Posted: Wed 8 January, 2014 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Agency Idiocy, Business, Cynicism, Getting Organised, Own Business, Work-related |
With the current contract ending in two week’s time, this week marks the start of getting back into applying for new ones.
It’s not too bad a thing – and I’m so used to it, it’s just not really stressful any more – but does make me organised when it comes to keeping the CV up to date, and managing my own profile on shit like LinkedIn and (my favourite) JobServe.
I hate LinkedIn with a passion. However, it’s now the ‘go to’ site for lazy recruiters, so I kind of have to have a profile there and so on. I’ve made connections with some decent recruiters (and a whole horde of crap ones) but I don’t think I’ve ever actually got an advertised role from LinkedIn. I actually get all my jobs through either
- recruiters I’ve worked with before or
- JobServe
Still, I keep my profile on LinkedIn – I suppose one day it may be useful. I can’t really think of what kind of situation that would be, but one remains optimistic.
In the meantime, back to sending out CVs in response to ads, and dealing with recruiters with little to no clue about what the jobs actually entail, or what parts of skillset are truly relevant. Joy and happiness, be unconfined…
Posted: Sun 5 January, 2014 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Business, Customer Services, Cynicism, Domestic, Work-related |
Back when I started the new contract, I had to fill in a form online to kick off getting my CRB Check done. (It’s a requirement of the industry for this particular type of contract, and not something I have a problem with) That was at the end of September.
It finally came through on Friday – a month after my initial contract was due to end, and a mere two weeks before my extended contract is due to end.
It’s taken three full months to come in. Imagine if I’d been waiting for that CRB before I could start work in a new job? I could’ve done a full three-month contract in the time it’s taken to appear.
There’s been no indication of what caused the delays, no apology, nothing. Just a final “All clear” half-sheet of A4.
(And on a tangent, who knew that the CRB no longer exists, and it’s now the “Disclosure and Barring Service“?)
The thing is – that CRB check is effectively already out of date, and inherently useless.
All it does is show that I’ve not been cautioned/charged/convicted with anything until now, which is somewhat reassuring to employers etc., but that’s as good as it gets.
I could be charged tomorrow with something relevant – and they’d never know. Indeed, in this case I could’ve been charged with something anytime from mid-December, and they wouldn’t know. So it’s effectively pointless by the time they’ve received it.
As such, for anything other than verifying that I’ve been honest (in saying that I’ve no convictions) it’s absolutely pointless.
Posted: Tue 31 December, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Business, Cinema, Customer Services, Domestic, Marketing, Seeing Films, Thoughts |
Following on from yesterday’s post about this year’s Cinema viewings, a couple of things were explained to me outside of D4D™ about how Cineworld make their money on Unlimited Tickets.
The main profit-engine – and one I’d never even thought about – is based on attendance. As I understand it, Cineworld pay [whichever movie distributor] based on a percentage of gross ticket sales per week. However, Unlimited card-holders mean there are bums-on-seats that never show up as ticket sales. That £16 per month is pure gravy for Cineworld, and significantly reduces the amount they have to pay to movie distributors.
Apparently, a Cineworld cinema only needs to have 1,000 Unlimited card-holders to break even for the year. It’s that cost-effective.
Then there’s the secondary profit-engines…
- They get customer data – linked to specific customers – of viewing preferences, linked sales, attendance etc. That’s useful for many many reasons
- The extras (as I’d always suspected) – even with the discount from the ticket, you’re still paying much more than you would anywhere else for drinks etc.
There’s probably others as well, but they’re the main ones. It gives an interesting perspective on business etc.
Posted: Sat 28 December, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Business, Central Bedfordshire Council, Own Business, Pedantry, Work-related |
Over Christmas, my local council provided a wonderful example of why you should always double-check things – preferably with someone literate.
Yep – errant apostrophes all over the Festering Season.
As always, it’s the result of letting their website be managed by individuals rather than a team who are actually capable of things like proof-reading, literacy and the like. But it’s not a good thing at all.
Posted: Fri 20 December, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 2013/14, Business, Domestic, Getting Organised, Health, Own Business, Project 42, Travel, Work-related, Writing |
From the end of today, I’m finished with work ’til a week on Monday. Ten whole days off.
Of course, being a contractor, it also means I don’t get paid for them – but that would’ve happened for the Wednesday and Thursday anyway.
Besides, for once I don’t mind. I’ve pretty much burned myself out this year – and the last couple of months in particular – so it’s going to be quite nice to have some downtime.
I’ve still got stuff that needs doing – Slab’s booked in for it’s 100,000 mile service on Monday, and Christmas Day on Wednesday with its associated travels – but for the most part it’s going to be time for relaxing a bit, catching up on sleep, and generally sorting my life out a bit.
Should be good – and right now it feels like it’s much needed, a battery recharge before the start of 2014.
Posted: Tue 10 December, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 2013/14, Business, Domestic, Driving, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised, Gigs, Own Business, Project 42, Travel, Work-related |
Next year is already starting to look busy for me, which is quite fun (and somewhat back to ‘normal’ after a couple of much quieter years)
Right now I’m already booked in for :
- At least one meeting in Jan (as well as probably getting a new contract)
- Setting up new company / business
- Attending an exhibition/conference in Feb
- A wedding in Derbyshire in March (not mine, of course!)
- One concert in April in London
- Two concerts in May – one in London, one in Manchester
- A food festival in Manchester in June
- Another conference in November (although that’s not yet 100% confirmed)
Of course, that’s not including the usual sociable stuff which’ll definitely involve trips to Manchester, Bristol, Somerset, Kent and others. Plus the other business stuff, work, writing, and a bundle of other bits.
So 2014 is looking nice and quiet…
Posted: Tue 3 December, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Business, Catering, Domestic, Television, Time, Writing |
Over the last few weeks (I really don’t want to figure out how many weeks) I’ve been unreasonably addicted to Masterchef Australia, which – thankfully – finished last week. It’s been on five days a week, which really has made it quite a timesink, but it’s been fun. I’ve liked the programme in previous seasons – it’s very Australian, which is a very good thing in my book – so it’s been worth the time invested. Up to a point.
As with all TV stuff, I don’t just sit and watch, I’m usually doing other stuff at the same time – including cooking and eating meals that were a lot less technical and inspiring than the stuff on the programme, which I always find somewhat ironic. But all the same, it’s been a lot of time sunk into a TV programme, and while I’ve enjoyed the great majority of it, I’m also somewhat relieved that it’s finished.