So, TMO, the British Film Industry is dying - it's really on it's last legs at the moment - the model that has existed for some time of high budget films serving the few, mid budget serving for a living, and low budget for cutting ones technical teeth has been replaced by the rather fun model of high budget films serving the very very few or hiring from over seas, or shooting over seas, and the micro-budget, serving as an extension of film school in terms of organisation and little better than signing on (minimum wage is a godsend on these jobs!).
It was fun while it lasted, but I simply cannot afford to go on like this - I haven't done a job of note since last July, and I'm in the process of starting to start a family. I'm lucky that I have some transferrable skills, and now need to find a new job.
My options are, make do for a year or so in some new job, and then move over to the states and try film again. Start a teaching GTP for a year, add another string to my bow, and see where that leads, or just get a job and start making the most of it.
Anyway, TMO - what, if any, is the big change that's facing you at the moment? What would you want to alter? Is compromise quitting, or being grown up.
And so on....
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
I wouldn't say that compromise is quitting at all. It's what the very best people do, don't you know. I think they call it "diversifying" or something.
When I swapped from telecom engineer to web developer I was lucky enough to do it with the same employer and with an element of morphing between the two, by developing a couple of web sites while I was still officially fixing phone lines. So I didn't have to take a pay cut or anything. You might not have that luxury by the sound of it.
Posted by Benny the Ball (Member # 694) on :
If anything, I'd be getting a pay rise - it's great fun to do a job where nine out of ten phone calls either say "there's not much money in it" or "can you work for nothing on this one?" - just the other day I got a call from someone asking if I could do 5 days for free, and when I pointed out that I still had an outstanding invoice from a year ago with them, they made it sound very much like I might expect to have that paid if I did these 5 days.
It's not good for one's self esteem/spirit/feelings etc etc etc
Posted by Waynster (Member # 56) on :
I guess its all down to what you love doing, and realising what is truly important - something I have been faced with just recentley. A couple of weeks ago I went to Norway to see some friends of mine who are in a band (the rather excellent Electric Eel Shock) - three days, three gigs - I went up there to do some photography - the fun of the pit. But I know there is no money in photography, unless your name is Rankin of course, but I realised it was more than that that I love about it all - it is the whole touring thing. Yep its bloody hard work, physically draining and all but started to realise it is what I would like to do.
EES were in Holland/Belgium the last few days, and again I got to go out on tour with them again, but this time working properly - only merchandising sales and general crewing, but it just drives home more and more that it is what I need to do to be happy. It means throwing away a 20 year career and a 6 figure salary for probable poverty, forgetting what a bed feels like and living in a bus/van for weeks at a time that stinks of farts, but damn it to exchange sitting in an office while musak plays on a colleague's radio, having to be up at 5am and most days commuting instead of say last night, getting to bed around 5 am after being in another country, drinking with the bass player from 'A' and joking with Jared from the Bloodhound Gang, working alongside my gorgeous merchmaid Esther with her magical constant pant, being onstage at sound check singing sabbath and van halen songs and then singing 'fisting horses' all the way to Gent, flirting outrageously with a multitude of lovely ladies and all the time with a free beer in my hand, and all the while listening to some fantastic music and with a permanent shit-eating grin on my face.
Where the fuck do I send my resignation?
