Need to get off the bench....

[MPwannadecentincome]

Almost mid-Jan - yet

It feels like impending doom is coming...

Warchest runs out after January mortgage and bills are paid.

Despite having a new format "functional CV", having used the "Happy New Year" message to lots of contacts as an excuse to ask if they are aware of opportunities (perm and contract), I am no closer to securing any work let alone any interviews.

2 Agents have told me the PM market is a bit "odd" at the moment and that rates are lower than a few months ago.

Even with a toned down Project Manager CV separate from a Programme Manager CV I am still being told I am overqualified for a lot of roles.

Given that it takes a minimum of 7 to 10 days for a CV application to fixing an interview it is very clear that even getting billable days in February will be a challenge.

And by end of Feb, the Former Marital Home will have reached "exchange contracts" stage, the ex wife will be using equity for rent and I will have asked for equity to substain myself and pay minimum credit card payments whilst benched. As final financial settlement court date is not until March I still face the battle of getting any more equity for the longer term. To be honest I was not so bothered about getting lots of equity as I figured I could earn money quick enough, now having been benched almost 6 months in the last 12 months I seriously doubt my capability to earn and will have to fight for whatever equity I can get.

I now have to look at "survival" plans, I will probably have to give up the rented room and move back in with parents (yippee what a nice 50th birthday present that would make!), reduce credit card payments to £1 a month (ruining my chances of getting a mortgage in the future) and tell the kids the child maintenance is now down to £5 a week. For the February mortgage I will have to borrow the money but will have to ask the solicitor to ask the ex to be reimbursed from the house equity. Trying to survive with a job in my line of work doesn't appear to be working so I might have to do a career change.

I will also have to go to the GP for counselling and / or depression pills.

In the meantime I have applied for permanent jobs, joined up contractorclub and dialabrain. I really do need 2014 to be better than tulipe 2013. At least by end March there will not be any mortgage to pay.

[eek]

Don't give up. I usually find something (usually left field) comes just in the nick of time..

[MPwannadecentincome]

Don't give up. I usually find something (usually left field) comes just in the nick of time..

I hope, fingers crossed but its cutting it mighty fine.....

[Damon]

A tough situation and with the emotional turmoil on top this will probably be the toughest period in your life.

The period during my divorce was very difficult and you will be on an emotional rollercoaster as well as the financial pressures.

I can't help you with your situation other than sharing this....your children will love you no matter how things turn out in the short or medium term. I remember thinking to myself **** it I will **** off and go and work in a forest cutting trees down for **** all money, ride my mountain bike in the afternoons and see my kids each week in my bedsit....I trully didn't give a **** about the money as long as I was happy and spent time with my children.

They will feel the same.

And over time you'll get things back on track....my divorce is 4 years ago and I have never been happier and as a bonus financially secure.

HTH

[Old Greg]

It feels like impending doom is coming...

Warchest runs out after January mortgage and bills are paid.

Despite having a new format "functional CV", having used the "Happy New Year" message to lots of contacts as an excuse to ask if they are aware of opportunities (perm and contract), I am no closer to securing any work let alone any interviews.

2 Agents have told me the PM market is a bit "odd" at the moment and that rates are lower than a few months ago.

Even with a toned down Project Manager CV separate from a Programme Manager CV I am still being told I am overqualified for a lot of roles.

Given that it takes a minimum of 7 to 10 days for a CV application to fixing an interview it is very clear that even getting billable days in February will be a challenge.

And by end of Feb, the Former Marital Home will have reached "exchange contracts" stage, the ex wife will be using equity for rent and I will have asked for equity to substain myself and pay minimum credit card payments whilst benched. As final financial settlement court date is not until March I still face the battle of getting any more equity for the longer term. To be honest I was not so bothered about getting lots of equity as I figured I could earn money quick enough, now having been benched almost 6 months in the last 12 months I seriously doubt my capability to earn and will have to fight for whatever equity I can get.

I now have to look at "survival" plans, I will probably have to give up the rented room and move back in with parents (yippee what a nice 50th birthday present that would make!), reduce credit card payments to £1 a month (ruining my chances of getting a mortgage in the future) and tell the kids the child maintenance is now down to £5 a week. For the February mortgage I will have to borrow the money but will have to ask the solicitor to ask the ex to be reimbursed from the house equity. Trying to survive with a job in my line of work doesn't appear to be working so I might have to do a career change.

I will also have to go to the GP for counselling and / or depression pills.

In the meantime I have applied for permanent jobs, joined up contractorclub and dialabrain. I really do need 2014 to be better than tulipe 2013. At least by end March there will not be any mortgage to pay.

You've probably done everything and are pissed off with advice, but...

Have you sent a personalised message to every LinkedIn contact? Have you been through all their contacts to find anyone you've worked with before to do the same?

