X, preparation is key. My suit is half-ready, the list of recruitment agents is ready, the list of job sites is ready, I know of 3 jobs I want to apply for already. The CV will be finished off tomorrow at lunch, polished in the evening and sent off. I have contacted two people who left my team to ask whom/what they would recommend- agencies, specific people, their new workplace, advice on how they handled where I currently am etc. It saves you the bother when you talk to people who've been there, done it; wish I did that more often. I think I'm going to bolder this time and when I get an interview will find a way of infiltrating the new workplace long before I get there- investigate who will be interviewing me. That's what I call prepared. This is sounding more and more like FUN. I'll keep you all posted. Off to pray; got a muscle so bunched up in my shoulder it feels like a tuur. edit: Naden. FCUK LCUK.

What do you mean you shut down? An interview is always a two-way process. I'm going to walk into the next interview with the upper-hand; they want me more than I want them; that's all there is to it. You just have to walk in with that in mind; even though I said it is a two-way process, if you've just had a negative experience at your current job you will want to go in with that in mind- it's your life, do they fit in? Not the other way around. Hold your composure, ooze confidence, you don't have to believe you are confident, just project it, darn it, whom do you know that you can emulate? Get some practise interviews too- get the cheekiest sonofagun you know to grill you. I hope you will mention your Aussie trip too in your CV. I smatter my CV with interesting tit-bits- this has a way of turning the conversation to more relaxed matters. Remember they are as bored of reading all that CV crap as we are of writing it. Sell your recreational activities too, sell, sell, sell. Go to the toilet when you get there. Wear clothes that make you feel powerful and put-together. Nothing that requires, hitching, tugging or tucking. Don't wear sensible shoes; don't wear tranny ones either. I bought a suit jacket for the interviews at the weekend- not a style I have worn before but by God I had to drag myself away from the mirrors. All I have to do is find a killer skirt. Prepare, prepare, prepare. The clothes, the make-up, the route, some of the more obvious crucial answers, how you'll sit, where your handbag will go, all of it...visualise it all..that's what keeps me up when I have a challenge, imaging how amazing it will be. Smile, never say you are nervous even if you have the shakes; if they offer caffeine and it helps you, accept. Ask several questions and don't wait until the end- you know that awkward silence when they ask if you have any questions at the end? If you've asked Qs all along you can say at the end that they had covered everything and what they hadn't you had already asked about; leave a couple for the end though. Thank them for their time and go throw up in the toilets out of ear-shot if you need to. Late for maghrib and it's going to be a long night...still avoiding this CV LoL. Also work out how much pay you want; fix it in your head and don't budge. I'm going already.......

^don't they say the harder you work, the luckier you get; that's what I'm avoiding- the work that goes into it. Just got to get on with it; started typing and what's coming out is looking better than expected. Got to say what I have been doing lately is better than what the job description said I would and considering what a nut-house it is I'm coming out of it better on paper(and life experience-wise too). Somehow I have managed in the time I have been at this job(to escape the talk-talk-talk) to listen to a lot of Quran and have memorised chunks of several big lovely, favourite surahs. In that sense, it's the best job I've had. Not sure I'll be sharing that bonus at the next interview though . Everything has a purpose...onwards...back to sprucing this baby up. I'm projecting irresistibility. LoL. You want me, you want me. Hey, V, maybe those of us doing this can come back with our experiences and share, what say you? Fcuk luck. Work it.

When was the last time you updated yours? Any stretches of the truth? Ever land a job you knew nothing about by blagging ? Ever looked back at the job description of the job you're currently at? Was/is it accurate? Is all of it one big game of deceit? I'm doing(avoiding) mine right now. Hence the topic.

Awguuriyo- awr ayaa laguu guriinaya. That's my meaning for it. Congratulations.

I read more than I watched. I found the scripts to a lot of the stuff aimed at young people moronic(especially those featuring African Americans). Dawson's Creek broke the mould- when was that? I watched some of that. I wanted to write an episode- that's when I know I like a show.

Put up or shut up. that's to both the man and woman cause talking is about all either is up to. OouuCC.

^LoooL. Unabashed lu..admiration. Thanks, Northerner. U sound like u own something that guzzles a lot of oil.

^was job hunting and lazily looked at what was on offer in Dubai and found a job that has my interest. There's no mention of perks so assuming there are none, what is a bare minimum a girl who loves to shop can survive on in Dubai these days? I thought you were going to say Nissan..

^my home was where you are now. If God allows me I will stop through some time this year. I just want clothes, clothes, clothes. LoL. Perhaps a visit to my old schools too and track down a couple of friends. I didn't watch much TV in the 90s and even less now. I think when I sell this TV in the next couple of months I won't buy another. Is that all people remember? TV?

Originally posted by NGONGE: quote:Originally posted by Urban: Captain Majid Listen to all the arabic cartoon songs here I was struggling to wake up; even the cup of tea wasn't helping until I clicked on the link. Funny and nostalgic. Ta. Listening to Grandizer now, did we take this stuff seriously? I can't stop grinning.

I watched the Dispatches documentary on Monday: Kidnapped to order They showed a British Asian who left Somalia for Kenya but was caught and returned to a jail in Mogadishu. He was eventually released.

magic, thanks. I can almost delete my porn trail now.

^LoL. I think we definitely needs pictures of the Sheikh snakes now! Who's got any?

