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FourPart
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Post by FourPart »

I'm getting a bit of Stage Fright at the moment. I have a totally new experience to face tomorrow - a Role Play Interview.

I'll be getting a telephone call at a predetermined time tomorrow, when the caller will simply identify themselves with the name of the company. At which point I have to take on the role of the Customer Service Operator as if the caller is a Customer.

The call is expected to last about 20 minutes, during which time I must advise the 'customer' on where to find the required information on the company website & to send an email to him / her, containing certain information whilst talking on the phone. This email must be concise, accurate & to a high standard of grammar & spelling, thus demonstrating the ability to multi-task.

I have been sent a Power Point attachment, which links to the website from which I must source my information, but the information I have to absorb is simply mind-boggling. It's full of legal terminology & fancy abbreviations (many of which I've made a note of in a TXT file for easy reference.

I've tried to do some preparation by trying to go through as many prospective responses that I can think of, but I won't have any idea of what's going to be asked until I'm actually faced with it.

I've never been faced with a task such as this during an Interview process, but I suppose it makes perfect sense when applying for a Customer Service position.

The email I've been sent gives a rough outline of the sort of thing the Customer might be asking - most of which, though, I have to admit, is way over my head, so I'll be relying on rapid sourcing of information from the website.

I know I can only do my best, but I can also accept that if I can't handle the Role Play situation, then I probably wouldn't be suited for the position in question, as being faced with a real customer would be far more demanding & requiring a much better understanding of what it is I'm supposed to be advising about.

I've decided that I'll start with something like "Good afternoon. You're through to Jerry. How can I help you today?", then play it by ear, possibly asking if I might address the caller by their first name (a thing I felt had a nice touch while speaking to TalkTalk Customer Service lately), with as many of the website tabs open in front of me - I think I might even ask if I could take their Account Number (after all, it's all part of Role Play), and then, at the close of the task, to finish with something like "Is there anything else I can help you with?" and, of course, a friendly "Thank you very much for calling" to close.

I'm dreading getting another call just before this one is due, so that when they call the phone will be engaged - or getting someone at the door. You know what I mean - the rules of Sod's Law mean that something like that is bound to happen. I might put a "Do Not Disturb - Interview In Progress" sign on the door, but that doesn't stop the Intercom going off, which I don't think is possible to turn off.
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LarsMac
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Post by LarsMac »

You'll do fine. Just ignore the interruptions, should they occur.

Good luck. Hope it works for you.
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FourPart
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Post by FourPart »

I've made the sign & discovered that I can turn the Intercom off - it's the 'Privacy' button, which until now I thought was the same as the 'Mute' button on a telephone, so that you could speak to someone else in the room without the caller hearing, so long as you keep the button pressed. It seems that when you press it, it beep & lights up red, and stays lit until you press it again. All this time & I never even realised it had that facility.
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Oscar Namechange
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

My very best wishes to you... keep us Informed won't you ?

If you present yourself In the Interview as you do here, It'll be a breeze.

I'll be thinking of you.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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FourPart
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Post by FourPart »

Thanks - at least I don't have to tart myself up in my posh togs. I can remain the slob that I am in the comfort of my own home - just as well it's not on Skype.
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Post by Lady J »

My advice...is be yourself.

You seem personable...love music...how can anyone who loves music come across badly?

don't over think the situation and relax...You will do just fine. :-6
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FourPart
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Post by FourPart »

I've just completed the interview and although it seemed to go fine, I feel I may have fluffed it a bit because of its simplicity.

Whereas I had been cramming late last night, and all this morning, making notes & cramming my head with facts & figures, all that was being asked was where to find the document I had been been working from, and to email them a copy.

Fortunately I had the presence of mind to pre-draft a copy of what I was likely to say, with some on the spot last minute modifications. However, in that last moment of panic I omitted to include a Subject Header . How COULD I forget to do that?

Also, whilst getting my Live Mail all set up, muting the PC to avoid any unexpected eMail alerts etc blasting out, I noticed another email had arrived with an interview for tomorrow morning. A similar position (Customer Service), but for an entirely different company, literally just across the road from the first one.

These interviews are like buses. You wait for months without getting a bite, then they all come at once.

Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. First thing in the morning, up to see the Diet Nurse, then straight on to the interview, then home - maybe to change (or not, depending on time), then up to my mate's place en route to choir practice. The little moped won't know what's hit it.
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Oscar Namechange
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1458973 wrote: I've just completed the interview and although it seemed to go fine, I feel I may have fluffed it a bit because of its simplicity.

Whereas I had been cramming late last night, and all this morning, making notes & cramming my head with facts & figures, all that was being asked was where to find the document I had been been working from, and to email them a copy.

