What a great feeling - quitting my job

[avgas]

I went for a job interview through an agency - they never actually met me - just talked to me over the phone - they sent me to the interview which went well, but then the agency called my current employer to get a reference! Can you believe that, especially when I specifically said that this was to be strictly confidential.

Its not just agencies..........I once ripped into the head of Human Resources at Westpac.
Paul Louis - head of HR @ Westpac is a knobhead. See attached. He wouldn't know HR if it bit him on the arse and gave him an infection.

Perhaps, its a lack or understanding, or an abuse of procedure. But to put it blankly the recruitment process at Westpac is shocking.

Recently my wife (whom was a Westpac employee - for many years, in the recent past), not only applied for a role back at Westpac. She was skilled enough to get the job, and found herself in a short listing position very quickly. Great news I thought - as I have always pushed her to return to Westpac as an employee. I am a very proud Westpac customer, and have been for many years.

As an ironic twist of fate, my wife also found the role was to be under an old boss of hers. Someone who knew her skills, and understood that in the past not only was she a good employee she had several Westpac awards stating that she was one of the best in sales in NZ. He was super pleased to have such a skilled employee come back to him.

We are now at the final stage of the recruitment process with her application - and it seems the last step throws the whole Human Resource Management manual out the window.

As the final step - she must give the contact details of her direct manager, in the current firm she is working for.
You have to be kidding. You cant be that serious to make that big a recruitment mistake.
I have told her not to give her current bosses details UNTIL she has job security.

She has given references from ALL her previous employers. AND she has already has a successful history within Westpac. You can't be that stupid to thing she would jeopardize her current employment (with another financial firm) on the possibility that she will be finally approved for RE-EMPLOYMENT at Westpac.

I eagerly await your response as you think this might be required? Or if its not required - how your going to remedy this hole in your systems that we have found.
Please note that I have sent this to another division within Westpac. If I hear no response within 24 hours I will send it 2 another 2 members/areas within Westpac.
If I hear no response within 48 hours - I will release it to the press.

The concerns you have raised regarding Westpac’s recruitment process are acknowledged. Due to
Privacy Act requirements we are unable to respond in detail about the specific matters relating to your
wife’s application for a role at Westpac unless we have your wife’s authority to do so.

Upon receipt of a written authorisation from your wife which authorises us to discuss her current
application for employment at Westpac we would be happy to discuss the specific issues you have raised
concerning her recruitment experience.

I did however wish to address the issues you raise in a more general context. Westpac has an extremely
robust recruitment process which ensures we achieve recruitment best practice from both a New
Zealand and global perspective.

Integral to any decision to recruit any potential candidate is reference checking. Our recruitment
process requires that referees provided by candidates are current or former managers or team leaders of
the candidate. References provided by people other than someone the candidate reported to, such as a
work colleague or trainer are not considered satisfactory.

We appreciate that at times it is not appropriate for an external candídate’s current manager to be a
referee and we are typically flexible provided the candidate can provide another appropriate referee.

Thank you for taking the time to provide Feedback on your perceptions of Westpac’s recruitment
process. We are comfortable that our processes ensure we provide potential candidates with a quality

recruitment experience and that we select candidates that ensure our customers get the very best
service and advice from the Bank.

Paul LouisHead of Recruitment

Thank you for you response.
Though I completely disagree with what you believe to be true. It is irrelevant at this point - as Yuqi will be accepting a new management offer on the table, from ANZ.
Thank you for all efforts until this point. I won't be pursing the matter further.

These are just the ending of the conversation.........it was far more interesting before then. At the time my wife was working for ING (competitor!)

[avgas]

It may not be your chosen field but often a foot in the door is all you need.

Sorry but I call bluff on this.
There are fuck all companies in New Zealand that promote potential. When they hire you (currently) you are fixing a problem they have. That problem will not magically go away.
So your foot becomes a concrete slipper. And you stay in that position.

Don't believe me? Name a single CEO in NZ that "worked his way up". There is no corporate ladder in NZ, just people jumping from company to company. With each jump if your lucky you get a little higher.

