How I want to work

The past couple of weeks have been quite eventful in terms of employment.

Having decided that I not only don't want to be a corporate wage slave living out my days in an office, but that I also don't want any serious commitments this year as I'm planning on doing my Master's next year, a compromise had to be found. If I did take up full time employment, I'd have to give it up in exactly one year's time anyway. There's also the lengthy Master's and Scholarship application processes that I need to dedicate time to, so, all in all, the task was to find both something I wanted to do and something that I could do part-time.

Would you believe, I found it?

Well, them to be precise. I've managed to scramble together 3 different job title that not only pay the bills, but are also right up my street. Who knew that hard work actually paid off eh? The titles are as follows:

• Freelance writer and researcher 
• Senior Editor
• Private Tutor

How, I don't know, but those are some pretty impressive looking titles. The tutoring as you can imagine is for primary and early secondary school children with pushy parents, who want their children to 'catch up' (read: get ahead). Who knew that imparting knowledge and explaining things could be so easy.

My inflated editor title has been bestowed upon me by a start-up graduate recruitment company. We're essentially collaborating to make the best blog since sliced bread, and I couldn't be more excited. As you've probably guessed by now, I really like blogging, and one of my aims in life is to become a writer. One of the many few aims I should add. A step in the right direction methinks.

My freelance work is actually about China too - how crazy is that? A Chinese focused company that specialises in attracting Chinese customers for luxury travel and retail companies needs freelancers. One of them is me.

#winning.

http://www.chinasmack.com/2014/stories/pakistan-terrorist-attack-on-chinese-tourists-reactions.html

Unemployment becomes her

It feels as if I've been unemployed for months, but actually it's only been a couple of weeks.

I find that I'm just as - if not more - busy now as I was when I had a full time job. As ever, looking for a new job, writing applications, taking tests (one's never done with tests) and going to interviews are all time consuming, then there are my 'side' projects - networking, going to startup events, scheduling meetings, maintaining my website, trying to fulfill my ambitions to become a writer, keeping up with my Chinese, seeing friends, sleeping, etc etc. I prefer this kind of busy though.

Taking steps towards becoming a writer is both fun and difficult. It's hard to know where to start and who to speak to on the subject, though people with connections have been more than helpful. I've got a few things out there on the web - to help towards creating a 'portfolio' I guess - but it's hard to tell whether or not it's getting me anywhere. I'm falling behind on emails and should probably keep writing to people for advice.

I don't really want a job though. Well, not a 'real' job anyway. Most of the things I've applied for are either part-time or 'remote' based working that will further my ambitions of becoming a writer, because at the moment, that's what I want to focus on. I'm planning many other projects at the moment (besides the few I've got going on), so we'll see if I'll be able to keep up with it all! Also planning on improving my Chinese and learning the piano at some point, all whilst taking driving lessons!

That's it for my quick update - hope everyone has a great weekend.

How to lose your employees

I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on my motivations on quitting my current job.

As the day continues as normal around me, and no one even seems to acknowledge that it's my last day (expect for the office manager, who asked for the key to the door back), it dawns upon my that I really do not matter in this place. And that's probably a problem.

Not for me of course - I don't care, I'm leaving - but for the company.

Because I'm cool, I read a lot of LinkedIn articles, many of them on employment, often from the perspective of employers and, less often, employees. A trend that has struck me is the discussion over companies' inability to retain top talent. Now, I wouldn't exactly say that I fall into this category, but the contrast between people staying and keeping people is so stark it's almost oppressive at this company.

The turnover is high for sure, unsurprising in an establishment with only 40 employees, but it's the type of people who are going (and coming) that strikes me the most. Many people leave after a year or more yes, but that's after sticking around for a year or more in a job that:

• develops no discernible skills
• does not reward based on merit, but rather on tenure
• has no training scheme or advancement plan
• runs on the business model 'all things being equal'

The people who stay for more than a year are comfortable and - no disrespect to my colleagues at all - are probably not going to be the future innovators and leaders of the business world anywhere other than here. Sure, it may be worth staying for the automatic promotion everyone seems to receive after 11 months, but is working 10+ hours a day in a job where you're micromanaged to the point where you're barely trusted to show up really worth it? Not for many people, some of whom have left after just under 3 months.

