SUCCESS

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As of Monday 3rd December ... I will be employed as a Trainee Dental Nurse.

:)

Interview

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I've got an interview set up for tomorrow.

I found a voice mail on my phone after finishing my shift at work asking me to call them back about setting up an interview.  Hooray!

Went home, checked that it was Monday's they are open late, and called.

Then I nearly lost out on the usual circus of trying to fit an interview into their schedule and mine.  The dentist is doing 'lunchtime' interviews - the only days I'm available are Wednesday all day and Friday morning of this week.  All other days I'm in work.  Not an easy thing to swap shifts at such short notice!

It didn't help matters that the woman I spoke sounded quite put out when she explained that they wanted to wrap up the interviews this week.  Gee, thanks, that's helpful!  Tuesday next week would have worked if that wasn't the case!

I asked what the latest time they could do was - quarter to 2.  Right, I finish work at 12.30 tomorrow.  I can run home, get changed, throw a mouthful of food down my throat as a substitute for lunch, jump in the car and zoom across town to make it on time.

No problem.

I hope.

Potential employers really don't give much leeway on interview days/times do they?   It would be fine if they specified in the job advert that interviews will be held during x week or on x day - then applicants can make arrangements in advance!

Us 'shift-workers' who can't get a day off at a moments notice ... well, that's less than conducive to finding better jobs if we can't be available at the drop of a hat.

Really makes me wonder how many people have to turn down interviews because of their current job.  How many pull a sickie so that they can go?   Of course, you can't ask for a day off and then 'mysteriously' fall ill that morning - that just looks suspicious to the boss!

Oh, and wanting to wrap up the interviews by the end of the week, you'd think they'd ask for the job advert to be removed from the website I found them on.  Someone seeing the advert and applying for it today or tomorrow doesn't have a hope!

I wish I could feel more positive about this right now, but that kind of "well, if you aren't available ..." attitude really annoys me.

I once had a call very late in the evening, inviting me to an interview the very next morning - how is that any good for the applicant?   There's no time to prepare.  No time to make childcare arrangements (if applicable) and certainly no time to get the day off work to attend!   I certainly couldn't attend for that very reason!  The response was essentially, 'Oh, well, if you're not available you're going to miss out.'  Fine.  Good luck phoning people at 10pm for a 7am interview tomorrow morning!   (I didn't really want to work there to be frank - it was a 'desperate-I-need-something-anything-application)

It's a catch-22 really.

In employment - I can't attend interviews at such short notice. But being in a job looks good to the potential new employer; recent reference, skills kept current etc
Not in employment - I'm available for whenever the potential employer wants to see me, but I have much less chance of being invited to interviews in the first place because I'm currently unemployed!

*sigh*

Right, outfit set out on wardrobe door ready for when I get home.  Bag and car keys ready.  Folder with certificates and stuff always ready.

Not much I can do now except re-read the textbook for a refresher.

Let's see how tomorrow plays out.

Application

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I wrote to a dental practice about three months ago; it was a general application, just to enquire whether they had any vacancies for a trainee dental nurse.

The reply: sorry, no vacancies, 'but I will keep your cv for future reference.'

Three months later (i.e. now) they are advertising for a ... lo and behold ... trainee dental nurse!  Applications to be sent to the very same person I wrote to last time and who replied.

No email.  No phone call.

Thanks for keeping my cv for future reference.

I'm applying regardless, but seriously, you don't keep a cv for even three months?

Hopefully I'll get this in the post for tomorrow.

No indication of a closing date, but the advert has only been up since Friday.

On the other hand, it's on a prominent job website - there could be a lot of competition.  Still, my Hepatitis B vaccinations are done and dusted - that ought to help.

Here we go again.

Right Time? Wrong Time?

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The last few months of the year are upon us.  It got me thinking, is there a 'right' time of year to apply for work?  Or at least a good or better time?

