What have I learnt about job hunting?

The past three months have taught me many lessons. I'll share a few:

* The job market has changed dramatically for instructional designers, editors, and teachers.
* Referees are more important than ever; without people who can vouch for you don't bother applying.
* Past colleagues will be sharing info on Facebook and other networks, so be careful what you say to whom.
* Recruitment agencies may be useful or rude; they'll gather information for their databases, mention who they know at your old workplace, and then neglect to follow up on results of interviews.
* Some employing organisations act like recruitment agencies, wasting hours of your time populating their new database systems with precious private information like your referees' contact details, wasting the time of your referees by asking them to complete pages of online forms (performance appraisal style). See the fine print conditions, there is no choice if you want to apply for this position.
* Friends and relatives are well-meaning and supportive but only you know what you are actually qualified and experienced in and feel that you could do with passion and integrity.
* Skills change and if a job is not allowing you to exercise them it's advisable to leave (3 more people have left the organisation I walked away from end of January - all were expensive new recruits).
* Never burn your bridges, but also don't let people walk all over you - you want to keep your head up and save some self-esteem.
* An hour and a half in a classroom with a bunch of kids can be so good for the soul and keep you smiling for a week even though the pay doesn't cover the petrol return costs, or the time spent preparing and marking test papers.
* It is expensive to keep up all the yearly registrations and membership fees (state teaching boards, editing societies, etc.) especially without incomes (irrelevant that they are tax deductible) but without them you're unemployable.
 * Professional development points or experiences are harder to accrue and document if you're in an organisation that doesn't mentor you,  or if you've left and you're on your own.
* Preparing job applications is a huge task with a different set of requirements for each recruitment agency (e.g. some want separate documents on referees, or to state relevance to job criteria).
* Some organisations want to interview you before they even say what the job is, or provide a position description with a salary benchmark.
* Some interviews are conducted by lovely kind people on panels, others by functionaries who are going through the motions (the number and style of interviews in the process is hard to anticipate).
* Just because all your private information is on their database and you have an ID card in a lanyard, with a number and a photo (that you've obtained and paid for yourself) doesn't mean that an organisation will follow through and offer you sessional work or even just a courtesy email or phone call.
* Running your own business enterprise (contractor, consultant, trainer, facilitator) is definitely the way to go to set your own goals and keep control.
* Make your own contacts, speak to people about your own terms of work, make clear what your current skills are and what you can offer.
* If your skills have become redundant (if a new graduate pips you every time) then the only choice is retraining, again and again; ask lots of questions to check.
* When people raise eyebrows about the number and level of your formal qualifications, start deleting them from your CV!
* Being underemployed is no fun at all if you're used to congratulating yourself as a high achiever - friends assume you have bags of spare time, but mostly you are just stressing out worrying about the next steps to take and the narrowing options due to a dwindling budget.

In spite of the negatives, I'd walk again. I gave notice of course, completed a thorough handover and have fielded follow-up text questions since I left, so I have a clear conscience. Perhaps I should have left sooner.

There are good, well-managed organisations out there that value their staff and reward them appropriately. I'm lucky to have found a few and I recognise them by the little things: Christmas bonuses, no matter how small; personalised considerations like paying extra for my travelling time; fair and even-handed treatment, looking after my wellbeing and that of my colleagues. Other organisations, with a culture of bullying and undervaluing their staff (no matter how fun and friendly the individual managers are), can leave you and waves of your colleagues deskilled and demotivated.

I know - that's life - and that's the end of my rant!

Looking forward

Today I've pencilled in yet another job interview for next week, to be squeezed in between a rush of teaching sessions. I'm on the books of about 5 or 6 different organisations now with enough sessional work to cover my petrol costs. Next week will be a blur of activity with my masters assignments due on the Friday. This blog will soon limp to a speechless close!  

Which famous scifi writer was once a porter, builder, cleaner, bodyguard?

Clue: He wrote, performed and directed stage revues in London, Cambridge and for the Edinburgh fringe. As well as writing books about the universe and everything,  he was a radio producer and script editor of Doctor Who.