It seems to me, then, that this company runs on the theory that "there will always be someone looking for a job", rather than "who really wants this job, will be good at it, and will be of benefit of the company in years to come". I've always had the feeling that a monkey could do my job, but the people who are running this company seem to believe in this idea.

My manager didn't even blink when I handed in my notice, and I remember at my final interview being asked by the MD "You got a first in your degree and probably have a lot of opportunities lined up. What can we do to make you stay here for a good period of time?"

But they never acted upon my suggestions. I've even made suggestions for little improvements during my time here, all of which have been smiled at, probably patronisingly now that I look back at it. They don't want my input, they want me to do as I'm told, without question. It would have been nice if they'd told me that in the first place.

As I write this post, I haven't done any work for over 2 hours. What my manager wanted me to do, I've done, and that's that (including writing a guideline report for the person replacing me in a couple of weeks). No questions, no suggestions, no change.

Just the indifferent silence of an employer waiting for the next monkey to walk through the door.

I quit (again)!

And so another job bites the dust as I quit my second role in my one year since graduating. People who see the graduate job market as a dark and dismal land that is about as cheerful as Westeros may think I've gone slightly off the rails as my huge ego threatens to crush my sensibilities into oblivion. I, however, see jobland as a land of opportunity. It may have something to do with the fact that I'll be so happy to leave this job.

Yes the work hours were ridiculous as well as long, but that was not the main problem here. It's the unceasing, unnecessary, and frankly unbearable pressure from those on high. I understand that they have a job to do - and in order for them to do their job, they need me to do mine - but that's just no excuse for the amount of pressure that's laid on our shoulders day in and day out.

                               WHEN I TELL MY CHINESE COLLEAGUE I'M LEAVING

Everyone's friendly, there are nice little perks here and there, but increasing someone's target by 40-50%, whilst also increasingly extra tasks and other "workload" by 30%, unannounced and within a few days is just not cool. Ever. Keep your free wine, this job has turned me into an alcoholic anyway. And keep your passive-aggressive behaviour to yourself.

To be honest, my boss didn't seem very surprised that I'm leaving. Apparently, I never seemed really 'into' the job, and wasn't ever very 'enthusiastic'. I didn't point out that that's just my personality, and I fight back sarcasm every minute of everyday to avoid being fired.

But I don't have another job to go to, and I can't bring myself to care - again, probably because I have such disdain for my current position. Call me a millennial (call me that and I'll kill you), I'm confident in my future prospects, if not so confident in my current abilities.

I'm not just taking it easy though. Come on, you guys know me better than that.

You know how I love helping people when it comes to job hunting and general wisom, and after many a suggestion that I be a life coach (yes, people did actually suggest this), I have taken my first steps...by creating a website and, yes, you guessed it, another blog. My ten thousandth blog. Another. Blog. you love it.

website: http://www.lifebeyondschool.net/ 

blog: http://lifebeyondschoolblog.wordpress.com/ 

I also networked! By reaching out to fellow education and job market enthusiasts, I have landed a co-branding and writing position with a graduate website. They may even be hiring.

Things are looking up guys.

WHEN MY MANAGER ASKS IF I CAN EXTEND MY NOTICE FOR A WEEK

Hair Challenge day 4 : plaits on plaits (on plaits)

Hair Challenge day 3 : The Daenerys Inspired Look

Sorry for the weird filters – I was trying to find one that would bring out the style the most.

Also, sorry for looking so tired. Pictures were taken at 5:50am – I wanted it looking fresh as opposed to taking them after work!

Hair challenge day 2 : The simple look fuller ponytail

Today was not a good day for me in terms of work, but luckily my hair was looking pretty fly by the time I had reworked it a couple of times.

I had always wondered how some girls got their ponytails looking longer and fuller than mine, even though I was sure we had the same length hair, and I know my hair is thicket than most.

The answer, it would seem, is the double ponytail. Simple and quick, this hairstyle works unexpectedly... Well just unexpectedly. Makes a nice change from the more severe single, pulled-back ponytail. Thinking of incorporating a bump-it look at the front when I learn how to use it properly.

Did a comparison on single and double ponytails, so you can see what the hype is about. Pictures were taken after work, so the style had flattened (and frizzed) a bit by then! Guess it just makes it look more realistic than the painstakingly styled ones you see and covet!

