chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

first of all, this isnt one of my past "moaning and whining" threads were some cuddled and molly coddled my fragile state of mind etc.

the reality is with my employers i may be dimissed on wednesday (boo hoo i know - gutted, really i am) on the grounds im unable to do my duties, and they cant find me another role within the company itself that is practicable to alterations to suit me.

so really getting onto my point, as i am trying to remain positive on this best i can. i know there are a mixture of high flyers, bullsh*ters and genuine people on here that earn well and have a nice disposable income for themselves and families.

id like to know (without wanting to seem too personal or indeed intrusive) what steps you took into getting where you are today, and indeed how you find your empolyment to work out how it did.

i cant help but think (and i am trying to depress these feelings), that no matter how hard i try, im destined to be some low earner living in a crappy little terraced house and just go through the motions - less positive thinking.

having recieved notification from my current employers (if you wanna call them that), about my possible impending dismissal, im seriously looking to try better myself. now although a quite excentric and happy fellow, i seem to lack qualifications higher than college. this is where the above question re. steps you have taken comes into play.

i naturally have a thirst for knowlegde but maybe im looking in the wrong places for the next step. having worked in a warehouse enviroment since college, i wanna do something, be on a good wage, find that job which may not be terribly exciting, but mean that i can have a family without serious financial difficulties, have a respectable car, and treat my mrs to nice things. its almost a jealousy thing looking at others happiness on here, so without wanting to do a snazy-net and live every moment through a forum, someone throw some factors or information my way.

greatly appreciated, whether positive or "stop whining" negative comments.

i thankyou for your time.


andy

SiPie

Andy

Your art seems to be your passion, so why not get a 'non too taxing admin or supermarket job' to pay the bills and focus all your remaining positive energy into bettering yourself and pushing your art.....?

You seemed to be good at it mate so push what you are passionate at.

Money ain't everything and many would be happy with a terraced house....it's just how you view it.

Good luck to you anyway

PS All the above is obvioulsy unless you are able to move back home, bite the bullet and go to Uni or similar, big step but if you really want what you deem to be a 'better life' then it may be necessary

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

That's one of the problems for a start! Believe in yourself Andy, you can have anything you want if you try hard enough. When I moved up to Yorkshire I couldn't find a decent job so after three months of looking I started my own business. It was quite scary at first but I figured I didn't have anything to lose. I knew I could do the work but was still terrified about going out on my on and doing it but, with the support of friends and family I got stuck in. Once I'd earned my first couple of grand I couldn't believe how easy it all was and felt stupid for having been so scared BTW I left school at 16 before I even took my O-Levels, the only qualifications I have are a 25yds swimming certificate and a chainsaw operators certificate

You just need a bit of self belief and the confidence to go for whatever you want.

Aunt Sally

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

tricky one.

Im currently a manager (until im made redundant in jan ) I started out as a temp in my company as cover whilst a contract shut down. In the end whilst working there, the contract manager knew of a position coming up and asked me if I wanted it. (no interview needed as he was becoming an area manager lookinbg after multiple contracts and this was one he covered)
He offered it me not on qualifications (only high school) but because I was hard working etc etc. He was basically old school.
You mention warehouse work, this manager who gave me my opportunity actually started in the warehouse and worked his way up. It wasnt an overnight thing we are talking many years, but he got there through hard work, determination, perserverance etc. He is now retired (redundant through ill health unfortunately) but has now got a cracking redundancy package and a very good pension.

I guess what I am saying is there is no easy way about it, I know a few people with uni degrees in I.T. (when there was a shortage of I.T. graduates) and they are basically bums, so qualifications imo arent a neccesity, just hard work, determination etc and finding the right company to work for

SiPie

Scary combination !!

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

sorry son, your overqualified

jods

Let's see some samples of the Artwork

My path was / is always to work hard and if you find you have some spare time - Ask for something more to do, don't just think it's time to be paid for doing nowt.

Good luck - Next job - really work hard, put the extra time in where needed and be happy to do it.

I hope it all works out for you - come back in 12 months time and post here what the situation is - my guess is that you'll be a hell of a lot happier than you are right now.

mrtheedge2u2

Andy

I left Uni in 1999 and went straight to be a technician at Astrazenca.... I did not get any further qualifications except 'on the job' stuff..... 2005 and I found a consultancy that specialised in Regulatory Affairs and they took a chance on me and offered me a trainee role....... and now I am a RA Manager for a Pharmaceutical earning fairly decent money.


If art is your passion I would seriously recommend you get in touch with some art-houses or graphic companies regarding traineeships.

You could even enrole in some night courses

mrtheedge2u2

Chocolate..... where are you based?

DCI Gene Hunt

You sound in need of a holiday.... why not give Snazy a call

Right then, the difference is that us supposed "high earners" are all either lucky as ****, know people in high places (or low) or are sharp and switched on..... and can see an opportunity developing at 50 feet!

Some less fortunate people are none of the above, it's not that they're bad or stupid.... it's just how things are. If you have to ask the question, it sort of already answers it for you (if you get my drift).

Things will change for you, and I hope they do.... but don't expect to be earning mega-bucks this time next year as that aint going happen!