Oh, sure, there's job advertised all year round, but certainly at this time of year you tend to get mostly seasonal / Christmas temporary jobs.

Around this time last year, when I was still stuck in a horrible two/three day-a-week job, I reached the end of my tether and pounded the streets of my home town, looking for work.

Only Christmas temp work was around, and I was too late to apply for most of them!  I consider myself very lucky to have got the job I did and then be kept on after the Christmas period.

So if retail is what you're after, this time of year is certainly a good one to apply.  There's always going to be the risk that it is just temporary, but a few get lucky and are kept on.

But what about non-retail companies?

This time of year is busy for most, if not for the product or service you provide but also people booking time off, people fall ill, Christmas events are organised, paperwork needs to be wrapped up for the up-coming end of the financial year etc.

Wherever you are, it's sure to be busier than normal.

Which probably doesn't make it an optimal time to think 'Oh, hey, maybe we need to hire someone for that post.'   The people with the power to hire and fire may consider it a lower priority.

Possibly companies will wait until the new financial year - see what the budget is and then consider whether hiring is a viable option.

I've also been pondering whether it's even worth bothering writing or emailing potential employers at this time of year.  If you're busy and there's no vacancies, you're probably not going to pay too much attention to a CV that's just turned up.  It'll be filed away and forgotten about.

Personally, if I ran a company, if it wasn't an urgent situation requiring the hire of a new person, then I'd say forget it!  Busy time of year, not looking to hire at the moment, caught me at a bad time.

I can imagine the odds are even worse if it's a training position you're looking for.  Which certainly applies to me!

Who wants to start training a new person at this time of year?

I can't help but think that it's a hassle that people could do without.

So with this in mind, I've reached a decision.

I'm going to continue to check websites, newspapers etc for specific job adverts - if I spot one that's suitable, I'll apply.   But I won't be contacting individual companies for the time-being.  It just seems rather inconsiderate, doesn't it?   'Hi!  I know you're busy and all, but wanna hire me?!'   No - not happening.

But I shan't be slacking during the 'break' however - my time spent learning a new language is paying off and I've got my head firmly back in the textbook!

My intention is that by the new year, my language skills will be proficient enough to effectively 'show off' in an interview if questioned about them, and that my basic dentistry knowledge will be more sound.

Keep busy.  Keep improving!

Perhaps 2013 will prove to be a more successful year!

So much for that!

...
I told myself I was going to have a short break from job hunting.

I was going to have a week or so where I didn't stress over looking for job adverts or tweaking my CV.  Everyone needs a break now and then, otherwise your brain just goes into meltdown and it's impossible to concentrate and so on and so forth.

So why do I find myself re-writing my CV again?

I haven't even had my weekend away and I'm back to revising it.

Urgh!  Why am I doing this AGAIN?

OK, that's not a bad thing, but clearly I am a glutton for punishment.  That said, I think this will be the best version of my CV yet.

Now that my Hepatitis B vaccinations are finished, that will come across as an excellent selling point!  "Fully vaccinated" sounds so much better than "Currently receiving vaccinations" doesn't it?

I'm also trying to highlight what I've learnt by studying the textbook - which in turn gives me a kick up the rear to keep at it, re-read things to keep the information fresh and to keep progressing.  Hold my hands up, I've not been as studious of the book as I should have been.  But I can't very well continue to slack if it's down in black and white and being sent to potential employers - that's the whole incentive: keep it current and relevant.

Will read - will learn!

I'm also trying to highlight more of my voluntary work and my efforts to learn a foreign language.  Potential employers really do like that sort of thing!  :)    I've been a volunteer for years but I can elaborate on what I've done, the awards I've won (why I didn't think to include those in the first place I'm not sure, but hey it happens) and the progression I've made through the ranks of the organisation.

