While sitting with friends in the Mystery Tea Shop one afternoon it was brought to my attention that the final year at uni has well and truely fried my brain. I once had a reasonable amount of common sense which seems to have been in the section of my brain that was cooked earlier this year. Thank you degree, for making me an idiot on various occasions.
Most recently for letting me destroy a table display in BHS. It was one of those 'knocking over the pyramid of baked beans' moments. Only salt and pepper mills. Thankfully they weren't made of glass so nothing broke but the shop assistant wasn't best pleased. This accident followed the one on Satuday when James gave me a can of beer to hold (I was on the bed watching a DVD) when chaos broke out. The power in my laptop was running low so I paniked and we had this comical moment as James tried to find the power lead amongst the wires for my hair straightners and hair dryer etc. Once calm had restored I saw the can, sitting on it's side on my bed and leapt up in the air shrieking. Oh yes, beer soaked duvet. It was on his side of the bed so it wasn't a complete disaster ;) I never used to be so accident prone but according to my friends other things have happened to prove my loss of 'C.S'.
My mind seems to go blank and I'm unable to do the simplest of tasks - it's very strange and frustrating. I've just read the above paragraph - paniked is wrong but I can't for the life of me remember how to spell it!
Anyway - despite this lack of brain cell I will carry on being Claire, hence the new name for my blog.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Monday, 13 September 2010
Monday, 23 August 2010
Interview Interschmiew
I can't recollect how many interviews I've had. Actually wait, I can because I've hardly had any because life sucks. I've had about 4. 4 interviews, 1 offer, 2 cancelled interviews and several epic agency applications. The rest of my job applicating experience has involved hundreds of rejection letters, calls and emails. And those the ones who bothered to let me know at all......
Finally I sign up with an agency that seems promising. They're keen to get me work as I have an interesting CV. My clerking experience certainly gets me kudos but I've learnt to stop telling people I'm a writer. I'm now pursuing a career in Office Management by working my way up.....blah blah blah. I just want a job with a decent rate of pay. Is that much to ask? Unfortunatly so do the thousands of other graduates and now to add to this A Level students aren't getting their places at college and are now going to add to the list of unemployed people. I can't stand this unemployed malarky. Okay, so I do have a job to go on to now but it isn't ideal - it's a 'stop gap'.
Last week I had an interview for what would be my ideal job. I thought, 'yeah, this will be an awesome opportunity, even if it's only a fixed term contract' but still, it seemed great. I spent hours on the application form and was over the moon to get an interview. I went to a lot of trouble to photocopy all the necessary documentation I had to take along with me. I put together my portfolio, dressed up in my smart suit and walked into the room bearing my most confident smile and posture.
Faced with a panel of 3 people, 2 of which I'd never be working with, I answered a whole FIVE questions. FIVE questions. Wow. What a way to tease out the best from a candidate huh? I felt patronised if anything. I just wanted to explain how I would be perfect the job, not list 5 things a good customer advisor needs to have to carry out good customer service. That is high school stuff for goodness sake. The interview was unfair in my opinion, I had gone to a lot of trouble to find out more about the organisation, remembered facts and figures, had examples of my previous experience all thought out etc. There was an opportunity to sell myself at the end, which I did but come Friday morning I was tearing up the rejection letter. What do these people want? My blood?
So perhaps this part time job is the way forward. At least I'll have the opportunity to prove myself. Who knows, ongoing may turn into permenant and 15 may turn into 35 hours. I hope so. Otherwise I'm gonna have to claim housing benefit and I'm not altogether sure if I'm entitled. I'm never entitled to anything like that.
Finally I sign up with an agency that seems promising. They're keen to get me work as I have an interesting CV. My clerking experience certainly gets me kudos but I've learnt to stop telling people I'm a writer. I'm now pursuing a career in Office Management by working my way up.....blah blah blah. I just want a job with a decent rate of pay. Is that much to ask? Unfortunatly so do the thousands of other graduates and now to add to this A Level students aren't getting their places at college and are now going to add to the list of unemployed people. I can't stand this unemployed malarky. Okay, so I do have a job to go on to now but it isn't ideal - it's a 'stop gap'.