Sorry fella.... just a reality check!

DCI

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

Andy's in Scunny.

Keep thinking positive mate.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

You forgot to add 'good bullsh1tters' to that list, I'm a firm believer in a bit of old fashioned, career furthering bullsh1t. Having the gift of the gab will definitely get you places

Andy, you need to give the impression that you are confident, capable and switched on as well as being happy to give 110% to whatever job you do. It goes without saying of course that you'll only be able to keep the job if you actually are all of the above

mrtheedge2u2

Andy... you have PM

DCI Gene Hunt

The most important thing you can do is "GET THE JOB DONE" ..... that's it, all in a neat little nutshell....

When I pick people I ask "but can they get the job done?" if it's a yes they're in... if well no but they have lot's of A level's and dipolmas, well in that case they can **** off!

I think you're the kind of bloke that will get the job done Andy, so in my book you already have the highest qualification there is..... don't underestimate what I'm saying, think about it..... and start portraying that image externally by being confident that you can deliver!

DCI

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

well, i was expecting a mixed race of comments, but generally it seems positive input. im gathering the idea togather its a case of being hardworking or lucky rather than over qualified.

to the member who suggested night courses, its something that interests me, my only issues currently being funding this and any shift work which i may get lumbered into when im back into work.

because of my wrist, i have this stigmata nobody will employ me incase they are worried about flare up's. i find myself in a situation where i believe i may unemployable to too many companies. i certainly dont wanna go and sponge on benefits and cry the disability card. admittedly a pc britain has decalred me disabled as ive had this injury for over 12 months and well, it aint gonna go away, but my brain is still sharp and precise.

i believe i could hold down an office job and use my natural persona to work my way up and forge openings for myself. but the p.i.t.a. has always been getting in. when i first heard of my inpending arthritic condition in february, i started looking for alternative employment. for someone with little higher education to boast about, i did a bloody goos c.v. and have applied for easily 2 dozen jobs in varying roles, but for some reason only had 3/4 call backs and no interviews.

currently my main worry is the money side of it. i obviously cant sustain a no-employment status, and having recently put in a sick note at work, they have refused me s.s.p. which buggers me up. the £240-250 a month would just about break me even with my priority payments, as now i have creditors crying down the phone at me demanding money. this is the situ. im stuck in now.

so i dunno if im just looking for that lucky break, or whether the ***** at work may find me a job i can do while the case unfolds.


keep the advice coming, its all getting written down.

Alg

Get in touch with an employment lawyer, tell him you think they're getting rid of you because of your recent sickness. Tell your boss and the HR Dept you're seeking legal advice and see what they say.
Can you honestly not do your job?
Have your employers given you verbal/written warnings etc, training, a period of time in which to improve?
Do you honestly believe they can't find you an alternative position within the company?

PaulC72

Firstly I didn't think they could refuse SSP as it a government paid system.

Secondly keep your chin up as things will improve, hard work is most definately the key to any success, I in my younger years left school with just normal qualifications nothing to write home about highest was a C in Biology {never liked school} did 10 years on the shop floor in fabrication which paid ok initself, now I work in construction in a nice clean office and earn just as much as the guys with the degrees as it means sod all in most cases {degrees that is}.
But if you find something you are interested in and can get an oppertunity to train at it work hard then you WILL succeed but it will not happen over night and it may take a year or two to get there.

Obviously you need to survive in the mean time so an office job or a job in the new field you want to get into would be astart so you could pick up the ropes and then look for the advancement you need.

All I can wish you is the best of luck always try to stay positive

TopBanana

You need to choose something specific and become very good at it.

ScoobyWon't

Join the police. Then you'll have no mates who you will need to impress with your earnings/house etc 'cos no-one will care about/like you anyway

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Edited to represent a truer picture

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

just to fill you in mate. ive got an r.s.i. from doing my job. company know and its all gone legal already. two solicitors exclusion from work, tribunal case, personal injury etc.

zs_phil

iTrader: (1)

i started of as a labourer at a portacabin place earning not even £200 a week but i showed up every day and not like the other people i talked to the manager when he was on the shop floor as he was a friendly enough chap ,after time and i mean a couple of months while other labourers had been there years he just put me on the tools with a skilled joiner on price work and this was back in 1999 i earned £2000 a month and at the age of 20 that was alot of money .
some of the other lads didnt like it but i dont work to see them i worked for me and my lass who was pregnant and we bought a nice house.

like above i dont have my 25yards swimming certificate but i have got my cycling provicency .



just blag your way into a job

Paul3446

What about IT, are you PC literate? If so, you could brush up on MS Office skills and look for a help desk job. You don't need to be a PC expert to be able to talk people through Word/Excel type problems.

Alternatively, see if you can find something where your art skills will open some doors. I believe anyone with a genuine skill should never have trouble getting a job.

Good luck.

LG John

First of all you have to realize there is an element of 'luck' and 'right place at the right' time in life. You'll constantly come across examples of people that have landed on their feet with very little skill, effort or even application. Then there are the guys that always seem to just get it 'right' in life. Remember all decisions can have positive and negative outcomes and variance dictates that some people will make choice after choice that will work out for them where they might not have were it not for factors they can't control.