Single Pony

Fuller Pony

Single Pony

Fuller Pony

I personally like it and think it worked to a moderate degree. It's up to you whether you think it worth the extra 2 minutes!

Also, another simple experimental look, helped out by Odiri:

"The back of yo' head" : Hair challenge

I have a lot of hair and, as such, I've made the executive decision that I should be doing more with it. So I went shopping for a stupid amount of accessories, revved up my Pinterest board (http://www.pinterest.com/ediguest/style/) and set myself a challenge: New Day, New Do. And I just came up with that on the spot.

Completely spontaneous I know but, with a lack of other things to really distract me apart from the daily grind, I thought it would be nice to do a little something for myself that could also be considered skillful. I am still knitting btw, but that tends to be for other people...

Anyway, it’s pretty self-explanatory and I’ll try and keep up with it at least for this week (they’re probably gonna get a bit repetitive after that). I probably won’t be including things like clothes (because I still wear the high-waisted jeans I bought in 2007) or make-up (because I don’t wear any to work), but hopefully the up-and-down dos will keep you entertained enough!

Day 1 - The Big Bun

I took this photo after work, so excuse the flyaways 

All I have to write about is work, because that's all I do.

I feel I'm getting the hang of the work-life balance balance.

I manage to see at least one member of one group of friends once a week (last week I saw people from two different groups, a personal best), go on a date at least once a week, go to the gym three times a week, cook for for the entire week and watch Game of Thrones. Despite this minor achievement however, I can't shake the unfulfilled feeling that lingers everyday I wake up at 5am. An un-ticked to-do list sits at my bedside while unwritten articles pile up beside un-read books.

I thought have disposable income would help, but as it turns out money brings its own problems, as pointed out by Fran. There are literally limits to the amount of joy money brings, especially if you spend 70% of your time at work or asleep. For me, it's not so much about money but more about what I can't do due to work constraints. I really want to volunteer or take up some kind of extra curricular, like becoming a school governor or a part-time tutor, but as it is I can't find the right time to take time off to go get my fillings done.

Work is stressful in ebbs and flows, but the most difficult thing about trying to balance extra curriculars and my currents job is not the long hours, but the lack of contingency the company has in place for hectic periods. If I have someone working on the same product as me who's on holiday, I will not be able to take any time off during that period at all. That's an un-written rule of course, but due to the tight staffing and nature of the work, anyone with a minutia of common sense knows it to be true. It's frustrating, because I do want to explore outside activities, and while I am spending a lot of time with family and friends, doing something alone and by myself that isn't working-out would be a nice bonus.

I also miss studying. A lot. I thought I would be able to at least keep up with characters on the side, but though I speak Chinese almost everyday at work, I find my abilities flowing away like water. I'm currently reading academic books about paleolithic China to help me get through the withdrawal symptoms. I don't even get Chinese current affairs anymore. I'm like, "Obama's going to China? What?"

I have some longer term plans to deal with these personal issues, which will be revealed gradually, not only to avoid getting prematurely fired from my job due to lack of commitment, but also to keep people generally interested in what I have to say. In the meantime, I will continue to drink the free alcohol provided at work on a Friday. I promise I'll start looking for things to write about that aren't my job. Martin and I are going away next week if that helps? I'll take pictures, I promise.

WHEN PEOPLE EXPECT ME CONTINUE WORKING ON FRIDAY AFTER 4PM

Under Review

As my one month review at work has just passed, so I thought it would be a good time to review the past month myself.

Work's going....good? Well? Positive pronoun anyway. I've got the hang of it, and it's the kind of job that when you leave work, you've left your work behind. As I start really early and am technically contracted for 9:30 hours, there's always the danger that staying even 20 minutes past 5 will mean that I would have been at my desk for more than 10 hours. People always seem surprised that I manage to leave bang on 5 everyday, including the Chinese girl who sits next to me. She gets in about 6:45 and leaves even later than I do! Today referred to me as a "超人" (superhuman), but it all boils down to the fact that I just don't want to live at work.

