2 posts tagged “job-hunting”
Went for another job interview this arvo. Wasn't actually any kind of interview I've ever had though. Firstly, there was the inevitable call on the recruitment agency to sign their legal disclaimers, under the guise of asking "...and just what sort of position do you really get satisfaction out of?" As if the guy actually cares a fig. I know damn well they don't, but when you're looking for work, these leeches have the marketplace in their palms to an enormous degree. Like everything else in business today, it's all about money. Not about the individual who wants a satisfying position which pays well enough and brings about that warm inner glow from a job well done.
Anyway, after twenty minutes there and a few vacuous questions later, I headed off across the CBD to what I presumed would be a meeting with a person or persons at the employer in question. Didn't take long, as it was less than three blocks away. First floor, asked for the lady I was referred to and was shown into a small room with a computer on a desk. "Just complete you name, date of birth and address details and click through to the test after it. Let me know when you're finished and I'll get *insert referred name here* to see you" Hmmm.....okay then. I 'd been advised that a psyche test was the order of the day, but this was the receptionist I was dealing with.
The psyche test consisted of a set of twelve screens which presented a 'which shape comes next' attention-to-detail quiz. Walk in the park, to be frank. Then a set of some thirty odd questions about life, the Universe and everything, apparently designed to categorically pidgeon-hole the contestant in the blink of an eye. I've done these things before, and found that if you answer them based on your initial reaction to the question, you're showing the real you. Supposedly. No point in trying to second-guess this stuff, as it's formulated by brain-boxes you and I would never manage to relate to on any level, who believe they know the human psyche intimately and habitually analyse their spouses, cats, dogs and pet birds. Few of them manage to remain married because of this habit, cats are always a challenge, dogs don't really care who you think you are as long as they get a pat and birds are caged anyway, so that makes them easy meat.
I completed the whole shooting match in less than 15 minutes, advised the receptionist, who, true to her word, called *insert referred name here* to come collect me. So I thought. Out from the nether regions of this office comes a brilliantly smiling, diminutive young woman who proffers her hand, surprisingly firmly for a woman, and proceeds to tell me how 'nice' (how I HATE that word) it is to meet me and that the test results would be available to her and the agency in about two hours. Thanks so much for coming in, and bye-bye! I was slightly caught off guard, but quickly regathered my senses, thanked her for her time and pressed the elevator call button as I watched her receding back disappear back into the office's nether regions.
Suffice to say, by the time I walked back to Central Station, caught the next train and made it back to my car, - a journey all of 50 minutes from go to whoa - the test results were in. I called the guy at the agency, and "they won't be proceeding at this time, but head up! We'll be putting a greater focus on your position over the next few days." Yeh, I'll just bet you will. How impersonal is it when a computer-based quiz decides your suitability for a job you've been doing all your life? Anyway, I'm reasonably immune to such things lately, and have another face-to-face interview with an employer directly tomorrow morning. I much prefer that style of analysis. People know people. Machines can't read eyes, facial expressions and body language.
It never rains...... We've all heard that one. Tomorrow it seems I'm to be subjected to it. I have two job interviews within an hour of each other. One in the city, the other in a southern suburb about five klicks out. One is a 'real' job interview with the employer. The other, the first one of the day, is with yet another recruitment agency. I hold no hope of anything coming from it, given that hard experience over many years of job seeking off and on, has proven categorically that agencies never really do anything. I'm fucked if I understand how the people employed in them make any money. Of course, they're on a base plus commission for placement, but in my experience, the same people never hang around in the one agency from one year to the next.
Agencies tend to, in the main, advertise a position as a hook. For example, I'm a lender and a bloody good one if I say so. Others have told me as well, but that's neither here nor there. I know my stuff and I know that I know. 33 years in Banking and Finance has taught me well. I can fulfill heaps of finance oriented jobs, but I really enjoy credit analysis. The analytical breakdown of a businesses financial structure and interpretation of it to gain a real picture of what and how the owners are doing what they do. It's also a 'back-office' role, out of the public eye and well away from management responsibilities. I don't need the angst that comes from those positions any more. Long story, for another time.
As I say, agencies advertise a position as a hook to get you in. At certain times of the year in Brisbane, Credit Analyst positions dry up. That time is about now. So I know that when an agency advertises a position for a CA, I'll get a 'phone call if I apply. My CV is solid gold, so I've been told. It might be, but thus far over the last three months, it's proven to be iron pyrites. Like I say, I can do just about anything in the finance field, but I only really want to do a limited range. The CV will get me an interview, but I always find that even though the interview might be promising, the job never eventuates, or worse, I'll get to the appointment only to be told, "Oh yes......that position. Look, I really don't think you'd be quite suited to that role............You available for temping???" Temping, or contract work brings an agency regular and lucrative income while-ever the contract lasts. The latter response is what occurs more often than not. Even if the position is real, I'm finding more & more often that 49 years of age (not until Friday) seems to be about 10 years too old either for the employer (they suspect I'll want more money because I'm older, more mature, more experienced) or for the agency to be bothered putting me forward. It happens. It's called 'ageism'.
Now, while I've made a conscious decision to limit my field of choices to credit analysis, I'm well aware that I'm also limiting my income earning capacity. That's okay by me, because money doesn't drive me. I only need to make enough to sustain out lifestyle. I'm not greedy. I'd have thought that would be a selling point on my behalf, but thus far, it doesn't seem to be working. Not through any recruitment agency, at any rate. Experience and past job successes have taught me that the job I eventually will get, will be one I get for myself, probably dealing directly with an employer. So, why bother with a meeting with an agency? I can't afford not to. It's a matter of spreading my risk, AND I need to play the game with Australia's social security system with regard to actively seeking jobs.
So, tomorrow is going to be busy. An early start to get into the city, park and make it to a 9:00am meeting. Then, given that the recruitment agency doesn't stuff me around, I need to be out of that meeting, and across the city to South Brisbane for a 10:00am meeting with an employer. What's the bet I get stuffed around?
