Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: honeybun on January 30, 2014, 07:55:19 PM
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Just thought I would share some really good news.
My son has got a job.
For those of you who remember he has had a very rocky road to this point. He has a first class honours degree in computing. His first job out of uni....firm went bust. Second job went the same way. He then decided to start his own business that went bust. He has then suffered in various ways for the last year and has been so very down.
He told me on New Year's day things were going to change.
Today he has been offered and accepted a proper job and I could not be more pleased for him.
It's a 6 month contract with the real possibility of a full time job at the end of his contract.
Fingers crossed for him ladies as my lovely boy re joins the real world, picks himself up dusts himself down and moves on with his life.
Honeyb
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Congratulations HB's son!!!!!!
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Brilliant news HB! Must be a relief all round.
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Great news indeed!! I remember the fantastic feeling when my son finally got back into work. Well done him.
Taz x
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Brilliant- what a relief for you and for him too. Is it something he will enjoy - in I.T?
Ariadne xx
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That's fantastic news HB, so pleased for your son and for you too.
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It is a job he will enjoy. It's what he specialised in at in uni.
It's such a relief. He will be 25 soon so it's time he started to really make a life for himself.
Thanks for all the kind thoughts ladies.
Honeyb
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:bounce: :congrats:
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So so pleased for you both.
Will he be moving?
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His new job is a good distance away but drivable, just.
He is going to have to save up a bit before he can move out but no doubt that will be on the agenda later in the year.
Exciting times :)
Honeyb
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What good news - hope he enjoys the work
Meggie
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Hello honeybun.
I've just seen this post and want to send your family my congratulations. The computer industry is a great one to be in.
My son graduates in the summer so my concerns will begin then. What uni did your son attend?
Take care.
K.
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Congratulations on the job. I wish him every success! And no doubt the dig money will come in handy!
Bramble
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That's such good news about your son honeybun - I hope he does well :)
I know what it's like as my middle son graduated last year, was at home for a while unemployed, moved elsewhere, but only managed to get a job sweeping popcorn/tearing tickets at a cinema. Has now moved back to where he was at uni and still unemployed.... he tried to get a professional job where he lived before but no-one would touch him without experience.
It is so difficult for young people nowadays, especially those who are able but not necessarily high fliers or don't push themselves.
Hurdity x
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He went to Caledonian University in Glasgow Kathleen. My daughter is at the same uni doing a BA course. Sons was a BSC.
Having a degree is no guarantee of a job now. The firm that has offered my son a job has really put him through his paces. There have been interviews, assessments, psychological tests. You name it he has done it.
He has been very lucky and has applied for hundreds of jobs. Don't envy the young ones these days.
Honeyb
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Interviews scary enough in their own right. Gone are the days of being interviewed by one person. I was scared stiff at my first interview panel. Different people asking different sorts of questions. Felt like they were trying to trip me up.Panels are common place now as is psychmetric testing. Daughter had to do maths tests for her job, which she said was the worst part. However, she got 100%.
There are so many graduates apply for jobs nowadays that employers have lots of choice. So no mean feat HB. Well done to him!
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Employers don't even reply to applications these days, which I think is really annoying.
Some I know went for an interview at one of the major supermarkets and they asked her what she would do if a plane crashed into the store (I assume they meant if you actually survived).
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What a daft question. Heck I used to scared of "Why do you think you're suited to this job?" or similar.
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When my daughter was looking for a summer job she did the Primark online application/test.
It was ridiculous. It took two of us with a calculator to answer some of the questions.
Even had to ask my son for help. She has five Highers and is at uni, he has a BSC and I'm not exactly daft. It was a shop assistants job. No one will convince me that everyone who works the tills in Primark is a member of Mensa.
It's so hard for kids to get a part time job to supplement their uni courses. She now works at a Spar shop and even with that the amount of training for licencing laws that she has had to do is just silly.
Things are unnecessarily hard these days.
It was reported on TV yesterday that the amount of university applications were up again even though they end up with huge debts. I am not really surprised. What else is out there for them. The days of apprenticeships is over.
Honeyb
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My Nephew had a first honours degree too and has applied for so may jobs and no success he has become very down, he is doing some teaching voluntarily in schools now, and has decided to go back to Uni, I think its teacher training, but have not spoken to him recently.
My sister said that she was becoming quite worried about him, as he was saying "what's the use of all that studying and now no one wants me"
He does have a little business but it does not make much money.
Its a very hard world for young men and women now.
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Just seen this thread HB
:congrats: to your son.
You must be relieved HB.
I know the feeling.
It was a while before my middle son got work,but they have kept him on after his apprenticeship and he is settled and doing well.
Great new HB!
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I know what you mean honeybun about the intimidating application/interview process for even menial jobs.
For the cinema job I mentioned below, my son had to go through a two stage interview process, the first with Qs with two guys, and the second a group interview with all sorts of tasks!! I mean in the old days you would have a brief chat and then yes or no. He has just applied for a supermarket job but I don't hold out much hope as I expect there is huge competition.
