Whatever

I don't expect you thought I'd be back so soon. This is not about work but charity. I am running in this year's London Marathon and will be doing so on behalf of the Alzheimer's Society. I have had a mixed year and during it I was given help by a number of people and organisations. Now I am back on my feet, I would like to give something and this is my way of doing it. I think you'll agree that all charities are worthy, but I had to choose one and Alzheimer's is that one, but I can't remember why? Ho, ho - a little joke there. Seriously though, dementia is no laughing matter and it can strike anyone regardless of their lifestyle. How I am sponsored is up to the individual: an amount regardless of what I do or with a caveat, such as time. My target is 3 hours 30 minutes based on my last half marathon time of just under 90 minutes. I think it's attainable as it works out at 8 minutes a mile with my half pace being 6.45 minutes a mile and I think I'll be disappointed if I don't make the time. Apart from suffering the pain of training and lack of a social life over the next three months, I will also be putting money in to the pot. So, I hope I can rely on the generosity of all and sundry to dig deep for a worthy cause. The link: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GarySullivan Oh yes, Gary Sullivan is my real name!

Here we are: the end. In early November I was contacted about a job from a company responding to one of my speculative letters. It's a small printing and design business in south London close to Lambeth Bridge. It's actually walking distance from Waterloo and Victoria, and a short tube ride to Oxford Circus, so a good spot. The owner of the company has his fingers in a few pies and is spreading himself a bit too thinly, so he wanted someone to come in a run this particular business. It's small, certainly the smallest I have worked for, but small can be good as there's more of a personal touch for clients. I was offered the job on the spot in November. We decided to go for a 'two month freelance temp-to-perm' trial run. I decided to keep quiet about it as I didn't know if it would work out and before you know it I'm back on the old rock 'n' roll. However, it does appear to have worked out as I was given employee forms to complete without a review meeting, so I am assuming all is well. The upside is I am enjoying it very much; the downside is the salary. In the first meeting my jaw hit the table when money was mentioned. Working on the checkout at a supermarket wouldn't pay much less and without the stress. After I voiced my feelings, the money was increased by £3000 with a review promised after two months (now), and another one in July. I am thinking long-term, so that's why I was happy to start with the idea of the salary creeping up over a year and a bit, and hopefully all will be well as I am enjoying it and I am certainly earning more than a couple of months back. I don't have that "oh, work tomorrow" feeling, which is nothing to do with being out of work for a year and this being a novelty - it is that I like it a lot. The company does a lot of work for clubs, especially the gay ones in Vauxhall and it's without any marketing. If I can get my selling hat on, I feel there is potential to increase business within the nightclub area, but also any other organisation that needs design and print. So there we are, I have a job. Who would have thought it, and it came about from a speculative letter. See, plugging away can work and not all emails are ignored so keep doing it. I'm going to write a blog every so often to provide an update - hopefully with good news. At this point, I feel compelled to name the company and provide my first piece of marketing. I expect everyone reading this who needs good design and/or printing to be on the phone demanding my services. A simple name considering its location: Vauxhall Print 0870 3504590. Tara!

Happy new year to one and all and this to be my penultimate blog (well, maybe?). This weekly blog is, in effect, 'The Chronicles of David', with the purpose of showing what it's like being unemployed. The plan was to give an insight into the dark and murky world of the of the Jobcentre and the hoops that have to be jumped through to get very little and what it's like trying to get a job when it's a buyers' market. The difficulties are enormous and you need to have a strong character not to crack under the pressure. I can fully understand why people resort to desperate measures or end up falling into serious debt and depression. Hopefully, I have also provided enlightenment to people who did know or realise how dreadful it is. The blog developed into me putting my views across on employment issues generally and not just what was effecting me personally. I have found the whole experience very cathartic. However, the inevitable has happened. A few weeks' ago I mentioned a couple of possibles on the job front - one being a PR company wanting me to develop its design side. This one is still hanging around and was deferred until the new year (now!). Anyway, in true soap opera fashion, all will be revealed next week in the final installment.

