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Original poster

To wonder where I go from here? Just lost my job

93 replies

losttheways · 20/12/2018 13:16

I was fired yesterday. My boss is abroad on holiday, I thought he was so lovely and would at least tell you to your face. But no, he got a colleague to do it.

I've been let go. It just wasn't working out, I've been told.

I have no clue what to do. I feel so lost. How do I manage this?

Do people just take ANY job in this situation? I'm a PA, there aren't many of those roles around here. I'm learning to drive so I can't drive further afield yet. Public transport is rubbish here.

My baby is with a brilliant woman for his childminding needs. She's fab. I don't know what I'm going to do. I will have to double check the contract, but I suppose this means I'll be forking out money to pay her that we won't be benefiting from, since she probably has a notice period. I don't have the cash to do it. But I guess I'll have to find a way. He's coming on leaps and bounds since being there and is so social. Now he will be ripped away from his happy place.

Do I just suck it up and take any job that comes my way?

I'm so unbelievably shocked. I had a company car lined up, a very generous salary. Brand new work phone. And it's all gone down the drain. We now will have 0.

I honestly feel as if nothing will ever be good for me, not really. I had a good job lined up before this and that all fell through when the company decided they didn't have the funds to take me on.

Sorry, just need to rant at how unfair it all feels Sad

OP posts:
Hayles88 · 20/12/2018 17:59

Same happened to me. PA just outside London. Company was facing financial difficulty. I picked up a property management role to tide me over but it's hard to take a pay cut etc. I'm sorry you're going through this. The stress is horrible.

Original poster
losttheways · 20/12/2018 18:01

Hayley Sorry to hear it. How did you get a PM job? Do you have a background in property? DH is just looking at becoming a PM now and he's been in property for years

OP posts:
Hayles88 · 20/12/2018 18:04

No background at all, just decent admin/customer service experience. It was advertised on indeed. Luckily being London area there are quite a few head office type roles for property companies.

MrsGrindah · 20/12/2018 18:04

Come on OP, you are sounding defeated already! You need a positive attitude ( even if it’s fake) and get your Cv out there, get networking. Don’t just rely on uploading your cv on job websites...you need to actively job hunt. Retail and hospitality are great for no experience jobs...but if you have PA skills you should find work no problem even if it’s not dream job.

Hayles88 · 20/12/2018 18:05

Can your DH travel? PM me as I could maybe put you in touch. I know my work are still looking but not sure salary would warrant the drive.

Original poster
losttheways · 20/12/2018 18:10

https://www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/en/help-and-advice/recruitment-faqs

Would someone be so kind as to press the link and tell me what 'What if my nearer trust isn't coming up?' Says.

For some reason, it won't let me view it on my phone.

Hayley He is undergoing a property exam at the moment so I don't think he will be moving for a while. But thanks so much x

OP posts:
BetsyBigNose · 20/12/2018 18:11

If it's any consolation, you're not alone - I got fired today too...Sad We've got 2 DDs and survive on less than £100 a week after rent and bills as it was.

I've been in my role for 14 months, with a 6 month probationary period but have had it extended due to having had a long period of absence earlier this year when I was hospitalised for 3 months. My health is poor now and I have been unable to meet their 'attendance expectations' of having no more than 1 day off sick in the last 3 months (I've had 2 - the second I had dragged myself into the office, knowing it was my last chance, but passed out and had to be treated by the first aider before being driven home by one of the Directors Blush), so at least I know I've given it my all.

I just can't believe they've gone ahead and fired me right before Christmas - my probation wasn't due to finish till the 31st Dec, so I was hoping they'd do it in Jan, so at least I'd be paid over Christmas, but nope. And my employer is supposed to be one of the kindest, most empathetic and charitable organisations in the UK, honestly - you'd be so shocked if you knew who they were, the Daily Fail would love this story with a picture of my sad little face!

However, I came out of my probation review meeting, redid my mascara (I was a weeping mess) and went into a couple of agencies and I've got a temp role lined up to start on the 8th Jan - it seems there's plenty out there at the moment, and the agencies were confident there'd be loads of temping work available once people go back to work in Jan - along with lots of fresh new perm roles, so fingers crossed for both of us OP, good luck!

Polarbearflavour · 20/12/2018 18:14

OP - your local hospital might not be part of NHS Professionals. If you look on your local Trust website they should have a page for applying for bank work.

Doobigetta · 20/12/2018 18:16

You don't need to put any retail or gap til jobs on your cv, sometimes it's better not to as it can 'de-value' a cv
No employer will know you worked in Asda unless you tell them. Otherwise you say you've been out looking for suitable work

It’s a bad idea to miss things off your cv, for whatever reason. As part of the screening for my current job, I had to explain what I had been doing during any gaps and provide evidence. So for a bit where I wasn’t working, I had to show bank statements to prove that I wasn’t getting paid. They were basically checking that I wasn’t trying to gloss over having been sacked after a few weeks in a job because I’d turned out to be incompetent.

And this is another reason you should make sure you get a reference clearly stating that you were let go because there wasn’t enough work for you, rather than because you couldn’t do the job.

