Oot & Aboot: The Elusive Job Quest

So another few days down and still in the unemployment line. If only i could access benefits! I had my first of two interviews this week at Edinburgh Airport. It was a temp Recruitment Officer role for Delaware North Companies. They are a catering business and are opening a new restaurant at the airport. I had to meet the recruiter at a cafe there...this is something i hate as you don't know who to look for. I got there after a bus ride that took ONE HOUR. It obviously pays to take the airport express bus rather than the regular bus that takes you around the world before it gets to the airport. This interview was another example of why i hate the 'meet you for coffee' interviews because it got to 20 minutes later and she hadn't shown up. Well at least i thought. We had both been waiting to meet each other! Well finally we did and the interview went well. I was told I'd be informed on Friday how i went. So we'll wait and see. Apart from interviews i haven't really been doing much. I guess mainly to save the pennies. Also, interviews take it out of me so i was happy to lay low whilst i had them on.

On Wednesday i had the big interview with Work Directions as an Adviser. This was the toughest interview i have ever experience. I knew it was going to be trouble when the HR Director herself was interviewing. I could have got the guy interviewing next door, but no i had to have the director. They were interviewing stacks when i was there. There were at least 5 people waiting for their interview. The first part of the interview was to watch a DVD of a typical girl who would come into Work Directions. You then had to type up a CV for her and do a job search based on what you thought she'd suit work wise. This worries me slightly as i am finding there are differences in the type of CV in the UK to Australia. But i did it and it would then be assessed by my interviewer. After the assessment she grilled me with questions, like 'if your client didn't show up for her meeting what would you do?'. Tough call when i don't know how far i can push it. A small part of me did feel that this might not be the job for me during the interview as i don't have a lot of patience for 'dole bludgers'. I understand some people have genuine reasons that hold them back from getting any work but for most they don't try. Kinda like how i felt with whinging worker's compensation employees at work. So the interview continued and after 2.5 hours i was out of there and ready for a nap. I was told i might not know till the end of August if i got the job. I felt confident but not overly!

I then went over to the Royal Mile as i got a call in the morning from a lady who manages a souvenir shop and she had asked me in for an interview. IT was the only shop i put my resume in a few days earlier as a 'last case scenario'. So i rocked up, she asked me when i was available and for how long and voila, i landed a job. I have to admit, my gut instinct wasn't joy, but rather should i even take it? It was minimum wage (5 pound an hour) and such a shitty job. Would i rather fly home than be miserable over here? Yes.

I spoke to mum on Skype the next day to get her thoughts and i decided that i would rock up to the shop to start work at 1pm just to see how it goes. I had nothing to lose. I had tickets to see Rhys Darby do stand up at 10pm that night so i knew i couldn't stay till midnight like they may potentially ask. I got to the shop and was dumped with two girls who barely knew English and told to ask what to do. I am to basically 'look busy' and as soon as something sells, go and get stock to replace it. So don't do the logical thing and replenish stock at a quieter time in the day, but do it ALL DAY long. Yeeah. There were a few Aussies working there and I'd chat to them while looking busy. I'm told i wouldn't be able to use the register. I'd have to work my way up to that and it's likely to be months. WTF. Everyone said the bosses were pretty awful and you should avoid them. Plus, if i ask to leave early to go see the show i booked, i might get told not to come back. So i started to clock watch after 45 minutes and then after 1.5 hours the manager told me that was it for me today and i filled out some employment forms. The manager tells me on my way out that i didn't seem into it and wasn't just doing stuff. Um hello, i except the first part, but it's hard to know what to do exactly when you just got there. There's only so much folding scarves. I'm starting to understand why they have had a vacancy sign on their window for 6 weeks (at least) in these hard times.

I was relieved to get off early and 50/50 on whether or not I'd bother going back. I am told that they will call when they know what hours i can work. It often isn't till the night before. Awesome.

So i went home and checked my email. Well an email came through from Work Directions. Emails after interviews are never a good sign. Turns out it wasn't. I got the obligatory 'after careful consideration' email. Yeah real careful, it took you less than 24 hours. I didn't get the job. In a way i guess it's a credit they didn't hire me as i probably wasn't right for the job. I wanted it because it was permanent and paid well, not because of the job itself. This was getting to be a really shit day. Actually, suffice to day my worst since I've been here.

Well i dragged myself in the shower and got ready for my night out to see Rhys Darby. I thought comedy might be the order of the day! It was actually a really nice night and i didn't have to wear a jacket. Crazy man. I got to Udderbelly where he was to be performing. It has a massive beer garden outside the giant inflatable cow that you go in to see the shows. It had a great atmosphere and i now know where all the hot men have been hiding. One guy who was out of control hot tapped me on the shoulder and said 'nice dress'. I was gob smacked by this and meekly replied, 'um, thanks'. Good work Rebecca, a real witty reply. Idiot.

Well i watched Rhys do his thing and i was not disappointed. Just what the doctor ordered. He was soo funny. I'd recommend him. If only he did his Murray character from Flight of the Concords. He talked about his experiences of making it in the U.S which are aways funny. After the show i decided to walk home. Being such a nice night and heaps of people out because of the festival.

I have a feeling I'm going to love the festival!