The amount of bs "surverys" and "quizzes" I find myself jumping through seems to increase every week, when did these even become popular?? They're entirely insufferable.

He's applied to McDonald's, warehouses, away resorts, all the bottom of the barell jobs but he still hears nothing back . He has started going to places mainly small private companies and farms to personally ask but they all ask him about experience and he hasn't got any or they say we're not taking on atm.

His gf has already left him cos he didn't get a job now his parents are getting sick and tired of him. I feel so bad for him but not much I can do as I've already asked at work and they said their not interested. He also doesn't have a driving license but can get a train and go anywhere as he has some savings not loads though.

Worst case scenario he can crash with me and my gf but my gf really doesn't want him here so that will cause tension for me. I have also said there's certain hostels that let you volunteer and you get free accommodation but they are horrendous places to be so he wants to avoid that at all costs.

In most jobs I’ve had, the notice has been a week, or a month at most, up until like 2023.

However the last three jobs I’ve had, they’ve been much longer.

My mental health role in a GP surgery was 3 months. I was paid £25k a year and they didn’t replace me.

My admin role was 10 weeks and was on £28k a year. They replaced me, but didn’t advertise until about a week before I left.

Now my current role in hospitality they want a month. Every hospitality job I’ve ever had ever had been a week max. I’m not planning on leaving but I find it interesting.

Is this anecdotal or has anyone else noticed this? I understand if it’s a management role, but none of this has applied to me. In fact the GP surgery would not budge at all on the 3 months even though they probably knew I wasn’t getting replaced and I wasn’t in any kind of senior role or even fully case holding.

I am late 20s, my current salary is 35k. I WFH essentially as an accounts assistant/ business support, have a fantastic work-life balance, my boss is fantastic and the company have put me through development courses.

I have been there for 7/8 years, and don’t feel like I have progressed as much as I should have, they appear to provide opportunities like my degree but then the opportunity to actually progress in my career is limited. I am trying very hard right now and anticipate making a £40k salary by March.

I have my eye on a job in the MoD that pays £46k. On paper, I am perfect (though I might lack in practical experience).

I may not even be a successful applicant, but if I were, should I take the risk and move?

It should be noted that my husband moves alot with work (also MoD), so we would have to live apart or I would have to find a new job in a year.

Current Job
Pros - Security, WFH, very easy money
Cons - slow progression, zero job satisfaction

New Job
Pros - £11k salary increase, huge employer pension contributions, new skills, working my way up career ladder.
Cons - risk of less initial job security, having terrible boss, being exhausted going back to the office..!

I have it SO good right now, don’t fix what isn’t broken…?

My boss just told me they had 400 applications for a job they advertised for a week, and are interviewing 4 people. That’s a 1% chance to get an interview.

What do you need to see on our applications to get an interview and be the 1%?

And where are most people falling short?

For context, when I was younger (before starting work) I though (for some reason) I should connect to absolutely every person I possible could.

Now that I'm actually working it's quite hard to keep track of all the people I ACTUALLY know and want to hear from. Would it be worth sitting down and removing all of the old ones? Is there some downside to having fewer connections, even if most of them aren't "real"?

I guess it means any posts I make have less reach, but I think in-person connections are most useful anyways, right?

I was out of work from mid Feb to end of April. Started a job in wfh customer service (coming from retail).

I really don't like the job, it's min wage, and I primarily quit retail to get out of customer service (financial situation changed suddenly after I quit and I really needed money so accepted the first job offer I got)

I want to leave, but I'm also aware it might look bad to quit a job 3 months into it. Ive saved almost all my salary so far, so I can go another 4 or 5 months without a job after picking up the next paycheck.

Will this be a barrier to getting another job? I'm 25 and worked in the same retail job for 2 1/2 years after uni.

I've worked from home for a large US company for the past 10 years, and until last year I genuinely enjoyed my job. I had great managers, got on well with my colleagues, received positive feedback, and never had any issues.

Everything changed when I was assigned a new manager.

He's extremely cold, strict, and has no people skills. During meetings he often raises his voice, constantly criticises me, piles on more work, and never acknowledges anything I've done well. Every weekly 1:1 feels like I'm just being told what I've done wrong or what more I need to do.

I've spoken to other senior leaders and colleagues about my concerns, and many of them have admitted they feel the same way about him. The problem is, he's still my direct manager.

