Risso Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Over the past week I've had 4 interviews for a job in London, had the last one this morning and didn't feel it went too well - quite disappointing given the amount of 'hoops' I've had to jump through. Had a lot of mixed feelings throughout the entire process given the obvious uproot and relocation, but managed to not convey it at all and pretty much sold it to myself - very much looking forward to a final decision now.Still with the Big 4? Unfortunately they've tightened up a lot these days, it used to be the case that it was very simple to get a job on the IOM, then just transfer to one of the London offices after a year. I had a job interview back in the day with Coopers and Lybrand in London, it was spread over two days and I didn't get the job. My job interview with PwC over here consisted of a half hour chat with the senior partner, 15 minutes of which was about football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Over the past week I've had 4 interviews for a job in London, had the last one this morning and didn't feel it went too well - quite disappointing given the amount of 'hoops' I've had to jump through. Had a lot of mixed feelings throughout the entire process given the obvious uproot and relocation, but managed to not convey it at all and pretty much sold it to myself - very much looking forward to a final decision now. Still with the Big 4? Unfortunately they've tightened up a lot these days, it used to be the case that it was very simple to get a job on the IOM, then just transfer to one of the London offices after a year. I had a job interview back in the day with Coopers and Lybrand in London, it was spread over two days and I didn't get the job. My job interview with PwC over here consisted of a half hour chat with the senior partner, 15 minutes of which was about football. Sounds about right r.e IOM interview - the person who interviewed me for what was the 'final' interview actually burped loudly upon entering, which did break the ice somewhat! It's actually quite easy to transfer internally at my current firm provided it is with local blessing, although I wouldn't really want to move within audit - the opportunity is with an investment bank.. best keep that quiet on this forum however! Still not 100% either way though, I would be very happy to take a good opportunity on Island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted December 31, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted December 31, 2014 Twice promised payrise has come in at a quarter of the level said recently. But is marginally higher than the company wide average, so apparently that's good. Still leaves me at the bottom end of one of the lowest salary bandings, in the company's own words. Mug probably is the right word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginko Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 You're not a mug, it's tough out there jobwise. I've been there twice over the last couple of years so I'd say you're smarter for sticking with it and improving if only by a little than quitting it. I think you need to look for something else in your down time though. Your company don't sound like the nicest of people to work for and you said yourself you don't like what you do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 For some of us a job is a job and a means to an end. For me it (just about) pays the bills and it has its good moments but I know ultimately that the NHS (a 'caring' profession) cares little for me as a staff member. I look elsewhere and apply for the odd job but never go through with it due to fear of not liking it and the fact I already have a job so should feel lucky, which is right and wrong really. I want to look into training for driving trains but its not often something comes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Twice promised payrise has come in at a quarter of the level said recently. But is marginally higher than the company wide average, so apparently that's good. Still leaves me at the bottom end of one of the lowest salary bandings, in the company's own words. Mug probably is the right word. Just think of it as a lesson learned, companies aren't your mates, they want you to work as hard as possible for the longest amount of time possible but for the lowest salary possible. The question now is how do you move on to something better? I think it would be a good idea to do a bit of scoping, talk to some recruiters, get your CV out there and see what bounces back. Time to invest in yourself mate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginko Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I want to look into training for driving trains but its not often something comes up. I believe we have a train driver on VT, do we not? Who is it? You should find out and talk to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Disposable income ? - I run a family of 4 on well under 30k ? - some advice........don't rack up debt to buy things you don't need, pause before making any purchase .....'do I really need this' - and possibly the biggest - I drive a 1.0L car !!!!!! ...50mpg ......£20 a year road tax - its no head turner, but with that compromise in place, I can go out, have foreeign holidays etc - its a trade off but IMO a good one - and is the answer I give when I often asked:- "where the hell - do you get all your money from " 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I'm hoping to do a good job out here in Poland then get transferred back to England. Working for Fujitsu leads to definitely having a good name on my CV regardless of what I actually end up doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginko Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Is this you speaking? Or one of your Polish lady friends looking for a way out of the country 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted December 31, 2014 Moderator Share Posted December 31, 2014 I want to look into training for driving trains but its not often something comes up. I believe we have a train driver on VT, do we not? Who is it? You should find out and talk to him. To track him down, you'll have to carefully follow the signals - of which there are many - he's far from an old buffer, doesn't de-rail threads, operates at high Revs and is rarely stationary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I wouldn't want to become a train driver these days. We're at the point that it looks almost certain we'll have driverless cars on the roads within a decade. I can't imagine train drivers are far away from being automated out of a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I