Interviews tomorrow

[sue943]

As it says in my signature, I lost my job in November on the first day the doctor said that I could return to work. For the past few months I have been taking some courses (at my own expense) in order to improve my CV. All the work that I have done, or virtually all, has been specialised, both for the ten years prior to marriage then the ten years after I started to work again. I have never done 'nomal office work'.

On Thursday I popped into the Human Resources department of our government to submit an application for temporary work. They will have to check my references then will place me on their register but didn't hold up a lot of hope for work in the immediate future, they suggested that I also register with a couple of temp agencies so I submitted my CV by email late Thursday. Friday I received a couple of phone calls and have arranged interveiws with them both for Monday, one at 12 noon and one at 2pm.

My reason for applying for temporary work is that I know of a charity which is in the process of being formed which is for providing information for people with disabilities, both physical and mental health. I have been told that once it forms there will almost certainly be a job for me running it, this is work which I am well able to do as there are many similarities between that and my old job. Hopefully they will be up and running in the not too distant future so I don't want permanent work and then have to leave - and I cannot afford not to work as here we get no financial assistance if you have any savings and as I am 58 I have some towards my retirement in 7 years time.

I haven't been in an interview situation for more than 12 years and that was for voluntary work, it lead to paid work for which I didn't need to be interviewed.

Hopefully there will be something out there for a 58 year old woman who has had a stroke and OHS!

 

[Marguerite53]

Sue, of course there will be! You've been through hell and back. What don't YOU know about?? Good eye contact, warm demeanor, shoulders straight, stay on even footing -- not too high, not too low ..... piece of cake.

Best wishes! Let us know!

Marguerite

 

[RCB]

As someone who had a stroke

As someone who had a stroke

I admire you- best of luck!

 

[Georgia]

Best wishes at your interview, Sue. Hope it's not some 21 year old harpy who has a problem with "older" women!

Sounds like you've done everything right. You guys over there have a distinct advantage due to NHS - temp jobs are fine because you have health insurance regardless. This is a huge problem here for us; no health insurance for most temps. It's bad news.

Lots of luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[sue943]

Ah, where I live there is no NHS, I am not in the UK, just in the British Isles which is quite different. Very confusing. Here we have to pay for primary medical care but hospital treatment is free UNLESS you opt for private. I pay for my own private health insurance so opted for private care. When I had my stroke I was initially on a public ward, so that was free, then I asked to have a private room so at that stage they started charging me for everything. Then I was rushed to England when my valve leaks became pronounced and that was free as I went into an NHS bed, even the charter flight was free but the ambulance to the airport wasn't! Then I went private again for my angiogram and surgery. Then finally my emergency admission for the heart block was NHS!

But yes, for the majority it is free here, barring primary care. INR testing is free at the hospital regardless of whether you have been a private patient. If your primary care doctor tests your blood then it is not free. Confusing.

I have to get a job of some sort, unlike the UK, here we have no payments for people looking for work. My last pay was in October and that was on half pay plus sickness benefit.

 

[Georgia]

I apologize for my lack of knowledge about the British Isles; I thought Jersey was UK. Sorry.

The whole thing sounds awfully convoluted, like an NHS plan got started but not completed.

Do hope your interview goes well tomorrow.

 

[sue943]

Don't apologise. We don't expect people from outside the island to understand our system, even most of those in the UK think we are part of them! To confuse people even more, the other Channel Islands have their own medical systems which differ from the one here!

One huge advantage that we have is that due to our small size, complex treament is not available as the doctors wouldn't have enough cases per year to gain expertise, so we have arranglements with the NHS so that we use their centres of excellence for people such as me. St George's has a wonderful reputation for heart surgery and most of us use that hospital but not exclusively. They don't do the Ross procedure so another hospital is used for that.

 

[Mary]

Good luck on the interview, Sue. I'm sure it will go well.

 

[geebee]

Sue,

When I moved back to Ohio, leaving the corporate world behind in Los Angeles, I found myself in an area with a really tight job market. Since I don't officially have a degree (despite over 7 years in college), I found myself shut out of a lot of companies. I decided to work with a temp agency just to see what happened.

I now am working full-time but at 2 different jobs. Both started as temp jobs just for a mutual look-see. I was hired on permanently at both jobs. So now I am making only slightly less than I would if I were working full-time at one job. I have medical insurance with one of the jobs, Aflac with the other and, since one is at a Firehouse, I am now involved in a second retirement pension system in addition to my 401K at the one job and Social Security.

This has turned out so much better for me since the temp agency did all the work of job searching. Also, since the jobs were "look-see" at first, the companies were willing to bring me on without the "all important" degree. I have all the experience in the world so that was what was "sold" to the 2 companies.

I am having a good time, I never get bored with just one job, and it all stemmed from having difficulty getting my foot in the door. Incidentally, I am 53, have had 3 OHS & multiple TIAs (no full blown strokes, tho), so we are in somewhat similar situations.

Best of luck to you. Things will work out.

 

[Maureen]

Good Luck!

Good Luck!

Sue...Just wanted to wish you "Good Luck" in your interviews tomorrow. Let us know how you get on.

 

[hensylee]

Sue, you sound very capable and able, educated, and ready for the jobs. Here's wishing you all the best as you venture back into the working world. You will do just fine, judging from your post. Let us know how it goes?

 

[sue943]

Hmmm, sort of mixed.

