Kirsty 2012

I’m writing this using Microsoft Word because my connection to the internet has failed today. This means that I don’t know exactly when it was that I last posted, but I know that it was probably before Christmas.

   

We’re now in March and, once again, my situation has changed. I no longer work at Reed, it’s quite possible that I didn’t post whilst I was there either. I took on my first role with them as an Administrator back in October, the day before my 22^nd birthday in fact. I did 5 days a week there from 10am-4pm. I was responsible for scanning candidate documentation and creating CVs using a bespoke system developed for the company; I also used to look for job leads so that the consultants could chase them up.

   Gradually, I gained more responsibilities which included chasing bounce back emails. They would be forwarded to me and I would ring the companies to try and establish why the details were wrong. This could be anything from a misspelt name to the recipient having left the company. It was always a challenge to try and establish who had taken their place; some people were unwilling to reveal that kind of information. Towards the end of my internship, I was given the chance to help choose my successor. It was interesting for me to analyse a CV, I was looking for the qualities I felt a person would need to undertake my work. During my time there I saw a large quantity of CV’s. It gave me an insight into how different people present them and it also helped me to realise what goes in to making a good one.

Back in the September, I had applied for quite a few positions. There were two which I really wanted. Reed was one of them and I also pursued an email from my university who were advertising on behalf of a company in Warrington; they wanted a Graduate Marketing Assistant.

Since the final careers talk we had at university (which will now be about a year ago!) I had wanted to go into PR or Marketing. I was disheartened to learn that many of these positions required me to have a degree in Business. I even lost faith that my English degree would find me a job in the field I wanted. This frustrated me because the ladies in the career talk specifically said that creative writing is a huge part of marketing itself, which I could see in the example job descriptions they gave us.

When I opened the email from Edge Hill about the Marketing Position, I was ecstatic to read a job specification which detailed my core strengths exactly. It involved copy writing and social media marketing which I just knew I’d love.

The first time I had contact from the company in Warrington, I was a couple of weeks into my internship with Reed. I was reading my emails on the bus home when I saw a message from the man I had contacted about the marketing position a few weeks earlier. He asked me if I was still interested in the position, I felt my heart sink as I had to inform him that I was occupied; though I hastened to add that I would be free in January; I knew that recruitment wasn’t for me from pretty early on.

When January came, I made it my first port of call to message him again. I was told that they would be in touch via email if they felt that I would be suitable to work with his team. I checked my Hotmail and Google Mail account daily on my phone in hope that I would see a message.

   One morning, Tom was at my house and we had planned to go to Manchester and meet Rachel. I checked my Gmail account whilst getting ready but, again, no emails showed. I was starting to get suspicious of my phone because I knew I had emails from the company on the account but even they weren't showing up. Something made me turn on my laptop. I found a message on Hotmail from the company asking if I had received an interview request! Panicking, I loaded Gmail where I found the request. I was thrilled until I realised that it was scheduled for that day, half an hour from the time at that moment, well, I have never freaked out quite so much in my life. 

  Luck was with me though; I raced to the top of the stairs and shouted Mum who was on a day off work.

We all jumped in the car and Tom directed Mum to Warrington. On the way, I phoned the company apologising and told them I was en route.

   When we got there I ran to what I thought was the front door, but it was just for show. A sign pointed me to the rear of the building. I had to run round the block and even jump a couple of knee-high walls to get to the main entrance. I tried to compose myself going up the stairs but I was shaking as I made it to reception. Fortuitously, they weren’t quite ready for me, despite the fact that I had arrived twenty minutes later than I should have done. I had ten minutes to calm down.

   

   I was taken into a meeting room to have my interview, it was with the man I had contacted and his assistant came too. I tried my best to demonstrate my experiences from Knives Forks and Spoons and tie them together with the office work I had completed at Reed.

   

   When I was back in the car returning home, I could think of nothing else. I kept thinking over what I had talked about and remembering things I felt I could have said which would have really put me in good light. This didn’t help the situation, I drove Tom doolally all the way home and again on the bus into Manchester. I had told Rachel that I had to make a dash to Warrington and that we would meet her ASAP afterwards. I enjoyed the day but my mind was elsewhere. All I can remember now is that we went to Wetherspoons in the Printworks and I spent a bit longer with Rachel after Tom went to work on the bus from town.

   

  Back at home I checked my emails again. I couldn’t contain my glee when I saw a message from the assistant asking me to start a week later!

 
  In that week, Tom and I visited his parents in Cumbria. It was my one and only week between jobs and his last of the Christmas break. Whilst we were there, his mum worked for two of the days. We took this as an opportunity to explore on our own using public transport. We went as far as Ulverston, Barrow and Kendal. We also participated in their weekly quiz which we very nearly won.

   So, I’m now an intern again. I am in my eighth week doing 9-5 in Warrington and I love it! Living in Cadishead with Tom during the week, I catch the train in Irlam which goes straight through to Central station. I still work at Tesco on a Saturday. It’s a bit knackering but I have got to keep hold of it, just in case I still need it in a few weeks’ time. Fingers crossed I won’t. It’s much too easy to get excited and I have to keep telling myself that I have no guarantee of a job. I know I am better off not getting my hopes up.

   There, I am in charge of three Business Twitter Accounts and I write and proofread content which the designers implement into their work. In the last couple of weeks I have also adopted Quality Control where I check through the websites to make sure they are up to scratch before they are released.

   I like to squeeze in blogs for each company in between and am enjoying learning on the job. I get to employ my language skills in copywriting and proofreading and I also enjoy learning new things. I am impressed with the open nature of the team; if we have ideas on how to improve the daily processes, they are always up for considering how to apply new concepts. I have seen this with the development of Quality Control; I used the system, identified any short comings and helped to suggest features which would aid the process.

   I love being able to see Tom for a few hours on a daily basis! I’m waiting for him at the moment and I’m looking forward to chilling out with him before bedtime.