Fortunately I had the presence of mind to pre-draft a copy of what I was likely to say, with some on the spot last minute modifications. However, in that last moment of panic I omitted to include a Subject Header . How COULD I forget to do that?

Also, whilst getting my Live Mail all set up, muting the PC to avoid any unexpected eMail alerts etc blasting out, I noticed another email had arrived with an interview for tomorrow morning. A similar position (Customer Service), but for an entirely different company, literally just across the road from the first one.

These interviews are like buses. You wait for months without getting a bite, then they all come at once.

Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. First thing in the morning, up to see the Diet Nurse, then straight on to the interview, then home - maybe to change (or not, depending on time), then up to my mate's place en route to choir practice. The little moped won't know what's hit it. I'm so pleased for you after you've been struggling for so long.

I like the back up plan.

Invariably In life, the genuine will drag themselves up by the boots. You seem to show determination and a desire to work and sometimes In life, that's appreciated more than bits of paper.

I used to do the hiring and firing In sales and I've always been far more Impressed with someone with drive and determination even If they lacked the qualifications.

I have all fingers and toe's crossed for you but I have a feeling this Is going to be your week.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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FourPart
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Post by FourPart »

I'm also waiting to hear from Pitman Training regarding a Refresher Training Course in Sage that I've enrolled in (it wasn't available to start immediately as they'd run out of text books). As well as that, I'm also waiting to hear from Age UK regarding my CRB Check (or whatever they call it these days) so I can work as a Voluntary IT Tutor to the Senior Technophobes. I did it once before, some years ago, for Help The Aged (before the branch ran out of funds for the computer classes), and seeing one lady's face light up when she saw her newborn Grand Daughter via a webcam link to Australia was something to behold.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1458978 wrote: I'm also waiting to hear from Pitman Training regarding a Refresher Training Course in Sage that I've enrolled in (it wasn't available to start immediately as they'd run out of text books). As well as that, I'm also waiting to hear from Age UK regarding my CRB Check (or whatever they call it these days) so I can work as a Voluntary IT Tutor to the Senior Technophobes. I did it once before, some years ago, for Help The Aged (before the branch ran out of funds for the computer classes), and seeing one lady's face light up when she saw her newborn Grand Daughter via a webcam link to Australia was something to behold. My husband despite all his health problems mans the phones for help the aged and does voluntary driving for the elderly to and fro the local hospital just for a few hours a week. It Is as you point out highly rewarding.

CRB ( Criminal Records Check )... I had to apply to South Glou council for that for a licence for my job... escorting brain damaged children and vulnerable adults while In transit. I nearly didn't bother because I do have a criminal record from my trial...I was talked Into It based on that I could appeal and explain myself If turned down. Anyway, I filled out all the details with proof of ID etc and rather than wait, I told them straight up I had the convictions.... The penny dropped and the entire office said ' Oh you're that ***** Lake !!!! So I got my licence and badge as soon as the check came back.... Thanks to the Daily Mail..I was that ***** Lake... you gotta laugh eh?
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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FourPart
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Oscar Namechange;1458981 wrote: Anyway, I filled out all the details with proof of ID etc and rather than wait, I told them straight up I had the convictions.... The penny dropped and the entire office said ' Oh you're that ***** Lake !!!! So I got my licence and badge as soon as the check came back.... Thanks to the Daily Mail..I was that ***** Lake... you gotta laugh eh?
Was that the War Memorial one?
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1458982 wrote: Was that the War Memorial one? Yep... wasn't all bad...I was convicted because I admitted from day what I had done unlike my alleged victim who claimed mistaken identity for a year until all his mates ratted on him under cross examination... Judge gave me a Discharge, no fine, nothing, court costs paid by anon donors. Made a great friend In the celebrity lawyer who defended me for free, he saw me right the way through Including ensuing IPCC Investigations Into the way my case was handles. Raised a huge amount for the British legion, met Politicians... there was some good from It.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Post by FourPart »

In which case, judging by what I've read of the case, I'm proud to know you & would like to shake you by the hand. I reckon that rather than being prosecuted you should have been given an award for being such an upstanding citizen - a rare quality in this age of P.C. & so-called 'Human Rights'.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1458986 wrote: In which case, judging by what I've read of the case, I'm proud to know you & would like to shake you by the hand. I reckon that rather than being prosecuted you should have been given an award for being such an upstanding citizen - a rare quality in this age of P.C. & so-called 'Human Rights'.


