Trying to get a new job

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#2294270 11-Aug-2019 17:45

pctek:

myfullflavour: We're after staff with telco experience, but based in Tauranga.

Depressingly that would be Trustpower right?

More likely it's https://fullflavour.nz/ - don't assume everyone in Tauranga works for one single company.

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quickymart

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#2294410 11-Aug-2019 20:45

$60k is too high for Service Desk? Really?
Most of the interviews I've been to they were fine with that when I explained that was the pay level I was looking at.

networkn

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#2294421 11-Aug-2019 21:09

quickymart:

$60k is too high for Service Desk? Really?
Most of the interviews I've been to they were fine with that when I explained that was the pay level I was looking at.

How many job offers did you get as a result?

gzt

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#2294428 11-Aug-2019 21:24

pctek:
quickymart: Most of my working career (over 20 years), I've been in Telecommunications (majority of it answering phones). - in Customer Service, Helpdesk, Service Desk, Provisioning, etc. am looking for something that pays $60k or more

I'd say it is too high, at least for that kind of work.

In practice that depends on the role and the match.

quickymart

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#2294471 11-Aug-2019 23:02

networkn:

quickymart:

$60k is too high for Service Desk? Really?
Most of the interviews I've been to they were fine with that when I explained that was the pay level I was looking at.

How many job offers did you get as a result?

None, but I had a few interviews. Most recruiters asked me on the phone interview what I was looking for, and I was upfront with them. I figured if I was asking too much they wouldn't go any further, would they?

networkn

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#2294472 11-Aug-2019 23:06

If recruiters turned down everyone with unrealistic pay expectations many of them would be living under a bridge in a cardboard box. Like any sales of this nature, it's trying to get a compromise that everyone can live with, and just because in an interview someone doesn't state they think you are being ambitious, doesn't mean it isn't the thought. You might be ok at that pay range, but honestly, I'd be surprised, I don't know any telco helpdesks paying anywhere near that money.

I don't want to be discouraging, I am not saying it's not possible, but you may need to prepare yourself for a lower starting position to get in the door and work your way up by proving yourself.

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quickymart

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#2294475 11-Aug-2019 23:27

Anything more would be an improvement on what I make right now. Maybe I should be aiming for $57-$58k then. I was using a filter on Seek (set for $60k or higher) to find most of these roles.

quickymart

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#2294490 12-Aug-2019 06:45

I should also point out - one job, the company did all the recruiting and (according to Seek) had over 200 applicants for. I was one of the 7 they interviewed and had made it into the top 3 - yet the salary was $60k.

Edwood

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#2294510 12-Aug-2019 08:10

quickymart:

Anything more would be an improvement on what I make right now. Maybe I should be aiming for $57-$58k then. I was using a filter on Seek (set for $60k or higher) to find most of these roles.

That depends on what you value. Do you work well in a high paying toxic environment?

You could take a job for $80k, hate it for any number of reasons, and then you're really screwed!

Your own experience tells you that the money you're asking for is fine, so don't lower your expectations there. However, you need to pay a lot of attention to all the other things that make a job worth doing! It sounds like you spend 90% of your discretionary time at work, so you better make darn sure that it's something you like doing!

What do you want to do? You could take your bosses job, and the pay rise, and then discover that you hate his job and pine for the customer contact you used to get with less money.

I never had to look for a job until relatively recently and I was horrified at how hard it was. It's depressing, it's arduous, it's relentless, it's lonely... It has changed me as a human being and I now have an enormous amount of empathy that I never had before. One of these days I'll set something up (or actively support something) that coaches people along in this journey.

It's not what you know, it's who you know! Thats not trite advice. Your networks are massively the most significant weapon in your arsenal! Network!
Get a recruiter or two working for you. Don't ask me how, 'cause I found them worse than useless, but if you can crack this, you have effectively hired someone to work on your behalf...
Your 1-2 page CV matters! Get it reviewed by people who hire - get blunt feedback and apply it. Make it clear, you're not asking them to hire you, but you value their opinion as a hiring manager
If you are getting interviews, you're doing something right! Do some mock interviews with someone and get some feedback to figure out how you can improve!
You don't have time for meetups, training courses, or other such things that a career minded person will make time for. What are you reading? Create a reading list and some discipline around reading. Utilize online training courses like Udemy.
Exercise

...and don't leave your job until you have a new one to go to!

quickymart

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#2295150 12-Aug-2019 21:41

Thank you for some good advice :)

I'm trying to find a balance between doing something I enjoy/doing something I don't mind, to making a tonne of money - but being miserable. I wouldn't want to do my manager's job. People management isn't fun (let's face it, a lot of people can be complete jerks). I haven't approached recruiters directly - hadn't actually thought about that as an option. I have been looking daily on Seek however.

Of the two interviews I had recently (see above for one of them) they were both with the company directly, and both places invited me to apply if the role came up again. I think that counts for something (I hope it does, anyway). I don't hardly get time for reading; I've got two young boys and they take up most of my weekends/free time. Otherwise when I get time for me, which isn't often, I usually prefer just to watch a TV show or two. I do get lots of exercise getting out and about with my boys though :)

And yes - I wouldn't be leaving anywhere until I had a new offer ready to go :)

I'll look into training courses and see if I can fit something in. In the meantime, I'll keep looking around. Thanks again for the suggestions.

703

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#2305253 24-Aug-2019 14:10

Also, you have to think outside the square. Salary from an employer is just one of many ways of getting an income. E.g. you could be pulling your hair out trying to get a $3k raise, or spend the same amount of time looking at investment opportunities and net yourself more then $3k. The truth is that salary bands are pretty fixed for roles where supply is plentiful or barrier to entry is low. On the other spectrum in IT, in demand and hard to find skills normally come in the form of contractors and you'll be looking at $1000/day or more.

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quickymart

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#2310327 3-Sep-2019 21:38

Things seem to have gone quiet on the vacancies front again...is it that time of the year, or is it the weather, or...?

kingdragonfly

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#2310371 4-Sep-2019 07:02

I suggest setting up several searches for New Zealand and Australia
* "work from home"
* "work at home"
* WFH
* "zero commute"

Note a lot of scammers use these keywords, so

* NEVER give anyone money for a job

* NEVER accept a "shipping" / repackaging job, unless you like jail.

* NEVER accept a "business opportunity"

* Until you do a deep search of the company, DO NOT give bank information (Identity theft). Be cautious of your passport too. Make sure you search on their phone number also, to make sure it mentioned outside their website.

If it seems too easy, then it's probably a scam.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/work-at-home-scams-to-avoid-3542895

Given the vastly different IT market sizes, you'll probably find none in New Zealand, and less than a handful in Australia.

However given enough time, you should see at least a few within a month.

Don't ask about salary before the interview, and leave your salary off your CV. I know it's important, and you're wasting everyone's time if it's below your minimum.

If they ask for a out of your area interview, then you'd be remiss not to ask about salary.

Just consider any interview as a learning experience.

kingdragonfly

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#2310403 4-Sep-2019 09:31

quickymart, it's considered good etiquette to click "+1" if you find the post even a little helpful.

For example, Edwood some time to write a long post so ...

quickymart

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#2310771 4-Sep-2019 19:58

kingdragonfly: quickymart, it's considered good etiquette to click "+1" if you find the post even a little helpful.

For example, Edwood some time to write a long post so ...

Yes, thanks, I'm aware of that, I must have missed that. I've fixed that now. Thanks for your comments too, I'll do some digging into what you mentioned.

I just worry that any vacancies are going to become scarcer and scarcer (and eventually - understandably - disappear) as we get closer to Christmas...

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