Originally posted by NGONGE: Sheh, Why are you unhappy about this boss of yours? She sounds like a classic gun-loader! I used to have a boss like that and I dearly miss him now. Work was fun. You always came in wondering what new problem, disaster or crisis your boss has engineered for you. Of course, when I say it's fun I mean that it's only fun when you know that your boss is behind all the problems. If you were the innocent type that doesn't suspect a thing then life would feel like hell. She adds to other matters that are going on. There is no fun in it; though I do laugh to myself and shake my head in a meeting everyday and people must be wondering if I've lost it. Had a productive day even though Miss thing assured me I should do X, which I then squared with the system creators, after which she said Y, Y is what she really, really wants and I nodded and said 'Yeah, I'll go back to the system creators'. AGAIN. She's either thick as ish or a nutter, I'm erring on the side of her being thick. Got to work on CV tonight, no time like the present. I got myself into this job and will just have to get myself out. With my holidays I should be able to work a 3 week notice period and will negotiate time off in-between this job and the next. Now all I have to do is think of somewhere utterly exotic in which to spend 2 weeks. Ideas?

^you and the one above and the topic-starter, twilight zone, thada way----> edit: Che, hrmph, meant the two above you, your timing is intermediate.

^our boss sets us up against one another. She will assign you a task and a while later- days or weeks- she will drag somebody else in and dangle your work as a carrot; this other person will take the task on unknowingly. You and this other person then have an argument or a strained relationship as a result and boss comes out of it smelling of roses as she's so good at it she's the last to be suspected. I'm on to her now and so is another member of the team; together we are tightening up the processes to make any games less disruptive to us. Even today she pulled the stunt and two others ended up having an argument. The younger one was too naive and full of ego to realise he wasn't being assigned the task cause 'he's the man' but because she just wants it done by hook or by crook. She got flustered and said they should work on it together wtf was the big deal- all innocence and English rose. I walked away from my desk to hide my smile. LoL. I just deal with her another way now. I work out what she really wants to have done and leave it to last. She will never ask why- she'll find somebody else to do it. Works for me. I also follow a strict project plan that accounts for my time. Any surprises dumped on me carelessly will have to find a place in the plan and if they can't they just don't get done. No court on this one for me. I will smile while she simmers with frustration and that will be all the satisfaction I need.

I was so at a loss for words- unusual in me- that the boss talked for me and I heard enough to make my decision to leave without making a fuss(not that I told her I'm going). The battle is not worth it. I was told that one of us in the team would break, it was a matter of time, and that person could be me or X or Y. When your boss knows someone's going to break soon butclaims there is nothing that is going on to warrant her even give a warning you know that any battle had better be worth the job. It's not quite frankly. The pay's good sure and I'll lose the bonus when I leave soon inshallah but I looked at the evidence- 8 people out of the 17 who were on the team this time last year have left already. I talked to a few rational people who gave me a better insight into management and HR(biased) and was left feeling clear on the matter- go while the going isn't as bad as it can be 2 months from now. I also made sure I told an office gossip of some of the troubles. In my conversation with the boss I realised she had her 'story of Sheh's exit' already written and rehearsed. When I'm gone she'll tell her side of the story and the gossip will tell another and everybody knows the gossip is a far more delicious story to hear and spread. It'll retain enough of a truth to ring true in somebody else's ear long after I am but a rumour and that person can stay and fight or flee for dear life. And I wish him or her the best of luck. I have not yet ruled out haunting them in a more concrete manner when I'm gone.(Ngonge I will let you know what I walaaq in a digsi at that stage lol) Never give your employer the impression you NEED the job. And choose your battles wisely(a good all-round tip). Oh, darn I forgot I found out also that in a 3 year period the exit rate was 75%. A lot of people somewhere are in denial. Ha u macaanaato, I am outta there.

^moi? I'm but a toothless lion. (these are fake)

^Don't count on her support for too long- she's human and may find it's not worth her while. There must be a grievance procedure first before it can go to tribunal. If it goes to tribunal you may not need a lawyer- they cost an arm and a leg- and can represent yourself. I did. It was doable. I also supported a friend- she's waiting to hear. It's stressful but I got a buzz from it. Incompetence, bullying, back-stabbing, lying, trap-laying, tension, stress, all happening around me and to me to some extent. Something is afoot, my senses are tingling. I have a plan. I will also make clear that I sense somebody is being prepared for a fall and that I will have no part in it.

LooL. Everybody deserves a good dream.

^tease. Details for Sheila's sake.

^maad ka joogtid?

Originally posted by Valenteenah: ^ Urm...What took you so long? Waxaan rabaa tips on sida looga matajiyo dodgy employers. Easy, feed them the law. ACAS trade union congress- bullying Commission for racial equality Equal Opportunities Commission Educate yourself, first. Read everything you can get your hands on on employment law. Flush your emotions down the toilet, they won't serve you well- this is probably the best advice I can give you(in fact I am going to need this myself tomorrow). Get things in writing. You don't have to explicitly ask for things in writing. Send an email off reiterating the chat you just had(be nice however nauseating, you know, thank you John for taking the time to address the trouble I am having...I appreciate your honesty when you ..I still see it differently and hope that we can come to some... sh*t or other). The best thing to do is to appear sane even when you want to do or say something that may bring instant relief. What was it Ivana Trump said, 'Don't get mad, get everything'. If you have a backlog of other material that may be of use, don't wait, print them off and keep them at home. They'll take you more seriously if you talk rationally. Remember everybody has something to lose, work out what those involved have to lose and if all else fails, have them find themselves in those situations mysteriously. Most of the battle is psychological. **** with their heads. Write me if you need further advice. I know a good employment lawyer unfortunately.

^Burcaad is ku doonatey. Ka dhex bax.