The job hunting support thread

[Cloo]

got rejected by a bot today after filling in an application form. instant rejection!

Ugh, that's just not nice. Mind you, console yourself it is just a bot, not a human being.

Sorearm, sorry to hear it's a bit of a bind. gsv's looking at a phone interview for something he got through networking (company owned by cousin's husband we met in US in August, opening London office) - but this role's asking for about 25% of time travelling, which we both agree is too much. Still doing though, as maybe there could be other posts that might also work out if he's interested, and be more static. We've realised that on his next step up, some travel is likely, but we both reckoned that the ratio we heard from one possible job, 2 weeks out of every ten, was about the most we'd be prepared to accept.

A few things to apply for, but not done anything in the last two days, as had horrible stomach bug - felt like death yesterday, been recovering today. No urgent deadlines, though, so I can take my time.

Was amused this morning to see an editorial role going at Mills & Boon - not happening, though, as they need someone with mass market fiction experience and anyway it's based in Richmond.

That said, I'm looking at applying to one job, possibly two, that are based in fucking Hammersmith.

 

[Cloo]

Got an interview for the professional publishers - want to see me this week, so have asked for Friday as a) gives me time and b) mum can cover the kids.

Going swot up quite hard - would really like this one, but probably won't be easy and it'll be my first commissioning interview, so somewhat different to the last few (which were more project management), so not sure what to expect. Went to see my advisor at Resource and he gave me some good tips. Found some juicy stuff online that should be good material to bring up in interview.

Have reached out to my publishing studies MA course leader on LinkedIn - he could be useful for this role, as I recall he knew the former MD quite well (company's now run by his daughter) and in fact he generally knows shitloads of good publishing people. He's teaching similar course elsewhere now and there's actually a reasonable chance he might be in frequent contact with the MD of this company I'm going to be interviewed for, so maybe he can put a word in.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

been searching a few weeks now

had two interviews so far but both ended up being no gos

might be waiting for jobs for the january start to appear

 

[Cloo]

Oh well - good luck with that.

Looks like my daughter's coming down with stomach bug son and I have just had, which is going to mess up my plans to get all well prepared for my interview on Friday...

 

[Quartz]

Didn't get the job. A pity as it would have been perfect for me.

 

[Cloo]

Sorry to hear that, Quartz.

 

[Orang Utan]

Bah!

 

[Cloo]

Trying to work on tomorrow's interview - shame I've had crap sleep 2 out of the last 3 nights. I'm really praying I get a good night in tonight!

 

[corieltauvi]

Trying to work on tomorrow's interview - shame I've had crap sleep 2 out of the last 3 nights. I'm really praying I get a good night in tonight!

Good luck Cloo - hope it goes well.

 

[sorearm]

Decided not to go for the job that would require living away through the week and not seeing my family or kids. Bah.

Got an interview next friday for part-time job (17.5 hours - but better than nothing). Anyone think I'll be able to apply for any benefits too - or because my other half works full-time and earns >25k means will get bugger all. Maybe child tax credits?

... I also cold-emailed someone over at liverpool uni and sent my CV (got a name suggested to me), asked about popping over for an informal chat about any jobs in the future. Received a reply saying they may be having a short-term job coming up quite soon and said sure, pop over next week for an informal chat. Time to press the flesh and put a name to a face

Job I can apply for (but it's in london), will apply anyway as the experience will be really good. I think this is a re-advertisement.

Couple of research technician jobs I can apply for this week too, will do them over the weekend.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Anyone think I'll be able to apply for any benefits too - or because my other half works full-time and earns >25k means will get bugger all. Maybe child tax credits?

I'm fairly fuzzy about tax credits - all I can suggest is run the figures through the benefits calculator here and see what it says.

I'm aware that tax credits are being tinkered with (i.e. cut) and the whole thing will change as and when 'universal credit' happens.

 

[sorearm]

I'm fairly fuzzy about tax credits - all I can suggest is run the figures through the benefits calculator here and see what it says.

I'm aware that tax credits are being tinkered with (i.e. cut) and the whole thing will change as and when 'universal credit' happens.

fuck all by the looks of it. apparently supposed to survive on fresh air. Ah well so much for trying to better yourself plus the 10+ years I've paid into the system - when you need some help up eh.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

having re-read your post, I assume you've also had a look to see what you can claim now?

While your OH's income means that income related job seekers' isn't likely to be on, you may be entitled to claim contributions related JSA on your own (apologies if I'm stating the bleeding obvious or if you already have) and you might get child tax credits now. (ditto)

 

[Cloo]

Well, that went... hmmm, OK. Not as well as I hoped, but I think I prepared and did about as well as I could have. It was quite informal, but he was a good interviewer I think, really trying to ferret out what my skills were in it, and I did cover all the stuff I wanted to cover.