As for the foreign language - I've biten the bullet and ordered the complete Rosetta Stone collection.  Not every language, just the one I'm learning!  The methods I'm currently using have been fine for building up vocabulary but without more conversational tutition, it's slow and stilted progress.   Rosetta Stone may be a little pricey when you first look at it, but as I say, I've ordered the complete collection - lucky for me that's only three sets, not four or five which they offer for some languages.  Plus it was on offer so I've saved a bit of money.  Would be an awful lot more if I'd opted to buy each one separately.

Can you guess what I'm learning? :)

Being fluent or at least partially fluent in a foreign language is undoubtably a boon to any employer, but especially for people in the medial profession when it's guaranteed that you will treat people who don't speak English as a first language.

Even in my current role as a cashier, my Sign Language is limited but the people who are deaf that come to shop with us do apprecaite the sign for 'thank you'.  I'd like to improve my Sign as well but I've got so much to learn at the moment that that one will have to wait.  Plus it's one you really need a tutor to work with you face-to-face.

So, yes, so much for taking a break from it all!  Thought I shalln't be applying for anything until after my weekend away - four more days, I can't wait!

Course Complete

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Well, it's taken six months and a total of £66 - but today I received my final vaccination against Hepatitis B.

I certainly noticed an increase of interest in my CV when I could say that I'd started the course.  Hopefully now I can update my CV with 'fully vacainated' this may further aid my job search.

I did mean to do a post on Hepatitis B a little while ago but got distracted by the recent interview.  I shall endeavour to address this soon - once my busy weekend of work is out of the way!

Time for a Break

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Well ... it's been two weeks since my interview.  No phone call.  I'm calling time on that one - there's only so long you can reasonably assume that 'they're busy' and not got around to calling.

Needless to say that's a huge disappointment.

I felt the interview went very well; I asked plenty of good questions, I ticked all the boxes ... really the only hitches that I could see were being rather nervous (it's a frakking interview, what do they expect?) and the question of 'you've had a number of different jobs' ... yes, I have a ten year working history, five years of which I spent in one place and then the recession hit, leading to a few short-lived employments and now coming up for a year in my current role.

Seriously, if that was such a major issue then anyone affected by the recession is going to be penalised!  Ridiculous.

I can show my commitment to the career path of being a dental nurse; I've been studying the handbook, I'm paying for the Hepatitis vaccine out of my own pocket, I've paid for a CRB check, I have the administration and receptionist background and I'm very keen to learn.

So why was I not given a chance with a second interview to see me in action on reception and spend a little time in the surgery with the dental team?

It's such a kick in the teeth when I did so well with my last interview and it got down to me and one other woman, out of forty who originally applied.

But what really gets me is the total lack of contact.  If I'm not through to the next round then is 30 seconds out of your day asking too much?  Pick up the damn phone - 'Hi, this is Dental Practice, I'm sorry to inform you that you've not be selected for the second round of interviews, good luck in your job search.'   Is that genuinely asking too much these days??

Just call will you!?

Sorry, but this is the worst thing you can do to any job hunter - leave them sitting, anxiously waiting on a phone call you don't intend to make.   Especially when you say that you will call!

Either keep your promise or give a time frame: "If you haven't heard by x date then you've been unsuccessful.'  Thank you, that's so much more beneficial to my mental state than trying to make excuses for your rudeness of not calling me back.

Well - sucks to them.  I know I'll be a great dental nurse and my administration skills are brilliant.  They have missed out.  And I'm not the sort of person who feels comfortable with bigging myself up.  I don't boast.  But I am good at what I do and I will be a good dental nurse.

With that in mind and having got over the disappointment and the anxious state of mind they put me through this past two weeks - I'm taking a short break from job hunting.

This is partly due to my final Hep B vaccination taking place later this week - not much point in applying until I'm fully vaccinated now.  Looks so much better on my CV to be frank.

The other aspect is that I have been working my rear end off for a year without a break.  I did have a holiday last year for three weeks but since then, I've been working two jobs over six days a week.  I've not had any time off beyond my allotted rest day from work.

