Nightmare!

[azekeil]

Well, after taking Thursday off I found out this morning for definite that the Winnersh job is ON, starting on Monday.

I rather suspected this would be the case, so a bit of negotiating with kissycat1000 and I borrowed the car to go to work in. I sorted out all my paperwork including the pool car and then headed off to my home in Bristol and packed all my stuff. 3 computers, monitor, leads, harddisks etc.. oh and some clothes. Drove to stuartl's place near Reading and offloaded all the stuff and got back finally to Cheltenham a few hours ago. There was an accident on the M4 on my way back - I was not far from the front when the traffic all slowed down and there were no emergency services so I presume it had only just happened. My best guess is that the van that was upside down in the middle and fast lane must have clipped the back of the lorry with the broken rear bumper and flipped itself... Noone else was involved and there were people stood at the side of the motorway so hopefully no one was hurt.

I learned that I DO have a pool car that I can collect on Monday afternoon from Reading, which is good. Shame it couldn't be arranged a little earlier; it would have saved me all this running around *sigh*.

I've had to take all the computer equipment with me because I really want to get the file server sorted out before next weekend, which is the BadgerLAN. For those of you who don't know, BadgerLAN is a sporadic event held at my landlord chocojon's house in Bristol. We have lots of computers, a 32 port 10/100 network switch and a 1Mbit internet connection and we play LAN games and swap stuff. We have people coming from Bristol, Bath and Reading. If you want to come along just let me know. It's all weekend from Friday 4pm-ish, BYO stuff but keep it to a minimum as space/power will be at a premium! :)

Oh, and work have flung me in the deep end again *sigh*. I'm now doing this job (updating part of their Network Management System software for a planned hardware upgrade/rollout) by myself, as the guy who was going to go in with me has been sequestered onto another project. LogicaCMG want to get a foothold in ntl: again as they've had no work from them for the last year so this is a great foot-in-the-door opportunity. I just don't get paid enough for the work I do and the responsibility I have. Would people be surprised to hear that at my average rate of increase it would take me until I was 30 to be earning 30k?

I will start looking for jobs soon.

Oh, on a similar vein, I got a note through from my boss during the Cardiff work. He couldn't praise me highly enough. I'll add that to the collection then? Not that it'll do me any good.

Comments

[hythloday.livejournal.com]

One of the hardest things is to walk away from a job that's just about good enough, or at least it is to me - the first "proper" job I had I was payed a measly amount for, but stayed because they'd given me a chance where they didn't need to, and because I thought that all I needed to do was to prove myself and they'd reward me accordingly.

Of course, after two years, they hadn't, and the final straw came after they started discipling me not doing more than what I was payed a minimal amount to do (I wasn't the most motivated member of staff at this point). I went looking for a new job, I found one that payed 60% more and had a better bonus scheme - on announcing that I was leaving, they tried to persuade me to stay, and offered me a big payrise, except that when I asked what kind of amount they were talking about they refused to say.

My conviction now is that companies are unable to change their policies and attitude (at least quickly enough to notice) - if you are being praised left right and center and still not being payed what you deserve, my advice is to look for another job as quickly as you can, because you won't get what you want from where you are.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Your first "proper" job sounds very like mine (which is also my first "proper" job). Except I'm not proud to say that I'm still here, due to lack of effort and conviction on my part. Everyone knows what the job market has been like, plus LogicaCMG DO offer one rather good thing - when I AM working, I can be doing all sorts of things that push me and stretch me. I have skills in nearly all major technical areas, with the ability to easily learn more.

Even worse, I have known that the company policy is shite 6 months after I joined; yet here I am 2 years after that.

I know what I need to do, but I've only had one response back from the 30 or so jobs I've applied for. I think I need to apply directly and I need to make a concerted effort rather than the toe-in-the-water half-hearted attempts I have been making so far.

I had been very demotivated before when I just couldn't find work (within LogicaCMG) for me in the local area. That seems to have been turned around recently; I was in the odd position of having a choice between two jobs I actually quite liked (despite being in awkward places for me to get to).

My other major problem with my job is that I get nothing for ages, then I get short term jobs saving project's asses in the back-end of nowhere. Very stressful, very short notice, very short term. And then I get the company looking at the amount of time I've been utilised for and being made to feel guilty that I'm not being charged to a project for more of that. It sucks; I would just like a steady job in one place for a bit. My trouble is I'd get bored too quickly if I wasn't careful.

Still, a prolonged job-hunt for jobs in the Cheltenham/Gloucestershire area is coming up soon I feel...

BTW, thanks for the comment. :)

[cavu.livejournal.com]

I trust this is a good move for you.. one of these days someone is going to see the talent that I've seen, and make you the *right* offer you've been looking for! I have had NO time for visiting here, (which truly sucks!) but, came looking this morning! I also saw one of Kissy's recent posts; I'm so happy things are good between you two! Please let her know that I've seen this, and that I wish you *both* the absolute best!

Oh, by the way, provided that half the world hasn't been blown up by then, I'm going to be in England from 30 July to 5 Aug -- save me an evening! Miss you guys, more than you know!!

[serena-lesley.livejournal.com]

That's the weekend of my birthday!!!!!!!!!!! *bounces*

Miss you.. *grin*

Re:

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Heya - wow it's been a long time. We've missed you too. I'm not sure if my occasional email got through or not, so if you've changed addresses get in and change your profile on LJ would ya? ;)

Look forwards to seeing you *grin* *hug* :D

Re:

[cavu.livejournal.com]

Why else would I be coming..?!! ;^) Conveniently, some relatives also picked that weekend to get married.. a long time ago! We're coming to over to help them celebrate that -- but I'm most anticipating seeing some awfully good friends again!

Re:

[serena-lesley.livejournal.com]

Well our plans so far are:

Friday: Leave kids in Cheltenham at about 7.30pm
Sunday: Arrive back in Cheltenham at about 3pm and possibly attend a BBQ at my Dad's.

Either side of that we have no plans, but I WILL have kids. The bits in between are yet to be arranged, but will possibly involve London, Dover, France.. basically I have no idea yet.. lol