My Time as a General Labourer at Fawkes & Reece

Introduction

I accepted the temporary position and settled in and adapted extremely quickly, as I had worked on the same site previously, with another Recruitment Agency. As the work progressed quickly, it did not take me long to familiarise myself.

I continued building rapport with colleagues and other trades, and developed and established rapport with those who were not on the site previously.

The Job at Hand

I performed various tasks that were required of me, where I clarified each task to know what was expected of me. I also prioritised my workload to make it a productive day.

I inspected and assessed parts of the site I was working at, and addressed health and safety issues, where I informed site management.

I assisted colleagues and other trades, when required to do so.

I continued to demonstrate that I could still transport full sheets of plasterboard to any floor of each building.

I organised skips, where I stacked them with waste, to be able to fit more in.

Issues

The main issue I witnessed was when a number of Assistant Site Managers kept asking me to complete other tasks whilst I was in the middle of completing more important tasks.

Blogging

Analysed, evaluated, recorded and summarised daily tasks and duties.

When I had completed that, I created, compiled, composed and prepared blog posts before I scheduled and published those blog posts onto my blog in a logical order.

Publicised and promoted my blog posts to both LinkedIn and Twitter.

Key Competencies

• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Organisational Skills
• Teamwork

[UPDATED] Purple Networking 04/06/19

Introduction

After I attended Crawley WordPress & Digital Marketing Knowledge Clinic yesterday between 15:00 and 16:30, I decided to head to Purple Networking. I got to Xenia Lounge for 17:10.

Why did you attend Purple Networking?

I attended Purple Networking to see what I could do to help others and to see both regular faces and new faces too.

Who did you meet and talk with at Purple Networking?

• Marwan Awar, Independent Travel Agent, InteleTravel (website)
• Tinu David, Mind Warrior (website, Twitter)
• Will Arinze, Drone Licence Pilot, Pro Fly (website)
• Penny Blay, Personal Trainer Advisor, travel-pa.com (website)
• Duncan Crossey, Solicitor, ASB Law (website)
• Nat Young, Tour Guide / Founder, Real Brighton Tours (website)
• William Kebbell, BlueBridge Interiors (website)

 

 

 

What was discussed?

There were several things that were discussed, which are listed here:

• Intelligent Office
• Marwan asked William Kebbell and his colleague if they had any vacancies
• Spoke about what I do for a living and a bit about my blog

How do you think Purple Networking went?

I felt that it was the most ecstatic Purple Networking event I have attended because it was busier than it was busier than it normally has been. It always is amazing to meet current and new attendees alike.

Conclusion

Once again, I really enjoyed Purple Networking last night, Even though it was busier than it usually is.

With thanks

First and foremost, I would like to thank Victoria for organising Purple Networking last night.

I would also like to thank every attendee (both new and existing) who attended Purple Networking. It’s always great to see both new and old attendees alike.

One final thanks to those amazing connections (old and new) who agreed to be mentioned in this blog post about Purple Networking.

Where and when is the next Purple Networking?

Purple Networking will happen at Xenia on Tuesday 02 July 2019 between 18:00 and 20:00.

What do I need to do to attend Purple Networking?

You can order your tickets by clicking here, but ordering them is optional. So you just need to bring your smashing smile and your brilliant business cards.

What next?

• Order my tickets for next month (completed: 05/06/19)
• Follow up with the attendees

Notes

If you know of any vacancies, please reach out to me!

I have and always appreciate the help, even though I hate asking for help most of the time.

If it looks like I have a mistake or an alteration that needs to be done, please don’t hesitate to let me know by sending me an e-mail on visitjamiebennett@gmail.com – thanks.

Related Blog Posts

• Interview: Stuart Ritchie
• Interview: Dan Britton
• Interview: David Sutherland
• Interview: Michael Humphreys

If you would like to be interviewed about Purple Networking, please let me know and we can deal with it quickly.

Company Hunt, Crawley 02/01/2019

Aim: To gather what companies had vacancies to help others who are either unemployed or seeking alternative opportunities.

Reflections of 2018 (Part 2)

Here is Part 2 of my Reflections of 2018.

Flexibility: Education

The end of my second year was fast approaching and I wasn’t sure if my coursework was good enough.

I needed to get my coursework completed in order and to make sure that I got the grade that I wanted.

