Well after a much needed holiday at Sunny Exmouth, it's back to the mundane business of checking in about any outstanding job applications. Out of a dozen applications I have been shortlisted for .........none of them!
The one where I thought I stood a good chance, the Artworker role in Birmingham has gone to someone else. In fact there were 3 or 4 roles and I didn't get one of them. What makes this worse is that someone who was on the same BA course as me is working there at the moment, so this makes it even more embarrassing that I didn't get a job there. To be honest, if I can't even get an Artworker role, the future is looking really bleak at the moment. Hence the title of this being An Old Tin Can. I do feel like I am being kicked around all over the place and no one is willing to pick me up.
When I look at my CV and portfolio, it still looks like I have so much to offer, so why is it not happening. I am loathe to admit it but I do think that if I was twenty years younger, I would have a design job by now. This isn't just a case of self pity but thinking about most interviews I have gone for and when being showed around the various studios, most of the designers are in their twenties. Even some of the Creative Directors I have met are only in their mid thirties, early forties.
To be frank, I am sick and tired of being kicked around and am despondent about my design career. It is looking more likely that I am going to have to bite the bullet and apply for more mundane roles just to earn some money. Maybe it is a case of finishing my degree, having thoroughly enjoyed the last few years and then putting it all in a box and throwing away the key for good. I have even applied for lots of jobs with companies like Argos, John Lewis, Tesco etc, and still cannot manage to even get an interview. These are not for demanding roles but for positions such as Van Driver, Stock Assistant or even basic Call Centre roles.
People who know me well cannot ever say that I am not persistent but I don't know which way to turn any more. Whilst I am enjoying my endeavours with Coastal Dreams, it is unlikely that I will even make minimum wage as an income from it. At best it is going to be a self funding hobby and not a future career move. I will still continue to design more artworks and make more pictures but it does take a lot of effort and time which could be spent on something more financially rewarding.
So having checked all my emails and phoned round any outstanding messages, there is a possibility of an interview later this week for a part time call centre role in Birmingham. Not quite what I had in mind but we will wait and see.
Some people always say what they would do if they could go back in time to when they were younger and what they would do. Well I already know the answer to that one.............
Monday 20 August 2012
Wednesday 8 August 2012
Job Interviews
Like a dog with a bone, I am determined to get somewhere this year and have had some responses to a few job applications this week which have been positive. Today I went to an advertising agency in Birmingham for an Artworker role. It is working shifts but as it is only a half hour drive away, I don't really mind. Plus it will bring in some much needed money.
The agency that rang me about the job said it was a small agency of about 15 people who have a small office in the new Fort Dunlop building by the Fort Shopping Centre. It turned out to be more like 100 people working there and they have an amazing list of clients on their books. I don't want to name names just in case but they have worked for what seems most of the retail brands you can think of! So the interview went really well and I think I made a good impression. I didn't have to talk through my portfolio for a change either as they had seen it from my emails and were suitably impressed with the attention to detail. All I have to do now is to attend again and sit an informal test on a Mac to see if I am capable of the work involved. Needless to say I will be taking my Mac on holiday next week and polishing up a few grey areas in my knowledge before the following week. It would be an ideal role for me working in Birmingham at an agency that runs and works like the top London equivalents. Just got to play the waiting game again.
The agency that rang me about the job said it was a small agency of about 15 people who have a small office in the new Fort Dunlop building by the Fort Shopping Centre. It turned out to be more like 100 people working there and they have an amazing list of clients on their books. I don't want to name names just in case but they have worked for what seems most of the retail brands you can think of! So the interview went really well and I think I made a good impression. I didn't have to talk through my portfolio for a change either as they had seen it from my emails and were suitably impressed with the attention to detail. All I have to do now is to attend again and sit an informal test on a Mac to see if I am capable of the work involved. Needless to say I will be taking my Mac on holiday next week and polishing up a few grey areas in my knowledge before the following week. It would be an ideal role for me working in Birmingham at an agency that runs and works like the top London equivalents. Just got to play the waiting game again.
Thursday 2 August 2012
Amazing Olympic Experience
This week has been a very special one as we managed to get some tickets last minute for the Olympics. We saw GB take on Korea in the Women's Hockey. It is hard to put the whole day in to words as it was a strangely emotional experience. We had heard, like everyone else how chaotic it was trying to get in, the empty seats, extortionate prices and how disorganised it was but the truth is, that is a load of rubbish!
The experience starts from when you board the train as nearly every station has volunteers helping and showing you the way. When you arrive at Stratford Station there are masses of volunteers there to greet you, all smiling and eager to share your experience. Getting through security is very well organised and again everyone is so helpful and enthusiastic.
Then you have a long walk to the park itself which is when the realisation starts to set in that you are actually at the Olympics.
