The Mock Turtle

Oh very nice both of you! Not that I'm surprised that it turns out you're good at your jobs

That’s really good news, Ella & Dands.

Thank you! I’ve spent so much time recently having no idea how well or badly I’ve been doing at this .

Well done, Ella, I am glad they have recognised how good you are.

Dandelion, I'm so happy that you're feeling more settled in your job.

I love those updates Ella and Dande!

I've had some exciting news and I keep thinking about how happy it's making me so I'm putting it here, mostly because it is all thanks to our very own Rebs

A year ago she suggested me to a small company that provides diversity training (as a freelance administrator). It started off as 8 hours a week and in the past year the hours they've wanted has doubled and they've tried to hire me as a payroll employee a couple of times. They are now wanting to make me their P.rojects M.anager and to say I'm chuffed is an understatement. It is a small team which manages to be as professional as a huge one. They have an all female leadership team And they are warm, smart, professional, friendly and progressive. I just bloody love them. I never wanted to be an employee again but I can't turn it down. I'm going to be leading their project delivery. Like an actual professional person. I've built myself a brand new office (cheugy as fuck and I LOVE it). I never thought I'd be able to have a job like this and I'm basically pleased as punch

Fantastic news, Luce!

Nice one!

Luce! That's brilliant news. Well done, you must have seriously impressed them over the past year.

So I originally wandered on to this thread to do a WWYD.

I was contacted by a recruiter on Linked In who said she was looking for actor-facilitators for work in central London (made a change from people trying to flog me marketing videos or pensions).

But when she sent me the link, it's for a f/t permanent role and the salary is ATROCIOUS, not just for central London but for the experience and responsibilities they are expecting. I played around on I-resign and the gross daily salary is about a third of my average day rate, and I worked out they're basically offering the London Living Wage.

It's for the civil service shared services wotsit - no surprises there - and clearly they're just trying to massively cut costs by ripping off actors (because Fatima should work in cyber and we must all be desperate after covid)

So, should I just roll my eyes and ignore it or apply and then demand double the salary.

Well done Luce!

Is there anyone you can chat to about the salary, Rebs? If it's a government thing they might not have much leeway and so it might be a waste of time to apply if it's far from what you'd accept.

That's great news, Luce!

Unless you think the job could lead to a better paid role, or they're negotiable on the salary, I wouldn't bother, Rebs.

Please ignore me as I know nothing about these things really but if you have nothing else to lose, I'd be talking to them about the salary in a 'why not' kind of capacity. I'm sure they're well aware but maybe if there is enough pushback it might be kept in mind next time. I dunno. It depends how much of your time will be taken up by applying.

Surely you'd need to ask them to triple it? I wouldn't bother, personally.

I'd just have a chat with them about salary - it's ten minutes out of your day, and if there's no room for manoeuvre it's no great loss - and the recruiter can keep you in mind for anything else that might come up in the future.

In the meantime, well done Luce!

Thanks chaps, I think I will try and chat to the internal recruiter named on the job ad, which is who the Linked In person basically handed me off to once she'd reeled me in and sent me the link "Any questions, ask C" style.

Because I've done loads of roleplay work for them over the years I know the civil service mostly work in bands and that there's unlikely to be much flexibility. I do feel it needs to be challenged but better to do that before I put in the work to apply, yes.

lazzbo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 01, 2021 2:51 pm Surely you'd need to ask them to triple it?

I probably should except the reality is I rarely work a five day week.

Ha! A good point, well made. As a fellow freelancer, I know there's no point in me ever trying to go in-house because my salary would fall through the floor. I have just managed to take four weeks off, in the traditional French way, though, so I shan't complain.

I have some pleasing news of my own. One of my ex-students asked me to do a small amount of hourly-paid teaching on her MA course at another uni. I agreed because I thought it would be a good think to put on my CV etc, but I know that HP teaching is notoriously bad. I've just had a chat about finances with her manager, and they are paying me about 6 times what I'd pay a HPL on my course. And they want me to do it on an ongoing basis each year. And it's all online so I don't even have to go there.

Milky bars are on you, Ken! Woo!

Good stuff, Ken!

lazzbo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 01, 2021 3:36 pm Ha! A good point, well made. As a fellow freelancer, I know there's no point in me ever trying to go in-house because my salary would fall through the floor. I have just managed to take four weeks off, in the traditional French way, though, so I shan't complain.

As you should do.

Yep, the reality is it would take an awfully good package and decent employer to tempt me into permanent, full time employment and something tells me the civil service under this government ain't it.

I wouldn't even bother to contact them about the wage, rebs. They won't increase it.

Hurrah luce! Well done!

And hurrah for Ken too!