Fed up and a little lost

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pibbleb

Settler
Apr 25, 2006
933
10
51
Sussex, England
This is only a bit of a moan about not getting a job and I just wanted to get it off my chest.

having worked in an office for 9 years as a training supervisor and spending 8 years wishing I had a job outside I finally applied for a job with a local authority which would have been ideal.

Basically it was to work with a Park Ranger part of the week, but also provide office support and apply some system development experience.

I had an interview 3 weeks ago which seemed to go really well, at last I could smell the fresh air and freedom. Anyway I was told I would hear in a few days.

Well three weeks on I finally got the rejection letter, reading between the lines they'd obviously job offered someone else and were waiting to cut me loose once they had received the references or the other bod had signed the contract.

I'm well gutted and really dreading another day at the office. Anyway tomorrows another day. Cheers for the space to rant. Hope it makes sense.

P
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Now that's shame :grouphug: especially when it's something so good you can imagine being there.
Don't let them grind you down though; keep learning, keep applying and hopefully something will come up that fits like a glove :)
atb,
Mary
 

sabre iom

Tenderfoot
Nov 11, 2005
71
0
Isle of Man
Sorry to hear that, keep on trying though. I recently got out of a trade i have been doing for 12 years to get some outdoor work, i had to downgrade my 'ideal' new job a few times but got there in the end and found myself loving it, look for alternate outdoor jobs and you might find your self enjoying it more than you thought, anything beats a job you cant bear to get up for in the morning!
good luck :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Pibble,

Well, sounds like you were the "first reserve" mate - which is quite something given the number of applicants they probably had. Might I make a suggestion? I have interviewed hundreds (probably thousands) of people. One candidate sticks in my mind. The guy came for a job. He was keen, personable and well qualified no question. Could he have done it? Yup. I didn't give it to him becuase a guy with twenty years experience also applied. However theres a twist to this tale. The rejected candidate wrote to me. The short version is:

"I was very saddened not to get the job. I do thank you for you time however. Might I ask you for a favour? Could I visit you at a time of your choosing to get some feedback on how I can make myself a better candidate next time you have such a vacancy?"

Cut a long story short, he came in, I advised him on some stuff he could study. Next vacancy came along, he applied, came in with a beaming smile, greeted me (formally) by name, thanked me for my previous advice and said he had had a great time studying the skills......

Needless to say he got the job

Small consolation and I'm sure you had thought of that, but damn he was a memorable candidate. He probably pulled the same trick on other jobs - worked though!

Red
 
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wingstoo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 12, 2005
2,274
40
South Marches
I think we all go through days like that...So often I want to be in another place doing something different...living to work and working to live...I know which one I would prefer, Tomorrow is another day...and another opportunity to look for fresh fields...but the grass is always greener on the other side...


LS

Now...
towork.gif
 

Dougster

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 13, 2005
5,254
238
The banks of the Deveron.
All I can say is better luck next time old bean.

I am doing a job to feed the kiddies and I know when I can start to look outside. It's five years away, but knowing that the 'out' is there keeps me sane. I hope that light at the end of the tunnel keeps you going tomorrow.
 

pibbleb

Settler
Apr 25, 2006
933
10
51
Sussex, England
Cheers guys, it's been a real kick where it hurts, but only coz it seemed a spot on opportunity, but in the greater scheme of things it mustn't have meant to be.

It's good advise Red indeed. I've been on the other side of the interview desk for the past 5 years and I've always been happy to give feedback. I've got a cal into the HR manager so hopefully I'll get some sound feedback.

It's been a weird experience being on the other side of an interview and I'm a little disappointed at myself for how down I've got as should better.

Once again, cheers guys :You_Rock_

P
 

Womble

Native
Sep 22, 2003
1,095
2
57
Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
This hits home with me. Tomorrow (Wednesday) I have an interview for a job that's less than 2 miles from where I live, that is right on the edge of woodland (but admiteddly also right on the edge of the Farnborough Airfield...), and is a 5 minute walk from my district Scout campsite. At the moment I communte to London every day - have done for 5 1/2 years - and really, really want to get away. 15 minutes to and from work beats 2 1/2 hours any day!!!!

I don't want to mess this interview up... :)
 

swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
Some good advice from Red there and good luck to you Womble.
There are so few jobs going in the 'Outside' world and those that have them are very skilled. This skill is sometimes much under-rated as this comes usually from hands on experience learned over many years not from books. Some of the people I employ are now second generation. Others have been at it for more than ten years and have stuck. They have found that they have their speciality and the rest of the time are 'Jack of all,master of none'.
I feel that the most important thing that I can advise that this style of job is a 'LIFESTYLE' and if you can keep that in the fore you will certainly achieve your goal.
I see 'assistant' jobs occasionaly in the RFS quarterly journal. It may pay to join as:
1, You get to visit some amazing woodland,
2, There are some serious experts to chat to in informal settings,
3, Some really good days out are to be had all around the country.
This could be part of a learning curve which may well help in your quest,and eventually as you are keen this will rub off and you will get paid for what you want to do!
Good luck from Swyn.
 

pibbleb

Settler
Apr 25, 2006
933
10
51
Sussex, England
Thanks for that Swyn I will look into the RFS.

I agree that this kind of work is a lifestyle or vocation if you will. The local authority job was ideal for a number of factors.
1 I could bring my IT development and office skills to bare
2 It would get me outside doing! everything from fixed penalty notices for littering to organising nature trails and hikes as part of the get healthy campaign,
3 Perhaps the most important thing, for me personally, would be access to a huge number of training opportunities.

