Looking for work

You wait all day, and then suddenly...

Well, it's been a mad week for me. After months of sending out application letters looking for work, the interviews all flow in at once. It seems that hearing back from potential employers is a lot like waiting for buses.

Last week, I attended two interviews for jobs.

Not quite doing this, but similar

Job One is to work in hospitality. This is not an industry I had previously considered but I felt like challenging myself in a demanding environment.

I went for an interview with the manager and I think it went pretty well. He invited me for a work trial 2 days from the interview. I accepted.
The work trial was good, I was shadowing the senior receptionist and picked up the internal booking system quite well. She went back to the manager after a couple of hours and I was offered the job.

I should have accepted then and there, but I had just been offered an interview with a large insurance company. The insurance company was a big local employer with lots of young people working there and monthly bonuses available.
I told the manager that I would give him an answer within 7 days, I wanted to see if the insurance company would offer me a job first as there was much higher earning potential there.

High pressure, about 70 calls a day

Job Two was for a large insurance company, being a 'Customer Representative'. What this really means is 'be another voice in a large call centre'. I knew the job would be tough and possibly brain-damaging, but I pressed on.

I went to an Assessment day where I had to do an exam, engage in a group activity, have a telephone role play exercise and finally a formal interview.

I thought I did pretty well, but not brilliantly. I know I said a couple of things in the interview that I wanted to retract straight away, but that didn't stop the interviewer's pen from moving.

I received an e-mail the following evening telling me that I was unsuccessful.

Gutted.

Now I have been trying to get in touch with the manager of Job One to accept his offer.
I tried calling him twice yesterday and e-mailed him. No response.

Today, I decided to just go straight in there and give him my references. I did, and when he appeared he just took them in a nonchalant way without any idea of a confirmation or start date. "I will wait to talk to the senior receptionist" he said. "When will that be" I asked, "I do not know. I will have to check the rota and get back to you". Then he walked away.... Cheers.

So, Now I play the waiting game. One of my all time favourites. The waiting game has got to be one of the most exciting games in all of human history. Just thinking of the many hours and sleepless nights human beings have endured whilst playing this game throughout the ages, really illustrates the perpetual appeal of the waiting game and how it's legacy will last forever and ever Amen.

One of Hasbro's most unsuccessful titles.

Photo Credits: 1. litaupa.lt 2. Guardian.com 3. recoilmag.com