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
Ugh! I went permanent today. You remember when I announced I was being offered a permanent role? Well two months on and I have it. It's been a totally predictable fuckup from start to finish. An absolute shambles. Upon receiving notification that we were permanent today (as mentioned on Friday) I called up to ask them to actually confirm the wage, which is 4k lower than they offered. My boss (thrice removed) was quite cool about it: "Ah, ok if that's what we said we'll take your word for it, look into it, see what we can do etc" but my direct line manager asked me today to confirm any mistakes I had noted in the contract. All if would have taken was half an hour of his time to ask us enough questions, but instead, we have a contract that doesn't confirm the correct management structure, the wrong wage, the wrong hours and can you believe, an entirely fictional address for the building we work in. I've worked for the company officially for three hours now and I'm already rubbing my temples with my forefingers and frantically trying to sort all this out. They want to move us as well, even though they don't have the space or direct links to the phone system. I have the feeling they'll make us change phone systems, so that basically, we won't be on the same phone systems as our call centres - the people we receive the most calls from on a daily basis. What will happen, I'm convinced is that they will put us onto the call system with another team and get us working on both desks, taking calls from everyone, and having someone pass the calls from India, straight to us. That isn't going to work though. As soon as something fucks up, you know, like a server goes down for our million strong customer base, they'll be stuck in a 20 minute queue and then have to wait for one of the team to finish up a call before they are passed through. I'm watching my department get slowly ass-fucked. Still. I've been here 8 months, so I'll probably do another 4 then start looking to move over to a smaller, sensible company. That's a terrible thing to say in your first day of employment, but there you go.
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
This week I am going to take BIG STEPS into sorting the "career" part of my wretched life out, starting with finding out if I am technically eligible to study to be a vet. But probably not today as I'm quite busy, and cold and tired.
Mikey, did you have anything in writing from HR about your salary? I don't think I've ever started a job without written confirmation.
ETA: good luck with career changes, all. Waynester, do you have the kind of job where you could do a few months per year freelance/consultant/temp and then spend the rest taking pics of hairy musicians on the lash?
[ 20.03.2007, 08:27: Message edited by: Vogon Poetess ]
Posted by Waynster (Member # 56) on :
quote:Originally posted by Vogon Poetess: Waynester, do you have the kind of job where you could do a few months per year freelance/consultant/temp and then spend the rest taking pics of hairy musicians on the lash?
I do work now as a freelancer, and I guess that if the worst came to it I could go back and do a few months here and there - its something I have considered and it will always be there as a fallback option. Trouble is this contract is until the end of the year and I really am itching to get started as soon as possible.
Worst comes to it as well, between this contract and getting a road job I can go on the dole, which in Holland is pro-rata to what you pay in, meaning I can get quite a tidy sum of cash whilst trying to get a job.
And good luck too with your Vet quest!
Posted by froopyscot (Member # 178) on :
quote:Originally posted by New Way Of Decay: That's a terrible thing to say in your first day of employment, but there you go.
Have to say, though, the honest approach could be said to be refreshing. At least they're making no attempt to present the company's clusterfuckedness as anything else. Take my current company for example. I started as a contract employee and then came on full time about six months later, but didn't realize how completely and utterly dysfunctional the company was until some time later. Contrast even that against the experience being given to the few new people being brought in to the group over the past few weeks, who have been getting the fucking royal treatment, schedules of getting-to-know-you meetings with every department in the company, people arranged to take them to lunch every day for their first two weeks, and a set of comprehensive documentation outlining benefits, how to find important things on the company intranet, etc etc. None of which, I note, were done for me when I was hired; by contrast, it was here's your desk, if you need anything i'll be working from home for the next month or so, i'm sure you'll figure it all out.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
Yeah, it's all a bit odd, that. When I travelled up to Warrington my manager was getting all hot under the collar because I was late. It was kind of difficult to be on time though, what with him asking me to attend the day without actually supplying me with a train ticket, giving me a place to meet him or telling me which platform to be on. I just had to 'show up' He was gutted, you see because he'd bought saver tickets and had to transfer them. This is a company that has a retail store on every London street corner and in every town and he booked a set of cheap seats. On the way back, he was chatting up a manager from another team but she had tickets for first class, so their conversation was cut short.
Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
big change is that I'm going to be a motherfucking homeowner. A homeowner who works for a boring multinational. With a steady girl. I'm so fucking establishment. Today I'm wearing grey trousers, a white EZ-IRN shirt, and I've got a side parting. I look / am about as uninspired and drone like as you could imagine. Somewhere along the line I lost the will to make a difference. Even if it was just a difference for myself. My hobby is playing computer games. I'm trying to eat sensibly. I'm not even gripped by intense fits of depression and self-destruction any more. I'm a freakin failure.
