Back On The Payroll - But Not Going To Hang Up My Guitar
advertisment
More in BUSINESS NEWS
back-up- Top Firms Finally Hit By H1N1 Threat
- Top Firm Caught Out By Rogue Traders
- 'It's Not As If They Paid Great Bonuses In The First Place!'
- Top Firm Chain Letter
- Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves
- Dear All - 'I Am Not Interested' In Bank of America Job
- Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Goldman, JPMorgan, Galleon Group
- Old Traders Never Die - The Seance
- Click Here To Register For Free News E-Mail Alerts
- Speculation Mounts About Goldman's Bonus Plans
- Top Boss Tells Church Crowd 'Profit Is Not Satanic'
- Your Views On Bonuses (Poll Results)
- Bank of America 'Is Not A Monarchy'
- Bankers Will Have The Last Laugh On Pay
- 'There Aren't Many People Who Think Charlotte Is A Major Financial Center'
- Top Firm Delivers 'Another Big Disappointment'
- Bank Of America CEO Poll - Incredible Result
- Scruffy Civil Servant Warns Tax Dodgers
- BofA Said To Have Got Another Turn-Down
- Interview With Bernie Madoff
- Top Firm Dismisses Talk Of Further $10bn Writedown
- The Average British Soldier
- Top Firm Puts More Aside For Staff Compensation
- Firms On Alert As Insect 'Infestation' Crashes PC Networks
- Register Now For Free 'Old Traders Never Die' Updates
- Secretary Geithner's Written Testimony On Reform Of Financial System
- ISITC Europe Successfully Introduces New Operating Structure
- Dumb & Dumber - Incredible Details About Lehman Weekend Revealed
- The Cityboy Column
- The Man Bank of America Should Hire As CEO (But Won't)
- Goldman Needs To Give Away $1bn
- Top Firms Said To Have Lost $400m On Hedge Fund
- H1N1 Flu - Have You Got It ? (Quick Test)
- H1N1 Bank Call Center Transcript (You Couldn't Make It Up)
- 'It's Just No Fun Anymore!'
- Top Firm CEO Says He Won't Poach Staff From Rivals
- 'I Hate Recruitment Consultants' - Reader Comments
- Bohemian Bankruptcy
- 'I Hate Recruitment Consultants'
- Mack Attack - The Moment Big John Hit Back
- Compliance Training ? 'The Biscuits Were Good'
- Banker, Hire Thyself
- IT Recruitment - The Smart Way
- And Wall Street's Top Athlete Is...........
- John Mack On Saving Morgan Stanley
- Bankers Taught How To Be Killing Machines
- Banks Given Five More Days To Justify Bonuses
- Billionaire Madoff Investor Found Dead In Swimming Pool
- Top Bailed-Out Execs Averaged $18m Each In 2008
- The Vic Daniels Column - 26/10/09
Related Content
- Financial Markets Jobs Will Come Back - But Not Until...... (31/08/2009)
- Mack Attack - The Moment Big John Hit Back (27/10/2009)
Here's the latest contribution from a reader who wants to share his recent redundancy experience.
'Sorry', said my boss, 'but the purpose of this meeting is to let you know that your role is at risk'. And although this means that the bank will look out internally for you, in reality you know that you are going to get the chop.
And, as expected, just two weeks later that jolly nice chap from HR told me that because I hadn't secured anything internally the firm was proceeding to a 'full redundancy situation'. Arm the torpedoes, Number 1, this is a Full Redundancy Situation. I was to come off the payroll in just a few weeks.
My boss was appreciative of what I'd done over two and a half years, which was nice of her, and said that if I wanted to reduce my hours or cut out days during my remaining time I could do so without consequence. I went straight home. After two more days in The Factory and a week's pre-booked holiday I decided I wasn't going back any more.
'Restrict yourself to no more than three or four agencies', said a very nice lady from one of the three or four recruitment agencies who unfortunately came up with nothing for me. In the end, I threw caution to the wind, and registered with about 40 recruitment firms, and I got one interview with one of the bailed-out banks, which came to nothing.
Those who know me well will tell you I'm a keen musician. (I have a Distinction at Classical Guitar Grade 8, play for two guitar orchestras, and I teach). At the local pub one evening, a friend suggested: 'Why not ask the guv'nor if you can play in here ?' So, I chatted up the boss and she was keen on the tyring me out at lunchtime three days each week. So I pitched up, set up a music stand and a chair (and on some days a small amp), and I played seventeen lunchtime 'concerts'. I got paid 'lunch'.
The first few gigs were a bit quiet. I sat there playing one day listening to two women moaning to each other about the Government's plans to fast-track redundant investment bankers into teaching and sneering at the 'calibre' of 'people they'd get'. Anyway, things started to improve (slowly). More punters came into the pub, and I even got the odd round of applause. I got a guitar 'student' out of it too.
After Easter, agencies started calling. The world and his wife all had the same vacancies on their books, but one got me an interview. I started in a temp role last Tuesday, after being off payroll for a mere four weeks. I'm now back in the saddle, but I'm still going to try to get some private clients who want to learn to play the guitar. I've renewed the postcard in the newsagent's window, and plan to go to the local guitar shop to give them some more cards - there's no way I'm going to allow myself to be totally dependent on Investment Banking for my survival ever again.
And, as expected, just two weeks later that jolly nice chap from HR told me that because I hadn't secured anything internally the firm was proceeding to a 'full redundancy situation'. Arm the torpedoes, Number 1, this is a Full Redundancy Situation. I was to come off the payroll in just a few weeks.
My boss was appreciative of what I'd done over two and a half years, which was nice of her, and said that if I wanted to reduce my hours or cut out days during my remaining time I could do so without consequence. I went straight home. After two more days in The Factory and a week's pre-booked holiday I decided I wasn't going back any more.
'Restrict yourself to no more than three or four agencies', said a very nice lady from one of the three or four recruitment agencies who unfortunately came up with nothing for me. In the end, I threw caution to the wind, and registered with about 40 recruitment firms, and I got one interview with one of the bailed-out banks, which came to nothing.
Those who know me well will tell you I'm a keen musician. (I have a Distinction at Classical Guitar Grade 8, play for two guitar orchestras, and I teach). At the local pub one evening, a friend suggested: 'Why not ask the guv'nor if you can play in here ?' So, I chatted up the boss and she was keen on the tyring me out at lunchtime three days each week. So I pitched up, set up a music stand and a chair (and on some days a small amp), and I played seventeen lunchtime 'concerts'. I got paid 'lunch'.
The first few gigs were a bit quiet. I sat there playing one day listening to two women moaning to each other about the Government's plans to fast-track redundant investment bankers into teaching and sneering at the 'calibre' of 'people they'd get'. Anyway, things started to improve (slowly). More punters came into the pub, and I even got the odd round of applause. I got a guitar 'student' out of it too.
After Easter, agencies started calling. The world and his wife all had the same vacancies on their books, but one got me an interview. I started in a temp role last Tuesday, after being off payroll for a mere four weeks. I'm now back in the saddle, but I'm still going to try to get some private clients who want to learn to play the guitar. I've renewed the postcard in the newsagent's window, and plan to go to the local guitar shop to give them some more cards - there's no way I'm going to allow myself to be totally dependent on Investment Banking for my survival ever again.
Please use the 'E-Mail' button immediately under the article title to send this item to a friend.
