You work for a childhood hero of mine - David Braben.
Btw the frontier link you posted is wrong.
take away the ); at the end of the address and it works
Jobs - A little bit about what you do and perks
- Thread starter KaHn
- Start date
take away the ); at the end of the address and it works
Soldato
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Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 3 Oct 2006
- Posts
- 8,537
Current:
Job
check outs (currently, done just about everything there is to do on band 2)
Company
Sainsburys
Day to day
scanning items through a till, trying to have a conversation with some of the rudest customers on the planet, all the while riping my hair out because the managers are a nightmare.
Overall Job
scanning items through the till, making polite conversation with the customer to ensure i give good service and we meet our MCM (mystery customer measure).
Perks
10, sometimes 15, % discount (there are other schemes but i've never really paid any notice)
Downsides
it is a horrible soulless job, you feel insignificant and that you don't really matter in the grand scheme that is sainsburys, we don't get christmas bonuses any more, the pay for working overtime and bank holidays is pityful (more so if you signed up after april last year), they tell you not to come in to work if you are genuinely ill, but give you disciplinaries and warnings when you get signed off twice by your doctor
Education?
Classical Civilizations (A/2) : C
English language (GCSE): B
Maths (GCSE): A
Do you like your job?
nope, i hate it, i started at a different store though where i found it alright, mainly because the store, and my department managers made it easy to do the job (ie they didn't tell you to do conflicting things, and then all come down and moan because none of it is done), it'd be alright as a stop gap, on your way to another job, but not as a full time living (the wages are **** poor as well
).
so, fortunately, over the last month i've been working toward a new job, fought off 24 other people (including 2 already working for the company) and here she be, not the best job in the world, but it's something i'll enjoy (even if it does pay far less than my current one):
Job
sales assistant, also doubles as day care worker (you'll see why later)
Company
Games Workshop (don't care if you think it's an easy job, because you're wrong)
Day to day
selling a hobby to new customers (and regulars), this includes; running intro games, painting lessons, beginners games, tournaments, trying to sell products to customers.
also includes: cleaning of the store, looking after kids all day whilst their parent sod off to work, keeping to strict deadlines (for the painting/ construction of 'showcase' models and terrain) running a store (often) single handedly etc etc etc
Overall Job
giving new and existing customers a great feeling to be part of the hobby. (if you can do this everything else pretty much falls in to perfect place behind it)
Perks
50% discount on all games workshop products (awesome as i spend all my expendable money their anyway, so have just doubled what i can buy each month
)
20% (iirc) discount at forge world
free models from the bitz box (if anything is returned due to damage/missing parts, for what ever reason, it gets chucked in a big box (we can't re-sell it) and either given away as in-store compo prizes (most of the stuff actually has nothing major wrong with it) or the staff get to fight over the bits they want.
i'm doing something i enjoy (even if the actual wage is peanuts, and the hours are long)
Downsides
strict schedules (this is also a plus as i like a challenge)
minimum wage
these two are far outweighed by the perks though
Education?
Classical Civilizations (A/2) : C
English language (GCSE): B
Maths (GCSE): A
Do you like your job?
yup!
Job
check outs (currently, done just about everything there is to do on band 2)
Company
Sainsburys
Day to day
scanning items through a till, trying to have a conversation with some of the rudest customers on the planet, all the while riping my hair out because the managers are a nightmare.
Overall Job
scanning items through the till, making polite conversation with the customer to ensure i give good service and we meet our MCM (mystery customer measure).
Perks
10, sometimes 15, % discount (there are other schemes but i've never really paid any notice)
Downsides
it is a horrible soulless job, you feel insignificant and that you don't really matter in the grand scheme that is sainsburys, we don't get christmas bonuses any more, the pay for working overtime and bank holidays is pityful (more so if you signed up after april last year), they tell you not to come in to work if you are genuinely ill, but give you disciplinaries and warnings when you get signed off twice by your doctor
Education?
