The Why Don't You Get a Job Thread

[gmoney]

I've gone through a massive upheaval in the last few months. At the beginning of this year I was working in the same unfulfilling retail job I'd been doing for nearly 5 years in the same town I'd been since I was 15. I hated it, but didn't really see any other options and was wary of taking a chance because it's not really in my nature. Whenever I had managed to secure interviews for different jobs sectors I'd blown it spectacularly and it put me off trying it again. One of my best mates from college has been constantly bugging me to move to London, but I'd always rebuffed the idea because it just seemed like too much of a risk given that I had steady employment, and I could only visualise the negative outcomes. When I'd play the scenarios out in my mind, I was always homeless within 3 months. But then I turned 30 at the end of last year and working for the Co-op didn't seem like something I could stick at for the rest of my life anymore. At the end of January this year my mate mentioned me moving to London again, she and her husband were moving to a new place and would have a spare room, and I thought, "fuck it". I went crazy applying for every job available, from jobs in television to working in warehouses, and for some mad reason got an interview and eventually was offered a job for a massive media company. That was only after accepting a job in a warehouse and doing that for a month because I thought I had no chance with the other one. Now I'm earning a shit ton more for doing a job I enjoy, compared to just hanging on for no satisfaction whatsoever. So in short, in 4 months my life has change massively for the positive because I took a massively uncharacteristic gamble. So sometimes it's worth taking a risk. 

 

 

[Keith Houchen]

Nice one, Gmoney, that's great to hear.  Fair play for having the courage to do that.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah, that's great to hear. I don't think I'd have the bollocks to do something like that. And to just think, if you'd not taken that risk you'd probably be looking back in another 5 years, still unhappy in your old job, wondering 'what if?'

 

As Del Boy used to say - "He who dares, wins".

[Mr_Danger]

Any fitness professionals on the board? I'm looking in to getting in to that field since the union at Royal Mail has been pushing for better contracts for those of us on lesser hours arguing that we should have contracts that reflect the hours we actually work, resulting in all our hours being cut to base rate. They're basically expecting us too voluntarily pick up the ot now so they can say they're not enforcing it but I'm too stubborn to do that so I'm exploring other options, like doing my level 3 in exercise and fitness and picking up casual work at a gym.

 

It's been years since I did my level 2 but was just looking for advice on which companies offer the best courses, best type of gym's to work at and funding. As always google can obviously answer these things but I was looking for some first hand experience from any of our trusty forumites.

[Briefcase]

Any good websites for temp work? As in I could be doing various different jobs every weekend? Whether its helping in a hotel, at a wedding etc. 

 

Its possible I may be leaving my job in the coming days so looking at short term options whilst I job hunt. 

[Undefeated Steak]

Bar work's probably your best bet, especially this time of year. Find somewhere with a big beer garden and offer to glass collect. You'll be getting paid to chill out outside most of the weekend, and will likely get paid weekly too. It should be a steadier bit of money for you too if you can get Fri, Sat and Sunday shifts.

[Chest Rockwell]

Might be worth throwing that question in the Fitness thread, Mr Danger.

[Briefcase]

May as well ask here....

 

So I have just left my job and should get my last pay check tomorrow (have checked and I have something pending into my account).

 

However I'm sure I owe them like 80 hours of holiday so can they just take that out of my account in future or do they have to ask me first? 

[SpursRiot2012]

They'll ask you to send it back to them. I have had this happen at a couple companies. I didn't pay it back but I'm in the habit of giving fake references all over the place. If you need a legit reference you'll have to pay it back.

[Briefcase]

They'll ask you to send it back to them. I have had this happen at a couple companies. I didn't pay it back but I'm in the habit of giving fake references all over the place. If you need a legit reference you'll have to pay it back.

 

Cheers. Yeah I get that. Just didn't want money vanishing out of my account, could I offer to pay it back in 48 month instalments football manager style?

[Mr_Danger]

If that's all you can afford. They might sell it as a debt to an agency though if you don't pay when agreed. If it's a big company they might not even bother.

[Briefcase]

If that's all you can afford. They might sell it as a debt to an agency though if you don't pay when agreed. If it's a big company they might not even bother.

 

Yeah its quite a big company, well known brand name. So hopefully they might let me off. I have no real issue paying it back just after a three week holiday and now out of a job the last thing I need is money deducted in one go from my account. 

[hallicks]

After I left M&S, I got a letter saying I owed them £30 for holidays I'd taken. Didn't pay, never heard back.

[Briefcase]

I've been offered a temp office job for four months which sounds quite cool. Does anyone have any experience of temp office jobs? Like does it generally lead onto potential long term jobs if any positions open up? Or is it a risk doing this for four months and then being back on the job market looking for more jobs?

[pitseleh]

Has anyone here worked for Aldi before? I just got offered a trial shift after my interview went well, so it looks like I got it unless I cock up big time. It's full time hours and pays 8.40 an hour, so it looks very promising.