Things are A'Changing

Things are definitely changing.

After a miserly one positive response from my first 35 job applications, I have now had five positive responses in the following 18. 

That's gone from 2.9% to 27.8%. 

That's MAD.

The positive responses from the last five are all possible avenues of interest.

1. Marketing Officer at Nottinghamshire County Council - the recruiter has put me forward for consideration
2. Assistant Brand Manager at a hitherto unnamed Derbyshire FMGC company - I've got through the initial recruiter phone conversation, meeting the head recruiter on Wednesday next week
3. Assistant Marketing Brand Manager at the company that owns Bicester Village - the recruiter has put me forward for consideration
4. Marketing Executive at Liverpool Football Club (yep, really) - the recruiter has put me forward for consideration by the HR department at the club
5. Marketing Executive at a procurement software company in Oxford - this is the one I mentioned in the last blog about the recruiter being dead keen then disappearing off the face of the planet. Seems there might be some legs in this one yet after going direct to the company

What's strange is I'm applying to the same sort of jobs with basically the same CV. I've added that I am enrolled on the Squared Online Digital Marketing course, but surely that doesn't make that much difference one month in to the course? 

Maybe it does.

Maybe it's just a coincidence that the responses are steadily more positive of late.

I also had a call from a local events company yesterday who found my CV online and were interested enough to ask me over for a chat to see where I am with my thinking for my next move.

It makes a nice change from getting emails from companies or recruiters where the word 'unfortunately' stands out like a flashing red light. 

You needn't read much else after that. It's a no.

This recent flurry of more positive responses is important for my state of mind I think. When you get one positive response from 35 job applications it isn't much fun. The ideal of making sure I take the right next step and not jumping in to the first job that gets offered was becoming clouded. 

It's important I don't let that ideal slip.

I'm streetwise enough to know that even though I haven't had the dreaded unfortunately... from the above so-far-positive-responses yet, that doesn't mean I'm down to the last four or five applicants. There will be a huge number of applicants for the Liverpool gig especially, and I'll be staggered if I get to an interview stage. The same may well be applicable to the other possibilities (on a relatively smaller scale), but it's nice to know that the CV seems to be attracting a level of interest now. 

In other news... I have made an introductory video for my course. It's a compulsory project, not just me being super vain. 

It's a remarkably hard thing to do. You have no idea. My main aims were not come across as a complete tit, or struggle too much with 'th..' words. 

Hopefully it works ok.

We're now only four sleeps away from the Reading Half... and I am as ready as I'm going to be! I'm pretty sure I'm a step up in terms of preparation compared to last time after running 12 miles in around 1hr 40 on both of the last two weekends. 

I have two aims:

1. Beat my PB of 1hr 56 from the Robin Hood last year
2. Go sub 1hr 50

On recent pace, the second aim is very much on. So hopefully no dramas between now and then and I can give that a good go. 

If I manage it, I'm going to spend the afternoon on the Hooch and wearing my LION medal. 

In terms of the 600 mile challenge I'm on 182 miles so far, a monumental 30%! Progress will definitely slow once I get Sunday's 13.1 miles out the way, that I can absolutely assure you. 

I have manged to finish Book #7 which was 'The Quiet Game' - I really enjoyed it. The story follows a prosecutor turned novelist returning to his hometown after the death of his wife to solve a race murder conspiracy that dated all the way back to 1968. 

It's so good I ordered the three other books in the series and I am flying through Book #8 'Turning Angel' at the moment. 

All this reading makes me want to write a book. What about I have no idea, and I don't know whether I could deal with the book bombing after spending so much time on it. I feel sorry for authors who that happens to. Pour their life and soul in to something and then the critics say 'rubbbbbbbish!' and give it two stars. Must be bleak. 

As we approach flight booking time in May/June, I'm keeping my eye on the cost of flights to SA... anyone fancy paying a tick over £500 to fly with Ethiopia Airlines? A solid half price cheaper than other airlines... No? 

Suit yourself. 

That'll do for this lunch time. See you in 13.1 miles...

Hooters Chicken Wings

So, I currently finding myself staring out the window at work.

It's definitely staying lighter longer. 

And that's always good news. Getting past the Shortest Day of the year is a good psychological, top-of-the-hill-breaks-off marker. 

(Despite what the BBC and my super science-y Dad say, the 21st December is when it all turns around and things get good again. YES!)

Whilst it's 4'c outside and still comprehensively dark by half four, it may still be a bit early to bring out the #summeriscoming chat on Twitter, but it definitely is.

So, P-9626 (I've given it a newly discovered planet sounding abbreviation for kicks) - what's happening?

I'm sorry.

Well, I finished Book #1 - Pep Confidential. 

I enjoyed it a lot.

But I would definitely only recommend it to you if the highlight of your week is watching Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher pore over the explicit tactical reason why one hapless club or another have fallen to yet another disappointing result on Monday Night Football.

It's heavy going at times but only because Guardiola is miles ahead of anyone in modern day football thinking. 

He's a genius and I am dreading the day he ends up at Manchester United. Because he will.

It is a fantastic insight in to the behind the scenes, day-to-day running of an elite football club, and not in the turbo charged cringe fest way that 'Being: Liverpool' was. 

So yes, early progress! Next on the conveyor belt is Book #2 - Gone Girl.

(This might take some time. Small type and loads of pages.)

I've ran three times so far this year. Invariably dressed like this clown. 

Three steady 5 milers and we're at a sobering 15/600 miles which is not even three per cent of the target. 

But it's the end of week one, so I'm happy. 

I got a new phone-strap-thing for Christmas which is an utter blessing. I've used my last one for well over a year and the zips rusted off about two months ago and I have since had to resort to masking tape to keep it all together. Not cool for the style-centric look I'm clearly going for on my runs.

It's a good time of year to go out running as there's LOADS of people who are still struggling on with their New Year fitness kicks. It's great, cause I'm dead fast compared to them. 

See ya.

It makes a nice change from being continually lapped by the ridiculously long legged girl who occasionally storms past me. She must be running 6 minute miles easily. 

Definitely less good for the ego, mind.

Today I entered the ballot for the Great North Run in September. I'm pretty sure it's the most prestigious half marathon going in the UK so that would be cool if I get in. Some good mid-400 mile motivation on the yellow brick road to the 600 mile promise land.

I should definitely do something special at 600. Like an all you can eat Chinese. Or all you can eat chicken wings at Hooters on a Monday night. 

I hope they still do that. 

(Motivation central).

Anyway, I find out on the 13th of February whether I get in to the GNR. Here's hoping. Would be a good one to tick off the list and probably opens the door up to the Boston/New York half next year.

Today was a big day.

Today, my super shiny, half decent CV of 2015 was finished. 

After great help from my own personal career adviser/hero, and signed off by the Prof (Dr Dave, super science-y Dad, you know the man), the CV is ready to GO.

CV's are dead weird. 

It's the only place in the world where the words 'comprehensive', 'advanced' and 'extensive' can be written without coming across as a complete knob. 

You've also got to big yourself, and your achievements up. But not so up that they become a bit of a lie which might put you in a sticky situation when your potential employers ask a question that you really should know if you really were an experienced user of digital marketing...

It's a fine line.

But with CV 2015 done I'm one step closer to getting that new job so hurray for me and Project 9626.

Now I have to go and help run a ghost work for my boss. On a Friday. In near gale force winds.

I'll be sure to add 'team player' to my CV in the morning.