Support Each Other in Looking For Work - Pt 2

asparagusnextleft

Hi all,

I don't know if anyone remembers me from this thread from last year when I was looking for work and my husband was out of work as well? I'm still in the job that I got in June 2011, I passed my six month probation and got past the magic one year mark too and I'm really happy there.

However, for my husband it's been a very different story. He was out of work for a year before getting eight weeks consultancy work, then two months after that finished he did get a permanent job and all seemed to be fine, we were getting back on our feet properly.

Two weeks ago they sacked him out of the blue. No good reason given, but then they didn't have to as he hadn't quite been there a year. Thankfully his notice period was three months so he is getting three months pay but I am devastated that we're now having to go through all this again, all the worry about bills and having to scrimp and scrape again, not knowing how long we have to make our savings last yet again.

I could scream, I really could

JamesK10

Good for you but bad news for your husband asparagus, he'll need to do whatever he normally does to get his spirits up and get looking for Christmas work, depending on whenever the "season" for consultancy is busy or quiet. With Xmas coming up next the corner we can sympathise with your money not being your own anymore, all over again though I'm cancelling it this year, the new year struggle last January is the last time that will happen.

Halfway through another application, been drilling away at it since 9am so taking a break. Got one acknowledgement and another callback from an agency but for once I'm thinking about the right role out of everything I'm applying for rather than jumping into the first one in a blind panic.

EndlessStruggle

Well I could fill the whole page here with things that have been said and done but after a meeting with my boss I am back to looking for a job from next week. I'm gutted but at the same time relieved I can get away from the bullies and all the stress and anxiety they have been causing. Just wish I could have persuaded my workmate to be a witness to it all but he's scared they will turn on him!

asparagusnextleft

After my slightly gloomy post yesterday, there is some positive news today. My husband had a telephone interview and has been invited in for a face to face interview next week, and my big boss told me to apply for a job on a higher grade that has come up in our office :j

surreybased

I've been a lurker on here but feel I'll need to join for the support. I've just started a job (which I did know would not be suitable) however I went against my instinct because I was desperate and now know I've made a poor decision. It's a very stressy job, which is exactly what I didn't want and absolutely no one speaks to me all day. It's 'normal' for my team, it seems, although the rest of the company still fine and they will say Hi when I et a coffee. I always make the effort to say good morning but it's just ignored.

I'm not sure what to do - I'm searching for jobs but nothing is around which is why I went for this role.Arghhh, I really need a job as I'm likely to be a single mum soon so I need to provide for my son.

I know I've got great skills but in some ways I'm viewed as being too senior which in my 40's isn't seen as positive.

Some of the posts here are inspirational - well done to everyone who has a job. I really wish you the best of luck.

JamesK10

Good news Asparagus.

Spending almost 10 hours on one app form midweek finally did me in and yesterday when I woke up I only did the best one of the bunch, just to keep up the daily output of apps. Doing the same again today and will get on the rest at the weekend.

Surreybased - I edited my rant earlier, but compared to some of the stories I've read in this work folder, nobody speaking to you would be heaven to some! Either they're not a friendly firm or people just have the tunnel vision of thinking they need to look busy and chit-chat might be mistaken for laziness. If you're still quite new and you've introduced yourself to all of them, then save any other attempts at integrating until staff need to work with you and they can take the time to get to know you then. Don't let them chase you out of there if they really are as miserable as you say, you need the money!

If they're not looking to make cuts and you have a six month probation period then it's a hell of a lot easier looking for work from Spring to Autumn. Winter, forget it, since the Xmas temp army thrown out in January always give you instant competition for the few full time posts that come up.

joyce63

EndlessStruggle wrote: »

Well I could fill the whole page here with things that have been said and done but after a meeting with my boss I am back to looking for a job from next week. I'm gutted but at the same time relieved I can get away from the bullies and all the stress and anxiety they have been causing. Just wish I could have persuaded my workmate to be a witness to it all but he's scared they will turn on him!

I'm really sorry to hear the job didn't work out for you. Something better is round the corner.

I spent over a year looking for a half decent permanent job, though fortunately I was working most of that time. I finally started my new job 2 months ago. Just keep plugging away

joyce63

surreybased wrote: »

I've been a lurker on here but feel I'll need to join for the support. I've just started a job (which I did know would not be suitable) however I went against my instinct because I was desperate and now know I've made a poor decision. It's a very stressy job, which is exactly what I didn't want and absolutely no one speaks to me all day. It's 'normal' for my team, it seems, although the rest of the company still fine and they will say Hi when I et a coffee. I always make the effort to say good morning but it's just ignored.

I'm not sure what to do - I'm searching for jobs but nothing is around which is why I went for this role.Arghhh, I really need a job as I'm likely to be a single mum soon so I need to provide for my son.

I know I've got great skills but in some ways I'm viewed as being too senior which in my 40's isn't seen as positive.

Some of the posts here are inspirational - well done to everyone who has a job. I really wish you the best of luck.

Sorry to hear your job isn't that great - I recently started a new post which is a lot more stressful than I'd expected, but I'm just trying to get my head around what I need to learn and hope once I have the knowledge it'll be easier to manage all the stuff I have to do. Fortunately I'm not expected to know it all straight away, and my colleagues are friendly.

It's very difficult when people aren't friendly in workplaces, but I'd advise you to try to stick with it if you can, while looking elsewhere. Keep chatting to people and maybe ask the ones who do speak to you if they want to meet up at lunchtime. I know how awful you feel when you say "morning" to a deathly silence but they're the ones at fault, not you!

I wouldn't advise jacking it in with nothing to go to. Maybe go to a few agencies and see if they have anything?

I'm also in my 40s and felt my age went against me when going for some jobs, but I got there in the end and you will too

JamesK10

Interview today, turned out to be an agency, had to check and I applied to them around the time of the last interview. Renewed contact with another agency that I signed up to around that time and now have the right idea on how to make that contact work, no point joining agency after agency ad infinitum if you get spiked and nothing's going to happen.

The app I did today to start the catchup received an immediate acknowledgement which made me feel better, as I don't want to get two days behind on new stuff ever again during busy season. No word on the bigger application forms so I'll log back in to those sites and check on them at the end of this week.

JamesK10

Telephone interview tomorrow, just glad to be getting somewhere after a barren spell. There's also a dissertation-style application form to do from today and at least 10 other good'uns to get on with on the main job list. Glad the tide is turning although I'm aware it's the season, September to December's always felt busier for full time work.

Hope that there's progress for the rest of you, to be honest even once I get a job I wouldn't stop the general job alerts and emails from coming through, depending on the type of job on offer.