A couple of weeks ago I applied for a job. On the Monday I got a call for a screening interview with the agency who was dealing with it. I had that the next day. I was then informed, a couple of days later, that there would be an interview with the company the following Wednesday (i.e. the one just gone).

The interview itself was a bit of an anti-climax but I found out yesterday that I didn't get the job. I kind of expected that as I was promised feedback one way or another within a day or so and, consequently, it seemed to take a long time.

I was disappointed yesterday but, today, I made quite a few applications. I'm feeling positive because, I may not have got the job but, in the current job climate getting to interview stage (especially after a screening interview) is good going.

Tags: agency, interview, job, job hunting, recruitment, screen
Current Mood: contemplative

I've noticed something: Before I was given gardening leave, I felt that time was tight but since I have had whole days to myself, I feel that time is tighter? What is the reason for this paradox?

Well, it's quite simple, when I was at work I only did as much job hunting as I could reasonably afford. Now that I've got all the time in the world, I'm looking to get more done.

Anyway, I'm taking a couple of days off -- not from everything just from job hunting. I've been cleaning and tidying my flat today. I'll carry on tomorrow. Now why, you might ask, does it take two days to clean and tidy when it normally takes one? The answer is that I'm taking the opportunity to sort out my paper work (i.e. shred all the bills and pay slips that are too old to be of any use to anyone). I'm doing that because it'll create more space and it'll help keep me positive for when I restart my job hunting.

Tags: applications, cleaning, gardening leave, job hunting, sorting out, tidying, time
Current Mood: thoughtful

I found out, when I went in to work on Tuesday, that all of those being made redundant were being offered gardening leave to conduct their job hunting. I accepted and I've been at home all this week. I've made a few applications.

I'm now going to create some Excel spreadsheets and put those scripts I wrote into them. After all that's one of the reasons I bought the laptop. Next week I'll go around the employment agencies and show them the scripts in action.

I made a discovery at the start of my job search: the monster site doesn't work on Apple Macs. It does, however, work on Windows so I applied for a couple of jobs via that site last night.

Tags: apple, applications, employment agency, gardening leave, job hunting, laptop, mac, monster, redundancy, scripts, vba, windows

I've decided that I am going to buy a laptop. This would have 2 benefits:

I would be able to demonstrate my Excel scripts to employers and employment agencies, and
I would be able to submit word documents by e-mail (some employers allow applicants to fill in a word version of their application forms and e-mail them in) without having to borrow Julie's laptop.

If it was just the second reason I would agree with those who would say that it's just a waste of money.

Now I have to decide which laptop I'm going to have. The choice is between the Acer D150B or the Compaq Mini 702.

I've already ordered a mouse as I find laptop controls awkward.

The Compaq has a larger keyboard and HP are well known. On the down side it has less than 1/3 of the hard drive space the Acer has.

Acer has been recommended to me by a colleague. However, I hadn't heard of them before and reviews of the model state the track pad has sensitivity and stiffness problems (I know I'm getting a mouse but it might be indicative of the general build quality).

I've googled reliability reports for both brands and both are mixed (with a lot more praise for Acer).

Does anybody know anything about either brand?

Tags: acer, application, compaq, employers, employment agency, excel, job hunting, julie, laptop, reliability, script, word
Current Mood: thoughtful

I found out yesterday that I'm going to be made redundant. I've just got to work my notice period then...

It was all a bit too much to take in yesterday but I'm starting to think of a job hunting plan.

Tags: job hunting, redundancy