A monthly recap of my life as a career coach, writer and human being
Update – Friday 3rd January 2020
With the new year, comes a new addition to our team, supporting vulnerable young women. Dolly, (not her real name) the hamster is now resident in the office, for how long I don’t know. But having never owned a hamster, I’m surprised at how taken I am with her. Amazed at how often I found myself hovering around her cage, to watch her emerge and sniff about.
And I must say in the middle of a busy and fraught shift; Dolly played her part in helping to calm things down. She was such a useful distraction that even after just one session, I hope they put her on the payroll.
I look forward to working with her again.
Happy New Year, everyone.
Update – Friday 10th January 2020
Yesterday, in the intervals between the songs on my Spotify playlist, I managed to catch snatches of a conversation on my journey to work.
Start-up company
People with ambition
Generally, my age
No regular payment, but not tied in
Flexibility
From what I could hear, the young man, sitting a few rows behind me, was sold on the prospects offered by the company and ready to go.
And it made me think, what do people look for in potential employers? How clear are they about this, when they are considering a move?
I’ve been self-employed for over twenty years. Still, if I were on the lookout for an employer, my non-negotiables would be flexibility, the opportunity to learn and social significance. Three things I managed to find with my part-time role supporting vulnerable young women.
Though I have an issue with the rates of pay within the charitable, voluntary sectors, but that’s a topic for another day.
So, what would you look for in a potential employer?
Update: Friday 17th January 2020
Just what you need after a busy week, a walk by the sea and a chance to clear my head. Especially as I’ve signed up for another stand-up course, something I did around this time last year. Wish me luck and have a great weekend.
Update – Friday 24th January 2020
Where has the week gone?
I’m only just coming down, after completing my second stand-up course in Brighton at the weekend. I did the same course about a year ago, so what was different this time around?
A new set of people, but this weekend we women vastly outnumbered the men. Surprising as it was 50:50 last time and it leaves me wondering about how the world of comedy is changing.
At the end of day one, I was not at all happy with the material I had produced. I was seriously considering whether to perform; this had not been the case the first time around. Last time I’d been scared and excited at the thought of performing my set.
But, once again, I am so glad I pitched up on day two and here I must acknowledge the tough love of our facilitator Jill Edwards. There was no messing about, and I decided to change my material completely. All within two hours, so I could deliver it at four o’clock in front of family and friends.
I got a few laughs, but more than that, I’m so glad I listened to my gut and made the last-minute change. When was the last time you had to do that?