The general public also seem very concerned with the fact that I have to wake up quite early. You get used to 5am (promise), as long as you go to bed at 10. Needless to say, Martin isn't really feeling it. It won't last forever, but it's causing a stir amongst the community regardless. I'm not sure why everyone at my workplace feels it would be much better for me to move out of my parents home and closer to work. Well, it's not like they're outraged, just genuinely surprised. Of course, why wouldn't I want to pay rent, buy my own food, cook my own food, live with 5 other people and be cleaning up after their mess and dealing with their drama (don't pretend that you don't have to deal with that). I have to pay some money and contribute to meals and upkeep in my parents' house, of course.

But they also have: cleaners, an ironing lady and unlimited central heating. 

My back-to-the-gym initiative is also going well, though some weeks are better than others. I have yet to find a yoga class that I like, but at least I don't have to attend a Gym Box. Did you know that a membership to a Gym Box is -- no. Don't get me started. I was honestly so outraged about it when I found out that till this day I don't believe that anyone could pay so much for - literally - a box with no swimming pool.

My biggest problems at the moment consist of choosing what outfit to wear tomorrow, so I'm not making arbitrary decisions at 5:35am, and deciding to what charity I should donate. Don't worry, I'm not gonna try and fit that drama into this post.

I still feel that in general, I've taken to long to get my sh*t together. I feel like I should be further along with my projects, making more of my weekends, knitting (although to be fair I should probably cut out some Real Housewives of NJ if I really wanna get that done), inflicting more blog posts upon unsuspecting friends, etc etc. But working life is hard! How long do you think I can keep using that as an excuse to not take driving lessons?

So that's my review. Unfortunately, I can't say I miss China itself but I do miss the boys! That's another thing I've been neglecting - it's all in one big list, this post taking a prime position - but it's all coming soon. As soon as I get some time to myself.

Well, it's 9:25 so.....I'm off to bed! Happy Wednesday everyone.

THE BUILDERS' REACTION WHEN I GET ON THE 6AM TRAIN

My first week at work/Delete!

OK, a little late as I've actually completed two weeks of work now, but it's been a heavy settling in period you know? I think it's going alright, there's really no way to tell with these things, is there? I mean, it's not a formal training plan, everything's very chiiillled, and yet there are deadlines. Daily deadlines. It's a little weird (as I have to keep explaining to people on the phone). I would explain what it is I do exactly, but I like to keep people on tenterhooks. Also, it's kind of hard to explain. Maybe I'll give it a whack later on.

I'm sorry for the  rambliness of these sentences. I wake up very early. My working hours are 7:30-5, meaning I have to wake up at 5. Yeah. I even got sick this week, which was probably due to a combination of new schedule, waking up early, and the fact that everyone on SouthEastern is ill, and yet no one seems to feel the need to cover their mouth when they cough.

Things are on a schedule: meals, the gym, social media. Expect these posts to get fewer and further between. Yes I have started going back to the gym - mainly classes though as working out of one's own volition is just plain boring. I tried Yoga and Zumba, which I think I'll stick with, with a bit of pilates and swimming thrown in when I have the time. Those of you who know I've always dissed Yoga heavily, the change of tune comes because I've now accepted the fact that I'm probably too inflexible for a 22 year old, and the fact that I really struggled with the downwards-facing dog means that I should realistically keep going. Also it's really helped with my breathing.

The office and the people I work with are cool and laid back. We even occasionally have an office dog, which our MD is in love with, and helps to alleviate the compete lack of tension within the office space. One complaint - it does get really warm. And then really cold, because I sit next to the window which has to be opened for all the people who don't, despite the fact that it's still spring so everyone needs to calm down and take their jumpers off. No but it was quite warm actually. There was even some (premature) talk of turning the air conditioning on, which my editor strongly objected to. Office life, eh?

Oh, about the 'Delete' thing. You know how I now have a job, right? Is there some way of informing all the job alerts of this fact that I don't know about? I actually didn't know that I had subscribed to so many email updates - it's like the more I delete, the more pop up. Sometimes from accounts that I'm sure I've deleted already. I'm talking to you, Reed.co.uk. Deleting one's online presence has all of a sudden become challenging; why can't these things just fizzle out like Bebo?

So that's it really. Living in the UK = seeing friends more often + having very little time to one's self due to the need to earn a living. I miss uni. But  the settling period is over, spring has sprung, which means I should get on those other projects that I've been meaning to start/finish. There is no longer any excuse.