I think its' importnat to say that my ideal would be something like training as a Bodger, but with the pressures of mortgage kids blah blah I was trying to find a way of easing into this kind of environment.

Please don't think that I have some kind of out of office romantic lust to be living a life out of some trashy Catherine Cookson novel. I realise that I'm unskilled and perhaps a poor choice.

But it is the lifestyle I want to have the work I want to do. Where there is a will there's away.

As I said in the title of my thread I'm feeling alittle lost at the moment and really unsure how I would proceed. What makes it additionally tough is that I'mseeing my wife perpare for her Midwifery degree and I'm kinda feeling alittle left behind.

I realise I need to pull up my socks,crack on and quit the windging I just need to source a direction.

I'm pleased I posted last night though as the advice given has been very helpful.

Cheers

Pib
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
pibbleb said:
As I said in the title of my thread I'm feeling alittle lost at the moment and really unsure how I would proceed. What makes it additionally tough is that I'mseeing my wife perpare for her Midwifery degree and I'm kinda feeling alittle left behind.

Just a couple of random thoughts in an early lunch break Pib,

Is there any way you can leverage training out of your existing job that may provide "negotiable qualifications"? The type of thing I thought might be helpful (and potentially on offer in an office / IT arena) would be:

Project Management - could you perhaps get onto a Prince2 or APMP course? A PM qualification could be very helpful in setting up some of the areas you describe (campaigns etc.). Prince2 would be favourite as its controlled by the OGC and therefore the method of choice for any local or national government initiatives

Risk Management - an MoR qualification (again government recognised) is incredibly advantageous to local government. It allows them to fill in the numerouse risk assesments required with some degree of assurance. In the modern litigation prone world, such things are increasingly at a premium.

Both of these things are run for IT guys in my organisation but are not IT specific and may add a little to your CV. Also consider such areas as First Aid at Work, First Responder etc.

Hope that might help to get something out of where you are now to get towards where you would like to be

Red
 
J

Jamie

Guest
pibbleb said:
I just need to source a direction.
Pib

Hiya

I know exactly how you feel.

The fact of the matter is that we all have our responsibilities etc. so it is hard to jump off the rat race to look to do something that puts us in a position to move into an area that we truly want to be.

As far as outdoor jobs are concerned, they are inherently difficult to get, especially without qualifications. For every job advertised there will be be dozens if not scores of applicants with varying degrees of ability and experience.

As a suggestion, I went back to college (one called Kingston Maurward in Dorset) to study an HND in land based sciences (basically outdoors stuff!!) which I got a helluva lot out of...it was a good 2 years although very hard financially on the family. Although I didnt end up working asa ranger or warden it did lead into other areas for me and also friendships which have allowed me to progress to where I am.

I see that you are in Sussex....have you thought of contacting Plumpton college(http://www.plumpton.ac.uk/ to see what national diplomas and hnd's that they have in conservation? Remember that courses may be classified as 'full time' but in fact because they attract a lot of mature (like me - yeah right!!!!!!) students they compress the coursework into 3 days allowing for a part time job to keep yourself going for the duration of the course.

I am sure we all look forward to seeing how you get on so keep us posted!!!
 

pibbleb

Settler
Apr 25, 2006
933
10
51
Sussex, England
Thanks for your comments and suggestions guys.

I will be looking into the Risk management course that you suggest as I'm sure this was one area where I fell down in the interview. So this is an area I think I should be looking consentrating on.

I had looked at courses with Brinsbury College which is just down the road, but stangely the courses that interested me, i.e coppicing and the like were running from a city campus which isn't that close.

However, I haven't looked at Plumpton which isn't all that far away so that will be my little job for this evening.

Thanks guys for the advice.

Pib
 

swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
Hey pibbleb. Can't help with computer stuff like Red can! I will come from another angle and wish your wife well with her Midwifery course. My oldest daughter is just in the final placement of her nursing degree working for the SPOT team in Hackney (homeless & alcoholics). One of her goals is to become a Midwife given time and ultimately a community nurse. She has a BIG social concience and is really enjoying her placement.
Swyn
 

pibbleb

Settler
Apr 25, 2006
933
10
51
Sussex, England
Swyn I'll return my best wishes to you and your daughter. I personally think that those who work in areas such as those are very brave and I'm sure you are very proud.

Emma, my wife, is hoping to specialise in community work dealing particularly with pregnant women who are dependant of drugs, what ever shape or form they take.

All my respect goes out to anybody who works in such a field.

Pib
 

fred gordon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 8, 2006
2,099
19
78
Aberdeenshire
pibbleb,
Sorry to hear about the job and I hope another comes along soon. As a Ranger I often have to interview people for similar jobs so I hope you won't mind if I pass on a bit of advice. I don't know about your circumstabces but do you have any experience in similar jobs? If not perhaps you might try volunteering with a local Ranger Service or similar. It helps a lot if a potential employer sees that you are keen enough to want to volunteer and it also gives you invaluable experience to put on the CV.
 

pibbleb

Settler
Apr 25, 2006
933
10
51
Sussex, England
fred thanks for the tip.

To be honest I hadn't even realised you could volunteer until after reading the information I'd been given as a take home reading pack post interview.

It's certainly something to consider, what kind of work would a volunteer do?

Cheers for the tips.

Pib
 

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