Unemployment figures are still not making wonderful reading. They are unchanged over the last quarter (good) but up by 1.9% on last year (bad). The unemployment figure should be higher as there are unemployed people that don't sign-on. I met one such person last week. I went out with a friend who I haven't seen for about a year. He is a freelance proofreader specialising in corporate reporting (probably the only sector that still needs readers). I was shocked to find out he hasn't had any work for about five months. OK, annual reports is a seasonal thing, so very busy in the early part of the year so he usually makes a killing during that period and picks-up other work through the rest of the year. The 'other' work hasn't materialised and he doesn't have anything lined-up for January, when usually he would have a contract or two in place. During the evening I asked the obvious question: "are you claiming benefits?". He isn't. He is surviving by living off his savings and continually expecting and hoping a contract will happen. His reasons for not signing-on were a) "I've never signed-on before so won't now"; and b) " I couldn't face the humiliation of the job centre". I understand his feelings, but he has to overcome it. As I can testify, he won't get much money and he'll have to jump through hoops to get it, but it's something, and something is better than nothing when you're in his situation. He has paid untold amounts of tax in to the system, so in his hour of need he should get something back. This made me think that there must be many others out there not claiming, and no doubt for the same reasons. Anyone who is unemployed has to bite their tongue and register. It isn't a nice experience, but just do it - you deserve it (the benefits, not the humiliation!).

So, the government intends to guarantee that people under the age of 24 won't be without a job or training for more than six months. The government, spinning like a top as always, cannot guarantee a job, therefore the 'or training' bit comes in to play - something it can provide. I have had experience of the 'or training' part of the government's masterplan to get the country back on its feet, and my heartfelt feelings are extended to all those poor young things who will now be put through the wringer. These young folk will skip along to the training centre like it was their first day at school, excitement coupled with trepidation; their hearts almost bursting. On arrival they will at first be quiet, but very soon will chatter excitedly with the person sitting next to them about what the day will deliver. Very quickly the reality of the 'or training' will become apparent. When the class commences and the trainer bellows: " there are niney ayt farsend jobs art there, why aint you got one?" (there are 98,000 jobs out there, why haven't you got one?), the hearts of the assembled will sink. Ah yes, the government's outsourcing of the training has a budget and the budget doesn't seem to be very much, so you get what you pay for. I was told by a member of staff at the training centre I attended that when a person is on one of its courses, then officially they are not classified as unemployed, although still in receipt of benefits, but this course of action massages the figures. This is what I was told, I haven't verified it, but it certainly has a ring of truth. So, good luck you under 24s, because you'll need it.

The employment rate for the last quarter suffered a slight fall of 0.1%. This figure is from the Office for National Statistics, and I love the slight twist in how the information is conveyed: not a rise in unemployment but a drop in employment. To the unwary eye the rise in unemployment may be mistaken for a decrease, it's almost a bit of spin. The reality is an increase of 30,000 for the period, so the old green shoots are not sprouting just yet. To compound the misery for these newly jobless, and the old hands, the number of vacancies is the lowest since records began. OK, the record in question only started in 2001, but in true spin style it is the smallest monthly fall since the three months to April 2008. That gives me a nice warm glow and makes all seem OK. An interesting aspect is average earnings increased over this period, with the greatest increase being in the public sector. At a time such as this when jobs are still being lost and inflation isn't exactly high, how can any pay rises be justified? The public sector just doesn't get it, but they will when the cuts happen and they find themselves out on their ears. In my heart I cannot wish unemployment on anyone, but when it comes to public sector I somehow suffer memory loss and don't seem to care. Does that make me a bad person? Probably. Oh yeah, don't get me started on the 'two fingers' to everyone in this country now being sported by the RBS mob. What a bunch of bankers.