When I heard that the college was staying open late one day, I jumped at the opportunity. I went through each task of each subject of the course, asking relevant questions and for help when necessary. Anything that needed altering was altered, like rewording, rephrasing and correcting any spelling mistakes. I stayed at the college until just after 9pm.

Not only did I complete each task of each subject that was required of me, I successfully passed the course which, in turn, was able to go onto my CV under Education.

Skills Used

• Initiative
• Determination
• Planning skills
• Organisational skills
• Communication (verbal and written)

Customer Service: Unemployment

I needed to find suitable employment and I needed to know what vacancies were available.

To do this, I needed to complete a Company Hunt.

I selected five or six roads in close proximity in Manor Royal and researched what companies there were along with any suitable information I may have needed to know. I then visited each company, regardless of what type of company they were. I introduced myself , spoke about what information I found during my research and asked relevant questions, like:

• What vacancies do you have available?
• How should I apply? Are CV’s accepted?
• Who deals with the recruitment?

I took handwritten notes of available vacancies, how to apply and who to apply to.

I provided excellent Customer Service and communication (verbal) skills, and companies were surprised with the research that I did. With the vacancies I found out about, I prepared my CV’s for each relevant vacancy and company. When necessary, I visited company websites to apply for suitable vacancies and visited relevant companies to complete a CV Drop. Any unsuitable vacancies I didn’t apply for, but knew somebody else who was a better fit for the position (right skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications), I informed them with the relevant information.

Skills Used

• Customer Service
• Communication Skills (verbal)
• Initiative
• Research
• Note Taking
• Related Blog Posts

Job Search

• CV Drops (Part 1 and Part 2)

Completed Company Hunts

• Company Hunt: Crawley (22/08/17, 27/11/17, 11/04/18, 21/09/18, 24/09/18, 23-24/10/18, Follow Up)
• Company Hunt: Manor Royal (12/08/17, 09/09/17, Follow Up)
• Company Hunt & CV Drop (16/05/18, 18/05/18, 25/10/18)

 

Streetwise: Fridsay 16 November 2018

I was the first colleague to get to work this morning and I walked in at 04:00.

I knew that the printed, laminated postcodes needed to be organised again, so I organised them into a good order into the filing system. I picked up the ones I needed and stuck labels onto them whilst a colleague stuck them onto the empty cages.

When the first trailer arrived, I unclipped one side of the double-decker trailer and went back inside, where I unloaded the parcels and packages from the cages and wooden pallets onto the non-functional conveyor belt.

The first trailer was completed by 05:10 and I had two smokes, including one when I unclipped one side of the second double-decker trailer. I unloaded the parcels and packages from the cages and wooden pallets before being asked by the Warehouse Manager to jump onto the non-functional conveyor belt to help sort the parcels into the correct cages on my normal side of the conveyor belt.

After the second trailer was successfully completed, I collected and organised the printed, laminated postcodes again and the Warehouse Manager asked me to remove all of the shrink wrap from the wooden pallets, which I duly did.

The Health and Safety colleague from yesterday told me that my future shifts  will start from 04:30 and finish at 08:00, eventhough my contract states very clearly that my shifts go from 04:00 to 08:00.

I completed my shift at 08:02 and I went home.

Streetwise: Thursday 15 November 2018

A colleague and I walked together from just past the roundabout to work at the same time and we started at 04:00.

The printed, laminated postcodes were a complete mess once again and I organised them into a better order in Streetwise’s filing system. Afterwards, the colleague from earlier and myself placed sticky labels onto them and onto the empty cages.

The first trailer arrived and I unclipped one side of the double-decker trailer and went back into the warehouse, ready to unload parcels and packages from the cages and wooden pallets onto the non-functional conveyor belt.

The first trailer was completed by 05:15 and I smoked three smokes, including one when I was unclipping one side of the second double-decker trailer when it arrived.

I then started to unload the parcels and packages from the second load of cages and wooden pallets onto the non-functional conveyor belt before the Warehouse Manager asked me to get onto the conveyor belt to help with the sorting of the parcels and packages, which I duly did.

The colleague who deals with the Health and Safety told me that I wouldn’t get paid any overtime, unless the management agreed with it. So if everything wasn’t completed by 08:00, I wouldn’t get paid for it.

I mentioned that my contract states that I finish my shifts at 08:00 and I can make my way home at this time every shift. His response? … Greedy!

I completed some housekeeping, including transporting empty cages into the correct positions in the warehouse, ready for the afternoon shift and  to prevent any Health and Safety issues.