He's seeing a few more people and is going to see whether or not he will go to a second round or not, though I think he'd like to get someone in one round. I don't think my performance was good enough to get it off just this interview, but maybe it'll take me to a second round. All depends on what the other people were like- he said there's not lots of experience in the current editorial team, so I don't know where I sit in relation to that. The role is potentially offering above the stated salary for someone with more extensive experience, so if they are seeing someone like that, they might want to go for them and push up the level of experience in the team.

I might have scored brownie points for giving quite a critical view of epublishing and apps - namely that a lot of 'learning' type apps and epublishing is really not that effective and it has to be done right. But I'm just not sure how convincingly I came over overall.

 

[mrs quoad]

I've just submitted an application for a job I *might not* want.

But find it really difficult to tell, at first reading.

It's for a drugs / mental health outreach worker. OK so far.

It's for a drugs / mental health outreach worker for people who aren't eligible for pubic funding.

Potentially ok so far - they're likely to be people with some of the biggest difficulties / vulnerabilities, and tbh 'lots of things going wrong' is where I'd quite like to work for a while.

Only, it might mean being performance monitored in part on the basis of how many contacts / clients accept a flight back to their home country.

Which... erm. Unless I've misunderstood, may be beginning to get rather... uerft.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Which... erm. Unless I've misunderstood, may be beginning to get rather... uerft.

sounds faintly dubious, but i guess it's a case of keep your options open for now and explore this at the interview. you can always tell them to get stuffed

 

[Cloo]

Yeah, I'd go for it and find out more about what exactly that all means.

I've got a few more things to go apply for now and wait and see. Have a seminar about networking on Monday that should be interesting - on that front, hoping to get in touch with my publishing studies tutor soon and seeing if he might have any leads.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

busy week here.

The job offer (for something occasional weekends / casual) referred to in my post of 18 September (then subject to references etc) seems to be moving - got an invite this week to a training day.

on a day I absolutely can't do.



will have to see what they say about that.

three applications off this week - something full time with my local council, doing housing benefits (which I haven't done for 20 years but experience was 'desirable' not 'essential') - although feel faintly uncomfortable about doing it on my home patch - last time I was about 4 London boroughs away from work. I presume you're not expected to deal with immediate neighbours, though.

and something generalist admin sort of thing via an agency, which they are probably overloaded with applications for.

and something possibly mildly interesting on the fringes of academia albeit part time and home based and not enough on its own.

have heard bugger all about whatever it was i applied for on 25 Sept, so assume I've not been shortlisted.

 

[Hellsbells]

This is all so frustrating. Keep doing well with job applications and interviews (quite an achievement for me, given my attrocious past interview history!). I've even been offered several jobs now, but keep having to turn things down because it's just odd hours here and there, silly times of day. And I can't afford to live like that. Was offered something yesterday which would be perfect. I loved the place when i went for interview and they liked all my ideas and we were all very enthusisatic about everything - but the job is 2 hours a week!! and in the middle of the day, so i can't fit anything else in around it Of course, it may lead to more hours, but then again it may not. And somehow i have to live!

 

[Cloo]

Oh no, how irritating. I just want to hear back from Friday's interview now, dammit! He's seeing the last person today, I think, so this afternoon is the soonest everyone will hear. I know I haven't got it, but hope keeps annoyingly springing until I hear.

Had an interesting lead from putting a notice on the online school notice board that I would be happy to volunteer editing services to charity - a mum working at a local college says they really need some stuff doing, and has invited me to their PR/Comms meeting tomorrow, so I'm going to that. I don't think they're a charity, so I'd probably be aiming to propose a discounted proofreading rate from the standard.

Hoping any other parents with publishing links (I'm sure there are some) will now bear me in mind for anything they might hear about, too.

The networking seminar was good - my next task is to get some cards printed, which they strongly recommended and I can see is a good idea for ad hoc encounters. Also going to seriously prod my parents to ask if their opera book publishing mate will meet with me for a chat about arts publishing.

 

[sorearm]

Busy time recently.

Last week was doing graduate teaching assistant for 3 days of the week.

Today I went for an informal chat with a prof about possible vacancies in the new year (well it looks like it would be February time actually), this followed on from his name being suggested to me, me cold emailing him with my CV and asking if there would be any suitable vacancies coming up, plus asking if it would be OK to pop by for an informal chat. Went OK actually, said it was good to put a name to a face, described the project and that with my background it would probably be a good fit.

Have an interview friday morning for a research technician's job - it's part-time, but that would fit fine with childcare responsibilities I'm doing a lot of at the moment and give me a bit of time for completing write-up.

Had an email from uni saying that I need to show some evidence of sticking to my write-up otherwise they'll pull the plug on money (nice, after they totally drop me in the sh*t eh), met with supervisor - told him I'd been having a bit of a wobble recently, feeling quite down and probably getting depressed but seen GP. Was a good meeting actually as got a bit back on track, made a plan to structure plan the write up, need to email my subject headings/skeleton next week and meet up week after.

Meanwhile still intensively job hunting. Had an email reject from one job, but have applied yesterday for 2 research technician jobs.

Found out via a friend that a place will be advertising for a job that is in my subject area and one of his ex work colleagues had asked if he knew of anyone who may be interested. Contacted this person, gave a brief overview of myself, said I was interested in any vacancies and offered to send my CV/meet for an informal chat. Received an email back today saying they will be recruiting and an advert should go out before chrimbo, he'll keep me updated. Sounds good, this job and in this place would be ideal.

 

[Cloo]

Yeah, got email, didn't get the job from last week. He went to second interview with two other people, and it sounds like they had experience he felt fitted the bill a bit better, which is always easy to say, I suppose.

Went to the college to the PR meeting - I forgot that they're a very small operation (it's a rabbinical college, so only has a handful of students a year) and they are a charity. I don't feel I can charge them for the sort of stuff we were looking at today, literally a couple of sides of stuff, or short booklets, but if they were to ask me to edit longer publications, then I think I would have to insist on some kind of payment.

It was nice to be in a work scenario at the meeting, though, and it's all good networking. I saw that the chairman of the college, who was there, looked me up on LinkedIn afterwards, and for all I know, he or anyone at the meeting today may have some kind of publishing connection.

I also passed on job details to someone from the unemployment advice seminars I've been going to. Was looking at the Parliament website to see if any suitable jobs were going - nothing for me, but an interesting scientific adviser type job for the Lords, and I thought of this very nice bloke I'd met at the seminars who is obviously incredibly clever and scientific, and could probably match the spec.

Also contacted a former fellow publishing studies student who I ran into at an urbanite's party on Saturday - turned out he'd been her friend for decades! Anyway, he now has his own literary agency representing various authors, and also therefore coming into contact with a variety of publishers, so I emailed him today, sent my CV and asked if he'd mention me if he heard about anyone moving jobs/going on leave on the editorial front.

So hark at me networking!

 

[Cloo]

Got an interview on Monday now - big name in education publishing, good role, bit of a bitch of a commute, although gsv pointed out it's only about 20 mins longer than my last one, so not that bad. I've learned some lessons from an interview in September which was also with a major player in the field - namely to research the company and the current status of the education field harder. It's another one where pay isn't stated, so I'd better have an idea what to ask for if/when they ask me how much I'm gunning for.

 

[Hellsbells]

good luck for Monday Cloo. I have an interview in precisely 6 minutes time Having to take some massive deep breaths right now. God i hate interviews

 

[mrs quoad]

I applied for a research post, and the disinterest and inaction of the bloke I proposed working for (externally funded post) meant that the whole thing fell through.

*However,* he blamed the external funders, and suggested I contact them. I did. They gave me the Uni email address they sent the proposal to. And when I emailed that uni email address, they replied with tremendous politeness, stating it was entirely his fault.

And copying in both him and the Uni's head of research.

Which, whilst a completely Pyrrhic victory in many ways, at least brightened up my afternoon.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

The training day thing for the casual job has been shifted to next Thursday. In London. At 0900.

And I has an interview for the full time job I applied for next Friday. Also at 0900 but a bit nearer home...

 

[Quartz]

Good luck!

 

[sorearm]

meh didn't get the post I went for last Friday - asked for feedback, but in the email was told that I interviewed very well but the successful candidate had experience of one of the essential lab techniques I don't (cell culture - although I BS'd it a bit) and also had had experience of direct patient contact (for recruitment) which I didn't have, although this wasn't in the job description and brought in on the interview (I BS'd this bit too). So unless it went to an internal candidate it looks like it was a toss up between me and this other person.

Been informed that if I'm still interested in working in this department there is an advert going out in a couple of weeks for another technical post (part-time - seems like all the bloody jobs are part-time atm), I emailed the person to introduce myself etc etc.

Still have 2 technician job applications currently in, the closing date isn't for a couple of weeks, there are another 2 technical posts I can apply for this week, although the salary is crap. Ho hum.

*on with the kids for halloween / half-term*

 

[Cloo]

Haven't really seen anything to apply for this week. Working on Monday's interview - tough with it being half term - but we'll see what I can do. My big worry is that I'm not coming over convincingly. I suppose at base, employers want to know whether I'm going to make them money by signing the right books, and I don't know if I make a strong enough case for myself. My CV looks great, but I fear when I talk about the details, it's a bit of a disappointment or something.

At the seminars I've been doing, people have said my experience sounds great and I put it over well, but then they're not specialists in that area. I suppose I just come away from interviews feeling as though I left them wanting.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Good luck!

Thanks.