"Thank you for your honesty ..."

A company recently forwarded their detailed job descriptions after I'd written in response to their advert. I was honest in concluding that both positions had elements of computer work that I could do very well, but also customer contact elements that I would not be suited to referring them back to where I had noted having a communication skills disability on the original letter.

Well they've just sent an e-mail back "Thank you for your honesty in making us aware of your communication skills disability, we will retain your information and contact you should a suitable opening arise that meets your skills."

wheels back into motion?

One hopeful surprise today, phone call from the woman I'd met in November at the service provider who do the scheme of paid placements for disabled people in the voluntary sector. Some new possible roles are coming up and she needed an e-mail copy of my CV (only had it on paper before) so she can forward it to the prospective employers quickly. Fingers crossed!

Snow Joke: Can’t get to work?

A good article on Jobsite from an employment lawyer on the subject of being unable to get into work in the recent snow conditions. I am glad to see this lawyer including "the general accepted guidance is that whether you are paid or not, you should not put yourself in danger by travelling in dangerous conditions." See the comments for some examples of very unreasonable employers.

'Working from home' in snow?

This article on Reuters news is about a record number of new members yesterday morning on an "extra-marital" dating site, mainly from areas worst hit by this week's extreme weather. It is thought that these wives and husbands found this to be a time when, with the bad weather they were technically able to "work from home", they could join the site away from the eyes of their work colleagues and partners.

For me this begged the same question as last month's post "Present a professional personal brand" about if I'd have been pipped at the post at interview by folks that did this. Were they using their WORK provided laptops for instance? Connecting to the internet under their work accounts? The list goes on ....

Poor choice among today's jobsearch - plus encouraging article

A few extracts from the descriptions found in today's jobsearch:
- You will need to have good communicative skills as you will be dealing directly with customer enquires.
- You must have Sage payroll experience and excellent communication skills. You will be wholly responsible for Sage payroll. You will obtain quotes from suppliers, order parts, chase up delivery and check items on arrival. You will be checking goods out, invoicing, undertaking customer follow up and credit control
- Applicants must be able to deal competently with face to face and telephone enquiries from professional organisations and individual members of the public.
- You will be a team player with the ability to work on your own initiative. You will be confident and possess the ability to be able to communicate at all levels. The ideal candidate must have previous experience in a Facilities Management, customer focused or a project management role and will be proficient in Microsoft office.

I'm rolling out a couple of plausible speculative applications, in the absence of any better matches I really need to get them out to keep things flowing for the jobcentre.

I was encouraged to read an article on the Jobcentre website (unfortunately can't link to it any more following a restructure of the site) where a disabled person with short term memory issues was given a chance through a Work Trial, as I've so tried to get employers to give me. There are employers who will do this, one has to be on my radar soon surely.

Referee leaving - their job is in local paper

Just when I didn't think my plight could get much worse as an unwanted employee, I've just got the local paper and seen one of my referee's jobs advertised, she's obviously leaving. The longer I'm without a job this is exactly what happens, people who would give references do move on, I'd hoped of course that I'd have had a job before now anyway, and have a more up to date reference with.

Another blog sharing my opinion on the dreaded role-play exercises

It's nearly a full year since I made this post about the dreadful role playing exercises of nuclear bunkers and plane crashes I was subjected to on "Flexible Routeways". Funnily I found a post on this blog "Intensive Activity" (Ipswich Unemployed Action) that these things do seem to be used at many of these providers, but with the common consensus that it doesn't really help us find jobs!