Classical Civilizations (A/2) : C
English language (GCSE): B
Maths (GCSE): A
Do you like your job?
nope, i hate it, i started at a different store though where i found it alright, mainly because the store, and my department managers made it easy to do the job (ie they didn't tell you to do conflicting things, and then all come down and moan because none of it is done), it'd be alright as a stop gap, on your way to another job, but not as a full time living (the wages are **** poor as well
).so, fortunately, over the last month i've been working toward a new job, fought off 24 other people (including 2 already working for the company) and here she be, not the best job in the world, but it's something i'll enjoy (even if it does pay far less than my current one):
Job
sales assistant, also doubles as day care worker (you'll see why later
)Company
Games Workshop (don't care if you think it's an easy job, because you're wrong)
Day to day
selling a hobby to new customers (and regulars), this includes; running intro games, painting lessons, beginners games, tournaments, trying to sell products to customers.
also includes: cleaning of the store, looking after kids all day whilst their parent sod off to work, keeping to strict deadlines (for the painting/ construction of 'showcase' models and terrain) running a store (often) single handedly etc etc etc
Overall Job
giving new and existing customers a great feeling to be part of the hobby. (if you can do this everything else pretty much falls in to perfect place behind it)
Perks
50% discount on all games workshop products (awesome as i spend all my expendable money their anyway, so have just doubled what i can buy each month
)20% (iirc) discount at forge world
free models from the bitz box (if anything is returned due to damage/missing parts, for what ever reason, it gets chucked in a big box (we can't re-sell it) and either given away as in-store compo prizes (most of the stuff actually has nothing major wrong with it) or the staff get to fight over the bits they want.
i'm doing something i enjoy (even if the actual wage is peanuts, and the hours are long)
Downsides
strict schedules (this is also a plus as i like a challenge)
minimum wage
these two are far outweighed by the perks though
Education?
Classical Civilizations (A/2) : C
English language (GCSE): B
Maths (GCSE): A
Do you like your job?
yup!
Soldato
Job
IT Contractor under Max20 and Mantor
Company
I am currently working for the Liverpool Primary Care Trust as an IT Project Support Officer and IT Administrator.
Day to day
Currently I am handling a migration project across the SAN as well as taking care of the Active Directory and security rights across the file server.
Perks
Massive learning experience and I only graduated a year ago and a fun working environment.
Downsides
As I am a contractor I do not have a fixed contract and I do not have the option of applying for internal job vacancies until I have worked here for a total of 2 years. I also do not receive holiday or sick pay.
Education?
6 x International Baccalaureate's at high school and a degree in Computer Studies. Will start my ITIL/Prince2 training soon with ambition to do my MBA soon as well.
Do you like your job?
Apart from the sometimes unsocial hours and lack of holiday/sick pay...yea I do like my job
IT Contractor under Max20 and Mantor
Company
I am currently working for the Liverpool Primary Care Trust as an IT Project Support Officer and IT Administrator.
Day to day
Currently I am handling a migration project across the SAN as well as taking care of the Active Directory and security rights across the file server.
Perks
Massive learning experience and I only graduated a year ago and a fun working environment.
Downsides
As I am a contractor I do not have a fixed contract and I do not have the option of applying for internal job vacancies until I have worked here for a total of 2 years. I also do not receive holiday or sick pay.
Education?
6 x International Baccalaureate's at high school and a degree in Computer Studies. Will start my ITIL/Prince2 training soon with ambition to do my MBA soon as well.
Do you like your job?
Apart from the sometimes unsocial hours and lack of holiday/sick pay...yea I do like my job
Very interesting stuff mate, well done!
Soldato
Job
I'm a Game Designer working at a video game developer in Cambridge.
Company
Frontier Developments (http://www.frontier.co.uk); we're an independent developer - one of the few large indies left in the UK. We're developing (or have done in the past) for PS3, 360, PC, Wii, PSP and DS
Lucky so and so! For some reason i thought Frontier was American.
Hows Elite 4 SP coming along??
Job
I'm a shelf stacker!
Company
I work for a company called ASDA...
Day to day
Boring as hell, fill shelves, rotate, fill shelves, rotate, clean, quality checks, its pretty mind numbing.
Overall Job
Can't stand my job, only one thing keeps me going and thats in the perks bit.
Perks
I'm able to work only at xmas, easter and summer - which fits in ideally around studying at university.
Also I've got 4 weeks of holiday available, which I dont need. I simply choose my hours as a seasonal colleague, and then get my holiday paid to me in my days off.
Downsides
Managers can get right on your back, which can be a pain when this job is a stop gap and they think you're in for the long haul.
Education?
Currently studying a BSc (Hons) in Forensic and Crime Scene Science at Bournemouth University. Will be finished next June hopefully with a 2.1 or at a huge stretch a 1st.
Do you like your job?
Can't stand it, however show me one job that will let me go away for 6-8 weeks at a time and then provide me with 40 hours a week on demand when I want it and let me have the days off I want (no contract).
