Job hunting is full time work...

In the last week or so, I've applied for thirteen jobs (well, nine advertised roles, and four calling for general "send us your CV and we may deign to acknowledge your presence..." applications). Today's marathon was three applications, which took me just about six hours (not counting an hour or so's break; half an hour at lunchtime and half an hour mid afternoon while my brain dribbled out of my ears!) Most of that was spent on two of the applications, both of which had forms to fill in as well as the CV and cover letter requirement.

But I am reasonably hopeful on both of the bigger applications - they are both more of the level of what I was doing in my previous role (meaning that I'm unlikely to have with them the phone call that I did this morning for the Administrative Assistant role where I had to explain to the recruiter why I was looking at basic admin roles when I had been in a managerial capacity - blunt answer, we need the money, and the application was in the right cash bracket! I did also talk about the ability to progress within the civil service and the benefits of them hiring someone who would be able to hit the ground running, and not have to have any handholding, but I'm not sure whether that would be enough to get me to interview stage over the top of the school leavers who can be moulded into the team shape...) Still, none of the three have a pre-January closing date, so I'm not likely to hear for a while (though January is next week, which is a little bit scary!)

I then spent the remainder of the "working day" playing with a new toy... Well, more of a new website - I sent some feedback in on a website I was browsing, and, after a little bit of an exchange with the contact, they asked me if I'd like to look over the new website that they will be launching in the New Year. So I had a little play on that and wrote a fairly major essay on areas for improvement - and I only got to look at one section - more playing tomorrow! (well, if they ask for open and honest feedback, that is what they will get!) I just wish that there was a way of doing this sort of thing professionally, as I really do enjoy it (I get to use my technical skills and my love of nit-picking in equal quantities!)

After spending pretty much all day indoors, aside from a little trip out to weed in the greenhouse and to see how my plants are doing (I still think I'm going to lose the battle between me and the leaf-eating pest, but the garlic is doing well...), I then went out for a short walk - I ended up half an hour and two train stations away (and discovered that the local TKD group is twenty minutes away) - an absolutely lovely walk in the sunshine.

And joy of joys, we have discovered that the local train service, and a couple of the buses are running limited, FREE services on Christmas Day. Absolutely no excuse not to get to the beach (even if it rains) and to do a bit of exploring! (maybe fitting in some presents and a little bit of turkey - we finally found something resembling turkey that won't break the bank...)