The Full Monty Dance Troup

sackcloth

BTW, Scrooge, who do you do your mystery shopping with? I've read the thread on the up your income forum but am not sure which are the best ones to try.

Thanks,
Sackcloth.

medini

I went for an interview for a job at a housing association today. I heard back from the agency about 10 minutes ago that I didn't get it. This may not be such a bad thing as while I was waiting to be interviewed somebody spat at the women on the desk because they couldn't see a housing officer when they wanted to, some chairs got kicked over and the waiting room looked like a holding pen for the Jeremy Kyle show. I may have had a lucky escape.

In slightly better news I got a free plastic poncho/raincoat style thing. When I was coming back from my interview a ferocious thunder storm started. About 20 people, including me, went to hide in Waterstones until the rain calmed down a little.
One of booksellers announced he had an idea; he went to the staff only area at the back of the shop and came back with a box of plastic raincoats. It turned out that rain had been predicted for the night that the sixth harry potter book was released a few years ago. The shop had been sent a box of two thousand plastic Waterstones branded ponchos to hand out to people waiting outside just in case the worse happened, but luckily the weather had stayed fair and the ponchos had been sat gathering dust in the storeroom.
Armed with my trusty plastic coat I made it to the bus stop without looking like I was taking part in a wet tshirt competition.

I’ve also made a DIY cat toy of sorts. I found a large cardboard box in the back of the airing cupboard. I cut a few large holes in the box, and put some cat toys inside it. The kitten has been busy going round and round and in and out the box for some time.

scrooge2008

Looks like you had a lucky escape there medini, from that housing association job. When I used to go to the job centre, in a rough area, 12 miles away from where I lived, there was an incident on pretty much every visit. It was good entertainment value though and they had two security guards, built like tanks, with ferocious glares, who used to quickly establish who was the boss. Still not a nice working environment.

Well, I completely overscheduled yesterday. I started at 5.00 am with an early morning cleaning job I do once a week, moved on to the client that I do accounts and debt collecting for and then did all the mystery shops. I also had to fit in a doctor's appointment, making tea etc, etc ..... By the time I had entered the results from the shops into the various systems it was 12.00 midnight. I then polished off a whole bottle of wine and collapsed into my bed. Never again .... I did work for Gapbusters, Grassroots and Tern Consultancy yesterday, Sackcloth.

I need to get focussed, I feel recently, I have been running around like a headless chicken being pulled in too many directions. Still I have not been bored.

School's have broken up for the summer up here and today I have two of my sons friends coming round for the day. Us mums have organised a rota of sorts for helping each other out with childcare during the summer holidays, which will be a great help.

Have a good week everyone.

rosered1963

Hi everyone.

Medini - agree you had a lucky escape - I worked for an HA (back room though) and the housing officers had a horrendous time - would even go so far as to say they were in danger at times.

Scrooge - you have been busy

Sackcloth - that's great that you have something for September. I was expecting a short contract coming up from an old employer, but that isn't now going to happen as they don't have the cash they thought they would for the job.

I'm doing a bit of cleaning for someone -that's all for the moment while I look into creating my own job(s)!

Re mystery shopping - our jobpoint had an advert for mystery shoppers at the jobcentre. You had to do an inital questionnaire on line. I was rejected as apparently "I got the answers wrong" but I don't know why as they were such obvious questions. I asked my friend and husband to try it and they got them wrong as well!

Hope everyone has a good day.

RR

lufcgirl

I've had a good couple of days.

Yesterday (including travelling) spent seven hours out of the house at the DWP interview. I seriously thought I'd failed the tests, I've never calculated percentages for years! Luckily I passed and loved the interview bit where me and the interviewer had a discussion about MSE! So fingers crossed.
Today went for an interview at an insurance company, very small place and a few workers. Seems good but only part time hours and I couldn't start the day they wanted so not holding out hope for that!

And finally...the most exciting part is preparing for Ireland from Friday until Monday. My OH is playing at one of the most prestigious music competitions in Ireland (the Fleadh) and has tutored six bands in their town for it, so I get a great few days away down in Wicklow. Only problem is having to sign off and back on but it's worth it.

And I hope everyone is having an interesting week as I have!

scrooge2008

Lufcgirl, sounds like your OH is extremely talented. It's great that you are so supportive. All the best for your DWP interview, keep us posted.

As for the mystery shopping rosered, It might be worth working your way through the list on the up your income thread and applying for them all. That could be done in a few hours. They are all looking for different profiles and areas, so it would increase your chances, and most give an instant decision.

