Jobs in the Council

housemite

cwp500 wrote: »

From personal, and bitter experience, there is nothing to be gained by trying to get work in the council at the expense of other options. They are probably the last of the old traditional environments that have not moved with the times.

They seek to recruit internally for several reasons; it is cheap to promote internally; it is an easy way to avoid traiining; it is a system designed to maintain mediocrity and forbid external influences who may wish to institute change no matter how beneficial that may be.

Councils are generally run by political cliques at higher levels and these types tend to promote and employ diluted versions of themselves. The net effect of this is to produce a mediocre and second rate service that would not bear scrutiny in any private industry. Waste is therefore endemic in these environments and the mindset becomes protectionist and hostile to outsiders.

To avoid redundancy payments a system of job protection is maintained and second raters are allowed to carry on in alternative posts.

Hard facts to swallow and doubtless a horde of dull HR drones will complain about this post but it will ring true to every interviewee who has sat across the desk from these dull women (it is predominantly women) revelling in their ignorance of modernity.

Dont waste time with councils.

i was going to write that next:D

ianianian_2

Wow, some of thats a bit harsh, but i'm not argueing!
The reason she's been looking for council/ NHS jobs (which work in a similar way) is that they are the nicest easiest ways to search for respectable jobs.

If you look on employment sites half of the posts just link to other recruitment sites, some don't pay what they say they will etc etc.
With big private companies there's often only a small number of jobs at one time in one area.
As councils etc employ from their website and are huge employers they are an attractive propect.... until you realise all the posts go internally and you've spent the last week filling in forms for no reason!

SandC

You can join all your local agencies (that includes branches of national ones), tell them you are looking for full time work. Large, private companies all use agencies to find permanent staff. It is a bit of a bind getting registered with them all (as they usually require you to go in and have a chat and do some tests) but once you are in they will get in touch with you if anything suitable comes up.

So by all means look up local jobs on the internet but use your yellow pages to find recruitment agencies and get in contact with them direct.

ianianian_2

Thanks for the reply SandC, but we've had a few bad experiences with recruitment agencies. I sat waiting in the reception of one while she was interviewed while the biggest bunch of jokers came in looking for jobs....
-the first guy was 2 hours late for his interview, he said he'd forgot his phone so couldn't have rang the agency to let them know.... despite the fact his phone went off during the conversation
-the second guy came in with a scrumpled up CV that looked like it had just been pulled out of a bin and was sent away
-the third guy said he had experience in every big company in the UK, but couldn't provide any proof of this.

My girlfriend got a job, but it was paid far less than advertised and despite going back to tell the agency this its still advertising now with false conditions.

SandC

They seem to have their moments, in my experience.

Bear in mind that all these wasters coming in - who is more likely to get a good job then? Your girlfriend, that's who.

They are not all the same but they do have differing clientele depending on what areas they specialise in. General ones may deal with things like operative and warehousing on one side with a whole different section for clerical and admin. I still say it is worth joining up with a few - your girlfriend could ask around with friends and find out which agencies their companies use.

I've found sometimes they are great with you - like if you are looking for something (temp or permanent) and they have something ideal then they couldn't be nicer (remember it's a reflection on them who they introduce to companies). Then if you get back in touch some time later (in my case about 3/4 years later) asking them to look out for something for you they will more than likely (as was with me) ignore you completely as they are far more interested in keeping the client happy (they placed you there) than helping you with your employment. I just joined some different ones and they sorted me out.

The job I am in now I joined them because I found out they supply one of our local large private businesses. Even though they are not a national agency. I didn't end up with that particular employer but I got in with another local mid sized 'good to work for' employer. My last job I got in through Spring, who are national. I temped at the local university with them but ultimately ended up with another big employer in the area.

I suggest maybe your girlfriend isnt asking the right questions and is only going for advertised jobs on the off chance. If they are advertising salaries higher than the actual employer is offering then avoid those agencies. They are ten a penny and with some research you will find out which ones are the better ones.

Savvy_Sue

Also some of the agencies have a relationship with local council, universities, NFPs etc and that's where those organisations will go for temps. Get a temp job, you get to hear about all the other jobs on offer within those organisations.

ianianian_2

Thanks for the replies guys.
I guess we've been looking at the wrong agencies then.
thanks again!

Bismarck

Maybe I'm being hopelessly optimistic but I'd like to think that an interviewer will see a good external CV and think...hmm.we'll see that one and at interview, think "wow...they'll be an asset in my department" - better than all the other dross that I've seen that has been institutionalised...

it's not easy but the more I think about my own interviews, it can just boil down to how well you get on with the person....you've gotta have hope. if you don't try you'll never know....

briona

cwp500 wrote: »

Dont waste time with councils.

Where I live the council is one of the biggest employers, so the majority of vacancies advertised locally are for them. A friend of mine applied for quite a few admin/office/finance/PA roles and was interviewed for a few of them. And a few months later she landed a job there – so just because you've been turned down once, does not mean you won't ever get a job there.

I believe councils are obliged to advertise posts externally however as many of their employees are on short or fixed term contracts, it's very likely that you will be going up against someone who is already doing that very job and looking for a contract renewal. In that case, it's hard to fully compete with someone who's been in post for a year and possibly met targets/proved themselves already. However, if the person is a bit crap, you DO have a chance, and once you're in there, you will be afforded all the preferential treatment that other current employees have when it comes to being 're-interviewed'.

cwp500 wrote: »

From personal, and bitter experience, there is nothing to be gained by trying to get work in the council at the expense of other options.

There is nothing to be gained by trying to get work ANYWHERE at the expense of other options. You should always apply for as many jobs as are available to you – NEVER put all your eggs into one basket. And if you don't get the job, move on. Someone once told me that "every no brings you nearer to a yes", and I like to believe that.

viktory

I have worked for my local council twice (work for them now). Actually, I have been offered three jobs with them and have been promoted internally twice. I haven't had any incidents of favouritism towards internal employees to be honest, but that's not to say it doesn't happen. An internal employee will always have the edge over an external candidate.

Working for my local LA has excellent benefits - very good salary, flexi time, generous annual leave, gold plated final salary pension, death in service benefits, excellent promotion prospects....Yes, I would always advocate working for a LA.