Job hunting is a pain in the butt. But one thing that sucks more than doing the actual job hunting is tracking down your referees and asking for a reference.
As a contractor, it's something you may have to do a few times a year. It means calling up people who you like, trust, but have invariably lost contact with, to see if they will speak up for you.
It's something I don't like in the slightest, but it has to be done.
Many years ago I got burned by a mediocre reference. This was many, many years ago while I was in London. The reference turned my then boss against me, it affected any progression in the company and generally made life very difficult until I transferred out the the department into somewhere where the boss rewarded me for the work I was doing and things got back on track.
But 25 years on, the memory of that event has stuck in my head, and I'm still always wary. Will they remember all the good work you did, or will they remember the one time you had a minor hissy fit over something small? People are talking about you. It plays into every one if my insecurities. I don't have to have these foibles, but it's the way it feels. It also helps that it's illegal to give a bad reference. But still, an element of trust is required.
Thankfully I've got a number of people I can call on. I use different referees for different jobs, depending on the skill set / job description and the industry where the new job is found. That's the joy of being a generalist. You use your tech writing referees for tech writing jobs, instructional design referees for the Learning and Development roles. It makes sense.
These are people I trust and people who I try and make sure are bought coffee / lunch for the favour. It's a pain, but we all have to do it. It's just as a contractor, you have to do it a little more often than not.
So today, in between finishing off the painting in the kitchen, wondering when I could wash my smeggy painting clothes and giving the kitchen a good clean, floors included, I got the call. It appears I have a job, pending a reference check, starting on 10 February.
It's in a sector in which I like working, the pay is good, it's a year's fixed term contract, so that means I get a bit of security as well as holiday and sick pay and it's doing what I like - technology instructions on a large transformation project. The new office is very central and I know a few people around the traps. All good. It means I have just over ten days to enjoy the last of this sabbatical - which has been brilliant.
I'm ready to go back to work now. The walls of the flat are starting to cave in. As much as I love going to lunch with people, it's money I don't need or want to spend and I'm a bit tired of my own company.
So fingers crossed, I'll get some emails back from these people and get the reference checking on the road.
It just feels good not to have to look for work any more (and I get to cancel the interview scheduled for Thursday - I don't have to go out in the heat when a tram strike is on the cards)
Today's song:
As a contractor, it's something you may have to do a few times a year. It means calling up people who you like, trust, but have invariably lost contact with, to see if they will speak up for you.
It's something I don't like in the slightest, but it has to be done.
Many years ago I got burned by a mediocre reference. This was many, many years ago while I was in London. The reference turned my then boss against me, it affected any progression in the company and generally made life very difficult until I transferred out the the department into somewhere where the boss rewarded me for the work I was doing and things got back on track.
But 25 years on, the memory of that event has stuck in my head, and I'm still always wary. Will they remember all the good work you did, or will they remember the one time you had a minor hissy fit over something small? People are talking about you. It plays into every one if my insecurities. I don't have to have these foibles, but it's the way it feels. It also helps that it's illegal to give a bad reference. But still, an element of trust is required.
Thankfully I've got a number of people I can call on. I use different referees for different jobs, depending on the skill set / job description and the industry where the new job is found. That's the joy of being a generalist. You use your tech writing referees for tech writing jobs, instructional design referees for the Learning and Development roles. It makes sense.
These are people I trust and people who I try and make sure are bought coffee / lunch for the favour. It's a pain, but we all have to do it. It's just as a contractor, you have to do it a little more often than not.
So today, in between finishing off the painting in the kitchen, wondering when I could wash my smeggy painting clothes and giving the kitchen a good clean, floors included, I got the call. It appears I have a job, pending a reference check, starting on 10 February.
It's in a sector in which I like working, the pay is good, it's a year's fixed term contract, so that means I get a bit of security as well as holiday and sick pay and it's doing what I like - technology instructions on a large transformation project. The new office is very central and I know a few people around the traps. All good. It means I have just over ten days to enjoy the last of this sabbatical - which has been brilliant.
I'm ready to go back to work now. The walls of the flat are starting to cave in. As much as I love going to lunch with people, it's money I don't need or want to spend and I'm a bit tired of my own company.
So fingers crossed, I'll get some emails back from these people and get the reference checking on the road.
It just feels good not to have to look for work any more (and I get to cancel the interview scheduled for Thursday - I don't have to go out in the heat when a tram strike is on the cards)
Today's song:
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