matts1

Had a call of a guy the other day at work asking if there was any office based work going. I said no, and he thanked me for my time.

But you could hear the desperation and frustration in his voice. Sounded in his 50's.

Feel sorry for people being laid off and really struggling to find a job in their field. people that want to work but just can't get a job.

That is all!

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Lots of good people out of work in IT at the moment, which is a new phenomonem, worrying times.
It used to be in my line of work you only ended up out of work for a long period if you were totally shite or lazy, but thats not the case anymore.
Thankfully at the moment im really busy, but it could certainly change quickly like it has for many others.

Maria.

I know what you mean Matt.

It is saddening when people have the enthusiasm and want to work, but cant!!!

swebber23

I have been out of work since December. Signed on for 6 months then wasn't entitled to it anymore. The missus is having to do 60-70 hour weeks. All the jobs at the minute seem to want people with 2 years experience etc. Stuck at the minute with a Degree for Mech Eng from uni but no one willing to take me on due to no experience or trying to find shop work which there are hundreds going for the few jobs available.

I get pissed off with the dicks down the job centre getting JSA when they blatently aren't even looking for a job. When I asked apparently they deserve it because they earnt it. Despite not having worked.

M K

iTrader: (9)

my gf is just trying to get back to work as little girl starts full time school soon but she has applied for a million a one jobs, actually anything to get her working and she doesnt even get a reply from most,

so many people in the same boat its a struggle to get anything it seems let alone in your desired field,

as said above im lucky that my work is busier than ever, and being in the drainage industry the shit never stops

AGAR-COSWORTH

New phenomonem - what about when the IT "bubble" burst circa 2000/01?

Theres been periods of 6 months, on and off since then, where my mates father, a top IT consultant, has been out of work

As said though, very bad times

Chip

iTrader: (3)

I dont view 6 months out of work as a consultant as especially worrying, in fact at around the 2000/2001 period you mention I was out of work for a few months then myself, but that was largely because I had just been earning 500 quid a day in my past role for 18 months and so wasnt willing to jump straight back into a low paid job which I would lose lots of in tax anyway, after the burst of the bubble you mention, I held out for a decent one again.
It was different then though, the jobs were still there but the rates were lower, right now its not a case of jobs paying less so people like me choosing not to have one for a while till they find one that is better paid as they dont want to work for peanuts, its a case of the jobs simply not being there at all, if I was out of work right now, even if I decided I was prepared to work for something daft like 30K a year, I still dont think I would walk straight into a job, and this is the only time while ive been in IT (since about 96) that I have felt that way, that even on a stupidly low rate I still might not find work.
It really is different this time IMHO

woodside

"It was different then though, the jobs were still there but the rates were lower, right now its not a case of jobs paying less so people like me choosing not to have one for a while till they find one that is better paid as they dont want to work for peanuts, its a case of the jobs simply not being there at all, if I was out of work right now, even if I decided I was prepared to work for something daft like 30K a year, I still dont think I would walk straight into a job, and this is the only time while ive been in IT (since about 96) that I have felt that way, that even on a stupidly low rate I still might not find work."


bit arrogant that mate considering this is about people who want a job and cant get one.

maybe you should try doing a useful job for the NHS or Army on way less than £30k.
I and many others probably as well qualified as you but not a chance of that sort of money in our professions.

Captain500rs

Its a propa shitter i got laid off 3 weeks ago and have done 2 jobs since i left school so dont have much experience doing anything else and trying to find work is a nightmare, even tried going on the buses just for some money and there is a 400 strong waiting list ffs, usually you can phone up and be working for them the next week. At the moment am trying to get the dole to pay for some courses to learn something new, which i hope comes off. Even had my saph up for sale for some cash and then thought here fuck it if i get to a stage where i cant run it i'll just put it away somewhere till am working again and financially better off, after having wanting one for many years and the thing is i dont think i could ever replace it.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

So was my comment, the jobs arent there, that was my whole point.

Change the value of 30K to 15K if you want mate, it was just a random figure thats way below the industry standard, my point is simply that its not a case of jobs paying less at the moment in IT, its simply a case of certain jobs just not being available.

You would have to be a TOTAL failure in the army though to be as qualified as me and earning less than 30K, if I had gone into the army as an officer as a graduate and then put over 10 years in since and picked up extra qualifications along the way, I would be on WAY more than 30k!

And with regards to you comments about being as well qualified and not a chanse of that money, I doubt there are many professions where someone with a degree in that profession, plus additonal industry qualifications plus a decade or more of experience wont be earning 30K a year. Especially not in london where I am, hell even the police in the met earn more than 30K when they have 10 years experience, and thats just for a basic bobby on the beat with a couple of gcse's and no degree or a levels etc!

Mk1-stu

We had a bloke in the other day begging for a job, he even offered to come in and sweep the forecourt & clean the toilets just for a few extra quid in his pocket. Also had a random chinese fella come in too, didn't speak a word of english - just had written on a piece of paper - Do you have any jobs for me ?. i wrote No not at the moment on it and he trotted off.

