Considering change Job

Vwtouran · Post by **Vwtouran** » 17 Feb 2019, 17:34

Could I take a year off work to see if I like the bt job?

arnold cheshire · Post by **arnold cheshire** » 17 Feb 2019, 17:46

Vwtouran wrote:Could I take a year off work to see if I like the bt job?

something odd here

cstf · Post by **cstf** » 17 Feb 2019, 17:51

Only you will know if it's the correct move for you , but I'll tell you one thing this job isn't as bad as some make it out to be .
When I started in 1992 we were on a 6 day week , started at 5am and were on about half the money we're on today , fast forward to now , 5 day week , 7am start and a lot better wages and before anyone pops up with the wages aren't that great , well all you have to do is have a look on the job centre website and you'll realise the wages are pretty good for a non tradesman.
I think some people need to take off the rose tinted glasses when they talk about the so called good old days.

Post by **wacko74** » 17 Feb 2019, 18:19

I don't consider myself to be a job hater or serial moaner but anyone who says our pay is good really is being rather naive, we come out with barely more than £1 above the living wage, which considering the physically demanding nature of the job plus the general responsibility of dealing with valuable and time sensitive items and the organisational skills required compared to for instance working in a shop stacking shelves, or pottering around a garden centre or sitting in comfy chair in an inbound call centre...
I consider our role to be far more mentally and physically demanding than any of these types of jobs which, after deductions, will come out with virtually the same as us.

Tinoblade · Post by **Tinoblade** » 17 Feb 2019, 18:22

Vwtouran wrote:Been offered job as a bt trainee engineer but don’t know what to do! I am full time postie. Anyone know what bt is like a employer? I am 37 years old & feel like its a good time for a change. Been a postman for 18 years.

What are the details of the job? Fixed hours? Working away from home?
I did a job like this for 8 years, but I was travelling long distances every day, having to stay away from home and overtime wasn’t optional due to the travelling. It drove me insane. But if your going to be closer to home it might not be a bad move. Just think about what time you could be working till in the evening etc and see how that sits with you. I sometimes wasn’t getting home till 8/9pm after starting at 7am and I could never go back

Vwtouran · Post by **Vwtouran** » 17 Feb 2019, 19:34

Tinoblade wrote:
Vwtouran wrote:Been offered job as a bt trainee engineer but don’t know what to do! I am full time postie. Anyone know what bt is like a employer? I am 37 years old & feel like its a good time for a change. Been a postman for 18 years.
What are the details of the job? Fixed hours? Working away from home?
I did a job like this for 8 years, but I was travelling long distances every day, having to stay away from home and overtime wasn’t optional due to the travelling. It drove me insane. But if your going to be closer to home it might not be a bad move. Just think about what time you could be working till in the evening etc and see how that sits with you. I sometimes wasn’t getting home till 8/9pm after starting at 7am and I could never go back

8.15am - 16.15 pm Monday-Friday. Could be working up to 1 hour away from home. It will be installing fibre to the premises.

Tinoblade · Post by **Tinoblade** » 17 Feb 2019, 19:54

Vwtouran wrote:
Tinoblade wrote:
Vwtouran wrote:Been offered job as a bt trainee engineer but don’t know what to do! I am full time postie. Anyone know what bt is like a employer? I am 37 years old & feel like its a good time for a change. Been a postman for 18 years.
What are the details of the job? Fixed hours? Working away from home?
I did a job like this for 8 years, but I was travelling long distances every day, having to stay away from home and overtime wasn’t optional due to the travelling. It drove me insane. But if your going to be closer to home it might not be a bad move. Just think about what time you could be working till in the evening etc and see how that sits with you. I sometimes wasn’t getting home till 8/9pm after starting at 7am and I could never go back
8.15am - 16.15 pm Monday-Friday. Could be working up to 1 hour away from home. It will be installing fibre to the premises.

Is that including travelling time? Do you get paid for travelling as welll?
Also, the only thing I would ask the employer is, “what happens if I come across a problem? Am I expected to work over to correct and will I be paid for this?” I know there are hidden issues like this within engineering jobs
Just things to consider, but you know what will suit you

30+YEARMAN · Post by **30+YEARMAN** » 17 Feb 2019, 20:57

wacko74 wrote:I don't consider myself to be a job hater or serial moaner but anyone who says our pay is good really is being rather naive, we come out with barely more than £1 above the living wage, which considering the physically demanding nature of the job plus the general responsibility of dealing with valuable and time sensitive items and the organisational skills required compared to for instance working in a shop stacking shelves, or pottering around a garden centre or sitting in comfy chair in an inbound call centre...
I consider our role to be far more mentally and physically demanding than any of these types of jobs which, after deductions, will come out with virtually the same as us.

Well said.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 17 Feb 2019, 21:36

tommyrep wrote:
maisymoo04 wrote:stay were you our people think grass is greener and its not , no a few postman who left thinking it was a good move,now they wish they didn't leave
The guy is only 37 ! Delivering mail is NO picnic, times are changing fast and the future is bleak !
Everyone in delivery has seen the changes over the last 10 years or so and there is no future in delivery. RM cannot compete with its rivals, T&Cs being devalued all the time with a Union oblivious to the ongoing poor treatment of its members !

