Got to the Cafe Natural fairly early and spent a good 4 hours there doing job searching and a bit of freelance for a client in South Africa.
So what did I do ?
Applied for 3 new jobs, 2 via the various job networks and one direct to client.
I've exhausted the various job site backlogs, so it's now on a day to day basis searching for whatever crops up.
Spent the rest of the time battling to get 2300 emails with 534k PDF files attached sent out via a web based mass mailer.
At 12.30pm, I walked down to the Job centre and spent an hour searching their database for anything IT related with a reasonable salary, yielding no more results from the leads I followed up last time. Went into Blue Arrow consulting, from there to Office Angels and finally into the Computer People office, where I had a long chat with two of the agents.
They looked at my CV and indicated that it's well written. They were a little suprised that I hadn't landed an interview yet, considering the amount of applications I've sent out, although one guy did reckon it's really slow at the moment for web work - no shit !
I also started looking at the type of bar jobs on offer - well, they are all crap, no matter what. I'm holding thumbs and ears that it doesn't come down to a bar job, although I may see if there's anything available at The Swan in the evenings - I'm there every evening there anyway, so I may as well use that time to earn money instead of spending it.
It's still too early to go back to the B&B, so after a £1.63 triple vegetarian sandwich (egg & cress, cheese & pickle, tuna & celery), I'm having a quick pint in The Alexandra while I follow up with all my various contacts - I have 5 numbers to call today just to say "So, hows it going ?"
Lets start ...
Jason :- Still waiting for client, this client has been asking questions about me, so it's still a very good lead. He's going to follow that up today.
Anthony :- The client no longer needs freelancer. This is fairly typical in the design industry, potential projects often are cancelled etc. - I know this from experience. Agent reckons "hang in there" and keep trying - yadda yadda.
Ben Jewitt :- Same spiel as the last 10 times. "I don't personally have anything, but I will let my colleauges know" - alrighty then, strike Ben off the list for good.
Cairon :- Not available right now
Ian :- Not available right now
... and there we have it, £1.80 in calls.
Back to the B&B just now to do a few hours on another freelance job & then it's up to The Swan to do the emailing and job searching all over again.
Exactly a month has gone by and I'm wondering where my luck has gone ?
I'm now holding out for my closest lead, which will require a relocation to Hampshire. Please God, just let them give me an interview and I'll sell myself without a problem.
*** update ***
I just fired off an email offering to work at a reduced rate to get "my foot in the door" - sounds a bit like "foot in my mouth", ah well, desperate times = desperate measures.
(I would make a terrible barman anyway)
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Side Notes
Sitting in the Alexandra in Wimbledon in a real locals pub. Lots of old farts, everyone with heavy Laaandan accents, innit.
Got a bloke that sounds exactly like Lou from Little Britain, keep expecting to hear Andy saw "I wan tha one"
Some of the banter in the pub :-
"You dan't wanna go in that sandwich place on Broadway mate, you can gerra sandwich for 99p mate. Just go dawn Tesco. You don't wanna get rubbish there, is that what you eat innit ?"
"Yeah, that'll make you fuckin' 'appy"
"Cut yer 'ed off, do the operation, put yer 'ed back"
"Want some chips ? fish 'n chips ? - we'll get yer some chips if yer want, £3, we can get um."
"Give my love to sainsburys then."
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