redundancy hits home... :(

Hi Uniti - commiserations. Not faced quite such an abrupt brick wall in my time. And the fact that a lot of folk are in the same boat does not make it any easier for the individual.

Still I guess you have the equipment to play some soothing music.

One of my interests, digital photography and Photoshop led me to the Prodig forum. Google it. I suppose you know it - but there is a lot of networking goes on in the world of the big boys of professional digital photography. Might be worth a look.

Good luck

Don sunny downtown York

hi don,

thank you for you very well thought and typed message.

i will be having a look on that forum, even tho i don't have any relevent experiance in photography.

however this is the posative spin im trying to put on in the way of direction change.

so what im looking for now is some inspiration as to industries to break into.

I was thinking electrician however the aprentiship wage is VERY low and it would not cover my basic living costs and i can already manage most of the basics.

so what i'm asking in effect is if anybody is really happy in what they are doing, could they post up what they do and why they like it but most importantly how they got into it!

also if anybody from naim is reading this and fancy taking on someone junior either in design or production i have basic knowlage of electronics up to A level and a years worth of design at degree level and salisbury isn't too far a commute for me lol.

CV is available on request for anybody. even if it is just a read over for pointers.

Stuart.

Hi Uniti
Sorry to hear of your predicament and hopefully you will find something soon.Wishing you all the best.

Rgds,Toby.

I know it's not very PC to knock a guy when he's down, but if you are going to send any E-Mails to potential employers.
Perhaps some Capital letters?

Good luck.

Hi Stuart.

I have watched a few people change careers over the years, and the one really hard thing is that to start in a new area, you have to take some sort of drop in wages.

I know this sounds hard, but even from changing roles within fairly similar discipline, I took a drop in earnings to get get into an area I really wanted to work in in the late 90s.

Think about where your joy in life comes from, if it is having a family and home, then grit your teeth and do whatever job you can get knowing that it funds the time that is most important to you.

If having a job that rewards and challenges you is the more important thing, then tighten your belt, cut costs at home, and go for what you think interests you.

That is putting it in very simple terms, it is always a balance of the two, but from my experience it is something worth considering.

I can also say, that for many years I had no balance between home and work, which was great for my career, but took its toll elsewhere. I work in film and TV, and can say it is not an are to go into unless you are sure it is for you.

I don't want to sound harsh, and hope you find something that is rewarding.

I am happy to ave a look at your CV it it is of any help. Different areas of work, suit quite different CVs. Some like to know about you as a person, ambitions, interests, other just want a stark list of jobs worked on (perhaps more freelance based work).

Sorry to hear your news.

I took a big cut in pay to leave London. Never regretted it for a minute. Broaden your horizons as much as you can - you never know what might be around the corner, but it will surely be better than the feeling is now.

All the best for the future.

It sucks ... I've been laid-off since the end of May. I'm an engineer with nearly 20 years of experience and for the first time I've been hearing people say that unless you're a perfect fit, they'd rather hire a new graduate.

At the age of 41 that doesn't sound too encouraging !

As for jumping into a job which you'll really love ? They are far and few, I'd focus on getting a job that will pay enough and will allow your home-life to work.

thanks for all the posative comments guys, it's been a nice boost.

to be honest i'm not on an aweful amount of money at the moment but there is a cut down to minimum wage which i don't want to do.

more job hunting today has left me very scared about finding work in the remaining 24 days. think i might have to multi-job for the xmas period until things look a bit brighter for the new years after places have had the christmas trade.

does anybody know of any other hifi dealers in the portsmouth / southampton area apart from audio-t, seven-oaks and phase3?

Do any of the design guys from naim look on these boards? just want to ask what experiance / qualifications they had when they got the job because i'm also considering home study in spare time.

sorry to ramble.

Stu

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
I know it's not very PC to knock a guy when he's down, but if you are going to send any E-Mails to potential employers.
Perhaps some Capital letters?

Good luck.

dont worry BigH formal items are fully punctuated, this place, to me is an informal chat and as such only use punctuation to aid in fluidity.

Unitui

Great offer from Jamie to look over your CV....you should take him up on it!

I know this is only an audio forum but it can be construed either as laziness and or lack of education if you are posting on here in that fashion. You did ask in your original post about possible employment and as an employer I couldn't consider you if you write and communicate in semi text - it will be a turn off for many.

I would make sure that I develop good habits. I'm not sure Naim would want to hire someone that doesn't use capitals or write using half decent grammar.

Jim

I wonder if you have any established contacts built up during your current role that you could approach. In the current climate it may be easier to branch out from your area of expertise, rather than go for something entirely new, unless you have a clear motivation to do something else that would enable you to sell yourself to potential employers. The hifi world seems to be pretty poorly paid and while you get an interesting customer from time to time, most people seem to be shuffling in to buy a plug or a lead - at least that is what I observed while sitting in the dealer in the past when I spent too much time there. Is your current employer offering any support to find a new role, such as advice or job search agencies?

Nigel

quote:

I'm not sure Naim would want to hire someone that doesn't use capitals or write using half decent grammar.

Jim

Surely that should be 'someone who doesn't...'?

I agree with your sentiments entirely; I once received a job application from someone who explained how much they wanted to work for the County Council, but unfortunately they missed the o from County.
Nigel

quote:

Originally posted by hungryhalibut:
I once received a job application from someone who explained how much they wanted to work for the County Council, but unfortunately they missed the o from County.
Nigel

Nigel

He obviously knew you

I hope you gave him the job

There used to be a very useful book about career change and getting a job after being made redundant - it was called

What Color is your Parachute

What Color is

Give it a try - see if the local book shop has one in stock so that you can have a quick browse.

Good luck

HH

quote:

Surely that should be 'someone who doesn't...'?