The interview at the PR agency happened and all went well. The business is tiny; the office seemed no bigger than my living room. The company's website is a great piece of PR as the impression given is of a much larger business with an impressive client list. As it transpired, the list is misleading as they were not regular clients and any work done had been pretty small. Oh, well - good PR I suppose. The upshot is, it isn't an employed position but a partnership using the company's name as the door opener. Looking after existing and future design workflow would pose no problems, but developing and marketing it would. I have no experience in that area and have no idea where to begin. I'm chuffed that the person I met thinks I can, and he commented on how good at sales he thinks I would be due to my chatty and relaxed manner, but cold-calling is something I find very difficult. There's a skill in cold-selling that I don't have, but when it's warm I think I'm OK. The company operates in this partnership/associate way and the gentleman said the graphic designer he uses isn't busy, which suggests that this PR company must have very little in the way of design work considering a freelancer has more than one client. I certainly haven't dismissed the idea as this has been the only possible offer I've had in a very long time, but I need to be confident to be successful and with this I am not. It's tough one. It was said there is no urgency and I can take as long as it takes, so I may as well see if I can come up with some ideas. Blimey!

Oooo, the ol' nerves are twitching. I have the interview at the PR company on Tuesday and I still don't know how to approach it. Over the past week I have been mulling over it and the only conclusion I reach is to not worry and go in with an open mind. I think it will flow easily once I'm settled down, but butterflies are fluttering ever so slightly. Anyway, would you believe it: you wait ages for one and then two come along. I have arranged to meet someone at another company next week. This one came about from a recent speculative letter, and it's with a small design and print business in Vauxhall. It's all very trendy now in Vauxhall, unlike when I was a boy as I grew up close by in Kennington. So more research to do, but this one should be simpler as it's for a role I've done before. I recently spoke to a headhunter who specialises the financial services sector and he was adamant that speculative emails are a waste of time as they get deleted in nano seconds. Maybe that is the case in his business area, but it's working in my game as this will be about the fourth meeting I have got via that route. OK, the return rate from the amount of emails I have sent is very low, but if one comes good then it's worth it. So my advice to others in my situation is to keep plugging away as it can work. Mind you, it hasn't actually worked for me yet as I am still looking, but the potential is there and it gives you a boost when you get a foot in the door, so - bah! humbug! to Mr Headhunter.

Well, would you believe it - an unexpected interview. Two days' ago an email popped-up in the old in-box from someone I didn't recognise. It was from a PR company wanting to know if I am still looking for work and that they have a role that is suitable. They are looking for someone with experience in the design industry to expand their design business. I almost jumped in the air and whooped! The astonishing thing about this is I sent a speculative email to the company in March, so not all companies immediately press 'delete' when receiving unsolicited letters from the likes of me, which is nice to know. I have arranged to meet the senior partner in the business next week and I am, to say the least, both excited and worried. I did say that I am not a designer as I made the assumption that it may have not been noticed, just the 'having worked for design companies' on my CV, but all is well. This role involves areas I have not done, namely sales. To do any driving forward for the business will require marketing and selling, way down on the skills list. However, I don't state on my CV that I have done any of that stuff, so I can only assume that the gentleman I am meeting is seeing something that I don't. I think it sounds great, but I am unsure how to approach it as it's different to what I usually do. At least I have plenty of time to mull over it and to think of a game plan. Ooooo, er - this is a tough one.

There is a broad consensus that recovery is on the way, and therefore, the job market will pick-up, presumably. Will this recovery last or crash and burn? A chief executive of a big player recently said that "we're over the worst" but was unable to utter the word 'recovery' as he clearly doesn't think the end is nigh to this recession. Other countries within the G7 or G20, or whatever it is, have recently announced coming out of recession: so why not us? Why are we so useless? I have no answer to this because I am not an economist or a government minister, but there economists and ministers that should know. I also read that that increased government spending has lead to an increase in public sector jobs, whereas in the private sector there have been more losses - what's that all about? However, it could go the other way as spending cuts aimed at the budget deficit could lead to job losses in the public sector. I wish I knew how this government lark works, because I find this baffling. Anyway, it's been the same old routine for me recently, plugging away and trying to come up with a new concept to get a job. I having another meeting at the jobcentre this week where I assume they'll be able to offer clear, concise help and bring up a plethora of suitable jobs on their database. Or maybe not, and this is yet another pointless meeting. I'm already erring towards one. I feel quite perky though and certainly not doom and gloomy, not bad considering the weather is now less temperate!

