Reply to: Need to get off the bench....

[NickFitz]

Congratulations!

[Scrag Meister]

MPwdi - Have sent you a PM.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Mate. If you need meds you need them. No biggie. They take 6-8 weeks to work in any case. Sometimes first one doesnt work either. Dont delay if doc thinks its right.

8 weeks for counsellor aint bad. Some parts of the country its like 6 months.

I've been on the happy pill for a few days now...

[psychocandy]

Most of this I am doing, I get out every day, one of the main reasons it to pick something nice for dinner. Phone situation doesn't matter as I only have a mobile, no landline.

Not tried meditation yet!

Point 8 is very valid.

Doc said 8 week wait to see a Counsellor.

Mate. If you need meds you need them. No biggie. They take 6-8 weeks to work in any case. Sometimes first one doesnt work either. Dont delay if doc thinks its right.

8 weeks for counsellor aint bad. Some parts of the country its like 6 months.

[quackhandle]

I don't need an overdraft from the company account, if I was in that stage I would really be in trouble as I would have spent the corporation tax money!

Well quite. I meant after all your dues have been paid.

qh

[MPwannadecentincome]

Are you being too precise on your CV? For example 80% plus of my experience is in one niche market but my CV to other areas says "Professional services" as type of industry. I even got one contract in the telecoms industry based on that because the agent thought it was relevant. If you say "20 years of programme management experience in the widget making industry" then the agencies will ignore you for everything else but if you say "20 years of programme management experience in the manufacturing industry" then that opens up many more doors. Even more generically you could simply say "20 years of programme management experience in FTSE 100/250 companies". You may miss niche roles that you're 100% qualified for but you'll be exposed to a market far greater in size.

good point - I need to find a way of widening out the description of "airline and travel" industries!

[craig1]

Thanks for the tip. I'm still working down my linkedin list before getting to this. Also my industry is quite small so not so hard to find out who the CIO and Directors are in the various companies, the problem is the industry is too small to substain so many people and I am competing with people who have experience of other industries as well.

As for targetting other industries, its seems impossible to get in without the experience, part of my linkedin targeting is to find people who can help me change industries.

Are you being too precise on your CV? For example 80% plus of my experience is in one niche market but my CV to other areas says "Professional services" as type of industry. I even got one contract in the telecoms industry based on that because the agent thought it was relevant. If you say "20 years of programme management experience in the widget making industry" then the agencies will ignore you for everything else but if you say "20 years of programme management experience in the manufacturing industry" then that opens up many more doors. Even more generically you could simply say "20 years of programme management experience in FTSE 100/250 companies". You may miss niche roles that you're 100% qualified for but you'll be exposed to a market far greater in size.

[MPwannadecentincome]

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.

House sale is nearing exchange of contracts, so I'd rather borrow from family to pay the next mortgage payments until completion. Besides if I get a payment holiday the ex will get her family to pay the mortgage instead with a charge on the deeds as she is scared that the mortgage company will not honour the payment holiday and throw her out.

Going permie is an option for me it has to be a good permie role I really can't see myself making a long term commitment at a junior level. Not that any company will make any long term commitment to me they cut heads and departments at a whim nowadays.

I have given up customising CV on "job board" submissions. I have 3 CV variants and will use those, saves a hell of lot of time. In fact I am getting just as many calls from agents from these applications as those who have found my CV on the job board or from a submission they may have another role of interest. Once I have spoken to the agent or got a proper job spec then its worth tailoring the CV.

Big issue right now is that I'm considered too senior for many roles, I may have to create a "junior" CV and tone down my linkedin.

Hmmm Egypt, will be nice and warm there!

[MPwannadecentincome]

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 !

I've been looking at the consultancy sites for roles and applied for some - not heard anything.

[MPwannadecentincome]

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?

I will check out jigsaw.com thanks!

Yes I have started applying for permie roles, still rock | hard place situation though - feedback that I am too senior for PM roles yet not enough Senior roles to apply for. At my age I am competing against the larger pool of experienced people still in their late 30s / 40s.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Have you thought of company bank overdraft? A 5k one cost me £200. Take it out in form of directors loan.

qh

I don't need an overdraft from the company account, if I was in that stage I would really be in trouble as I would have spent the corporation tax money!

[MPwannadecentincome]

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.

Most of this I am doing, I get out every day, one of the main reasons it to pick something nice for dinner. Phone situation doesn't matter as I only have a mobile, no landline.

Not tried meditation yet!

Point 8 is very valid.

Doc said 8 week wait to see a Counsellor.

[SarahL2012]

Just flicked over to your profile to see what you do - still haven't got a clue (Programme Manager covers a multitude of sins / industries etc). Might be worth getting something a bit more CV-ish on your profile in case someone here knows of a vacancy that would suit. We're all part of your network!

[MPwannadecentincome]

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.

Thanks for the tip. I'm still working down my linkedin list before getting to this. Also my industry is quite small so not so hard to find out who the CIO and Directors are in the various companies, the problem is the industry is too small to substain so many people and I am competing with people who have experience of other industries as well.

As for targetting other industries, its seems impossible to get in without the experience, part of my linkedin targeting is to find people who can help me change industries.

[MPwannadecentincome]

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?'

Keep the advice coming, its useful!

I've been looking at my list of linkedin contacts, too many to do a personalised message to each, besides 75% of them work at companies I was permie at before and I am in touch with key individuals at those companies. For the remaining 25% I have derived a list of people worth contacting and I have been working my way down this list for the the last couple of weeks.

As for contacts of contacts - phew that's a few million people! I did do a trawl of some of these a few years ago and in the summer when last on the bench and got back in contact with some people I had worked with. This time round it has helped to find agents.

Re posting a thread in "general" - well that's the invitation for mockery board isn't it?