The park itself is breathtaking and it's only then that you get a sense of how big the buildings are. Where we entered was past the swimming arena and you could hear the crowds cheering from outside. As soon as you see the stadium itself, it does bring a lump to your throat and a real sense of pride of what the country has achieved. Instead of criticising all the time, we should take credit more for this achievement. Yes it has cost lots of money and yes the sponsorship regulations have annoyed us all but honestly, as soon as you are there, you forget all about it.
We couldn't wait to get into the Riverbank Arena to see the Hockey and as we walked across the park to the Riverbank Arena, we were in awe of how big it was considering it is only a temporary structure. Inside, the atmosphere was breathtaking. Luckily we had two matches to look forward to. First we supported Belgium in there match which was quite evenly matched to be honest but then, as soon as Great Britain came out to warm up the crowd erupted and the noise was deafening. We couldn't have got better tickets if we tried, the game was brilliant to watch all the way through and they did us proud by winning 5-3. I have never been that excited at a hockey match in my life but I still have got a sore throat from shouting too much.
Our Olympic experience gets better though. We also purchased some tickets for Womens Football at the Coventry Arena for tomorrow. We had no idea who was playing but it was a fair bet that one of the teams was going to be Brazil. But we learnt yesterday that the GB team beat them 1-0, so we are now watching GB in action tomorrow night which is another stroke of luck.
To top it all off, today we were talking about how exciting it would have been to get a ticket inside the actual Olympic Stadium. You can't see the Olympic flame from outside and it would have been great but those are the most prized tickets to get hold of. Then I thought about the Paralympic Games which are following a couple of weeks after, so after a lot of website page refreshing, I managed to get hold of some tickets for a Friday in the stadium. This time we are taking both parents as well so it will be a great family occasion to share and no doubt lots more pictures and lots more memories.
Also as i write this, today we have got a gold in the Shooting and an amazing Gold and Silver in the Kayak. I have never watched so much sport in my life as I have no interest at all in mainstream sports, especially men's football. After watching the hockey and seeing how they have the video decisions, it would make football better as it would stop all the bad behaviour and no more pathetic diving.
Anyway, enough excited ramblings and back to the TV. GO GO GB.....GO GO GB........
The experience starts from when you board the train as nearly every station has volunteers helping and showing you the way. When you arrive at Stratford Station there are masses of volunteers there to greet you, all smiling and eager to share your experience. Getting through security is very well organised and again everyone is so helpful and enthusiastic.
Then you have a long walk to the park itself which is when the realisation starts to set in that you are actually at the Olympics.
The park itself is breathtaking and it's only then that you get a sense of how big the buildings are. Where we entered was past the swimming arena and you could hear the crowds cheering from outside. As soon as you see the stadium itself, it does bring a lump to your throat and a real sense of pride of what the country has achieved. Instead of criticising all the time, we should take credit more for this achievement. Yes it has cost lots of money and yes the sponsorship regulations have annoyed us all but honestly, as soon as you are there, you forget all about it.
We couldn't wait to get into the Riverbank Arena to see the Hockey and as we walked across the park to the Riverbank Arena, we were in awe of how big it was considering it is only a temporary structure. Inside, the atmosphere was breathtaking. Luckily we had two matches to look forward to. First we supported Belgium in there match which was quite evenly matched to be honest but then, as soon as Great Britain came out to warm up the crowd erupted and the noise was deafening. We couldn't have got better tickets if we tried, the game was brilliant to watch all the way through and they did us proud by winning 5-3. I have never been that excited at a hockey match in my life but I still have got a sore throat from shouting too much.
Our Olympic experience gets better though. We also purchased some tickets for Womens Football at the Coventry Arena for tomorrow. We had no idea who was playing but it was a fair bet that one of the teams was going to be Brazil. But we learnt yesterday that the GB team beat them 1-0, so we are now watching GB in action tomorrow night which is another stroke of luck.
To top it all off, today we were talking about how exciting it would have been to get a ticket inside the actual Olympic Stadium. You can't see the Olympic flame from outside and it would have been great but those are the most prized tickets to get hold of. Then I thought about the Paralympic Games which are following a couple of weeks after, so after a lot of website page refreshing, I managed to get hold of some tickets for a Friday in the stadium. This time we are taking both parents as well so it will be a great family occasion to share and no doubt lots more pictures and lots more memories.
Also as i write this, today we have got a gold in the Shooting and an amazing Gold and Silver in the Kayak. I have never watched so much sport in my life as I have no interest at all in mainstream sports, especially men's football. After watching the hockey and seeing how they have the video decisions, it would make football better as it would stop all the bad behaviour and no more pathetic diving.
Anyway, enough excited ramblings and back to the TV. GO GO GB.....GO GO GB........
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