Met my new class today

Yes, some classes run on Sundays - they're keen Year 9s - as you'd expect if you were paying for extra tuition on the weekend. I see them again in a fortnight. They're using a friendly Australian workbook in the Excel Essential Skills Series published by Pascal.

Online training

There are some excellent tools and learning management systems out there.  Some workplaces expect their recruits in training and development to have experience using particular systems. Moodle is one. Webducate is another: http://www.webducate.com.au/blog

Illustrator/writer - Shaun Tan's beginnings

Everyone has to start somewhere! This snippet from award-winning children's book writer/illustrator, Shaun Tan:
'...to see if I could make a living as a freelance artist. I had actually been illustrating things while a student as way of making money – drawing for magazines, newspapers, book covers, music posters, flyers and newsletters, mostly around campus, plus selling the odd painting. I pretty much learned all my current illustration techniques through doing these small jobs.' See http://www.shauntan.net/faq1.html

Small successes...

Some class tutoring work I applied for two months ago has suddenly come through as a job offer (it's only an hour and a half a week but will cover the cost of travel to the location and then some...). (Thanks Lyn and Alex for your encouragement.) And another group I do work for said of my failures at interview: 'Ah, their loss, our gain!' and offered me extra sessions. Thirdly I've rejigged some tafe offerings to maybe attract people on Saturdays.

Trust your bookkeeper (Skills Lesson 4)

More than that...

Employ your family and friends (Skills Lesson 3)

Those dearest to you may not be in the top one percent...

Prove your worth (Skills Lesson 2)

One day a woman came into my flower shop asking for work as a florist. I explained I couldn't afford to pay extra staff, but she pointed out that Valentine's Day was coming up...

Know and demonstrate your skills (Skills Lesson 1)

From the point of view of the employer, a person is needed to do a job based on a definite skill set.

Alex B reveals source!

Go to...

Performers, buskers, volunteers...

...at the Yackandandah Folk Festival at the weekend. Parents raised $$$KKK for their primary school by providing budget meals in the memorial gardens. Big thumbs up to bands BluGuru and Orange Blossom at the Star Hotel.
http://www.liveguide.com.au/Festivals/687946/Yackandandah_Folk_Festival_2011

Two unsuccessfuls

Thanks for sharing my pain! I received an email notification about one yesterday - other applicants had been found to better match the requirements. And the other, even after yesterday's delightful interview where I was sure I'd done well

On reflection

'"The most important lessons that one learns from 'great failures' or 'great successes' in our professional career are discussed.

Interview prep

The slide presentation is done, saved to my desktop (and printed out for the panel in case the technology fails), my question sheet is being drafted...

Invitation to interview this Wednesday...

Just got the phone call for the industry ID job...  panel of 3 people (including my old buddy from years ago - which doesn't mean I'm a shoo-in, not at all) and please could I bring in my questions and some samples of my ID work. Right!

Take care at 'Apply'... and enjoy your shoes

Followed through with Seek and - please note - the glitch is not a Seek problem. (Read on for amusement!)

Short vent!!!

Sorry but... For this one job, I have just spent 4 hours preparing a 6-page CV, a 2-page application, a 3-page outline of relevance to criteria, got right through about 16 pages of online form

Two more ID applications (one industry, one higher ed)

For one job: Spent three hours today finessing the CV, writing a new letter of application, populating the missing info in the automatically generated database tracker (about 14 pages worth)... you might be interested the fields are: Personal details (contact info), Eligibility (Australian citizen), Qualifications (all of them, where, when, level reached), Employment History (Name of Org, title of position, duties, reason why left) I stopped at 12 of mine - enough already! - Salary (nominate your figure, Referees (names, positions, contact details), Resume (CV to upload from your computer) and also the letter of application (attached my new two-pager) and any other scanned documents such as references (I didn't bother). That's the industry one that closes tomorrow.
Now to finish my letter for the higher ed organisation (one of the many that I've worked for in the past)... another two hours I think - doesn't close till next week. I might delay it and phone for more info. This is a good one.

Old colleagues resurface as managers...

...which is why when you get a lovely response thanking you for your application, and advising you they are shortlisting, and the name sounds familiar from about 12 years ago it's handy to have a good memory of that person.