I really appreciate that !!! I do still bang on about It here and there but no-one understands that It was actually a very traumatic experience, the whole process. I didn't give a stuff about being arrested or thrown In the cells, but It was life changing In so many ways, partly due to some high profile people coming out to support me and the British Legion. For those who tire of me banging on about It, all I can say, Is go through arrest, a 4 day trial, find out just how unjust and dirty the legal system and the gutter press gets and then come back back and tell me you'll never need to mention It In the future. When the trial was finally over, people thought I would just be able to get on with my life. Wrong. For one due to media coverage, of which I only ever spoke briefly to the local rag, the other nationals nicked the story, I became public property. I still can't walk down the street without someone saying, you're that woman. Only two weeks ago, I was In a Turkish Deli and a complete stranger came up asking If I was that woman. Does anyone know how scary that really Is? Then he said from an ex service man, he wanted to shake my hand. Phew.

After my trial, I googled my name and found myself the subject of no less than 72 sites, all discussing my case without being In the courtroom. Our kids read that crap..... they were Innocent.

After the trial, It wasn't over. There was a four month Inquiry Into how my case was handled by the IPCC. I had been on Breakfast TV but turned down a re-appearance after the trial.. I did go on BBC radio to date 11 times now. I even had to fight the local rag for libel and got an offer out of court.

It was a very, very dirty trial and became extremely political. In the public gallery every day of the 4 days, I had politicians and elected Councillors. Then I had people I'd never seen In my life before trying to get In the court to see the feared celeb lawyer In action. Outside the court room was Sky TV, ITV West, Daily Mail etc etc ... It was horrendous. Along with them were all the old war vets bearing standards giving me the guard of honour... the Daily Express covered that one. Updates of the days trial were on ITV every night, It was a bloody farce and circus. Hacks were grabbing my relatives In court to get their side etc etc and In the end my lawyer got me a press agent to shield me from so much Intrusion.

The outcome of the trial was hinged on, were the police negligent In protecting the war memorial? So It got very dirty with all sorts of witness's being called for the political chess game and not about me. The war memorial had been vandalised for 10 years. The RBL Chairman had been complaining himself to police for that time and nothing was done. I'd been complaining for over two years.

So although It did change my life there was one outcome... following the trial, we actually began to find ways with the local police to keep the memorial vandal free and to date It's been untouched. Just some oldie coming up to me In the street and saying ' War memorials looking beautiful today' means the world to me.

As for the celeb lawyer? The cleverest man I have ever met In my life. Thanks to him, he found the ' lost' transcript of a 999 call made by a member of the public asking for help because there's a woman In serious trouble with a bunch of youths... that was asking for help for me, not the alleged victim. The police never mentioned It existed until he waited for the trial to produce the transcript. He also found the ' lost 'witness that would have helped the defence. The way he got the youths to admit they had lied to police was nothing short of genious... that's why he can command £10,000 a day from the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson.

At the very beginning of the trial he told the judge he did not want me sitting In the dock and requested permission for me to sit by his side at the front of the court as they do In the USA... I'd never seen a lawyer do that before but permission was granted.

In the Judges full summing up which did bang on and on but he was actually sympathetic mentioning my families efforts In the war etc but he found me not guilty on one count but had no choice to convict me because I had always told the truth. He even said he believed I was a person of good character but I should have known better... he was right of course.

The whole thing opened my eyes to the legal system and I saw a side I never want to see again.

Yes, I do bang on here and there but It was a huge part of my life.... sorry.

This photograph means the world to me. In all that circus, I had all I needed... my lawyer beside me and my husband, sister and brother behind me every step of the way... That's It, rant over... I'll shut up now.

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At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Post by Chloe_88 »

I hope all goes/has gone well FourPart.

I've been doing customer service for 5,5 years now. The first day out of training I was s.hitting myself.. Of course I got a repeat caller, lots of trouble, phoned lots of times and already had a million technicians come round his house.. After just about being able to say goodmorning my name is how may i help you.. he started shouting etc.. I did the only thing I could and said: I'm very sorry sir, this is my very first day and you are my very first caller, give me a little time, stick with me and I promise I'll solve the issue. I called him back (because of the mobile phone charge), it took half an hour orso but the problem was solved! And we had a great conversation!

I've only had to hang up the phone twice in 5,5 years. One of them started wishing cancer on me and I just couln't calm him down.

Apart from the odd weird conversation, I try to have a little fun in the conversations I have when I can.

I've never been one for strict conversation structure (certain lines the company makes you say) or max call times, and customers have thanked me for that.

In time you find tricks to "connect" with the person (customer) on the other side of the line.

Yes, customer services has to be professional but the best way to "connect" with your customer? Be human.

Again, I wish you good luck FourPart!
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Post by FourPart »

I've worked the Customer Service Helpline before in my last job, which was actually a Web Developer, but being a very small office, everyone had to chip in with everything else. I'll never forget the time when I got a call from someone ranting & raving accusing me / the company of having sold him software which had totally fried his system.

