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!