[ 20.03.2007, 11:26: Message edited by: Jimmy Big Nuts ]
Posted by Boy Racer (Member # 498) on :
Lol.
I'm going to have to take a year out after next year in order to retrain because I couldn't work the part-time training option out with my current work. So once I've got the house sorted I'll give myself a bit of a break and then start saving like crazy to part-finance my year out.
I'm looking forward to everything but the short-term deprivation.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
I am an absolute and total sell-out these days now I'm in management, and I dress the part, kind of kidding myself that I'm doing it as a role-play and wearing a "costume" (not entirely delusional, as nobody else dresses corporate except me, so it's voluntary rather than obligatory). However, as I can't think of anything much I am interested in writing about academically anymore, I am going to devote my 30 days "research" time (Jul 15 - Aug 15) mostly to getting my latest novel almost finished. I might do a short article on the side, just for show, but in my head I'm prioritising fiction now rather than academia. So, while I'm obviously keeping my day job, especially now it pays shitloads (well, by my standards: I was on £5k a year until 1999), I think of that as a secondary career shift.
Posted by Darryn.R (Member # 1) on :
wonderstarr, is your performance not reviewed on the quantity and quality (top rated journals) of your annual publications? They are quite strict on that here. One of the academics here was talking about how he estimates that 50% of his PhD students never really leave that topic for the rest of their career- that does sound pretty limiting.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
It is, VP, but I've done so much over the last five years that I'm in everyone's good books for the forthcoming RAE, and apparently the RAE system is being modified or abandoned after the next one. Yeah, I'll have to write four more articles in prestigious journals by 2013 or something, but I think I can manage that.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Anyway, what are they going to do, demote me?
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Have you ever really hoped your boss wasn't reading this site right now.
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
No
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: Have you ever really hoped your boss wasn't reading this site right now.
Is your boss black?
Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
or does he just really appreciate black culture?
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
I'm only really about to enter the big wide world of carears. I have about a month and a half left on my undergraduate degree course so should probably start actually applying for jobs.
Im looking to go into the world of radio, since the second year of my media production course iv been speciallizing in radio production so i'm most qualifyed for this over any other aspect of the media industry.
I'm hoping my experiance with the community radio station based at my university over the last 3 years (iv gradually worked way up from show presenter to head of features to asistant program controller to program controller) will give me a good chance.
currently the station manager is the only paid person on the station, everyone else is volunteer but they are about to create a new assistent station manager position so will apply for this and hope for the best.
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
You have a great writing style for radio.
Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
is Hades phil_haw? did that happen? Or is that imagined?
Posted by Nathan Bleak (Member # 1040) on :
I can't get my head round the fact that it's not even two years since I left journalism. So much has changed since then - three different homes, two different jobs in two different cities - it floors me to think how fast it's all happened. So it kind of feels like the dust is settling after a massive, extended upheaval; like the change has just finished happening and I can try a new life.
Like WoStarr and JiBiNu I feel a bit more... er... sell-outy in my current job. I was marvelling the other day at what I used to get away with years ago - three hour lunch breaks, going to the cinema or the pub all day instead of going back to the office after a press event, the ridiculous drinking and abuse of other industry professionals. I kind of miss that attitude; like I wouldn't have the guts to try anything like that these days. Mind you, I don't miss the persistent paranoia and perpetual sense of impending doom.
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
I feel I'm at that point where my life could really change depending on the decisions I make over the next couple of months. I don't like it. I don't make good decisions.
Posted by Nathan Bleak (Member # 1040) on :
You should listen to my advice more. You never listen to what I've got to say, and you always make idiotic blunders as a result.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
Meeting my mother at the weekend was a little bit exciting. As she entered the house we were all looking at each other intensely. Everyone was smiling and my Nan's husband said to my Mum 'oooh, haven't you got chubby, Lynne?'