wouldn't want to become a train driver these days. We're at the point that it looks almost certain we'll have driverless cars on the roads within a decade. I can't imagine train drivers are far away from being automated out of a job. I bet people were saying similar things in the 60s - I imagine there will always be some form of human factor, no matter how easy technology makes the process of driving a train to be automated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I'm fairly sure trains, planes and automobiles can all be fully automated already. It's public perception and the expense of the switch over that have to be overcome I'd have thought. For instance with the cars. if 'real' drivers work out google cars are risk averse they'll be cut up, undertaken and ignored at junctions by, er, me. I'm sure trains are slightly different, but I'm not convinced we 'need' undergound train drivers - other than I'd prefer there to be a job rather than a piece of tech that doesn't actually make things noticeably better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 1, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 1, 2015 I'm fairly sure trains, planes and automobiles can all be fully automated already. It's public perception and the expense of the switch over that have to be overcome I'd have thought. I think it's more the safety aspect which has to be addressed, to be honest, than "public perception". Sure the public will want to be assured "it's safe" and in a commercial venture that is a powerful reason to progress things, but in terms of the engineering as well as regulation, it's essential and mandatory for safety to be proven to be as good as that for a manned system (i.e. to meet the same standards). For that reason, the presence of a [remote] human fallback controller is essential. Take air vehicles - current, modern airliners and military aircraft are basically computer controlled and flown with the pilot acting more as either fallback/overseer of the systems, or in a fighter jet as the operator of the systems (cameras, weapons, defensive aids etc.) And in a UAV the operators on the ground have the ability to override the autonomy in the same way as an airline pilot can override the autopilot. I can't see a situation where such a vehicle will ever be operated without a human "in the loop". One of the major challenges is how to integrate unmanned aircraft into airspace in which manned vehicles are also operating. How can they be essentially the same to air traffic controllers - how does an ATC bod "talk" to an unmanned aircraft in the same way as she might to a manned aircraft, and how does the UAV reply "in human". How does a UAV act in the way a manned aircraft would, if the pilot were to detect (say) another aircraft with control problems heading towards it - if the damaged aircraft can't take action to avoid a collision, then the unmanned aircraft has to take the action, and to take it in such a way as it can predict what the damaged plane will do, where it will go, and then manoeuvre accordingly. There's a lot of work going on to address all that, including at the CAA (to get back on topic). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 My boss is quitting to another position so they are looking for his replacement. I got to read the resumes of the applicants today and its nothing short of a disaster. Its gonna be very difficult for me to work for any of those applicants. No experience of much of the things I think you would need for the position. Guess Im updating my resume this weekend. I didn't apply myself cause I know what he does and some of his duties bore me just thinking about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted January 8, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted January 8, 2015 My boss is quitting to another position so they are looking for his replacement. I got to read the resumes of the applicants today and its nothing short of a disaster. Its gonna be very difficult for me to work for any of those applicants. No experience of much of the things I think you would need for the position. Guess Im updating my resume this weekend. I didn't apply myself cause I know what he does and some of his duties bore me just thinking about them. About 20 years ago we had a vacancy for an IT manager at the university. The senior management came up with a short list of four, and told us in the department we would have a say in the selection. So we had a buffet lunch and the chance to have a chat with them, after which we all submitted our comments (separately). When we compared notes later, we found we were all in total agreement, that three of them were perfectly acceptable, but one (we all said) was an utter tosser, a complete no-no. Guess which one they appointed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 The no-no of course. There is one who with a good interview might be acceptable for me. I bet he do a good interview and they still select someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Over the past week I've had 4 interviews for a job in London, had the last one this morning and didn't feel it went too well - quite disappointing given the amount of 'hoops' I've had to jump through. Had a lot of mixed feelings throughout the entire process given the obvious uproot and relocation, but managed to not convey it at all and pretty much sold it to myself - very much looking forward to a final decision now. Still with the Big 4? Unfortunately they've tightened up a lot these days, it used to be the case that it was very simple to get a job on the IOM, then just transfer to one of the London offices after a year. I had a job interview back in the day with Coopers and Lybrand in London, it was spread over two days and I didn't get the job. My job interview with PwC over here consisted of a half hour chat with the senior partner, 15 minutes of which was about football. I'd just like to say I love the PwC guys we have in working with us at the moment. They are in helping with our Reg Change project but they are just superb at documentation, process controls and churning out polished procedures. Only downside is they cost a bloody fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJT123 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) Great thread. Has anyone here been to university and taken a gap year during study? I ask as I have started a university course and I am enjoying it, but feel as though I would like to have a year out travelling/working abroad. Anyone have any experience? Edited January 9, 2015 by KJT123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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