Courses and Interviews

I went on this Career Continuation Workshop paid for by my company and run by an outplacement consultancy in London. Very good. Quite intensive two days looking at CVs, Interview skills, networking, etc. etc. I did get a lot from it, often stuff you should know but either forget or don't perhaps place the importance on it that you should.

Also the group on the course was a great group to meet. People from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. I really enjoyed meeting them all and I wish them all the very best in their career transitions. They were all further down that road than I and already unemployed, some for some period of time. It was a salient reminder as well that it is tough out there in the job market.

I have had the first of two interviews today for the one job I have applied for at my current company. I think it went pretty well from the feedback, however there are many elements of the new role that are similar to my old role that has been eliminated and I know that my frustration at lack of action by others who I need to work with showed through. The second interview is tomorrow.

So my current dilemma is if I am successful and I'm offered the job do I accept it. I'm not sure on the legal position, my role was eliminated and I applied for this other one, if I then turn that offer down do I lose my redundancy package - that would be bleeding dumb! There is a massive part of me thinks I ought to move on, get out of the rut here and into pastures new. Then there is a similarly massive part of me that has huge fear associated with moving on to find that it is worse where I end up or that I eat up the package too quickly and can't find anything and really regret it.

I'm not a risk taker... you can tell in this post can't you... I never wear slip on shoes as friend pointed out as he watched me double knot my shoe laces to make sure they were tight and didn't come undone. Astute observation... he took the package last year and is cruising the Caribbean in his yacht with his wife as I type this. I couldn't do that, I'd be too worried about the future... :-)

Comments

  1. Yachts are DANGEROUS.

    There are sharks... icebergs... pirates!

    Best to stick with Kent. Much safer!

    I think the problem comes when you're 'of an age' that most people have pigeonholed themselves to such a degree that 'doing something else' simply doesn't seem like an option...

    Actually, most people pigeonhole themselves by the age of 25.

    I certainly couldn't quit my job and play guitar all day... maybe for a month... though the moment the cat starts looking at me as though I'm dinner I figure I'd be back on the internet looking for another contract!

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  2. i tend to think like you..
    take whatever job you are offered and just have the life your having ..
    non risk takers might try the cruising in a yacht thing..
    but they're never entirely comfy with it..
    so why try to be what you arent ?
    Im so happy i got the job i just got ..
    I think things are going to get tougher before they get any better.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Life sucks ass - big time. Why not take a goddamed risk for once and maybe follow your heart? At least you will not be bored. I've had a belly-full of what this country is serving up and it's time for a change. But it's going to get ten times worse before it gets better -and that's post hyper inflation next summer. So, as the world goes to hell, you should at least enjoy the one thing that wastes so much of your life - and that's work. If I ever say to myself that I don't like what I am doing I try very hard to put that right. You have a golden opportunity to get sorted. Don't dither and screw it up mate. What else is there?

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  4. It'd be wonderful to think, yes, i'd be free and I could do all these things, but like you, I'd have that sneaky anxiety about tomorrow in the background.

    You'll be having/have had the sceond interview by the time you read this, so maybe things will be clearer to you.

    Anyway, you should worry: I swear I'm growing a beard!

    tee hee, my verifier is BUMPO!

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  5. I do not believe that if you declined the offer that your package would be at risk (perhaps I should have prefaced with 'redundancy' but maybe the other one would be at risk from Mrs F!) As your previous post was eliminated the company had decided that you were surplus to requirements. The fact that you have considered another option is your prerogative and if you then decide that it is not for you then you continue on your way out of the company.

    As you know I am viewing this from the safer perspective of additional years, but the fear of the unknown future is till there and compounded by the loss of what was a "safe" employed environment. However your decision should be a balanced risk assessment of the amount of financial security you have against the likelihood of finding alternative employment elsewhere. I cannot ignore how so many of our ex colleagues have all said that redundancy was the best thing that happened to them.

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