Thursday was focussed on the interview with Trinity, driving down to Hitchin in Hertfordshire. Arrived with plenty of time so got my head down in the car for 30 minutes so that I was fresh and de-stressed. Still registered with reception 15 minutes early, but was collected by Caroline bang on noon and taken to the meeting room where I was introduced to Steve (the CEO) and Lee (programme manager, I’ve worked with her before, all be it briefly). From my point of view it went well, more of a chat than an interview. Steve remembered Arcast (pre-MidlandHR) which lead to some discussion as he’d worked for a competitor at the time.
Basically, I’m the 7th ex-zeda person that they have interviewed and to date they say that they have yet to see anybody that they wouldn’t offer a job to. In fact he's so impressed that (his own words) "If I'd known Zeda was in trouble I'd have bought the company". And another thing he said "It's not everyday I get the opportunity to snap up nearly 100 people without having to pay recruitment agency costs, I'm not going to let an opportunity like that pass me by.” "
After years of being dumbed down by an overly oppressive management that hadn’t got a clue about running a business and only every went chasing pots of gold at the end of rainbows it’s great to find a hands on COE that cares for both his business and his employees, recognises real opportunity and goes for it. This country really would be Great Britain if there were more like him.
As a result I came away from the interview making a promise that I’d have a contact list of ex-zeda employees with Trinity by noon Friday 8th Jan. That was just over 1.5 hours ago and I made the deadline and got the obligatory read receipt at 12:04. So that’s another 48 people that stand a chance of being contacted for an interview.
In the meantime I’ve lodged my updated CV with CWjobs, Jobserve & Jobsite. Barclay Anderson in Sheffield have been in touch about a potential job in Nottingham. My approach to MODIS has resulted in my CV going off to Severn Trent Water and they are contacting Argos who I’ve worked for in the past (for zeda). While at Job Seekers I found an opportunity that I’m going to follow up in Leicester and 2 others that came up on the JS computer. Becky at Jumar-Solutions has been in touch and I’ve circulated the news of the “job fair” for ex-zeda staff round to all those that I have contact details for.
News from others, in brief:-
1. The 2 Andy’s and Trevor have been interviewed by Trinity and will probably be made an offer
2. Viv had a first interview in Chesterfield and is waiting to hear back from them
3. Paul B has found work
4. Paul C has gone to MidlandHR but despite having a clause in my contract that my CV would be shared with companies in the Ancaster group nothing appears to have happened – perhaps they anticipated where I’d tell them to stick it!
5. Many / most of the folks that were working for Argos and the Alliance & Leicester have been taken on by them, though they have had to go “contracting” through MODIS to get it and they’ve been screwed down on the rate.
6. Members of the “zeda top table” met up for lunch yesterday – I couldn’t have attended but it’s nice to know that old habits die hard and cliques persist.
7. There’s an open invitation to meet up at the Pitcher and Piano today (Friday 8th) at 7pm for a few drinks – no promises but I’ll try and be there.
In my last post I put in a link to the Nottingham Post, and an article where a Mr Green spouted off about the help that was being extended to those recently made redundant in Nottingham. Well, being my usual tactful self I posted a reply along the lines of Mr Green being the invisible man as that article is the only thing that he appears to have done and certainly, neither I nor any of my former colleagues have seen or heard from Mr Green. Strangly, the Nottingham Post hasn't published my post -- censorship? Denial of the right to freedom of speach? What's next? I doubt it will be help finding employment....
That’s it for now, there’s jobs to be applied for....
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