Teaching - next month...(+ NB - bubble wrap presents)

After today's guest session (most excitement was over spider eviction!), we spoke about more possibilities next month...pencil it in. : )
Feeling flat though - yesterday I received the farewell card and gift from ex-workmates, Express Post... but not enough bubble wrap! I emailed a newsy thank you and didn't mention the damage (a secret between you and me!) - they would be mortified!

Two more applications submitted

A half-hearted one for tutoring, and a serious one for Instructional Design and Editing work, which doesn't close for a week. A while to wait.

More teaching sessions...

A couple of days in a row end next week, just when Blog Part 2 assignment is due. That'll get me organised ahead of time! All good.

Application to Hardie Grant

It's a long shot, but I thought I'd try just sending my CV to an organisation that looks promising (book & magazine publishing), with HR in Melbourne: http://hardiegrant.com.au/magazines/careers

Top women work hard and emotional intelligence helps you get a job

A couple of snippets today. A new study finds top women tend to have the following qualities - 'strong self-belief, willingness to work hard, perseverance, resilience and the need to strive for autonomy'. (my emphasis) Oh and they are also smart! http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/top-women-have-much-in-common-20110314-1bubg.html Your jobsearch will also be helped along if you can show you have emotional intelligence (EI) http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/is-emotional-intelligence-as-important-as-iq-20110314-1bub5.html.

Happy Labour Day - celebrate the 8-hour day

In Melbourne, opposite the Trades Hall building stands a monument to the winning of the 8-hour day for workers (leaving 8 hours to sleep, another 8 hours for recreation). http://www.8hourday.org.au/news_archive.asp

Other blogs about work...

Here's one about being a UPS worker (a kind of postal delivery worker I guess): http://agentlemansword.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog
He shares advice about not locking those security doors that make his job of leaving little 'missed you' notes even harder to wedge at the front door...
(This is not strictly about looking for work - just doing it....)

'If we knew what we were doing...

...it would not be called research'!! (apparently so said Albert Einstein, according to my Google quote of the day). So it is useful to be a little bit ignorant, or in the dark, at times. This is me, right now - a bit confused about what my next step should be... so I'm researching some more!

Straining old friendships

Had a coffee today with someone I hadn't seen for many years... she asked me how she could get a casual job at the organisation where my husband works.

Menial jobs - most embarrassing?

What would be worse – work as a cheeseburger-ad-placard-holder or being a right royal ‘groom of the stool’?
Dave Cauldwell observed placard holders and worked in some menial jobs himself. He discovered the connection between unhappiness in his personal life and the tendency to blame work issues, the latter providing a cover for the former. He says he's ‘eternally grateful’ for his ‘crappy’ jobs such as cleaning up children’s pee which taught him 'where the boundaries of his own worthiness lay', and that he shouldn’t take himself too seriously! http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/dignity-found-in-mopping-up-the-mess-20110312-1bs49.html
Again on the question of dignity, Iain Hollingshead reports that Buckingham Palace recently advertised the positions of eco-gardener ($24,000 p.a.), general assistant (wash up) and head of royal travel. Would you apply? http://www.smh.com.au/world/a-licence-to-chill-in-her-majestys-household-service-20110312-1bs7z.html I think Dave might have just read Iain's article, don't you!! Less than fascinating jobs might teach us something about life. What is the worst fear? Losing status? What is the most humiliating job you've done?

Ah-ha - insert 'jump break'

I've found it again in the tool bar... it's the toothy-looking gismo...

I'll use it here ...

Mining boom creates opportunities for local councillors

This extract  (p. 8) from Alexis Wright's award-winning novel Carpentaria, raises from a sympathetic perspective the question of personal gain, which is driven at a basic level by the need to survive:
'Harmless coercing of the natives the social planners hummed, anxious to make deals happen for the

Julian Barnes - Nothing to be Frightened Of

Novelist Julian Barnes spoke on radio yesterday about his new novel dealing with death. He said we think of life as a narrative - 'we pretend life is a story progressing towards meaningful conclusions' - but this is a confabulation, he said; 'what is useful conflicts with what is true'

Organise an anthology

How blithely we say 'yes' to innocent sounding requests if we're in between major jobs or contracts!
I've said of course I'd be delighted to take over the voluntary organisation of our local writers group anthology of writing to mark its 10-year anniversary.