Hurdity x
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I understand how your sister feels SL. My son's troubles were compounded by having to declare bankruptcy. Not great at 24.
His problems were also added to by the fact that constant retraining is needed in his kind of computing. His main certification that employers look for expires at the end of this year which was added pressure. The university sponsored him through his Cisco certification and all good employers will keep him current. There is no way he could have afforded that on his own.
Scary times.
I hope your nephew finds something soon. It's awful to see them in the depths of despair and not being able to help.
Honeyb
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I have been browsing this evening and just seen this post. Great news honeybun, really happy for you all and especially your son.
It was a year after graduating before my youngest son found employment. Very worrying and upsetting when they have worked so hard with their studies.
Every success and best wishes to your son.
PN x x
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Fantastic news!!!!! My son got a forestry and conservation degree last year and is now working in the co op! Its a means to an end and it pays for his car and petrol. So glad to hear that your son got a job doing what he wanted- its about so much more than a job and its easy for our young people to get disheartened- a big personal boost for him too well done. Celebration time! :party: :party: :parti: :spin:
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Brilliant news, you must both be chuffed to bits :)
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Good news for all of your family as these situations affect everyone. The upside is his earlier experiences will have matured him emotionally too . And you can take some credit too as all your support will :)have helped,
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He is off today getting a car sorted as there is no public transport that can get him where he is going.
He has been let down by the job centre. They told him there would be a back to work grant/loan but when he asked they said it was no longer available.
If we were not able to help he would not have been able to take this job. The money has been allocated else where :(. I suspect if he had been an addict or an alcoholic more help especially money would have been available.
Cynical.......who me.
Honeyb
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That's a wide spread statement Honeybun - when was he told there is a 'back to work grant' : we are getting to the end of the Financial Year too and unless we bother to find out where the monies get given to we can't be certain. Certainly mental health services, addiction clinics etc. are low down on the funding list :'( ……
In the 1980s I worked for a Company that performed Psychological Testing for interview panels >:( waste of time, thought they had gone out with the Ark! Usually a 'yes/no' answer before one can get to the next question, it really does depend on how the applicant feels at the time they sit the 'test'. They mean zilch!
Hopefully the job will go well!
Valiant - could your son do a Volunteering position in conservation? Does he go to Bird Fair at Rutland Water in August, he may well find inspiration there! ;)
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Each job centre/ area are given a certain amount of money for the financial year. Our area are running low in funds for certain things....like back to work help.
It's not speculation CLKD it's hard facts.
I have a good friend whose daughter works in said job centre. She and I have spoken last week when my son got the job offer and asked for help. I have been told that if he was looking for a flat and furniture for said flat and he was an addict or had alcohol problems it would be no problem as the money has been set aside for that.
No money for people who are actively seeking and finding work. They are not even helping with travelling expenses to interviews until the start of the new financial year.
I think that the help should be more evenly and fairly distributed.
Of course there will always be loosers in this kind of situation but the government pays a lot of lip service about helping people back to work but the reality is very different. There is no help at all.
If however you have every intention of not trying then it would seem that the government is still falling over themselves to make sure certain groups do not go without.
Ok I will climb off my soap box now ::)
Honeyb
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Move over I'll join you ………… why is money for travelling expenses even in the same 'pot' as that for addicts? Surely each should come out of separate fundings >:( ………. it's known that at the end of a Finanical Year any money in mental health is handed to any Specialitiy that is getting low :-\ :-X
Governments along the line have no idea how the 'real' people have to struggle!
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I have no idea CLKD.
He was told that he could apply for a crisis grant. When he called he was told that unless he was an immigrant, a victim of domestic violence, had suffered fire, flood, recently released from prison, a victim of theft or had an addiction there was nothing they could do to help.
We have heard from certain sources that if he went to the police station and reported the theft of his wallet with so many hundred pounds in it :o he could then apply for the crisis grant.
It's available for those who know how to "work" the system.
Needless to say the bank of mum and dad will help but even if we could not help he would not go down that road.
It's a very skewed system and not a fair one.
Honeyb
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Great news, well done to him for getting through all their tests.
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Great news HB :)
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Hi HB, just wondering how your son is getting on in his new job. Is it going OK?
Ariadne xx
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Thanks ariadne.
We are in the second week now and he loves it. It seems to be a great place to work. Everyone in his dept seems to be happy which is great.
He is very tired which I think is the stress of gettin g back to work combined with the long drive and early starts.
He is a happy boy though which makes for a happy mum.
Honeyb
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Oh that's great news. Its a good kind of tired now though rather than tired from lack of anything to do. Before my son got a job, I couldn't understand how he could be so tired from doing nothing but its a kind of depression and lack of motivation that is exhausting I guess.
Good luck to him - long may it continue :)
Ariadne xx
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:thankyou:
Honeyb
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Thanks for the update!
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Glad your son is doing well HB.
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That's brilliant news :)