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Deleted user 21 May 2019 22:44:44

@Khanivor keep at it lad

Rogueywon 21 May 2019 23:22:08 12,387 posts
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Trowel wrote:
Sorry to hear that. My recent experience with agencies has also been mixed at best - some proactive, others talk a good game but are then impossible to get hold of. Espceially frustrating for you if you're not even getting feedback on why they think you're not suited to a role - it should be in their interest to place you after all! When I was made redundant my first port of call was the specialist agencies thinking they'd get me straight into something, but I've found them the hardest to deal with - unexpectedly my best experiences have been with the larger general agencies, e.g. Hays were straight on the ball with something suitable; may just be a training thing, may be different reward models.

Recruitment consultants are cunts.

We stopped using them about three years ago and we'd been phasing them out for two years before that. We actually got better results when we ran the recruitment competitions ourselves, did some sensible advertising and reached out via professional networks and the like. We got a couple of junior staff (earning around Ł30k/year) to spend a fraction of their time on it and they were outperforming consultants who were charging us Ł60k per competition.

And just last week, I was talking on the phone with my usual contact at one of our suppliers and he complained that he'd had a recruitment consultant phone him up and say she was looking for applicants for a job with us.

The whole sector is borderline fraud these days.

Edited by Rogueywon at 23:23:31 21-05-2019

Deleted user 22 May 2019 10:07:34

I think it depends what agency you use. Some are utterly useless, but there are some decent ones out there. It's useful to remember that even the decent ones aren't working for you though, their client is the company that's paying them, and you're the product they're trying to sell. They don't have your best interests at heart, but as long as you're aware of that then it can still work out well.

Trowel 23 May 2019 16:35:43 24,512 posts
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Soooo, does anyone have experience of being a Civil Service contractor? Leaving Brexit aside, what's it like? (looking at working in digital in one of the departments BTW)

Edited by Trowel at 16:44:22 23-05-2019

Darth_Flibble 23 May 2019 17:34:42 5,592 posts
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Nearly all Recruitment consultants are cunts, its rare to find one that is a decent human being. On reed now, most don't let submit a covering letter now, a cover letter is really useful and helpful. I guess they don't want them as there really isn't a job, they just want CV info to sell

Had 4 job interviews between by applying directly to companies since later april and may and got 2 second interviews. Nothing from recruitment agencies I've applied for. Especially with graphic design, these agencies need to know which Adobe programs do what and most don't. In feb I spoke to one of these idiots and no idea Indesign is used for magazines and not video creation! FFS!

There is specialised design job agencies but most of the jobs are in London, but they focus on top design agencies

Dougs 23 May 2019 18:07:11 100,414 posts
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Trowel wrote:
Soooo, does anyone have experience of being a Civil Service contractor? Leaving Brexit aside, what's it like? (looking at working in digital in one of the departments BTW)

IT support/supply side, policy or delivery/project management?

Trowel 23 May 2019 18:14:01 24,512 posts
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@Dougs Delivery.

Dougs 23 May 2019 18:21:39 100,414 posts
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Ah, in which case, BDUK have loads of cash!

Dougs 23 May 2019 18:22:11 100,414 posts
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I would say PM me but...

Jono62 23 May 2019 18:54:39 27,356 posts
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@Dougs Are you both on Discord? You can PM there.

Trowel 23 May 2019 19:36:55 24,512 posts
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@Dougs Are you on Twitter?

Load_2.0 23 May 2019 21:21:53 33,582 posts
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I'm not a fan of cover letters. If I'm recruiting for 20-30 jobs with some vacancies getting 100+ applications what I need is a clearly laid out CV with their experience and skill set. Ideally tailored to align to the core competencies of the role.

Initial screening is one element of the process and in reality most CVs get about 5 - 10 seconds of my time while I'm weeding out the dross.

IMO your time is better spent working on creating individual CVs rather than a cover letter.

