It's a full-time job looking for a job

Well hello there. It certainly has been a while since my last post. Sorry to all my die hard fans ;) This post is about my seven-week job hunt. Because it's hard to illustrate a post about job and flat hunting after the fact I've thrown in some other photos for fun.

The last few weeks have been extremely busy and a bit isolating. I moved from Henley to my mother's cousin's at Barking. It's in London so easier to tube into the city for interviews and meet with recruitment agencies. After being unsuccessful in getting a job I thought I was perfect for I started to broaden my search. In three weeks I probably went to seven or eight interviews. It was pretty taxing because along with the preparation, getting your head around a new company/organisation each time (and often making up why you are the right person for the job ... even if you don't really want it, you just need a job, any job!) is exhausting.

In between interviews I popped into the British Museum. I made it to two galleries including one on life and death which featured a display about the role marae play in Maori culture. I also checked out the Enlightenment gallery.

Sat outside and had lunch in the sun before heading off to the next place.

All the interviewing was definitely worth it and going for jobs at places like the Royal Horticultural Society was pretty cool (didn't get that one). My six weeks were up (I gave myself a deadline and if nothing marketing related came up by then it was temp time) and it was time to register with some temp agencies and get a job on reception or whatever I could find. I got offered an admin role working for the Football Association which was temporary for three months. That day the same recruitment agency said a temp to perm role might be coming up at an international PR agency in West Kensington. Obviously I would rather be doing that so I took a leap of faith and declined the FA one, in the hope that the PR agency would want me. God knows what I was thinking given I have no agency experience. I had three interviews on Friday last week - two with the PR agency and one with a careers charity that was set up with a different recruiter.

Julia (friend who I worked with at Te Papa who lives in London) on the Southbank after a couple of wines at Southbank Centre.

I spent five hours on the tube that day. That evening I was offered a job for a month at the PR agency with the idea that it would go permanent if I liked it and they liked me, and that I could handle the job. So far I've had three days there and I'm really enjoying it. I'm the European New Business Development Executive which sounds very important but half the job is being a PA to the director. The job focuses on identifying new opportunities for business and migrating business from other offices within the agency. Some of their clients include Coca-Cola, BP, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana. It's pretty exciting but also quite administrative. Lots of Powerpoint presentations! Oh and in between times I landed myself a flat with a group of Kiwis in Clapham Junction. It's fabulous for transport and only 20 minutes on the overground train to work. No more commuting on the tube for me. But that's another story.

That's my cousin Brendon with Betty Ann who I'm staying with

Liebken, Betty Ann's gorgeous dog - we're best mates

Right, back to the job stuff. On Tuesday I already had an interview set up for a New Media Officer role at Southbank Centre (dream job). I was so happy to have a job (££) and a flat after the manic two weeks I'd had, added to the feeling I would never be what they wanted, I didn't prepare as much as I should have for the interview. The day before it I had to do a task which was to submit an email campaign plan for the British Art Show. I got this in at a stretch and while I wasn't that happy with it I was relieved to have it sent so I could focus on preparing myself mentally for my first day at the PR agency.

On Tuesday I left the interview feeling like I clicked with the people but that I talked too much! Which is really weird because some feedback I've had is that I don't develop my answers enough. I think because I had a job which meant money coming in, I was more relaxed about the whole thing (the more interviews you go to the better). So, when I got the call the next day to say I got the job I was absolutely beside myself. It felt like a dream and that I'd imagined the whole thing. Obviously I accepted the position. The next thing was telling the PR agency that after the month of temp work I'd be leaving. Even though I'd only been there two days it was quite hard because they're great people and so busy that I know they really need someone there. Anyway as my fabulous ex-manager at Te Papa said 'this sort of thing happens all the time', so I bit the bullet and it was fine. I offered to see the month out and help with the recruitment process for the next person.

Arrived home after a hard day to find freshly-baked bread cooling in the kitchen. Betty Ann, you're amazing!

Nikki, Jo and Carol at Gabriel's Wharf

On 16 May I start my new job at Southbank Centre, so I'll report back about it in my next post.

Lucie = happy

In Betty Ann's garden in the 26 degree heat

Happy Easter and Happy Royal Wedding
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