Friends Like These

What an absolutely gorgeous day - the sun is shining through the window as I job hunt so it is hard to be down. Will be heading out in a bit to buy some food to cook up a storm tonight - can't wait.

Right on with my blog.  Last night one of my well meaning friends managed to rile me.  It was post conversation where my mind started to whirl with what had actually been said - I'm one of the people who needs time to fester and reflect.

The upshot was that my friend who does not really know what I do in terms of marketing and has not known me for that long was happy to give me advice on work and where I live.  One gem was that I should move to a cheaper area - you know one where you can rent a one bed flat for £600 each month! This was coming from someone who has owned his own place for 26 years and never faced the perils that come from renting in London.  I live in South West London, not in the most glam place in the world but not the dregs either. He is going to look over the weekend to find suitable areas for me!  I guess being self reliant and renting for over 10 years has qualified me for nothing.

The next piece of wisdom was on the job hunt front. OK I have not had paid work since the end of Nov but I have done some volunteering.  Admittedly December/early Jan was a slow month.  But I have chased jobs etc.  The main thing is that I have 10 years experience and I can't really go for a junior role with a substantial salary cut.  I don't spend money frivolously  but do need to earn above a certain level in order to meet my commitments.  I am a B2B marketing specialist so not as many roles as consumer led ones from what I see and so on.

Anyway, my friend was very much like "oh you must go for anything now even taking a £10k pay cut.  The job you are after does not exist."  I know the market has dropped since its peak but it certainly has picked up in the past year or two as firms are now starting to regroup and rehire those that they culled in 2009. Taking a next step that involves taking my career back at least seven years to me is not the right move even if it does mean that I am in a job.  I just need to keep on going and have the confidence and drive to get the job that I know is mine.

The 'M' Factor

Ok, I have to admit that these past few weeks have been tough and I have been very unmotivated.  I  just don't want to do anything.  Having a cold for the past few weeks, being under employed and worried about whether I'll be able to make my rent in a few months time is starting to weigh down on me. I need to be motivated but currently just don't feel like it. I officially hate all the crap that comes with looking for a job.

All of these things make it hard to focus my mind on what should be the main task in hand, finding a job.  I guess I am starting to feel a bit worn down by everything and the idea that life is always a struggle or a fight that in the main I have to contend with alone.  At times life does certainly suck.

Keep On Track

The Lovely Beijing Stadium 

As an Londoner born and bred or make that a proper East Londoner actually born in Bow, I have to admit that I think the London Olympic Stadium is not quite my design cup of tea.  Bit bland with any ideas for embellishment being value engineered i.e. cost cost.  As someone who has visited the Olympic site in Beijing and was quite frankly blown away by it - most of the design for the London Games is rather run of the mile apart from Zaha's Pool and the recently completed Velodrome.  I know "but London is all about the legacy etc" but can someone show me a clear plan about this yet? I think not.

Anyway, rather than bore you with my thoughts on the design merits of stadia past and present, I'll get back to why I am talking about keeping on track (see the my seamless sporting analogy - Olympic stadium - running track etc).   I had a call yesterday from a rather pushy agent.  I am registered with his agency and the guy I have met and tend to speak to is nice, professional and listens.  Anyway, the one I spoke to yesterday wasn't really any of those things.

He called at an inopportune time, I'd just cooked up a feast for breakfast and was about to tuck in when he rang. "Do you have a moment", he asked. "OK" I said as I scoffed on a piece of toast.   He then went on about a new role that he has for a mid sized accountancy firm.  Nice broad marketing role, in London blah blah blah. He went on to ask me a million question - kind of making me justify my worth as to why I am a good marketer.  I did say I'd  been in to meet his colleague a few weeks ago so couldn't he chat to him. In my head I wasn't too fussed and wanted to continue scoffing my breakfast which was quite frankly far more exciting than chatting to him.

Then the crunch, he asked me to come in on Monday to discuss the role and my response was "Why".  After a while I do get a bit sick of having to jump constantly for agents who ultimately have nothing for me plus I'd been in to see his colleague recently so why could they not have seen me in one hit?  He blathered on that I had to meet his boss to find out more about this great role.  I sighed - my food was getting cold after all. Then he said how much are you looking for in your next role.  As I said the figure (based on previous salaries) the phone went silent.  "Oohh the max they want to pay is this" which equated to a £3k drop for me. My response was that we should forget it then.  He then went on and on at me until I gave in and I found myself agreeing to go in on Monday.

Then a few hours later when I reflected on the mornings events and I came to a few conclusions:

- I really did not like that agent and once I get his email confirmation for Monday I will respond saying that I will not be going. Stuff him, he caught me off guard and did a sales job on me.
- I am not convinced about going for a role that is at the top end of their pay skill and still quite a sizeable drop for me.  Taking the role would effectively mean that I would not be progressing my career or salary scale any time soon as they are obviously looking for someone more junior who will grow into the role. Therefore the likelihood of me getting to the next level in terms of seniority and pay would be even further from my grasp.
- If I will sell my soul to the devil for a role in a sector that I am not too interested in (accounting) I expect you to pay me well for doing so. A pay cut for a role where I will grow and develop in a sector that I am interested in would be an altogether different matter.

