I have been applying for jobs constantly since I arrived in London. It took me about a week to get an "on-going" temp job. Basically, you find a temp agency (which is easier said than done, despite what you hear) and they find you a job.
Often these jobs are on a short-term basis, a day, a week, a month, but the on-going is the best for several reasons. First, you are guaranteed a pay check every week (the most important). Second, you don't have to get used to a new boss every other day. And third, it gives you the opportunity to make ends meet while you look for something you really want to do. Which is what I have been doing for the past month and a half.
At first, it seemed to me that journalism jobs were abundant in the UK - but that was before I got here at the height of the holiday season. When I first arrived, the pickings were slim. As it turns out, tons of people get new jobs in january - time for a change, I suppose. (Apparently the rate of divorce is higher in january too.)
So, lucky me. Everyone is moving around and getting new jobs, which means plenty of openings for me, right? I hope so. There have been a lot more advertised positions in the last month than there were in december, which is a good sign for me. I've been applying to all of them. Assistant editors, trainee journalists, journalists, assistant this and assistant that.
I've had two serious interviews in the past week. The first was for a trade journal. Investment banking. I had to take time out of my already short weekend to write a 300-400 word article on the Societe Generale and the systematic failures that led to their losing billions of pounds (the currency, not the weight). It wasn't something I knew much about, but the article was okay, so I thought.
In fact, it was "the best of the bunch". But I still didn't get the job. The question that lost it for me was, "Are you passionate about investment banking?" Who is truly passionate about it, other than investment bankers? I believe in honesty, but lesson learned. Next time, I eat, dream and sweat investment banking!
The other was at a pretty large news agency that would have been my perfect foot in the door. It's a job I wanted MORE than any job I've ever applied for. It was working with videographers, editing, archiving and sending off video to people who want to buy it.
I rocked the interview. Rocked it harder than any interview I've ever had. I know, because they told me. I was wearing, what I refer to as my "power suit", and was feeling good until I got into the building and had to wait to be taken upstairs. I started to get really nervous (which I usually am not, especially in interviews), my breathing was erratic, my heart was pumping, I felt sick. But I managed to pull it together and put it all out of my mind. Obviously, I must have had something they wanted or I wouldn't have been there.
Anyway, the interview, as I said, was amazing. I was sure, certain, positive, that the job was mine. When the interviewer called me on Monday morning (after a weekend of butterflies in my tummy) he told me he was "really, really sorry, but I was unsuccessful".
He went on to say that I was fantastic in the interview and I had really impressed them, but they were going with someone who had more "practical experience". I think that means the other person knows Avid, (the software they use) and I don't. "But," he went on, "if it's all right with you, I'd like to keep your information on file and call you if we have any freelance work or if anything else comes up." (I know they always say that, but for numerous reasons I won't list, I actually believe him.)
When I started breathing again, I told him that would be great, thanks for the chance and I'm looking forward to hearing from him. I hung up the phone and almost started to cry. I'm over it now, everything happens for a reason, so there must be a reason I didn't get the job. I still see it as a toe in the door, even if it's not the whole foot. Next week I'm going to ring him and see if I can get some work experience so that next time I have all the skills they want.
I've got loads of other applications out there. And while I'm waiting, I can hone my interview skills and learn from these experiences. They both gave me valuable feed back and I'm not going to forget it. So, while the hunt continues, I work six days a week at my temp job and hunt for something better, which I know will come along when the time is right.
Often these jobs are on a short-term basis, a day, a week, a month, but the on-going is the best for several reasons. First, you are guaranteed a pay check every week (the most important). Second, you don't have to get used to a new boss every other day. And third, it gives you the opportunity to make ends meet while you look for something you really want to do. Which is what I have been doing for the past month and a half.
At first, it seemed to me that journalism jobs were abundant in the UK - but that was before I got here at the height of the holiday season. When I first arrived, the pickings were slim. As it turns out, tons of people get new jobs in january - time for a change, I suppose. (Apparently the rate of divorce is higher in january too.)
So, lucky me. Everyone is moving around and getting new jobs, which means plenty of openings for me, right? I hope so. There have been a lot more advertised positions in the last month than there were in december, which is a good sign for me. I've been applying to all of them. Assistant editors, trainee journalists, journalists, assistant this and assistant that.
I've had two serious interviews in the past week. The first was for a trade journal. Investment banking. I had to take time out of my already short weekend to write a 300-400 word article on the Societe Generale and the systematic failures that led to their losing billions of pounds (the currency, not the weight). It wasn't something I knew much about, but the article was okay, so I thought.
In fact, it was "the best of the bunch". But I still didn't get the job. The question that lost it for me was, "Are you passionate about investment banking?" Who is truly passionate about it, other than investment bankers? I believe in honesty, but lesson learned. Next time, I eat, dream and sweat investment banking!
The other was at a pretty large news agency that would have been my perfect foot in the door. It's a job I wanted MORE than any job I've ever applied for. It was working with videographers, editing, archiving and sending off video to people who want to buy it.
I rocked the interview. Rocked it harder than any interview I've ever had. I know, because they told me. I was wearing, what I refer to as my "power suit", and was feeling good until I got into the building and had to wait to be taken upstairs. I started to get really nervous (which I usually am not, especially in interviews), my breathing was erratic, my heart was pumping, I felt sick. But I managed to pull it together and put it all out of my mind. Obviously, I must have had something they wanted or I wouldn't have been there.
Anyway, the interview, as I said, was amazing. I was sure, certain, positive, that the job was mine. When the interviewer called me on Monday morning (after a weekend of butterflies in my tummy) he told me he was "really, really sorry, but I was unsuccessful".
He went on to say that I was fantastic in the interview and I had really impressed them, but they were going with someone who had more "practical experience". I think that means the other person knows Avid, (the software they use) and I don't. "But," he went on, "if it's all right with you, I'd like to keep your information on file and call you if we have any freelance work or if anything else comes up." (I know they always say that, but for numerous reasons I won't list, I actually believe him.)
When I started breathing again, I told him that would be great, thanks for the chance and I'm looking forward to hearing from him. I hung up the phone and almost started to cry. I'm over it now, everything happens for a reason, so there must be a reason I didn't get the job. I still see it as a toe in the door, even if it's not the whole foot. Next week I'm going to ring him and see if I can get some work experience so that next time I have all the skills they want.
I've got loads of other applications out there. And while I'm waiting, I can hone my interview skills and learn from these experiences. They both gave me valuable feed back and I'm not going to forget it. So, while the hunt continues, I work six days a week at my temp job and hunt for something better, which I know will come along when the time is right.
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