The Careers/Jobs thread

[blandy]

9 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

It's been a pretty rotten experience all round

Yeah, it sounds it. Fingers crossed for you and your colleagues taking collective action. It's the best chance to sort it.

[Rds1983]

1 hour ago, sharkyvilla said:

Good idea, why didnt I think of that?   The head baker got back to me and changed my shift anyway now and a few of us are going to get together and put it in writing collectively next week.  I'm still on probation so they can just get rid of me if they want but it's all I can do really.  If I end up leaving I'll just have to accept it.  It's been a pretty rotten experience all round, the extra money I am supposedly meant to earn just isn't really worth it.

For nearly two years I worked in a very toxic environment and had a few guys effectively trying to bully me (nothing to do with me and all because they objected to the role I held). The person before me quit after 6 weeks and a team member walked out with stress. Senior management just didn't care and once admitted to purposefully setting departments against each other as he thought it drove creativity. Because I was stubborn I stayed put until I was made redundant and even tried fighting back to make things better.

However looking back the whole experience put me massively on edge. I was diagnosed with extreme anxiety and depression, requiring me to have roughly a year off work just to get my head straight again (luckily we could afford this at the time). 

If I could go back and do it all again, I'd quit immediately and find something else even if it was less paid. Some things just aren't worth the hassle and sometimes your best option is just walking away. Obviously not as easy in the current climate but if it does happen it might be a blessing in disguise. 

Good luck whatev happens. 

[sharkyvilla]

3 minutes ago, Rds1983 said:

For nearly two years I worked in a very toxic environment and had a few guys effectively trying to bully me (nothing to do with me and all because they objected to the role I held). The person before me quit after 6 weeks and a team member walked out with stress. Senior management just didn't care and once admitted to purposefully setting departments against each other as he thought it drove creativity. Because I was stubborn I stayed put until I was made redundant and even tried fighting back to make things better.

However looking back the whole experience put me massively on edge. I was diagnosed with extreme anxiety and depression, requiring me to have roughly a year off work just to get my head straight again (luckily we could afford this at the time). 

If I could go back and do it all again, I'd quit immediately and find something else even if it was less paid. Some things just aren't worth the hassle and sometimes your best option is just walking away. Obviously not as easy in the current climate but if it does happen it might be a blessing in disguise. 

Good luck whatev happens. 

I'm sorry to hear that, I can definitely see what a negative impact it can have your life.  I've heard about it and even seen it, but this is the first time I've ever experienced it myself.  I also think being in the food industry, head bakers and head chefs are obviously very capable and skilled people but that doesn't always translate to being able to manage (and train) people.  

[Rds1983]

9 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

I'm sorry to hear that, I can definitely see what a negative impact it can have your life.  I've heard about it and even seen it, but this is the first time I've ever experienced it myself.  I also think being in the food industry, head bakers and head chefs are obviously very capable and skilled people but that doesn't always translate to being able to manage (and train) people.  

It's fine, it was a good 6 odd years ago so I'm fine now. I'd potentially argue I'm stronger because of it but would rather not have experienced it at all. 

I worked in some restaurants during uni and completely get your point about head chefs. Had some fun arguments with one, he got so angry when I said Langoustines where just Dublin Bay Prawns, he was adamant they were a separate more exclusive species. He also nearly popped a blood vessel and hit me when I called his 'red wine jus' a gravy. 

[Genie]

I had to change jobs a few weeks back (same company) because some projects were “paused” (I’m convinced Brexit related). I wasn’t in a position to be choosey and have moved into something I probably wouldn’t have chosen to do. 
I have to say I’m starting to enjoy it, and I’m enjoying being busy too.

I was in a really comfy place for a long time. I knew the job inside out and was able to be one of the top achievers without really trying.

Now I’m out of my comfort zone having to learn new systems and processes and it’s given me the shot in the arm I needed.

[Xela]

21 minutes ago, Genie said:

I was in a really comfy place for a long time. I knew the job inside out and was able to be one of the top achievers without really trying.

That's me at the minute. I know that even working at 60%, I'm far more productive than most of my colleagues. Mainly because i'm now the longest serving member of the team and new starters have so much to learn straight away. I never had that. The job was simple when I started and over the years more layers have been added every year...regulatory, compliance/governance type stuff, which I learned when it was introduced year by year. New people have to understand it all in one go. I reckon its a two year slog to get fully comfortable in my role and for a lot of people its not for them.. the pressure does crack some people. 

