Hello all, how are you doing?I have been away for a while mainly because I was job hunting. I really needed a job to pay my bills even though my husband works and has a good salary, I am still responsible for my own bills and unfortunetaly my student loan debt :-(.
I applied here and there and got some invitations for a job interview. I always told myself not to get a job through an employment agency because I have really bad experience with them and also online I read a lot of bad reviews about employment agencies for the fact that payments are too late and you have to fill in a declarationform every single week for the hours you have worked( even though you work 40 hours every week e.g.). My worst experience with an employment agency was that I got a call from them to work for a Dutch bank and I should visit them all the way in Utrecht, which means traveling with the train and pay in total €20 for travelling. She was very happy with me and said that I was a great candidate for this job at the bank. I signed everything and she said I could probably start in 10 days. I waited 10 days and I didn't hear anything. So I called them many times and they said the lady wasn't working that day. I was very pissed because I really had hope and really believed I would get the job. This is by the way one example of my bad experience. In general, employment agencies who ever called me, promised me a job that I eventually never got.
After a few years, I suddenly received a phonecall from an employment agency that offered me a job at a Dutch bank. I was suspicious but I was also aware that they could give me false hope again. I decided to give it a try. I had to do an online test first. I passed the test and got an invitation from the bank and the employment agency. First I thought I would work at the bank and meet clients face to face. Later I found out I only have clients contact through phone....Which I really hate. I never liked calling people especially clients. I am also not good with computers. Every time an employment agency offered me a call center job, I refused. But with this bank it was slighlty different. I didn't have to call clients but they would call us for questions. My clients would be expats and non residents. So I gave it a try. I wanted to give it a try and maybe I would suddenly like to speak on the phone with clients.
I had to learn for my Wft certificate in order to be able to work for a bank. Learning for my certificate took me 2 weeks to study it and pass the exam. I passed the exam and could finally start working. The first 3 weeks was a full time training and I had to travel 1,5 hours to get there at the bank. The first days of my training were very tough because I missed my kids and I didn't work for a while and suddenly had to work full time. I also realized during my training it was nothing for me. I didn't like the management style, the travelling and the annoying declaration forms I had to print out, signed and uploaded every single week for the employment agency. In my contract it was written I would work 28 hours every single week after the training would be over. But still I had to do it manually online for every week, which was very weird and annoying.
I really wanted to get out there and quit. It just didn't feel right and I didn't feel it was my place to be. BUT maybe it was just the beginning and I have to get used to it? Maybe I should give it a few weeks? Every morning I left the house with weights hanging around my ankles--> that's how it felt for me. I also knew, that if I wanted to resign, I have to pay back the money they invested in me which is the certificate itself. So I felt somehow trapped as a prisoner. The only way to resign is if they fire me. I know it sounds strange if you want to get fired. The management was poor( micro-management). I only heard my colleagues saying negetive things about the rules there. No one was happy. They were just happy seeing each other.
I know it sounds beautiful if people ask you where you work and you say that you work for a bank. It sounds amazing but the truth is, the job was terrible because of the management style, the poor communication with employment agency, the traveling time and some arrogant experienced colleagues. I was looking at the receptionist and thought:" what a nice job she has." I really wanted to resign but I didn't want to pay back the costs of the certificate. So one day my team leader called me and said (to make a long story short) that she had to let me go. She didn't feel I was happy and that I can't call independently in the nearest future. I am happy I am fired and so are my kids and husband. On the other hand, I am sad because I met some nice people at the office that I really could laugh with.
I am now jobless but I am happy I don't have to travel that distance with the train and I know now 100% that I won't say yes to a company where I have to be on the phone with the clients all day and upload declaration forms every single week. I am currently looking for a job closeby home and it doesn't matter that the job isn't matching my education. As long I am happy and can see my kids in the morning when they go to school.
Sounds like it all worked out if you are happier now. Sounds like it wasn't a very pleasant place to work and it's not worth being miserable everyday at your job. Our time is short so happiness matters most I think.
Yes, i am much happier now because i had to travel 1,5 hour with the train, poor management and being on the phone with clients all day. On top of that we had to learn for our 2nd and 3rd certificate within 6 months. And i just couldnt find time after work to learn this.
Sometimes at certain age levels, there are egos who want to look cool because of work. But actually, things that look cool, are far from cool words.
For example, workers for TV stations, sounds cool indeed, but between salary and responsibility is not appropriate.
Hopefully you get a job that suits your condition.
I now also feel like I want to quit my job, but can't. :)
True, working for a bank made people respecting me but the house looked messy and the kids were missing me and not eating well. Thank you, I hope I will find a simple job that matches me and my family. I hope that you will find a new job that you love too :-).
Great to see you back posting, and good luck with the new job!
Thank you, but I wrote that I don't have a new job yet...
maybe we can only improve our ability in one job, even though all of that is very influential on our age now, the important thing is we are always confident and passionate @fathin-shihab
yes, we have to love our job otherwise it won't make you happy :-|
Well what a surprise great to see you after such a long time and got to know that you were busy due to work something to learn from you is that never be dependent on anyone which is great quality of your :) i wish you all the best keep chasing your dreams
Thank you @blazing :-). Yes, as a woman we should never be too dependent on men because anything can happen in life. So it's good to have at least a small income. I wish you too all the best!
wow, you've been on quite the ride these past few weeks. but at-least you got an interesting experience worth blogging about :P good to see you back, relax and rejuvenate a little and hopefully you find a job that makes you happy. cheers and good day!
Yes @jznsamuel, it was quite a ride :-D. An experience to share this with you hehehe. Yes, I am quite relaxed now and I am looking for a simple job, even though it won't match my CV, as long it matches me and my family. You too cheers and enjoy your day! :-)
It is really nice to hear from you after a long time @fathin-shihab. Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate to what you are saying here. I personally think you are too talented to work for someone else. You have to have your own company and be a “zzp-er”. I have seen part of your work here on steemit and I know you can do it!
@diamondinform, you are one of the sweetest Steemians on this platform :-). And it seems you know me very well. I always wanted to start for myself, but financially it isn't working for me right now. I need sources to finance the materials I need. So I need to get rid of my student loan debt first, before I can continue. But I will do this in steps and then I will eventually start for myself :-). Thank you for the kinds words!
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