The Work Thread

PostThe Work Thread by **Dig Dug** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:07 am

I saw this argument rage on in the gaming section so I thought it would be better off here in off topic.
Anyway we all know the economy is strawberry floated and businesses are shutting down everywhere and people losing their jobs.
I know it isn't healthy to think about such things but we need a thread about it because there are still people who fail to understand how bad things are, that or they choose to ignore it.

Anyway I've been job hunting for 8 months now after deciding that I wasn't going to take a hand down job from family (It was a full time job anyway, the type you can't do while in college) , I wanted to make my own way and do it honestly at the same level as everyone else, being a student I have learned a sad truth, there are few jobs, even less for someone like me who is in full time education, the best I am hoping for is a retail job, at the moment I am considering applying for half a dozen jobs at the local aquarium even though these jobs will only be temp jobs for the summer, even then I will be limited to what kind of things I could do there.
I don't find the situation depressing but it is bothering me to a degree, and I also need money, at the moment I am getting ready for my driving test next week and I am very, very close to being completely broke, if I don't pass that test I don't know what I am going to do but that is just a personal issue and it doesn't bear meaning to the topic at hand.

But yes all you people who have jobs I hope you are really grateful for what you have because I envy you and I hope people on here realize that things are not as black and while as it seems, there are jobs at the moment but you can't just walk in and expect them, they are mostly jobs people don't want to do or are not suited to (care worker), it isn't as simple as doing the night shift at tesco, the world doesn't work like that.

YouTube · PostRe: The dead job market. by **Green Gecko** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:13 am

Cool story bro.

Job market is impenetrable.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Bunni** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:31 am

I'm quitting my job since I can't fit it around class too. I'm taking back my old job on an as required basis. It means I can pick when I want to work, but also means I won't necessarily be earning the same amount each month. Weekly pay is a bonus though. I know what you mean though. I'm lucky that I have this fall back job, but it does mean a Glasgow-London commute twice a month.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Holpil** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:33 am

Should have taken the family job. There's nothing dishonest about getting work through someone you know, in fact who you know is often the main factor in successfully getting a job.

Also, as I work for a CVS I should tell you that volunteering is a good route to gaining part-time experience, if you can tie it in to what you're studying then even better. I've seen many people taken on for part-time jobs after spending some time volunteering.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **D_C** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:36 am

I've found there's plenty of work experience to do to get yourself better skills and references. If need be you can do that and claim JSA so you're at least getting something. Better than sitting at home twiddling your thumbs.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Tafdolphin** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:38 am

I'm planning on quitting my job soon and going into...well, nothing.

I don't like this thread.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Mommy** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:24 pm

I've been unemployed for 1 day in 24 years. Lucky I suppose, but also had the sense to do a proper apprenticeship as a youth. Proper grounding helps too. People seem to be reluctant to leave education these days and end up educated to the gunnels but with no real-world experience. The country needs more apprenticeships.

PostThe dead job market. by **aayl1** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:29 pm

Mommy wrote:I've been unemployed for 1 day in 24 years. Lucky I suppose, but also had the sense to do a proper apprenticeship as a youth. Proper grounding helps too. People seem to be reluctant to leave education these days and end up educated to the gunnels but with no real-world experience. The country needs more apprenticeships.

Yeah, my Dad did an apprenticeship straight after his O levels, an was basically set for life.

Holpil wrote:Also, as I work for a CVS

Hey, so do I! Which one do you work for?

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Andrew Mills** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:51 pm

Another option is looking at what skills/interests you already have and apply that to S/E work around either other commitments, or if you're unemployed, then you're pretty free to go. Reminds me of my Brother-in-law who has thousands of pounds in professional photography gear and sat for over a YEAR whinging about how he couldn't find any work (yet he couldn've restarted pimping his previous wedding photo work and started doing that again over the busy summer period). I even offered him use of my MAC, iphone App code AND iphone developer account to see if he could come up with some ideas, but no. He just frankly couldn't be arsed (but still complained).

Getting a 'steady' FT job is a challenge in itself, but up-skilling yourself to do something for yourself is very possible (even with little to no capital), it just takes perserverance and determination.

Personally, I'm on a secondment with no guarantee of a better job by the end of July. My current options are:

1). Go back to a branch, lose 40% of my current wage and hate it with a seething passion (thus come home miserable AND poorer).

2). Hope to get employed doing guide work F/T via GamerGuides.com (is still a possibility - and my preferred choice tbh).