Have you tried starting a thread in General 'Anyone know of any PM contracts going?'

[craig1]

Last option I can think of to add to my post earlier in the thread, it'll cost you but I know it worked for one friend of mine. Buy yourself a tailored list of senior IT (assuming it's IT you do) or HR people in relevant industries and locations, send them tailored letters offering your services on either permanent or contract terms. For those close to home, offer yourself for a week or three free of charge so that they can see you work. You're not earning anyway so it makes little difference if you're not earning but proving you can do the job.

Obviously tailor it to read "I'm fandabbydozy, just back on the market and really want to work for you so I'll offer you my services free for x time to show you how good I am" rather than "gizzajob, I'm starving and just want any job that'll have me".

The difficulty is that if you send it straight to IT then HR might get sniffy, if you send it straight to HR then IT could just ignore it. I'd preferentially send it to the IT director as if you get their attention then you're in the hands of someone who might be able to change the system just for you.

I've used Electric Marketing in the past for purchasing lists and they seem decent enough.

I hope you get something soon! Best of luck.

[Old Greg]

Another piece of possibly unwanted advice. It sounds like you think you're depressed. You may be (or you may be suffering from anxiety which is similar in many ways - look them up) and getting to the GP is a good step, as are all steps that attempt to tackle it. Some thoughts:

1 What time of day are you getting out of the house in the morning and how much time are you spending out of the house? Try to get out of the house before 9 a.m. every morning, even if it's a walk to park or newsagent and back.
2 How much time are you spending in the house? You need to spend time outside of the house. Is there somewhere where you can do a job search every day. If finances won't stretch to a coffee shop, can you walk to a library with wifi. Not ideal for the phone of course but a lot of what you do is online. You could do the online stuff in the morning and then the phone calls from home in the afternoon.
3 How much time are you spending looking for work. You need work, but 8, 10, 12 hours per day searching may not be effective and may not help your mental health.
4 Are you doing exercise every day? A brisk walk (see 1 and 2) every day may help with your mood.
5 There are useful techniques which have some evidence base (Mrs OG is a scientist in this field) for improving your mood, e.g. meditation, or the related mindfulness if you are not spiritually inclined).
6 Back to the first paragraph, doing something positive to tackle your mood may in itself be useful.
7 Finally, depression and anxiety are a perfectly natural reaction to the very difficult straits you find yourself in, so there is not necessarily anything 'wrong with you' other than your circumstances. However, different people react differently to the same situation (And differently from how they may react at another time), so you may still be right in your instinct to seek help.
8 Finally, finally, I am sure you know that tackling your mood will increase your chances of finding some work.

Best of luck.

[Bellona]

My situation a little better ( 2or so more war chest funds), and I have a bit less emotional distress, but like you I am saddened to see that mid Jan the situation is as bad as Oct/Nov.
The market seems more buoyant ( more to apply for), but interviews elusive and Agents finding it hard to get people to interview and then on boarded.
Are there any Expos or recruitment days/eves you can get to to network .
not ideal, but any consultancy firms hiring you can get in with to tide you over .
I'm sure that, like me, you've exhausted your contacts and tried the usual, and it seems trite yo say, but try and look for something positive out of each day - however small, sometimes we project despair to others without even realising it.
Keep at it - you will get there !

[d000hg]

Last option I can think of to add to my post earlier in the thread, it'll cost you but I know it worked for one friend of mine. Buy yourself a tailored list of senior IT (assuming it's IT you do) or HR people in relevant industries and locations.

If you have time but not money, you can use something like JigSaw.com to dig for such things.

Sorry if I missed it, but you are looking for permie jobs as well right now? What about freelancing work online to bring in at least some money? Or even bar work or all that kind of crud to have an income and keep you busy?

[Bluenose]

MP - Have you phoned the mortgage company asking for a payment break? Usually I find phoning them, talking them through the situation you are in and making different arrangements helps with the stress.

I would definitely apply for permie roles, if they are on good projects or programmes this will help rather than hinder as the paid leave will help when you are trying to re-arrange your affairs. I find it harder re-arranging my affairs as a contractor as free time is at a premium.

I would say that you are more likely to find a permie role than a contract role in this market and it might help you personally by offering you some stability for a time. Getting back into contracting is easy from a perm role.

I have been benched for 6 months before, I can't imagine the stress you must be under with everything else on top, I wish you all the best.

Personally, next time I get benched I am conducting my affairs from a cheap beach front room in Egypt which has good internet access, I will burn less money than staying in the UK.

Just on the market in general, you can tie yourself in circles tailoring your CV, toning it down etc. If you are a Programme Manager, this is a badge of honour that you have earned and I would give the little oinks filtering CV's a two finger salute and keep it proudly on my CV.