For the most part though I think if you want to succeed you need to find something you can do better than 95-99% of the rest of the country. If you are one of the best at whatever it is you are doing you are usually going to get the benefits from that. My thing is poker and there is no doubt I'm better than 95% of the poker playing population and 99.99% of the GB population. For that I earn in the region of $75 an hour tax free and that is increasing slowly but surely. I'm striving to continuously improve so that I can move into the category of being better than 99% of the poker playing community where I can expect even greater earnings. However, even to get to where I'm at has taken millions of hands and hours and hours and hours of playing poker, reading strategy threads, reading books (dozens of them!), thinking about and analysing hand histories, etc, etc. I'm a lazy bugger so I probably could have done it all in a shorter period of time but the point I'm making is that with the exception of the truly gifted or those individuals that are 'running well in life' most of the poker players you'll meet, business people, property developers (bless them!), traders, etc, etc got to where they are with hard work and commitment resulting in them knowing more about their trade that most.

Another example of this is Andy F, John Banks, the Dentist, etc. These guys at one time or another were at the top of the tree in terms of mapping scoobies and evo's because simply they know more about doing it than anyone else and that knowledge is reflected in the results and customer satisfaction. Did you ever see them need to advertise? No, they had customers queuing up through word of mouth alone they were that good and I basically wouldn't have entrusted my scooby's brains to anyone else.

LG John

This is my post above compressed into 12 words

LG John

LOL, just read a thread that proves my point. Here Dave Middleton is asking who is the best mapper for VW Golfs. Given the 360M and 911 turbo it stands to reason Dave has a high disposable income and he is actively seeking the best in the business. Imagine how easy it will be to get business if you are the top dog mapper of VW golfs TDi's.

Jamz3k

Choc, I have spoke to you quite a few times and if you check up previous threads you'll find that i have been on a similar boat work wise as you with not being "happy". Being a high-earner unfortunately wont help, a job that you like will.

I would consider myself a reasonable earner these days. I started out as a shelf stacker on £2.10 an hour. Got good feed back from my customer support. Moved to Richer Sounds as a Store Boy lifting boxes etc, within 2 years i was the assistant manager of the shop and last year was offered the job of Manager. This wasn't the route for me as i was unhappy at my job and didn't agree with the upper manager level so i moved to Sky Retail. I earn over twice the amount I did as an Assistant Manager, I don't have to take any ****e and I basically do as I please but unfortunately I am no happier. I took this job on because the money but my next job will defo have to be something I want to do, regardless of the money aspect as money does not drive me.

I have to say I was most happy in Woodsides as a shelf stacker on £2.10 an hours. 9hour day followed by Dance music and buckfast!

ScoobyDoo555

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head Andy -

I left school with a fair few GCSEs at good grades. My vocation isnt exactly mainstream (and this is where your artistic flair can be compared) - my passion has always been music, and the various industries engulfed in this vocation.
I moved away from home at 16, and got my FE qualification in Music Technology & Sound Recording, and half way through my HE course (pro sound & video tech), I literally was in the right place at the right time. Got a job with the pop group UB40 (this was around the time of the Promises & Lies stuff). Started off at the bottom, and worked my way up to being their producer, programmer & engineer.
They gave me everything but a #1, and I also got married in the meantime. I worked with some of the best artists and engineers/producers in the world, all over the world, and despite what people may think of the band, I've gained SO many of my work skills with them, and I'll be forever grateful for the experience.

So much so, that despite having my own production company, I also now teach at a successful Technical College, in Music Technology, giving prospective future talent the benefit of my modest skills.

I've also done additional qualifications in Management, and have professional qualifications with Apple.


What I'm getting at is that to get to this point, and there have been PLENTY of low points, believe me!, the main things that have got me through have been-
1. My belief in myself
2. My belief in my talent & lots of practice (as a musician)
3. My unfaltering support from my Wife and family
4. A focus in what I want to do (I'm now 34 - I've been focussed on this since the age of 8!)

I'm not saying that these are keys to success, but take from it what you will (hopefully it hasn't come across as "showing off")

All the best with it

Dan

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

i remember the conversation we had quite well via pm.

its really stupid roudn here, as even with things like being in admin and h.r. everyone wants minimum of 1-2 years expereicnce. even graduates with degrees round here atart off on 11-12k a year... that live at home until your 40 wages.

im unlucky in a sense that i bought my house at 20, and i have no alternative but to keep it. no where else for me to go. its still like a bomb shell currently too as money is too tight. suppose the way things are going, it will be the banks in a few months anyways.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

no not showing off at lal. im very jealous, as i have a passion for my artwork, and also a passion for my dj-ing.

ive wanted to construct some cd's and harrass bar managers for months, but i cant as im still technically employed otherwise it may have been a case of getting some weekend dj work anywhere that would take me.

over the last couple of days i have bucked my ideas up and touched on my art work again. if i can roll one a week out i maybe able to survive the meantime, but my concerns are around mounting debts which the c.a.b. are hopefully onto. - naff credit history here i come.