Is Finding A Dream Job Asking Too Much?

Well,  job hunting is not that much fun really.   Tailoring your CV, chasing agents and putting on a performance when you get that all important interview.  I think the thing that is troubling me most is the what if factor.  I think it's that thing of watching your savings creep down before your eyes, the fact that nobody wants to make a decision let alone a bad one so the sense of urgency in terms of hiring someone has been overtaken by not wanting to take a chance and the fact that there's not that many good jobs out there.  

My CV since being made redundant in 2009 has been a bit choppy so I want to make sure that my next role is right for me.  That is something that I really want to do, something that I find inspiring and something that utilises my skills and enthusiasm.  Oh and working with people who I respect and admire.  Is that too much to ask?  I don't think it is although it does mean that I am being pretty selective about the jobs that I go for.  That does mean that I spend time crafting each application but in terms of success, it does seem to work. Three interviews secured and very few rejections.  Still waiting to hear back on two of them to see if I get to the next round.  Both jobs are good and match what I'm after although one really really really appeals more than the other.  Fingers and toes crossed. 

I'm back! Have you missed me?

Well the title says it all.  I have not posted anything on here for absolutely ages as I did end up having two jobs in the past year or so.  The first was fun working for a sustainability charity and the second was my attempt at taking on a role in a very corporate environment.  I have come to the conclusion that I am not really a corporate type and thus am now on the market looking for that next all important role.

I started looking for a new role in December - not the best time to be looking for a job that's for sure with Xmas parties and no one looking to commit or do very much.  Being honest I did the minimum and really just touched base with a few agents that I know.  Oh and I had an interview with an architectural practice for a job that I knew I didn't want half way through the interview - stroppy associate line manager and a job chasing after work with no overall business development strategy.  A recipe for chaos if ever there was one. The feedback they gave me when they gave me the brush off was that I could do the role really well but was better suited to a larger company.

Anyway, this blog will focus on my latest job search either back into marketing for professional services firms or charity fundraising.  Wish me luck.

All Change

At times it can be said that I'm not the most perceptive person in the world. Actually, quite often my mind does seem to reside on a little planet it's created all by itself and I choose to engage with lesser mortals when I can be bothered. 

Anyway, I was knocked for six the other week at catch up meeting with my boss.  Turns out plans were being hatched under my nose -  I was the comms guinea pig for where I work. Was there a need and at what level and how many type of thing.  The answer is that comms is important, there is a need and it should play a large part in everything that this fledging charity gets up to.  Nothing like acknowledging the importance of being marketing orientated. 

The upshot is that they're happy with my work and want me to stay and they acknowledge that there is a need for someone at a senior role so they want to bring someone in to head up comms. I was speechless and was  told that I had a few days to think about what it is that I want to do next.  My contract is up at the end of March so it really is a case of decision time again.  Put myself back out there as another stat on  the unemployment figures or see how things go with new bird.

The prospect of being unemployed again wasn't attractive so staying put and seeing what happens next is the option that I am going with.  I told my boss that as long as I liked the new person, once I had a bad experience with a supposedly inspirational boss being brought in who was quite frankly crap and it was demoralising and not something that I ever want to repeat again. Also, that I can find a role for myself that I may be happy with.  

Lots to ponder yet again but it's all good :)

Too Close For Comfort

Since starting my interim role in September  for a charity, I have been in the rather weird situation of being based at one of my former employers' offices.  So literally I have an ID card, be it a contractor one, can get into all their buildings, bump into former colleagues and friends constantly and so on.

I guess it's been rather weird as I was let go but in some ways have gone full circle.  None of the mad complications of my former employer but in a familiar environment.  Well next week is all change as we're moving East and will have our own temporary home in a week.

A positive in many ways - moving away from the familiar to fully embrace my new job challenge. Distance should make things a bit easier to move on cleanly as at the moment I am a bit too close for comfort.  This won't stop me meeting up with people though.

The main downers comprise of location - not being in central London for the shops and social opportunities plus being so easy to get back home.  Moving Eastwood is certainly going to add to my journey time - having to hop on the Jubilee and Northern line during rush hour means I'll have to awaken from my slumber earlier to battle my way through town and then fight it out on those pesky trains - NNoooooooo. Esp as I've been off sick for past month or so I'd got to the stage where the overall cramped cattle truckesq state of the tube had somehow slipped from my mind.  Next job must be in town or North London please - will add to my list of resolutions :)

2010 - What Next?