Last week I had an interview for what would be my ideal job. I thought, 'yeah, this will be an awesome opportunity, even if it's only a fixed term contract' but still, it seemed great. I spent hours on the application form and was over the moon to get an interview. I went to a lot of trouble to photocopy all the necessary documentation I had to take along with me. I put together my portfolio, dressed up in my smart suit and walked into the room bearing my most confident smile and posture.
Faced with a panel of 3 people, 2 of which I'd never be working with, I answered a whole FIVE questions. FIVE questions. Wow. What a way to tease out the best from a candidate huh? I felt patronised if anything. I just wanted to explain how I would be perfect the job, not list 5 things a good customer advisor needs to have to carry out good customer service. That is high school stuff for goodness sake. The interview was unfair in my opinion, I had gone to a lot of trouble to find out more about the organisation, remembered facts and figures, had examples of my previous experience all thought out etc. There was an opportunity to sell myself at the end, which I did but come Friday morning I was tearing up the rejection letter. What do these people want? My blood?
So perhaps this part time job is the way forward. At least I'll have the opportunity to prove myself. Who knows, ongoing may turn into permenant and 15 may turn into 35 hours. I hope so. Otherwise I'm gonna have to claim housing benefit and I'm not altogether sure if I'm entitled. I'm never entitled to anything like that.
On the road to somewhere (just not sure where)...
Oh how I heart money when I have it and hate it when I have none which more than often the case. I think I'm destined to work hard and never have any.
Today is one those days. It's pouring down with rain outside and quite frankly, matches my mood. I woke up bright and early, tidied up my room - I've just moved and my belongings are in a state of chaos. I don't think I stored enough in dad's shed. I left the house to take a few things to the post office.
Item number one is yet another epic job application form for a position with the Open University. I haven't a cat's chance in hell but I'll waste 2 first class stamps sending it anyway.
Item number two is a parcel. I ordered some bits of jewellery on asos.com only for them to send me the wrong thing. These are Xmas presents so fair enough, no immediate rush but still - you'd think they could get the order right. Thankfully I don't have to pay for the postage for this.
Item number three is something I sold on ebay and didn't charge enough postage for because I'm a jackass. I better get good feedback.
While standing in the never ending queue I remembered the last of my bursary is due in my account this week. After sorting out the parcels I checked my balance. Not in yet. Damn it. I need this money to live off, don't these people realise how crucial it is for us jobless graduates to get our bursaries asap? Especially us hard working jobless graduates. Stuff the lazy ones! I bet all the lazy ones have got theirs now and they're all living at mummy and daddy's house so they're all spending it on clothes. Another thing to annoy me today. Grrr.
Then I went to the old house to pick up the two last possessions residing there. A plant and a push bike. Now getting a push bike into a citreon saxo is a skill. I managed to get in there when I picked it up but can I do it again? There I was, in the pouring rain, my jeans getting wetter by the second as I tried to get the bike into the car. The chain fell off so the option of riding the bike to my new residence went right out the window. In the end I took it back inside and rescued the plant J's mum gave me.
The plant is meant to be planted in a flower bed and left to creep up a trellis. It's a honey suckle plant. Because I didn't know whether I was coming or going I left the plant in it's pot and is has done rather well considering. As I stepped into the garden I realised the rest of the garden life had done well too. The wet grass was up to my knees....jeans are well and truely soaked by this point.
I got the plant into the car without too much trouble and carefully transported it to mum's house. She has a trellis in need of coverage, I think she'll love the honey suckle. Did I mention I don't warn my parents about these things? They're not in today, they're at the hospital learning about Type 2 Diabeties. I wish I could have been there too - I'd like to know more about it so I can look after my dad when mum goes away in October.
While at mother's I'm checking my emails and writing this blog. I have no internet sorted out yet. I think I've persuaded my ever suffering parents to buy me a laptop for my birthday or at least half of one to put with the money I'll attempt to get for my PC but one cannot assume things can one? So a writer without a computer and without the internet is a frustrated writer who is going to forget everything that is stored up in her little head. I do write things down but I feel lost without my spell check. My stories take forever to write by hand and then I'll have the tedious task of typing them all out. Yes I can copy type over 65 words a minute but that isn't the point is it?