Wot u mean Guv?

I knew when I typed this reply that my grammar would come under scrutiny - but given Scottish is my first language and after living in the US for so long can I plead the fifth?

Cheers

Jim

Stu

I am also very sorry to hear your news and hope something turns up soon.

A couple of amusing anecdotes on job applications:- I once had somebody write to me with their CV saying they had always wanted to be a Quality Surveyor (we're Quantity Surveyors!)

Another time, we advertised and applicants were invited to submit their application to me Mr G S**** ARICS (the initials being my professional qualifications). One guy wrote back to Mr G S Arics - he really did his research...not!

Best wishes

Gary

Best wishes for your search Stuart. Hang in there.

Uniti

I wasn't in any way trying to kick you when you are down but you do need to appear as professional as you can be, as eager as you can be (you are obviously are) and as open minded as you can be (which you seem to be).

Many, many years ago I got fired (not made redundant) from a job. I hated it and to be honest deserved it. I had already booked a holiday in Spain the next week and I thought about cancelling it and then said "screw it, it's paid for anyway". When I got back I landed a job that was in a different direction to what I had done previously and which ultimately proved a great move. Opportunity turns up in strange places at times!

Good luck and go for it.

Jim

quote:

dont worry BigH formal items are fully punctuated, this place, to me is an informal chat and as such only use punctuation to aid in fluidity.

Hi

I'm genuinely sorry to hear about your news.

If I may tread on the thinnest of delicate egg shells here, even if your above statement is true (and I don't buy it - you either type with grammatical accuracy or you don't, it's not something you turn on and off), there is no excusing bad spelling - "aweful", "experiance."

Spell checkers are in most text programs these days and indeed, as I typed in those two words, red squiggly lines appeared to warn me of incorrect spelling...

The job market is swamped with very good, talented and very eager people so you need to do everything you can to raise above them and get noticed. Attention to detail.

Please don't take my criticism to heart, I'm just trying to convey what I, as an employer, look for as an absolute minimum standard.

I wish you every success and very soon,

Yours, Ian

Dear uniti,

You really do have my sympathy. My annus horibilis was actually more or less three years ago now, and continued with uncertain and short term employment for eighteeen months after that.

I had a lot of advice that amounted to tough love from some posters here as well, and it does not wash.

It could not come from people who actually understand, but rather from people who have actually have never faced this [though some may have doled it out].

A very good friend of mine [who is a Civil Engineer] was layed off from the first week of November, and he networked like the banshee. This was my advice, and not to get desponding till this had failed.

Result! He got a better job on more money, working with people he already knew.

Here is not the place for kindly advice on this.

Touch those you know and if you are like me and know few genuine people who can help [I know loads of genuine and good people who could not!] then keep battling on. I still have my self-respect, though others have to work harder than formerly to gain my respect for them. You toughen up for sure.

Self-respect is vastly more important than pleasing others or aspiring to the financial expections that rich people hold as being the signs of success.

Step over no corpses to your success [however modest others may consider it] and you will sleep well. Money is not everything, so enough to get by is quite fine enough. Don't worry that you may land a job that is with good people and in happy conditions, but which will never allow for all the toys - including a top line Naim set.

The music is worth more than the set, and your self-respect is worth more than loads-a-money!

Good luck from George

I hope you find a job soon too - it is not nice being unemployed. Only advice I can give is that looking for a new career is a full time in itself, but if you keep at it then you will find something that suits. It does take time.

Subscribe to Totaljobs and some similar job sites and you'll received e-mailed posts.

It is important to have a good CV: my recommendation is to have one that shows why you are suitable for the job you are applying for. Try to tell the potential employer what you could do for them rather than just list your past history.

Good luck Rotf

Uniti,

Firstly I'm very sorry to hear of your situation. On the other hand it's often the case that redundancy can prove a blessing in disguise.

I guess much depends upon what interests you career-wise but it seems that customer services is an area you're familiar with. My own company Flybe are curresntly recruiting cabin crew in a number of bases. Further details are available on www.flybe.com but I gather starting salaries are around £12k plus flight pay, commission on sales and shift pay. Promotion to senior cabin crew £17k basic usually comes after a couple of years and I gather take-home of £1700 then is realistic. Alternatively I've always thought coach drivers have a nice job and they're both roles in which your customer service experience could prove handy!

Wishing you all the best anyway and hope this is helpful - we have crew bases all around the country.
Warm regards,

Jonathan

Once again thank you for your kind words, it's great to be a part of such a mature community.

well, good news.

my old job working as a casino croupier has come back on the cards, like many have said on here, it's not what you know, it's who.

back in on the senior wage as when i left. so working through the maths looks like i'm going to take a hit of about £20/month. but more time off and in a stable industry.

sods law says that i'm now going to get offerd all the other jobs that i've applied for!

All i've got to do now is catch up my maths and remember what i have to do lol. should be fun fun fun.

maybe the upgrades and christmas won't have to be canceled!!

Stu

Well done Stu!
Norman Tebbit would be proud of your metaphorical cycling.
Don overcast downtown York

i'm probably going to show my age now, but here goes anyway....

who the hell is Norman Tebbit?

quote:

Originally posted by uniti:
i'm probably going to show my age now, but here goes anyway....

who the hell is Norman Tebbit?

Hopeless old Tory who advised unemployed people to "get on their bike and find something", which was great advice from the minister responsible for employment at the time if I remember correctly.

Back on topic I have like others, GFFJ, have been in the same place as you are now. Only I did it with a sold house, small child and heavily pregnant wife. It has worked nicely after a short dip in circumstances.

Keep plugging away, don't turn anything down, luck happens the harder you work, face to face is best for winning people over.

Where are you based by the way?

Jono