So I was really pleased when I was asked to start recruiting for one or more ‘support’ people.

I really wanted to employ a young person, give them a start, help them to feel good about themselves. I’ve done this before in a previous role and thoroughly enjoyed coaching and training people until they were able to mentor the next new recruit.

Why then – do you think, that even though this role is advertised in every job centre, no-one is applying?

We are a country in recession, unemployment is at an all time high and all I want is someone with very good written and spoken English to make outbound calls.

Is there really an unemployment problem?

On a slightly different theme I watched a TV program about Benefit Busters last night. It showed a training course where single mothers on benefits would be given the skills and confidence to get back into the workplace.

It worked and it was good to see some of these ladies working all except one! Bless her, she wanted to work but she had four children and got more money on benefits than going out to work would bring in. What a system eh?

There was one thing in this course that really irritated me – the trainer was asking the women what the benefits of earning a wage would be, one of the answers was ‘money coming in’ and I was astounded at the trainer’s reaction:

“Yes, money coming in …. its the difference between buying the value range at the supermarket and buying Birds Eye.”

I think maybe they should add a week to this course and teach them to cook, then they could really learn how to economise!!!

In the meantime….does anyone want a job?????

photo credit: shareski

This was an email sent to my new boss this afternoon. He is away at a conference all week and I thought I would clean up a bit today…. big mistake…. HUGE!!!

The email went like this…

I only switched it on to vacuum up the floor.

It really smelled quite hot so I opened up the door.

It made a funny noise, a kind of growling sound.

Picked up some bits then spluttered and threw them on the ground.

Suddenly there was silence, no growling not a yell….

The dyson it had snuffed it and left this awful smell!!!

So far I still have a job – I’ll let you know!!!

After 21 years of dealing with complaints, data, health and safety and ISO I never thought that if I changed my job I would also change my career completely!

I applied for many different roles while I was job searching, many I would never have wanted but it took an interview to make me realise and why, oh why did the people who had the jobs I didn’t want, always want me?

In the end there were just three that were on my shortlist – one was a receptionist role where I could use my languages, one was another customer service role and last but not least was a sales and support role for a company called QADEX. A company that can provide a service to the food industry which in turn will ensure food safety for all of us consumers. And that was the one that I started last Tuesday. It was an exciting day and I received cards – that was a first, I have never had a new job card before…

I have to admit from the first interview I was really interested in this role, it’s been many many years since my City and Guilds Catering Course and my Food Handling Certificate, and though I have continued to have an interest in all types of cooking this job appeared to be way above my head!

The company provides a website where food companies can house information. All suppliers must fill in supplier audit questionnaires on an annual basis to satisfy the authority standard and QADEX has successfully automated the process. Technical managers whose company has signed up for this service just log on and fill their product specifications in online. Developed by food technologists this website has the potential to make paper based auditing a thing of the past.

My role is to support any supplier who has a concern with their questionnaire although if they have BRC accreditation their number of questions can be reduced quite dramatically. I also conduct online free demo’s of the site to show prospective suppliers what is undoubtedly the way forward for their supplier auditing. I also have a brand new crm system to administrate which is fantastic!

The boss is young and full of new ideas, an absolute pleasure to work with:

A brave man posing for my blog!!!

The days go so quickly and are never dull – I had almost forgotten what it is like to drive to work with a smile on my face. My colleagues all think the same although this one had a serious moment when I took his picture….

Well that’s it for now other than to show you my incredibly tidy desk

I’m sure I will have more to say when I understand it all!!!!

But hey! I’m happy and that’s what counts!