First World job issues

[Gingernaut]

I left a zero hours bank role in one hospital for an entirely different hospital role in another hospital.

I went from a sedentary clerical to an active technical role.

It did not work out - short, fat, unfit and prone to injury, I have managed to spend six months signed off sick after a knee injury and a complicated recovery.

I scatter gunned my area looking for another hospital role. I have worked for the NHS for over 10 years and I need to think about my pension.

After many interviews, where I was 'just' pipped at the post, I've been offered a full time permanent job and I've accepted it.

Guess where?

The same place I left. Doing exactly the same thing as before I left, only this time as a permanent employee instead of as a bank worker.

I'm only on SSP and I'm skint. I need the job and I can and will do it, but

1. It feels like a comedown. I genuinely thought my current role would be my dream job and I was so excited to go. People were genuinely pleased I was getting out of there and moving on.

1. I am fatter than when I left. I had lost a considerable amount of weight before I left (Size 22 to a Size 16) and during Lockdowns and Covid, have put it all back on again - I am currently the same weight as when I first started to lose weight years ago. I eat when I'm miserable. It's going to be humiliating.

1. Even the commute is some nightmarish blast from the past. Yesterday, I had to visit the hospital to present my documents (interview was held on MS Teams) and a single bus journey took over 90 minutes, due to multiple roadworks - just as it did two years ago.

I mean, fuck me. How many times do the same stretches of road need to be dug up?

Water, Gas, Telecoms, road widening - it's all been done and it's being done all over again.

I felt sick as the bus waited for the STOP/GO boards to turn. AGAIN!!!

It honestly feels like nothing has changed there and that all the things that irritated me about the place the last time will have me chomping at the bit to leave all over again.

The 24/7/365 shift pattern will be irregular, so there's no ability to have a regular activity and I have to find a way to cope before I just melt down again.

Positive?

I've been offered a job!!

I've accepted!!

Less commute time and closer to amenities!!

Yay!!

Received an email from the automated jobs platform telling me that I was unsuccessful

Then received a text message to ignore the emails, as the manager is having issues with the jobs platform

Going well already then...

Congratulations on the new job! Is it a civil service job, by any chance? Their recruitment portal is a joke to use, and an inexperienced manager clicking on the wrong thing can accidentally send a rejection when they meant to send an acceptance. Don't ask me how I know this.

NHS

OK it's horrible at present so wallow for the next 48 hrs .Then on Mon while on the bus write down 1 good thing about your job .
It's a permanent paid job would be my first one .
Then book some driving lessons that will open up other opportunities for you .
On the way home again think of one thing that went ok .It could even be you got your break.
I've sadly been in a position where my job made me very ill so I do sympathise. You can change your response to your current situation.
Keep looking for another job and good luck

Sorry cross post glad to hear re job .Sadly NHS recruitment takes a crazy amount of time to get sorted even just transferring.

I have a full time permanent job - it's all I have. Wake, Commute, Eat at work, Commute, Prepare for tomorrow, Sleep and repeat. 10, 12, 16 hour shifts are common due to short staffing, sickness (one member of staff short, two currently off sick and one off for special leave)

I have enough time to put on a load of laundry, before it's time for bed. The housework and maintenance is neglected and I have a room full of ironing.

I. Can't. Drive - I have spent tens of thousands on lessons - I have ADHD, dyslexia, no funds or time for lessons and it's soul destroying

I want a life. I don't want to have to just survive until the next shift. I want to live between shifts.

Weird situation

My LM received the referee email form the people who offered me the job

She's shown me a new shift rota with more stable shifts patterns and promised me that she and her LM are working on getting us to a higher pay band

She doesn't want me to leave and then watch as the whole team are uplifted to a better shift pattern and more money

I’d be very wary - just because they’re ‘trying to’ get these things and she’s cobbled together an alternative shift rota, doesn’t mean either will actually happen. You could reject the job offer and, in 3/6/12 months time be back in the same position or you could carry on with leaving, go to the new job and in a few months time, sigh with relief that you got out of there before it went completely down the pan!!