After spending half an hour or so, trying to remain calm through all the abuse, I finally got him to let me take him through the very basics of troubleshooting from the start.

I asked him to first check the machine was securely plugged in, to which I got a response of a string of swearing, along the lines of "Don't you ********** patronise me you f******g b*****d. What do you take me for. An idiot".

There was then a silence, followed by a very abashed voice voice coming back on the line... "Errr, I don't know how to say this... It seems the cleaner's been in & not plugged the thing back in after she'd finished with the Hoover".

To be fair, we / I did get a very humble letter of apology, complimenting me on being able to remain calm under such pressure. The boss had the letter framed on the office wall.

Oscar: Although the whole process of the trial & the ensuing events must have been very traumatic, and something you're never going to forget, I can't help feeling you'll be a better person for the experience, having seen the other side of the fence first hand - in much the same way as I have full sympathy with the genuine homeless, having spent some time (albeit only a short period - about a week or 2) on the streets myself, whereas most people tend to look down on them as the scum of the earth. While there are those who only have themselves to blame, the vast majority are not - just innocent victims of circumstance caught in the never ending circle, which can be so tough to get out of. In a way I was fortunate, due to my being epileptic I was constantly being picked up & taken into hospital. In the end the Social Services helped me find a single room digs. It was really grotty, but it was shelter, with a proper bed, and once I had a toe in the door it was easier to move on to improve my circumstances. But it's a nasty period of my life never forget, and far from being ashamed at having been on the streets, I'm proud to hold my head high & say that without that experience I may have gone through life with the same blinkered view as nearly everyone else.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1459101 wrote: I've worked the Customer Service Helpline before in my last job, which was actually a Web Developer, but being a very small office, everyone had to chip in with everything else. I'll never forget the time when I got a call from someone ranting & raving accusing me / the company of having sold him software which had totally fried his system.

After spending half an hour or so, trying to remain calm through all the abuse, I finally got him to let me take him through the very basics of troubleshooting from the start.

I asked him to first check the machine was securely plugged in, to which I got a response of a string of swearing, along the lines of "Don't you ********** patronise me you f******g b*****d. What do you take me for. An idiot".

There was then a silence, followed by a very abashed voice voice coming back on the line... "Errr, I don't know how to say this... It seems the cleaner's been in & not plugged the thing back in after she'd finished with the Hoover".

To be fair, we / I did get a very humble letter of apology, complimenting me on being able to remain calm under such pressure. The boss had the letter framed on the office wall.

Oscar: Although the whole process of the trial & the ensuing events must have been very traumatic, and something you're never going to forget, I can't help feeling you'll be a better person for the experience, having seen the other side of the fence first hand - in much the same way as I have full sympathy with the genuine homeless, having spent some time (albeit only a short period - about a week or 2) on the streets myself, whereas most people tend to look down on them as the scum of the earth. While there are those who only have themselves to blame, the vast majority are not - just innocent victims of circumstance caught in the never ending circle, which can be so tough to get out of. In a way I was fortunate, due to my being epileptic I was constantly being picked up & taken into hospital. In the end the Social Services helped me find a single room digs. It was really grotty, but it was shelter, with a proper bed, and once I had a toe in the door it was easier to move on to improve my circumstances. But it's a nasty period of my life never forget, and far from being ashamed at having been on the streets, I'm proud to hold my head high & say that without that experience I may have gone through life with the same blinkered view as nearly everyone else. It's funny because one Daily Mail reader wrote a comment In the readers comments saying ' Poor woman, she'll never get over this'. At the time, I dismissed It but I haven't. After the trial I slid Into the most horrendous depression brought about In the main by being sick to death of complete strangers who thought they had the right to approach me In the street. It'd take an hour to go to the corner shop so I just stayed home. After about a year, I thought, hang on, what the hell am I doing? I forced myself back up but like you, I now have a greater understanding of how trauma can trigger depression and understand others and depression better.

I hope you don't mind me writing this but following on from what you wrote about your finances In the Wonga thread... Are you getting all the benefits you are entitled to? Surely Epilepsy Is a disability and you should get disability allowance.?

You should be proud of yourself. You pulled yourself back up from that and I'm sure you'll soon find work.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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FourPart
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Oscar Namechange;1459103 wrote: I hope you don't mind me writing this but following on from what you wrote about your finances In the Wonga thread... Are you getting all the benefits you are entitled to? Surely Epilepsy Is a disability and you should get disability allowance.?


