This Business and Moment...
- Thread starter randomshenans
- Start date
Back at my desk... it feels nice. I love being away with family and that but I can't have this feeling of being more productive. I can't not work while I'm away, I always have too much to do.
On a side note, where I contract at Novartis, my wife has been trying to get an admin role here for ages (not because she loves admin, she loves making cakes and worked in the NHS for 8yrs before we moved over here, but because it's a solid wage for what you do!) but it's been impossible as it's like an old boys club, where, if you don't already have novartis experience they won't consider you. Unless that is, you know the hiring manager very well and can get around some of the BS. Luckily being here for eons has helped me get to know people and so I knew a hiring manager for an admin position and got my wife an interview. She interviewed there and got offered the job while we were in Portugal last week!
It's a 6 month contract on 37CHF (30GBP)p/h with hopeful chance of perm role at the end! Bonus! Now to get child care sorted for the kids...
TL;DR - wife got a job.
On a side note, where I contract at Novartis, my wife has been trying to get an admin role here for ages (not because she loves admin, she loves making cakes and worked in the NHS for 8yrs before we moved over here, but because it's a solid wage for what you do!) but it's been impossible as it's like an old boys club, where, if you don't already have novartis experience they won't consider you. Unless that is, you know the hiring manager very well and can get around some of the BS. Luckily being here for eons has helped me get to know people and so I knew a hiring manager for an admin position and got my wife an interview. She interviewed there and got offered the job while we were in Portugal last week!
It's a 6 month contract on 37CHF (30GBP)p/h with hopeful chance of perm role at the end! Bonus! Now to get child care sorted for the kids...
TL;DR - wife got a job.
Caporegime
Went through a couple of hours of setting up a new system, following a build sheet, about 30 steps required, hours of waiting for things.... Manager then used the system for a 5 minute demo, and told me to start again. 
Deleted member 651465
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Deleted member 651465
I've never done this, but I had an exam and was in the area so I decided to drop in to see my last place of work and say hello.
Since leaving last December they've appointed 2 people.. 1 of whom quit after 2 weeks and the other who went on sick and then quit after 4 months. They're now re-categorising the job that I did and creating a position of a higher band along with 2 support positions. I didn't want to say it out loud but I think they've realised how much I was carrying when my colleague quit last October.
Oh well, it was amusing seeing my old boss knowing I'm earning more than him and not having to travel 3hrs a day to get to work
Since leaving last December they've appointed 2 people.. 1 of whom quit after 2 weeks and the other who went on sick and then quit after 4 months. They're now re-categorising the job that I did and creating a position of a higher band along with 2 support positions. I didn't want to say it out loud but I think they've realised how much I was carrying when my colleague quit last October.
Oh well, it was amusing seeing my old boss knowing I'm earning more than him and not having to travel 3hrs a day to get to work
Caporegime
Did that once. I left, was in the area 6 months later. Similar situation, dropped in. They had replaced me twice due to one being all talk and no walk and the other just stopped showing up for work. A few select people who critized me a bit complained they "didn't have time to talk" and we're planning to expanding the role out into 2 positions each managing different aspects & tasks.
Like you say...I think they realized just how much extra I was doing.
Like you say...I think they realized just how much extra I was doing.
Anyone good at dev and fancy working on a project with me? 
Some people I was working with have decided to go a different direction and I don't think it's one that would be much use, but would love someone that is good with APIs, oauth, bit of nice front end in something like react.js or node.js
It's essentially a way to rollup all photo/ picture providers in one place; so you just auth with your accounts from, say: Photobucket, Flickr, Imgur, iCloud, Google Photos etc. and have them all rolled up in one site. Ideas on top of that with clever ways of sorting and moving between accounts on our UI, as well as an easy way to embed/ link etc. your photos to other sites.
Anyone fancy joining?
Some people I was working with have decided to go a different direction and I don't think it's one that would be much use, but would love someone that is good with APIs, oauth, bit of nice front end in something like react.js or node.jsIt's essentially a way to rollup all photo/ picture providers in one place; so you just auth with your accounts from, say: Photobucket, Flickr, Imgur, iCloud, Google Photos etc. and have them all rolled up in one site. Ideas on top of that with clever ways of sorting and moving between accounts on our UI, as well as an easy way to embed/ link etc. your photos to other sites.