Society of Editors (Victoria) Inc. - Network with your peers

One of the benefits of paying a yearly subscription to a professional association such as Society of Editors is that I receive eNewsletters in my email inbox periodically. I cannot make the full 8 pages available to show you the range and style of content covered, but the headings include 'Hard Times or Just New Times?' (news about the REDGroup going into voluntary administration), 'Accreditation Exam' and 'Next Dinner Meeting: Stephan Banham on Typography', an invitation to dinner with peers to hear a speaker on an industry topic and to meet up with old friends and colleagues to maybe find out about emerging work opportunities. This is networking, in other words. I've posted a picture (pdf) to the pic column under newsletters. It's illegible in this format but shows the style of the publication. (I know you've all seen thousands of examples of such circulars to be trashed from your inbox daily - I'm just covering a variety of outputs for fun!)

If you are interesting in joining the Society of Editors in your state you may join as either a full member or an associate member. For more information go to http://www.socedvic.org/ and enquire via the membership link.

Real Estate

A Real Estate training opportunity taken from p. 3 of Warlimont & Nutt e-Newsletter, March 2011:
'Free Training to the Right People. Are you bored with your present job? Consider a career in real estate sales. A base salary package of $77,000

David Bardas CEO & Creative Writer - 'Home for Lunch'

A new comedy show is opening at Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne. Writer David Bardas, former CEO of Sportsgirl Sportscraft Group and son-in-law of industrial Victor Smorgan, explores issues of life after work: 'It's like a failure; if you're not working, you're off the radar' ...
His first play - what a contributor! Go see the show:

http://chapeloffchapel.com.au/melbourne-comedy-theatre-art/melbourne-events/home-for-lunch/

Polyglot's Fabulous Position Description

Great, creative PD! Check it out! http://www.polyglottheatre.com/sites/default/files/file/Polyglot_2011_Market%20Development%20Coordinator_PD.pdf

From the gym

After morning gym class, I've started up 'where do you work?' conversations:

S: 'At X Inn and at Y Hotel, I do the finances, all that sort of shit, but I had a headache, I never have a headache, and when I rang in sick they wouldn't accept it. Said I had to come in, they had no-one to replace me. But then they found someone.'

A: 'I used to run a deli business with a friend - hard work, barrels of olives, 20Kg we had to lift. I worked recently, lovely people, but 8 am to 5.30 pm with only 30 minutes for lunch, and they didn't even provide a chair. I had to sit in the car and eat my lunch. I gave it away.'

What your referees may say about you!

Comedy zone:
'He would be out of his depth in a puddle.'
'This young lady has delusions of adequacy.'
'She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.'
... more from http://www.comedy-zone.net/jokes/work.htm

Top Ten Excuses for Why I Didn't Get the Job - Hahaha

At funniest office jokes sites I found Top 10 excuses for falling asleep at your desk. Here are three:
1 "They told me at the blood bank this might happen."
2 "I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm!"
3 "This is just a 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in the last time management course you sent me to."
Go to http://www.comedy-zone.net/jokes/work.htm

In this vein for your amusement and my consolation I've started a list of possible thanks-but-no-thanks lines (lies?) from recruitment officers. Please add your own - truth or fiction - lies via the comments box.
1. Unfortunately on this occasion you have been unsuccessful... (you think there'll be a next time?!)
2. Due to the extremely high calibre of the pool of applicants... (you didn't get calibrated beyond small fry)

Web Content Coordinator (1)

A corporate job with variety... this time I'm going to speak to the recruitment agency contact person first. I've left a voicemail message. When he rings back, I'll ask:

• Is the position still available (advertised last week!)
• Where is the job located?
• Can you give me more information about the position?
• Do you have a position description you can email me?

Suggestions?

