The Bench - Blog! How do some of you cope and bag an Interview?!

[TheFaQQer]

Thanks for the replies...

Ah I have had a frustrating day atleast the sun was shining... so what can I report.

The jobcentre meeting was pretty much useless... they didnt even serve tea or biscuits but I may be sly and get them to pay for my travel to the interview next week.... They even mentioned having a discretionary fund and they funded for a lawnmower for one person as she was starting a business mowing lawns, someone travel for the first month, shoes...

I then went shopping and spent most of my JSA on the weekly shop. Came back and found the plumber who had let us down twice had not turned up again! Right time to get another plumber...

I called the agent who get tying me along for a PM role at a petroleum giant and after some pressure put on him to just playing me... say it how it was and I was told I didnt make the shortlist... jeez - I thought I was made for that role as well.

On with the search tmrw... but I also promised the gf I'll take her out... choices, choices, choices.... where the heck are the job offerings - is it only me but has this week been pretty quiet on PM and PMO postings

If you are claiming JSA, then they should have no problem funding your expenses to get to an interview. If you push, they may pay for training as long as you can prove that it helps your chances of getting a new job.

I don't know what's been said in the thread, but here's some tips.

Get your CV on lots of jobs boards. Every couple of days, make a minor change to it, so it hits agencies who look for new CVs. Speak to agents that you have worked through before - ring rather than email just to see if they have anything, and to remind them that you are still out there looking. Don't hound them, but a quick chat every so often to remind them you are alive is good.

Keep looking. Keep yourself busy. Study to make sure the mind stays fresh. Read books and magazines - when you are working again, you probably won't have enough time to enjoy them, so do it now while you can.

Whatever you do - DO NOT START PLAYING FOOTBALL MANAGER, OR FARMVILLE. That way leads to many wasted hours not looking for opportunities.

I start a new contract on Monday - last billing day before this one was August 28th. Your time will come, grasshopper.

[northernrampage]

If you are claiming JSA, then they should have no problem funding your expenses to get to an interview. If you push, they may pay for training as long as you can prove that it helps your chances of getting a new job.

WHS. They regularly paid my rail fares between a northern town and London. Had to go in advance to get a travel warrant. They also pay mileage fees for cars. And accommodation to stay overnight in cities... but I think it's something like £30.

There is also a fund for interview clothes, but they have to write out what you will get (well this is what happened where I was). So I had a choice of a top, skirt, shoes, in Dorothy Perkins. The shop ignored my pleas for a grey woollen dress for a cheaper price that would have looked great at interview, but the shirt and trousers I got I could wear to work (just not interview). Better than nothing so can't complain.

There is also a discretionary grant for "work clothes" if you actually get a job. I didn't go for that... as I'd been out of work for aeons I may have got it.

Training... I kept making noises and pointing out courses, but my job centre were dying to get me off their books and didn't seem that forthcoming. I was asking for stuff to do with soft skills though, if you come up with something more relevant to your career perhaps they'll be fine.

[MrHelpful]

Thanks - I will act on that advice then and atleast get travel paid for. I am keeping my mind ticking by watching Countdown when I can but as the IPL (cricket in India) has started this has been great!

Also doing some freelance work and try to learn a new trick each week... so far I've learnt how to create a blog and lots of SEO tricks of the trade. I am going to try and get Google Adword certified next week as a prev client spent 40k last year on google marketing alone... its a relatively small company as well (<2m turnover).. No wonder google are making millions per day.

I want to do a plumbing, mechanic course but I can't find one which isn't a year long. I am planning a road trip in a fortnight where we're going to take a car and hit France, Belgium, Germany.... ohh the pain

[BolshieBastard]

Well, had my hour and half interview this avvie so second interview in a week I suppose (different clients).

Good thing is this client mentioned W3C and DDA which was also part of the job I didnt get so I was clued up and could relate to how my previous experience related to this. I used this as a pre amble to my opening in the interview which seemed to be well received.

Thing is, you come away from interviews thinking 'that went well' but then you dont know if they felt the same even if they indicated the same.

Well, its a wait until next week for this one so plenty of time to sweat over it.

Still looking and applying for stuff as you've just got to keep the momentum going!

Top tip I'd give anyone is apply for anything and everything that has some of your skills in it. At the very least, you may be in the agents mind of near the top of his \ her list when the job that matches most of your skills comes available.

Dont let your head go down (although I know it gets really tough sometimes).

[dang65]

I am planning a road trip in a fortnight where we're going to take a car and hit France, Belgium, Germany.... ohh the pain

Mmmm, I know what you mean. Lovely with a bit of fromage and a drop of vin.

[BolshieBastard]

Hmmm. Had an interview yesterday in which I let it be known I had an interview for a similar project the day previous.

Another agent has contacted me about jobs which they first contacted me about 2 weeks ago.

Client is dragging their feet but should be in a position to say whether they want to interview me or not by end of this week. (There's now 18 roles going so I'd have thought on skills alone I'd stand a good chance of interview unless they go down the route of selecting those who've worked for them before or purely on lowest rate.)


Thing is, should I tell this agent I had an interview or have one lined up to compete with this one or keep it under my hat for now?

If so, what's the committee's opinion when's the best time to play one off against the other?

[FiveTimes]

I want to do a plumbing, mechanic course but I can't find one which isn't a year long. I am planning a road trip in a fortnight where we're going to take a car and hit France, Belgium, Germany.... ohh the pain

How long are you going to be away for ? You might need to tell the job centre and they will class you as unavailable for work and stop your JSA

[gingerjedi]

How long are you going to be away for ? You might want to be sick otherwise they will class you as unavailable for work and stop your JSA

FTFY

[norrahe]

My interview last week went well, got good feedback then waiting for a reply today as to whether its a goer.

They're still mulling it over and want to interview yet another person who doesn't have niche industry experience ( ).

Won't hear for definite till Friday, but i'm not holding my breath, in the meantime, the applications go on....

[gingerjedi]

Thanks - I will act on that advice then and atleast get travel paid for. I am keeping my mind ticking by watching Countdown when I can but as the IPL (cricket in India) has started this has been great!

Also doing some freelance work and try to learn a new trick each week... so far I've learnt how to create a blog and lots of SEO tricks of the trade. I am going to try and get Google Adword certified next week as a prev client spent 40k last year on google marketing alone... its a relatively small company as well (<2m turnover).. No wonder google are making millions per day.

I want to do a plumbing, mechanic course but I can't find one which isn't a year long. I am planning a road trip in a fortnight where we're going to take a car and hit France, Belgium, Germany.... ohh the pain

Thats because you'll need that long to be any good, yes you can grasp the concept in no time if you're of reasonable intelligence but you need the time to go away and practise what you've learnt.

I did an aerospace manufacturing apprentice which lasted 4 years, when I left 12 years later I was still learning from the old boys!

I know its tough when you don't have the luxury of time but you'll just have to bite the bullet and do evening classes.