I completed my shift just after 08:00 and I went home as an unhappy bunny.

Streetwise: Tuesday 13 November 2018

I walked in at 04:00 and organised the printed, laminated postcodes into a good order.

I read the postcodes on the parcels and packages, walked to the correct cages and carefully placed the parcels and packages into the cages.

When the second trailer arrived, I unclipped one side of the trailer, ready for the forklift to transport the parcels and packages into the warehouse  and I sorted out the parcels and packages on my side again as they were scanned.

After the second trailer was completed, I started collecting the printed, laminated postcodes before being asked to move a few of the empty cages, ready for the afternoon shift and some general housekeeping, including sweeping.

Streetwise: Wednesday 31 October 2018

I got to work early again and walked in at 04:00 and helped set up the warehouse for the shift.

I picked up parcels and packages for the cages my side of the non-functional conveyor belt, where I read the postcodes and walked to the correct cages that had the postcodes stuck on them with sticky labels. I carefully placed the parcels and packages into the correct cages.

The first trailer was tipped, the parcels and packages were scanned and sorted into the correct cages by 05:35. This was when the smokers went out for a smoke and I joined them.

The second trailer got completed as quickly as the first trailer did and the smokers went for another smoke at 07:35.

When I finished my smoke, I went back inside to deal with the general housekeeping before the non-functional conveyor belt and empty cages needed to get sorted for the day shift(s). I swept, picked up the rubbish using a broom and shovel and emptied the contents into a rubbish bin. This was followed by setting up the warehouse for the day shift(s), where I used a pump truck to transport the empty cages to the correct places within the warehouse.

We got let loose at 08:15.

Streetwise: Tuesday 30 October 2018

On my first shift, I got to the warehouse before 04:00 and had to wait until 04:00 as it was locked up, but there was another guy there already. So I introduced myself, explaining that this was my first shift with Streetwise and he introduced himself. It was his first shift too.

I got given a high-vis vest to wear, as there were forklifts on the premises.

When the warehouse opened by the guy in charge, I hung around with the other colleagues at the non-functional conveyor belt. From the parcels and packages, I learnt how to get them into the correct cages and it was very easy to learn. I had to read the postcodes from the parcels and packages and carefully placed them into the correct cages which had postcodes stuck to the cages with large labels.

When every parcel and package came off both of the trailers, scanned and placed into the correct cages, I helped by transporting the cages nearer the shutters at the front, ready for the drivers to scan the parcels and packages and place into their vans and cars, ready to deliver to customers. I used a pump truck to successfully complete this tasks.

I, along with a few other colleagues, set up the warehouse for the day shift(s) where we split the non-functional conveyor belt into two shorter conveyor belts in the centre of the warehouse, then I transported ten empty cages on two sides, further away from the centre and transported three more for one end.

We got told to go home, as we completed every tasks that we needed to do and I left at 07:45.

Not only did I meet the other new guy who started the same time as me, I met the guy in charge and the other colleagues. One of whom, started about a month ago.

Staffline: Friday 03 August 2018

I clocked in at 22:00 for this shift and got asked to deal with the Subs, which I agreed to. I scanned every parcels and packages that came to me at the Subs I was working at, then I carefully placed them into collars that were on wooden pallets.

We had our ten minute break at 22:32 which was strange, as we normally had our break after lunch, which was later than this. However, after the break, I went back onto the Subs.

Lunch was at 00:10 for 30 minutes, more Subs afterwards.

Nearer the end of the shift, I unloaded one van and loaded two large vans, then some general housekeeping.

At the end of this shift, the Manager said that I did well for this shift and let me go home. I clocked out at 06:44.

I will give you a laugh though. The button on my trouser came off and I believe it happened when I had to squeeze through a tight space between two Subs (collars on wooden pallets). I wondered why my butt felt weird. Haha!

But what felt weirder was that I asked the Manager for a safety pin to attempt to keep my trouser up, which failed

What have I done in May?

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Hope you are all well.

I feel I did more than I would normally do. Here is what I did during May, so have a look:

LinkedIn

During May, I did the following on LinkedIn:

• 38 posts
• 57 comments
• 118 likes

The most viewed post of mine on LinkedIn was LinkedIn Weekly (25 May 2018), with 3,586 views

Company Hunts & CV Drops

I combined 2 Company Hunts and CV Drops (16/05/18 and 18/05/18) together to see I could get a better outcome. There were several jobs available

I will be setting out several days, where I will be doing Company Hunts on foot and over the telephone.

