Dilema over work

[lifesteeth]

I'm a lone parent to 2 school age children.

I've just joined a lone parents course where they find you a work placement in a set environment so I chose admin...I specifically want to work in the NHS so they found me an admin placement within the NHS. I am hoping that this will enable me to find a real job within the NHS.

Anyway at first it was great but now its starting to wear a bit thin, they never have anything for me to do so I'm just sat twidling my thumbs from 10am to 2pm every day feeling like I'm in the way...plus they keep refering to me as "One of those job centre trainees" which instantly makes me feel like a loser amongst people with proper jobs (although I don't think they mean it in a bad way).

Plus aside from this I'm deseperate to get a job...should I just go for any admin job that comes up even though it means leaving the NHS placement and hope I can get back in the NHS later when I have more admin experience or stick it out and hope an NHS job comes up soon?

can you not move within the NHS, is there a job board that you can look at or a personnel department ?

yeah I've been looking at the NHS jobs but they all want admin experience which is what I'm trying to get on this placement but when you're just sat there for hours day after day doing nothing it feels like a waste of time...I feel if I got a job somewhere else I could then come back to the NHS saying I'd really been working in admin if that makes sense?

Have you looked at agencies near you? Many of them specialise in nhs jobs. Or keep an eye out in your local paper. Don't underestimate yourself! You don't neccesarily need experience, many places will just take you on merit. If you have trouble then any admin job will set you on a good footing. Especially if you ask smll local businesses, who are more likely to give personal care and ttantion when you are training, and be more sympathetic to your commitments outised work.
The NHS really is a good sector to go into if you need flexible hours (which of course you do!).

I am gobsmacked at this, lifesteeth. I used to manage an NHS admin team and am appauled at the way they are speaking to you, plus I can't believe that you are left twiddling your thumbs. There is probably someone, somewhere in that hospital who would be lovely to you is tearing their hair out at how much work they have to do. Are you in a clinical department or a management department?

Who is your line manager? Who did your induction? Can you speak to them and tell them that you aren't being fully utilised?

have you thought about going temping to build your experiance? I worked for 2 yrs doing temp work when i was alot younger and it was great as you get to learn and earn.

Would recommend if you can. I am also a single parent.

Lifesteeth - Can i ask how you got onto the course ?? It sounds like the type of thing that would be ideal for me, but I haven't been offered anything like this.

If you want this to work more long term you may need to be more proactive, asking for specific duties etc . Do you have any sort of job description which you can use as the basis for a discussion with the line manager as to how you can seek experience in the different areas, maybe shadowing the others in turn ? At least then you'll be able to have demonstrable skills on a cv whatever the outcome of the placement. Your colleagues have probably seen several others come and go, perhaps some of whom have proved lame and just marking time, so try to show that you are different and inetersted.

you need to be much more proactive. who's in charge in the office? ask at the start of each day what you will be doing. if there is nothing to do ask then if there are any other departments that could do with you as extra support. may sound like a cliche but you will only get out of this placement what you put into it.