Anyone fancy joining?
Caporegime
I suck at dev but can provide hours of entertainment if that helps?
Soldato
Well, my replacement was interviewed yesterday and started this morning.
Young lad, 24 years old, worked in an IT dept in a school and has a few MS Academy certs in basic bits but spent the last 7 months down under working and touring. Seems pretty switched on but as the tech director says, "seems to need a rocket up his backside". I've spent today with him, Wed, Thursday I'm going to see if I can work from home and see how he does after 2 days, but i'll be there straight away. Friday and Monday training and then I am off. It's more than I had in the job and he's coming into a mostly organised position.
I've handed a few jobs off to other people and the tech director would like me to sign an NDA and remain on call 'just in case they need me'
However, I sent over my job tracker sheet to my manager and tech director today. July 2016 to the end of the year I did 2000ish jobs. This year, it's around 3600 so far. All I got back from the director was H.O.L.Y.*.*.*.*!!! Maybe they'll realise it's not just a 16k job, that it's a 2 person job and that it's not a lackey position. And that job list doesn't include the 40hours a month of work I've done at home since Jan.
It's going to be interesting.
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Sounds interesting @randomshenans My coding is very rusty and tbh, mostly basic html/css and currently jumping in Python/Django, but, when it comes to software design and ideas, top notch
Young lad, 24 years old, worked in an IT dept in a school and has a few MS Academy certs in basic bits but spent the last 7 months down under working and touring. Seems pretty switched on but as the tech director says, "seems to need a rocket up his backside". I've spent today with him, Wed, Thursday I'm going to see if I can work from home and see how he does after 2 days, but i'll be there straight away. Friday and Monday training and then I am off. It's more than I had in the job and he's coming into a mostly organised position.
I've handed a few jobs off to other people and the tech director would like me to sign an NDA and remain on call 'just in case they need me'
However, I sent over my job tracker sheet to my manager and tech director today. July 2016 to the end of the year I did 2000ish jobs. This year, it's around 3600 so far. All I got back from the director was H.O.L.Y.*.*.*.*!!! Maybe they'll realise it's not just a 16k job, that it's a 2 person job and that it's not a lackey position. And that job list doesn't include the 40hours a month of work I've done at home since Jan.
It's going to be interesting.
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Sounds interesting @randomshenans My coding is very rusty and tbh, mostly basic html/css and currently jumping in Python/Django, but, when it comes to software design and ideas, top notch
I suck at dev but can provide hours of entertainment if that helps?
Hours? Are you sure...?
Sounds interesting @randomshenans My coding is very rusty and tbh, mostly basic html/css and currently jumping in Python/Django, but, when it comes to software design and ideas, top notch
I'm about the same. I could probably knock up a RoR site, and connect to the APIs, but wouldn't know how to do everything and then make it nice, and besides, the amount of ******* about it would take me to get that lot done, someone else could do in 10% of the time lol
Caporegime
Wrong thread!
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Soldato
A situation has developed at work and I don't know how to handle it. Recently moved to a 4 day week as a management cost saving exercise (useless manager would only agree to a cut in hours worked to cut costs for managers if all staff did the same), but I still have 29 days holiday to use up before Christmas week (was allowed to roll over some days from last year... then not taken any holiday).
There are 106 working days until Christmas (roughly), 21 days off for the 4 day week which can be taken at any time (flex), plus 29 days holiday... but can't use any of it in August. What am I supposed to do with 2 months off work? It screams go travelling but I don't have disposable funds for that or the sanity to go somewhere alone for any length of time. I'd rather do overtime than take time off.
Suppose what's stressing me out more is the fact that's my productivity gone for the rest of the year. I have to cover one day for someone else off for their 4 day week (flex) and cover for them when they are at meetings, so it works out I get to work on my projects about 5 days per month, the rest of it I'm now either off or covering for someone, but no one covers for me when I'm off
I was supposed to be taking time off around other photo jobs but now they clash with meetings and staff holiday which they want me to cover.
Basically I have too much holiday, but they want me to cover other people, cut in hours is a cut in pay so I can't afford to go away for a long time, and I'm not going to get any work done before Christmas.