So there you have it, I'm all angsty and annoyed. I've also forgotten the point of this blog. I have got a job. A crap part time admin job. A crap small number of hours for a crap hourly rate. Crap. My word of the day. Still, people keep telling me that it wouldn't do me any harm to get my foot in the door at this place so I guess it's worth a try and hell, it's better than nothing and I won't have transport costs because it's a stone throw away from my new home. So if I don't get that laptop for my birthday, I guess I can always sell the car but then that restricts where I work in the future and I can't get to mum's house and I'll need it when I look after dad.........you see, I hate money when it isn't on my side.
Today is one those days. It's pouring down with rain outside and quite frankly, matches my mood. I woke up bright and early, tidied up my room - I've just moved and my belongings are in a state of chaos. I don't think I stored enough in dad's shed. I left the house to take a few things to the post office.
Item number one is yet another epic job application form for a position with the Open University. I haven't a cat's chance in hell but I'll waste 2 first class stamps sending it anyway.
Item number two is a parcel. I ordered some bits of jewellery on asos.com only for them to send me the wrong thing. These are Xmas presents so fair enough, no immediate rush but still - you'd think they could get the order right. Thankfully I don't have to pay for the postage for this.
Item number three is something I sold on ebay and didn't charge enough postage for because I'm a jackass. I better get good feedback.
While standing in the never ending queue I remembered the last of my bursary is due in my account this week. After sorting out the parcels I checked my balance. Not in yet. Damn it. I need this money to live off, don't these people realise how crucial it is for us jobless graduates to get our bursaries asap? Especially us hard working jobless graduates. Stuff the lazy ones! I bet all the lazy ones have got theirs now and they're all living at mummy and daddy's house so they're all spending it on clothes. Another thing to annoy me today. Grrr.
Then I went to the old house to pick up the two last possessions residing there. A plant and a push bike. Now getting a push bike into a citreon saxo is a skill. I managed to get in there when I picked it up but can I do it again? There I was, in the pouring rain, my jeans getting wetter by the second as I tried to get the bike into the car. The chain fell off so the option of riding the bike to my new residence went right out the window. In the end I took it back inside and rescued the plant J's mum gave me.
The plant is meant to be planted in a flower bed and left to creep up a trellis. It's a honey suckle plant. Because I didn't know whether I was coming or going I left the plant in it's pot and is has done rather well considering. As I stepped into the garden I realised the rest of the garden life had done well too. The wet grass was up to my knees....jeans are well and truely soaked by this point.
I got the plant into the car without too much trouble and carefully transported it to mum's house. She has a trellis in need of coverage, I think she'll love the honey suckle. Did I mention I don't warn my parents about these things? They're not in today, they're at the hospital learning about Type 2 Diabeties. I wish I could have been there too - I'd like to know more about it so I can look after my dad when mum goes away in October.
While at mother's I'm checking my emails and writing this blog. I have no internet sorted out yet. I think I've persuaded my ever suffering parents to buy me a laptop for my birthday or at least half of one to put with the money I'll attempt to get for my PC but one cannot assume things can one? So a writer without a computer and without the internet is a frustrated writer who is going to forget everything that is stored up in her little head. I do write things down but I feel lost without my spell check. My stories take forever to write by hand and then I'll have the tedious task of typing them all out. Yes I can copy type over 65 words a minute but that isn't the point is it?
So there you have it, I'm all angsty and annoyed. I've also forgotten the point of this blog. I have got a job. A crap part time admin job. A crap small number of hours for a crap hourly rate. Crap. My word of the day. Still, people keep telling me that it wouldn't do me any harm to get my foot in the door at this place so I guess it's worth a try and hell, it's better than nothing and I won't have transport costs because it's a stone throw away from my new home. So if I don't get that laptop for my birthday, I guess I can always sell the car but then that restricts where I work in the future and I can't get to mum's house and I'll need it when I look after dad.........you see, I hate money when it isn't on my side.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Bittersweet
This week has been one of the most emotional weeks I’ve ever experienced. The fact I’ve graduated has finally sunk in as we finish off our intern projects, and the rest of the office prepares for its closure tomorrow. Thank you and farewell cards have been signed, hugs and words of encouragement have been exchanged and tears have been shed.