The Writing Company - established 1993

I've been freelancing under this business name for nearly 20 years. This is my work-from-home part of what I do - mostly referrals. Earned more from this in-between work than a whole year in the flower shop after expenses! Light relief from all the serious postings this morning... : )

Online Copy Writer and Editor - (Name of Org) (5) Resubmitted CV & App lr

Both the letter of application and CV have been revised, restructured and resubmitted to the recruitment agency. I rang to check they were received. All is well. Now they are looking to shortlist today or tomorrow and will be in touch with me. (She sounded busy, but I won't read anything into that.) If you're interested in the suggested template for your professional CV go to:
http://www.michaelpage.com.au/pdf/CV_Template.pdf  I'll post this quick link also on the right of the screen.
Any suggestions for other templates to add to a collection?

Online copy writer and editor (4) Position Description

The interview with the recruitment agency went really well! I now actually have the position description and the name of the employing organisation so I'm not shooting in the dark. Notice the position title has changed. The title is now very clear and the duties likewise (I won't post specific details up here until the outcome is known!) The HR consultant was very encouraging. I did do quite a big body of work for the employing organisation some years ago, and had good relations with staff at that time, so maybe I have an edge. Hard to tell. No assumptions. Will spend this weekend polishing the CV to perfection and adding more information about work of the past five years. I'll resubmit on Monday then hope next week to be called in for a panel interview (I'm guessing maybe the first of two). This is a full-time, well-paid professional position in a highly respected organisation. Will need to make clear that I really do know my stuff! More research to do.

Pre-interview nerves

I'm rehearsing potential answers to potential questions like 'why do you want to work with us?' and 'why did you leave your last job'. On my way, feeling ill-prepared. Wish I knew more about LinkedIn, selling on eBay, the merits of the tablet compared with the iPad, especially with gen 2 to be released this month. Wish I'd contacted more appropriate referrees. Wish I'd changed my Facebook photo, had more friends, had fewer friends, had more or less prominent friends. But I'm anticipating learning about a great organisation, new opportunities, steep learning curves, a whole new team, challenges, fun... ooops time to go

Offer of work today

It's only one extra session in a school - but every bit helps. : )

Interview wardrobe - Advice?

Alex could help here, I'm sure, being the fashion queen! Style tips welcome from all though. Feel free!
I once wore all pink head to toe (knitted skirt and jacket suit and pink tights) to a job interview for fun (a  bit of drag almost!) - but I was offered the job & lasted two years!
This Friday for the Editor's interview I'm planning to wear:

• Cue shirt with long sleeves and collar (cream with fine red & grey pinstripes)
• Either VOK grey straight skirt to knee, OR MEL stretch grey pants with ankle stitching
• Anna Rita N (almost matching) lined grey short fitted jacket, with running stitch (grey) on collar and stylishly frayed panels in upside down Vs below front darts
• Charcoal tights
• Red high-heeled patent shoes, cut away at the instep

Should I go super safe and wear the skirt or be more comfortable and fractionally more trendy in the pants?
Do you think the interviewers will mistake the stylish fraying for a serious opshop look (the jacket was purchased in Toorak but is a little last season)? Thanks for your hints.

'Social media' preferences?

I shy away from Facebook now because previous work buddies are all updating on it.
What do you prefer to use in the professional workplace? Why? (Please use comment box below this post.)

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Texting
• ENewsletter
• Google group (e.g. Buzz)
• Blog links

See also poll to right of screen.

Interview questions - spot on!

Here's a good suggested list. I've been asked every one of these in past interviews:

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/ContentArticle/page/8002/title/Common-Interview-Questions.html

I'll rehearse a few answers before Friday.

Online Content Editor (3) - Extra info emailed

Hi blogging buddies - This afternoon I spent two hours (!) adding from memory the duties of the roles I had up to 10 years ago because I'm sure I haven't kept the position descriptions of all of them (even I'm not that bad a hoarder!) and tried to come up with a reasonable sounding set of achievements for each of them. For example, for my recent editor job the list was:
* onscreen editing of...
* documentation of...
* project management...
Achievement: fast, accurate turnaround... reliable, professional standard of...

Sounds very manufactured, but it was the best I could come up with... so then I added a further long email with nine points about how what I've done connects with the knowledge required for this advertised position (which doesn't have a full job description with criteria, so I'm having to infer... except that, maybe, oh dear, maybe it's on their site and I haven't found it yet). 