1st up, writing back to the Student Loans Company....

Interview Day

I had three interviews on Thursday, but rather than give you a blow by blow - despite how much you love my ramblings - I think I'm gonna give a bit of a match of the day run down, with highlights and spoilers as a bonus.

So, company A had invited me for an interview on Tuesday, and I must say the level of informality threw me a bit. I had all my answers for the 'top 10 interview questions' from target jobs down, but needless to say I should have known a little bit more about myself because that waa all we talked about. That sounds kind of weird, as it's an interview and of course you're talking about the candidate. But I find that most interviews are very focused on a specific area ('skills' and and your ability to theorise hypothetical situations), whereas I had to talk a whole lot of me. I was a bit of a mess, but I was invited to a second interview on Thursday. By the skin of my teeth by my own appraisal.

I had an assessment centre on Thursday with a different company for a role in Conference Producing. It sounded cool, the office was pretty swanky with a maze of glass doors, and the majority of people there were not recent graduates. I would say the majority were experienced workers, there were a lot of foreigners with a good language range, but our group managed to outdo ourselves in the presentation. You'd be surprised how lack-luster and unfocused people can be in these things - people with jobs! - so we made a conscientious effort to be more enthusiastic, which landed me a second interview that afternoon.

But before that, I had my second interview with company A, remember? I thought it would be a bit more formal this time round, after all, it was with the MD of the company. I was wrong. Another informal chat ensued in which it became abundantly clear that having a good academic record meant I was probably going to jump ship as soon as I got bored - 4-6 months by their estimation. Just to confirm, I don't have a Master's course lined up for September. But it went well: I know I made a good impression; I was less of a mess; I made them laugh and, most importantly; I convinced them that I was the right person for the job (and probably that I can speak more Mandarin than I actually can...but more on that in later developments).

Back to company B and the second interview in the afternoon. I got rejected pretty much on the spot. I knew I wasn't the correct fit about 20 minutes in when they started talking about my lack of salesmanship, and I had to agree. I couldn't sell hummus to the middle classes. The job looked pretty cool though - you got the opportunity to travel to the location of whatever conference you produced worldwide, but the intensity of the atmosphere (and to some extent the belittling of my qualifications) made me realise, almost before they did, that it wasn't for me. I did get a free A4 lined notepad - the good sort with the big lines - from the assessment centre, so the day wasn't completely wasted.

3 Interviews in 8 hours

It was a good day overall however. I got to do a lot of walking, and, if nothing else, got a lot of experience with interviews (which is apparently a thing).

**SPOILER**

I got the job with company A! I become an adult on Monday. I may or may not have bought myself a Google Nexus 7 as a reward...

Guess who's back?

If you haven't heard, drop everything you're doing and listen up kids, cos I'm back in London, and when I say back, I mean back.

HOW I EXPECT MY FRIENDS TO REACT TO MY HOMECOMING

After a dramatic and a little bit sad abandonment of my post in China, I've made the executive decision to get my career kicked off here in the UK. No point in competing with all those graduates about to burst into the world in September - it's bad enough finding a job as it is without their fresh-faced optimism.

Life's back in full swing here. I've got several (yes, several) interviews coming up this week, including an initial one today that I passed, although it didn't feel like it at the time, and a couple more grad-style 'assessment centres'. God I hate assessment centres. I really don't want to be heading off against 150 other passionate/desperate recent graduates who are trying to flaunt their minuscule amount of experience over one another (I can say these things, as I'm one of them). I'd be better in the hunger games. At least I wouldn't have to pretend to be really enthusiastic about an entry level position and a teeny-tiny salary.

I'm also in the market for a tablet and, yes, I know I don't have a job yet, but it's not like I'm buying an iPad. I've settled on Google Nexus, but I'm torn between the 10 and the 7. I'm falling on the side of the 7, but the size is putting my off slightly - my giant man hands may swamp the poor thing. On the other hand, the 7's specs are much better. Decisions decisions.

I keep feeling like I'll be leaving the country again any minute now - I haven't lived in London for almost 5 years now! But I promise I won't. Friends, get in contact!

HOW THEY ACTUALLY REACT