Anyway, I've started to care less about my family being proud of any of my achievements or financial success. In fact, when driving back to the station last night my Nan said to me 'It was really nice to have you here this weekend' and my Mum said 'yes, Mike's a great kid to be around'
depressolol.
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy Big Nuts: is Hades phil_haw? did that happen? Or is that imagined?
Correct. Although I thought everyone already knew that.
Was it my terrible use of spelling and grammar that reminded you?
In 6th form I used that to my advantage, once I was tested and declared mildly dyslexic they gave me extra time in exams which was very helpful. At uni however I was incredibly lazy and never applied for the stuff (I figured i didn’t have exams so what was the point)Its only in my 3rd year i found out the uni would have given me a free computer. Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
your spelling is much better than it used to be, fella.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
I can't believe "Phil Haw" cynically improved his spelling and grammar to construct a new "persona" and trick people on here. Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
Fuck me, it's Phil Haw!!
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
What's a Phil Haw?
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy Big Nuts: your spelling is much better than it used to be, fella.
Well glad to see my university degree has had some positive effect then.
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: I can't believe "Phil Haw" cynically improved his spelling and grammar to construct a new "persona" and trick people on here.
Yep. I’m a right bastard me. On a side note I love the fact that I can quote parts of a chapter in a book by you in my dissertation that itself has a quote from me posting on Seethru when I was 15 in it.
I'm trying to justify to myself a way of including that quote by me in the dissertation. Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
Well twang my frenulum to the tune of duelling banjos. Hello Phil.
Posted by froopyscot (Member # 178) on :
quote:Originally posted by ralph: What's a Phil Haw?
Newbie.
Six years I've waited for the chance to say that Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
Glad I could help you out old timer. Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
look, on an unrelated note, I've bought a digital camera:
First picture taken with my new camera.
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
Man, when you said you had sold out I thought you were joking. Oh Benway. Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
yeah. I know man. I know.
Posted by Phill (Member # 40) on :
quote:Originally posted by New Way Of Decay: Well twang my frenulum to the tune of duelling banjos. Hello Phil.
Howdy!
(took me about 10 attempt of trying different passwords with phill_haw to remeber that during the move from seethru to here i registerd with just phill )
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Is that your Amish housemate, Benway?
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hades: On a side note I love the fact that I can quote parts of a chapter in a book by you in my dissertation that itself has a quote from me posting on Seethru when I was 15 in it.
Lol yes that's true isn't it... you must have been on Seethru ages ago, then. I wonder who else is immortalised in that chapter.
Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: Is that your Amish housemate, Benway?
yeah, he's never seen a usb cable before. To be honest, he's a jerk, but he's got me over a barrel when it comes to his tenancy.
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr:
quote:Originally posted by Hades: On a side note I love the fact that I can quote parts of a chapter in a book by you in my dissertation that itself has a quote from me posting on Seethru when I was 15 in it.
Lol yes that's true isn't it... you must have been on Seethru ages ago, then. I wonder who else is immortalised in that chapter.
I was certainly on seethru by the end of the first season of attachments.
I'd check in the book for the other members mentioned but its sitting on my shelf at home at the moment and according to the database both of my uni libraries copies are checked out.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy Big Nuts:
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: Is that your Amish housemate, Benway?
yeah, he's never seen a usb cable before. To be honest, he's a jerk, but he's got me over a barrel when it comes to his tenancy.
I don't think I'm cut out for dry, cruel humour. I feel awful now.
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
It made me properly laugh out loud, if that's any consolation.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Every cunt really is back on TMO!
For all my boasts of selling out, actually today I've sat around in my underwear, done some exercise, plastered a wall, had a beer, had a shower, wrote 1000 words of fiction, spent three hours or so on work email. Probably in a different order. There were a couple of wanks in there, but that goes without saying.
Posted by Louche (Member # 450) on :
Proper Thorn. I approve.
