Work

[Onyx2]

41 minutes ago, johnnyboy said:

I feel similarly that I'd be like an ape returned to the wild from a zoo.  I'd never survive.

45 gang rise up. Yes I've had the same feelings, "do I stick it out where I am or go into the job market competing with grads who would accept half my salary."

[Mr_Danger]

I got the FedEx job. They’ve already told me I have to come in for training whilst I’m serving my notice period and asked me to pick something up then went home so the thing I needed to pick up wasn’t there.  I’m not even gonna feel guilty about all the work time shitting I’ll be doing on their dime at this point.

The next challenge is to leave Royal Mail without having a leaving do although not turning up to my own leaving do does sound appealing.

[gmoney]

Fuck the leaving do, you've got better, volleyball friends now. 

[Chris B]

It has been a weird few weeks, but with a very positive ending.

So the other month, I vented about the job market on BlueSky and being out of work for six months. Turns out a BBC producer saw it and I ended up on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 to talk about it. Wasn't on for long, but I figured I wouldn't get anywhere by not doing it. I talked about having done hundreds of applications, dozens of interviews, etc - and talked about how a lot of companies are hunting for unicorns, and regulations around workers' rights need to be tightened up. Totally separately, the same week, I had a former boss get in touch and offer me two months of copywriting work at a decent day-rate. So that'll see me through until the New Year.

I've also been going through an interview process with a really nice company (Company A), over the last few weeks - and it just felt good. They pretty much rewrote the job description around me (as I'm more senior than either of the job roles they had on offer, but could more or less do both of them), but a bit of a slow process. I told them about the two-month contract and they were cool with that. So I had a very good feeling about this one. 

Then, on day one of the copywriting job, I get a call from a recruiter about a company (Company B) that ghosted me a couple of months ago - not the one I vented about a little while ago. This one was a big, big name. Like, a career-changing one, even for a short-term contract. I'd done an interview via a recruiter, they said they wanted me and then... nothing. For months. Honestly, that one was devastating when they went silent, even when I gently chased. And they want me to do another interview, also with a view to starting once my contract ends. However, that also means it was downgraded from an offer to another final interview. So I wasn't sure I trusted them or, with how changeable they are, that plans wouldn't change again if they do offer it to me.

So, I let Company A know that Company B had asked me for a final round interview that could affect my availability, so could I do anything to help move things along?

Cue a cultural-fit interview and a CEO interview the following day, and a job offer by the end of the day. I then did the shittest bit of negotiation ever. "Look... off the record, it's a yes, and I'll take it. But I've been told I'm bad at negotiating and I'm trying not to say 'yes' to the first offer. Is there wiggle room, and could you see if you could nudge the finance team up a bit?" And they came back with the salary I'd wanted in the first place. I have no idea how that worked.

So... yeah. Very, very stressful six months looking, but holy shit, everything went crazy these last two weeks, and I'm very relieved and excited.

I also got some very good advice about portfolios a little bit ago, which really helped. I'd taken a 'case study' approach previously, and someone linked their portfolio on Canva - and it's a really good way to approach it. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGPzZEOTHQ/4kPoqE95kQYa-WX-8xfn0w/edit

I've never seen the job market like this before, though. It really feels like there's a jobs crisis that just isn't a discussion, partly because of zero hour contracts and small bits of freelancing meaning people are classed as 'employed', even if they're barely earning. That said, I have seen more postings about jobs recently, so there may be beginning to be an upswing.

Edited December 12, 2024 by Chris B

[SuperBacon]

Great news @Chris B

I'm really pleased you're sorted and sorry you've had such a stressful time of it.

There is a massive skills shortage in so many sectors which needs addressing sharpish otherwise we are heading for some industries (construction being one) where a whole generation is going to retire and there is no new blood coming through.

Half my job is setting up apprenticeships, and trying to see that there is new talent going in, and crucially staying but yeah some are heading for an absolute disaster period.

[Onyx2]

On 12/12/2024 at 5:42 PM, Chris B said:

I also got some very good advice about portfolios a little bit ago, which really helped. I'd taken a 'case study' approach previously, and someone linked their portfolio on Canva - and it's a really good way to approach it. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGPzZEOTHQ/4kPoqE95kQYa-WX-8xfn0w/edit

Excellent news on your front Chris, it's a tough market to stand out in.

I was looking at this portfolio and Canva is such a smart way to do it - low barrier to entry and can knock it up and update in minutes. She's done a cracking job of emphasising and sensationalising stats which are objectively mediocre (1,300 Instagram followers?), and it reads really well. Food for thought.

[DavidB6937]

It's definitely a good way of making things look good. Never seen anyone highlight their LinkedIn numbers though!

[Dr. Alan Grant]

On 12/12/2024 at 6:46 PM, SuperBacon said:

There is a massive skills shortage in so many sectors which needs addressing sharpish otherwise we are heading for some industries (construction being one) where a whole generation is going to retire and there is no new blood coming through.

Mystic Bacon on the money. 

[SuperBacon]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Alan Grant said:

Mystic Bacon on the money. 

Pffft, they're about 3 years behind me, the lags!

Latest figures show that it's just under 300,000 NEW entrants into the sector by 2027. Ain't gonna happen under current models.

[NeverYield]

Don't blame anyone not wanting to go into construction. 

It's the game I've been involved with all my working life, the vast majority of it is an absolute shambles, especially site work.

[SuperBacon]

11 minutes ago, NeverYield said:

Don't blame anyone not wanting to go into construction. 

It's the game I've been involved with all my working life, the vast majority of it is an absolute shambles, especially site work.

Yeah it's absolutely not for everyone, and I do agree. 

[NeverYield]

Definitely not for everyone 100%, I've had some laughs and met some great people through the years but the bad outweighs to good for me most times these days. 

 

[King Coconut]

Queen Coco is currently doing some design work for a small company that does creams that soothe cyclists' arse and gooch region. They're looking for a catchy name for their gunk and they keep asking me because I speak english. Any of you reprobates got any ideas for a name? I wouldn't normally ask here, obviously, but the proximity of this product to the arse made me think you might have some valuable input. The working title is arse cream.

[Just Some Guy]

Gakk for your crack?

My serious answer would be Saddle Salve.

[SuperBacon]

Sore de France.