So in summary - I shall be in the warmth of my own home on Monday.  I will send that agent an email to say thanks but no thanks boyo! I will reread some of the stuff that I did about my wants/needs a few years ago with a bit of a 2011 refresh to make sure that my job hunting keeps on track and doesn't deviate due to unscrupulous people out to make a fast buck.

It's Good To Talk

Well I'm sitting here with a cold that has gone on for two days. Maybe sitting in front of the laptop with a temperature and a headache isn't the best idea but I feel that ranting or should that be writing!

As the headline says, it's good to talk.  I went to an exhibition last week and managed to talk to quite a few people.  It was nice to be back in the world that I love, buildings and the environment.  Managed to bump into three of my former bosses which was cool.  Chatting to one of them who I will meet with next week to have a chat as she may have something job wise that may be of interest.

Aside from talking led to a consultant telling me to look at a job that is being advertised at the moment and I also got chatting to a Director at a drinks reception who said I should send him my CV.

People think I am a natural when it comes to talking and networking but it has to be said that there are days when that is the last thing in the world that I can or want to do.  Luckily aside from having sore feet from wandering around ExCeL all day, I was in pretty high spirits. More opportunities cropped up in that one day than had done for weeks proving that it's good to talk to get that next job.

Why Don't Recruiters Listen?

Ok, at times I admit that I am not necessarily the best listener but I know my flaws and do try not to jump in with my point of view too soon. But give me my dues, ultimately I do get the message.  You know when you are always the first one to text the guy and he does not respond or when he does it's quite a while later - I do ultimately get the message. 

If I can get the message, why is it that some recruiters can't? My CV is a bit choppy so I know that one of the things I need in my next role is to stay there for a while. In order for me to do that it means not just getting a job but getting the right job. One where I feel part of the team, my skills are appreciated and I enjoy working with my colleagues.  One where I can grow into being that inspirational marketing manager that in truth should not be too far away.  

In order to get a job that I stick out I know I can't do a role that is bid focused.  Marcomms is what I do and what I enjoy and therefore what I want to do.  Why oh why when I say this to agents do they still persist in sending me roles that are bid focused? What's the marketing/bid split I asked?  Oh 60/40.  "Ok but you know that I am not interested in roles that are primarily bid roles" I said. "Yes, Yes" was the response.  Then why send me a flurry of emails not asking about my marketing experience but asking me to list all the bids I have ever worked on with fee values when I send across my CV for a role that they want to put me forward for.  This request was nigh on impossible as I have worked on so many plus I tend to end up with selective amnesia as far as bidding is concerned.  I tend to blank things out. 

I guess agents don't listen because ultimately many are just concerned with their own commission.  Whether I end up in an unsuitable role is by the by as long as they get paid.  Just remember bad agents, that day when I do become a Marketing Manager and am looking to recruit, you will not be my first port of call.  I shall give my business to the ones out there that have listened to me when I was looking for work and ultimately respected my views.

Jobcentre = Pleasant Experience

Well, I have to admit that I was dreading the rigmarole of having to do the deed of signing on again.  I had resisted as much as I could but now the time had sadly come. Anyway,  I went online and filled in those lovely forms then had a phone call saying when to head to Streatham Jobcentre for an interview where I needed to produce a million bits of paper to prove my credentials.

Anyway, firstly Streatham jobcentre for what it was actually seemed to have a pleasant décor.  It was no way near as worn out as Wood Green Jobcentre Plus and the staff were actually polite.  I had had heard a horror story about Streatham so I was a bit worried that I would have to deal with some battleaxe but I was pleasantly surprised.

Both ladies I spoke to were lovely and friendly.  They took all my identification and it was good to see that they had improved some of their systems since the last time that I signed on in light of the increasing numbers of jobless professionals that now darken their doors. Wow they actually now know what some of us do and I think may even have a few relevant jobs on their systems.  A big improvement from 2009.

The sad thing was that when I asked about training etc as I figured this down time would be an ideal time for me to sharpen up my skills.  I had the response that the only courses on offer were basic literacy skills.  Other training and workshops had now been cut due to cuts.  That's a crying shame in my eyes as the Government's ultimate aim should be to help up-skill the unemployed, build their confidence and help revive the economy so that they can get back into work.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Ooohhh the pain of waiting around for decisions.  Everyone is just too busy to hire - they're running around here there and everywhere so making time to interview let alone make a decision is elongated beyond all comprehension. AAaaarrrggghhh
I had an interview today which went well or at least I think it did, awesome job, awesome team, awesome company.  It's one where I really will have my fingers crossed to getting a positive response.  Strangely if I was writing down what I wanted my next role to look like this company very much fits the bill so it does give me hope that the job I am after isn't some weird unobtainable pipe dream.  So the one thing that I know if that I must persevere.
Right so part of the plan is getting down to the job centre to sign on - just in case the dream job doesn't quite pan out.  I know it'll be traumatic and the likely £40ish quid each fortnight won't make a sizeable dent on my outgoings but hey it's a start.
The other thing will be to network like a demon - my last few jobs I got direct as opposed to through agents so look out the built environment world, I will out there chatting away and seeing if there are roles to be unearthed somewhere.