Long term deliveries have got way more job security than MCs as in MCs potentially in the long term RM could automate a huge chunk of the work

Deadly · Post by **Deadly** » 17 Feb 2019, 23:10

SpacePhoenix wrote:
tommyrep wrote:
maisymoo04 wrote:stay were you our people think grass is greener and its not , no a few postman who left thinking it was a good move,now they wish they didn't leave
The guy is only 37 ! Delivering mail is NO picnic, times are changing fast and the future is bleak !
Everyone in delivery has seen the changes over the last 10 years or so and there is no future in delivery. RM cannot compete with its rivals, T&Cs being devalued all the time with a Union oblivious to the ongoing poor treatment of its members !
Long term deliveries have got way more job security than MCs as in MCs potentially in the long term RM could automate a huge chunk of the work

I'd agree with that. I've said it before but out of all the functions in RM I think that deliveries are the most secure. As mentioned above automation could decimate mail centres. Collections seem to be heading back to deliveries so dedicated collection drivers could be gone and 7.5t lorries seem to be getting replaced by HGVs that carry more mail so less drivers needed.

But back to the original Q, I'd jump at the chance for a career with BT.

Post by **HTPostman** » 18 Feb 2019, 06:08

Just going back to the pay, I can't see shelf stackers or garden centre workers being on much more than £8 an hour.

Before I came back to RM I looked all over the city I live in for a job, it's one of the most visited cities in the UK, tourism is a huge industry here and it's considered a wealthy place, I was struggling to find anything paying above £8.50. One of our most renowned hotels here were advertising for doorstaff to greet people, when I read the job description they were paying just £7.83.
There are better paid jobs out there but there are a lot worse too, and personally I can't complain about £11.39 an hour (once I've been here a year). That's £3 an hour more than most jobs around here, works out at £75 a week more in my pay packet (or £150 when I add on my OT).

minesastella2013 · Post by **minesastella2013** » 18 Feb 2019, 10:25

Try looking and posting on here, im also thinking of the change http://openreachengineer.net/ucp.php?mo ... 0065512bdc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 18 Feb 2019, 10:54

cstf wrote:Only you will know if it's the correct move for you , but I'll tell you one thing this job isn't as bad as some make it out to be .
When I started in 1992 we were on a 6 day week , started at 5am and were on about half the money we're on today , fast forward to now , 5 day week , 7am start and a lot better wages and before anyone pops up with the wages aren't that great , well all you have to do is have a look on the job centre website and you'll realise the wages are pretty good for a non tradesman.
I think some people need to take off the rose tinted glasses when they talk about the so called good old days.

You are talking rubbish I’m afraid ! Rose tinted glasses and all that crap
Ok, it’s 5 days but MUCH longer WORK filled days than back then. The better wages as stated are barely over the minimum wage- many years later! Anyone who remembers the good old days as you state, know the job is no longer what it was and the bullying culture has only made a good job with decent money for the skill set required into a daily relentless battle that has made that job no longer enjoyable. You seem to have forgotten the posters original question. Yet you finish of your pointless post by stating the wages were good for a non tradesman !! The poster at the age of 37 could have a chance to improve his lot with a much better job and more money. A no brainer imo. I only wish him the best of luck while you remaining as a street plodding over worked future under the cosh of a bullying RM regime, will need all the luck you can get into retirement at 66+ with poor health problems to contend with and knackered at the end of every extended delivery working duty !

matt_1983 · Post by **matt_1983** » 18 Feb 2019, 11:17

cstf wrote:Only you will know if it's the correct move for you , but I'll tell you one thing this job isn't as bad as some make it out to be .
When I started in 1992 we were on a 6 day week , started at 5am and were on about half the money we're on today , fast forward to now , 5 day week , 7am start and a lot better wages and before anyone pops up with the wages aren't that great , well all you have to do is have a look on the job centre website and you'll realise the wages are pretty good for a non tradesman.
I think some people need to take off the rose tinted glasses when they talk about the so called good old days.

From what ive heard from fellow colleagues, didnt you used to be finished earlier back then, even with second deliveries?

And the distances youd have to walk daily were nothing like what they are now?

I started in 2007, and even i can see that the job is much harder now in terms of length of deliveries. I know we arent doing 6 day weeks now, but even so, wasnt it by far an easier job years ago?

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 18 Feb 2019, 11:38

SpacePhoenix wrote:
tommyrep wrote:
maisymoo04 wrote:stay were you our people think grass is greener and its not , no a few postman who left thinking it was a good move,now they wish they didn't leave
The guy is only 37 ! Delivering mail is NO picnic, times are changing fast and the future is bleak !
Everyone in delivery has seen the changes over the last 10 years or so and there is no future in delivery. RM cannot compete with its rivals, T&Cs being devalued all the time with a Union oblivious to the ongoing poor treatment of its members !
Long term deliveries have got way more job security than MCs as in MCs potentially in the long term RM could automate a huge chunk of the work

And deliveries have a much bigger impact on long term health problems.
Not sure if the poster works at a MC, but if so ! Even more reason to take up the chance of a career move, especially at his age. A no brainer as I said, delivery work is not for our older colleagues- have never been in a MC, but outdoor ever increasing work loads in all weathers takes its toll on the general health of most posties, especially the joints !