Thursday, 19 July 2012
Sunday, 11 March 2012
"Dinosaur interview takes the Biscuit" - more extreme interviewing techniques
As interviewing techniques get ever more extreme, this in the Daily Mail highlights how interviewers are increasingly using variations on the "If you were a (blank), what sort would you be and why?" question theme, examples being "animal", "dinosaur" (hence the headline) and "biscuit" (now that really takes the biscuit). This theme was common among contestants on Cilla Black's Blind Date, not what I'd want to expect in a professional interview. See this thread on MoneySavingExpert for some comments.
The main article goes on to quote that "the idea of extreme interviewing is to see how quickly job-seekers think on their feet", more of that dreaded "blue sky thinking outside the box" malarky. Hard enough for those without communication skills disabilities, for those with ....
The main article goes on to quote that "the idea of extreme interviewing is to see how quickly job-seekers think on their feet", more of that dreaded "blue sky thinking outside the box" malarky. Hard enough for those without communication skills disabilities, for those with ....
Monday, 30 January 2012
"Promotion is bad for mental health"
An interesting article on Yahoo Lifestyle about people being "wealthier, but not healthier following promotion." I can so relate to this, on the one hand interviewers expect us to be striving for promotion, looking for the person who gives the most confident and ambitious answer to the old "where do you see yourself in 5 years time" etc (see my entry in July for one of my friend's takes on that one), yet the increased mental strain people are under in a more responsible job does suggest the truth in the "wealthier, but not healthier".
While I'm generally so chuffed my job has gone permanent after how hard it was to get one, being the start of the calendar year the team leaders have been getting us all into meetings to plan our "personal performance plan" objectives for the year ahead, to show they're ticking their boxes for developing us. They seem to be making a big push for telephonists and data entry bods to cross train on the other sides, they seem to be appreciative this is not for me but talking to colleagues on the shop floor they don't like it and its still making me uncomfortable even if they aren't asking me to do it as it seems like it is coercion rather than their choice.
Just seen the date and it was actually published in April 2009.
While I'm generally so chuffed my job has gone permanent after how hard it was to get one, being the start of the calendar year the team leaders have been getting us all into meetings to plan our "personal performance plan" objectives for the year ahead, to show they're ticking their boxes for developing us. They seem to be making a big push for telephonists and data entry bods to cross train on the other sides, they seem to be appreciative this is not for me but talking to colleagues on the shop floor they don't like it and its still making me uncomfortable even if they aren't asking me to do it as it seems like it is coercion rather than their choice.
Just seen the date and it was actually published in April 2009.
Saturday, 29 October 2011
"The Welfare State" BBC documentary
Saw this on Thursday night, tying in with this article on the news website about their survey of people who back many benefit cuts. It was more of the usual media and politician rhetoric to tar all unemployed people with the same brush, as I expected it would be, then you saw a few interviews with honest people who have sent loads of applications out yet don't get replies.
The comments on the blogs I'm following, Watching A4E and Quacking Plums say it all. Ghost Whistler's (Quacking Plums' author) comment on Watching A4E about the 'kindergarten' environment in the training centre was one I related to from when I did Flexible Routeways with the motivation collage, which seems as much of a timewaster as the paper tower building and role plays about nuclear bunkers.
I did identify with another related BBC article today though, I would agree with measures to "make people who cause trouble feel the full effects of their actions". Interestingly the article admits only 35% of the rioters in August were claiming an out of work benefit though, so as Ghost Whistler has rightly pointed out, over 60% were not.
The comments on the blogs I'm following, Watching A4E and Quacking Plums say it all. Ghost Whistler's (Quacking Plums' author) comment on Watching A4E about the 'kindergarten' environment in the training centre was one I related to from when I did Flexible Routeways with the motivation collage, which seems as much of a timewaster as the paper tower building and role plays about nuclear bunkers.
I did identify with another related BBC article today though, I would agree with measures to "make people who cause trouble feel the full effects of their actions". Interestingly the article admits only 35% of the rioters in August were claiming an out of work benefit though, so as Ghost Whistler has rightly pointed out, over 60% were not.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Jobseekers tell Channel 4 News why they are struggling to find work
An excellent article from Channel 4 News online with Jobseekers telling why they are struggling to find work and what practical changes they want to see in the jobs market. We all know the politicians and media rhetoric of Jobseekers being labelled as "too picky / fussy" whatever, but little consideration of the other side of the coin, where it is more employers who are able to cherry pick with so much competition and the first poster touches on this.
That first post also raises the idea of more "agreements between Jobcentres and employers", getting at the fact employers often take someone on who is already in a job following open market advertising. Another poster highlights the "overqualified" issue, quoting that the Jobcentre "don't know what to do with me because I'm skilled." Then there's the mention of the "pathetic courses that waste time and money", I'm all for people going to providers if they use their clout to introduce them to potential good employers, but not for paper tower building and role plays about nuclear bunkers and plane crashes.
No posts about the issues for disabilities on this page, but it is factored in with the employers who can cherry pick.
That first post also raises the idea of more "agreements between Jobcentres and employers", getting at the fact employers often take someone on who is already in a job following open market advertising. Another poster highlights the "overqualified" issue, quoting that the Jobcentre "don't know what to do with me because I'm skilled." Then there's the mention of the "pathetic courses that waste time and money", I'm all for people going to providers if they use their clout to introduce them to potential good employers, but not for paper tower building and role plays about nuclear bunkers and plane crashes.
No posts about the issues for disabilities on this page, but it is factored in with the employers who can cherry pick.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Unemployment rise
Top of the BBC news tonight, with all the politician's talk of how the private sector was supposed to take up the slack of the public sector cuts, the shadow chancellor has said how "the problem is in the last quarter we've seen a fall in public employment of over 100,000 whilst a rise in private employment of just 40,000."
As for my own temp employment it is nearly four months, I'm still generally happy however I'm thinking a bit more cautiously as another temp is finishing this week. The last few days there hasn't been quite enough to keep all of us busy all days, suggesting a slight overall decline in workload. I do know one more temp leaves next week of her own choosing as she's going to university.
As for my own temp employment it is nearly four months, I'm still generally happy however I'm thinking a bit more cautiously as another temp is finishing this week. The last few days there hasn't been quite enough to keep all of us busy all days, suggesting a slight overall decline in workload. I do know one more temp leaves next week of her own choosing as she's going to university.
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Interview 'gift of the gab' revisited - weaknesses question
Another great post on MoneySavingExpert about 'gift of the gab', this thread was specifically about the typical interview "what are your weaknesses" question. This post (22) is especially interesting as even without reference to Aspergers or disability still makes that comparison between conFIDence at blagging and comPETence at the job.
Post 32 has a parent contrasting her confident son who dropped out of A levels but interviews well, and her more reserved daughter still doing her A levels and in process of applying for university, who worries about how she will do at interviews in the future because she isn't a "blue sky thinking outside of the box" type of person. That phrase does my head in too!
At the end of the thread post 41 is also very good, a man who accepts his introverted partner as she is and firmly believes "there is a situation and a job for every kind of person, it's just being matched to the right one for their personality."
Post 32 has a parent contrasting her confident son who dropped out of A levels but interviews well, and her more reserved daughter still doing her A levels and in process of applying for university, who worries about how she will do at interviews in the future because she isn't a "blue sky thinking outside of the box" type of person. That phrase does my head in too!
At the end of the thread post 41 is also very good, a man who accepts his introverted partner as she is and firmly believes "there is a situation and a job for every kind of person, it's just being matched to the right one for their personality."
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