Devastated.

[Hedge]

A while ago i told you about my royal mail interview.

It went well then I was told i would be contacted about a medical.

I waited 2 weeks without word for a medical so I emailed them to chase it up.. they at September 11, 2008 2:48 pm said..

"Dear Christopher,

Thank you for your email.

Our system shows that you applied for a vacancy on 5.8.2008

Your application is currently showing that a medical query is going through
as of 5.9.2008. Therefore we have passed your details onto 'ATOS Origin'
who may contact you to arrange a pre-employment medical check. It may take
up to six weeks before 'ATOS Origin' will contact you. If you have not
received any correspondence from them within six weeks, or if you think you
may have missed their call please contact 'ATOS Origin' on 0845 612 4123."


So Ive sat waiting with baited breath, i didnt want to phone them straight away and hound them...

Now ive just checked my emails.... and here i find this...

"Dear Christopher

Further to your non-attendance at your Medical Assessment, we have now withdrawn
your application.

We are sorry that you are no longer interested but would like to wish you every
success in the future.

Regards
The Royal Mail Letters Recruitment Team"



I am absolutely devastated. this was a job that I REALLY wanted. Im gonna have to chase them up tomorrow

 

[Hedge]

All correspondence (sorry sp) has been Via email.. my Interview was arranged by email, my assessment was online, my being told they want to complete a medical.. the lot.

ive had no paper letters or phonecalls from them.

I hope this gets sorted because im gutted. totally gutted.

 

[Hedge]

Yeah im going to phone that "ATOS Origin" place tomorrow.

The thing thats worried me is the way that they recruit... It seems like my interview was successful and i was lined up for a job, but they have people on waiting lists etc too. So if they scratch me off, they probably just instantly ask the next person in line.

One thing is that I split up with my girlfriend a short while back and moved back to my mothers house. So I emailed them after I had been waiting for my medical reply... i said this..

"Dear Sir/Madam

I recieved an email regarding my health declaration, and how my details
would be referred to your healthcare professionals. This was on Sept 1st.

I would be interested to know how long this process can take, Im currently
looking after my Mothers house for a couple of weeks while she is away, So
Im worried that I may have missed a phonecall.

My reference number is

Any information about the process would be greatly appreciated.

Yours Faithfully

Christopher



The reply in my first post was their response to this email. Telling me it could take up to 6 weeks. My ex is reasonable and we still talk, she said there has been no contact from them. She knows how much i wanted the job too. So she didnt do anything nasty and bin anything

 

[Hedge]

My legs are shaking lol. Im seriously wound up by this.

I dont like putting all my eggs in one basket. But this job was exactly what I need right now. Suited me down to the ground. And gets me off the frickin dole.

Even if they tried contacting me via phone and had no luck. They would at least send me a letter. man im annoyed

 

[Hedge]

Big compaines are awful to work for they have so much information lost and not passed on its unbelievable.

Don't mind me asking, how come you left the plumbing business? Just started a course this week.

I havent totally left it.

I have been having absolutely no luck on finding a stable plumbing job lately. I have my gas tickets but my skills are primarily in technical aspects of gas repairs. Installations of full heatings really isnt my thing.

I plumb bathrooms / kitchens etc. and move radiators/alter pipes.. but doing full system installs isnt really my forte. But unfortunately the only jobs that come up are purely for that.

I wanted this RM job because it would mean starting early, and finishing at 12 noon. I have a friend who wants to set up a plumbing business with me next year. So I need a bit of stability at the minute. Because plumbing jobs arent cropping up too often right now.

I am earning decent money on the side at the mo doing work for family and friends etc.

Afternoons off from RM would mean i could sneak a couple of quick jobs in and bump my earnings up a bit.

Guess im just so stressed at the minute with lots of ups and downs through work and breaking up with the missus after 6 years that i just want a stable job I can depend on daily

 

[Hedge]

Cheers guys.

Gonna go to bed now and get up sharp. gonna start phoning them from 8am and not stopping until i get a good result!

 

[Hedge]

Not a good time to become a RM worker if I’m honest, there are some big changes in force and it’s getting worse, it’s a hard very hard job to be in atm, if you think you turn up and take a bag of mail out and finish at 12 you can think again.


Why did you have to take a medical?

Got beat up in march and got my skull fractured in 3 places.

on the application form it asked if i had head injuries within the last how ever many years, and i had to tick that box.

The job im down for is a postman with driving. the job would primarily be driving back and forth. although they like to have you on the streets for the first 12 weeks or something to see that side of it.

I worked for the council for 5 years so i know my town like the back of my hand. Posting letters would be pretty laid back i reckon

 

[Hedge]

Ah I see, sorry to hear that!


Sorry but it will be far from Laid back, being new you will have they worse walks in the office, under new rules each walk has to be a 3.5hr delivery span coming up to Christmas it gets crazy I can put my hand on my heart and say you will be in for a big shock if you think it will be laid back, there is huge pressure on us RM staff atm. If you stick to the rules and work to the guidelines and don’t let management shaft you will be okay. If you do get in join the union asap And good luck, it can be a rewarding job.

Maybe laid back was the wrong idea then

well fingers crossed i can make some progress with them anyway. I got on well with the bloke that interviewed me. And i liked the idea of it all.

Funny how the company that specialises in delivering letters... doesnt actually do any communication by mail itself! haha

 

[Hedge]

Thanks for the posts Fothsn anyway

Like you say, everything in the process has been done online for me up to this point.. They emailed me telling I would be required for a medical, and that they would contact me with the appointment soon...

then they never did. and it unfolded like ive already mentioned.