As well as being Epileptic I have been diagnosed as Dysthymic (previously thought to be Manic Depressive). Until last year I had been put onto Incapacity Benefit at the Higher Rate, when the annual medicals were nothing more than a mere formality. Then Austerity was born & the rules changed. From previously having almost the maximum number of points required to qualify, it went to 0 points overnight & I was put back onto Job Seekers Allowance. This meant that my limited income, which I was just about getting by on, and with careful budgeting being able to put a few quid a week aside for a rainy day, being "The legal minimum it has been determined you need to live on" suddenly dropped by about £10 - 15 / week to another "Legal minimum".

The reason they decided to put me onto IB in the first place was that whenever I had an attack, which was predictable to the day (the 3rd day before the 1st Quarter of the moon), in my sleep (hence being able to hold a Driving Licence), this would result in having to take a week - 10 days off sick to recover, which was considered impractical.

However, purely by chance, at around the same time that I was taken off of IB I was referred to my 'Midwife' (she's the only one in the country to specialise in both Epilepsy & Midwifery, thus ideally suited for epileptic mothers) who eventually persuaded me to try a new medication (which I was VERY wary of, due to previous cocktails having had some very nasty effects), I have now been able to reduce my dosage from 900mg twice a day to 600mg once a day, plus the one 50mg additional tablet, and since being on this med I've not had a single attack (touchwood) - although I still get nervous at the beginning of each Lunar month. However, none of this had anything to with being taken off of IB, as it didn't happen until afterwards.

As far as Disability Living Allowance / Disability Working Allowance I would be disqualified by one of the very first questions - Do you have difficulty in walking 50m unaided on level ground? - which I don't. Hurdle 1 - I'm out of the running.

What really annoys me, though is when you see these T.V. Documentaries naming & shaming the Benefits Frauds, who manage to claim £1000s every week, claiming Disability, while being filmed running their own building businesses & the like. The problem is that everyone who doesn't have a Visible Disability automatically tends to get tarred with the same brush.

The thing is, though, that having been out of work for so long now (2003), I'm well out of the loop, so both that & my age are immediate barriers to employers who are able to pick & choose. In fairness, if I were an employer given the choice of someone whose been out of work for over 10 years & someone whose either already in a job, or only recently unemployed, I know which one I'd be most likely to go for.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

Yes, If the fits have subsided, they will knock you back to Jobseekers but It's good news about the new drugs. That's the positive part as now you can look for work with some degree of confidence.

Yet I know exactly what you're talking about. My husband has COPD ( Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Pulmonary Fibrosis, UIP ( Usual Interstitial Pneumonia ) Serious degeneration of the spine, and Emphysema.

He can not walk more than a few yards, although he drives well and Is In chronic pain every day of his life. The fibrosis has eaten one lung and the last MRI scan showed rapid deterioration In his one remaining lung and he has only 40% lung capacity In that one lung. His consultants could do no more for him so passed him to Professor Anne Miller, the leading Pulmonary disease authority and Is under the critical care unit In lung disease.... Ye, we don't get a penny !!!!

He's registered disabled but sometimes you have to just laugh because I also know exactly what you mean about Illness's that go unseen. Very recently, he parked outside Sainsbury and waited for me and some officious member of the public took It upon himself to challenge him as to the bay being disabled only. He went Into quite a rant about how he was going to report Peter because the bay was for blue badge holders only. Peter let him run out of steam and then just calmly said ' Oh you mean this ?; and pulled his badge out the glove compartment. Looking a knob, the guy then said ' Well you don't look disabled' :yh_rotfl

We get support from SSAFA the armed forces back up but we don't get a penny. About a year ago, they Insisted he should get disability allowance and applied for him... he was turned down !!!! Yet without going Into a diatribe, there's a guy up the road who fakes It big time. He's not got a private agency to come In daily to wipe his bun yet the moment they are gone, his kids tell us he's running up and down the stairs to get beer from the fridge.

Luckilly, the RAF pension kicked In some years ago but we could have been In your position. I also watch those programmes about the benefits system and It's like my revolting neighbour... some just milk the system while the genuine go hungry :-5
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Post by FourPart »

I can't help feeling that if some of these Benefit Fraudsters were to put their talents to some legitimate use they could make some pretty good Corporate Lawyers or Financial Advisors, knowing how to make the best out of loopholes.

Anyway, I had my face to face interview this afternoon. It seemed to go quite well, but I know from experience that counts for nothing. An interview can go so well that it feels that being offered the position is a mere formality, and not get it, whereas one you feel was totally fluffed can go the absolute opposite direction.

It was a bit awkward when I came to put my Posh Togs on, though. It's been quite a while since I had an interview, and back then the suit which I bought specifically for the purpose was quite tight, so I thought that it might fit me quite nicely now that I've lost a bit of weight. Far from it!! I'm not kidding, if you can imagine taking 2 full size bath towels & rolling them up, I could quite easily have fitted them in to take up the slack.