[jrandom]

Don't believe me? Name a single CEO in NZ that "worked his way up".

Roger McRae, McConnell Dowell.

Peter Maire, Navman.

Just a couple of chaps I've worked for.

There's a lot of lazy-arse defeatist bullshit in this thread.

[jrandom]

Actually, KF, have you tried applying for a motel cleaning job (for instance)?

Yes, he has.

I took kiwifruit on his word on this topic a year ago, walked out of my job in Auckland and moved to Taupo with nothing lined up.

Total time spent unemployed since then: 3 days.

I basically managed it by having a driver's licence, speaking good England and not being afraid to do filthy unpleasant things and sweat a lot. Agreeing, without blinking, to work 12 hour days, 12 on 2 off, at bugger all above minimum wage, helped too.

The point of the 'just go get a fucking job' approach is that it requires a willingness to work.

The actual amount of genuine work that most people have to do is laughable. Compared to the majority of human history, we live like kings on holiday in our technological civilisation.

I believe this fact has warped people's perceptions of what they should be expected to do in return for a living.

[oneofsix]

Yes, he has.

I took kiwifruit on his word on this topic a year ago, walked out of my job in Auckland and moved to Taupo with nothing lined up.

Total time spent unemployed since then: 3 days.

I basically managed it by having a driver's licence, speaking good England and not being afraid to do filthy unpleasant things and sweat a lot. Agreeing, without blinking, to work 12 hour days, 12 on 2 off, at bugger all above minimum wage, helped too.

The point of the 'just go get a fucking job' approach is that it requires a willingness to be exploited.

The actual amount of genuine work that most people have to do is laughable. Compared to the majority of human history, we live like kings on holiday in our technological civilisation.

I believe this fact has warped people's perceptions of what they should be expected to do in return for a living.

Think you meant being exploited so have fixed it for you.

Also you have a distorted view of human history, not surprising because those that wish to exploit you are the ones that have the most control over the way history is presented

[jrandom]

Think you meant being exploited

Well, I dunno about that, man. I've been having fun. And have you noticed the brand new Harley-Davidson in my profile picture?

Still, whinge as you see fit. It leaves more holes in the economy for people like me to fill.

[Headbanger]

The actual amount of genuine work that most people have to do is laughable. Compared to the majority of human history, we live like kings on holiday in our technological civilisation.

I believe this fact has warped people's perceptions of what they should be expected to do in return for a living.

Complete agreement.

Meanwhile we have fuckers paid to sit at home, watching sky tv and smoke who complain about poverty and rich pricks.

[vifferman]

Not trying to be a judgmental cunt, You guys follow your own road, Just saying what I would do.

Well that's fair enough - didn't sound judgemental at all.

Fuck that, Personally I'd support my wife in what she wanted to do and say fuck the house.
Sell it, do something you like, be happy.

That's what I/we'd like to do. Trouble is.. well - actually, there's several troubles. Things aren't always as simple as one'd like them to be. I've had several rather dumb and ill-considered career path changes already, and we've moved around the country a fair bit (Hamilton > Chch > Tauranga > D'Auckland). The moves didn't really result in a better standard of life, and in real terms, I'm worse off financially and perhaps otherwiseally than if I'd stayed in my Hamilton job.
There's also the MutantTroglodyteSpawn to consider. Yeah, they're adults, but somewhat retarded ones at that. While it'd probably possibly do 'em some good to be kicked out and have to find their own way, it might also break 'em.
I'd love to ditch the house, but until we get the leakiness sorted, it's not going to happen in a hurry.
So we're fucked either way by the crap decisions I've made and that the vifferbabe has supported. While it's time for us to make some decisions that are good for her, and that I support, dunno how/when/why/where yet....

[vifferman]

The point of the 'just go get a fucking job' approach is that it requires a willingness to work.