Usually I'd just 'address the stated criteria' simple.  I'll let you know if/when I find out what they are.

I took a leap and added a few skills I thought I should mention from my hobby (non-professional) activities, without breaching privacy of course. Can be a fine line between being friendly and open on one hand and just spilling everything too soon on the other, can't it? Too late. Pressed the send button. I'll report back after Friday's interview whether any of it hit the mark. Wish me luck!! One day left to check out their website from front to back. Looks pretty vibrant.

Voluntary work with a puppet theatre

Polyglot Puppet Theatre in South Yarra are a delightful crew to spend time with.
Check their website: http://www.polyglottheatre.com/
Why wouldn't you work for nothing with this superb outfit!

Three funny books

See links: Thirty Something, Fat, Funny & Fired, and How to Be Free. Good for laughs!

Flowers on Balcombe

Instead of doing an expensive MBA, one way to learn about business is simply to buy a shop - a little flower shop, for instance - and run it! How hard could it be? Buy stock, add a small margin, sell flower arrangements to beautiful regular customers. Keep a few records, pay a bit of tax, etc.  Easy job, you'd think!
One day I'll write up the notes I kept of my one year as a florist - the crash training, the 5am starts at the wholesale market, the 9 pm finishes after processing the bookwork, seven days a week... I learnt so much... I thought I could write a how (not) to guide. Lovely encounters though with people like Errol the pilot who wanted his bouquets wrapped securely enough to be delivered by air into his girlfriend's farm paddock! More to come...
What do people think of running their own business as an alternative to being a wage slave?

Speech musicality may help in interviews?

I've posted a link to an article by Dean Frenkel about 'language-mangling pollies', comparing performance of Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and others who speak about 'gubment' or 'guvment'... He says the film The King's Speech illustrates how important it is to speak well when the stakes are high.

Online Content Editor (post 2) Invitation to Interview

Thank you people, for all your lovely good karma!!

In response to yesterday's application for the Online Content Editor position I had a phone call this afternoon! We chatted about what I'm doing (I gave this course a plug), what I've done in the past (I was in the car on the mobile and had to pull over to the side of the road because it was going to take a while!), and what my hoped for salary was (I've undersold myself as usual). How was full-time work going to affect my commitments? All good. She said it sounded as though I'd fit the bill and could I come in this Friday at 9am (of course). I understand this is probably only the first interview (a 40-minute chat) and could I possibly provide more information (I had thought the screeds of stuff would put them off and they want more detail - you see you never can tell). They would like me to 'expand my CV' giving more on my 'experience and achievements by role' so they can see how my 'knowledge fits' with what they're looking for.

A couple of hours work in this I think...

Funniest thing though - this is why we should never burn our bridges - their office is directly above the office of my old workplace in the city. So I'll be able to have coffees with the old team, too.

Any interview pointers would be much appreciated, blog buddies. Thanks again.

People - group 2 the specialists

W - took redundancy package from a telecommunication company - now looking for work. I suggested the two-day week garden maintenance job to him ('just around the corner, lovely people, outdoor work, no mental stress'). His response: 'I don't even do my own lawn jobs! Let me know if you find me a virtual lawn mowing job...'  Any suggestions for him?

G - home duties - already has a sore back! Lesson - look after that back!

Is it important to try work outside of our comfort zone? Is it best to specialise or be flexible?
Please leave a comment here.

People - group 1 the mixers

J the archeologist works with top researcher in Arnhem Land. J did part-time work at a plant nursery in Camberwell when he was a student.

F the sculptor worked as a sessional lecturer in Sydney's universities and supplemented her salary with domestic cleaning.

Other examples? How does the manual / mental work divide provide opportunities?

Teaching

As a live-in teacher at a very expensive boarding school I was charged with keeping up the spirits of poor mites who were away from their parents some for the first time. One year 10 girl would rise at 4am each day to put in two hours extra study before breakfast to achieve her aspirations (or those of her family) to become a doctor. I tell this anecdote to local students when they think they are working hard!