Original poster
losttheways · 20/12/2018 18:21

OP - your local hospital might not be part of NHS Professionals. If you look on your local Trust website they should have a page for applying for bank work.

Had a look. They do have a bank staff option but only for Drs and nurses

OP posts:
AJPTaylor · 20/12/2018 18:24

I found going into agencies/making an appt to go in and see them made a huge difference. And say yes to anything offered. Better contracts come up. Office angels in MK are good if they are near you?

Polarbearflavour · 20/12/2018 18:26

OP - can you phone HR at the hospital and ask? They MUST use temp staff, even if it’s an external temp agency.

missymayhemsmum · 20/12/2018 18:27

Talk to your lovely boss, acknowledge that there wasn't enough work/ your face didn't fit, ask for a decent reference and send your CV to some agencies. Talk to your childminder, hopefully she will be understanding and glad to have christmas off, but keep your so on her books for the new year. Put in a benefits claim tomorrow before they close for Christmas, will probably be Universal Credit so don't expect any money anytime soon, and put in a separate Council tax benefit claim, even if its only for a fortnight.

missymayhemsmum · 20/12/2018 18:27

Oh, and then relax and enjoy Christmas

Polarbearflavour · 20/12/2018 18:31

Doobigetta - a CV isn’t a legal document. If asked to list employers as a security checking process that’s different. A CV however is a marketing tool. I leave jobs off my CV.

Most employers will not be doing in-depth back ground checks. Your last two employers is the most common. NHS is 3 years, banking is 5 years. Even then, they often only want gaps over the 3 months explained.

If needed, I would list all my jobs for the past 3/5 years as requested only at the background check stage.

I’ve just had security clearance re-validated for a civil service job. They only wanted my past 3 years of employment which they then verified via HMRC. I wrote down my temping jobs on that form and it was all fine.

Unless you are applying for developed vetting clearance or airside clearance (for airport/airline ID passes where every gap over 30 days has to be accounted for) I wouldn’t worry.

Posthistoricmonsters · 20/12/2018 18:35

I'm so sorry, that's an awful thing to have to deal with right before Xmas.

PookieDo · 20/12/2018 18:36

NHS not allowed to use external agencies anymore. Call the hospital or call NHS professionals directly and ask them. I am joined to them and you can apply at your nearest hospital if they have a rep there

mimibunz · 20/12/2018 18:41

Sign up with agencies immediately. Get back out there and don’t overthink this. I was a PA for 25 years. Sometimes stuff happens and it’s best to just keep moving and don’t let the grass grow under your feet! Best of luck, OP!

Polarbearflavour · 20/12/2018 18:43

This may be a good opportunity to move on from being a PA OP!

It’s a bullshit job. Blush All that nonsense about being too smiley and not assertive enough? If you were more more assertive and less smiley they would say you weren’t a team player and unfriendly.

PookieDo · 20/12/2018 18:48

I would make a list of things to do:

Email or call contacts you have
Ask family and friends for info on jobs too - usually a friend of a friend knows about something
Join every agency you can locally
Call NHS professionals as it isn’t just hospitals that use them, community trusts do too but you can’t see the shifts until you join
Go to your local town centre area and ask if any seasonal work
Go onto all the job sites and upload your CV and apply for as much as you can

I do similar work to you but in the past I was a cleaner. I needed the money. If anyone asks me now I say I am very grounded and have such a wealth of different experiences it makes me a better team player!

Hayles88 · 20/12/2018 19:01

@losttheways

No problem. You'll be ok, get your CV tarted up tomorrow, hit the recruitment agents (remember they get paid to find you a job so will be all over helping you). No wallowing. I gave myself 1 day of slobbing about being sorry for myself then straight back at it. I was employed within 2 weeks.

You're going to be fine, you have so many transferable skills! Indeed, CV library, total jobs, reed etc. Get on all of them. It will be a blessing in disguise, maybe not this week or this month but in the long run. So finish your wallow day today and hit the ground running tomorrow. X

loubluee · 20/12/2018 19:10

Find every hospital, care company, building merchants everything within your radius and email your cv! Many might be thinking of hiring, have maternity to cover, long term sick to cover etc. I can guarantee you will get something somewhere with your skills and experience. It may be not what you want, but it will be something!

Original poster
losttheways · 20/12/2018 21:09

Thanks all for the more replies Thanks

I'm really panicking about my ChildMinder situation. She is fab, but there aren't that many in this area, and I'm worried about letting her go.

I honestly don't know what to do. I can't afford to keep my DS there. I simply won't have the cash now I have no salary coming in.

But, how can I attend interviews and such like without childcare in place? I don't really have anyone nearby and those that I do have work full time Shock

This is so shite.

OP posts:
lifecouldbeadream · 20/12/2018 21:15

OP, register with temp agencies for admin and PA work. PA’s at your level will be in demand.

CallMeRachel · 20/12/2018 21:18

Speak to your childminder and lay it on the line. She may agree to be paid in arrears or go to temp 50% days/pay for a month then recitation end of Jan.

Honestly you'd be crazy to throw the childcare away now, it's a massive barrier to work.

It's just s matter of time until you get yourself sorted.

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