Thursday 19 August 2010

Getting there. Ish.

Having spent most of the week before, and all day Monday and Tuesday in the confines of The Flat looking and applying for jobs, it's safe to say that come mid week, I needed a break.

I don't just mean a break in the cuppa tea and a Hob Nob sense, but more perhaps a flutter of interest in return for my efforts. I'd applied for nine positions so far: some paid, some unpaid, some for graduates, some for fully fledged all-responsible-n-that positions, some entirely speculatively. While this might not sound like a lot, it sure as hell felt like it. Maybe I was expecting too much too soon, but whatevs. Truth is, writing one covering letter is difficult. Writing nine individually, then reading, re-reading, swapping about words, and replacing, checking and sending, was time consuming stuff.

Not to mention that finding nine different ways to say "Look, I know I've spent the last 3 years chasing after something entirely different, but I've had a little thinky-poo and done a bit of research, been around the world and aye-aye-aye-aye can't find my baby, and if you put all my skills and interests together in one big happy pot then you'll see I can do this job. And even if there's bits I can't do, I can learn super quickly because I'm all clever like that. I want it. So gimmie." is pretty taxing on the old brain. But I'd done it. And on Wednesday morning, it kind-of-sort-of started to pay off.

First, the inbox beeped with a response to a speculative e-mail about internships at a social-media type consultancy. It was positive news: they were on the lookout at the moment. It got better, the E-Mailer could see me that afternoon. Once I'd responded, another break through: I'd been invited along to a networking event at one of the biggest ad agencies around. Opportunity snapped up, I spent last night drinking wine from a free bar, swapping e-mails and Twitters and talking to people who wanted to help me.

Then, after a quick check of the old inbox (because now I've got a CleverPhone I can do all that stuff on the move, worddd to being down with the kids) there was another e-mail in response to a position I'd applied for. The good news - I had an 'informal interview' lined up with the digital team at a famous London arts venue. The bad news? It's also an unpaid internship. This time, for 3-4 months.

It's a bit like stilted progression, like I've been here before. But an opportunity is an opportunity; I'll be in attendance for my 'chat' next Wednesday and e-mailing new contacts in the meantime to see what else is out there.

In conclusion: my options are unpaid but open, and the search continues.

12 comments:

Blonde said...

Best of luck, my friend.

Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open said...

Thanks Blonde, for the luck and continuing help!

nuttycow said...

I'm sure Blonde will probably be a better judge on this but I would say that, although the internships are unpaid, if you can afford to do them, do. They'll be great experience.

Best of luck with the CV churning. It's dull and repetitive but it will be worth it when you get *that* job.

James said...

Good luck!

The Unbearable Banishment said...

Looking for work is like having a full time job that you don't get paid for. Hang in there. It'll take some time.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the hunt Jo

Anonymous said...

Got to start somewhere...unfortunately when you've been away, you kind of have to start again. As I found out! Good luck!

laurenne said...

Man! I hate looking for jobs. Why can't we all just be rich? Or find a big wad of million-pound bills on the floor. Seriously, life is not fair.

London Lass Blog said...

Internships are the in thing at the moment. Would like to think it's not companies taking advantage of the saturated job applicant market at the moment and that they will actually have a bona fide permanent position at the end of it (and not just getting some free labour).

Weirdly, we've got an internship going at our place - however it would mean working for an insane bloke with yellow hair and a heavy drinking/heavy sexing problem. Probably best to overlook this `once in a lifetime opportunity'.

(PS : Good Luck!)

Ellie said...

Sounds fantastic. As does your attitude!

Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open said...

Nutty - Yeah that's the view I'm taking. If I get it, I'll be happy.

James - Thanks monsieur.

Unbearable - You know this better than anyone! Thanks.

Cynical - Thanks you little rascal.

Miss yummy - Indeed, indeed. Or not so much start again, as pick up where you left off. I.e. at the beginning, in my case ;)

Laurenne - Why can't my car also turn into a unicorn on Sundays? Alas, if only life did what we told it to.

Londonlass - That'll be one of my questions...if there's a position at the end of it all, I'll happily work my socks off for 3 months. If it's just 'maybe', I'll be less inclined.

Ellie - Thanks, I'm trying to stay positive..bless my heart.

Toddy said...

I too am in the job process and applying to everything under the sun that I may or may not be qualified for and you are totally right about each and every application being overwhelmingly time consuming and emotionally exhausting. And depressing and hilarious. I'm a lawyer but I can't even get a job as a receptionist right now. Sounds like you have some real prospects though so good luck with all that!

 

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