A day of contrasts...

So, I've returned from an intrepid day exploring the metropolis in search of gainful employment and I have to say I am shattered!

I started off my day signing on and I have not one positive comment about my experience. I got there early as promised so that I could utilise the job point to search for yet more jobs. They had the same useless selection they had on Thursday but hey ho - at least I got there early! I handed my job hunting diary to point G where I was I was told to go and I waited.

Various people entered the room and did what I did - not one of them looked like they were in any hope of finding a job soon - was I the only one who had made the effort to at least look employable??? I was getting cross - thinking back to my days of studying British history at college and wondering if the re-introduction of the workhouse would be a goer? Dividing up the unemployed into deserving and undeserving poor: surely these un-motivated & scruffy people would be undeserving and me deserving? I don't know - you think about all the years you've paid into the system and when you're face-to-face with the regular folk who sign on you can't help but get cross and wonder - if you can't beat them join them? To make matters worse once I get to sit at point G (a whole hour later than my allotted time), I go through my diary and I get a pat on the back for my efforts at finding work (another biting my tongue moment, reminding myself to be grateful - this chap after all is only doing his job) - I then asked the fateful question: "when will I get my first payment?" Now - I am a patient type of gal but when he replies - "ah, there's a backlog, normally it's 10 days after your first appointment, but there's a backlog of 3 weeks. Tell them you've got an interview and they'll rush it through." EXCUSE ME?!?! So not only do they insult me by offering me £60.50 a week but I am going to have to wait a full 4 weeks before they can put the money into my account? Oh, don't get me started!!!!! So I await my money patiently and wonder if I'll get a bulk payment or will it be 4 weeks until I get my first installment of £60.50?

So, week 2 of joining the legions of Brits unemployed doesn't start off brilliantly! However, it wasn't all bad. I set off into London town, buy The Guardian and check the job pages (better doing it online - obviously but at least I've caught up with the news). I'm excited, I'm meeting my old manager for lunch (her treat). Now Mel is always good for a giggle and a morale boost; I tell her my tales of Thailand and she laughs in the right places and tells me she misses working with me. At that very moment I get a call from a recruiter saying he has a lovely Data Account Management role that matches my skill-set perfectly and would I like to be put forward for the role?! Brilliant - I'm forgetting the degenerates of the SW16 Jobcentre plus office already!!! Mel tells me there's the possibility of a job in Haywards Heath that she'll recommend me for - it's only 25 mins from Croydon so that's easy - I'm perking up!

After lunch we head to Oxford Street to check out Topshop (Mel lives in Jersey these days - they don't really have the greatest selection of shops). The urge to shop had suddenly left me, not because I'm skint but because I am obviously advancing in years and am no longer down with the kids - I seriously would not be seen dead in a lot of the stuff that were on the shelves!

Anyway I digress, confidence boosted I leave Mel and trot off to Holborn for a follow up from last weeks' telephone interview and go the meet Sarah from HR in Starbucks. I think it went well, Sarah was lovely, she tells me the need is urgent and they want to recruit by Friday. She also tells me that she'll give me a call tomorrow (that sounds positive does it not?) So, you never know - I may have a 2nd interview in the bag this week.

Going back to my last entry about adding value to the recruitment process. I met with Monique and Michael at Mimo associates today and you know what? They are fantastic at their job! They are lovely at Mimo, they return emails, give you a call and invite you to chew that fat at their offices over a cup of tea. I can open up to them, I feel like they really know me and care. They are doing what practically every other recruitment consultant doesn't do: they add value to the whole recruitment process. They're putting me forward for another account management role - and I honestly believe that they will do their best at securing me a new job. When I tell them I want a nice job with nice people they know exactly what I mean - they also know that I will be as flexible as possible when it comes to getting back to work. If they don't manage to place me, I will still go out of my way to recommend them as they care about their candidates. Recruiters - I urge you to place your roles with them, they are the good guys! I won't start listing the other "consultancies" that I have a negative view about - a) it would take too long and b) I believe in karma and what goes around comes around (I am sure you are able to differentiate the good guys from the bad).

So, I'm feeling quite positive about the whole experience at the moment. I won't have to spend anymore time with the SW16 degenerates for a whole 2 weeks which is cause for celebration enough. I've been put forward for a few roles which is good and there's a possibility of a 2nd this week, not all bad I tell thee! I've also managed to get off cooking duty today and hubby has treated us to a Papa Johns pizza for dinner - life's not that after all!