I've got three days off coming up at the end of this month which I fully intend to do something with.  I can not abide the idea of sitting at home doing sod all.  So I'm plotting a trip to the Lincoln area and its historic sites.

I also have to plan for my stint as a Dungeon Master for my RPG group.  Yes, I run with the nerd crowd and proud of it!  I shall be conducting an adventure for the classic Dungeons and Dragons game and I can not wait to get absorbed in the planning!

They shall decide your fate!

My brain needs a rest from the worry and repeated job applications.  Time for a break and to relax for a little while.  We all need some time to ourselves and to devote to hobbies and relaxation.  Yes, job hunting is very important but without a little downtime now and then, I'm going to do ever so slightly insane ... if I'm not already.

No Answer

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I'm sure that if you read the title of this post. you will probably be able to guess how I'm feeling right now.

It's the single most horrible thing about job hunting - not getting an answer.

Especially when you're given a timeframe in which to expect the phone call.

Questions go round in your mind - have they actually finished all the interviews?  Did someone have to re-arrange?  Have any of the people involved in making the decisions been off work ill perhaps?  Has the final decision simply not been made yet??

Why tell someone when to expect your call and then not call them?

I now have to try to put this out of my mind until Tuesday.

Wonderful.

Still nothing

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Still no phone call.

I sincerely hope that by tomorrow, all interviews will have been concluded and that decisions for the second round have been finalised so that all that remains to give those lucky people a quick phone call ...

I could do without being driven ever-so-slightly insane with what feels like endless waiting.  OK, it's only been a week since the interview and yes they did say they'd call 'towards the end of next week' but as every job hunter will know, the sitting around waiting for an answer period really does a number on your nerves and patience.

Nothing yet

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No phone call yet.  I have a long shift at work tomorrow so I'm half hoping to find a voice mail once my shift is up.

God, I used to think I was patient!!  The waiting is horrible!

Making Time

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It's quite a mixed bag of opinions over whether being in a job or not is helpful when seeking alternative employment.

Large periods of unemployment certainly don't look good.  But the flip side of being unemployed or working only a few hours is that you are available, for the most part, at the drop of a hat to attend interviews at your potential new employers convenience.

If you're in work it may not be that easy.

Sure, it looks good; no or very few gaps in employment, a current reference available, and should the job be something you took on purely for the sake of earning something (or anything at all to pay the bills) it looks like you're determined and not above putting in some hard graft.

HOWEVER ... your 'this'll do' employment may well get in the way of attending interviews.  Particularly if you can not get time off at short notice to attend said interviews, scuppering your changes of gaining better employment!

In my case, if I want time off, I have to book it around six weeks in advance.  Yes - six weeks!  The rotas are varied and I typically get one weekday off per week.  And sometimes I get a weekend day off.

I was lucky that I received my invitation to interview just before I had a Thursday off work.  Now that I'm waiting on a phone call I'm really hoping to hear back on Wednesday at the latest, because I happen to have this Thursday off as well.  With a little luck, I could potentially get my second interview to tie in nicely with my day off.

The main problem I have hit is that if I don't hear back in time, next week is awkward.  I have the bank holiday off work, but I imagine that the practice is closed that day anyway.  The only other day I have off that week is Saturday.  The practice isn't open on weekends.

I can't ask for the day off because the rota is already set.

The only way around that issue is to swap shifts with someone.  So I consider myself very lucky that one of my colleagues is quite willing to swap with me - I'll work his Saturday shift and he'll take one of my weekday shifts to free up a day.

That said, I may not even need a full day - if it's not inconvenient for the practice, I could offer to attend a morning one day and an afternoon on another day.  Granted there's every chance that that won't be very convenient but it's another option available.

Thus, my initial panic of 'oh my god, I only have this Thursday free' has now been calmed.  I have options.

I just have to wait on that phone call and just hope that it's good news.  I doubt I'll hear anything today now since they're only open for another hour or so.

Maybe tomorrow ...

