This Business and Moment...

TallPaul_S said:
Cheers - it sounds like it's more of specialisation route after general desktop support then, and there's probably a fair few different job roles within the application support moniker. TBH I think I've only ever dealt with '1st line' app support, hence not really having had much involvement. Something else to have a look for though, and another search string to add to the list, thanks :)

It's all about finding that niche that's in demand with not too many other people doing it, but enough employers wanting those skills :D

The job role that I missed out on was at a software company, in healthcare - so they had a separate application support team and triage team and everything else that goes with hosting and developing various applications. God dammit internal candidates!! :rolleyes::p
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Network security or along those lines what you need to move towards. That's what I am doing but you need to be quick before that market becomes over-saturated with uni graduates who are 10 to 15 years younger and are willing to work more for less.

I am currently trying to move from my 2nd/3rd line role job and even with the skillset I have its heavy competitive out there. One of the reasons why I am applying for jobs outside the UK and planning to move away.
 
Kreeeee said:
I can't get over how cheap that is!
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You would if you saw it lol

Went there last night and there is an absolute ton of work to be done, but at the same time, a boat load of potential as well. We took a lot of videos and pics and have sent them to the architect to see if it's possible to do what we want with the money we hope to have. Will see what they say... biggest thing would be to start excavating some of the earth at the back to make some more space. If we can do that, we know we can physically fit what we want, just then whether we can for the money lol
 
malachi said:
Network security or along those lines what you need to move towards. That's what I am doing but you need to be quick before that market becomes over-saturated with uni graduates who are 10 to 15 years younger and are willing to work more for less.

I am currently trying to move from my 2nd/3rd line role job and even with the skillset I have its heavy competitive out there. One of the reasons why I am applying for jobs outside the UK and planning to move away.
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That's one (actually two) of the areas I'd be interested in, security and automation are two areas which seem to be getting more and more in demand.
 
Just signed the initial buy-sell promise contract for the apartment.

No backing out now :D

Now waiting for the mortgage company to get back to me to then choose a mortgage. Once thats done the estate agent handles the rest whilst I am away which is perfect.

Also the current owner told me that he will get the keys to his new place before the exchange so he will begin moving his things and told me as soon as his place is empty I can get the keys, even if its before the exchange :D - which is perfect. I can get the guys in to start the work I want doing and start furniture shopping and what not :cool:

I know this isn't work business but its some kind of bidniz :D
 
Phate said:
I know this isn't work business but its some kind of bidniz :D
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I class it as "worky" :D

Great stuff, all going OK then. We kicked things off mortgage broker wise, so have to get some savings behind us in the next couple of months for things like notaire fees which is 8% and that can't come out of a mortgage. We have most, but need to chuck in some more, and clear off a payment to make us look like good boys and girls to get the best rates. See what happens next...
 
Got to let the recruiter know if I want the Amsterdam job on Monday... still waiting to hear back about internal promotions :(

Great pay, but got to move away from wife and child for 2 years or hope I get the internal job. I feel sick.
 
EVH said:
Got to let the recruiter know if I want the Amsterdam job on Monday... still waiting to hear back about internal promotions :(

Great pay, but got to move away from wife and child for 2 years or hope I get the internal job. I feel sick.
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What's the work hours? Mon - Fri? Amsterdam is only an hour and 20 minute flight from Cardiff and I imagine prices are pretty reasonable booked in advance.
 
Azza said:
What's the work hours? Mon - Fri? Amsterdam is only an hour and 20 minute flight from Cardiff and I imagine prices are pretty reasonable booked in advance.
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40hrs, 8-4pm

I’ve thought about travelling on the weekends but I’d still need to get back and forth to the airport either side so circa £500pcm on travel to do that :/

Honestly don’t know what to do.
 
EVH said:
Got to let the recruiter know if I want the Amsterdam job on Monday... still waiting to hear back about internal promotions :(

Great pay, but got to move away from wife and child for 2 years or hope I get the internal job. I feel sick.
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Exploding offers suck - does he know you've got other things you're waiting to hear back from? I guess unlike alternative external offer you can't exactly hurry up the internal ones by mentioning rival offers.

On the other hand if you feel like you can't say yes to it on Monday don't feel the need to turn it down or say no, instead just tell him you need more time and can't make a decision now. It is entirely possible that the deadline set is arbitrary - there is nothing to be gained from saying no to it unless you really don't want it anymore, it might well turn out that you get more time to wait for the internal offers anyway.

EVH said:
40hrs, 8-4pm

I’ve thought about travelling on the weekends but I’d still need to get back and forth to the airport either side so circa £500pcm on travel to do that :/

Honestly don’t know what to do.
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Ask them to pay for flights too? I guess perhaps better asked earlier on in the process....

I mean technically everything is negotiable it isn't exactly unheard of for a consultant/independent contractor based in the UK to charge for flights back and forth each week, hotel costs when over there and of course expenses or a per diem amount for meals etc.. too. In fact it is absolutely standard for that sort of thing if said consultant is part of a consultancy or consulting arm of some firm.

On the other hand if the expectation so far has been that you're going to relocate - they're expecting to either hire someone locally or someone who is going to move there then I guess it would be trickier to spring it on them now... unless you're their star candidate and they don't have other options.

Not exactly uncommon at the tech firm I worked at a while ago for consultants to do Monday afternoon -> Friday lunchtime somewhere in continental Europe. Obvs they'd work a bit later than usual Monday-Thursday since they only have a hotel room a couple of minutes walk from the office to go back to.

