Change! Part 3

So what do you do when your courage has prevailed and you find yourself back on the job market? The days of your notice are fading away faster than you would wish and there is no new post yet on the horizon.

First step is you get your Linkedin updated and your CV tweeked and polished. Then sit down and make out a plan, forget pros and cons for now, I did a mind map of what I would need to do to survive while I looked for what I wanted. It became very clear to me that temporary or contract work was going to be the way to go because after much soul searching I realised that a complete change was needed. I spoke to ex colleagues, got various recommendations for agencies and quickly realised that my skills were very much in demand. Within three days of registering, I had been to speak to three possible temp roles so I knew there was a safety net should I need it. It was also comforting to know that I had friends looking out for me, the texts came in every day with news of various possibilities. The excitement I had felt at handing in my notice started to return. It was comforting to know that the skills and abilities I had used over the years were being recognised in various different industries.

I think that we often forget that life experience is often as important as qualifications. The biggest wake up call for me throughout the whole job hunting process was that I began to be really proud of myself, to recognise who I am, what I want, and what I can offer. When you are asked to put a price on your skills by agencies or prospective new employers, you soon start to put things into perspective. My mind mapping had helped to confirm that I wanted to move into a different sector so it was possible that I would have to make financial sacrifices, but the one thing that was clearer than anything else was that I had the courage to face whatever came next. However yet again karma/Universe/Jesus stepped in, I noticed on Facebook that a company I have long admired were looking for an Office Manager. At the same time as I was reading the post and editing my CV, three friends sent me the same details via text, all with the same message … this could have been written for you …!

It is one of the hardest things to put your energies into other job searching when you find what you want to do. The temporary offers were starting to come in thick and fast and I became a bit of an expert at dawdling over my decisions, including some very tempting headhunters from London! Me, yes me, wanted by companies in London. I am not egotistical in anyway but flattered? Oh yes! I out this feeling to good use, it helped me to focus yet again on my goal, my mission statement …

“To find a role that I would want to wake up every day and think, let’s do this!”

So to cut a long story short, on Monday 31st August I start as Office Manager at 29 Studios in Glasgow. When they offered me the post at my second interview, I believe I didn’t even say yes, I think my eyes filled with tears and I hugged them! I cannot wait to get started tomorrow, it will be a learning curve to break old patterns but having had a very chilled week off in between my schoolbag is packed, my pencils are sharpened and my coffee mug is rinsed out and ready to go.

I cannot wait to be a #29ER, why because I have a feeling I am going to #lovewhatIdo

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