Posted by squirrelandgman (Member # 201) on :
My life has been top since I sacked off the career to become an international professional gambler. I traveled through Asia, drinking, came back and got a graduate job in the wine industry which paid shite and was long hours and could even have been seen as demeaning were it not for the fact that I didn't feel sick at the thought of going to work every day. Then I moved to S.Korea to teach, which I should probably have done when I was 21 as I somehow get paid half what I did and have twice the money. This means I can save a shitload. I am doing a Diploma in Wine and Spirits which is a ridiculous amount of fun, for study, I actually enjoy reading up on chemical formulas in the making of wine.
The future might be fucked with regards to career, but I tried that and I didn't like it. I am concentrating on doing what I enjoy and I reckon things will work out.
So, it has been all change since 2005 really and I don't see that changing. Might look at moving to Vietnam, am going to pursue wine industry jobs, just keep picking away really. It's all such a relief after the depression of computer programming in the city for 6 years that I am just about enjoying life again.
Fuck, that sounded like a load of self satisfied wank.
So failures.... Professional gambling went down the shitter. I'll probably never be able to buy a gaff in the UK. I am developing a fat gut. I have failed to learn any languages. I'm still a **** .
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy Big Nuts: look, on an unrelated note, I've bought a digital camera:
First picture taken with my new camera.
It's Oben-Way-Kenobi..
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: I wonder who else is immortalised in that chapter.
DangerousDaze, Ma'am, yourself (as Kovacs), Tav and Rufus
[ 21.03.2007, 05:30: Message edited by: Hades ]
Posted by London (Member # 29) on :
I decided to try to bring my CV together so that instead of me with my real name doing corporate web stuff and copywriting that is wellpaid but hateful and then me with my fake name doing underground music / lifestyle journalism that is poorly paid but enjoyable, I could have everything in one place so that maybe just maybe I could get a job I actually liked that actually paid something. It isn't working.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hades:
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: I wonder who else is immortalised in that chapter.
DangerousDaze, Ma'am, yourself (as Kovacs), Tav and Rufus
I'm sure London and Darryn are in it too, under their real names.
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr:
quote:Originally posted by Hades:
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: I wonder who else is immortalised in that chapter.
DangerousDaze, Ma'am, yourself (as Kovacs), Tav and Rufus
I'm sure London and Darryn are in it too, under their real names.
Very possibly. I only quickly flicked through and noticed the bits that were obviously indented as quotes from the forum.
Posted by Waynster (Member # 56) on :
Yes! I've just been asked by one of the bigger merchandising companies in Germany to go visit them in Dortmund to talk about some up and coming oppurtunities with their touring division!
A little belief and anythings possible!
Posted by Darryn.R (Member # 1) on :
quote:Originally posted by Waynster: Yes! I've just been asked by one of the bigger merchandising companies in Germany to go visit them in Dortmund to talk about some up and coming oppurtunities with their touring division!
A little belief and anythings possible!
Sweet, Dortmund !
Who are one of the bigger merchandising companies in Germany ?
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
quote:The 16-year-old is said to be tired of her playing Harry Potter's know-it-all pal and wants to try new projects. Matters were not helped last week when a stalker followed her into school and managed to talk to her before being warned off campus. Watson has since been assigned a private bodyguard.
Posted by Zygote (Member # 883) on :
quote:Originally posted by Waynster: Yes! I've just been asked by one of the bigger merchandising companies in Germany to go visit them in Dortmund to talk about some up and coming oppurtunities with their touring division!
A little belief and anythings possible!
Quality. Sounds like a decent opportunity, Waynster. Best of luck with it. Won't be long before we see you on Headbanger's Ball, pissed up and shouting in the background to live band interviews. Nice!
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
This, on the other hand is sweet news.
Posted by Hades (Member # 57) on :
quote:Originally posted by MiscellaneousFiles:
quote:The 16-year-old is said to be tired of her playing Harry Potter's know-it-all pal and wants to try new projects. Matters were not helped last week when a stalker followed her into school and managed to talk to her before being warned off campus. Watson has since been assigned a private bodyguard.
