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#31 Re: I got a job

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:24 pm
by Mike H
Yes mine is 66, if it helps. Got a letter telling me!

#32 Re: I got a job

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:32 pm
by shane
I shall be receiving my bus pass in January next year. It allows me free travel on busses outside peak hours. There are two busses a day from my village to Plymouth and back. Neither of them is outside peak hours. Fortunately, I'll be receiving my state pension st the same time. I'm hoping that will be enough to cover bus fares.

#33 Re: I got a job

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:16 pm
by jack
Well, as of today, 7 months after we were acquired and 4 years after I joined the business, I'm now looking for a new role...

To be fair, I knew it was coming - I'm just completing the final bits of the technical integration, so my involvement was coming to an end. They've treated me well. No complaints.

At least now I might complete an amp for Owston...

There you go!

#34 Re: I got a job

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:32 pm
by Greg
So, have you started yet? If so, how is it going?

#35 Re: I got a job

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:41 pm
by Greg
And Steve, how are you getting on? It would be good to know how both of you are progressing in your new employments. I hope it is going well!

#36 Re: I got a job

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 8:01 am
by Paul Barker
Thanks Greg.

They put me to work the following Monday. On my second week.

As it stands in itself job is going well.

But I have been approached by another firm in same market place who have a better deal. the extras are private health care and sick pay. More basic wage, and not essential to do a week on call. It goes to volunteers. they are a bigger team. Where I am, I am the only gas man for the area, my area is covered on call from Hull usually. When I do my week I will have to cover their patch. So I will likely be out day and night to and from Hull.

The more basic pay is £2,000 at entry level, but I met an engineer same level as me in our world. That is to say higher level qualifications in Gas/lpg/oil/refrigerant. and he is now on £6,000 more, which would be in my reach if I went to them.

So I am sat looking at another application form so soon. I hate them things with a passion. But I'll give it a go. As it would be better to be part of a larger team, get more pay and have sickness benefits.

But if that fails I am content where I am and overskilled for the tasks involved.

Either way, failing accident or sickness, I am set for my final leg of working life. Just as well, looks like Dianas career as a careers adviser is in the balance!

#37 Re: I got a job

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 10:45 am
by Neal
Glad things are working out for you Paul and you have another opportunity, Its not nice getting old in the workplace, took me long enough to find work again in the IT industry (which is very fast paced). I like where I am now and hope it will see me out! Fingers crossed....

#38 Re: I got a job

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:03 pm
by Cressy Snr
I'm in the second of four weeks training followed by 2 weeks having my hand held before being let loose on the public on my own.
It's going well and I am holding my own against the young 'uns. That's always a concern when you are getting old in the workplace, but If I keep my head down, my nose clean and do my job, it should see me out. There are plenty of older people on the unit and they don't seem to be unduly stressed.
The money's not spectacular but it is sufficient for someone with no mortgage and zero debt, with only household bills.
Due to the nature of the calls we receive, taking the job home is thoroughly discouraged. Leave the job at the door when you leave and only pick it up again when you come back to work is the ethos, they promote. That suits me fine. :)

#39 Re: I got a job

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:13 pm
by jack
Congratulations to Paul & Steve :) Really pleased for you both...

Am I now the only one left without a job?

#40 Re: I got a job

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 6:13 pm
by IslandPink
This is very harsh, Nick !
Hope you can get something soon.
Did you expect the old job to come to an end so suddenly ?

#41 Re: I got a job

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 6:29 pm
by Cressy Snr
Bloody hell Nick
Sorry to read about that :|

#42 Re: I got a job

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 9:58 pm
by jack
Thanks chaps - It's not a surprise - it was going to happen - we were 55 people, the new lot are 4,500+ - they have more than enough folk like me already - I integrated the businesses from a technical standpoint - quite complex with 3 datacentres involved and offices 4 countries - but it's largely all done now.

I was expecting it in June, but they've given me 4 months' gardening leave and treated me well (my 4 years in the previous business carries over), so I nominally get the summer off :) If only... SWMBO has a MIGHTY list of big tasks for me... e.g. painting the outside of the house... the inside of the house... etc.

Got some irons in the fire, been for one interview already, got some more possibilities, including a scary one with a (the?) major global internet company...

However, it's quite a relief - I was just shovelling cr*p most days and though the company was all lovely and cuddly, the job wasn't and I was going nuts.

This week has been mostly helping #2 son with his thesis - a part of it involves live 3d video streaming from a Pi Compute Module using multiple H.264 encoded streams over RTP/UDP ending up in an Oculus Rift DK2 VR headset.... Heaven alone knows why he chose that project - he's a civil engineer, not a computer science guy...

The upside is that my Python and Unix skills are somewhat refreshed and I've come to quite like Raspberry Pis, especially the new Pi 3.

#43 Re: I got a job

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:16 pm
by Neal
You have some serious skills there Nick, something will turn up eventually Im sure. Speaking from experience enjoy the time off! I found it a good way to re-evaluate what I wanted to do in life....we made some plans but it's all a bit too early hence I'm back in IT for a while!

#44 Re: I got a job

Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 2:37 pm
by jack
Had final interviews - now taking up references today and tomorrow - also have to complete some board presentations.

3 rounds so far, 7 hours of interviews with the CEO, COO & CIO (Skype, video-conference then face-to-face)...

If the board presentations go OK, I might be leaving the country for a while, assuming we agree numbers.

#45 Re: I got a job

Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:14 pm
by Paul Barker
I must have passed my trial period as they gave me a better van today and have given me my off du until 2017. And today asked me if I'm happy.

The answer of course was yes. Thou inside I am finding it a trial. But thats jobs today.

However feeling wanted and being treat nicely by everyone in the organisation from the girls on the phones to the big chief goes a long way.

If thre were a direct labour job at BG ( who I have always sub'd to but never been directly employed) it would pay half as much again. But they are much more corporate, so they are hostile to the core, most of their guys are miserable as sin due to the way they are tret and are just going through the motions of a miserable life for the sake of a pension.

I got less money, no pension, but am well tret and happy, more or less.