If you’re thinking about applying here, please just take my advice and don’t! My time at customs support, though very short, was the worst experience of my career.
To start off with something positive, there are some really genuine people who work there, who are supportive and do make day to day just that bit more bearable. If it wasn’t for the collective struggle I would have been lost.
So let’s start from the beginning; when you see a job advert whose biggest perk is the free onsite parking, alarm bells SHOULD be ringing. If you are as naive as myself, you might just believe there are more benefits (There aren’t.) The training at first seems promising, dedicated staff for a day or two who train you up on the basics, and basic it does stay. That’s until you’re thrown into a role completely beyond the scope of what you’ve learnt the last two days and met with harsh comments and sarcasm when you aren’t a fully fledged administrator within 48 hours. Coupled with the unrealistic expectations, you can bet your bottom dollar no one agrees on the correct answer to your questions, leaving you more confused than ever!
Once you fumble your way through and work out how to make it look like you “know” what you’re doing. You’ll start to see the cracks in the “welcoming” atmosphere. I’ve seen more warmth in an eskimos living room than I did in that office. Some days, you’ll get on great with the seniors and team leaders, but one false step and your on what can only be compared to as the “naughty list”. Where you can stake your life on it, you’ll be berated by management in secret meetings, they’ll make you feel uncomfortable at work and you can see yourself being spoken about on teams. Regina George has nothing on what’s concealed in some of those networks.
Don’t worry too much though, if you are sat next to someone and you’ve ended up on their “naughty list”, give it a week and another “shake up” will come round, where each office chair has had more underage backside than Jeffery Epstein. If you’ve just got the hang of your role and gotten to grips with your team, don’t worry, you’ll get moved and have to start all over! And all of this for just pennies above minimum wage!
You might think, well I can learn anything! But have you mastered the art of NEVER being unwell? If not, don’t worry, they have NO support for real issues people face: Depression, anxiety, loss of pregnancies, endrometroisis, and long term injuries from car crashes to name just a few are treated as if you’ve got a splinter and you’re “dramatic”. If you are sick quite often, long term illness or not, you can expect to be hounded with warnings where you may end up getting sacked.
Management is grouped together, and will not stick up for any real issues unless there’s gossip or it benefits them. But it’s okay, because between them, they’ve likely done NO management courses and not a single ounce of improvement to this is likely to be done.
To summarise, if you want to get stuck in a dead end, low paying job, with little uncertainty, then this IS the place for you.