Blogging

In April, I had written and published 19 blog posts, where there were 156 views from 93 visitors with 6 likes in total.

The views were very spread out last month.

• LinkedIn Weekly (04 May 2018) (19 views)
• Manor Royal Careers Expo 2018 (14/05/18) (16 views)
• LinkedIn Weekly (18 May 2018) (13 views)
• LinkedIn Weekly (11 May 2018) (11 views)

The top three countries where my blog posts were viewed from were United Kingdom (90 views), United States (34 views), and France (5 views).

Interviews

Unfortunately, I have not had any job interviews this month, but have been trying extremely hard to get there.

Conclusion

I would like to thank everybody who has helped me during May, and I am hoping that I can help you all in one way or another.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

May has been as busy as April was, but I will definitely work harder and find other ways to find suitable employment.

Notes

If you would like to know what I have completed in previous months, please click here.

Company Hunt & CV Drop (16/05/18)

Introduction

Yesterday, Wednesday 16 May 2018, I completed a Company Hunt and CV Drop together in hope that I will get a job interview and even a job.

Why did you do a Company Hunt and CV Drop together?

I normally do Company Hunts and CV Drop separately but did them together this time around to see if it makes a difference in me getting interviews.

Why did you do them yesterday?

There was a careers event for Manor Royal (a large industrial estate), both of which are local to me, which I thought was yesterday but is today instead. The event is called Manor Royal Careers Expo 2018.

So I was ready for the event, in the correct clothes and my CV’s at hand. I thought that I might as well be productive and constructive.

Where did you visit?

I visited 25 companies over several roads, including:

• Lloyds Court
• Manor Royal
• Newton Road
• The Bell Centre

Page 1 of notes

Page 2 of notes

Page 3 of notes

Who had vacancies?

Out of the 25 companies I visited, there were 5 companies who had vacancies available and 6 companies were unsure or unaware of any vacancies. However, 7 companies said they did not have any vacancies and 4 did not answer their telecoms systems.

What next?

Tomorrow morning, I will visit more companies to enquire about more vacancies, while giving my CV out to those companies who have vacancies.

Tomorrow afternoon, I will contact the companies who did not answer their telecoms systems via telephone to enquire about vacancies.

Conclusion

I would like to thank everybody I spoke to yesterday, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me.

For those who did not answer their telecoms system, expect a telephone call from me tomorrow!

Interview Question: What is your biggest achievement?

My biggest achievement was when I was at Premier Inn where I increased client satisfaction.

Being on Reception in the first week, I helped clients with taking bags to their rooms, answering questions and queries and dealing with complaints. I did this to the best of my abilities.

I received 2 excellent reviews from clients within that week!

[UPDATED] Job Interview: Hayland & Whittle

I had my nineth job interview on Saturday 03 April 2018 at 13:00 since September 2016 and this job interview two interviewers and myself.

🔓 Job title: Candle Room Assistant

🔓 Company: Hayland & Whittle

🔓 Application Date & Location: 10 March 2018 on Indeed

🔓 Interview Date & Time: 03 April 2018 at 13:00

🔓 Job Hours: 08:30 to 17:00 Monday to Friday + occasionally extra

🔓 Benefits: 28 days holiday for permanent position, 30 minutes paid lunch break

What job was the interview for?

The interview was for the Candle Room Assistant position, which I applied for on Indeedon 10 March 2018.

Why did you apply for the this position?

I applied to the Part Time position at Metrobus because, as I am a jobseeker, I have to travel by bus to look for employment opportunities and to get to job interviews. I also want to improve my skills and gain more experience within Customer Service and Retail environments.

How do you think the interview went?

Today’s interview was different, as it was more of an informational interview.

I feel it went well and would be really interested in getting this job, as it is a slightly different job to what I have been in.

The two interviewers were friendly.

What questions did the interviewers ask?

I was asked one question:

Do you have any questions?

What else happened during the job interview?

I listened to the information that the interviewers gave, and they gave me a quick tour, where they make and label candles, which I found extremely interesting.

What is the next step?

I will find out the outcome either tomorrow or Thursday. However, there is a possibility of a second interview?

Information about the job

More information about the position This position is repetitive, and requires lots of standing.

Conclusion

Being the first informational interview I had in my career, it was very interesting. In a way, I wish it was more like this. However, a structured interview would be more beneficial in my opinion, as the interviewer would find out more about what I am capable of.