Strikes, strikes, strikes and seemingly more strikes. Industrial disputes appear to be springing up, so is it a return to the bad old days? There's a passing similarity to the 'winter of discontent', when an unpopular Labour government was struggling and things got out of control with the inevitable Conservative victory at the next general election. Back then it was a case of trying to keep wage rises low to fight inflation, now it's cutting wages and conditions to shore-up the economy. In Leeds the dustmen are in dispute over a new pay structure designed to meet equal pay legislation and the council want to reduce men's salary to that of women. Hang on a moment: equal pay has been with us for a very long time, so how this inequality been allowed to happen? If equalisation is to happen, then women's money should be raised, obviously. This dispute also includes new shift patterns that are no doubt designed to save money, but many people would shout out that the dustmen and postal workers should be grateful to have jobs and if cuts need to be made to increase productivity, become more competitive etc, then so be it. The private sector has to put up with it, so why not the public? Unfortunately when times are tough, then tough measures have to be taken to ensure the future of a business, hence redundancies and pay reductions. However much I bleat on about how hard done by I am, it's not about my last company. They caught the recession bug and did all they could resist it and redundancies were not a knee-jerk reaction. The company held out for as long as it could and did what was necessary to ensure its future. The public sector is the same and the workers need to understand they are not immune to the economic downturn. However, unlike a private company where the owners probably take a hit in their pockets, I am doubtful the top brass in councils do.

I think I'm having it tough finding a job, but I should consider myself lucky in not belonging to an ethnic minority. In research carried out by the DWP, discrimination occurred when someone's name suggested they were from a minority group. The research involved applications to a variety of advertised jobs in private and public sector using both ethnic and English sounding names. How can it be proven discrimination has happened? It could be the fake applicants were not as good as the genuine ones. Unless the DWP went into each company and grilled them along with checking all the applicants' details, how do they know? Who is to say the genuine applicant who got the job wasn't from an ethnic minority? I'm being Devil's advocate, but I know discrimination occurs, it's proving it that's tricky. One comment made that I find odd is regarding the public sector. Apparently, this sector did not discriminate at 'this initial stage of recruitment'. Kind of implies that discrimination occurs later, but I expect it's poorly written and that is not what's meant. It then mentioned the use of application forms. These are the norm for the public sector and not CVs, so the use of application forms is suggested as a way forward to prevent discrimination. That doesn't make sense, because an applicant's name has to be on the form and the DWP is going on about interviews not happening if the name looks ethnic. The DWP never ceases to surprise me. I have a belief the public sector does discriminate. They always go out of their way to promote diversity and welcoming applicants from all backgrounds, and it has always worried me that maybe, just maybe, they go the other way. We all know there are anti-discrimination laws in place, so why state in an advertisement you don't discriminate? This isn't based on any evidence, only a gut feeling which is probably completely wrong. Getting back to the serious point, you can legislate all you like, but changing people's prejudices is something I don't think will ever happen. Maybe I'm being discriminated against because of my Welsh surname? Stranger things happen.