The mystery shopping takes a bit of getting used to but I'm now getting into the swing of it and beginning to enjoy it. One company are starting to give me interesting assignments, that pay a bit more. I've also just got signed up with Pinecone for surveys. Have failed their selection process in the past, so quite pleased to have got on their books.

medini

It sounds like evrybody has been really busy the last few days!:T
Manpower phoned me today about a cv I sent in a few weeks ago. I had to do a quick phone interview, then was directed to a website to complete an online test thingy. It was very strange, I have no idea how it relates to the job Im applying for or what its supposed to say about me.

The first 4 minutes consisted of pairs of numbers and symbols appearing on the page and you have to tick a box to say if they are the same or different. There are 60 questions in this section and I get the impression that it isn't important that you do all of them (I didn't manage it). The last 9 minutes involved pairs of words, you are shown a particular pair and then u have to pick a pair from a choice of 4 that means the same eg army-general is the same relationship as company- director. Some pairs didn't really seem to have anything to do with the the choices listed so I had to guess.

After this I had to phone manpower back, the computer checked my results and said I could come for an interview tomorrow which is fine by me.

Anyone else been subjected to strange selection tests? I hate the do you agree/disagree/strongly disagree/etc ones, I've never got through screening when one of those is involved.

scrooge2008

I've done them in the past and tried to answer the way I think i'm supposed to, rather than what I was actually thinking, i.e that's a stupid darn question.

Sometimes they are personality profiling to see if you are a good fit for the particular role. If you come out with a 'this person should be Director of a Multi National Organisation profile, and they are looking for indians rather than chiefs, then you could fail purely due to your brilliance!

Alternatively, it really does make no sense whatsoever

Had a lovely day yesterday. Took the boys out all day, to the woods and the park. We live in a beautiful area. Felt like the famous five, although I was not organised enough to take the packed lunches and ginger beer, ended up going to Macdonalds and spending £14.00 on what should have been a NSD. :eek:

sackcloth

Well, what a change in the weather. Lucky they had Wimbledon last week otherwise it would have been a disaster...

A bit of a subdued Auntie Sackcloth today, I'm afraid. Unfortunately the sad reality is biting a bit at the moment and I'm desperately trying to sort out the bills and put petrol in the car and eat. Today it all seems just too much... Especially as the electric & gas people are pushing me to have a pre-payment meter and that just seems like the last straw...

So, no walks for the dogs today and I'm going to spend the day updating my CV (again) and putting it onto some new job sites. I've applied for another couple of roles but even so, I'm now worrying about my "nibble" in September and as it's not definite, I'm having a bit of a wobble today. Does this make any sense to anyone???? Or is it just me...???

One funny little thing happened though at the JC. I mentioned that I needed to get my hair cut for potential interviews as it was now really shaggy and out of control. :eek: The gent at the signing on point (oops... typed singing on... wouldn't that be fun! :rotfl:) said that they don't offer that sort of help unless I have a job to go to. However, if I take my JSA letter to the local hairdressers I could ask if they have any concessions for jobseekers. Is it me? I wasn't sure if I could laugh or cry at that suggestion. Can you imagine me going to a really smart salon (or even a crappy one) for a cut and blow dry and asking for a discount? Well, I never. And the gent says that he already asks for a discount at his local barbers - and gets it. Who knew that the JC staff got such benefits?

Oh dear, better take some more tablets... keep positive chaps and chapesses... I'm off to find some scissors... :wall:

Toodles,
Sackcloth.

mizzbiz

sackcloth wrote: »

One funny little thing happened though at the JC. I mentioned that I needed to get my hair cut for potential interviews as it was now really shaggy and out of control. :eek: The gent at the signing on point (oops... typed singing on... wouldn't that be fun! :rotfl:) said that they don't offer that sort of help unless I have a job to go to. However, if I take my JSA letter to the local hairdressers I could ask if they have any concessions for jobseekers. Is it me? I wasn't sure if I could laugh or cry at that suggestion. Can you imagine me going to a really smart salon (or even a crappy one) for a cut and blow dry and asking for a discount? Well, I never. And the gent says that he already asks for a discount at his local barbers - and gets it. Who knew that the JC staff got such benefits?

Oh my god that would be so humiliating. I'd rather shear off my own hair with a rusty breadknife than take my JSA letter to my local hairdressers and ask for charity.

DO they do interview clothes and travel? I heard her mention something along those lines whilst I was dreaming away my time at the Job Centre... but didn't quite listen. I have an interview next week and don't have a suit that fits and no idea how i'm going ot get one :eek: