I have now remembered why I am so terribly bad at blogging, life somewhat takes over! I had planned to have a stock of blog posts ready in advance of posting…but that hasn’t happened! (there are a few drafts on here that I’ve got waiting…but they need to be finished!) When I last came to post on here I had some excuse about being ill (I had a REALLY bad chest infection for about a month) but that was in April!
My idea with starting this blog was to establish some kind of direction in my life as this felt like it should be a rather important year, I’m sure those of you who have already reached thirty will say “Oh its nothing” but it feels bloody huge to me right now!! Although its more that I want to feel like I’ve achieved something before I reach the big Three-Oh. After four years of feeling like my jobs, relationships and living arrangements have been temporary, I wanted to make some plans that had some permanence to them and enter my thirtieth year feeling like I had accomplished something.
Those of you who know me will know that just over a month ago I was offered the role of Cabin Crew for BA’s Gatwick Fleet (aka the “beach fleet”) Dream job material right? I was bouncing about this for quite a while! I applied to BA a couple of years ago and didn’t get in, I was incredibly nervous at interview which resulted in me completely fluffing a few questions! So, when the opportunity arose to reapply I figured “why not?” I was part way through my winter season and figured it would be a decent next step. By the time the invite to interview eventually came through I had actually forgotten I’d applied and still had a month to wait until the interview. Long story short, I left my nerves at the door this time and showed them the real Lisa, it would seem this worked.
This was however the only service industry role I had applied for, every other job I’d applied for was in fundraising. The day after I had received news that I’d got the cabin crew role I had an interview for a very well established Northern charity. I had already done extensive research on the charity beforehand and was feeling extra confident due to my recent good news.
It was one of the most enjoyable interviews I’d ever had. I felt I really clicked with the interviewers and finding more out about the charity made me see how easily I could be passionate about fundraising for them, therefore making answers flow that little bit more easily off the tongue. Thinking back, although I was confident I didn’t for a second think I’d be offered the job and had simply gone along for the experience knowing I had the BA job behind me (I’m never all that confident really!).
Two days later I had a voicemail from the interviewer asking me to call him back, when I returned his call he’d left for the day but had left his mobile number with reception so that I could call him on that instead. I suddenly realised that the interview had gone better than I had thought! It was a bit of an odd one, he said he couldn’t offer me the job straight away, but I was the strongest candidate and he’d wanted to let me know that he would be in touch as soon as he could about the job if I was still interested.
To say I was blown away was an understatement! I’d gone from no job and slogging away what felt like endlessly at applications for over two months (and overall over three years) to essentially two fantastic job offers in a week! As I mentioned before, nearly four years of temp jobs somewhat takes its toll on ones confidence. I had got to the point where I found it very hard to believe in myself and my abilities – much to the annoyance of family and friends constantly trying to buoy me up!
Anyway, I had a holiday planned (more of that at a later date) so I decided to shelve any thoughts/worries/decision making for the time being and enjoy myself, as I hadn’t technically been on holiday in well over two years! I did exactly that and had a fabulous two weeks at my parents house in Brittany.
On Monday last week I received a call from the charity confirming that they would indeed like to offer me the post. I asked for a couple of days to think about it. At first thinking that I would most likely turn it down, but the reality of the job vs the cabin crew role began to dawn on me. I had wanted to return to fundraising for some time, I didn’t overly want to “serve” people any more, on the ground or in the sky, I also wanted the guarantee of a permanent role with career prospects – and I found this list that I made about two years ago before I did my first winter season, all the things I wanted from a job once I was ready to return from the mountains.
It’s funny because it seems like quite a frivolous list but after spending a while searching for a job and ticking off the things I did and didn’t like this was what I wanted from a job. The first point about pretty dresses may seem silly but it came from the fact I was wearing a uniform for the job I was doing at the time, I like to feel individual, I also like making my own clothes!
As soon as I got up on Wednesday morning I called back the charity and accepted the job. I now sit impatiently waiting my offer letter and official start date!
Lisa's Thirty New Things Before Thirty..... 