I have no idea what I’m doing for a living until I get a job. I’m applying for all sorts of things, I have the intention to write articles and send them off in the hope someone will publish them. I want to build up a portfolio so I can start getting paid for my work. I will get work experience in publishing houses – keeping my hand in an industry which may move up to the North West in the next coming years. I’m waiting for the BBC to commence recruitment for the Administration section of their Salford Quays development, and somehow, among all this, I will save up for my flat with James and keep writing fiction (again, submitting stories until someone publishes me. I will get published!).
Now the majority of my work for the Lancashire Cookbook has been completed, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the last few years because in all honesty, I haven’t had much time to and putting it into writing helps so I have something to look back on.
I’ve grown in confidence as far as my writing is concerned and as a person. I am more confident because I believe in myself and know that I am capable of anything. Learning to love myself is probably the highest hurdle I’ve had to overcome but once I got over it, the rest was a doddle. So many friends, old and new have helped me along this amazing journey. I’ve watched some of these friends on their own journeys, becoming mothers, wives and successful in whatever they’ve done.
I’ve fallen in love with the most amazing man in the whole world – in fact he has become my world.
And best of all; I’ve made my friends and family really proud of me and the fact I have no job lined up just yet hasn’t stirred any judgements, accusations or negative feelings within any of them. They’re just proud of what I’ve achieved and that will always mean a lot to me.
It’s the end of an era and I’m a quivering wreck of emotion which is sadness, anxiety and happiness.
I have no idea what I’m doing for a living until I get a job. I’m applying for all sorts of things, I have the intention to write articles and send them off in the hope someone will publish them. I want to build up a portfolio so I can start getting paid for my work. I will get work experience in publishing houses – keeping my hand in an industry which may move up to the North West in the next coming years. I’m waiting for the BBC to commence recruitment for the Administration section of their Salford Quays development, and somehow, among all this, I will save up for my flat with James and keep writing fiction (again, submitting stories until someone publishes me. I will get published!).
Now the majority of my work for the Lancashire Cookbook has been completed, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the last few years because in all honesty, I haven’t had much time to and putting it into writing helps so I have something to look back on.
I’ve grown in confidence as far as my writing is concerned and as a person. I am more confident because I believe in myself and know that I am capable of anything. Learning to love myself is probably the highest hurdle I’ve had to overcome but once I got over it, the rest was a doddle. So many friends, old and new have helped me along this amazing journey. I’ve watched some of these friends on their own journeys, becoming mothers, wives and successful in whatever they’ve done.
I’ve fallen in love with the most amazing man in the whole world – in fact he has become my world.
And best of all; I’ve made my friends and family really proud of me and the fact I have no job lined up just yet hasn’t stirred any judgements, accusations or negative feelings within any of them. They’re just proud of what I’ve achieved and that will always mean a lot to me.
It’s the end of an era and I’m a quivering wreck of emotion which is sadness, anxiety and happiness.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Chicken Soup
Job seeking aside, I'm loving this cooking malarky! With 3 days til pay day and cupboards all bare I wondered how I was going to make 3 chicken breasts last me. I say bare cupboards but I still had left over barley, a box of cornflour and plenty of stock cubes sitting around. So I've thrown the lot together with some chopped parsley and voila, a thick chunky tastey chicken soup to last me until pay day.
Down in the Dumps
The dept I have been working for these last 18 months or so is being dissolved. It only had funding to run for 5 years so we all knew this time would come. What we didn't know was that jobs were going to be hard to come by. The jobs are there, it's just harder to get an interview. It's frustrating and we're all rather unhappy with our lot. So we'll be marching to the nearest temp agency in order to avoid joining the ever increasing special brew crew in the Peace Garden near the Media Factory.
I do have an interview on Monday at long last, just getting an interview has made me feel happier. Interviews I don't have problems with, it's the job applications that seem to be the problem. I hate doing everything online, I'm sure my cv is just lost in a big black hole somewhere. And when I do get acknowledgement, it's usually a rejection. It is actually a horrific experience this job seeking lark but I'll be damned if I have to sign on. I've never signed on in my life and I don't want to start now.
I do have an interview on Monday at long last, just getting an interview has made me feel happier. Interviews I don't have problems with, it's the job applications that seem to be the problem. I hate doing everything online, I'm sure my cv is just lost in a big black hole somewhere. And when I do get acknowledgement, it's usually a rejection. It is actually a horrific experience this job seeking lark but I'll be damned if I have to sign on. I've never signed on in my life and I don't want to start now.
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