I've been off work for 9 days and I'm going back tomorrow. I applied for a higher banded job the day I went on holiday and have had plenty of time to think about what I'll need to do to score highly in the interview. I'll basically need to teach myself how to use Excel better, use Access properly and learn more things about the NHS. It would be more money until April and then I'd be downgraded as it's just a temporary contract.
While I've been away I've come to the conclusion that I can't be arsed to look into those things, a failure at interview level wouldn't feel very nice (especially if the younger chap in the office gets the job over me) and although I'm grateful to have a job, I don't want to carry on doing it as a long term thing. I don't know how to move on to something interesting.
What are you working as and what's your situation?
Edge/XBL/PSN/MordorMashup/Twitter: Neutralfanboy
I'm about to become a daily death dealing drone pilot, as opposed to an occasionally death dealing fast jet bomber pilot.
We all live here now. Come to The Bear & Badger!
Contribute!Is flying a drone like playing a game? Is there a weird sense of disconnection from your real world actions? Just curious is all. Wouldn't be as exciting as flying an actual jet I'd imagine.
I'd imagine that pretty much eliminating the possibility of dying in a fireball from your day to day life would make it a bit less exciting.
As for me, I'm teaching English. It can be very good fun, more often than not it isn't that great. And marking is a bitch. But overall I'm enjoying it so far.
That makes sense.
As for me, I'm in the exciting world of software development at an engineering software company. I'm about 7 months in to my first ever full time job and it's going alright. I don't think I could do this forever though. Luckily I've got a big trip coming up next year. Probably should tell work about that at some stage.
Oh and been making an iPhone game in my spare time with Skerret. It's on the appstore now (Call Connect /plug) and I've just finished the first big update so I'm looking forward to some real sleep for the first time in a long long while. Although Dark Souls will probably keep me up.
That and my new found love for drumming and parrot breeding.
Jimmy_The_Lips wrote: A hairy baby with a hole in its head that you want to stick your poky stick into. Yes.
Come, join us: www.thebearandbadger.co.uk
I've been doing the TEFL stuff on and off for about 8 years. I'm trying to phase it out but it's useful for a but of money sometimes. Will probably still do a few hours private tuition this year.
Other than that I'm now at home all the time, writing. Part-time PhD on one hand. Putting together a book of interviews on the other. It's not a very sociable existence but I love it (probably because I'm not very sociable), and aim to enjoy as much as possible before I finish the PhD and have to go and find a 9-5 job at a uni or something.
Probably. You're viewing the world through cameras so it's a pretty realistic game (with a lot of lag), but I'll let you know once I've had a shot!
We all live here now. Come to The Bear & Badger!
Contribute!I'm not sure how you were thinking about doing this, but the MS online training is pretty good. You have to buy it but depending on how much you need the cost could be well below a couple of weighty 600 page books.
http://www.scan.co.uk/shop/it-training
I work in IT support. Have done for the past 9 years.
I think I've mentioned this in another thread.
Just like the IT crowd.
Except we support stock market traders.
(lunch is for wimps)
RR
I got you another sale! She thinks its great btw
I dont work at all, or at least, not officially, making games is a hobby i hope will provide me with renumeration one day
xbl: CuckooExtreme Skerret sez: 'pants are a sign of weakness'
Horse Pics
Yesterday I had the final step of my interview process and will be starting a new job in a month's time. Got the job due to a game that I made in 2 weeks - a multiplayer version of Space Invaders. LazyGunn, you saw the first screenshot of it on the old forum.
Moving from web-development for a general Web Agency ( been there for nearly 3 years, straight in out of college ) to being the web-dev guy for a larger, more "techie" company that's making some pretty cool software will be a welcome step forwards. It'll be nice working on a project where the client is the same company I'm working for. The view is to do their website and start their developer community, and then move onto porting their software to Javascript and whatnot for other people to use. Quite a significant pay-rise, which is always nice, but it'll be sad to say goodbye to everyone who took me in for my very first proper job.
The forum-judas formerly known as Peter117
The bear room: http://www.thebearandbadger.co.uk
grats peter!
xbl: CuckooExtreme Skerret sez: 'pants are a sign of weakness'
Horse Pics
The PCT should be able to offer training in these areas for free as part of working development practice (temp or not).
I'm a directorate performance manager for a Trust in the east midlands and alway encourage staff to take these courses.
What does a "directorate performance manager" do?
I provide different teams with information about their performance towards Trust/commisioning targets. A lot of funding for services is now based on payment by results which means that if a team performs badly then it's funding is reduced but they are still expected to perform to the same level.
Genius idea.
I'm sure you're popular.
My job is to help the teams to perform so they don't lose funding so the team leaders and I have quite good relationships.
To be honest, the NHS isn't a great place to be at the moment.
Oh right, it sounded like you were the guy who reviewed their performance then cut their funding.
Damn. guess where I work... : (
Buy my books you badgers! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Richard-Bacon/e/B004KS8Z8C
I suppose this was a bit unfair. Cuts are happening in all public sectors.
I've worked for the same Trust for 8 years and this year has been by far the worst for job losses (or natural wastage, as HR call it).
The Economist has actually done an article on Drone Warfare and according to my friend it is a pretty interesting read.
What do you think of the AC national PBR benchmarker?
I work for a mental health trust which mostly has it's services commissioned on outcome measures rather than 'the quick in and quick out ', which the PBR benchmarker covers (A&E and such).
It's preferable, in my opinion, to have PBR set by clients treatment outcome but, as everyone will agree, opinions can be subjective. This is the first financial year that the Trust has been under PBR and I am finding it a bit if a double edged sword at the moment.
Seriously? Jesus wept.
Ironically, HR departments seem to get larger at times like this.
Well all those euphamisms won't create themselves.
Thanks Mod. I was just going to trawl the internets and get bored otherwise. Plus it being "official" and all will add weight to my case. Cheers.
I will look into that training from the PCT idea. I'm in specialised commissioning and we are hosted by a pct. We don't appear to have much of a relationship with South East Essex. It took an age just to get an hr rep to show up and answer our questions when the latest reorganisation started kicking off. When he did his presentation he just kept banging on about how it was great/safe to work in an SHA.
Am imagining Elm piloting a drone like in that scene in the crap film Toys.
How the hell do you format posts on here?
Edge/XBL/PSN/MordorMashup/Twitter: Neutralfanboy
oh it did it. Carry on.
Edge/XBL/PSN/MordorMashup/Twitter: Neutralfanboy
I could probably get you some basic "how the NHS works" stuff. I'll have a root.
If you could that'd be great. The way everything works can be confusing and difficult to break down. If you try to learn it "one way" I find my train of thought goes off in another.
The young man I may be competing for a job with keeps asking techie questions today, I've got my regular workload while his is light in comparison. He's sitting next to someone that has a final say in the new post and is working on "clever" looking reports. I'm stuck on the other side of the office playing catchup with last weeks guff. It makes me want to stay late and work on something actually clever. Is this a regular aspect of work? I've never experienced enthusiasm like this before.
Edge/XBL/PSN/MordorMashup/Twitter: Neutralfanboy