It looks like I'm going to have to a bit more home tailoring on the old Hand Cranker.

Mind you, because of having had 2 interviews in as many days, and having lost another 1.2kg, taking me into a new 'decade' on the scales (having started at 160kg - now down to 139.5kg - the milestone of hitting the 130's) I decided to treat myself to some Fish & Chips on the way home. I know it's totally contrary to the regime, but it's the first time in a couple of months, and I think I've earned it.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1459181 wrote: I can't help feeling that if some of these Benefit Fraudsters were to put their talents to some legitimate use they could make some pretty good Corporate Lawyers or Financial Advisors, knowing how to make the best out of loopholes.

Anyway, I had my face to face interview this afternoon. It seemed to go quite well, but I know from experience that counts for nothing. An interview can go so well that it feels that being offered the position is a mere formality, and not get it, whereas one you feel was totally fluffed can go the absolute opposite direction.

It was a bit awkward when I came to put my Posh Togs on, though. It's been quite a while since I had an interview, and back then the suit which I bought specifically for the purpose was quite tight, so I thought that it might fit me quite nicely now that I've lost a bit of weight. Far from it!! I'm not kidding, if you can imagine taking 2 full size bath towels & rolling them up, I could quite easily have fitted them in to take up the slack.

It looks like I'm going to have to a bit more home tailoring on the old Hand Cranker.

Mind you, because of having had 2 interviews in as many days, and having lost another 1.2kg, taking me into a new 'decade' on the scales (having started at 160kg - now down to 139.5kg - the milestone of hitting the 130's) I decided to treat myself to some Fish & Chips on the way home. I know it's totally contrary to the regime, but it's the first time in a couple of months, and I think I've earned it.


Sometimes you can judge a feeling. The fact you got to Interview face to face In this day and age of thousands going after one job Is really something. Stay positive, think positive thoughts and vibes.

The weight will go back on when the worry goes. I lost 4 stone between arrest and trial and had to buy new clothes for court Including underwear. Once all the IPCC Investigation was over, I was surprised how quick the weight crept back. Like me, your stomach will have shrunk and that takes time to get back to normal, Right now, you'll fee full because your stomach's shrunk.

Fish and chips Is a treat In this house also, ;) Hold your head high.. you have goals, standards and determination... all the qualities for future success.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Post by FourPart »

Oscar Namechange;1459192 wrote: The weight will go back on when the worry goes. I lost 4 stone between arrest and trial and had to buy new clothes for court Including underwear. Once all the IPCC Investigation was over, I was surprised how quick the weight crept back. Like me, your stomach will have shrunk and that takes time to get back to normal, Right now, you'll fee full because your stomach's shrunk.


Don't say that. I'm TRYING to lose it. I started at 160kg, with a minimum target of having to lose 30kg. I'm now down to 139.5kg - past the 2/3 mark, which is why I felt I deserved a treat. Maybe not the best of treats to opt for, but I was hungry as well, not having had time to have anything to eat all day, apart from a bowl of Italian Salad, with Garlic Dressing & Low-Fat Cottage Cheese mixed in with it for lunch - tastes yummy, very healthy, but not very filling.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1459195 wrote: Don't say that. I'm TRYING to lose it. I started at 160kg, with a minimum target of having to lose 30kg. I'm now down to 139.5kg - past the 2/3 mark, which is why I felt I deserved a treat. Maybe not the best of treats to opt for, but I was hungry as well, not having had time to have anything to eat all day, apart from a bowl of Italian Salad, with Garlic Dressing & Low-Fat Cottage Cheese mixed in with it for lunch - tastes yummy, very healthy, but not very filling.
Sorry about that... I have had a very long day and am sooo tired. In that case, try drinking a pint of water before you're meal... works for me and when you get the munchies at night, try a cup of Bovril... again works for me and trust me, I lurve my food.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Post by FourPart »

I've recently discovered Yorkshire Provender Soups - or, to be more precise, the stores own brands of the same thing, obviously made & packaged in the same factory, by the same people, just with different brand labels on & at a fraction of the price.

In general they're usually available at 2 for £3, or £1.75 each, although I usually get about 4 at a time.

Each pot is 600ml, which is nearly twice the amount in a typical can of Coke (330ml), for those of you who don't understand metric, or a bit more than a pint (568ml).

There are a wide range of types, such as Chicken Noodle, Chicken & Vegetable, Tomato & Basil, Spring Vegetable, Spicy Jamaican Barbeque, and loads of others, but one of my favourites is the Chunky Vegetable - it's literally more like a stew.

