Tag Archives: new job

Dec 28 2012
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Work and Studying

New Job Nerves

My dream job doesn’t start til the Spring, so my friend is employing me as a builder’s mate in the meantime and I start today. Gulp. It will be odd as we’re best friends and now he will be my boss. He’s been joking all week I have to start addressing him as ‘Boss’ from now on too. Like that’s going to happen, mister.

I laid out all my builder gear last night – old jeans, several thermal layers, Caterpillar boots, woolly hat and gloves. Makes a change from dressing for the office and at least I don’t need to think about what to wear every day. I thought I would have the evening to myself to psych myself up, but thanks to over-running engineering work at Paddington, The Teenager has been delayed going to London, and he has hoovered up the rest of the Christmas shortbread and chocolates and I reluctantly shared my stash of Diet Coke.

Do builder’s mates wear make up? Should I still keep my nails tidy or are they going to be ruined anyway? I don’t want to look too butch, but there’s something quite nice and different about going to work in the open air, not caring if my clothes get dirty or my hair is wind-whipped. I’ve had a chat with my friend and my main job is clearing up, and I can definitely do that. Also, fetching tools from the van and making coffee and chucking a brush round the place. Easy.

He knows all about my MS, so he’ll understand if I trip or drop things and we’ll hopefully have a good laugh about it. I’ll enjoy reading The Sun and munching on greasy bacon rolls. I’m looking forward to the exercise and just blowing some cobwebs away. But I still have first day nerves. This is it for the next three months.

So wish me luck. My new building nick-name is ‘Half-Shift’, which is quite cute and  I feel like part of the building community already. Wonder if my friend will let me drive his van? Watch this space – I’ll tell you how it all went tomorrow.

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Nov 16 2012
2 Comments
Work and Studying

I Have a new job…Almost

Woo hoo! I’m swinging my pants and hanging out the bunting. I have a new job, the job of my dreams, the job I would construct from fantasy and make real. Regular readers who can cast their minds back far enough will remember I went for a job interview at a company I really wanted to work for and I had everything crossed.

So why the glum face? Well, I had a phone call yesterday from the company that started with the words, ‘I’m afraid it’s bad news’. Never a good indication.  Luckily I was sitting in my car at the time and was able to rest (thump) my head on the steering wheel. The chirpy woman explained that the new  location I was due to be placed in at the beginning of January was now not going ahead, but there may be an opening for me a few months down the line in a different site. Apparently my job is secure, just not right now. Perhaps in the spring.

I now have a problem. My current job (with the Evil Bosses who sacked me for having MS) ends just before Christmas, after I negotiated two months grace. From then on, I will be unemployed.

But, never fear, my Super Friend has come to the rescue, yet again. He has very sweetly registered himself as an employer with the tax office, waded through mountains of paperwork and has offered me a job to tide me over until my new one starts. Phew! That was a close shave. Why, then am I ever so slightly apprehensive about starting work with him, during the cold, bleak, dark winter months?

Don’t laugh. He’s a builder and I will be his builder’s mate. Honestly. With my dodgy balance, weak left arm and tingly hands and feet, he’s still prepared to take me on, probably for the comedic factor, but hey, it’s a job. I have to start reading The Sun (skipping swiftly over Page 3) and work out the difference between an architect and an architrave. I will need to begin enjoying burgers bought from vans, strong tea and listening to commercial radio all day long.

On reflection, I am incredibly lucky. The alternative is too awful to contemplate. And maybe doing such physical work for a couple of months will a) tone me up and b) make me so, so grateful to get back into the warmth again in my proper new job. So, if anyone wants a kitchen fitted or an outside wall rebuilt, I’m your (wo)man…..

To read about my interview – click here.

To read more about Super Friend – click here.

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