... and the benefit is, it usually leads to rewards, both intrinsic and unexpected. I've always been prepared to tackle anything, and had some interesting jobs as a result. After 5 years of university, I took the first job that came along, a temporary (6 week) labouring job on a gummit farm at basic wages. Worked really hard, and it got extended, and extended again until before I knew it, a year had passed. Applied for a technician's job that came up, and missed out to a well-qualified chick who turned out to be crap, and who left after a few months. They encouraged me to apply again, and gave me the job. Pay and work was slightly better, but after a while I realised I was becoming gummintified, applied for the first job that came along, and spent 9 years in a very well paid lab job. A couple of crap decisions later, and I ended up unexpectedly unemployed. So... I did house-husbanding duties for a couple of years, supplemented by packing kiwifruit, painting, plastering, and some very lucrative contract programming work that fell into my lap. Interesting times...
And then I moved to D'Auckland, and ... well, you know what that's like...

Time for some real planning, a bit of good luck, and a complete change of lifestyle, I reckon....

EDIT: Ack Shirley, it's time to go out to the gargre (I'm wagging work today, using up some sick leave), and remove my rear shock so Dr Bob can overhaul it (if he replies to email...)

[ducatilover]

There is shit loads of work out there, and one is either over qualified, underqualified, too old, not experienced enough, too experienced, the wrong colour, size, sex or shape, or not. Yadayadayada....

Seems to be the reaction I get

What has 40 got to do with anything?

A man, about 40 years old, walked into my place of employment a few weeks ago. He was averagely presented, smelt a bit poorly and had fairly poor people skills. He asked if we had any work going. I said no but got his cell phone number and started ringing around for him. He had a job by the end of the week thru a friend of a friend. All because he impressed someone with his keenness.

If you want to work you will. What the fuck are you doing on kiwibiker right now? If you're serious, go find yourself some work to do. <3

Want my number mate
I'm too qualified to work in petrol stations, supermarkets etc I don't care what silly bits of paper I have, I would rather enjoy a new job.

[jrandom]

I'm too qualified to work in petrol stations, supermarkets etc I don't care what silly bits of paper I have, I would rather enjoy a new job.

Send me a CV, dude. PM me for my work email address.

[onearmedbandit]

We've advertised for yard hands at our car yard and we maybe get a handful of replies, and out of that handful we get maybe one who has put the effort into dressing properly. When people complain there are no jobs out there, I shake my head in dismay.

As for me, well I was lucky enough that my present employer spent weeks looking for me and found me sitting at home watching TV and working on my bike. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse (well I could have, but a change sounded good) and here I am. Unlike the ad says, I guess you don't have to seek lol.

[ducatilover]

We've advertised for yard hands at our car yard and we maybe get a handful of replies, and out of that handful we get maybe one who has put the effort into dressing properly. When people complain there are no jobs out there, I shake my head in dismay.

As for me, well I was lucky enough that my present employer spent weeks looking for me and found me sitting at home watching TV and working on my bike. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse (well I could have, but a change sounded good) and here I am. Unlike the ad says, I guess you don't have to seek lol.

I've seen some slobby looking people go for jobs, even if I arrive on the bike I will have a tidy set of clothes with me to wear.
A car yard would float my boat I'll scour the Palmy/Feilding scene again and see if anyone needs something washed (the stupid part is I tend to know a shit load more about what most people are selling than they do)

[MSTRS:Me]

...(the stupid part is I tend to know a shit load more about what most people are selling than they do)

And there we have it. The young are easily employed because they know everything.

So all you people on here banging on about how 'easy' it is to get a job, enjoy it while you can. Soon you'll have responsibilities outside of work, you'll wonder where your forties went and you'll become a highly experienced, know-nothing unemployable yob.

[ducatilover]

And there we have it. The young are easily employed because they know everything.

So all you people on here banging on about how 'easy' it is to get a job, enjoy it while you can. Soon you'll have responsibilities outside of work, you'll wonder where your forties went and you'll become a highly experienced, know-nothing unemployable yob.

Only my one area of knowledge...car facts, specs etc. My uncle is a car dealer (very successful one at that) and he knows sweet F.A about anything he's selling. He's a good salesman though.

It's certainly not easy to get a job at the moment.