Update

The interview went well and I have been shortlisted. I'm still waiting to find out more though.

I'm home at the moment for a funeral, which is really sad. I've never actually been to a funeral before. We lost my great grandparents when I was younger, but my parents felt I was too young to attend the funeral.

I was hoping that was a first that I wouldn't have to face for a long time.

Here Goes Nothing...

Saw me get up at half seven this morning and start frantically preparing for my interview at 3:30 pm. I've styled my hair which I had chopped into a bob yesterday from hanging to my shoulder blades, make up, buffed my nails, dressed.... I even went shopping. Oh and spent a few hours researching the company. So... now I'm sat around twiddling my thumbs.

After the interview I have to travel back to the homeland for a really sad event. That doesn't seem real yet. Focus on getting a job first....

Wish me luck!

Job Interview

I have a job interview soon. I don't think I'll get it. It's in an industry I've been wanting to get into for a while now, but I'm not really massively qualified... though I have skills they need, I don't have specific knowledge...

It's all experience though, right?

Two days later...

So after two days of groaning, typing, cursing, moaning.... I've gotten my new CV sorted out. It's looking much better, if I do say so myself. Here's to a successful application to be Queen of the World!

How Not To Impress Potential Employers

Use a  Microsoft word template in open office to write your CV and fail to spot that because the headings are automatically in block capitals that if the employer happens to click default formatting (so many ask for email submissions now) that you have a heading which looks something like wORK eXPERIENCE. No. I wouldn't ask me to interview either. I suppose they did warn me that some formatting would get messed up if I saved different file types in different programmes...

I've also realised after further research that my CV is probably not concise enough and doesn't really highlight my skills effectively. Annoying, but you live, you learn, and I'm in the sort of two week notice period now (school is out in two weeks, though my contract runs til August) so I can really throw myself into applying for jobs I want. Hopefully with more success.

A website I have found quite useful today is Give Your Resume a Face lift. It tells you how to improve the graphology of your CV in word so that it stands out. I say I found it quite useful, this is because I was trying to translate the instructions for open office. They aren't 100% compatible because the measurements are different.

I've thrown a hissy fit at the computer and emailed boyfriend demanding access to his copy of Microsoft word. I'm currently taking deep breaths and eating biscuits to calm myself. I have every hope that the instructions will prove very useful later.

Ghana v Uruguay

Dirty cheats! Ghana deserved to win that...

Cute!

Curriculum Vitae/Application Forms

Sometimes I am tempted to make up a CV. A bad, wicked CV and send it out to people when I apply for jobs. A CV so full of those heinous errors they told us not to make in school that it becomes a comedy genius. How could I fail to look good in comparison?

And how do you look good? I've read so much, heck I've even taught CV writing as functional English. Everyone's opinion seems to differ. Of course they agree on some basics, but there's huge divergence. Is there ever a comfortable answer to reasons for leaving job beyond "returning to education" (eg. I'm more qualified than other applicants) or "promoted to head of..." (the universe, I'm amazing)?

Current salary is an annoyance. Yes, I'm currently paid more than you're offering, but I want to change jobs!

So I want to write a mock CV and see if I get any response other than. Dear Just, Thank you for your interest in the position of Dr Who's assistant. While we were very impressed with your CV, the field of candidates was very strong blah blah blah.

It would have to be subtle though or it would obviously be a joke, wouldn't it? So maybe I could write one like these snippets.

Hmmm.... I might just start doing this you know.

Disclaimer: The job hunt isn't going that badly. I've had another offer of a teaching job, though I'm trying to avoid that given that I stand corrected, am officially disabled and need to rest. I've got an interview for another job, but I'm not keen as it involves a two and a half hour round trip driving one day a week and my left foot is an issue. Which is an issue on the clutch in traffic jams. This CV thing would just be... a hobby.

I stand corrected

Because I now have specialy orthotics to wear in my shoes and help me walk. These are temporary and will help with the disparity between my leg lengths and the compensatory over pronation of the right foot and the fact there is nothing very much left of the other foot to... pronate... there's nothing on the inside of my left foot so it supinates excessively.

Apparently, this is why I am really clumsy and walk like a penguin. Albeit a sexy penguin.

I have to build up my use an hour a day, because apparently if my muscles don't have a chance to adapt I will be in agony (nothing new there then) but I've done my hour today and I'm feeling ok. Two hours tomorrow!

I've got to go back and have special casts taken to repair the truly mangled foot, but not a bad day's foot work.

The Acceptable Face of Bullying and Harrassment

I like to read celebrity gossip. I'm always a bit put off telling people that because I know that my assumptions about people who admit to it can be... negative. I think people will think I'm really vapid and trivial. I could make up some excuse about how I read it to be down with the kids in school... but that would be a lie.

I don't read it all the time, but I do read it. I read it for upcoming film news, to see what my favourite actresses are wearing, and I need to know if my favourite actors are in relationships just in case I see them on the street one day (need to know if I'm stepping on another ladies toes by rugby tackling them and begging them to marry me). It's like one of my dirty little secret(s).

What I really don't like though is the nasty stuff. Speculating about illness or just anything nasty. I know it's kind of hypocritical because... well it's all intrusive and I'm only reading it because I'm small minded and nosey on some level. But... Perez Hilton... I am honestly not going on there again.

This probably will not be news to anyone but...He is so horrible. Like really mean. Offensively so. About so many people. Does he know these people? Why does he think it's ok to abuse them in this way?

I would like to say that I've never been mean about someone. But that would make me a liar. I can honestly say that I have never been that cruel though. It's like he can't report that someone is linked with a film or engaged or anything without writing the most horrrendous, truly awful character assassinations.

How pathetic that this guy is actually making millions (possibly an exaggeration but I doubt it) by ripping other people's lives to shred for the amusement of the masses. It shouldn't make a difference, but so many of the people he seems to slate are practically children. I'm pretty sure he's awful about Miley Cyrus and she actually is a minor in law (in the UK at least).

I might not agree with all the choices these people make, but hell, it'll be a sad day if I ever allow Perez Hilton to be my moral compass.