On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 06:37:48 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 17/09/2012 10:12 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:57:27 +0100, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
>>
>>> I doubt that's going to work. You apply for some menial job like that
>>> with a diploma and an honours degree, it doesn't take a genius to
>>> figure out that you won't be staying very long... Most employers
>>> probably wouldn't like that.
>>
>> Some employers are only looking for temporary help.
>>
>> Worst that can happen is they say 'no'.
>>
>>
> I don’t think that taking a menial job is a good idea. For a start it
> would limit your time looking for a suitable job. It would not do your
> self esteem any good either. You are not hurting for money ATM and you
> don’t have the pressure of a mortgage or supporting a wife and kids. So
> make looking for a suitable job your job. As Jim mentioned consider
> contracting. It would bring in some money and stop your CV having a gap.
> My tuppence ha’ penny’s worth.

Fair points.

Given the choice, a contract would be the first thing to look at.  But if 
push came to shove and the job was necessary, it can be a useful stopgap 
that many people don't consider.

Sometimes as well, that menial job can lead to something else.  When I 
was at uni, I worked summers on an assembly line.  It led to an MIS job 
that really got my career started.

Jim

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On 9/18/2012 8:15 AM, Francois Labreque wrote:
> [Dad mode]
> That's what you call looking for work?
> [/Dad mode]

What I would say is don't get complacent just because you have severance 
to cover you through the next few months. Keep looking, You'll find 
something.

-- 
~Mike

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On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:11:06 -0500, Mike Raiford wrote:

> On 9/18/2012 8:15 AM, Francois Labreque wrote:
>> [Dad mode]
>> That's what you call looking for work?
>> [/Dad mode]
> 
> What I would say is don't get complacent just because you have severance
> to cover you through the next few months. Keep looking, You'll find
> something.

Yes - this * 1000.  Consider the severance as "my old employer is paying 
me to find a new job" and treat it accordingly.  Our strategy last year 
when I was laid off was to reduce expenses and make the severance last 
until I found something.  Didn't work out that way (still looking for 
something full time and the severance ran out last October), but the time 
during the day is the time to network and talk to companies.  Don't spend 
normal working hours scouring monster.com and other job sites - that's 
something that can be done after people have gone home from the office.

Office hours are the best time to contact people who can get you in for a 
new job.

Jim

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On 17/09/2012 03:05 PM, Darren New wrote:
> I suggest checking out Craigslist daily. That's the only site where I
> ever applied to a job and got an answer, let alone an actual job.

I'd ask what the call Craigslist is, but you'll probably just tell me to 
Google it anyway. :-P

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On 17/09/2012 04:52 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> You've got a severance package, don't wait for it to run out.  Start now
> and don't give up.

Now? I started several weeks ago. :-P (I've already been to 2 interviews 
this summer, remember? That equals my previous record of 2 interviews 
this human lifetime...)

> If I break a leg or am in an auto accident, I'm pretty much screwed.

Uh, yeah. It must be great living in a country where if you have a 
health problem but you're not rich enough to pay a doctor, they just 
leave you to die... (What is this, the 5th century or something?!)

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On 18/09/2012 06:37 AM, Stephen wrote:
> I don’t think that taking a menial job is a good idea. For a start it
> would limit your time looking for a suitable job. It would not do your
> self esteem any good either. You are not hurting for money ATM and you
> don’t have the pressure of a mortgage or supporting a wife and kids. So
> make looking for a suitable job your job.

This.

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>> What I would say is don't get complacent just because you have severance
>> to cover you through the next few months. Keep looking, You'll find
>> something.
>
> Yes - this * 1000.  Consider the severance as "my old employer is paying
> me to find a new job" and treat it accordingly.

Agreed.

> Office hours are the best time to contact people who can get you in for a
> new job.

Yeah, it makes a change to be able to just phone people, without having 
to find somewhere I can hide so I can make the call without interruptions...

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On 17/09/2012 04:52 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> I suggested contract work before, and I'll suggest it again.  It's a way
> to get the bills paid.

I don't get that.

Currently, I am unemployed, which is a problem. It means I have to waste 
endless hours of my life vainly searching for employment. But 
eventually, I will [hopefully] find a job, at which point I no longer 
have that particular problem.

"Contact works" basically means "being /permanently/ unemployed". It 
means you spend two or three weeks per year getting paid, and the rest 
of the entire year desperately looking for your next contact. There's no 
way I could deal with that level of stress. (Not to mention the extreme 
financial problems...) I really don't get why anybody would voluntarily 
work that way.

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Orchid Win7 v1 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> On 17/09/2012 04:52 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> > I suggested contract work before, and I'll suggest it again.  It's a way
> > to get the bills paid.
>
> I don't get that.
>
> Currently, I am unemployed, which is a problem. It means I have to waste
> endless hours of my life vainly searching for employment. But
> eventually, I will [hopefully] find a job, at which point I no longer
> have that particular problem.
>

This is the 21st Century going on the 18th Century. You may have to wait until

situation going away soon. (I hope that it does, though)


> "Contact works" basically means "being /permanently/ unemployed". It
> means you spend two or three weeks per year getting paid, and the rest
> of the entire year desperately looking for your next contact. There's no
> way I could deal with that level of stress. (Not to mention the extreme
> financial problems...) I really don't get why anybody would voluntarily
> work that way.

As usual you express opinions that are based in a reality of your own.
I have been contracting for almost twenty years. True I have had periods when I
found it hard to get a suitable contract but the pay rate for contractors is


about a month before my contract is due to expire before I start looking. Any
earlier than that and your notice period is too long for an employer to wait.

there is little real job security and I can decide to take two or three months
off if I feel like it.
But if you want job security why not try the civil service. Ours have enough IT
blunders to need decent staff.

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Le 2012-09-19 05:35, Orchid Win7 v1 a écrit :
> "Contact works" basically means "being /permanently/ unemployed". It
> means you spend two or three weeks per year getting paid, and the rest
> of the entire year desperately looking for your next contact. There's no
> way I could deal with that level of stress. (Not to mention the extreme
> financial problems...) I really don't get why anybody would voluntarily
> work that way.

The contractors I have worked with were usually on 1-year contracts, 
that our management would renew until they reached the limit (a 
contractor that has been doing the same thing for 3 years has to be 
offered a permanent position since you can't justify it as being 
temporary anymore).   Most would refuse the offer since they prefered 
the liberty of being able to change jobs whenever they wanted.

-- 
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