3). Go into self-guide writing if option 2 is a no-go and look to write for official guide publishers and publish my own guides digitally again. This - whilst not a guaranteed level of income - is still a solid option (as far as I'm concerned) as I still technically run my own Limited company, so I'll never be unemployed if I don't have to be. But I know my wife's less than a fan of this option and thinks that by just applying for jobs I'll get somewhere externally. :lol:

I'll apply externally soon as well, but quite frankly, I sure as hell don't fancy my odds (even with a pretty damn solid CV). I'm even struggling internally, regardless of the networking and contacts I've made.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **jambot** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:02 pm

PostThe dead job market. by **Dblock** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:08 pm

Dig Dug wrote:I saw this argument rage on in the gaming section so I thought it would be better off here in off topic.
Anyway we all know the economy is strawberry floated and businesses are shutting down everywhere and people losing their jobs.
I know it isn't healthy to think about such things but we need a thread about it because there are still people who fail to understand how bad things are, that or they choose to ignore it.

Anyway I've been job hunting for 8 months now after deciding that I wasn't going to take a hand down job from family (It was a full time job anyway, the type you can't do while in college) , I wanted to make my own way and do it honestly at the same level as everyone else, being a student I have learned a sad truth, there are few jobs, even less for someone like me who is in full time education, the best I am hoping for is a retail job, at the moment I am considering applying for half a dozen jobs at the local aquarium even though these jobs will only be temp jobs for the summer, even then I will be limited to what kind of things I could do there.
I don't find the situation depressing but it is bothering me to a degree, and I also need money, at the moment I am getting ready for my driving test next week and I am very, very close to being completely broke, if I don't pass that test I don't know what I am going to do but that is just a personal issue and it doesn't bear meaning to the topic at hand.

But yes all you people who have jobs I hope you are really grateful for what you have because I envy you and I hope people on here realize that things are not as black and while as it seems, there are jobs at the moment but you can't just walk in and expect them, they are mostly jobs people don't want to do or are not suited to (care worker), it isn't as simple as doing the night shift at tesco, the world doesn't work like that.

Please don't be offended by this but are you from Asia?

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Outrunner** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:11 pm

I'm lucky in that I have a job but I'm desperate to leave. I'm a bit stuck for options though. I'd like to go into some sort of information provision job as it'd make sense given my 10+years in libraries. Unfortunately the sort of thing I want to do (Connexions, Citizens Advice etc) or the places that are getting hit with cuts in funding.

My other option is getting completely retrained in animal care but in the current financial climate I can't afford to quit work or drop hours to do it.

Ideally I'd want something in places before job cuts really start hitting the authority I work for.

Outrunner wrote:I'm lucky in that I have a job but I'm desperate to leave. I'm a bit stuck for options though. I'd like to go into some sort of information provision job as it'd make sense given my 10+years in libraries. Unfortunately the sort of thing I want to do (Connexions, Citizens Advice etc) or the places that are getting hit with cuts in funding.

My other option is getting completely retrained in animal care but in the current financial climate I can't afford to quit work or drop hours to do it.

Ideally I'd want something in places before job cuts really start hitting the authority I work for.

I can only use my local CAB as a reference point (as I work very closely with them), but it seems the only way to get a job with CAB is to do a significant amount of volunteering for them first. My local CAB is having trouble finding volunteers at the moment due to the fact that they would be expected to commit at least 18 months because of all the training involved.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Bunni** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:22 pm

If anyone's interested, there loads of jobs going with NHS Professionals. It's care work (without the wiping arses) pays well, and you pick your shifts. You could even work with Denny! :fp:

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Alex** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:23 pm

I only graduated last summer, but I am finding it very tough going. I'm still holding out for a graduate position so that I can get up the ladder and make the most of my degree. However it is taking up a lot of my time and it's draining as a process. Last week I was at the final stage of the recruitment process for a job. I did well, got good feedback and didn't get a job as there weren't enough positions available. With another company I have passed all of their assessments but haven't been put forward for an actual position yet. I started that application in May last year.

The problem is it's easier to apply for these than other jobs. My most recent work was as a Christmas temp for Game. I have been applying for jobs daily, not being especially picky, but a lot of work is office based and without any office experience people aren't willing to take you on. It's frustrating as the duties listed are well within my abilities and I can't even get unpaid intern work at the moment.

At the moment it looks like I'm going to have to move back in with the parents, which really doesn't appeal.

Bunni wrote:You could even work with Denny!

Not sure if want...

PostRe: The dead job market. by **gaminglegend** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:32 pm

I'm going to be a banana split and say there are jobs there if you want them, it's just you may have to suck it up and do something that you think is "beneath" you for a while.

gaminglegend wrote:I'm going to be a banana split and say there are jobs there if you want them

And you'd be wrong. There are far, far fewer jobs than jobseekers. By an order of magnitude.

PostRe: The dead job market. by **Hank Scorpio** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:36 pm

gaminglegend wrote:I'm going to be a banana split and say there are jobs there if you want them, it's just you may have to suck it up and do something that you think is "beneath" you for a while.

There obviously isn't. I've been looking for the last 2 years non stop and found strawberry float all.

The Work Thread

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