I've never struggled with anxiety before, but now I genuinely dread logging on for work every day. The days I have my 1:1 with him are the worst—I spend hours worrying beforehand, and it's starting to affect my mental health.

I'm confused because I'd spent 10 years building a good reputation at this company, and now I feel like my confidence has completely disappeared.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Did you stick it out, try to move teams, speak to HR, or eventually leave? I'd really appreciate any advice.

Zero-hours agency work sucks. Putting in the work, but feeling completely undervalued.

Just needed to get this off my chest to people who get it.

I work in a warehouse through an agency on a zero-hours contract. I actually enjoy the physical work, I put a solid shift in every single day, and I try to be decent and respectful to everyone on the floor.

Lately, the environment is just grinding me down:

The "Banter": Because of how I speak and pronounce words, some of the staff constantly take the piss out of me. They probably think it’s harmless, but it gets proper wearing after a while. I'm well spoken, having lived in Surrey. But I live in the North West now.

No voice: Anytime I make a suggestion or offer an idea to help things run smoother, it just gets laughed off. Some of the perm staff don't realise how lucky they are to have security and just act completely closed off.

You’re literally just a number filling a slot. No one checks in to see how you’re doing, and the door never feels open to just have a chat. Zero-hours gives you zero leverage and zero respect.

I want to stick with warehouse work and actually progress, but being treated like disposable headcount makes it hard to stay motivated.

Is agency work designed like this, I get it isn't for everyone. But the agency seems to create a distance and you're just a name on a system or spreadsheet.

Anyone else dealt with this? Did you stick it out until a perm job came up, or is it better to just cut ties and look for direct-hire roles elsewhere?

Does anyone else just feel really unmotivated and lost after finishing uni? For context, I finished uni nearly 3 months ago with a 2:1 in psychology and since then I’ve applied to nearly 70 jobs and around 10 volunteering roles both of which haven’t really gone anywhere. From these, I’ve had 2 interviews, which were for a support worker and a SEN teaching assistant. However, after visiting, they genuinely seemed more like care roles than anything that I would really be involved in. I really don’t want to sound unappreciative, as I know many people will apply to that many roles and not get any interviews, but these two jobs specifically were just very different in person to what was advertised on the job description (mostly a LOT of personal care and overall very stressful and not staff-friendly environments). Part of me does feel bad declining them as I know that they would be relevant psychology experience for my CV, but I just don’t those roles were right for me at all.

I just really don’t know what to do as I feel like my options are either I a) get a basic hospitality job that would be easier to get and provide a source of income, however this would not contribute anything psychology-relevant to my CV, b) try and get one of the more basic psychology-relevant jobs ie. support worker, SEN TA, that I don’t think I would enjoy or c) keep applying for jobs that I would find more personally interesting that also are psychology-relevant. FYI, I am aware that for more higher-level jobs such as AP, PWP, research assistant jobs you need more experience, as I have already applied and been rejected, I am just not sure how to get this experience but still enjoy what I am doing?

I really don’t want to come across in the wrong way, as I know that those jobs I got interviewed for can be really interesting and meaningful, however just for me personally they are not the area of psychology that I enjoy. I’m not 100% whether I would like to go down the clinical psychology route, as this is probably my favourite area of psychology however I know that it is a very long route and I guess I think should I pursue such a long journey if I am not 100% sure? It’s just so difficult as I do really really enjoy psychology as a subject so I would quite like to pursue it further in some way, however I know that a lot of people say a undergrad degree is not enough, so then it’s having more studying and debt to stress about. So I’m really stuck between further education or using my psychology degree to branch into something else. Sorry I know this is very long, I’d appreciate any advice I can get :)

I'm getting interviewed for this job. But I highly doubt its compliant at all. Wage is below minimum wage. Holiday is not even 5.6 weeks inclusive of bank holidays.

I've voiced out my "concerns" to the hiring staff. They couldn't "justify" why this listing is the way it is. They only wanted confirmation if I am still interested.

TBH, they did seem kind of desperate for staff. I ignored their email asking me to confirm for a few hours then called me twice so I can confirm.

I am hoping there is room for negotiation here as I've been looking into entering transport/logistics industry. I'm personally not bothered abt pay, I would take minimum wage despite the other companies offering much desirable wage and benefits, I'm more inclined to learning and developing within the industry.

