I need a new career/job/something to do so I don't get bored

[SteCenturion]

What is your question ?

 

[SteCenturion]

What is your question ?

Got ya/it/link

 

[SteCenturion]

Click on the link in thom's post - all will be explained...

Got it - link - ta - nooby 'n' numb nutz.

Click on the link in thom's post - all will be explained...

 

[Globalti]

Reading your post it's clear to me that you lack any form of self-belief or self confidence. How did that happen? You write good English and have had an expensive education; why on Earth have you been wasting your talents and brains grooming dogs? In the UK we have now started scraping the bottom of the employee barrel and reached the sub-culture of people who can't be bothered to work, which is why employers are finding it so difficult to recruit intelligent, well-educated, honest, mature and above all, diligent workers. This is why the Government is so keen to attact workers from outside the UK, notwithstanding the current media hysteria over Romanians and Bulgarians. There are dozens of employers out there desperate for people like you; all you have to do is find them. Most employers are also honest and ethical and will reward hard work and punctuality.

 

[Spinney]

That's a bit harsh, Globalti - maybe the OP enjoyed grooming dogs!
(or maybe she didn't...)
But there is no obligation to use one's training in future employment (and that's a whole can of worms best opened elsewhere!)

 

[Saluki]

Reading your post it's clear to me that you lack any form of self-belief or self confidence. How did that happen? You write good English and have had an expensive education; why on Earth have you been wasting your talents and brains grooming dogs? In the UK we have now started scraping the bottom of the employee barrel and reached the sub-culture of people who can't be bothered to work, which is why employers are finding it so difficult to recruit intelligent, well-educated, honest, mature and above all, diligent workers. This is why the Government is so keen to attact workers from outside the UK, notwithstanding the current media hysteria over Romanians and Bulgarians. There are dozens of employers out there desperate for people like you; all you have to do is find them. Most employers are also honest and ethical and will reward hard work and punctuality.

I groomed dogs because I earned £40 an hour doing it and, before I smushed my wrist to smithereens, I was astonishingly good at it. Good enough to be headhunted to work in the US and Australia.
I have no self belief, seeing you ask, as my parents battered it out of me at a young age. Stick a horse between my knees and I could take on the world but without a horse, not so brave. I expect most people to be mean.
When I stopped grooming after the Scotland debacle, I got interview after interview but as soon as I mentioned that I needed a natural keyboard (happy to provide own) to type with interviewers lost interest. Also, at 49, employers have to pay me properly unlike had I been 17. Interestingly it seems that people who have been self employed for a long while are less employable. I was told over and over, via feedback from agencies who find bodies for employers, that my admin skills were not up to date, neither were my customer care skills or my telephone skills. I don't know who they thought did my books, talked to my customers or answered the phone. Even though when given IT or telephone assessments I passed them with flying colours.
From September 2011 to August 2012 I was rejected for around 120 jobs. It was a lot more than that in reality as I sent my CV off to hundreds of vacancies found in the paper or online where I received no reply. I diligently wrote them down for the Benefits Agency who thought that I might like 6 weeks stacking shelves at Tesco between 11pm and 6am 17 miles from where I lived with no transport other than my bike. I went back to grooming as it seemed like a good idea and the idea of Tesco made me feel suicidal.
My education is largely because I was married to a pillock in the RAF and tired of 'forces wife' chit chat, especially as I have no kids. I went on courses, a lot, so I could chill out with people who A) had a brain, B) Weren't a forces wife & C)Knew something of life outside the RA flaming F.

Training as a councellor could be a definite plan. My mother was an alcoholic and I have met others in my position via Al Anon. It might be nice to give something back. That would mean another degree I would think though. One of my groomer buddies has just finished a degree so she can go off counseling battered spouses/families of alcoholics and gamblers.

 

[Saluki]

Just had email from one of my friends who suggests that I take over his business of making gourmet dog biscuits. He can no longer get insurance due to his misspent youth. He has a folder full of recipes, a web site and domain and says why don't I have them. It might be a plan while I retrain for something else. Even I can't muck up cooking biscuits for dogs.

 

[Spinney]

Just had email from one of my friends who suggests that I take over his business of making gourmet dog biscuits. He can no longer get insurance due to his misspent youth. He has a folder full of recipes, a web site and domain and says why don't I have them. It might be a plan while I retrain for something else. Even I can't muck up cooking biscuits for dogs.

Plenty of doggy types on here for testing/reviewing, perhaps even buying??
Does he actually make money from it at the moment?

 

[Saluki]

He makes a bit, not a lot as he is not great on the marketing front (or the web building front come to think). I have 150 customers on my books to mailshot and give samples too. In fact I have bought a ton of biccies off him lately to give to my customer's dogs are crimbo pressies. All gluten free (just in case) and the biccies are yummy.

I can't see me building a doggy biscuit/gourmet meal empire but you never know and it might be a nice stop gap in between grooming and deciding what I want to be when I grow up. It has piqued my interest a bit though as I can cook and mix with stupid wrist. I have an electric mixer! I have nothing to lose anyway.

 

[Arch]

Plenty of doggy types on here for testing/reviewing, perhaps even buying??
Does he actually make money from it at the moment?

Yeah, I'd test some!

I haven't got a dog, mind, but I do like biscuits...

Never mind Globalti, he's a miserable bastard who's fed up with Christmas shopping. For what it's worth, I've got a BA, a BSC and an MSc, and I'm working collecting recycling at the kerbside. It's not even good money, but I like what I do, and it keeps me active, and there's very little stress and I don't have to take my work home with me (unless I find a specially nice bottle or tin, or I need some jam jars.)

I still haven't worked out what I want to be when I grow up, at 44.

 

[Ganymede]

Saluki, sorry to hear about your wrist traumas. I think the dog bix might be a go-er because rich people will spend absolutely anything on their dogs. As I've mentioned in occasional posts, I mix on rare occasions with the over-moneyed, and I had to sit and watch someone cook fresh chicken and tenderstem broccoli for their Maltese terrier a few weeks ago. Frankly I could have eaten it myself. The awful truth is that people with this level of money are not being noticeably affected by austerity so if you can sting them for posh dog bix I would go for it! (Just make sure you're not round their house when the revolutionary guard turns up to put the up against the wall.)

You should have a specially twice-as-expensive brand to market to the Nigellas of this world, and a regular version for the ordinary punters who are just fond of their dogs!

BTW I also think that volunteering is wonderful, I do some myself in an administrative capacity. You sound as if you have a lot to offer.

 

[Linford]

Can you not build the business up and take on some youngsters to do the handling of the dogs. You obviously have some nouse so why not put that to use by managing others ?

 

[Arch]

I'd second, or third, volunteering, if you find you have time on your hands. The charity I work for has a lot of volunteers, and can find roles for all sorts of people.

 

[Ganymede]

Can you not build the business up and take on some youngsters to do the handling of the dogs. You obviously have some nouse so why not put that to use by managing others ?

I wonder if there is some funding available somewhere for you to train apprentices? Like government agencies or something like the Princes Trust? There may be social investment loans available in your area, ask your county Community Foundation (google [my county] Community Foundation).

 

[screenman]

Well the nice thing is after years of £40 per hour you will have plenty of cash to invest in whatever you decide to do. I wish you luck, like you my body is worn out, knee's knackered after 7 hours a day on the shoulders painful after years of pulling on them, mince pie's well they are past their best for sure. So all I do is change the business year on year to suit what I can do and have done this for the past 10 or so. There is no way health permitting would I consider the dole, another point I got chucked out, yes expelled from school at 15, so with your education you should surpase me by miles.

Good luck for the future and I hope the pain you bear lessens.