There are 106 working days until Christmas (roughly), 21 days off for the 4 day week which can be taken at any time (flex), plus 29 days holiday... but can't use any of it in August. What am I supposed to do with 2 months off work? It screams go travelling but I don't have disposable funds for that or the sanity to go somewhere alone for any length of time. I'd rather do overtime than take time off.
Suppose what's stressing me out more is the fact that's my productivity gone for the rest of the year. I have to cover one day for someone else off for their 4 day week (flex) and cover for them when they are at meetings, so it works out I get to work on my projects about 5 days per month, the rest of it I'm now either off or covering for someone, but no one covers for me when I'm off
I was supposed to be taking time off around other photo jobs but now they clash with meetings and staff holiday which they want me to cover.
Basically I have too much holiday, but they want me to cover other people, cut in hours is a cut in pay so I can't afford to go away for a long time, and I'm not going to get any work done before Christmas.
Soldato
Speak to them about it and ask them to buy some of your holidays off you. They get the cover etc they need, you get the extra cash, win win.
Soldato
I'd love for them to buy my holiday off me, could afford to spend a few weeks somewhere. Not sure if I should go into the full reasons why this is all happening... has anyone actually managed to tell a work person straight to their face they should do further cost reductions regarding their role and not be sacked for it?
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Caporegime
So without going into specific details eh
Soldato
That's one of the reasons, and the one I have more control over which would get me back onto a 5 day week (might even get promoted if it worked!)
Otherwise could someone raise the Euro rate back up to 1.4? Or convince the NHS that spending money on properly controlled treatments saves time and staffing costs?
(might even get promoted if it worked!)Otherwise could someone raise the Euro rate back up to 1.4? Or convince the NHS that spending money on properly controlled treatments saves time and staffing costs?
So we were on a recruitment drive earlier this year which nearly broke me, but off the back of that I did get 2 really good people. Tristan and Mehdi, our Data Systems manager and Senior Software Developer respectively. They're both being really good and I even brought Tristan to Mexico with me to visit unis / schools when I was there this month. It was nice for him to see the front end of it all and out from behind closed doors. It's good actually as my founding partners are being less reactive at the moment due to new jobs. Which I expected, but I need the resource.
So, on that, I'm currently interviewing more people. I have 3 people on the data science side who look really good and 2 on the software dev side who all tick all the right boxes for us. I'm trying to palm off all of the interviewing now, or as much as I can as I don't want it breaking me again. Really hoping to get another 3 people out of this.
I also had an email from someone who currently works at TechStars accelerator but was interested in being a sales manager for us. She's US based and has good account management experience. Spoke to her on the phone today and she has agreed to come on part time up until October on a commission only base. Which, to be fair, I can't say no to. This is something that would be REALLY what we need.
On top of this we're full on with a total rebranding at the moment (sneak peak:
Old
vs.
New
We have a really great promo video coming, new site, new marketing material etc. So I'm being kept busy.
So, on that, I'm currently interviewing more people. I have 3 people on the data science side who look really good and 2 on the software dev side who all tick all the right boxes for us. I'm trying to palm off all of the interviewing now, or as much as I can as I don't want it breaking me again. Really hoping to get another 3 people out of this.
I also had an email from someone who currently works at TechStars accelerator but was interested in being a sales manager for us. She's US based and has good account management experience. Spoke to her on the phone today and she has agreed to come on part time up until October on a commission only base. Which, to be fair, I can't say no to. This is something that would be REALLY what we need.
On top of this we're full on with a total rebranding at the moment (sneak peak:
Old
vs.
New
We have a really great promo video coming, new site, new marketing material etc. So I'm being kept busy.
Caporegime
Onwards and upwards for you Ross. I must admit I was growing very concerned about you before.
Less so now though
Less so now though
haha I'm the worst for emotional roller coasters at the best of times, let alone doing what I do. But I think that's kind of what I do what I do, I couldn't have it any other way really. Weird personality.
Sometimes I would be happy to not see or talk to anyone for days.
Had a great 1 day in Lisbon though, missed you
it's a great city, I'd love to go back.
Sometimes I would be happy to not see or talk to anyone for days.
Had a great 1 day in Lisbon though, missed you
it's a great city, I'd love to go back.
Caporegime
Witnessed an interesting explosion today between our two directors.
Elaborate...