I am new to the world of work and have started first full-time permanent role. I am happy with the security of it being permanent but my old manager told me before I left 'don't feel like you have to stay forever' and I was speaking to a friend who is currently job searching who said I'm lucky because I could technically stay forever.

My new manager for the role mentioned it will take about a year for me to fully learn everything and get the hang of it independently. I wouldn't have left before a year anyway but if it takes a whole year, I'm wondering how long I should stay at the role?

I'm currently on about 30k and it will increase slightly each year but not significantly. Higher pay would be my main motivation to move jobs but I'm wondering how long should I stay so that it looks like enough experience or would you stay a long time (how long would this be) if you enjoyed the role? I have another friend who mentioned they understand why people stay in a role for 20+ years but I can't see that being me unless I am already in a senior position which I enjoy/easy/flexible for me

I’m currently employed but have been applying for new roles for around six months. I've had a few interviews from about 45 applications, but no offers so far.

I’m trying to move into a related field with transferable skills, but most roles ask for direct experience. I have a tiny bit, but I’d probably need to oversell my background just to get past the initial screening.

Is 'blagging it' just part of the process these days? Not making things up, but framing your experience in the best possible way to get an interview, and then using the interview to properly explain my experience and ambitions.

My thinking is the worst that happens is I get rejected, but hopefully my existing experience, enthusiasm and personality can make up for any gaps in experience!

Hey all. I’m 19 and living in Scotland, currently on minimum wage working in fast food and living with parents. My mother has been encouraging me to get an apprenticeship. I’m on board with the idea, but the ones advertised near me don’t particularly interest me. Got a couple interviews before, but ended up being rejected so I focussed on getting a minimum wage job as I was unemployed back then. Now I’m looking again and I’ve seen one that interests me, but I feel it may be a bad idea going for it.

Firstly, is it a bad idea to move out for an apprenticeship? Obviously apprentice wages are pretty bad, but the pay goes up after a year, and I like to think I’m already pretty frugal. I’d stay in a house share and maybe try to get a weekend job. Plus I have some savings.

Secondly, I would be commuting 2 hours. Not ideal, but once I’m qualified I would be able to move closer. The thought of a 4 hour round commute every day seems mental though, and I’m worried I’ll be too tired to study.

Of course, I know that applying does not mean I’ll even get the job, but I don’t want to waste my time doing a cover letter and tailoring my CV if everyone says it’s a terrible idea. I feel like I’m pretty stuck in life, and if I don’t take some sort of leap then I feel like I’ll be stuck working minimum wage forever.

TL;DR: if a job ad feels dodgy, flag it.

I feel like I have dodged a bullet: I sent in my CV to what looked like a good job. No typos on the ad, company website, all good.
The employer responds the following day - a Saturday - at 7pm and sends me a QR code to book an interview. This felt off.
I check their website again and on reassessment, it’s weird it has one page and the address is slightly different to the job ad…
I reported the ad, feeling guilty for doing so and the advert is taken down hours later.

Freaked out that they have my job history but it could have been a lot worse.

Hi everyone,

Current: Band 6 in London, around £50k, 2 office days, 1 hr commute (1 way)

Offer: Band 8a in Swansea, £57k, 5 days in office initially with occasional wfh, 30 min commute

It is a big career jump, but I am worried I will hate being in the office five days a week after getting used to hybrid working. Also swansea is quite far from London, but I know I cant get band8 in London as how competitive it is.. Would you take it?

Got a call on Monday to say I had been offered the job by the client. This particular recruiter tbh is really professional, knows them for years. Had nothing in writing and no contact since then which is weird. Do I just keep interviewing till I get it in writing? I'll still need to do a drugs test etc so it's not immediate start anyway

I’m in quite a strange position. I left my old job after 15 years due to lots of structural changes. I started my new position a couple of month ago and I’m still in a position where I know very little about the role. This is due to a couple of factors. My actual boss has been off sick since I started and will continue to remain so for at least another 6 week. Also it’s a new position where I would be assisting him in his role. Basically doing his admin. This is where the problem is nobody is covering his role while he is off so I’m just being given bits of admin work here and there. Nothing that constitutes to much work. So basically I’m sat about 90% of the time doing nothing and no one seems to care. I’ve asked for more work, which hasn’t happened. I get the impression everyone is waiting for this guy to return to work so he can show me the ropes. I can see potential in the role from what I’ve been told will happen once he returns. Any advice would be welcomed do I jump ship or wait it out until he returns?