Kris
Associate
Job
I am a Product designer
Company
Not saying, but is the leading LGV body builder in the UK (vans, tippers and dropsides)
Day to day
2D layouts on cutomers chassis, 3D modeling of all the componants and assemblies, creation of production bills, testing, sampling, prototyping and warrenty problem solving.
Overall Job
I sit infront of the PC 90% of the time drawing things up in 3D. Then making sure they are made correctly and telling them how to use them. I now also program the Turret punch machine so i take things sales have sold and make them.
Perks
Did have lots, use to be able to make things on the shop floor for my car hobbie, learnt to alluminium tig weld in my dinner times and use the machines here. Now the new bosses dont want me too so im only left with easy hours and a good salary (37 hours a week). Very close to home only 7 miles so i can use my 15 mpg car to work.
Downsides
Owner and his bro (my boss) have zero comunication skills. We turn over 10 million a year in an industry with very little competition. We make less than 0.01% profit!!!! Constantly getting talked to like a 6 year old and being blamed for others mistakes.
Education?
Good GCSE's
Btec in Electrical engineering and electronics.
lots of inhouse training on 3D cad and programming.
Do you like your job?
I love drawing things on computer and problem solving. I hate being a shiverring wreck waiting for the next finger pointing. Knowing we should be all well off but those above me not caring about profit or enjoyment riun it.
anyone want a good 3D draftsman in the midlands area?
I am a Product designer
Company
Not saying, but is the leading LGV body builder in the UK (vans, tippers and dropsides)
Day to day
2D layouts on cutomers chassis, 3D modeling of all the componants and assemblies, creation of production bills, testing, sampling, prototyping and warrenty problem solving.
Overall Job
I sit infront of the PC 90% of the time drawing things up in 3D. Then making sure they are made correctly and telling them how to use them. I now also program the Turret punch machine so i take things sales have sold and make them.
Perks
Did have lots, use to be able to make things on the shop floor for my car hobbie, learnt to alluminium tig weld in my dinner times and use the machines here. Now the new bosses dont want me too so im only left with easy hours and a good salary (37 hours a week). Very close to home only 7 miles so i can use my 15 mpg car to work.
Downsides
Owner and his bro (my boss) have zero comunication skills. We turn over 10 million a year in an industry with very little competition. We make less than 0.01% profit!!!! Constantly getting talked to like a 6 year old and being blamed for others mistakes.
Education?
Good GCSE's
Btec in Electrical engineering and electronics.
lots of inhouse training on 3D cad and programming.
Do you like your job?
I love drawing things on computer and problem solving. I hate being a shiverring wreck waiting for the next finger pointing. Knowing we should be all well off but those above me not caring about profit or enjoyment riun it.
anyone want a good 3D draftsman in the midlands area?
Associate
Job
Fundraising Assistant
Company
XXXX Children's Hospital (no stalkers thanks!)
Day to day
Typically starts with going through any fundraising events registrations, emails, corresponding to public enquiries, supporting everyone else from banking and thanking, research, taking photos, receiving visitors for tours, purchase orders, designs, website etc. Everyday's different really.
One thing I don't get to do is making tea and taking minutes. While I'm glad of the latter, I make mighty beverages which I don't get to drink cuz I don't have time to make tea.
Overall Job
Basically to support the team, since everyone are more fundraisers than admin, communications, IT, design people. Essentially anyone who has an idea of getting something done, they pass the actual doing part onto me.
Perks
NHS pension, get to see kids everyday, feel good about what I'm doing, have really lovely and friendly team, everyone in the hospital loves us.
Also I get to go to some interesting events and meet interesting people, and get free drinks!
Downsides
Where to start?
Very frustrating when I can't leave anything to anyone else because they'd just mess up. I don't have the software required to do a lot of work we want done. I've been designing publicity materials using "MS Word" for two years... Also we're a very small team so organisation's a bit poor, and I tend to have to do turn arounds very quickly since I get told about them two days before deadline.
My job also completely lacks focus since I'm doing everything, yet I'm not kept informed about everything so it can be pretty hard. I'm quite often left out of the thinking process of things which I actually feel I could contribute towards, but since I'm left out of those meetings I don't tend to find out until the "doing" stage. For instance I was asked to produce 200 fundraising packs from scratch for our recent Appeal with absolutely no prior information at all.