I was tempted to find a more up-to date picture of her and comment on her being legal now...... but then i realised I'd be scarily close to a Harlquin/stealgate type post and thought better of it. Posted by Waynster (Member # 56) on :
quote:Originally posted by Darryn.R: Sweet, Dortmund !
Who are one of the bigger merchandising companies in Germany ?
This one is with Trashmark - they handle quite a few metal/punk outfits (Danko Jones, Napalm death, me first and the gimme gimmes off the top of my head)
James from EES also sent an email to two top dogs at Fire Brand in the UK telling them how wonderful I was - it seems they are a bit more mainstream but handle some huge names - Christina Aguilera, Take That, Foo Fighters, Fatboy Slim, Arctic Monkeys - so might be something in that.
I'm definately done with sucking corporate cock mind, so the latter seems like not so much of a happy option - I'd rather be out with the bands I love. But we shall see what happens.
Edit: Also as an afterthought, I imagine that the latter doesn't really involve any sales - just muppets wanting their chests adorned to prove to all and sundry that they saw the gig - not much of a challenge in that really. I liked it at the EES gigs when you had some Belgian bloke come up, half wanting a CD but not sure, and by the time I had finished with him he had bought 3 - you know the real trepidation to fullfilment path. And as I had no change he thought he was getting a bargain by receiving 4 badges for the 3 euros owed (each badge selling at a euro each)
We shall see - lets get Dortmund visited to see what happens.
[ 22.03.2007, 03:34: Message edited by: Waynster ]
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
I applied to a couple of City PA jobs that have heftier salaries yesterday, although it seems impossible to apply directly- they all seem to go through recruitment agencies. I got called by one of them and invited to an interview- but that's a recruitment agency interview, with the associated typing test etc. I mainly want to know if I can ask for xK more if I decide to stay here- is it worth wasting time at an agency interview do you think? I don't desperately want a City job, I just want to know how much I'm worth.
Posted by mart (Member # 32) on :
[raz]about five poun[/raz]
Posted by Nathan Bleak (Member # 1040) on :
I've always gone along to agency interviews and found them quite valuable, if only for the interview experience. Also, I have been put forward for a few decent jobs by recruitment agencies (including this one) and it's worth having a salesperson on your side to pitch you to companies. Plus they'll tell you at the time what sort of salaries you'll be looking at.
Posted by Louche (Member # 450) on :
Can't you just look at salaries in the paper?* Check out job descriptions, find similar, look at what people are offering for that.
Going through the recruitment agency rigmarole seems a bit unneccessary.
*Or any other job adevrtising medium
I got my payrise today. It was a bit shit.
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
I work in Education, which has a strictly tiered pay scale, and it's difficult to compare it to similar jobs in the corporate sector.
It's also really difficult to know which agencies are the best- word of mouth's always good, but nobody I know does such a menial job.
Posted by Nathan Bleak (Member # 1040) on :
quote:Originally posted by Louche: Can't you just look at salaries in the paper?* Check out job descriptions, find similar, look at what people are offering for that.
Going through the recruitment agency rigmarole seems a bit unneccessary.
Isn't it worth covering all bases though? Surely there's value in going through the classifieds, signing up to as many agencies as you can find and maybe cold-calling a few choice companies, as well. Isn't this what a job-hunt entails? Or am I sounding too much like a self help book?
Posted by Louche (Member # 450) on :
Maybe, but I'm a lazy fuck and wouldn't bother.
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
Monster is the place to look. Just did a quick search on jobs in London with "microsoft office" as the keywords and it looks like PA sort of jobs are paying around 30k?
You can post your CV on there and wait for calls too. I get more calls from putting my CV on Monster than anywhere else. Big source for agencies to find people.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
My [academic] administrator "can't afford to shop at Monsoon" and feels "naughty buying Diesel jeans" [=£20-25k? Your guess is as good as mine] whereas corporate PAs I know earn about £27k. Happy to help.