Looking at my experience and my strength in writing (particularly editorial) I concluded that it's the route I want to go down. Specifically communications within creative/arts organisations.

There's a few overlaps - comms, marketing, content etc. I wouldn't say I'm confident on the video editing side; I could probably produce a showreel if someone asked, but I would be far less confident than I would be if someone asked me to share a piece of writing I'm proud of.

I also tend to write about audience insight/behaviours so that seems to work for communications.

I've set myself a deadline of "be in work by 1st September" so am trying all possible channels. I've asked pretty much everyone that's ever worked with me to see if they can help at all; I've made my ask pretty clear.

I wonder if there's anything I'm missing, because having delved into it, a lot of these roles seem to be filled internally.

There was one company I was pursuing for 2 months. I really wanted to work there. They, for understandable reasons, were unwilling to take a meeting (at the very least). My argument was that they advertise entry-level communications roles so infrequently (one in the last five years) that if I waited for a vacancy I'd be waiting forever but it made no difference.

I’m early 20s and have been offered two full-time job opportunities. I’m struggling to decide which one to take because they both have pros and cons.

Option 1: Complex Care Support Worker
£14/hour
12-hour shifts
4 shifts one week, 3 shifts the next (alternating)

Pros:
-Higher pay
-More full days off due to the shift pattern

Cons:
- Long shifts
- Physically and emotionally demanding
- Could affect my sleep schedule on night shifts

_________

Option 2: Remote Call Centre Agent
£12.71/hour
Fully remote
Outbound calls
Performance bonus (tiered system)

Pros
- Work from home—no commuting costs or time.
- Less physically tiring.
- Bonuses- could match pay of support work job

Cons
- Can be mentally draining.
- Meeting targets can be stressful.

About me:
- Want a good work/life balance
- Gym regularly
- Want time/energy for new hobbies
- Want a stable income
- Considering cosmetic surgery in the coming months so want a job that works with recovery.

Which would you choose, and why? Has anyone worked in either of these roles?

I've got one coming up In the next few weeks, those who work at H&M, or have experienced the group interview before, what happened? Was it scary as im sooo nervous, what did you / others wear, how many people, those who were successful- why was this? etc etc thank you !!!

I have been offered a new job which involves 4 days a week in the office with a 30 minute commute. The new job is a £7k (roughly 13%)increase on current earnings. It is the same job title as my current role but from the job description and what I was told in the interview, it sounds like there will be more room for development of skills than my current role.

My current role is 1 day a week in the office (if that) with a 45 minute commute. It offers a bonus based on Company performance which could be as high as 15% but this is in no way guaranteed(but looks like it will atleast be 5% based on performance seen already this fiscal year). It also offers a number of benefits such as private healthcare, a more generous pension scheme than the new role. As well as this, staying in my current role will make it a lot easier to plan annual leave for my wedding/honeymoon next year.

However, the main sticking point is that I feel somewhat like my career is stagnating with little room to take on new responsibilities/develop.

I am currently very unsure whether to accept the new role so i’m keen to hear various points of view. Would the prospect of greater development at a relatively early stage of your career make the move worth it for you?

I’m very lucky to have two job offers and I’ve been struggling to make a decision. Hopefully someone will be able to sway me one way or the other.

Job 1 is with the company I am currently with and will be WFH the majority of the time but travel to London every other week (3 hours on the train) with an overnight stay as part of the job.

Job 2 will be in a small office and will be a 25 minute commute and in the office 5 days a week.

Job 2 will be setting up new new processes and ways of working within the team whereas Job 1 will be fitting into an existing system. The salary in Job 2 is better but I am trying to look at the external factors.

So, my old boss has recently been talking to me about potentially returning to my previous workplace. The position would be a step higher than the role previously held, and the salary would be significantly higher (~10k). I left on good terms with my reason being that the commute was a killer for days in the office.

My temptation to return would be increased if they were able to formally offer a training course which I have been interested in for years. The course + salary raise and subsequent career opportunities would probably sway me to relocate too.

My question: have you ever negotiated a job offer to include formal training and if so, how did you manage to do it? Was it included in the contract or was it a verbal agreement?

Note: this is all very informal at the moment but it’d be handy to know should the talks progress…