In two weeks' time I teach my next study skills series to year 10 boys at the nearby private grammar school. Anybody have any questions or words of advice for me or the boys - how hard should they work, for instance? What is a good balance of study and sport, do you think?

waiting staff at Maharani

This delightful local Indian restaurant has a notice in the window: waiting staff wanted...
http://www.maharani.com.au/

The food is truly wonderful and I'm thinking about approaching them. I sent the info to my sister who is ex-hospital but she suggests I should go for it myself. I'm a bit nervous. What do you think? Please post your comment - yes or no. If one person says I should go speak to them I will (and I'll report back)...

Online Content Editor

It's 5.30 pm and I've submitted my application for the Online Content Editor via Seek (2 page application letter, 4 page CV I know - keep it short, but...)
I didn't get around to ringing the contact person to discuss details (which I should have, I know, but it's late in the day)...

I highly recommend viewing the animated film - second video - hilarious... makes me want to retract my job application (only kidding of course!!)

Please let me know what you think of the video, my search for work, or this quote of the day (from Google)
Henry Ford: I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can't be done.

Isn't it odd how sometimes everywhere you look there are synchronicities! I must be tired...
Soooo hard....!!

Garden maintenance

For Beachside Bliss (not its real name) I fronted up in shorts, floppy hat, and walking boots for a one-day trial. 'Heavy work, long day' she'd warned me. I explained I'd been a florist, could lift buckets, did regular gym work. I pestered her. I was enthusiastic. So she gave me a go.

The first gig was easy - small townhouse, courtyard garden, a few doors from the beach, nice spot. I weeded a bit, raked a bit, used the secateurs on the ivy and the wisteria. There were 3 of us. G used the blower on the leaves. Spotless. We were done in under the hour. Off to the next house (via a great cake shop for a huge coffee and carrot cake - I'd worked up an appetite already).

The second house was larger, no-one home, away on long vacation, remove papers from driveway, cut back overgrown pittosporum, dead treefern fronds, and emptied sad pot plants. Then I started getting creative with the ginger plants, and some backrow shrubbery. G called me away 'better clean up and off to the next one now'.

The third and fourth gigs were quick (and I mean five-minute) front lawn and nature strip jobs. G & P showed me their system: pull up with the trailer, assess whether a three or four height cut was required, open the tailgate, out with the two mowers (they were getting heavier each time, I swear), top up with fuel (this was the two-stroke, that the four-stroke, don't get them confused, doesn't matter so much with the mowers,  but with the other machines a big mistake and they can seize... a few straight lines like this, put your back into it, no, not quite - look back, see how you've missed a bit, do it once more, that's right. Wheels follow the kerb. And the mowers are put in the cage backwards like this, don't touch that part - it's hot!!

Running late for house number five, which was a monster of modernism: polished concrete pavers that ran you round in circles between sculptural statements and grey-green ground cover, speckled leaves that  needed separation, isolation, back... cut back from the black mulch... stark, industrial style high walls against dark-oiled Merboo decks all round to the full length pool... dreaming of days under the blue sky, with a pina colada, and light laughter tinkling to the sounds of lunch on the green... 'there's a bit of ivy there, in there...' and I fumbled with the child-proof lock on the heavy glass gate, tiptoed around the child's toys, the rolled up cover, the discarded goggles... and soon it was time to shift out the tub after heavy tub of green waste, to stamp it all down in the green bin, to rake some more, to carry the heavy whipper-snipper to the trailer...

P looked at me with a serious expression: I think we'll take you home... your back's hurting already isn't it? And I had to confess with relief that yes, it was, I was twinging all over and it was only midday. I wasn't going to last until 5pm. I apologised for putting them out of their routine and they paid me a tidy sum in cash before we shook hands on the experience. I relaxed for a long hour in the bath that afternoon.

What did I learn? That motor mowing is not just like vacuuming the house, that the business of garden maintenance is not at all like pottering for a couple of hours in a sunny back yard, that there are dangers in use of equipment, fuels, tools, poisons, and people's homes for which some people might be professionally insured. I learned a lot of techniques of lifting that will save your back. I also learned that some people are generous in that they'll give me a try at something against their professional judgement and the evidence of their eyes. Yes, I'm little but I'm strong, and fierce!

Question: Was it foolish to try something which was doomed to failure? What are other people's 'jobs from hell'?