I get on well with my boss and she's happy to leave me alone as I'm no bother and deliver the results month in, month out. I guess until the status quo changes, I can't see me moving jobs. 

 

[Seat68]

I was in a job for 10 years and knew everything. No day was challenging. I joined a consultancy in April 2018 and each contract I have to hit the ground running and work harder than the non consultant staff. I love it. Every day is different. 

[Follyfoot]

4 minutes ago, Xela said:

That's me at the minute. I know that even working at 60%, I'm far more productive than most of my colleagues. Mainly because i'm now the longest serving member of the team and new starters have so much to learn straight away. I never had that. The job was simple when I started and over the years more layers have been added every year...regulatory, compliance/governance type stuff, which I learned when it was introduced year by year. New people have to understand it all in one go. I reckon its a two year slog to get fully comfortable in my role and for a lot of people its not for them.. the pressure does crack some people. 

I get on well with my boss and she's happy to leave me alone as I'm no bother and deliver the results month in, month out. I guess until the status quo changes, I can't see me moving jobs. 

 

Always had a bit of a thing about having a female boss with hair pinned up, glasses, 60 denyer tights with a seam with an ice maiden attitude that is slowly melted over time until she pulls the pin out of her hair, shakes her long flowing locks.... you know the rest type stuff, clear coffee tables etc

[Davkaus]

26 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

I was in a job for 10 years and knew everything. No day was challenging. I joined a consultancy in April 2018 and each contract I have to hit the ground running and work harder than the non consultant staff. I love it. Every day is different. 

This is my plan when things settle after Brexit and covid, I don't dare right now.

[Sid4ever]

34 minutes ago, Xela said:

That's me at the minute. I know that even working at 60%, I'm far more productive than most of my colleagues. Mainly because i'm now the longest serving member of the team and new starters have so much to learn straight away. I never had that. The job was simple when I started and over the years more layers have been added every year...regulatory, compliance/governance type stuff, which I learned when it was introduced year by year. New people have to understand it all in one go. I reckon its a two year slog to get fully comfortable in my role and for a lot of people its not for them.. the pressure does crack some people. 

I get on well with my boss and she's happy to leave me alone as I'm no bother and deliver the results month in, month out. I guess until the status quo changes, I can't see me moving jobs. 

 

That’s me as well, less the compliance/regulatory/governance stuff.

My boss wants to know if I want to do anything different, no thanks happy doing what I do with more capacity space due to customer base.

I mean how hard is it to sell toilet rolls in 2020.

[Xela]

I had to get involved with a situation at work, which meant speaking to a very irate customer, who ripped my head off. 

I don't know how people who work in jobs, like in call centres, that face that every day, cope with it all. Horrible. Must be demoralising. 

[Davkaus]

30 minutes ago, Xela said:

I had to get involved with a situation at work, which meant speaking to a very irate customer, who ripped my head off. 

I don't know how people who work in jobs, like in call centres, that face that every day, cope with it all. Horrible. Must be demoralising. 

Many years ago, I had a seasonal job over Christmas working in customer service at Interflora. Apparently they get really busy because loads of people seem to think flowers are a good Christmas present.

Two calls stay with me, one irate older gentleman giving me absolute abuse on Boxing Day because his wife's Christmas present hadn't turned up. It felt like it went on for hours, and I was too young and meek to just let him rant on for ages. Nowadays I'd tell him to put a bit more effort in than ordering a random bouquet over the phone.  

That wasn't quite as bad, however, as the woman who called up in tears wanting to order flowers for her daughter's funeral, asking me my opinion on if she was picking the right thing. There was only so many times I could awkwardly offer my opinions on flowers to a grieving mother while being glared at to get off the phone to take another call. It definitely wasn't the job for me!

Also, fellas, don't buy flowers from Interflora. They're **** shite. It's a rip off, and they just outsource it all to individual florists. You'll get a much better price and service going direct.

[sharkyvilla]

40 minutes ago, Xela said:

I had to get involved with a situation at work, which meant speaking to a very irate customer, who ripped my head off. 

I don't know how people who work in jobs, like in call centres, that face that every day, cope with it all. Horrible. Must be demoralising. 

I'm a bit ashamed to say that we had a regular horrible customer and a couple of times I went round the back to get her loaf of bread we had put aside for her and stuck it down my trousers.

