Food banks: A first hand experience.

[BoldonLad]

It was more an informal chat with a view to getting a formal first interview. But I think it went well, made the interviewer laugh, she wasn't violently ill at the sight of me, managed not to swear... Also mentioned a few things they were after which weren't on the job spec, which is usually a good thing.

Just a matter of waiting now, she did say that she was away at road shows quite a bit, so it may be the end of the week/next week before I hear anything.

Sounds good. Hopefully you will get the Formal Interview. Good luck.

 

[AndyRM]

So as an update to the thread, I had another interview recently, which again went really well, but I didn't get.

Apparently I'm over-qualified and would get bored quickly. I appreciated getting the feedback, and did stress that I wasn't in this for the short haul, but their mind had been made up which is fair enough.

On the plus side, my mental health assessment came back and based on what I've been telling them for a very, very long time, I no longer have to attend UC meetings and the UC amount I receive is now actually live-able on, which is rather nice.

 

[Deleted member 28]

So as an update to the thread, I had another interview recently, which again went really well, but I didn't get.

Apparently I'm over-qualified and would get bored quickly. I appreciated getting the feedback, and did stress that I wasn't in this for the short haul, but their mind had been made up which is fair enough.

On the plus side, my mental health assessment came back and based on what I've been telling them for a very, very long time, I no longer have to attend UC meetings and the UC amount I receive is now actually live-able on, which is rather nice.

Without thinking I'm taking the piss what do you 'do' so to speak?

 

[AndyRM]

Without thinking I'm taking the piss what do you 'do' so to speak?

I don't, and it's a fair question. I'm a graphic designer/artist. My skills are transferable. but the number of people applying for jobs in my area is through the roof.

I'm not looking for a pity party, but COVID ripped the arse out of the creative world, certainly in a commercial sense.

My sister, a musician, really struggled too, though living in London helped her get back on her feet more quickly.

 

[Deleted member 28]

I don't, and it's a fair question. I'm a graphic designer/artist. My skills are transferable. but the number of people applying for jobs in my area is through the roof.

I'm not looking for a pity party, but COVID ripped the arse out of the creative world, certainly in a commercial sense.

My sister, a musician, really struggled too, though living in London helped her get back on her feet more quickly.

Covid did, my neighbour is in the music industry (tour promotion) and obviously during Covid he had nothing and only really started back last year.

 

[AndyRM]

Covid did, my neighbour is in the music industry (tour promotion) and obviously during Covid he had nothing and only really started back last year.

Yep, things are starting to recover in some respects.

One of my most favourite experiences was going to a post lock-down gig; I'd really missed the joy of live music.

 

[Deleted member 28]

Yep, things are starting to recover in some respects.

One of my most favourite experiences was going to a post lock-down gig; I'd really missed the joy of live music.

Not your cup of tea I'm sure but we're off to see 'the Superska's ' tonight, bunch of Fifty yr old bald blokes jumping around, love it!

 

[Ian H]

Not your cup of tea I'm sure but we're off to see 'the Superska's ' tonight, bunch of Fifty yr old bald blokes jumping around, love it!

Ancient music on period instruments for us this evening. With a bar, though.

 

[AuroraSaab]

I'm not looking for a pity party, but COVID ripped the arse out of the creative world, certainly in a commercial sense.

I can believe that as I've heard similar. Hopefully things will pick up on the job front soon. UC review sounds like a good result, relatively speaking.

 

[Julia9054]

Covid did, my neighbour is in the music industry (tour promotion) and obviously during Covid he had nothing and only really started back last year.

Same for my kids.
The eldest was able to more or less pick up where he left off but the youngest graduated in 2020. Last 6 months of their degree online - the time when they are supposed to be making contacts and figuring out how to make it pay.

 

[AuroraSaab]

Lots of kids in that cohort didn't get their year in industry, didn't get the employers fairs in May/June and onwards, no career advice or personal help with CV's. They lost out hugely on the things that help to get your foot in the door and give you that all important confidence for when you are starting out. In retrospect, it would have been helpful if funding had been available to extend those Uni services for say 6 months after you graduated.

 

[AndyRM]

Not your cup of tea I'm sure but we're off to see 'the Superska's ' tonight, bunch of Fifty yr old bald blokes jumping around, love it!

I'm partial to a bit of ska. Can't listen to the unrelenting misery of black metal all the time. Mostly it sounds like wasps, in a bin, at the bottom of the sea, recorded on a Nokia 3310.

Or as a friend of mine put it "What the hell is this? Crows being crucified? How are you even meant to know what they're on about?"

My response: "It's probably for the best that you don't."

I hope you enjoyed the ska!

 

[AndyRM]

I can believe that as I've heard similar. Hopefully things will pick up on the job front soon. UC review sounds like a good result, relatively speaking.

As a personal anecdote, the bank I used to work for decided to make their entire Studio redundant and move to an entirely agency model. This was about a month before the first lockdown. The agency folded pretty quickly because it had been set up by the friend of the new head of marketing and they had no other clients.

I've a couple of mates who worked for smaller agencies and they all wound up too. The only one which has survived is Kino, because they have Criteo (and now Meta) as clients.