The Why Don't You Get a Job Thread

[David 3,941]

1 minute ago, Shy Dad said:

Case of "maximum 7000 words explain your skills, qualifications and reasons you'd be good for the job kind thing". There's parts I overlooked without going into enough detail (I was pulled up for not seeming to have enough experience leading teams, when I somewhat undersold the amount of events I run with a team behind me, running my Fringe show and the likes) and that. Looking back, its a bit of a kicker, as I struggle sometimes realising just how much work I put into things so don't believe its a valid contribution to add.

They've got me as the reserve interview if anyone pulls out, so as bad as it sounds, I somewhat hope someone doesn't want the job interview in the next 7 days so I can have a crack at it.

Yeah, when you're given limitations like that you're always going to second guess yourself, thinking about what you could have stressed more or highlighted better.

As you say, you're next in line should someone fall out of the running, which isn't too bad at all. There were probably a good number of people who applied and didn't get anywhere, so you're doing okay mate. 

[SpursRiot2012 397]

I just cannot take sales anymore. I hate waking up at 06:30 in the morning, I hate making sales calls, I hate gatekeepers and snarky decision makers, I hate targets, I hate it all. I'm giving my notice and this time he can't offer me nothing that'll convince me to stay. Fuck this.

[Thunderplex 2,106]

30 minutes ago, SpursRiot2012 said:

I just cannot take sales anymore. I hate waking up at 06:30 in the morning, I hate making sales calls, I hate gatekeepers and snarky decision makers, I hate targets, I hate it all. I'm giving my notice and this time he can't offer me nothing that'll convince me to stay. Fuck this.

Sleep on it, won't be that bad tomorrow.

[SpursRiot2012 397]

9 minutes ago, Thunderplex said:

Sleep on it, won't be that bad tomorrow.

Nah, I've had one foot out of the door for months. He basically had to talk me into staying the last time. I've got other stuff I want to be doing and this, even at only a couple days a week, is a headache I don't need. I will sleep on it, but can't see changing my mind.

[Thunderplex 2,106]

Do you have something else lined up?

[SpursRiot2012 397]

1 minute ago, Thunderplex said:

Do you have something else lined up?

I'm a student. Going into my final year, which is another reason I don't need the headache of this job.

[Thunderplex 2,106]

Well if you can manage financially you might as well just plunge into your studies.

[BomberPat 7,756]

A few years ago, I'd say hold off until you've got something lined up, but as someone who put up with shitty call centre work (that only got shittier over time due to inept management) for years because of a fear of letting people down and a misplaced loyalty in the people who got me the job, and because I didn't have a job lined up to go into, I'd say nothing is more important than your happiness and wellbeing. Absolutely no excuse to keep something in your life that's making you actively miserable more often than not, so if you can afford to sack it off, do it.

[SpursRiot2012 397]

3 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

A few years ago, I'd say hold off until you've got something lined up, but as someone who put up with shitty call centre work (that only got shittier over time due to inept management) for years because of a fear of letting people down and a misplaced loyalty in the people who got me the job, and because I didn't have a job lined up to go into, I'd say nothing is more important than your happiness and wellbeing. Absolutely no excuse to keep something in your life that's making you actively miserable more often than not, so if you can afford to sack it off, do it.

Yeah. I can afford, at least for the next year or so, to leave and still have enough cash to pay all my bills etc. Yeah, I might be a bit more broke in terms of being able to buy graphic novels or games or books, but I'd rather have less money and more free time to write.

[Chest Rockwell 7,626]

7000 words job application essay, @Shy Dad? Fuck that shit!

[gmoney 4,462]

Aye, fuck that. I'm not going over half an A4 page. Nothing's worth that. 

[Slapnut 539]

15 minutes ago, Chest Rockwell said:

7000 words job application essay, @Shy Dad? Fuck that shit!

Yeah, I thought that sounded quite excessive too. That's longer than my dissertation was!

@SpursRiot2012 is this the same employer that kept giving you substantial pay rises every time you tried to hand in your notice? At least try and get a new car or something out of him before leaving.

But in all seriousness, I agree with BomberPat, if it's making you that miserable then sack it off. I've been in a similar position - shitty sales job, unsociable working hours, miserable more often than not - and packing it in was a no brainier for me. Supporting myself financially was difficult afterwards, but if you've got enough to get by then you'll probably be better off in the long run.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Slapnut

[unfitfinlay 407]

3 hours ago, Chest Rockwell said:

7000 words job application essay, @Shy Dad? Fuck that shit!

When my mate worked at an EE shop applicants had do a 15-20 minute presentation about why they wanted a fifteen hour a week, minimum wage, sales job. They ended up shutting the shop down through lack of staff.

I had a trial shift for a Chef's job today and nailed it. It's not quite the stuff I want to do (it's basic pub grub) but it's a step up from my current job, full time and it's local. It feels weird to be leaving my current job though. I've only been there for two and a half years but they've helped me out a lot. I'm only on a 16 hour a week contract though, which was great when I was at college, but not so good now that I'm done.

[CavemanLynn 994]

7 hours ago, SpursRiot2012 said:

Nah, I've had one foot out of the door for months. He basically had to talk me into staying the last time. I've got other stuff I want to be doing and this, even at only a couple days a week, is a headache I don't need. I will sleep on it, but can't see changing my mind.

If he had to talk you into staying, is there nothing you can do to bargain yourself into a better role, improved rates, or professional investment, like short courses you could add to your CV? That is, if you can stand to stay for a bit longer, and provided it doesn't tie you down for ages or a set time. If your line manager wants you in, you might as well see how much you can get out of them.

[SpursRiot2012 397]

Just now, CavemanLynn said:

If he had to talk you into staying, is there nothing you can do to bargain yourself into a better role, improved rates, or professional investment, like short courses you could add to your CV? That is, if you can stand to stay for a bit longer, and provided it doesn't tie you down for ages or a set time. If your line manager wants you in, you might as well see how much you can get out of them.

It's a small business so the MD is my direct manager. The problem he's had is he's found it very difficult to find people who are a) good at B2B lead generation and b) fit in with the group (white, male, like booze and coke). So, even though I know for a fact there's been times he's been really pissed off with me over sickness or whatever, he also doesn't want to lose part of his "core" BDM team. Within our industry, there isn't really anything he could send me on course wise that would also benefit the business, tbh.

And there is no better role, beyond training new people here or there. He also pissed me off today. I think I mentioned before we'd agreed that I'd do some copywriting for the company, freelance. He told me the other day that actually they weren't going to do that anymore. So, today he e-mails me all this copy that he's had admin assistant/recruitment manager write and asks if I can proof it and also "feel free to add stuff or re-write bits you think could be improved." Like, really? You don't want to pay the reasonable rate I offered you for the work, get it done badly during office hours by someone who isn't known for their writing ability, and then send it to me to "proof" for free? Naw.