That's what I thought

FOMO is not a reason to stay

Yes, the more stable rota would be welcome

Yes, the shift allowances will be missed

But

The shifts at the new place are stable day shifts

It's weekdays only

It's closer to home and to a large retail park

Ok, I’ve just gone back and read your first post - I would recommend you do the same; then ask yourself - is the possible introduction of the 2 things you’ve mentioned enough to to keep you on a job you went back to 2 years ago? A job you didn’t want to go back to and have desperately wanted to get out of ever since? My feelings is no they aren’t - and they’re not even guaranteed to definitely materialise if you did stay!!

Its just so convenient that these opportunities have suddenly appeared when your LM has received the reference email for the new job - one that ticks so many boxes in comparison to the negatives about this job you’re doing now

• stable hours
• week days only - no weekends or late nights
• no ‘stand by’ on your only weekend off in the month; ergo no more letting your friends down because someone else hasn’t turned up at work!!
• no more commuting past all those interminable roadworks
• no more sitting at a bus stop for 1 1/2 hours waiting for what is supposed to be a 1/2 hourly service!
• an environment where you can nip out during your break time and destress by popping into M&S or B&M for a mooch rather than being stuck in a break room with the same faces as you’re stuck with on a shift!

Another thought on the sudden production of a much more stable rota and promises of working to get you and your colleagues a better pay band - why now, only when you’re not only just planning on leaving but also got as far as having a job offer? I’ll tell you why - they’re bricking it at the thought of trying to find someone compliant enough to replace you!! If there really was any plans to implement the improvements and ‘fighting’ to get you a better pay band, it would be in place already and you’d all know about it!! The likelihood is they’re pie in the sky plans and, in 6 months time, your LM will come back with “I did what I could but it’s no go I’m afraid; bosses say no wriggle room on budgets and they’re also vetoing the changes we want to make to the rota. Never mind, back to work. Btw, we’ve had to cancel your booked week off as there are too many people off work that week!” What’s really pie in the sky is these crumbs they’re throwing at you to keep you compliant and get you back in line!!

Go to the new job and never look back!! Close the door on the last 2 years and all the sadness it’s caused you!!

That's what I thought

It's all a bit convenient

I know the money is a big draw, with the shift allowances alone, I'm earning more than many who are in two pay bands above me

But

The stable shift patterns also include weekend and antisocial hours and I'm sick of it

Turning down nights out because I'm working that evening or night has become very wearing

Hey, I get it - 20+ years working for NHS then 7 working for a private care agency under my belt; now I’m a SAHM to 4 year old twins and I will never go back into the care industry unless it’s a 9-5 Monday to Friday job in an office!! Yes the wages are good but the sacrifices you make can’t be paid for

Thank -
@Rememberallball

The money is starting to scare me, but I'm more miserable with this job than scared for the future

Without all the shift allowances and overtime, I'll be on almost half what I'm earning now

Can you put a price on having personal time and not being dumped on at short notice?

I know it’s easy to say when you’re looking in from outside the situation but I’ve been there and went from an annual salary just under £40,000 to one of around £25,000 if I was lucky for more hours but less stress and the buck didn’t stop with me. Honestly, I had to tighten my belt and go without some of the things I’d become accustomed to but the quality of life was so much more in my favour!!

Exactly

The regular hours will be an immeasurable bonus

My DBS check has come through

It's been less than a week!!

I've received email and text prompts about a missing reference

I'm at my wits end with our HR and the thought of having the job offer withdrawn is driving me up the wall

I've threatened to put in a formal complaint if it's not actioned

Is there anyone else at the workplace you can approach regarding the reference?

Definitely time for a formal complaint that they are ignoring a reasonable request for a reference - speak to head of HR team if they’re a person you can actually get hold of; explain how long ago the reference was requested and that it is now being chased up with you.

I take it there’s been nothing more from your current manager about the “better hours/
more pay” offer that they were working on 🤷🏼‍♀️

I've cc'd my manager and the HR Director, apparently it's all sorted.

See about that tomorrow

I've got a start date!!

Brilliant news - what a great start to a new year!! Take great pleasure in handing in your letter of resignation to your current line manager and don’t forget to tell them exactly why you’re leaving if you get offered an exit interview with HR!!

Already done. 🙂