Job

I haven't been selected for second interview for the job for which I was interviewed last week. It's a pity that I had to contact the agency fellow to find out, rather than receive a letter or an email from the people concerned. Couldn't they be bothered to write?

It appears that common courtesy has gone out of the window in the world of recruitment. I really do believe that a company that is concerned with the small courtesies of life is one worth working for. So it's back to the drawing board. The applications continue - and so does the silence from those to whom I apply..

I've registered with various agencies in Loughborough. I'm starting to think that it's not worth trying to chase IT jobs; some former colleagues are still looking - several months on.

Interview

Yesterday I had an interview with a Derby software company. The place was quite easy to find; it was situated on a tired-looking industrial estate. The interview appeared to go well (the 2 interviewers were 30-somethings, and they were very pleasant), although some of the questions I was asked were rather difficult to answer, since they were asking me to trawl my memory for specific examples of certain scenarios in my previous experience. Now I have a good memory - but sadly it only extends to trivia and facts. I've handled a lot of calls over my years in IT, and most of them have disappeared into the black hole of forgetfulness. The job sounds interesting and would certainly involve some travel - even overseas. If they want me back for a second interview, I'll have to give a presentation on a technical subject - which sounds like fun!

I went for a sandwich and a beer at the Navigation at Shardlow afterwards - it was nice to reflect on the previous hour with some Pedigree in hand!

This morning I was phoned by the guy at the agency who put me onto the job in the first place. Naturally he was interested to find out how the interview went. He tells me he's going to speak to the company, and he'll phone me later.

I'm assuming nothing. I've continued the job hunting, and have applied for another job this morning. It's for a systems administrator in a Nottingham design studio, but there's no detail about what is required - so it's a shot in the dark. But then it's all a shot in the dark from where we are, isn't it?

Signing On

Today is the first day of my official unemployment, since my contract with Alliance & Leicester finished on Friday 14th November.

This morning I went down to town to visit the Job Centre - only to find that I didn't sign on there; I was told by a pleasant chap on the staff there that I needed to call an 0800 number. He gave me a booklet which also informed me that I can enter my details for a Jobseeker's claim online. In view of the fact that the phonecall takes 40 minutes, I decided to take the online option - only to find that I'll still be getting a phonecall from them, which should take - guess - 40 minutes!

The tally of jobs I've applied for in the last fortnight is up to 12, with an interview with a Derby firm on Thursday. This wasn't for a job I'd actually applied for - it was the result of a phonecall from an enthusiastic agency man. I hope it will be successful, but the blurb I was sent concerning the interview seems to indicate that I'm going to have to trawl through my memory banks for examples of technical support issues I've had to grapple with in my previous roles. Since there were so many of them (and I've been to bed since then), it's going to be fun.

There's a job in Loughborough I rather fancy - I won't say what it is - but it would be a departure from IT (although it requires IT skills), and it would also be in a non-commercial environment. I'd like that; I've come to despise the corporate culture that has developed over the last 20 years. It's theatre by another name: all the posturing, dressing up and reciting lines that don't come from the heart. Fingers crossed..!