I also get interrupted all the time with phone calls, sometimes I have to man the Fundraising Reception (located on the other side of the hospital than my main office) which means dealing with public first hand as well, which means I can't do my normal job at all.
Also since I can't leave the jobs that I do to anyone else, it means I'd struggle to get into Event Organisation, which is what I want to do if I stay in Fundraising.
Then there's the problem of being paid by the Charity instead of the Trust, which creates lots of politics. The Trust (hospital) wants us to fundraise for their captial projects, the Charities trustees want us to raise the "general" funds. We're too small a team to do both.
Education?
Did computer science at uni but decided to change to Films and TV when I realised there's such a course (I lived in a cave before then, while writing film ideas in my head). Unfortunately I couldn't change course so I left
Do you like your job?
It's a love and hate relationship. I love it because of the cause and relationship at work. Hate it because of the politics and the actual nature of the job.
I don't see myself leaving this job anytime soon, unless I finally get started on my film making career. Things are certainly changing very slowly for the better (waited 2 long years for this to happen) and I want to see it through.
Still, at times I would stress out, and I'd just need a break to either take a breather, or to rant like I'm doing now
Fundraising Assistant
Company
XXXX Children's Hospital (no stalkers thanks!)
Day to day
Typically starts with going through any fundraising events registrations, emails, corresponding to public enquiries, supporting everyone else from banking and thanking, research, taking photos, receiving visitors for tours, purchase orders, designs, website etc. Everyday's different really.
One thing I don't get to do is making tea and taking minutes. While I'm glad of the latter, I make mighty beverages which I don't get to drink cuz I don't have time to make tea.
Overall Job
Basically to support the team, since everyone are more fundraisers than admin, communications, IT, design people. Essentially anyone who has an idea of getting something done, they pass the actual doing part onto me.
Perks
NHS pension, get to see kids everyday, feel good about what I'm doing, have really lovely and friendly team, everyone in the hospital loves us.
Also I get to go to some interesting events and meet interesting people, and get free drinks!
Downsides
Where to start?
Very frustrating when I can't leave anything to anyone else because they'd just mess up. I don't have the software required to do a lot of work we want done. I've been designing publicity materials using "MS Word" for two years... Also we're a very small team so organisation's a bit poor, and I tend to have to do turn arounds very quickly since I get told about them two days before deadline.
My job also completely lacks focus since I'm doing everything, yet I'm not kept informed about everything so it can be pretty hard. I'm quite often left out of the thinking process of things which I actually feel I could contribute towards, but since I'm left out of those meetings I don't tend to find out until the "doing" stage. For instance I was asked to produce 200 fundraising packs from scratch for our recent Appeal with absolutely no prior information at all.
I also get interrupted all the time with phone calls, sometimes I have to man the Fundraising Reception (located on the other side of the hospital than my main office) which means dealing with public first hand as well, which means I can't do my normal job at all.
Also since I can't leave the jobs that I do to anyone else, it means I'd struggle to get into Event Organisation, which is what I want to do if I stay in Fundraising.
Then there's the problem of being paid by the Charity instead of the Trust, which creates lots of politics. The Trust (hospital) wants us to fundraise for their captial projects, the Charities trustees want us to raise the "general" funds. We're too small a team to do both.
Education?
Did computer science at uni but decided to change to Films and TV when I realised there's such a course (I lived in a cave before then, while writing film ideas in my head). Unfortunately I couldn't change course so I left
Do you like your job?
It's a love and hate relationship. I love it because of the cause and relationship at work. Hate it because of the politics and the actual nature of the job.
I don't see myself leaving this job anytime soon, unless I finally get started on my film making career. Things are certainly changing very slowly for the better (waited 2 long years for this to happen) and I want to see it through.
Still, at times I would stress out, and I'd just need a break to either take a breather, or to rant like I'm doing now
Last edited:
Job
Owner of a Care Home and Home Care compnay
Day to day
Paying bills, accounts, wages, hiring and firing, compling with alsorts of legesltaion.
Overall Job
Perks
Being my own boss
Downsides
£10,000 tax bill to pay at the end of the month, were selling the care home and I'm looking at 90k-100k capital gains tax if I dont re-invest the money.
Education?
Bunch of Olevels, HND in business and finance, lvl 4 nvq, and loads of other qualification I have taken over the years to help me with running a care home.
Do you like your job?
Yes and No, the biggest problem is employing staff, forever changing employment law is also a pain.