I was watching BBC breakfast news when the subject of autism came up. It concentrated on a particular young man in his early 20s and his desire to get a job (I think it's the subject of programme) and his mother and a gentleman from an autism organisation were in the studio. Unfortunately my breakfast cereal was more important and I missed people's names so I'll make them up. The young man (John) has only had one part-time job and desperately wanted a full-time, permanent job - any job as it turned out as he applies for anything irrespective of ability, even an assistant producer's role at the BBC: I like his style. The gentleman (James) stated that it is important for staff at jobcentres to understand autism and so be able to provide jobs that are suitable and advise on how they should be approached. I almost spat my shredded wheat across the room! James, you poor deluded fool; jobcentre staff are not coping with able-bodied people and you expect them to understand and help a disabled person? Something that can't be seen (no wheelchair, for example) will completely throw them and to expect an understanding of autism? It won't surprise me if John gets a job offer after the programme is broadcast, but this highlighted to me how doubly difficult it must be for the less able in society to get a sniff of a job in this current situation. It probably always is, sadly. On another note, I had another interview last week. This is getting scary, two in a week. It was at an 'experiential communications' company that offers 'solutions' for all that ails you. There wasn't anything specific going and was a fact finding meeting for both of us: so a case of when something comes up, they'll be in touch. I've heard that one before.

At last, a professional company. I went all left-field and applied for a job at glassware company, Dixon Glass. It was a management role and the ol' transferrable skills got me an interview. The correspondence up til then had been formal, and therefore stood out as being unusual; no 'Hi David' or 'Kind Regards', but 'Dear Mr....' and 'yours faithfully' etc, and I heartily approve of this. It did make me approach the meeting differently, so I removed the earrings, bangles, flashy rings and dressed more soberly. It was, I feel, the right decision as there was definitely an an aura of a bygone era about the company: a throwback to the days when we had a manufacturing industry and the feel was very 'industrial revolution'. I thought it was great. I had done some research on glass blowing as this Dixon's specialises in bespoke products, I had a good meeting, learnt more about glass making and saw glass being blown which was brilliant: I couldn't believe the skill. I now get to the 'however' part, as alas I did not get the job. Disappointed as I am, I do at least have a warm feeling. The letter (email) was very complimentary and made it clear 'I was a contender', but someone else had that little bit extra. I wrote back thanking them for the opportunity, keep me in-mind etc, and I got a reply to that which was also quite glowing. I'm not used to this from my usual lot. I do have one criticism (it can't all be gushing!): on the initial telephone conversation prior to being invited to the interview, I was asked my birth date. I groaned at that, but I'm not in a position to be too picky so didn't grumble. Anyway, it didn't put them off seeing me so my age wasn't an issue and I am confident that wasn't the reason for not getting the job. I think it's the old fashioned aspect of the company and they haven't quite caught up with the rest of us, however they need to be careful. Overall, I think Dixon Glass conducted the process in a professional and decent manner (which is probably normal behaviour) and it's a shame I'm not in there as I just know I'd love it: my dreams of a career in glass shattered - boom! boom!

A blatant case of age discrimination. I was sitting scratching my chin thinking who else I could contact; is there another sector worth targeting? The event industry sprang to mind. I have worked for companies that specialised in the design of exhibition and event stands along with the associated printed matter, so I saw a link worth pursuing. One of the companies I emailed, Lola Events, replied requesting I register my details via their website. On the first page was a date of birth section and it was stated that it is a required field; that's illegal as far as I am aware. To compound the guilt, the drop down menu for the year only went to 1970, so you can't be older than 39 to work for this company. OK, I'll be generous and assume the company hasn't got around to updating the website to delete the age part as they are busy people, but it certainly seems to prove they did (and possibly still do) operate discriminatory practice. There was me thinking it was all in my mind, that surely I am not being passed over due to age, but the words proof and pudding spring to mind. Anyway, I had to lie about my age and I got invited to a 'meet and greet' session (I thought: "here we go again - group nonsense"), however, my reasons for contacting the company was to be involved in an organisational capacity, and this session was seemingly aimed at people wanting to get on their books (the company provides staff for events). I emailed the contact at Lola twice requesting clarification, but was ignored both times. On the registration part of Lola's site there is a section for 'other information'. I wrote my real age here, so just maybe they had a swift look and thought better about my invitation. I did say "maybe". Oh well, I don't think I'd be a very good waiter.