Patience

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Patience is not a virtue when you're waiting on something important.  The next few days are going to be an agonising wait.

I almost hope that they call whilst I'm working, so it can just go to voice mail and I can weep or scream joyfully as the result dictates.

Round One Complete

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I think my interview went OK.  :)

I was quite nervous - which is typically my downfall in interviews these days.  But I do think the practice manager understood and I hope I otherwise made a good impression.

As already mentioned, there are two jobs up for grabs.  The trainee dental nurse role is three days a week, which would actually give me more hours than I'm currently working.  I currently work short shifts over six days but three solid days works out better.  It would also involve going to college for one evening a week.

That role would be great since it would get me straight in with the training.

On the other hand, the receptionist role will also involve some dental nursing responsibilities so it would be a great stepping stone towards becoming a dental nurse.  Added to that the job is full time, five days a week - so the money would be a lot better.

So they're pretty balanced as to which one I'd like to have.  If I'm offered either of them, I'll gladly accept!

But I am going to have to wait until next week to find out if I'm through to Round Two of the interview.  It would involve spending a day at the practice, being on reception to see how I am with the patients, and some time in with the dentists, shadowing a dental nurse.

All sounds quite exciting!  I'm hopeful, partly because I doubt I would have been told what Round Two consists of if I didn't have a hope in hell of being invited back.

I don't know how many other people are being interviewed.  I applied to this practice simply ages ago and got a call back, so I'm pondering how many other people they've simply called up from their stock of CV's.  Like I've said before, I'm not surprised that companies don't have to advertise their vacancies any more - with so many people looking for work, they can save a lot of money by simply going through the applications they already have.

I've got my fingers crossed that I'll at least get invited back.  With two jobs up for grabs I can imagine maybe four people getting through to Round Two.

Shall just have to sit tight and hope for the best!

Letter

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Received a letter today from a Practice I recently applied to.  Another 'Sorry, no vacancies but we'll keep your CV for future reference'.

Which is fine by me!  It may be a no, but at least they replied.

Rather nervous about my interview tomorrow.  Already getting my clothes sorted, shoes will be polished this evening (they've got rather grubby, I'm at a loss as to how!) and satnav is set.  I've already driven to the Practice to have a look around.  It doesn't appear to have its own parking so I'll have to find a street nearby to park.  I would have gone for the supermarkets car park nearby but it's for a limited period so that rules that out!  Still, it should allow for enough time for my interview.  Failing that, I'll be driving up early so I can always circle round, find a place and explore for potential places.

Should all go well, I'll still have to work my notice which will allow plenty of time to scout the area.

Trying not to get my hopes up too much since I've been disappointed before but it's such a lift to have the possibility of a new job!

Interview!

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Just as I was starting to really feel down about the seemingly endless job hunting, I got a phone call this afternoon.

It was from a dental practice that I applied to months ago.  It transpires that there are some new vacancies.

One is a part-time dental nurse.  The other is for a full time receptionist.

Without knowing more, I can't be sure which one I would accept, should I be offered either.

I feel that it largely hinges on how 'part-time' the part-time job is.  It's a half hour drive so I have petrol costs to consider.  The practice is open five days a week (no weekends), so does part-time consist of a few hours on each of the five days, or three or four full days?  If it's less than three full days then the money probably won't be worth it.  I'd need closer to 30 hours to make it worthwhile.

On the flip side - it's a dental nurse job.  I could get started on my training.

Yet, the receptionist role is full time - just what I need as far as the money goes.  Plus it would be within a dental practice - that's a decent springboard if ever I saw one!  I could theoretically accept the reception job, gain a good understanding of what the dental do and how the receptionist supports them, deal with the patients etc.  It's all the background work and many dental nurses double as receptionists anyway.

There's potential there in spite of it not being a dental nurse job.  The hours and money obviously what I need and I can use it as a learning experience whilst continuing to search for a full time dental nurse job or perhaps I will get the opportunity to start some training whilst working reception.