If you check the ingredients there's absolutely no additives in them whatsoever. No colourings, no preservatives - nothing. Just Water & whatever the type of soup demands of it, plus, of course a bit of various seasonings. The beauty is that they are full of natural vitamins & proteins, but with extremely low fat content.

The instruction for use say 4 mins in the microwave, or to heat it in a pan. However I find it best to do them for the 4 mins, take it out & stir it, and then give it another 1:30 mins, otherwise the outside is boiling, but the inside remain cold.

If you happen to see them on your Supermarket shelves, give them a go - they're absolutely delish.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

FourPart;1459214 wrote: I've recently discovered Yorkshire Provender Soups - or, to be more precise, the stores own brands of the same thing, obviously made & packaged in the same factory, by the same people, just with different brand labels on & at a fraction of the price.

In general they're usually available at 2 for £3, or £1.75 each, although I usually get about 4 at a time.

Each pot is 600ml, which is nearly twice the amount in a typical can of Coke (330ml), for those of you who don't understand metric, or a bit more than a pint (568ml).

There are a wide range of types, such as Chicken Noodle, Chicken & Vegetable, Tomato & Basil, Spring Vegetable, Spicy Jamaican Barbeque, and loads of others, but one of my favourites is the Chunky Vegetable - it's literally more like a stew.

If you check the ingredients there's absolutely no additives in them whatsoever. No colourings, no preservatives - nothing. Just Water & whatever the type of soup demands of it, plus, of course a bit of various seasonings. The beauty is that they are full of natural vitamins & proteins, but with extremely low fat content.

The instruction for use say 4 mins in the microwave, or to heat it in a pan. However I find it best to do them for the 4 mins, take it out & stir it, and then give it another 1:30 mins, otherwise the outside is boiling, but the inside remain cold.

If you happen to see them on your Supermarket shelves, give them a go - they're absolutely delish. Thanks for that... I'll look out for them...Have you tried these? I only recently discovered them In pound shops. I got 4 for a quid.

Mug Shots – Syn Free Varieties (Mugshots) | Slimming World Stretford (Manchester)

As Peter Is also diabetic, we have always gone for fresh meat and Veg before anything else. He goes to bed earlier than me as he gets wiped out by late afternoon so I watch all the days races and It's then I get the late night munchies. I find these perfect and quick.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Post by FourPart »

This is the link to the actual brand:

our soups : Yorkshire Provender

And this is just one of the Own Brand equivalents - every Own Brand equivalent I've seen is 2 for £3:

Online Food Shopping - ASDA Groceries

Just looks at the ingredients of the Asparagus Vichyssoise, With Chives, for instance (picked at random from the range):

Water, leek 15%, asparagus 14%, potatoes, onion, peas 5%, double cream, vegetable stock*, butter, garlic, coriander, chives 0.2%, mint.

*sea salt, potato starch, yeast extract, vegetables (celery, onion, parsley), maltodextrin from maize, sugar, vegetable oil, spices (celery, turmeric, pepper, mace, nutmeg), garlic powder, herb (lovage).

Nothing artificial in sight - and no sugar - ideal for diabetics.

Well worth trying - even looking at those ingredients is making me hungry.
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Post by FourPart »

As part of my Job Search I've enrolled in a Sage Accounting Refresher Course & had my first 3 hour session this morning / afternoon (it's a 30 hour course - attendance as & when you want). It's funded by the council, so no cost problems there.

Anyway, coming out I was stood chatting to one of the tutors, who was taking a smoke break & whilst chatting he pointed out that my bike was about to get a parking ticket, even though it wasn't on the road. It was on a very wide piece of pavement along a back street (approx 4m), right up against the wall & not in anyone's way.

Fortunately the warden, who was a Council worker, rather than one of the Franchise ones, was friendly enough, and once I had identified myself as the owner, he cancelled the booking on his little electronic pad & even stopped to chat a while.

Directly opposite where I had parked it was a multi-storey car park, but it was marked as No Motorbikes, so I couldn't use that. I guess next time I'm going to have to find another little corner next week.
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I've just been told that there will be an article about me to appear in the "Give Me A Chance" section of the Southern Daily Echo sometime in the next couple of weeks (Possibly Saturday).

These articles take this sort of form (although that is not me):



Give Me A Chance - From Today's Echo
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On my way out this morning I saw the Warden of the block, and she came up to me & said "Oooh, you the star of this week, I see".

A bit confused, I replied "Huh"?

She said "I saw your article in the Echo!"

She reckons it was in Sunday's copy, but I suspect it was actually Saturday's. I was going to stop by at the Echo shop in town - not realising it's not been there for years.
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Earlier today / yesterday (as it's past midnight now) I was deep in concentration doing on of my regular Job Searches when the phone rang, making me jump out of my skin.

