently started volunteering for the organisation which now employs me, and had just undergone 8 weeks of quite intense training as a volunteer. I had most of the interview answers still fresh in my head from training so the job opening for me was good timing more than anything, as well as having lots of relevant, recent experience. I also decided to just be myself in the interview and try and show my personality rather than be too stiff and serious, although I did remain professional too.

It's probably a lot harder to volunteer while holding a job down as well, but I needed relevant experience as I wanted to make a bit of a career variation from my previous work. I really don't have much interview experience, I think I just got a lucky break as all my recent efforts came to fruition at the same time.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

As I'm in a job I'm only applying for jobs I really want, so not many submitted - I'm obviously saying the right thing in my applications as I've been to 3 interviews, plus one 2nd interview, but no new job yet. Any tips?

obvious thought is whether there are any particular questions / types of question you've found difficult, and may not have given good answers to - what can you do to improve on them?

interviewers increasingly expect 'enthusisasm' even if it's for a zero hour shit job

are you talking about why you want the job you're going for / why you want to work for that organisation? (rather than why you want to leave current job)?

are you getting the 'comptency based' questions, e.g. "give an example of a time you did X"? and if so, do you have a good - relevant and ideally recent - answer ready to go? (bear in mind some of these competencies could be something drawn from volunteering / caring roles as well as from paid work.

but sometimes it just comes down to any prejudices the interviewer has - often they are not clear enough to quantify.

 

[chilango]

I really need to work on my interview skills. It really paid off spending the time on learning how to write applications. The next logical step I guess...

 

[friendofdorothy]

Well, yet another day of utterly frustrating, and avoidable, job threatening nonsense led to me coming to work with the bright idea of applying for a job today to relieve some angst...

...couldn't find a single vacancy to realistically apply for

that sounds very frustrating. hope its better tomorrow.

 

[friendofdorothy]

I dropped in my application for a great sounding job today and also had an alert for another job when I got home - from a site that hadn't sent any useful job ads before. So 2 applications today!

 

[chilango]

that sounds very frustrating. hope its better tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[friendofdorothy]

good luck and best wishes to all the job seekers on this thread.