Information

Products sold include: Candles, Diffusers, Fragrance & Range, Soaps, Washes & Lotions and more

Hayland & Whittle has a blog and newsletters

Events

• Craft in Focus RHS Garden Wisley 03/05-07/05
• RHS Chelsea Flower Show 22/05-26/05

Updates

06/04/18 – I had not heard anything about the interview, so I e-mailed the lady who invited me to the interview. I received an e-mail back shortly after. Here is what she said:

Hi Jamie,

Thank you for your email.

I am just waiting for the interviewers to make their decisions and then I will be getting back to everyone who came in for interview to let them know how they got on.

It will probably be Monday now, as a decision is still pending.

Kind Regards

Carol Vigors

Updates are likely, so watch this space!

What have I done in March?

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Hope you are all well.

I had migraines on and off for about 2 weeks and really did struggle. But here is what I have done during March:

LinkedIn

Due to the migraines I had, I was not able to write down how many post, comments and likes I did in March.

I feel it would be unfair to estimate the numbers for LinkedIn, so I won’t publish it on this occasion.

Company Hunts

In have not done any Company Hunt in March, like I was hoping. However, on my travels, I have taken note on three vacancies.

I will be setting out several days, where I will be doing Company Hunts on foot and over the telephone.

CV Drops

I have not completed any CV Drops this month, but I have handwritten four cover letters for a CV Drop or two.

However, I will be preparing my CV and cover letters for several CV Drops in March.

Blogging

In March, I have written and published 6 blog posts and updated 1 blog post, where there were 71 views from 54 visitors with 2 likes in total.

The views were very spread out last month.

• [UPDATED] Purple Networking (8 views)
• Best of LinkedIn of the Week (8 views)
• What have you done in February? (3 views)
• Jet2.com to hire 1,700 new staff (3 views)

The top three countries where my blog posts were viewed from were United States (40 views), United Kingdom (28 views), and Canada (2 views).

Interviews

March was not any good for job interviews. No interviews at all.

I tried my best, but will keep marching on.

Conclusion

I would like to thank everybody who has helped me during March, and I am hoping that I can help you all in one way or another.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

In March, I did less than what I normally do, but I am hoping to have bigger plans for April, without migraines.

Notes

In am thinking about doing informational interviews with Recruiters And Managers. If you would like to arrange an informational interview, please e-mail me on crawleyjobseeker@gmail.com or call 07851 557 266.

If you would like to know what I have completed in previous months, please click here.

Employ Crawley Job Fair 5 March Crawley Library

Introduction

Last Monday, I attended Employ Crawley Job Fair 5 March Crawley Library, where there were 20 companies and four workshops. Here is a list of companies who attended and workshops:

Employ Crawley Job Fair leaflet

The 20 companies who attended

Why did you attend the Job Fair?I attended the Job Fair at Crawley Library because, as an active job seeker, I wanted to see what companies would attend and what vacancies they had available.

What companies did you talk toi spoke to 11 out of the 20 companies who attended, but as you can see from my first answer (pictured), I spoke to several companies in more detail, finding out that some of them are in fact on LinkedIn.

What information / documents did you receive?

As I mentioned in my last answer, I received / accepted some names so I could connect with / follow them on LinkedIn. But here is a couple more pieces of information and documents I received:

NHS p1

NHS p2

Mears Administration Profile p1

Mears Administration Profile p2

If you would like to see more information and documentation, please let me know, and I will be happy to share with you.

With the information you received, which would you put a job application in to?

With the information I received, I would put job applications to the following companies with the types of jobs in would apply to:

• Decathlon – warehouse (possible)
• DHL – warehouse and loading
• ILG UK LTD – warehouse, picking, packing
• Love Local Jobs – researcher (?)

What was your opinion on the Job Fair?

With the amount of companies and job seekers who attended and the amount of space that was taken up by the event, it was extremely claustrophobic. I actually had to move out of the small room, where most of the companies were in.

Would you go to another Job Fair?

Simple answer: Absolutely!

Job fairs are similar, but not the same as, networking.

They are aimed for those who are seeking new opportunities and there is quite a bit of communication and note taking involved. So always have a pen and a notepad at hand.

Conclusion

Apart from being claustrophobic, it was a good job fair. Even though none of the companies accepting my CV, I received a fair amount of paperwork to read through great for bedtime reading haha and was able to connect with several connections on LinkedIn.

