Work in 2009

[monty]

Smaller units banding together does happen and is probably the only way forward for some to survive the present situation.........as for Velociraptor's quote about shredding CVs... this is simply not true ! I have kept them on file and employed people after a year or more!

[stonecirclegirl]

I applied for Jobseekers but the b*ggers tell me I'm not eligible. SO I'm applying for anything at the mo (retail, cust service etc) just went for an interview at Shakeaway making milkshakes... not quite what I had in mind for 2009 . I will most likely be going back to my summer job with National Trust again this year... at least it's soemthing to go back to though (hopefully)

It's got to get better hasn't it?:face-huh:

'There is no great genius without some touch of madness'... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it

[Velociraptor]

Monty said:

"as for Velociraptor's quote about shredding CVs... this is simply not true ! I have kept them on file and employed people after a year or more!"


Velociraptor replies:

It is true. The first confirmed case of this, that I came across was in February 1991.

My source said: "Yeah, I know they don't keep them. It was me that was shredding them".

And their are other instances.

I am not saying that ALL units are doing it, but a proportion are.

So, if you get a message saying they have no work and your C.V. is on file, simply resend another letter and CV a couple of months later, or perhaps once a month, if you are hitting a more selective list of units.

Remember, sending a letter and C.V. is the least likely way to get work as a digger.

You have to remember "the pecking order" in which any unit employs diggers.

FIRST IN ORDER:
A unit will employ local diggers first, that they know can do the job and whom they trust. The other advantage of a local digger is, the employer does not have to offer them "accommodation".

(The local digger is easier to contact because they either visit the office frequently and/or all drink in the same pub that the still-employed staff also drink in. Archaeology job offers are made in pubs, oftenish).

SECOND IN ORDER:
After considering the local diggers, only then are out-of-county diggers considered.
There will be a few out-of-county diggers, that a unit would like to get back again (temporarily at least) so they may be in contact with them occasionally.

THIRD IN ORDER:
The third choice is out-of-county diggers, who have never worked with that particuler unit.
They will have to rely mostly, on sending a C.V. but, if they happen to be an old digging buddy or University buddy of someone at that unit, then their friend will recommend them.

I did (occasional) volunteer digging 1985 to 1990 and began to "cotton on to this reality" then.

I graduated in June 1990 to November 1992......a few weeks her...a few months there.
At that time, I was simply filling the extra places, where units wanted to top-up their total digging force....but their was always a hardcore of local diggers, in that dig team.

It was only in the winter of 1992 / 1993 that I decided to stay in one county and try to get established, amongst the cluster of units there. (Their is a "social" factor in this as well but that is another forum topic, I think).

By staying near a small cluster of local units, you are known to the people in all of those units.
Again, no CV is then needed to get a job. They know you, so you either phone them , email or else, you know what pub they will be in, on a Friday night.

[Velociraptor]

To clarify the above....

I did (occasional) volunteer digging 1985 to 1990 and began to "cotton on to this reality" then
by sitting in the site hut at break times and listening to the conversation.

I graduated in June 1990

June 1990 to November 1992, I circuit dug......a few weeks here...a few months there.

[monty]

in response to Velociraptor ..........well this may happen in some units but is definitely NOT the case in my experience. All jobs i have ever got, particularly while on the digging circuit in the past fifteen or so years, were by sending CV and application letter !

[monty]

..and for everyone seeking work.......keep emailing or posting them CVs............DONT give up.... things will get better though its going to be hard for a while

[Velociraptor]

Monty says:

..and for everyone seeking work.......keep emailing or posting them CVs............DONT give up

And I add:

Yes, keep keep emailing or posting them CVs......AND KEEP YOUR MOBILE PHONES SWITCHED ON!

Hopefully, everyone these days has their own mobile phone? If not...get one.

The most likely way you will be contacted, is by phone.

On several occasions, at different units, a job is confirmed in the morning and by the afternoon, the bosses are "ringing round" trying to get people. They will phone your land line first (it's cheaper) and then try your mobile.

But what if "Person X" only has a landline and is "out" when the call comes through?

The telephoning unit "may" leave an answer-machine message, or "may" decide to call back later but I have also known it to be the case, if the person is "out", the caller simply drops down to the next person on the telephoning list and gives them the job instead.

So "Person X" missed out on a job because he did not have a mobile phone.

[Velociraptor]

A STRANGE TALE - that may be of some use?

A true tale, that occurred in 1992.

I was keen to work at "UNIT X".
I kept regularly sending CVs and following up with a phone call.
Each time I phoned, "Mr Posh Voice" would take my call and say: "I am terribly sorry, we have no jobs here, at the moment".

As always, the cure for this problem was: "It is not WHAT you know but WHO you know, that counts, when you want to get a job".

I discussed "UNIT X" and "Mr Posh Voice" at the local diggers (unemployed diggers?) pub.

One of the people at the pub "Smiley", said he knew that "UNIT X" would be wanting diggers, in two weeks time.

With this tip-off, I rang at the appropriate time.

"Mr Posh Voice" said: "I am terribly sorry, we have no jobs here, at the moment".

I said that I had been told, that they had.

"Mr Posh Voice" said: "I am terribly sorry, we have no jobs here, at the moment".

I decided to contact "Smiley". He was friends with a field officer in "UNIT X" - "Mr Cool Dude".

Smiley said: "phone them again, tomorrow morning, When Mr Posh Voice picks up the phone, do not ask if there any jobs, just ask to be put through to Mr Cool Dude. Say nothing else. Mr Posh Voice will assume you know Cool Dude, as you have just asked for him. When you get throught to Cool Dude, tell him you are one of Smiley's digging buddies".

So I did that. I phoned UNIT X. Mr Posh Voice answerred the phone. As usual, I did not give my name, but this time, simply said: "Good morning, can you put me through to Mr Cool Dude, please"

Mr Posh Voice said "cetrainly sir" and put me through.

On getting through to Cool Dude, I explained who I was. He said that they were desperate to get up to 40 diggers, for a site that had to be done. He immediately offerred me a start, next monday morning. So there you are. He had never met me before, never actually read my CV (he told me so) and accepted me as "good enough" as I had dug with one of his mates. All I had to do, was repay his kindness by turning up and doing the job.

A final part to my tale.

That morning, I had thus tricked "Posh Voice" into putting-me-through to Cool Dude and thus got a job.

I decided out of mischief, to phone UNIT X in the afternoon and put Posh Voice to the test.
Posh Voice picked up the phone. I gave no name as usual but said I was a digger that had sent CV and was looking for work.

"Mr Posh Voice" said: "I am terribly sorry, we have no jobs here, at the moment".

I should have called him: "A complete and utter two-faced anchor" or something like that but instead, I politely said "thank you" and put the phone down. Then I laughed.

Moral: It was knowing Smiley in the diggers pub that got me that temporary job. With him telling me to ask for Cool Dude, that made all the difference.

If you too, know a name to ask for, that might make all the difference!

[monty]

.......maybe Velociraptor....... but it is unfair to tar all units with the same brush !..... in my recent experience positions have been offered by e mail with follow up call to confirm availability........another thought.......maybe Smiley person was doing the hiring rather than Posh Voice ????............ it is often POs who sort out field staff rather than unit directors (i presume that is what you are saying).....

[monty]

........oops !!.for Smiley read Cool Dude !!! couldnt edit this ...........