Interviewing

And now, after another unusually long break (I've been working on other stuff, honest... not just resting on my laurels!), here's a brief update...

After my most recent temping stint, I was alerted to the fact that I had been requested - yes, by name - by one of the places I worked at earlier in the year. Two different departments were after me, in fact. The same folks I worked with before wanted me back for more holiday cover, and another department (who'd heard good things about me) wanted to interview me for a medium-term contract position...

Also around this time, I managed to wangle myself back into the running for a permanent position... And I interviewed for that on Friday.

These folks were initially wary because their vacancy is slightly lower down the food chain than my last permanent job, and because they saw evidence of creative leanings on my CV. They had discounted me about a month ago because the job offers no creative control of the products. I only learned this when I asked for feedback and, thankfully, my agency contact didn't even need to query their concerns with me before insisting that they take another look at my CV. Good thing, too, because the interview seemed to go really well.

There were two people interviewing me (can't remember either job title now!) and both came across very well, and described quite a relaxed and friendly workplace - without Salespeople, by the sounds of it, so that will take the stress levels WAY down straight away. If that makes it sound as though I was interviewing them, you could be right. I've eaten further into my savings than I ever intended, but I still want to be sure I get the right job for me. They have their big projects, and everything else gets slotted in around them. They work and 8 hour day, with overtime occurring when there's something one feels compelled to finish, and occasional overnight visits to the Printers...

I made a crack about the predominance of workaholics in the industry, and both laughed... I think that's a good sign.

I'm wary of saying that I'm the no-brainer choice but, if they're finding themselves throwing away the CVs of graphic designers and creative directors, I'm probably the closest fit they've had... Before I left, they mentioned second interviews (including the concept of a test, which chilled me to my very core, even though I tend to do quite well in tests) so, at the very least, since they haven't already found their ideal candidate inside a month, I'd like to think I'm in with a shot.

Either that, or they're really not in a hurry.

They're based in a nice area, easily accessible by rail, and their products are quite cool... so it could be fun.

My next interview - scheduled for Tuesday - is for the contract job. Initially, I was told it would be commencing in August... but then I was also told it was only going to be a week or so cover. As it turns out, it's a 9-month job starting at the end of this month.

And, just to make things fun, the department I'd worked in before wanted me back possibly for the end of this month, too.

Took a trip to see my folks yesterday - and to see of my sister and niece, who were heading home after lunch following their most recent hospital appointment. The niece continues to be utterly exhausting (but in a nice way... except when she's being argumentative and loudly negative about everything), which is quite amazing considering her condition at birth. Looks like everything is going quite well for her now, though she was attached to a heart monitor for the weekend.

News of Grandmother is not so good... although it's becoming quite difficult to judge. My mother fears that she's only well behaved when visited by someone other than her. Certainly, when I went along with her last time, she was bright and chatty... but apparently she was back to being nasty and cynical when my mother visited on her own during the week. She conceded that she had interrupted something - Grandmother and fellow residents were having a sing-song when she arrived - so that might have triggered it, but she said something along the lines of having "made a mistake, choosing this place" and my mother decided against contradicting her because, at the very least, if she believes she chose the place she's in, it sounds as though she's settled.

Today, I tried to tidy up some of my filing - my parents bought me a ring-bound file for insurance details quite a while back, and it's been sitting on top of my filing drawers ever since. Once I removed the cellophane, however, I found a significant problem. There aren't many plastic sleeves already in the folder, and all of them are too small for any of my - largely A4-sized - documentation. Plus, I have so many sheets of paper pertaining to my various insurance policies, I'd need more sleeves to have a hope of fitting any of it in. I may just have to get a standard ring-binder and use that...

...And another for all my temping invoices/remittance forms...

...And probably several others for several other purposes... But now I'm getting back to the point where I'd rather not think about it, because it's too much like getting organised.

Which, y'know, would be a good thing... but it's just such a hassle for me. I have to read through things all over again just to determine where they should be filed... I know just stuffing everything into drawers is going to end up being counter-productive, and my 'out of sight, out of mind' approach to filing is utterly stupid... but I'm just not an organised person.

Except in the office, of course... so perhaps getting back to work - on a medium-term contract, if not full time - will put me back in the right frame of mind.