Out of 10 (10 being best), I would rate Employ Crawley Job Fair 8 out of 10.

To make it 10 out of 10, I will recommend using more space to spread out the company to attend.

With Thanks

First of all I would like to thank the organisers for organising employee Crawley job fair.

I would also like and to those who I actually met, for talking with me and the few who connected with me / allowed me to connect them on LinkedIn.

[UPDATED] Purple Networking 06/03/18

Introduction

I attended my first ever networking event last night at Xenia, Crawley between 6pm and 8pm. The networking event was called Purple Networking.

Why did you attend a networking event?

As this was the first networking event I attended, I wanted to see what it was like to attend one.

As I enjoy helping others, I thought it would be good from this perspective.

Who did you meet?

I met a number of fascinating people last night. The organiser, Stuart Richie and his partner, two travel agents, a chocolatier (his Instagram), a General Manager from Henfield in Horsham.

Was there anything suggested to you? If so, what?

There different people suggesting things.

A travel agent suggested I attend First Friday Networking, another networking event.

The General Manager from Henfield, Horsham suggested I looked at looked into Rainbow International, Ocado, WH Smith a newspaper (a magazine delivery company).

Where and when is the next event for purple networking?

Will take place on Tuesday 03 April 2018, between 6pm and 8pm at Xenia, Crawley.

I would like to visit Purple Networking. What do I need to do?

You can order your FREE tickets here.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed Purple Networking last night and would definitely be attending next month!

With Thanks

I would like to say a special thank you to Stuart for organising the Purple Networking event because it was enjoyable and the best night out in have had for a while.

I would also like to thank everybody who attended and those who I spoke to last night.

I hope I see you all next month, chat on social media or bump into each other on the street.

Information about Purple Networking

Facebook

Next Steps

• Meet Stuart on Thursday 08 March 2018.
• Book and attend the next Purple Networking event.
• Look into the suggestions that were made to me.

Updates

WH Smith careers

Please note: this post is likely to be updated, so please watch this space!

What have I done in February?

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Hope you are all well.

Eventhough we had cold, snowy weather in the latter part of February, here are the tasks that I successfully accomplished:

LinkedIn

I wrote 14 posts / shares, liked 56 posts / comments & commented on 23 posts / comments.

Company Hunts

In have successfully completed two Company Hunts in February, but I am planning to do much more in March. So watch this space!

CV Drops

I have not completed any CV Drops this month, but I am preparing my CV and cover letters for several CV Drops in March.

Blogging

In February, I have written 12 blog posts, where there were 52 views from 34 visitors with 7 likes in total.

The views were very spread out last month. 9 of the blog posts had 2 views each, which include:

• 3 newspaper articles
• 2 job interviews

The top three countries where my blog posts were viewed from were United States (20 views), United Kingdom (20 views), and Canada (7 views).

Interviews

January was pretty good for interviews … I had four interviews this month. Woohoo.

Obviously recruitment is slowly picking up, especially when January is generally a very quiet month for finding a job, as it is after the Christmas and New Year sales.

Here are the four companies in have had interviews with in February:

• Applegreen petrol station
• Evapo (01/02/18)
• Metrobus and response / feedback
• Weatherspoon (20/02/18)

Conclusion

I would like to thank everybody who has helped me during January, and I am hoping that I can help you all in one way or another.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

In February, I did marginally more than I did in January, but I have bigger plans for March.

Notes

In am thinking about doing informational interviews with Recruiters And Managers. If you would like to arrange an informational interview, please e-mail me on crawleyjobseeker@gmail.com or call 07851 557 266.

If you would like to know what I have completed in previous months, please click here.

Company Hunt 26-27/02/18

Introduction

Over the last two mornings for an hour per morning, before visiting Crawley Library, I went around Crawley Town Centre.

Why did you go around Crawley Town Centre?

I went around Crawley Town Centre to see what companies had vacancies.

Where in Crawley Town Centre did you visit?

I visited the following roads

• Broadway
• County Mall
• Queen Square
• The Martlets

What vacancies did you find? How do I apply?

The vacancies I found can apply can be found here.

How can I apply for the vacancies?

The application process of each vacancy is in the link above with the vacancies.

Response and Feedback: Metrobus Interview

Following on from my job interview with Metrobus, I have had a response, with some feedback.

