So as you know I have been unwell and unable to work blah
blah blah! But even though I am nearly better my health is still the most
important thing, so I wanted a laid back job that would easily run alongside
this challenge. I may say these things, and I genuinely mean them – but I am
finding that actually taking it easy is easier said than done. As I have said
before, I am someone that loves work (weird I know) – so it makes it very
difficult for me to take a step back and do something a bit less taxing for my
little brain!
I was really excited to work at the garden centre for 2
reasons. 1 – because it’s local, laid back and a very well run business and 2 –
because everyone seemed so friendly. I’d like to point out here that the reason
I didn’t like it wasn’t down to the place, but was a classic example of where
what I had imagined the job to be and what it actually was were two very
different things – hence why it’s great to try before you buy as it were!
I had completely forgotten that there are certain aspects of
working in a shop that I love and others that I don’t! For example: I was
really surprised when I first worked in a shop to find that I’m actually really
good at sales – I would never have described myself as one of those people that
could sell ice to an Eskimo (not that I have tried!), and I don’t think anyone
else would either. As it turned out, I love the buzz and the challenge of sales
– although I would only ever sell a good product that I believe in…I do have
morals! I used to regularly beat my weekly target so I can’t be too bad at it! However
the bit that I had forgotten about was all the standing around waiting for a
customer…I’m sure those of you who have worked in a shop when it wasn’t the job
for them have also felt that feeling where a minute feels like a day and where
you feel like a tiny piece of you is dying inside! I know it sounds dramatic,
but it really isn’t an exaggeration!
I had absolutely not thought through the details of the job,
and had just gone on what you see as an outsider (even though I’ve worked in this
before, so really was just a moron for not thinking it through…I blame my dodgy
head!). I am learning more and more with every new job just how much more jobs
entail than you would expect. It’s not really something I have ever given any
thought to – but now that I am, I am finding it so interesting how different a
job can be to what you think it will be. I really do think that as a society we
aren’t really encouraged to give much thought to jobs or to explore different
options – which when you think about it is just crazy when we spend 25 to 30 years
working (source),
that’s 1/3rd of our lives!
I have gone from someone who before I got ill had it all
planned out, and was happily working my way up the company ladder knowing exactly
where I am heading. To now I have absolutely no idea what I want to do, and I’m
just taking any opportunities that arise, to see where they take me. That would
have scared the life out of me before, but now I have learnt it is all about
the journey rather than the destination! #cheesy
A lot of the time when it comes to thinking about a
different job, we put up our own barriers – I haven’t got the qualifications I
need is a classic. That’s why volunteering is great, as then the company can
see your skills. Yes you might not have the qualification they are looking for,
but you have all these other great skills that you would never have learnt at
college and that make you even more perfect for the job. If you just sent in your
C.V however, that’s really hard to get across, and depending how many people
apply – your C.V might not even get read if it’s not immediately apparent that
you have what they are looking for. By volunteering you become a person as
opposed to just a piece of paper. So whilst you may not be the giving type who
wants to donate their time for free, on a purely selfish level it’s a great way
to get a job that on paper you’re not really appropriate for.
I am a prime candidate for this, as I had no idea what I
wanted to do when I left school so I decided not to go to university. I’m glad
I made that decision as I still don’t know what I want to do! But it can make
it tricky to get jobs sometimes. I have got 3 jobs now from volunteering, so I
am living proof that it works, yet when I apply for jobs just sending in my C.V
I rarely hear back!
I’m not really sure how I have got from the garden centre to
volunteering, but there we go! I hope this has provided a little food for
thought!
I have a backlog of blogs as I suddenly had loads of jobs
come up at once (going with the flow! ;-)) but I don’t want to bombard you, so I’ll
wait a couple of days before posting the next one!
Have a great week
Bobbie :)
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