SiZT

I find it amazing that alot of people I speak to moan about not having a job, yet a friend of mine has a massive 3 GCSE's, BTEC in IT etc.. and in this "recession" he's

Had his contract not renewed with the police,
Worked for Tesco (Shelf stacking),
Quite Tesco and started working for Curry's (Salesman)
and just recently moved from Curry's to PC World (Salesman)

I'm not saying anyone on here is lazy etc.. but sometimes I think its a case of having too much pride to work at a supermarket or behind the counter in the local off license

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Its not just a case of pride, if you are out of your chosen industry for too long, it can hurt your chances of future employment, especially in IT where things move so quickly.
So taking another job like stacking shelves is fine, but only if it doesnt then hinder your chances of getting an IT job again, ie its not good having a retail job if you then arent available during office hours to hunt for a job when all the agencies and companies are open etc
So its not always laziness.

JoeE30

I agree with SiZt to an extent, because i dont know everyones situation. If i was out of work for any lenth of time and needed money to pay rent and so on i wouldnt care where the money came from, be it MaccyD's or a local supermarket. I earn pretty well in what i do and would rather have a low income then no income, i have been on my arse poor and never ever want to be that way again.

groomers

well i got made redundant in jan have since been delivering pizza's whilst looking for something, and now am working as a tyre fitter, but previously i was a diagnostic tech for ford, it is a bit of a shitter taking paycuts and doing shite work but you gotta pay the bills!

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

Looking at your age in your profile you would likely be a senior Captain or Major in the Army on approx £45-50k PA basic pay with operational packages, specialist pays and the travel allowances on top.


I have to agree with Chip here, its a simple fact that a lot of non graduate trades just dont pay as much as graduate trades. There does seem to be a lot of "dissent" amongst a lot of trades about low pay, especially mechanics etc etc.

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

I think in the current climate being out of your chosen industry for any significant period of time WILL seriously hinder your chances of getting back in that industry at a similar level again.

Not just IT that is effected by it but its the fact that employers have such a large number of people to choose from that they will choose someone with very recent relevant experience EVERY time over someone whos got same experience but has been stacking shelves last couple years!!

So longer your out of it harder it is to get back in without starting at the bottom it seems.

Even the bullshit the Navy resettlement people are coming out with seems to tally that once being out navy more than a couple of years means that 10 years management, leadership experience counts for nothing .

Chip whats your perspective on the graduate situation?? theres lots of graduates now a year or two out of uni, unemployed and likely to be another year before they find work realistically, so with lots of specialists and engineer graduates with 3 year old degrees and no experience, are they now going to be in a situation where thier degree is worthless because theyve been out of their specialisation???

Also i find it almost sick that those stupid IT and computing training companys are still spreading lies on TV adverts that theres plenty of jobs in the sector. Yeah right is the average wage £38k for someone whose done a basic online IT course

swebber23

I did shop work for 4 years whilst at uni, its not a matter of pride. When you have 100+ people going for one job You don't have much of a chance. The only other thing available is cleaning @ 12-14 hours a week (2 hours a day). By the time I have paid 3 quid to get the bus there and back, tax, NI and got childcare, I am left with less than 30 quid for the week.

Thats the problem I have, No practical experience. So far I have been out for a year soon the next lot of graduates will have left uni, so even more people are fighting for less Jobs. Basically I made the decision to go back to college and do an apprenticeship with the MOD.

matts1

Just had a neighbour pop round, 4 weeks ago another neighbhour got laid off so Ian pulled some strings and get him a job.

Today the bloke just jacks it in saying he don't like it, no plans or jobs lined up, just walks?? kids, wife and a mortgage to pay - WTF

Even if you dont like the job, atleast stay with it till you have something else lined up.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Two lads have just started where im doing some consultancy work at the moment, they are very good and both had mutliple job offers from good companies, so there are still roles out there for the cream of the crop, but from what they were saying about the number of their mates who cant get work its certainly not easy like it was for me when I left uni 13 years ago where I just had a completely free choice more or less of who I went to work for, there were far more jobs than people.
I should think that being out of uni for a couple of years and not getting work would go against you in most industries but even more so in IT.

Its fucking hilarious, they mention that you are joining an industry with an average wage of 38K but not that all you will be qualified for is a 15K a year first line support job!
Its ike trying to imply to someone doing a legal secretary course that they will earn 100K a year.

Still if people are stupid enough to fall for it, thats up to them I guess, they should do their own research rather than just believe these "education" companies in the first place, so at least they learn one valuable less for their money

fuzzy

its all very well saying youd do any work to pay the bills but your not the only ones to think that way, there will be many people going for all jobs and just as dificult to get in especially if your over qualified.
get a proper trade and you cant go wrong.even if your out the game for years a door will still be hung the same way as it was 100 years ago.

st3v3

we had a fella in the other day asking for any jobs going, i told him that we are on the verge of losing people anyway, but i said we could take his cv in and put it on file, which we did, but that was stil no good to the fella obviousely.

On the other side of the coin, as we might lose people or go on short time, i asked my mate who has his own business if he could employ me for the "short time" he said he could and would give me £100 a day for my effort, those are the real friends that you dont come by so easily.
Also, after telling him that im not sure when short time may or may not be happening i offered a week out of work taking up my holiday leave to help him if needed at a reduced wage.