Darth_Flibble 23 May 2019 21:36:47 5,592 posts
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Thankfully CV is good and stands out and been told that at several interviews

I understand letter can be extra time to read through but once you weed out the dross, still think its helpful for people to learn more about the person

Trowel 28 May 2019 10:27:09 24,512 posts
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Right, I'm doing this. I'm becoming a civil servant. Pays a fortune, and nothing Brexit related thank God. Will no doubt bump the contractor thread with some questions.

Good luck to all in this thread. It's a grind, but job hunting is a numbers game and if you keep going yours will come up.

Dougs 28 May 2019 10:33:36 100,414 posts
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Trowel wrote:
@Dougs Are you on Twitter?

Sorry, I'd missed this. DM me @Dougsey

Dougs 28 May 2019 10:45:30 100,414 posts
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Actually, it's the same on discord

BillMurray 4 Jun 2019 13:32:45 9,736 posts
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Still losing my job at the end of next year but got a sort of promotion to a QA position till site closes and thought maybe if I enjoy it I'd see about going into that field of work afterwards.

I can safely say after only a week and a half of looking at spreadsheets, SOPs and QA manuals that I never, ever want a job like this for more than a year. It's just so fucking boring.

nudistpete 4 Jun 2019 13:42:42 1,273 posts
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BillMurray wrote:
I can safely say after only a week and a half of looking at spreadsheets, SOPs and QA manuals that I never, ever want a job like this for more than a year. It's just so fucking boring.

Surely the fun part of QA is auditing people and making them squirm when you realise everything they're not doing to the SOP's?

BillMurray 4 Jun 2019 15:27:56 9,736 posts
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nudistpete wrote:

BillMurray wrote:
I can safely say after only a week and a half of looking at spreadsheets, SOPs and QA manuals that I never, ever want a job like this for more than a year. It's just so fucking boring.
Surely the fun part of QA is auditing people and making them squirm when you realise everything they're not doing to the SOP's?

Aye that's true. It's just all going well over my head as somebody who has never taken the slightest bit of notice to SOPs and all of that junk or even had a role at work aside from lab lackey. I'm used to emptying the bins and receipting samples. I'm currently writing a load of CAPAs and I've never even seen a CAPA form before.

Rhaegyr 2 Dec 2019 10:42:50 5,499 posts
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Received my redundancy notice on Friday - they've created three 'new' roles which they're expecting me and a two others to apply/fill but my prideful side is fighting my practical side every step of the way.

It does give me an opportunity to top the guy who brought a clown creating balloon animals in the meeting.

TechnoHippy 2 Dec 2019 12:34:23 19,245 posts
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@Rhaegyr Sorry to hear that - do you want to try and stay there? If so, don't let your pride get in the way!

TechnoHippy 2 Dec 2019 12:34:23 19,245 posts
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Post deleted

Deleted user 2 December 2019 12:43:16

fix

Rhaegyr 2 Dec 2019 13:09:04 5,499 posts
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@TechnoHippy

Thanks for the reply and condolences!

I'm trying not to let pride get in the way and god knows it's easier to find a job whilst in work than out of it. Plus I'm only 18 months into a 30 year mortgage and I could definitely do without the stress of worrying about that.

Frogofdoom 2 Dec 2019 13:13:35 17,973 posts
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Yeah go for one of the jobs and then immediately start looking elsewhere would be my suggestion. Unless your payout is tasty and it's easy to get another job where you live.

Technoishmatt 2 Dec 2019 13:14:54 5,365 posts
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Why dont they just move you into one of the roles? Doesnt making you redundant and then rehired cost them a severance package?

TechnoHippy 2 Dec 2019 15:15:26 19,245 posts
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@Rhaegyr Best of luck with whatever you decide :-)

Frogofdoom 2 Dec 2019 15:25:36 17,973 posts
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@Technoishmatt no because you stay employed with the company they just move your role.

Dougs 3 Dec 2019 08:31:45 100,414 posts
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Yes, and no. Although I am on the cusp of binning it because if redundancy was on the cards, there would be a voluntary severance scheme (which would be more attractive than compulsory). I'd have to take it in order to protect my length of service.

Countdown to Unemployment thread • Page 102