The Work Thread 2 - Get back to work!

[gaminglegend]

I've been doing interview this week, and I have no problem hiring unemployed people. Though, that might be preferable to the ones who turn up in tracksuits, or can't give an answer to 'Why did you apply to this post?' looking stoney faced yet confused.

This 100%. I’ve been interviewing past two weeks. I used to be when I first started interviewing people a few years ago instantly dismissive if someone wasn’t smartly dressed. Old fashioned perhaps but at least look like you want the role.

I’m a bit more lax now if the personality & interview goes well. That said we should probably teach people how to interview in schools properly. It’s astounding the amount of people who can’t answer questions about themselves; or just even give some made up answer on the spot. Most of the time I’m not going to verify it you make up a story or elongate your previous responsibilities a little
bit. It’s horrific when you try and probe the answers; give them a cheat way into it and they still sit there blank.

It’s the difference between the interview ending in my head within the first 10 minutes or not sometimes.

[That's not a growth]

That reminded me about another rant I've been brewing. I've realised I hate interviews, and specifically the abstract nature of the questions. You go through the effort of filling out pages of information for an application (because most of the time they don't just accept a CV) then once they get to the interview they don't ask you specific questions around your experiences you've detailed - they just throw abstract questions to you, such as "tell us a time you exhibited team work". I'm a very task/problem oriented person, I don't complete a project and think "jolly, that was a good bit of teamwork there chaps" - I would breakdown the task into chunks and work through it, working with others as needed while respecting their current workload's priorities and weighing up against the urgency of this new task. I can clearly map and see a plan for a project and it's potential issues when I'm planning what I need to do to get it completed - but ask me how I showed good team work all I can think of was "I didn't shout at people, and checked their workload before I finalised my plan/forecast".

It also feels like you're primarily going to get people that are prepared for this type of interview - but being ready for an interview feels like a vastly different skill-set than doing the job.

Maybe it doesn't help that there's no set structure where I work - we don't have regular/structured team meetings (such as a daily or weekly catchup), staff don't have 1-to-1s with managers. Job roles are very fluid - people are expected to essentially be able to jump in and out of any task that is required at that moment based on workload - such as quoting for customers, invoicing, checking payments to suppliers, ordering equipment, configuring equipment, contributing to marketing material, designing new products, setting up customer demos, testing new technologies, running through support tickets. Each person in the team will do about 70% of these, so no day - or week - is the same. God, it's exhausting just thinking about it.

Edit: I forgot to say, even if you do come up with a plan it can just be thrown out the window by someone above you because they're disorganised and don't plan ahead and they've just constantly throwing gooseberry fool at you - so you need to prioritise what they've given you.

[DarkRula]

Another thing is any other questions. At a Back to Work course, it was explained to me that you need to have at least one question to ask to show you're willing to understand the company. When it came to the mock interview, I did well in answering (even if stumbling a bit over words), but then it got to any other questions, and even though I knew what I wanted to ask I just hit a dead wall. Something about that question just completely throws me off, even if I plan for it.

[Kezzer]

That reminded me about another rant I've been brewing. I've realised I hate interviews, and specifically the abstract nature of the questions. You go through the effort of filling out pages of information for an application (because most of the time they don't just accept a CV) then once they get to the interview they don't ask you specific questions around your experiences you've detailed - they just throw abstract questions to you, such as "tell us a time you exhibited team work". I'm a very task/problem oriented person, I don't complete a project and think "jolly, that was a good bit of teamwork there chaps" - I would breakdown the task[s] into chunks and work through it, working with others as needed while respecting their current workload's priorities and weighing up against the urgency of this new task. I can clearly map and see a plan for a project and it's potential issues when I'm planning what I need to do to get it completed - but ask me how I showed good team work all I can think of was "I didn't shout at people, and checked their workload before I finalised my plan/forecast".

There is your answer. Just emphasise the respecting of workloads

I agree though, it took me a while to figure out these type of interview questions. Just remember the STAR method:

Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example.
Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.
Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.
Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

You don't even need to answer in the expected way.

one that I was asked:

"Describe a time where you had to explain a very complex topic in a simple way"

I didn't even talk about work for this, I actually just told them about time where I showed a bunch of Colombian children at an orphanage I was volunteering at how to use a DSLR camera (without me being able to speak Spanish and them not knowing English)

After that the interview became about Colombia

I don't know maybe I am really just too laid back at interviews, as I usually end up talk to the interviewers about utter shite that has nothing to do with the interview. A lot of times I will ask them to clarify their question too, even if I understand it just so that they talk bit more and I can maybe tease a bit of info out of them.