[ 22.03.2007, 08:14: Message edited by: wonderstarr ]
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
It's so vulgar to talk about your salary. I'm on a higher pay band than your adminstrator, starr, not including bonuses, and corporate PAs/Executive Assistants can certainly earn more than that. I'd be looking for a job that pays about 5k more, to make up for the fact that I wouldn't be getting the own office/7 weeks holiday/subsidised swimming/absolutely no overtime jolly I've been enjoying here. It's difficult to know whether that's realistic or not.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
It's also perhaps hard to be certain whether that's a good exchange. £5k surely gets taxed down to three or so; is that worth the loss of those benefits?
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
The extra cash isn't actually for me; it's the pre-tax salary that the smug bank clerk inputs into their little credit check programme, to reveal the pitiful amount they will lend you should you foolishly want to buy in London without a partner.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
HSBC are offering five times your salary should you want financial ruin in years to come Veep.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
quote:Originally posted by Vogon Poetess: The extra cash isn't actually for me; it's the pre-tax salary that the smug bank clerk inputs into their little credit check programme, to reveal the pitiful amount they will lend you should you foolishly want to buy in London without a partner.
Oh, yeah good point. My pre-tax salary is in a different universe from my actual salary.
You've clearly thought this through sensibly, anyway.
Posted by Abby (Member # 582) on :
quote: It's so vulgar to talk about your salary. I'm on a higher pay band than your adminstrator, starr, not including bonuses...
Wait...you get bonuses? Or do you mean corporate PAs get bonuses? I have never had a bonus, and if you get one, I want one too!
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
Ah, yes, you can't get bonuses through the usual university routes, it's true. I get them because I administer a new collaborative research centre, and the funds are held by the College's spin off consultancy company. Thus I invoice them for my brilliance, and get sent a cheque. The other secretaries aren't supposed to know. They've asked me to let me know how much would tempt me to stay on here, and it's this external money that would fund the payrise. I would have to do more work (keeping the centre's accounts) for the money though.
Posted by jnhoj (Member # 286) on :
Fecking hell, phil's back. Now all we need is victoria and ftc to post.
Since seethrus heady days i got:
My useless eng/phil degree (which has since qualified me to type worse than someone with dyslexia, hip hooray!)
A year in Italy, I suppose I can speak Italian. Because Italian is really useful isn't it. Yes. Yes.
Am now in Japan, a performing monkey, I won't master the language because I'm high tailing it to New Zealand to do I'm not sure what. It will probably involve manual labour. I would like the sort of job that starts at 7 and finishes at 1, like a dustbin man or a postman. However, my girlfriend of 30 years has made it clear on more than on occasion that she would like me to be earning 50k minimum in a few years time (150k nz dollars). I do not think I have the nous for that kind of salary. Who the fuck does have the nous for that kind of salary. Is nous the right word. I just don't know any more/
I have produced very little of creative worth in the mean time and that is the part that is probably most crushing. Also, I haven't taken drugs in a serious manner for about 2 years now, which I kind of miss.
AND I STILL CANT FUCKING SHAVE WITHOUT GETTING A RASH
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
What, you'd actually have to earn the extra money? What a stupid concept.
Posted by dance margarita (Member # 848) on :
i spit blood at the vagabond who stole my mobile phone yesterday. ptooey! now i will have to get used to a different mobile phone interface. i abhor this.
also, my best friend is moving in six weeks. fine, fine... TO COCKING AUSTRALIA?!? what fresh madness is this. we went out dancing on saturday- rave grannies on parade. noone was smoking. however, by 11pm everybody was on, like, ketamine. i am bemused by this switcheroo. i know smoking isnt very good for your lungs but at least it doesnt make you look like a SCARY MONG. all these painted youths in their denim leggings and floral 1970s painting smocks, lying on top of each other like discarded coats at a house party. everywhere i looked, there were piles of drooling post- teen mong, but noone had a spare roll- up! its not like the old days. also, i tried to dance but after i stopped drinking i think some evil elves broke into my bedroom and stole all my fly moves, leaving me with nothing but my cheesiest 1993- era rave grannyisms. i wish rains of death upon the heads of all these funk- thieving elven bastards.
