Hello world.
I have returned to London after a nice weekend in Devon. The weekend was great in good company of my best friend, two dogs, and lovely weather. But being back in London feels as nice as a cold shower in the morning. Not good.
I will have to try to get into some sort of working schedule at home, and I also need to get out of my room every now and then, otherwise I will go mad. Or madder.
I have spent this day fine tuning my CV and registering on websites like Reed and the Guardian. And have send off about 15 applications for various roles from programmer to project manager to content producer.
Registering your CV is a majorly time consuming activity because all those websites have their own specific formats. And worse – if you decide to apply for a job you might be transferred to the company’s website and fill in a complete new form with all your details. Can someone please develop a standard CV format that everybody can use from now on? It will make life a little easier for us job seekers.
My biggest challenges at the moment are:
How do I market myself? Am I a project manager with creative experience? Or a web developer with project manager experience? Or a creative with programming experience?
I am worried that my slightly split background is making it harder for me to get a job.
I am also not quite sure what I am looking for – but if it could just be a little bit creative it would be great.
What I do know is that I have a healthy and good working set of brain cells, and also that I am a quick learner. But how to convince any potential employers that they should give me a chance?
I also think I am willing to relocate (within reason). I am prepared to take a break from London.
And lastly a practical thing – my trip to New York – will it be a good idea to go away a whole week in November. Will I be able to enjoy it? Or will I be thinking about jobs I am missing out on because of me being away?
Decisions, decisions. Am having a major headache about it all at the moment.
I will leave you with another view from my window, taken around 15.24 (London time) today. Not bad, eh?
Glad you had a nice weekend.
I’ve never experienced the CV thing. It was always the same one in a nice envelope and pray if they would pick you for an interview.
New York? I think you should go. After al that fine tuning and registering you must take a break. Or is there anything else you could do to improve your chances?
Hope you’ll find a new job soon. My fingers are still crossed. I’m getting a cramp ;-)
My last CV was different – it was less chronological and more about skills and evidence to support those skills. Some people got it, some didn’t but it made a big difference in explaining my eclectic background.
What do you really want to do? Then market yourself that way.
With that view from your window, I’m sure you’ll feel inspired to write some awesome CVs! :)
I think the days when having variety in your background was a bad thing are long gone, and, of course, it all depends on how you market yourself indeed – I suppose that will depend on what you want to do, as well as on what seems to be feasible.
As for NY, of course you should go (unless you’re not at all in the mood for it?). Obviously you will be thinking about CVs and potential jobs anyway, but at least you’ll hopefully also be able to see things from a different perspective. And I don’t see how that can ever be bad.
ps: loved the drawing :)
Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Hug!
Go to NY or you’ll only get despondent about wasting the tickets etc.
Have you considered looking for work in New York? No, seriously.
I also love the drawing ! You have a great combination of skills, humour and creativity. I bet it’s needed by several employers. Could you “design” applications/CV for specific employers, so it matches their needs (if you known what a mean) ?
You should definitely go to New York. And see the trip as a energy-booster, – you really love that city.
Wish you luck with the jobhunting, take a break now and then, go to have a Starbuck-“something”, listen and dance to the music of TV-2, take your camera for a walk – I’m sure you’ll make !
IT !
‘Am I a project manager with creative experience? Or a web developer with project manager experience? Or a creative with programming experience?’
I am sure you are all of the above!
Why don’t you talior three CV’s to suit the roles you are going for? That way you are being specific to the specifications of the role! Match needs/wants with your skills!
I have been looking for a while and had a third and final a couple of days ago with a big newspaper, I have been anxious all day as I am hearing back today!
You should defo go to NYC! Once you are in a job when will you find the time?
Good luck and enjoy!
@Pedro – thanks for crossing those fingers, I hope they won’t be cramped for too long!
@vanilla.sky – I too have a bit different CV trying to focus on the skills in stead. Like you I am not sure every recruiter gets it.
@Eileen – I am considering looking everywhere at the moment. But looking in New York is not easy when you are in London. I will keep my eyes open when I am there that week.
@dorte – I am now working on three types of CVs and try to match them to what they are asking for. It is a very time consuming process but I hope in the end it pays off. I have just found my TV-2 songs and they are plugged in as we speak! :)
@christian: I’ll cross my fingers for you and hope you will get the job! I will write seperate CVs now.
@smile: Thank you!
@grigorisgirl – well I think I will go to NY. Everything was already booked and I can’t really cancel my flight without losing money – so I might as well go and try to enjoy it.
@Jill I also like to think that my mixed set of skills could be useful to some company out there. The challenge is to find that company, I’ll keep looking! :) (So nice to hear from you again by the way! I hope you are well and happy!!)