Owner of a Care Home and Home Care compnay
Day to day
Paying bills, accounts, wages, hiring and firing, compling with alsorts of legesltaion.
Overall Job
Perks
Being my own boss
Downsides
£10,000 tax bill to pay at the end of the month, were selling the care home and I'm looking at 90k-100k capital gains tax if I dont re-invest the money.
Education?
Bunch of Olevels, HND in business and finance, lvl 4 nvq, and loads of other qualification I have taken over the years to help me with running a care home.
Do you like your job?
Yes and No, the biggest problem is employing staff, forever changing employment law is also a pain.
Job
IT Guy
Company
Large Ceramic manufacturer
Day to day
No typical day, just sort out problems that come up and look at improving the infrastructure.
Overall Job
Look after all IT hardware and software on site except for the core business software (ERP, CRM, MRP).
Perks
Free tea coffee and mugs
Downsides
Recently outsourced some of the business software, its slow unreliable and expensive compared to hosting in house but it still somehow still my problem when it goes wrong
Hours, 48hr week is about as short as it gets
Education?
Started job with 1 GCSE, done MCSA and HNC since. Looking to upgrade to MCSE and need to take my CCNA exam.
Do you like your job?
I used to love it, since they outsourced some servers though its been pants. To be honest its not what to do anymore. When i started there was a team and i got to learn some coding (only vb.net) and really enjoyed it but would be happy to specialize in any area rather than be a jack of all trades and master of none.
IT Guy
Company
Large Ceramic manufacturer
Day to day
No typical day, just sort out problems that come up and look at improving the infrastructure.
Overall Job
Look after all IT hardware and software on site except for the core business software (ERP, CRM, MRP).
Perks
Free tea coffee and mugs
Downsides
Recently outsourced some of the business software, its slow unreliable and expensive compared to hosting in house but it still somehow still my problem when it goes wrong
Hours, 48hr week is about as short as it gets
Education?
Started job with 1 GCSE, done MCSA and HNC since. Looking to upgrade to MCSE and need to take my CCNA exam.
Do you like your job?
I used to love it, since they outsourced some servers though its been pants. To be honest its not what to do anymore. When i started there was a team and i got to learn some coding (only vb.net) and really enjoyed it but would be happy to specialize in any area rather than be a jack of all trades and master of none.
Caporegime
Soldato
How is Alonso mate? In Spain (like in England probs) most people think he is an idiot!
Man of Honour
Job
IT Contractor
Company
Large Worldwide Telecoms Company
Day to day
Software Building, Customising And Deploying New Laptops
Overall Job
Im Working as part of a hardware refresh project over the summer, between my too years at college doing a IT Practitioner BTEC.
Perks
Free Tea and Coffee
Playing With new hardware.
Fresh And Challenging
Money Is Impossible To beat for a 17 year old, almost - couple of hundred a day
Downsides
Mad Stress, Awkward People, Broken Laptops.
0800 Until 1900 Some days
Education?
12x GCSE's at A.
Half a BND
Do you like your job?
I love it to bits, interesting people, new systems a good laugh, new building, cool hardware , whats not to love.
IT Contractor
Company
Large Worldwide Telecoms Company
Day to day
Software Building, Customising And Deploying New Laptops
Overall Job
Im Working as part of a hardware refresh project over the summer, between my too years at college doing a IT Practitioner BTEC.
Perks
Free Tea and Coffee
Playing With new hardware.
Fresh And Challenging
Money Is Impossible To beat for a 17 year old, almost - couple of hundred a day
Downsides
Mad Stress, Awkward People, Broken Laptops.
0800 Until 1900 Some days
Education?
12x GCSE's at A.
Half a BND
Do you like your job?
I love it to bits, interesting people, new systems a good laugh, new building, cool hardware , whats not to love.
Associate
Job
Handyman/Security Guard
Company
Happy Plant Garden Centre
Perks
20% discount of garden stuff,
Downsides
When on Security i get sore feet from walking on the concreate floors
Education?
Standard Grades, SVQ in Admin thats it
Do you like your job?
Its okay for now,
Handyman/Security Guard
Company
Happy Plant Garden Centre
Perks
20% discount of garden stuff,
Downsides
When on Security i get sore feet from walking on the concreate floors
Education?
Standard Grades, SVQ in Admin thats it
Do you like your job?
Its okay for now,
Soldato
Might be your mum but that's a ridiculous amount to be paying for what she does I'm guessing.
Any jobs going