Ridiculous number of air miles and hotel points accumulated too, most of them never needed to pay for any Family holidays and probably won't be paying for holidays for several years after they finished either.

Ref the above comment by Delvis - not to put a downer on things but, anecdotally, one thing that was observed was that quite a few of them seemed to be divorced or in the process of getting divorced. The company did have a reputation for sending people on site for say 6 months and then ending up with them staying there for say 3, 4 years etc.. and I'm not sure that flights home every weekend were always standard. I think if your partner isn't moving with you then flights back each weekend and/or her +kids coming out to see you are certainly worth the extra effort as this sort of thing can put a strain on a relationship. Ditto to say being offered an extension of the contract etc... if this has been pitched to her as just a two year thing to earn more money for the family then be wary when it comes to the end of that two year period if the company says they want you to renew/extend for another year etc.. offering more $$$ etc..
 
I’ve no doubt that 2 years will result in longer time away.

There’s talk of projects in Amsterdam, Sweden and a few other locations... not that I’d be contracted to that but the option is there.

Reason I’m considering it is the name on the CV and the ability to pay off the mortgage in two years. 5 years would see me build up enough for a bigger home... that’s a long time though.

Probably worth stating that I’ve had no formal offer yet and don’t want to keep saying “I’m interested” because as soon as that offer comes through the inbox then I am on a countdown and the expectation will be to hand my notice in.

Likewise, I can’t delay and delay because they’ll get the impression that I’m not interested and then I’ll lose the offer altogether. I just wish that the internal process was further on than it was so I would know where I stand. Either way, I can’t stay in my current role as there’s too much uncertainty on site and I’ll end up getting TUPE’d to a small company if I’m not quick.
 
I'd say if you've had no formal offer then the ability to ask about covering costs for flights etc would be on the cards to ask? I assume you'd look for a long term rent out there?

If the money is as good as you're saying and the name is good then I'd say go for it. From what you've said about the current place and the pay issue waiting for the internal promotion, if that even happens would you still be happy there? All this of course depends on if your wife is ok with it?

AMS to CWL @ 9:20pm on a Friday

Flight back 15:20 on a Sunday or 06:00 Monday morning lands at 8:30 - plenty of time to get into work for 10 or 11am and just finish a bit later Monday? Or make up the hours in the week if there is that flexibility?


As Dowie says you might be able to pick up a decent amount of airmiles if say you did 3 returns a month.
 
Why do you need to move away from your family? If the money is that good take them with you! Find a family home to rent out there, rent yours out here and fully move over for 2 years. Ask for help with the relocation as they'd probably be more willing to assist with that than paying for flights every few weeks.
 
Azza said:
Flight back 15:20 on a Sunday or 06:00 Monday morning lands at 8:30 - plenty of time to get into work for 10 or 11am and just finish a bit later Monday? Or make up the hours in the week if there is that flexibility?
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I dunno about his industry but in tech/finance there was almost always flexibility if some consultant was flying back at weekends to see their family - getting into the office for the afternoon on a Monday ought to be OK in most places, especially if you're going to work late on Monday evening + Tuesday -> Thursday to make up for it.

In fact given the work ethic/culture on the continent you could easily find it is a 9-5 type place and therefore arriving after lunch on a Monday and leaving at lunch on a Friday doesn't actually require much to catch up on, you need to catch up on perhaps 2* 4 hours across 4 nights so you finish at say 7pm in the office instead of 5 and you'll have done as many hours as your European colleagues.
 
dowie said:
I dunno about his industry but in tech/finance there was almost always flexibility if some consultant was flying back at weekends to see their family - getting into the office for the afternoon on a Monday ought to be OK in most places, especially if you're going to work late on Monday evening + Tuesday -> Thursday to make up for it.

In fact given the work ethic/culture on the continent you could easily find it is a 9-5 type place and therefore arriving after lunch on a Monday and leaving at lunch on a Friday doesn't actually require much to catch up on, you need to catch up on perhaps 2* 4 hours across 4 nights so you finish at say 7pm in the office instead of 5 and you'll have done as many hours as your European colleagues.
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Yup pretty much this, I'd explore the flexibility options a bit more - you may find that they'll be more than accommodating. Certainly was the case when I was at Ikea, there were many people flying in on Monday mornings and back Friday afternoon or even Thursday evening and WFH on the Friday.
 
Azza said:
How did you get on?
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Not much to update. In some ways that’s good because it’s stressing me out.

Today marks 1 week since my internal interview but no news. I’d like to think that “no news is good news” but I’ve also applied for 4 other internal roles and none of them have interviewed. I fear that with an external offer on the table that I t’s becoming a 2 horse race at this point (I.e internal job #3 might suddenly request an interview but then that adds another 1 week plus on to the process, which I don’t have).

No contact from the external job offer since Friday. I am deliberately not pushing it as I don’t know what’s going on internally and can’t risk pushing something too quickly that I then paint myself in to a corner.

I’ll give things until Thursday and make a judgement. If no contact internally, I’ll make contact with the external offer and proceed or at least ask them to forward the contract for review.

We had a meeting on site to discuss TUPE at our sister site (which we all assume is going to affect us). The contract runs out on our site 31st March so either way I need to move on internally or externally before that. I can’t afford to wait around and regret missing opportunities because of an arbitrary wait. Frustrating really because I bet the decision makers already know which way it’ll play out :(
 
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