I am grateful but shocked for the response I received, eventhough it was a decline. Here was what was in the e-mail:

Dear Jamie

Thank you for attending your recent selection session with us at Crawley. It was a pleasure to meet you.

Unfortunately you have not been selected to progress any further on this occasion.

You scored reasonably well in the group activity, your team working and participation were good but felt you need to develop your problem solving, decisiveness and initiative skills. You did not do so well in the aptitude test where your accuracy needs to be improved.

We also felt that for a position in our travel shop that you lack the professional appearance that we expect of our staff in a customer facing post.

I hope these comments will aid you in any future application you might make.

Kind regards

[RECRUITER’S NAME]

The Recruiter thanked me and it looks like she wrote it herself, which is always a nice to see. How many Recruiters actually e-mail you with a personal touch?

I am glad she thinks that my team work and participation was good because I enjoy working as part of a team.

Problem Solving: I know when it comes to Customer Service and Retail environments, there will be problems that will arise from anywhere. However, I am unsure where I lacked problem solving during this interview.

Decisiveness: I do not make decisions quickly because it is about quality decisions rather than quantity decisions, especially when it comes to customers.

Yes, customers want quick results, but it may not be the right decision for each customer.

Initiative: I enjoy using my own initiative, but again, I am not 100% sure where I lacked initiative. I am guessing it was when we had to make a ferris wheel from Knex pieces.

Aptitude Test: I hate tests at the best of times, but I knew from the interview invite that there would be an Aptitude Test involved.

I have e-mailed the Recruiter back for ways to improve the skills she mentioned:

Dear [RECRUITER’S NAME],

Thank you for your e-mail, dated 23 February and thank you for inviting me to the interview. It was a pleasure to meet you too.

I enjoyed the interview very much.

I enjoy working as part of a team, doing preparation and the other skills you have mentioned. But I am not too keen on Aptitude tests.

I am always looking to improve myself in whatever way I can. With those skills in need to improve on, what would you recommend to me for me to improve these skills?

For the lack of professional appearance, out of curiosity, what made you say this?

All comments are welcome, so I can improve myself.

Thank you once again for your e-mail, and congratulations to the applicant who received the contract.

Kind regards

Jamie

Watch this space for updates!

Conclusion

• I enjoyed the job interview.
• I am grateful the the Recruiter at Metrobus responded the way she did, with the constructive feedback she mentioned.
• Nobody is perfect! But all feedback from job applications and interviews is welcomed (constructive preferred).
• With the constructive feedback, I will look into improving myself, so I can secure suitable employment.
• I am happy that I responded, asking for more in depth information about how I could improve the skills she mentioned.

Notes

Being decided can be disheartening, but with constructive feedback, we can improve ourselves.

Related blog posts

My Previous History and Key Competencies

How soon after you apply for a job would you expect to hear back about your application?

What have I done in January?

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Hope you are all well and had a great Christmas and New Year, so far.

Here are the tasks that I successfully accomplished in January:

LinkedIn

I wrote 52 posts / shares, liked 17 posts / comments & commented on 13 posts / comments.

Company Hunts

In have not done any Company Hunts this month, but I am planning to do several next month. So watch this space!

CV Drops

I have not completed any CV Drops this month, but I am preparing my CV and cover letters for several CV Drops in February.

Blogging

In January, I have written 19 blog posts, where there were 67 views from 44 visitors.

The views were quite spread out last month, so here is a list of the 3 most viewed posts:

1. Nestlé factory expansion to create more than 70 jobs (45 views)
2. Chocolate pizza has required Domino’s effect (5 views)
3. Toys ‘R’ Us to shelve 26 struggling stores (4 views)

The top four countries where my blog posts were viewed from were United States (27 views), United Kingdom (24 views), Netherlands (5 views) and Italy (5 views).

Interviews

January is generally a very quiet month for finding a job, as it is after the Christmas and New Year sales. As this is the case, I have not had any job interviews, but I am really trying hard to find a suitable job.

However, on Monday 29 January I received a telephone call from Evapo in Crawley asking if I could attend an interview for a job that I applied for on Friday 26 January. The interview was held on Thursday 01 February, which I cannot wait to attend.

Conclusion

I would like to thank everybody who has helped me during January, and I am hoping that I can help you all in one way or another.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

This month, I have done less than I did in December, as January is a quiet month for jobs, as mentioned earlier.

Reflections of 2017 (Part 2)

Here is part two of my Reflections of 2017 series.

