Hello sparks, newbie introduction

[Rob RX-7]

Hello fellow sparkies, im rob, 28 years old this sunday and bloody fed upI went to college back in 1997-1999, did the 236 part 1 & 2 and the company i was working for went bust. I was only about 19 at the time and in quite a bit of debt (new car, etc) Over the next 6 years I stupidly fell into a dead end warehouse job driving a forklift truck picking orders. Anyway i volunteered for redundancy from that job back in 2005 and bummed about on the dole for a year. In that time i paid for a 16th edition course, passed that and landed a job as a fully qualified sparkie doing all sorts (domestic, industrial commercial).

I was mainly doing maintenance/breakdowns on private occupied homes subcontracting for various insurance companies (changing fittings, fault finding etc.) I also did the odd bit of industrial (repair machines, install cable tray, install dist boards) 90% of the time i was working alone and although at times i was in deeper than i was comfortable with i, enjoyed it. The biggest problem for me is that i told a few lies in the interview. I told them i had been doing it for 6+years and sometimes i was expected to do a job that i felt was out of my league. I soldiered on and learnt a lot. It did help having a manager who sort of realised i wasn't as good as i said and he helped me out in those sticky situations over the phone.

Anyway i only worked there for about 1 year and was made redundant. It was nothing to do with my work, it just gradually went dead and i was in the office more and more twiddling thumbs. That was back in june 2007 and since then i've not done a thing, just enjoyed claiming my tax back from JSA.

The time has come to get into work again. I really don't know how people can stay out of work for years and years and not actually care about the future. I want it all just like the next bloke..nice motor, nice house, holidays abroard twice a year. This is my 3 year plan.

Lately i've been on the job hunt and my god im getting a little frustrated now. AGENCIES! They are absolutley useless. They advertise a job that matches your criteria, so you call them up asking for a certain person and EVERYTIME they say "oh so and so is......

In a meeting now, can i take a message?
Is on a lunch break right now, can i take a message?
Is on the phone right now, can i take a message?
Is taking a dump right now, can i take a message?

They never call back, NEVER! Im quickly getting fed up now, so the plan is to call every contractor i can think of and get my name out there. Another plan is to go it alone. Ideally if i had the 2391 i would be a perfect candidate to do so, but what are peoples thoughts on working for yourself even if you only have the qualifications i have? (236 part 1 & 2, 16th edition) Would the part P be worth getting? Is anybody working for themselves with the qualifications i have?

Sorry for the long post lads and ladies. Hopefuly someone will have a spare 5 mins to read this and get back

Ta

Rob

 

[rumrunner]

Hi Rob,
Dont do your head in, something always turns up ,often when you least expect it, 28 is one of those points in your life where things change.

i dont know how long you have been out of work ,or what area of the country your in ,but im sure ,if you stick to the task of getting work ,someone will give you a start

The easy way to get a job is to find one no one else wants
Get down the job centre later and download every job within 150 mile radius, for electrician ,factory mechanic ,engineer etc etc, then sit down and sort through them logicly.

often agencys are the best bet ,especially if they want someone quick
some will be obvious no hopers, some maybees,but there will be one YOU want

you will want it because you know you can get it ,its a bit like planing a job ,now because you know you want it and you can do it ,how do you get it?

POSITIVE THINKING ,plan your fight ,youve got the target ,done a bit of homework on the company ,you know you can do the job,pace your attack,

Ring them up,be confident ,ask to be put through to however is dealling with the vacancy,tell them your calling about the job,and how quick can you arange an interview,chances are you will get a snotty stuck up tart ,who will ask for a c.v

Just say quite sharply "yeah dont worry about that ,ill bring it with me" then say "ive picked this job from loads of others ,because its the one i want"

if you get fobbed off ,ring again ,and then go and see them ,all is not lost untill they say the jobs gone ,and sometimes not even then!

well ,all the very best in your new job Rob ,and have a good day,

 

[Darius-parky]

Hi Rob, I have only 16th Edition with many years of experience in all areas. At the momement I am working as Electrician Mate. Some thing you might want to consider. Perhaps with your background and level of your qualification it would be easier to land a job like that than fully qualified electrician.

Without financial back up it would be difficult to start on your on. Don't forget you have got to advertise and do marketing to find the work. Then do the work. keep the book. And as you mentioned it for Part P for your demostic works you need to have that or else pay some one part P registered to chek your work and certify it for you.

Like I said may be it is best to go for a Mate job and in the mean time try to do your 2391 if you are confident enough. As I am sure we all know 2391 is not one of easy ones.

Good Luck anyway.