[ 22.03.2007, 11:15: Message edited by: dance margarita ]
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
Hi Disco.
Me and my mate Heth cleared the dancefloor at a bar in Shoreditch the other week, due to our awe-inspiring moves. I also managed to empty a pub with my majestic rendition of Wuthering Heights. There's a lot of jealousy around these days.
Posted by jnhoj (Member # 286) on :
I dunno, why isn't disco a successful published author yet?
There is no justice in this world!
Posted by Louche (Member # 450) on :
I went out for pizza and a pint with mates last night. One of them revelaed that she is up duff. This makes six (SIX) of my friends who are currently gestating. I feel abnormal, in an odd way.
Posted by SilverGinger5 (Member # 49) on :
quote:Originally posted by Louche: I feel abnormal, in an odd way.
Surely that's minus five points for redundancy?
Posted by Louche (Member # 450) on :
Meh.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Yesterday I had a dream about an ex. I couldn't stop thinking about her during the day, so this morning after some redundant googling I just searched my hotmail and realised my last email from her was March 20 2002: 5 years ago to the day.
I couldn't really resist that coincidence, so at 8.50am I mailed her, expecting a bounced reply saying she'd moved on from that workplace in 2004.
At 9am she replied.
[ 22.03.2007, 12:05: Message edited by: wonderstarr ]
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
What did she say?
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Please don't contact me again.
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
lol
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Sorry, that was just a personal message for Ralph, not the contents of the message.
Well, she didn't put any kisses at the end but it was a friendly mail. She is getting married soon, which makes me a lot less weirdly jealous than the idea of her being single, in which case I would have imagined her having lots of rampant, random shagging instead of dull, tender sex and "cuddles" with some 40 year-old.
Maybe just one more night with her would bring me "closure".
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Lol let's hope she doesn't read TMO, eh fans?!
Posted by Zygote (Member # 883) on :
Did you reply to her 9am message?
Posted by Nathan Bleak (Member # 1040) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: Maybe just one more night with her would bring me "closure".
You should definitely do that. You owe it to yourself. You only live once.
sprays breath freshener in mouth. rings modge. Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: Sorry, that was just a personal message for Ralph, not the contents of the message.
That was awfully close to being something kovacs would have said.
Posted by dance margarita (Member # 848) on :
quote:Originally posted by jnhoj: I dunno, why isn't disco a successful published author yet?
FUN QUIZ FOR THURSDAY
is it:
a) crippling self- doubt
b) crippling procrastination
or
c) crippling overreliance on the comedy potential of the word 'elves', to the exclusion of any real stylistic progress since the year 2002?
TICK ALL THAT APPLY. THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS.
(hello johnj! im sorry i called you autistic or whatever it was, whenever it was. im positively sure i was very drunk at the time.)
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
quote:Originally posted by Zygote: Did you reply to her 9am message?
Yes, I told her I had a cat... told her the cat's name... shit like that... girls love that kind of shit... softens them up.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
I tried to play it cool. I wrote, "I'm just smoking a fag as I type this. One-handed."
Hope she writes back.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
Fucking hell. My colleague just put on a crystal clear copy of '300' on the plasma screen.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
Everyone has rippling muscles. Even the women.
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
ewwwwwww
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Ralph's just been sent a picture by his ex.
Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
I could take her down. No problem.
Posted by Jimmy Big Nuts (Member # 895) on :
what's with the lacy tablecloth? Is she like a fancy matador?
[ 22.03.2007, 13:46: Message edited by: Jimmy Big Nuts ]
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
let it go ralph. let it go.
[ 22.03.2007, 13:57: Message edited by: ralph ]
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
That cloth is for shower room horseplay.
Posted by wonderstarr (Member # 1158) on :
Wait a minute... Ralph just said TMO isn't a bib for my dribble. Didn't I say that once? It's quite good! Sorry Ralph but it seems quite clever. But also, don't worry cause I couldn't come up with that kind of thing now.
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