Without knowing more details at this moment in time, I'm leaning a little towards the receptionist job.

Interview is next Thursday.  Shall see how it goes.  :)

One Month

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One more month to go and I shall receive my final vaccination against Hepatitis B.

I'm quite confident that been fully vaccinated will help my job search.  It's a major requirement of working in an environment where you are more than likely going to come into contact with blood.

Tonight's is another short post but I shall follow this one up with somewhat more detail on Hepatitis B and why it's so important for dental nurses (and indeed all dental staff) to be vaccinated.

Boot!

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Right!  Boot up the backside today!

August is suddenly upon us and I did not apply to as many dental practices as I should have last month.  Yes, I'm ashamed of that - I should not be slacking!

I've located another practice that isn't too far away, but would require an early morning drive.  My ultimate goal is to move out of my home town, so I'm more than happy to move for the sake of a job - especially to a slightly more affordable area.

It's a small village practice but like all of them, it's worth a shot!

I've also emailed a more local practice as to the name of their practice manager - all I could find on their website was a first name; no title or surname.  That's not overly helpful for people wanting to write!

I intend to have both letters ready to go in Monday's post!  Think I shall take a chance this time and apply to both simultaneously.

A reply!

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I actually received a response!  Sometimes it feels like such a rarity and I'm sure anyone who is job hunting will appreciate how surprised I am.

Sadly, there are no vacancies at my most recent place of enquiry, but I have just received an email saying that they'll happily keep my CV on record.

That's a result!

Another Letter

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Sent another application off this morning.  This one is for a private practice not far away - tucked away in a recent development area with plenty of free carparking in the area!  Bonus!   I would have to drive although I could always consider getting a bike; that's assuming I can find a place to lock it securely.  I didn't think to look for bike racks when I scouted the area the other day.

The Importance of Being Up-To-Date

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I have a working history of over ten years.  I've had a few different jobs, gained a variety of skills and experience.

Compiling it all into one document can become a little tricky - what to include, what's relevant and what isn't.

Potentially, one area that some people may neglet is how up-to-date some of their information is.

For example; references.   Not everyone includes these on their CV's and there is debate as to whether they ought to be.  I chose to include mine as I had the space.  I have three - my current employer, a recent employer, and someone I do volunteer work with.

My 'recent' employer is from an office and the named person is not my original referree.  Reason?  My manager, whom I got along with fabulously and respected, decided to retire last year.

I had kept in touch with people in that office so I knew that she would be leaving.  So I quickly asked someone else to provide a reference.  It wouldn't be nice for my manager to be distrubed whilst enjoying her retirement - to say nothing of the fact I don't have a private contact number for her!

You can picture it now - I have a fabulous interview and it hinges on the references.  They phone the number I provided and ask to speak to Mrs.Ref ... oh, she retired last year?  Well, who else can we speak to??  This isn't very professional ... shadows of doubt, feelings of annoyance and timewasting ... doesn't reflect well on me, does it?

Yesterday, I received news of something else that I'll have to change on my CV.

About a year ago I designed and built a website for a friend.  I'm no computer wizz but the site was pretty good.  So that has been included under my IT skills section of my CV.

Yesterday, my friend texted me to ask how to close it down.

So now that the site is not going to be visable on the internet very shortly, I can't include that information as it is.

I can not include the website address, but I can still state that I built a website and include some screenshot printouts in my portfolio.  That's really the best way around it.  I don't want to omit what I did because it's a great example of IT skills, but if the website no longer exists then it would be pointless to include an address - potential employers won't be able to view it!

So where's this website?  The address doesn't even exist!?

If they ask during interviews about it, then I can be honest and state that the owner chose to close it recently but I still have evidence of it in my portfolio which I can then show them.

Even before now, I would check that the website was still up, just in case my friend took it down without mentioning it first.

Always check what you include in your CV, particularly references and anything that can potentially change or go out of date.