A very trying time but the end is in sight......

[adt70hk]

Dear all

Firstly apologies for not being around much for some time….life/work has been so very busy in recent months but there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel……

Now, I have to be careful what I say given that this is a public forum but as you some of you know, work has been exceptionally busy in recent months and unsustainably so.

Anyway, after a very difficult meeting with our HQ colleagues based elsewhere in Europe on Friday 12th April, I came hope thinking it was time to get serious about looking for a new job. I had been half-heartedly looking for a while but not applied for anything for 18 months or so.

My job hunt process went something like this:

   - Checked emails that evening and saw job advert email from LinkedIn.

   - The very first one I looked at was a perfect fit, so I applied that weekend.

   - Heard back after only two days from recruitment agency and they liked what they saw.

   - 24th April - initial ½ hour discussion with agency.

   - 3rd May - hour long online interview with Chief Compliance Officer, who was the recruiting manager.

   - 15th May @ 1pm – face-to-face interview with CEO (he founded and owns the business), Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer.

   - 17th May @ 1pm – call from Chief Operating Officer to offer me the job!!  I handed my notice in Monday evening once the contracts were all signed. 


Whilst they’re a MUCH smaller UK-based company than my current multi-national employer, and so some of the ‘nice-to-haves’ in terms of benefits are not there (but they’re coming)…..they are paying me 25% more, plus a small car allowance on top – and I will not have any of the legal and regulatory responsibilities either.

Start date is still to formally be agreed but we’re looking at mid-to-late July.

All in all, not bad considering this was the only job I had applied for since the awful meeting!!  Oh and it turns out that although there had been lots of applications, I was the only person the recruitment agency put through for interview!!

I will say though, as you’ll see in due course, my problems have not stopped the kit acquisition process!!

ATB

Andrew


PS....since I handed my notice in I have had more than one colleague say that they were expecting me to go off sick with the stress I was exhibiting....a rather sobering thought!! 

[keavdog]

Congratulations Andrew. It's fun having a fresh start and always such a relief to walk away from all the old issues. Pay raise doesn't hurt either!

[kyledehart5]

Big congrats on the new gig and hopefully a reduction in stress.

[chromdome35]

May 23, 2024 16:02:15 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Dear all

Firstly apologies for not being around much for some time….life/work has been so very busy in recent months but there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel……

Now, I have to be careful what I say given that this is a public forum but as you some of you know, work has been exceptionally busy in recent months and unsustainably so.

Anyway, after a very difficult meeting with our HQ colleagues based elsewhere in Europe on Friday 12th April, I came hope thinking it was time to get serious about looking for a new job. I had been half-heartedly looking for a while but not applied for anything for 18 months or so.

My job hunt process went something like this:

   - Checked emails that evening and saw job advert email from LinkedIn.

   - The very first one I looked at was a perfect fit, so I applied that weekend.

   - Heard back after only two days from recruitment agency and they liked what they saw.

   - 24th April - initial ½ hour discussion with agency.

   - 3rd May - hour long online interview with Chief Compliance Officer, who was the recruiting manager.

   - 15th May @ 1pm – face-to-face interview with CEO (he founded and owns the business), Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer.

   - 17th May @ 1pm – call from Chief Operating Officer to offer me the job!!  I handed my notice in Monday evening once the contracts were all signed. 


Whilst they’re a MUCH smaller UK-based company than my current multi-national employer, and so some of the ‘nice-to-haves’ in terms of benefits are not there (but they’re coming)…..they are paying me 25% more, plus a small car allowance on top – and I will not have any of the legal and regulatory responsibilities either.

Start date is still to formally be agreed but we’re looking at mid-to-late July.

All in all, not bad considering this was the only job I had applied for since the awful meeting!!  Oh and it turns out that although there had been lots of applications, I was the only person the recruitment agency put through for interview!!

I will say though, as you’ll see in due course, my problems have not stopped the kit acquisition process!!

ATB

Andrew


PS....since I handed my notice in I have had more than one colleague say that they were expecting me to go off sick with the stress I was exhibiting....a rather sobering thought!! 

Congrats on the new job! I hope life becomes more stress free for you.

[TJ]

Congratulations on the new job. Sounds like a company you will be able to grow with

[jeaton01]

Sounds like good news, Andrew!