It turned out to be someone who I had applied to, through Reed, for a vacancy as "Quality Assistant" (whatever that is). Anyway, he said he was looking at my C.V. & would like me to come down for an interview on Monday Morning. True, the location is right on the limit of my travelling distance (9.2m, according to Bing Directions), as I'd have to rely on Da Beasty for this, seeing as it's a Business Park, out in the middle of nowhere, with little or no Public Transport facilities.

I think he was also quite impressed at how quickly I was able to pull up the relevant information whilst I was talking to him. Of course, he couldn't see that the pages were already open in front of me to start with, even before the phone rang.

Whenever I have an appointment in town I always allow about 45 mins travelling time but as this is more than twice as far, I think I'll allow 90 mins - especially seeing as it's going to be during Rush Hour, through all the Roadworks - although once past all that it's Dual Carriageway all the way - bombing along at about 40mph.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

Wishing you the very best.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Well, yesterday's interview 'seemed' to go well, and I think I put myself across well. I found the interviewer's attitude very helpful - relaxed, friendly & informal. Apparently it was his Grandfather who had started the company on a mill lathe in his garden shed & now the company is providing precision engineering materials to the Military, Boeing & Rolls Royce, to name but a few, so I was being interviewed by the top dog, who he simply introduced himself as 'Joe'.

It's a bit of a different type job than I was expecting, but it looks interesting. The main part of the job would be to take the technical drawings on PDF files, highlight the dimensions (upper & lower tolerances - we're talking fractions of a micron here, where a single stroke of Wet & Dry sanding paper could throw the sizing out), then enter all these dimensions onto the software system.

Prior to the interview I looked up potential questions to ask an interviewer, as I can never think of any, but absolutely none of them applied. However, one of the questions I asked seemed to impress him, and that was "Although all the data I enter obviously has to be accurate, it's all copies of copies, so what would happen if the information of the drawing is incorrect?". I was a bit wary of asking such a question at first, as it seemed a bit presumptious, as if it were passing the buck, but he came back "Actually, that's a very good question. As it happens the reason you were kept waiting was because I was held up in the office sorting out a problem where exactly that had happened. Fortunately the software spotted it at the Data entry point & raised the alarm. This is the main reason for the data input being required in the first place". So, I think it demonstrated that I was on the ball with a bit of an understanding of what he had been explaining.

I also liked it when I asked him about whether he would like references, to which he replied "Quite frankly I prefer to go by my own intuition. References are a bloody waste of time. All an employers reference is going to say is that so-and-so worked here from... to..., and a personal character reference is bound to be biased from the start". He couldn't be more right - and a bit of a relief as most of my previous employers are no longer trading (no, not because of me), thus references are no longer possible.

However, as I know all too well from the past, no matter how good an interview may feel, it never seems to have any bearing on the real outcome. There have been interviews that felt as if being offered the job was a mere formality, but turned down, yet there have been others where I've felt I could just forget it, but getting the job anyway.
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Post by Oscar Namechange »

Here's hoping you get the news you want. Fingers and toes crossed for you.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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I didn't get the last one, but I've just got back from another.

At least with this one, because the job is with the National Careers Service, I got some feedback about my application once the interview was over.

As it happened, the reason I was shortlisted for interview was mainly because of a low number of applications, but it seems there were a number of ways in which I could have improved my application - such as entering more detailed information about myself - something which the 'experts' at A4E (Work Placement Advisers) had told me the total opposite. They had said to keep things to a minimal number of 'Bullet Point' style statements, as a potential employer would be scanning applications at speed, and on seeing too much info would simply skip it & move on to the next one. I can see the logic in this. However, now I'm told, by an employer / HR rep, that in reality the OPPOSITE is true. They want to see as MUCH information as possible. The 'Bullet Points' idea is still sound, BUT instead of leaving it at the briefest of Bullet Points (which I had previously been told to do), to quantify each Bullet point with a more detailed statement relating to the Job Description.

With hindsight, all this seems obvious, but it gets so confusing when it's in total conflict with what the 'professional' have advised me. I am just so grateful that she offered the feedback freely without my having to ask for it (which may, I know, not be a good sign in itself, but good info I can take on board in future). I always feel that if I were to ask for feedback it would be putting across a negative image.

The problems arise in where the only 'feedback' you get from an application is the bog standard "there have been a high level of applicants for this position & there have been others which are more suited for this position", which doesn't really say anything.

So at least if I don't get this one, I've got something to take on board in future applications, taken from a source that REALLY counts, not from a bunch of Glorified Social Workers.
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