Progress

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I'm registered for my dental nursing course!

Hooray!

It took a bit of time to find one that was workable, but I think it's very similar in structure to when I did an NVQ a few years ago.  Essentially, an assessor will come to the dental practice to act as a witness, write a report on what they observe me doing (such as check-ups, mixing materials etc), ask me questions relating to what I'm doing and why, I'll get assignments as we go, and together a portfolio of evidence is made to show that I can do the job.

It's not clear whether I'll still be required to take a qualifying exam at the end of it, but thus far it's looking good!

I've got a few small pieces of 'homework' to do before the assessor comes in for the first time so I'll be cracking on with that next week.

I've also had a blood test today.

Last year I got my Hepatitis B vaccines done - but my doctors surgery failed to mention that I needed a blood test to check that I actually had full immunity.  So off to Occupational Health I go!   They're the people that look after people who work in 'dangerous' jobs where they're at risk of infections and things like that.

Should I ever have a needlestick accident, for example, I'll be off to see them for a blood test to see if I've picked up anything nasty.

But today was all about taking some blood to primarily check my vaccines have worked but also to test for just about everything else - Hep B and C, HIV, measles, mumps, rubella - you name it, they seem to be testing for it!

It's not just for my benefit but also for patients and work colleagues - no one wants to find out there's someone in the building who has an infectious disease and is spreading it around with the occasional sneeze!

Hopefully I'll be given the all-clear in a few weeks time when the report is posted to me.

Feel like some good progress has been made this week!

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.

So much for that!

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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!