[HanoiVillan]

I had a job doing door-to-door sales once, selling TalkTalk broadband subscriptions on a few housing estates near Rochdale. I've never had a worse job. People are just so relentlessly horrible, and it's not like you can't sympathise, although some people were just ridiculous. I remember knocking on one door and starting my spiel and the bloke interrupted me yelling 'Can I SHUT THE DOOR yet? MY WIFE'S GETTING COLD INSIDE', which made me laugh, as if he couldn't just shut the door himself.

I didn't even last a week; I began training on the Tuesday, and I cracked and had a nervous breakdown on the Friday afternoon. Horrible stuff, and I've always been at least civil to door-to-door salesmen since.

Actually, there's another funny thing about that job. Before we would go out in the morning, we had to have a kind of rumpus/hype session to get everyone pumped. Each morning that week - and I assume it was the same every day -  we gathered in this one room in the office, and somebody played this tune:

. . . and at exactly the moment the bass kicks in, the manager -  a man from Alabama who actually had 'the third' as part of his name - burst open the door and people would whoop and chest bump and all sorts. Absolutely bizarre, the closest I've ever been to being in a cult.

Edited December 12, 2020 by HanoiVillan

[AlwaysAVFC]

9 hours ago, Xela said:

I had to get involved with a situation at work, which meant speaking to a very irate customer, who ripped my head off. 

I don't know how people who work in jobs, like in call centres, that face that every day, cope with it all. Horrible. Must be demoralising. 

My Mrs is on the phone for a housing association. She gets so much abuse, she's pretty good and it doesn't let it bother her most of the time but there's the occasion it shakes he up a bit.

Like other places they are seriously considering permanent working from home. She likes being at home but she started her current job in August so has never met her colleagues and when her or someone else has a really hard call, there's no one there to help. They have Microsoft teams and the phone but that's not the same as being physically there when they're shaking after a hard call.

[Rds1983]

11 hours ago, Xela said:

I had to get involved with a situation at work, which meant speaking to a very irate customer, who ripped my head off. 

I don't know how people who work in jobs, like in call centres, that face that every day, cope with it all. Horrible. Must be demoralising. 

Having occasionally done QA/audit on call centre's some of the calls I listened to or stories I heard were awful. Not just rude customers but some really depressing stories and situations. Makes it all the more impressive that the call agents who are usually young, fresh from school/University and not well paid can deal with it on a daily basis. 

[Rds1983]

On 09/12/2020 at 20:53, Seat68 said:

I was in a job for 10 years and knew everything. No day was challenging. I joined a consultancy in April 2018 and each contract I have to hit the ground running and work harder than the non consultant staff. I love it. Every day is different. 

Good to hear. I've often considered going down the consultancy route myself but I like the job security at the moment. 

I also need to get better at making really fancy looking PowerPoints that don't really say anything as that seems a core skill. 

[Seat68]

7 minutes ago, Rds1983 said:

Good to hear. I've often considered going down the consultancy route myself but I like the job security at the moment. 

I also need to get better at making really fancy looking PowerPoints that don't really say anything as that seems a core skill. 

The difference between what I do and being a contractor is the security. I work for a company and they put me with clients, when not, I am on the bench. I would go contracting only as a last resort. 

[Rds1983]

1 minute ago, Seat68 said:

The difference between what I do and being a contractor is the security. I work for a company and they put me with clients, when not, I am on the bench. I would go contracting only as a last resort. 

Yeah, I know a fair amount of people working this way at the well known firms. They seem to fall into two categories, either they love it and work their way up or feel like they're just a number (the same at the large solicitors firms). Don't think it's for me but great that you're enjoying it, as you say can be a varied, interesting job taking you all over and learning new things. 

[AlwaysAVFC]

11 hours ago, Rds1983 said:

Having occasionally done QA/audit on call centre's some of the calls I listened to or stories I heard were awful. Not just rude customers but some really depressing stories and situations. Makes it all the more impressive that the call agents who are usually young, fresh from school/University and not well paid can deal with it on a daily basis. 

Yeah my Mrs has had to deal with people threatening to kill themselves, had personal abuse and threats, people who are suffering abuse themselves at home, people with obvious mental health issues. It's not just residents of the housing association, one of the calls that affected her the most was from a solicitor who was pretty horrible and personal towards her. As well as dealing with lots of stupid people and those that think they are entitled to everything and expect everything fine for them.