[Knoyleo]

Just had notification through about a big off site meeting on Tuesday to update us all on what the next stage of our restructure looks like. Glad they've given us all weekend to stew over it, really good of them.

[Dual]

Just had notification through about a big off site meeting on Tuesday to update us all on what the next stage of our restructure looks like. Glad they've given us all weekend to stew over it, really good of them.

Time to update your CV bro.

[Qikz]

Started off this week with a bang. Got moaned at over slack (I'm on site this week) about a really non urgent ticket that wasn't completed but I was working on it when I discovered we didn't have any leaver policy or anything like that so I didn't want to confirm until it was explained. I bought up the fact it should've been in our notes and apparently I'm supposed to just know it and it's simple and why did I have to reassign it to someone else.

I did over 100 tickets last week with 0 complaints. Why are you on my strawberry floating ass over this 1 wtf

[pjbetman]

That reminded me about another rant I've been brewing. I've realised I hate interviews, and specifically the abstract nature of the questions. You go through the effort of filling out pages of information for an application (because most of the time they don't just accept a CV) then once they get to the interview they don't ask you specific questions around your experiences you've detailed - they just throw abstract questions to you, such as "tell us a time you exhibited team work". I'm a very task/problem oriented person, I don't complete a project and think "jolly, that was a good bit of teamwork there chaps" - I would breakdown the task into chunks and work through it, working with others as needed while respecting their current workload's priorities and weighing up against the urgency of this new task. I can clearly map and see a plan for a project and it's potential issues when I'm planning what I need to do to get it completed - but ask me how I showed good team work all I can think of was "I didn't shout at people, and checked their workload before I finalised my plan/forecast".

It also feels like you're primarily going to get people that are prepared for this type of interview - but being ready for an interview feels like a vastly different skill-set than doing the job.

Maybe it doesn't help that there's no set structure where I work - we don't have regular/structured team meetings (such as a daily or weekly catchup), staff don't have 1-to-1s with managers. Job roles are very fluid - people are expected to essentially be able to jump in and out of any task that is required at that moment based on workload - such as quoting for customers, invoicing, checking payments to suppliers, ordering equipment, configuring equipment, contributing to marketing material, designing new products, setting up customer demos, testing new technologies, running through support tickets. Each person in the team will do about 70% of these, so no day - or week - is the same. God, it's exhausting just thinking about it.

Edit: I forgot to say, even if you do come up with a plan it can just be thrown out the window by someone above you because they're disorganised and don't plan ahead and they've just constantly throwing gooseberry fool at you - so you need to prioritise what they've given you.

Well said. I think you've hit the nail on the head. Interview process is just an exercise in finding the best bullshitter. You've already shown them you can do the job from your application, otherwise you wouldnt be sitting in front of them.

In my experience, the kind of company that operates these sort of interview techniques, are usually full of clueless, lazy dopes, who can barely read or write, not able to use their own initiative and have no common sense....but they are usually compliant. Some of the people i've worked with oin these corporate type places is beyond belief. Yet they get promotions and favourable treatment. Although, it has to be said that most of those getting the favourable treatment are those with kids.

[Hexx]

Anyone experienced being referred to Occupational Health?

[Moggy]

Anyone experienced being referred to Occupational Health?

I had to see one 6 or 7 years ago after I had had a few sickness absences over a period of a year. It was completely pointless, I had been off with a couple of noroviruses and colds so there was bugger all he could do for me other than suggesting I open doors using my elbow to avoid any bugs on door handles.

It ticked the boxes at work though and I guess it makes the bosses feel like they have done something.

[Jenuall]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

[Moggy]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

They are an army of Oblomov’s from Bradford.

I don’t think there is any one definition of what they are, but they are basically there to assess employees health needs. If somebody is suffering from migraines for instance, they might suggest improvements to the office lights. If somebody is stressed, they will assess what can be done to help the employee.

They are bloody useless though when it comes to people picking up bugs, there’s not really any way of stopping people throwing up once they’ve caught a norovirus.