Whats annoying is that i was waiting for a medical appointment. And being so keen i was impatient and asked them how long it would be... then they say 6 weeks.. then the week later they say ive missed it lol.

 

[Hedge]

I cant believe they didn't wright to you once.

Yeah not one part of it is done via Post. there is NO paper evidence at all.

What they do is they test you online.. then get you an interview date.. email you the details of the interview, and then attach 4 pdf files. Which you need to print out yourself, fill in. and take to the interview.

You also need to take photocopies of your passport, drivers licence, and national insurance number.

Then again, when you prove successful from interview stage. you still dont even get a letter through your door. just another chuffing email!

 

[Hedge]

Sorry but I just find it all a load of old ******S

It was a faff on, but i wanted the job so i was happy to do it. Its good in that respect. Because it filters out people who think "sod this crap!"

 

[Hedge]

Hmmm, a stuff up and ATOS are involved... I wish I was surprised (deal with them a lot in my work, useless bunch).

Ive just phoned them up.

they told me that their system is currently down and they would phone me back later. They dont sound too good!

 

[Hedge]

I phoned up the ATOS place this morning. She said my medical is still open on their system. She said they tried contacting me via phone 3 times but got no answer.

I asked her for a number of someone who is on the recruiting side at RM, she gave me the number but it rang and rang.

Ill try again on monday.

But also I was fixing someones shower today who worked in debenhams down the road to me. She said they want someone to work in the storeroom. Ive done that before at marks and spencers so i phoned them up. Guy in debenhams is gonna ring me back on monday to arrange a visit.

A bit of stable income is all i need right now. Royal mail is the one i want over a crappy storeman job though

 

[Hedge]

Is the Royal Mail job a Postie?
I'd take a storeman job over a Postie anyday.
Its great when the weather is like this today but it doesn't happen very often.

Royal mail job is specifically "Postman With Driving". Once they get past the introduction stage of having you out posting door to door on foot. the job would be driving vans full of post about.

 

[Hedge]

I actually felt a little bit of sympathy for you until I read this.

So, youre claiming dole and working on the side. Thanks mate. Me as a tax payer is funding your dole money.

People that do benefit fraud are scum and if I knew your address I'd grass you up.

I do the odd job for my family. i charge them next to nothing. And for friends i charge them next to nowt too.

dont worry. If i could make a good stable living off plumbing right now i wouldnt be on the dole. Dont be under the impression im rich. I might top up my dole by 50 quid a week doing the odd crappy little job.

I could do 16hrs in a job and still claim dole money.. So thats not much different.

 

[Hedge]

I actually felt a little bit of sympathy for you until I read this.

So, youre claiming dole and working on the side. Thanks mate. Me as a tax payer is funding your dole money.

People that do benefit fraud are scum and if I knew your address I'd grass you up.

Also. if i was a big benefit fraud kinda guy.. then i really doubt i would be applying for a job in debenhams to get myself off the dole.

I earn the odd few quid that helps me out. I dont actively look for work. I help out family and friends. and they offer me a bit cash for it.

 

[Hedge]

Er, no.



Please stop being a benefit fraudster. Thanks very much. If you are 'earning decent money' on the side then great, but you don't need to claim benefits.

bah i said decent enough to keep me ticking over. 45 a week on the dole isnt enough to live well.

edit. and saying that. I dont live well!. I have made about 80 quid from the odd job in the last 2 weeks. Thats not exactly a lot of cash!.

I have a car thats parked in the drive because i cant afford to tax or MOT it. I have credit card debts that take a big lump of any money i get. Im by no means raking it in.

 

[Hedge]

You've got to remember, people on here are quick to judge, i'm sure none of them have ever done jobs and been offered a snide £20.

I used to repair mobile phones, and people still know i have the hardware and software to repair them, so they always approach me and they don't expect me to do it for free so they buy me a drink or give me a fiver for a drink.

I was doing this whilst i was on the dole, and yes fox before you pipe up because i know you love to, i told the job centre, the guy said and i will use his exact words -


"So what? It's what people choose to give you, not what you ask them for"

Andy

I can honestly hand on my heart say. That since ive been on the dole. Ive earned no more than £400 from work on the side. I know i said "decent money" but that really just means 80 quid this week which has made me feel richer than ive been in a long time. because ive had to move back to my mothers house.

that 400 is over 4 months almost. And its from doing daft little jobs like changing taps, or having a look at a boiler.. or fixing a shower etc. And last week i stripped out a bathroom.. family know that im having a hard time at the minute financially so if they have a little job. they are happy to put a bit cash in my hand for the effort.

My aunty has asked me to dig her garden up for a bit of money. Ill do it. Im truthfully not earning good money. Because if I was.. i would be self employed and my car certainly wouldnt have been sat on the drive since the beginning of june.

 

[Hedge]

Woah whered this come back from!?

Anyway. Im on day 8 of my Postie job tomorrow.

Going okay so far.

I seriously underestimated the strain from lugging a bag up and down stairs in blocks of flats. Really didnt expect it to be that hard!

 

[Hedge]

Not as easy as you think is it? What are you doing? A walking duty on your own?

After my bit of coaching I did my walk on my own today (well with the lad whos handing it over to me following me around)...

I lugged all my bags about etc.

My walk has 28 3 story blocks of flats in it.

The stairwells are stinking of pee and whatnot. and its full of chavs who were yapping on at me today too!.

I started at about 9.50 on my feet today. Finished my walk about 1.10.. however when Im on my own totally this friday. i think im gonna be doomed lol.

Another thing thats stung is finding out that i need fully comp on my car insurance + business use when i renew it next week, because its currently Tpft

Thats because ill be having post in the boot