I try not to make resolutions about any aspects of my life as I'm not the best at dealing with failure so best not to set myself up for it and therefore I don't use the word resolutions. So 2010 is now in full swing - my life has kind of been on hold for the past month or so as I had an operation and have had to have time off work.  As well as recovering the time spent cooped up at home has meant that I've had more time to think than any sane person would really want. The upshot is that I've looked at 09 and worked out what things I liked work wise and thinking about what things are going to be good to aim for 2010.

The main things are that I like being back in work and the fact that in my present job I can just get on with things without crazy buereaucy or game playing that was and still is rife in my former employer.

Career wise I have reached a bit of a plateau so this year one of the keys has to be to try new things and get back into learning more so that I can progress a bit further up the career ladder and to keep my brain ticking over. The need to learn new things applies to both the marketing and fundraising disciplines.  Social media as part of an overall strategy is defo of interest plus applicable to both areas - I have had a book for 6 months  about this topic and all I need to do now is actually open it.  Looking at the cover just doesn't seem to transmit the information to me for some reason!

Ultimately I want to move into fundraising for a charity so this year I plan to make inroads towards this.  The main things will be:
1) Head to lots of fundraising networking events and work the room a bit.
2) Get back in touch with people who I volunteered for last year and do more of the same
3) Approach people I know who run fundraising committes and volunteer my time
4) Apply for Marketing and Fundraising roles - combined piggybacking on my marketing experience will be the best way for me to get into fundraising.

Wish me luck.

Goodbye 2009, Bring on 2010

Well 2009 was one of the most turbulent ones for me for a rather long time that's for sure.  In my mind as I saw in the new year, barely keeping my eyelids open in San Francisco (I was ill so early night was as wild as I got), I could neer have envisaged I'd have done so much this year and come out of the other side happy.

Without doubt the biggest thing to be thrown at me this year was hearing that I was being made redundant in March and then heading out of that door on April 8.  It was a shock and in many ways scuppered the plans that I had been devising in my head for the year (save a deposit to one day buy a place being the main one).

Looking back now it certainly was not the end of the world and life certainly does go on. I got to travel to South East Asia exploring part of a world that I'd always dreamed of going to; I got to spend a lazy summer in the main doing what I wanted (whilst looking for work granted but with lots of downtime too) which resulted in impromptu walks and dates around town with my then new man, heading out to dinners, seeing old friends and hitting the gym whenever I wanted during the day (yes my buns were certainly made of steel as summer drew to a close).  I've never had a summer like that so it was definately nice.

OK, I can't deny that there were down sides too. Namely hearing the redundancy news, seeing friends suffering a similar fate, having to deal with the endless monotony of looking for work and their accompanying sad feelings.

As the year draws to a close I have an interim role until March which I am enjoying - working for a chhaarrriiiddee, am figuring out what things I want to accomplish  next year and to me that's just so exciting as I know that no matter what life chucks my way I can handle it so bring it on.

Hopefully, the economy will pick itself up but to me it will never return to what it was.  There will be a new state of play and rules that govern society so it's certainly gonna make for an exciting year.

Is There Any Such Thing As A Dream Job?

In the pub last night, was talking to one of my friends about whether there is anything such as a dream job. You know that thing that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning, all bright eyed and bushy tailed.

There must be people out there who have found their calling and are so enthused by what they do but I have a feeling the true figure may be rather low. I've enjoyed aspects of all the jobs that I have done but in truth most of the things I have enjoyed about work have been connected with the people I work with as opposed to the job itself.

In my current job, I am enjoying the team that I am part of but it has to be said that I am kind of doing lots of things that I've done in the past so is it riveting enough that I just want to leap out of bed in the morning to get to work - not quite but at least I am enjoying it. One of the cool things about having a 6 month contract is that I can start exploring and trying to get my dream job and make it happen.

Then I got to thinking about one of the best marketing campaigns ever - Queensland Tourism's best job in the world. So simple but pure genius. The job only lasts a year but the knock on benefits from such a simple idea are immeasurable. The idea of being stuck on a beautiful island does sound kind of appealing come to think of it maybe I'll apply next year although I'm not too keen on water so that could hinder my chances of success.