[Hexx]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

As I'm "long term" sick/at risk due to ongoing cornea issues/recovery (even though back at work and 'fine') I've been sent to them to see what suggestions they can make to help my working life easier (and preemptively make suggestions if/when things go wrong)

Doesn't seem to make much difference as issue is eye and if it feels tired/strained I take a break.

I'm also on immune suppressants so they might say things like "Don't lick a sick persons snotty nose" or something banal.

I think/assume they're more help for different types of illness - e.g. someone with stress might be recommended a change to working hours etc but was curious if anyone had experience.

It feels like an HR "doing what we can" thing, but thought I'd ask if anyone had experience.

[Jenuall]

Fair enough, it feels like a term/department that has only emerged in the relatively recent past - most of this sounds like the sort of stuff that I would have put under the "HR" banner. But then basically everything that I don't get is shoved in that pigeon hole!

[Green Gecko]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

As I'm "long term" sick/at risk due to ongoing cornea issues/recovery (even though back at work and 'fine') I've been sent to them to see what suggestions they can make to help my working life easier (and preemptively make suggestions if/when things go wrong)

Doesn't seem to make much difference as issue is eye and if it feels tired/strained I take a break.

I'm also on immune suppressants so they might say things like "Don't lick a sick persons snotty nose" or something banal.

I think/assume they're more help for different types of illness - e.g. someone with stress might be recommended a change to working hours etc but was curious if anyone had experience.

It feels like an HR "doing what we can" thing, but thought I'd ask if anyone had experience.

No, because the organisation doesn't have one or I don't let it on. The same sort of department should look at how to help a disabled person work easier, and implement those sorts of adjustments.

So I sometimes get told, "speak to your occupational health team" and I'm like, "there isn't one"

So tbh it's good that you have one because it is some level of private healthcare which is a nightmare to access.

[pjbetman]

Anyone experienced being referred to Occupational Health?

Yes. What do you want to know?

[pjbetman]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

As I'm "long term" sick/at risk due to ongoing cornea issues/recovery (even though back at work and 'fine') I've been sent to them to see what suggestions they can make to help my working life easier (and preemptively make suggestions if/when things go wrong)

Doesn't seem to make much difference as issue is eye and if it feels tired/strained I take a break.

I'm also on immune suppressants so they might say things like "Don't lick a sick persons snotty nose" or something banal.

I think/assume they're more help for different types of illness - e.g. someone with stress might be recommended a change to working hours etc but was curious if anyone had experience.

It feels like an HR "doing what we can" thing, but thought I'd ask if anyone had experience.

Well, the OH doctor will recommend to your manager that you should be given regular breaks or shorter hours until it's fully recovered. Do you get full pay when off sick (up to 6 months in 12 months)? Have you exhausted that period?

[Oblomov Boblomov]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

They are an army of Oblomov’s from Bradford.

Curses!

You might well have uncovered our latest fascist strategy, paying for people to have professional medical assessments, but you could never dream of fully understanding the entirety of our evil plan to oppress the working classes!

[Hexx]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

As I'm "long term" sick/at risk due to ongoing cornea issues/recovery (even though back at work and 'fine') I've been sent to them to see what suggestions they can make to help my working life easier (and preemptively make suggestions if/when things go wrong)

Doesn't seem to make much difference as issue is eye and if it feels tired/strained I take a break.

I'm also on immune suppressants so they might say things like "Don't lick a sick persons snotty nose" or something banal.

I think/assume they're more help for different types of illness - e.g. someone with stress might be recommended a change to working hours etc but was curious if anyone had experience.

It feels like an HR "doing what we can" thing, but thought I'd ask if anyone had experience.

Well, the OH doctor will recommend to your manager that you should be given regular breaks or shorter hours until it's fully recovered. Do you get full pay when off sick (up to 6 months in 12 months)? Have you exhausted that period?

It'll be 18 months to heal properly assuming doesn't go wrong - but should be business as normal as long as heals.

I've got full pay for a while then discretionary half pay - which I'm on.

Say I don't think I need/want anything - but HR suggested it after it looks like their could be complications (there weren't) a few weeks ago

[Moggy]

I still don't really know what Occupational Health even is!

They are an army of Oblomov’s from Bradford.

Curses!

You might well have uncovered our latest fascist strategy, paying for people to have professional medical assessments, but you could never dream of fully understanding the entirety of our evil plan to oppress the working classes!

Genuinely don’t know if you’re talking about your workplace or the Lib Dem’s.