Life on the bench: in my dressing gown

[RichardCranium]

Have you got to the stage where a 'perm' job may be a viable option?

Yep. I'm applying for them too.

I have only had one response to them so far (but then they do move very slowly).

I applied for one perm role through Crapita. About a week later I got a call from one of their droids with "secondary questions" which were things not in the original advert, job spec and person spec. I asssume they were inundated with applications and were making up criteria to reduce the shortlist. I answered all the questions successfully and the droid said I'd hear about an interview in due course.

I came off the telephone and while I was happily telling Mrs RC about the call - and she was making noises about celebrating getting an interview - I got the "Not suitable" email from them.

He must have sent it during or immediately after the call.

[NickFitz]

I am assured I will hear on Monday whether I have an interview for this role. It does not seem likely; the agent says (by email, I can't get him on the telephone) he had an excellent response to the 'revised' job description.

If the client is already aware of you, might not they want the agent to add you to the mix?

If you have contact details for the client, and the agent tells you that "on this occasion you have not been selected blah blah blah" then it may be worth calling the client - I wouldn't put it past a pimp to have told them you are "no longer available" so they can milk more from supplying a less suitable candidate. Letting the client know that the perfect candidate is, in fact, still available but has been deliberately excluded by the pimp may lead to the pimp having some awkward explaining to do, and perhaps even losing the chance to fill the position because of their proven dishonesty and manipulation for financial gain.

Whether it gets you the gig or not, screwing them over if they try to screw you over might at least cheer you up a bit

[RichardCranium]

If you have contact details for the client,

Sadly, I have not. I know the name of the government agency, but that is all.

In other cheerful news, I went to a conference on Wednesday. I chatted to an IT manager who has been out of work for 16 months, an investment banking project manager contractor who has been benched since November and a developer in his 50s who has given up looking for work and his wife is now the bread-winner. So that all made me feel much more positive. Not.

[MrMark]

I've been watching the Labour Party conference this morning. Yikes, they're so out of touch it's unbelievable. I know you get the tribalists at all party meetings, but there's no sense in any of the speakers here that maybe they've got things a little wrong, no calls to Gordo to get his act together. It's all "Gordo saved the world, the Tories are bad and evil, Tax the greedy, help the needy".
Cameron must be over the moon.

[RichardCranium]

I am bored today. Bored of reading gig descriptions. Bored of reading badly written gig descriptions. Bored of reading badly written gig descriptions that have an entry hidden near the end that prevents me applying.

"Trilingual"
"Must have recent automotive industry experience"
"Must not have IT project management experience"
"Qualified chartered accountant"
"Medically trained"

[TimberWolf]

Sadly, I have not. I know the name of the government agency, but that is all.

In other cheerful news, I went to a conference on Wednesday. I chatted to an IT manager who has been out of work for 16 months, an investment banking project manager contractor who has been benched since November and a developer in his 50s who has given up looking for work and his wife is now the bread-winner. So that all made me feel much more positive. Not.

I went to a palaeontology symposium on Saturday. I just walked in as it appeared something interesting was going on, and didn’t notice everyone else wearing badges until later. It was interesting to see how keen these people are in their field though. It comprised mostly of boards of fossil pictures and people chatting enthusiastically around them, and I expect talks came later. Can't say I'd be as keen to go to an IT conference.

[DS23]

I am bored today. Bored of reading gig descriptions. Bored of reading badly written gig descriptions. Bored of reading badly written gig descriptions that have an entry hidden near the end that prevents me applying.

"Trilingual"
"Must have recent automotive industry experience"
"Must not have IT project management experience"
"Qualified chartered accountant"
"Medically trained"

yer. why do they do that? a perfect job-fit with a reasonable rate and the last sentence will be "must be fluent in polish" or "must have own diesel railway engine" or "hemaphrodites only". grrr. why don't they put the showstoppers at the start?

[zamzummim]

I started reading this amazing book yesterday, it’s a sort of philosophical book, it teaches one to see and view things in different angles, also not to take anything one has for granted, even the ability to see, think and speak. One really good paragraph was asking the reader to wonder why builders, farmers(e.g. fruit pickers) gardeners etc appear so happy when they are at work, they were traditionally singing songs while they do the hard work they are doing… seems hard work does bring a sense of achievement, satisfaction and contentment. So if you are feeling low today, go and work your sox off, idol hands will only bring you misery. Just do any work you can, it will make a big difference.

[RichardCranium]

I am assured I will hear on Monday whether I have an interview for this role. It does not seem likely; the agent says (by email, I can't get him on the telephone) he had an excellent response to the 'revised' job description.

I have had the call. "They are interviewing on Wednesday - just two people. You are not one of them."

[Zippy]

I have had the call. "They are interviewing on Wednesday - just two people. You are not one of them."

Bugger!