Time For A Change

[Edith Bacon]

Everything crossed, Skips!

[Skips]

Thanks, I wouldn't be able to continue with Guides/Brownies due to working hours etc, but I frankly don't care any more.

[Squirrel]

Good luck skips! I am practically best friends with my local carpet shop now, they are lovely. I think I’d like to work there.

(Although I did nearly get into an argument with the owner’s wife who told me off for using their parking space when I went to the supermarket. But instead of thumping her, I politely pointed out that I am a customer and that Mr Carpetshop agreed I could leave my car there for 10 more mins. )

[Rosa]

The best of luck, Skips!

[Beena]

Good luck Skips!

I have a quandary. I'm in the middle of applying for a job outside my field, but which I have all the transferrable skills for. I work with a similar team as part of my current role.

This seems to be a new post. The person spec is surprisingly sparse, but there are a few very odd, very specific phrases. I googled the hell out of it last night to make sure I had the right end of the stick and the same phrases appeared on a job spec for a fixed term role with the same organisation, advertised last year. The end date for this coincides nicely with the start of the newly advertised post.

Further down the rabbit hole, this fixed term post was essentially an internship tailored to the CV of the young man they appointed, who in turn has history with the organisation. Lots of social media photos of him schmoozing with colleagues.

No guarantees I'd get an interview, but it feels futile even applying if they have a preferred candidate shoo-in. If I was local, the experience would be valuable, but it's a long (costly) way to travel to simply make up numbers and the interview date itself couldn't be at a worse time. I'm about halfway through the application. I have other things I could be doing. I don't know what to do. WWYD?

[Skips]

I would say say go for it, there will always be a reason not to apply for a new job and I think sometimes you just have to ignore that and plough on.

I didn't get the job I interviewed for on Saturday. The woman who has been off sick is back in the office on Tuesday and they assure me they want to keep me (my manager finally spoke to me on Friday about it). I've been having really vivid dreams about it all, even though I've never met her! I wonder if she looks like the version my brain has made?

[Chicky]

I would go for it Beena. Even if it is earmarked for someone else then you get on their radar at least. Plus you get application/interview practice too so when the right opportunity comes up... especially if it’s moving field.

[Beena]

I'm not surprised you're dreaming about it; it's all been hugely stressful. Sorry that you didn't get the job on Saturday too.

I would say say go for it, there will always be a reason not to apply for a new job and I think sometimes you just have to ignore that and plough on.

True. It's just ploughing on means 300 miles, 2 days annual leave, £150 in flights, not being here for 4 of Bambs' exams (when she's already stressed) and trying to find someone to cover 5 hours of teaching. I'd need to know I had at least a fighting chance to justify all of that.

I work for a similar organisation. We pull the same tricks. I'm currently mentoring a traineeship and as the managers don't care for her, the permanent role has been put on hold indefinitely (aka until her contact ends).

[Beena]

I would go for it Beena. Even if it is earmarked for someone else then you get on their radar at least. Plus you get application/interview practice too so when the right opportunity comes up... especially if it’s moving field.

The question I keep asking myself is whether I would apply if the same job had come up here - and I wouldn't. It's the lack of jobs there that is driving what I apply for, not a burning desire to move field.

I don't know. I could do the job, I might enjoy it, the salary is okay and I desperately want the stability of having something lined up.

I could apply for dozens of jobs up here, for interview practice. Maybe I should.

[Estrella]

Is there a contact on the ad? It’s pretty normal in my industry over here for it to be acceptable to ask if it’s a genuine vacancy/whether there is an incumbent.

[Princess Morripov]

I’d just apply and then see what comes back - speculating about potential interview process etc before you’ve even applied seems a bit of a waste of time and you’ll talk yourself out of every application that way.

Also, if you do get an interview for any job, you can explain that you are looking to relocate so you can’t be that flexible on interview dates/tell them what dates suit you (in most scenarios when I’ve been recruiting it’s been normal to work around the candidates availability - and quite often there’ll be someone going on a holiday etc and needing to wait a couple of weeks to get round all the candidates), plus always worth asking for expenses, most companies usually reimburse travel costs.

[Beena]

That's a good point, Est. I've had a look and no, there's not. There's very little information full stop and the advert only came out a few days before the deadline, which is not the norm for that organisation.

Okay, I'm going to spend another hour on it, stick something in and see how I get on. If I get an interview, I'll ask about incumbents (and expenses!) before deciding whether to attend.

ETA. Thank you all too! I know I'm a PIA. My stress levels are sky-high right now with the number of things to do.

[Estrella]

I’ve said on here before I think to someone else, but I’d defo be asking if a Skype interview would be possible if it came to that (outlining that you are relocating)

[Pippedydeadeye]

I would be doubting there’s an incumbent they want to keep if they’ve advertised the post. You can usually find a way to make a FTC into a permanent post without advertising externally, even in the most transparent of public sector organisations.

[Beena]

That's not been my experience at work, Pips, but I do sometimes think they have their own special brand of sadism.

Anyway, might be a moot point.

I've managed to write all of 400 words of my statement in the last 5 hours. It's so boring. So painfully boring. I need to draw on all the bits of my current role that make me want to forcibly shove pencils up my nose. I'm going to shelve it for a bit and have a big think about my life

[Squirrel]

I hope the right thing comes along for you Beena.

I forgot to update about my work situation. I gave it a lot of thought and decided to let them know I would take a few upcoming Fridays off, and then stop working on Fridays at all between July and September. I will also take some time off in the summer holidays which is to be decided.

[Beena]

Thanks, Squirrel. I hope so too.

Your plan sounds fair enough. How did it go down?

I did (and submitted) the application, because, you know, I will not be beaten by anything. Such heavy going though.

[Squirrel]

Well done!

Your plan sounds fair enough. How did it go down?

It was fine. I don’t think they were massively surprised that I need time off, they can see how everything is closing in on me. I think the nature of what I proposed was a surprise, but they get it.

Taking the time to think it over really cemented the feeling for me that I don’t want to leave altogether, I’m enjoying it and benefiting from it in ways other than financial.

But if I do eventually decide to leave, then it won’t be for an alternative job. I’d stay off work and maybe go back to volunteering instead.

Before I make any longer term decisions I need to get through the upheaval of the next 3 months, the house move, support my son with his ongoing issues, and also see what the impact of Mr Squirrel’s new role is like on family life in the longer term. There’s a lot of change afoot that will take some time to settle down.

[Beena]

Well, I've been ask to interview for the heavy-going application job, which is more than I expected. I've spent the last two hours working out the logistics, but everything is conspiring against me.

There's a unseen timed practical so no Skype. J will be in London for a conference up to the day of the interview, which complicates things like accommodation. My sister is on a course and I'm struggling to find anyone to take care of Bambs; she has exams, so taking her with me isn't an option. My usual cover for my teaching commitments has booked annual leave and of course, when I checked to see if I could cancel, I've had a sudden flurry of bookings by people who won't bother to turn up on the day.

And then to put the top hat on it, the flight I needed sold out half an hour ago.

I'll ring tomorrow to see if rescheduling is an option, but FFS.

[sally maclennane]

I'm sure they'll reschedule Beena, that's not unusual especially when distance is involved.