Is The Recession Affecting You?

[Fred Elliot]

Yeppers

leave anything past 7.15 and you are in the shit mate

[Ardiles]

Agree with Fred's point.  Reading doesn't have any arterial routes bypassing it to the north, east & west, so the M4 is used by locals as a bypass to get from side of town to the other...hence the gridlock.

As commutes go, though, Swindon to Reading is really not that bad.  The payrise comfortably exceeds your fuel/depreciation costs, so why not.

And depending on where you live and where in Reading the job is, the train could be well worth considering as well.

[Sippo]

Train is a no go really. Live by Asda Walmart so drive is definately easier.

[Fred Elliot]

And depending on where you live and where in Reading the job is, the train could be well worth considering as well.

Dont do it, you will end up an alkie like me

 

[Samdy Gray]

I've been asked if I would be interested in a job in reading. £10k more than I'm on now. Is that worth the extra commute? How long do you think it would take me from Swindon?

The thing is, you might actually have to do some work in this new job

[Sippo]

Cheeky git!

[THE FLASH]

End of the first week in my new job......fuck this working lark.....im bolloxed!!

[nevillew]

Agree with Fred's point.  Reading doesn't have any arterial routes bypassing it to the north, east & west, so the M4 is used by locals as a bypass to get from side of town to the other...hence the gridlock.

As commutes go, though, Swindon to Reading is really not that bad.  The payrise comfortably exceeds your fuel/depreciation costs, so why not.

And depending on where you live and where in Reading the job is, the train could be well worth considering as well.

There is the fact that your working day is 2 hours longer to consider

[Batch]

Well I'm not sure why I am sharing this with the world, but maybe if someone goes through the same thing it'll help make them feel normal. Or maybe I am abnormal.

- Made redundant on the 28th August. Notified at risk mid August.
- Initially optimistic, sure I know I won't walk into another job but every crisis is an opportunity
- Forged a couple of 'outside chance' opportunities, then fall into a mild depression about how I will keep the house, look after the family, etc.  if I don't get a job. Doubt my own abilities and start to feel worthless. Would curl up in bed if I could and forget about the world. Hold off chasing opportunities in case I don't get the job (yes it makes no sense, apologies to those who know who they are).
- Emotional situation not helped by wife taking 6 week contract making it hard for me to proper job hunt because of looking after nipper.

So finally I have started to break the cycle. I am going to my mums a few times a week so she can look after nipper and I can job hunt.

The job centre is a bit soul destroying on account of not really being geared for the (un)professional. But they are recognising this I think. And it's not an option anyway. I need to sign for mortgage protection purposes.

Yeah its tough out there in the job market. No real bites yet but I'll just keep on going and hope things get better.

This has been a broadcast by the emotionally needy party!

[Jamiesfuturewife]

Batch I totally and utterly feel your pain

I have been in that situation though was lucky enough not to have a child to support at the time - The job centre is  the bum hole of the world - I hated the way I was treated like the dole dosser next to me even though it wasnt my fault I had lost my job

You will get something - For me something came totally and utter out the blue and if anything changed my direction in life a but in a good way

Much love homey xxx

[Sussex]

Know exactly how you feel Batch (except not having a little'un). Still job hunting nine months after redundancy.

Catch 22 really. Take a shit paid job - lose the mortgage protection (an expensive godsend!) - then lose the house! No choice but to hang on in there for something reasonable to come along.

I've noticed there's been a few more 'decent' jobs coming up in the last 5/6 weeks which is sort of promising.

Anyone who thinks they might be at risk (that redundancy cash won't last long), get your cv bang up to date and ready, in case you need to get it out there to as many agencies and employers possible.

I could have had a baby by now.

[Ardiles]

My heart goes out to you, mate, because it's precisely the scenario I've been fearing myself for the last 18 months or so.  I am still fortunate enough to be gainfully employed, but the economy is not out of the woods yet and there are still enough unknowns out there for my guard to remain well & truly up for the time being.

As JFW says, your luck very often turns when you least expect it and if there is a small silver lining here it's that the economy has at least started to turn.  The prospects, on paper, for the next 12 months are somewhat rosier than for the 12 months just passed - and I hope that is of some comfort to Sussex as well.

[Batch]

Cheers guys and gals. Just got to keep on plugging away and hope it turns around.

Hope something comes up for you soon Sussex. As a matter of interest, have the Job Centre been OK with you now you have passed 6 months?

[pauld]

Batch, kind of been there myself after taking VR a few years back and getting embroiled in a somewhat protracted job hunt as I held out for the "right" job. It got proper soul-destroying in the 3rd month and I kind of lost sight of what I was doing it all for. But I held on, refocused and got the right job and like JFW have ended up in a better place as a result.

Sounds to me like you're coping pretty well, all things considered, and you've recognised the potential pit it's all too easy to fall into and taken action to counter it. Which is massive in itself.

At the risk of sounding like a self-help guide, keep believing in yourself - you need to big yourself up to yourself, as much as to potential employers. And part of that is telling yourself you ARE good enough to do the jobs you're going for (erm, so long as you're actually qualified - don't blag yourself into a job as a brain surgeon or something on a tide of overconfidence, that's a clear recipe for trouble) and treat the knock backs as just all part of the process. Keep telling yourself you're too good to be out of work for too long, and too good to settle for shit. You'll get there. Best of luck mate

[Sussex]

Seem to be. Obviously the £60 a week or whatever it was stops. They gave me a 6 month interview and changed the signing from fortnightly to weekly and now I just go back fortnightly and to sign the mortgage protection. Although that finishes in a couple of months. Gulp.