How did you surprise myself?

I surprised myself when I caught trains to both Redhill and Brighton on my own. These trips were for personal reasons.

I never caught a train on my own before until last year, aged 27.

I hate travelling at the best of times, as I get really nervous in places / surroundings I am not familiar with.

What was the kindest thing you did for your friends and family?

Whenever my mother works, I travel with her to and from her workplace via public transport, so she can get to and from work safely.

I care about my family, especially my mother.

What or who did you learn the most from?

This is a difficult question to answer, as I have learned alot during 2017. But here are two major things I have learned:

To respect other more, even if they disrespect / do not respect me. I found that I used ignore those who did not respect me.

However to keep my LinkedIn profile as up-to-date as possible, after reading Donna Serdula‘s book, LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Dummies*. Here is my book Review on this amazing book.

What did you do for others?

I have assisted / helped many people during 2017.

There was a gentleman I recently met who became partially sighted not long ago. I debated on if I should help him cross the road safely, or not. I could not leave him there to cross the busy road (behind where I live) by himself.

I carefully approached him so I didn’t make him jump and asked him if he would like me to help / guide him across the road. He said he was fine crossing the road, as he could just about see the vehicle’s headlights and we stood there talking for a good five minutes, whilst waiting for the traffic to die down enough so he could cross the road.

When the road was clearer and he was ready to cross the road,  we both said: “it was nice to meet you and hope to see you soon.” I waited there to make sure he crossed safely before I went home.

Since then, I have only seen him once more and did the same as I did the first time around. Spoke to him and made sure he crossed the road safely.

Would it do this again? ABSOLUTELY!

What no longer worries you, that used to?

There are two things I do not worry about as much as I used to:

• Working long hours: when I was working for MSS**, I worked six 12-hour shifts within the week leading up to Christmas. I used to think that I could not cope doing long shifts. Now, I do not mind working long hours and I am unsure of what I was worried about.

• Worrying about what people think of me: I am a big guy and have been bullied throughout the whole of my education life, but now, I do not care / worry about what people think of me. I just ignore it.

Notes

* You can order Donna’s book on Amazon.

** You can find out more about my experience at MSS by clicking here.

My Warehouse questionnaire

When did your career in Warehousing begin?

My Warehouse experience started when I completed Work Experience Placement at a Co-op store, where I got tasked with delivery checks.

Did you always want to work in Warehousing?

I never thought about being in full swing in Warehouse work, until I started working for Tesco as a Personal Shopper in April 2015. I was picking and packing customers’ shopping, replenished shelves and loading customers’ shopping onto vans, ready for delivery.

When I was much younger in primary school, I wanted to be a teacher because I enjoyed helping others students.

As I grew up, I decided I wanted to be a police officer to protect the general public.

Then, at the age of 17, I wanted to start my own business with my hobby (postage stamps) on a part time basis. Without experience in the majority of areas within companies, I decided to put that on hold for many, many years. I will consider starting a company in a part time basis in 20 to 30 years.

What do you enjoy most about Warehousing?

I enjoy it when I get home and thought to myself that it has benefitted the company and myself.

I enjoyed and still enjoy completing my duties to the best of my abilities and getting healthy at the same time.

When I was at Tesco as a Personal Shopper, I lost two stone (28lbs) in weight and dropped two waist sizes (from 44 to 40 inches)

What is the toughest thing about Warehousing?

This is a difficult question, but being on my feet for long periods of time was a big challenge for me.

However, over time, I got used to it. The more I was on my feet, the easier it got, and in turn completed more hours.

Who or what inspired you along the way?

The person (well people) who inspired me most are the amazing Personal Shoppers I worked with at Tesco

The thing that inspired me most is Health and Safety Awareness course which I completed in 2015.

What advice on getting started would you give young people who want a career in Warehousing?

The main advice I would give would be to keep active (physically and mentally), so you can complete your duties / tasks to the best of your ability.

However, I would also suggest, when you have been in Warehousing for a while, complete as many hours as possible (about 40 hours per week), so you can gain as much experience as possible .

What has been your biggest lesson in your career to date?

The biggest lesson in my career to date would be to just get on with the work, but ask questions when you need to.

We all have had to start somewhere, without the knowledge or skills and need to improve them by asking questions and acting on the answers that are given.

Related blog posts

• Communication: Tesco
• Teamwork: Tesco
• My time as a Personal Shopper at Tesco