[project510]

Congratulations Andrew! I recently switched jobs as well to reduce stress and it was such a good idea. Well done!

[BattleScale Collectica Show]

glad you decided to make a change..sounds like it was time to move on.

[armornutii]

  Congrats on the fresh air. Sometimes that is exactly what it takes to get some motivation back to continue to work. Happy that will work out. From your discription and my point of view it WAS meant to be. Best of luck chap.

[lyle]

Sounds like a good move! Congratulations!

[Tojo72]

Congratulations,but no apology necessary.

[handiabled]

Glad you can put that behind you and get on with bigger and better things! There's nothing worse than dreading going to work every day. Congrats!!

[brandonk]

Congrats on the new work. Finding a new course and getting back to more important things is where it's at. Life if too short to hate your work.

[stikpusher]

Good for you Andrew! Sometimes you need to choose a new path in life to get to where you need to be going, not where you were going. 

[406 Silverado]

A BIG congratulations goes out to you Andrew on the new job acquisition. And with a 25% pay in increase at that!! NICE!! I hope that things go smoothly in moving forward and that you have a lot of burden off of your shoulders bud.

[adt70hk]

keavdog , kyledehart5 , chromdome35 , TJ , jeaton01 , project510 , BattleScale Collectica Show  , armornutii , lyle , Tojo72 , handiabled , brandonk , stikpusher , 406 Silverado

Well that overwhelming response has just showed what a great place this forum is......I have barely been on here since the New Year, other than for a couple of builds and new acquisitions and I get that response!

I do regard myself as being very lucky having found a new job on my first serious look and application.

To be honest though if I had not had such a great boss who did everything in his power to improve things and did make a small amount of progress, despite hurricane force headwinds, I would have left a long time ago.

The recruitment agency have been outstanding from start to finish and provided all kinds of insight, support, advice and guidance throughout the entire process.....even down do providing advice when it came to negotiating the package. Every other agency I have ever dealt with has been little more than a glorified delivery service that added no real benefit to the process, at least as far as I could see. They did such a good job in fact that I have agreed to write them a review once the process is finally over.

Thanks again chaps for the response, it really did warm my middle-aged heart!

ATB

Andrew

[Leon]

Congratulations Andrew! Best of luck on your new job.

[adt70hk]

May 25, 2024 4:51:01 GMT -5 Leon said:

Congratulations Andrew! Best of luck on your new job.

Thanks Leon!

Much appreciated.

Andrew

[thechaos]

Congratulations Andrew. Best wishes and luck on the new Job.

[adt70hk]

May 26, 2024 10:45:47 GMT -5 thechaos said:

Congratulations Andrew. Best wishes and luck on the new Job.

Thanks Chaos!  Much appreciated!

Andrew

[fox]

Congrats Andrew!!!!! Been there and done that. When your co-workers see that you're stressing, it's time. Always look out for #1.

Stay safe.
Jim 

[adt70hk]

May 26, 2024 17:09:07 GMT -5 fox said:

Congrats Andrew!!!!! Been there and done that. When your co-workers see that you're stressing, it's time. Always look out for #1.

Stay safe.
Jim 

Thanks Jim.  Glad the end is in sight but I still have a couple of months left.

ATB

Andrew

[Medicman71]

Congrats on the new job!

[deafpanzer]

Way to go! So happy for you and I expect you to post more new kits that you buy with your extra hard earned money. 🤪

[adt70hk]

May 31, 2024 12:43:48 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Congrats on the new job!

Thanks Mike!

[adt70hk]

May 31, 2024 22:31:55 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Way to go! So happy for you and I expect you to post more new kits that you buy with your extra hard earned money. 🤪

Thanks Andy!  As you have seen the spending has started early!

[adt70hk]

Hi all

Just an update to say thanks again for you support and that I start my new job on Monday!

ATB

Andrew

[kyledehart5]

Jul 21, 2024 14:01:36 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Hi all

Just an update to say thanks again for you support and that I start my new job on Monday!

ATB

Andrew

I hope you love the new job Andrew!!

[deafpanzer]

Hope you will be happy at your new job. Hard to believe that I will be in England in almost two weeks!

[TJ]

Jul 27, 2024 17:33:07 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Hope you will be happy at your new job. Hard to believe that I will be in England in almost two weeks!

Is your suitcase full?  I could fit.