Both interviews were with young women, both totally different. The first interview was good, she was very chatty, asked me questions and started telling me what I might expect to earn (about half my old salary!). She asked if I would be prepared to work in a particular location, about 9 miles from my home. The advantage would be ease of parking, and free! I really don't mind, I would have prefered working in town which is about 7 miles, but what the heck. She made notes about my need to go for blood testing every few weeks and generally gave me some hope. She also gave me a typing test. I was with her for about an hour.

The other one hardly asked me anything and I am only glad that I didn't have her first, she was demoralising. I was with her for about ten minutes!

On Wednesday I will be meeting with the people who are forming this new charity, that should be good. Hopefully it will get up and running shortly and then I can work for them. It is for people with disabilities, giving information. I doubt whether anyone else in this island is better qualified for the job than me, not only is it very similar in many way to my former work but I can empathise with the clients, not only have I had my own health problems but my son is bipolar, my daughter is hearing impaired and almost lost her sight a couple of years ago, and my father and grandfather only had one leg each, one of my uncles lost both, and an aunt lost one!

 

[geebee]

Then I am happy and sad for you.

9 miles sounds wonderful to me as I commute about 18 miles one way. Don't know the road situation for you tho. Maybe the drive time is about the same???

I hope all goes well with the charity meeting. Prayers and good wishes coming your way.

 

[PamO]

I run an HR Department and one of my responsibilities is recruiting. Maybe I'm different, but when a "seasoned professional" applies, I jump at the chance to get them in!

I'm in the process of putting together a very nice offer letter to a candidate. She's 53, been a telecom engineer for over 25 years and has so much knowledge, she put other candidates to shame. When I brought her in though, you could see the staff sort of look at me like, "uh, why grandma?" But then she showed them - knocked their socks off and ran circles around them (and for anyone that deals with telecom engineers, you know how cocky young engineers can be). She's going to turn out to be my best hire in a long time. A lot of why I fought to bring her on board was that she was honest. She told me how difficult it's been to find a job, due to her gender and age. It's shameful.

I'm currently waiting for paperwork back on another candidate, a gentleman in his late 50's with one of the best CVs I've seen in a long time!

Good luck and keep your chin up!!!!

 

[geebee]

Pam,

Great story and thanks for taking care of us "old folks".

 

[PamO]

You help me! Seriously, whenever I get a resume in for someone who has a lot of experience, the first thing out of senior staff's mouths is "they're old." (yes, they do this all the time; against the law yes, but it happens). It just pisses me off and what's so funny about it is that they're all getting up there. Maybe someone oughta make the suggestion to put them out to pasture if THEY think someone is too old!

My female candidate had an article about how difficult it was for any woman over 40 to find a job in the high tech sector, especially in the Silicon Valley. When I look at the demographics of our company, we have a few men over 40 and even less women. Heck, the best VP of engineering I ever worked with was a woman! She kicked butt and took names (I should call her - maybe she's in the market to move companies??? )

 

[Granbonny]

Not to get away from Sue's thread

Not to get away from Sue's thread

but, I wanted to tell about my Husband..Flew in the Korean War..Flew as a pilot with Delta Airlines for 35 years..the last, 10 years, as an International Pilot..flying to Europe. yet, he was required to retire at age 60. Only in America.... He loved his job..and everyone loved him. My entire Family flew on his last flight back to Atlanta. They brought out the Firetrucks..and made a big rainbow of water as we taxised in. to honor him... He came out of cockpit..and all passengers stopped to shake his hand..Many said, how sad..We have been flying for years and will miss the experienced Pilots on Delta. He never regretted retirement..for we have had the last 15 years doing what we love....traveling in our motorhome, remodeling our home...he has a project going all the time..but, I would feel much better ..when I fly..if I knew someone had 35 years experience. in that cockpit. Bonnie

 

[Guest]

*raises eyebrow*

Pam, maybe I better add you to my networking list .

*sighs*

Sometimes, I wonder how HR people got their job ... so people unfriendly and downright, as you put it, Sue, demoralizing. You, on the other hand, Pam, are just the type of HR person I want to talk to!


And, Sue ... good luck!



Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html
"You better not try to stand in my way" ... J Paycheck ... 'Take This Job & Shove It'

 

[sue943]

Bonny, pilots in British Airways have to retire t 55, not 60. My friend's husband worked for British Airways from leaving school and was forced to retire last year. He is currently working for Singapore Airlines and has a three year contract with them I understand. They have had to move to Singapore from England.

 

[PamO]

Cort - I know exactly what you mean!!! Getting into HR was not my career path - it sort of fell into my lap and I found I was good at it for the simple reason that I've been on the other side and dealt with rude and impatient HR people. I think that anyone who has a bad attitude in HR is someone who's been in it since their first day of work and has NO idea what it's like to be slapped for asking a simple question on their benefits. My door is always open for all employees; after all, they're my customers. And yes, there are some that I absolutely cannot stand but if they have a question, I do my darndest to get them answers. Insurance companies never want to give a covered person a straight answer so sometimes it's HR calling and saying "that is unacceptable. Let me talk to your manager." (I love to do that and I am NOT quiet when I do it - people stop and listen to me rip them a new one!)

Cort - fyi - I'm finding my best candidates through recruiters, not websites. Just a tip.

Bonnie and Sue - I work for a aviation communications company and all of our pilots are retired commercial pilots over 55. That's all we'll hire. We want the experience and knowledge so when we're testing over Olathe, Kansas and something goes wrong, they can handle it. The only thing that's different in hiring them as opposed to younger pilots is the insurance coverage is a little higher.