Jobs For The Girls

Or a quick employment update.

I have recently started paid work again for Women's Aid. One of our family support workers left to work for another Women's Aid group (one that is still a collective as opposed to a hierarchy) so I have been drafted in to cover her hours for three months over the summer. It is actually supposed to be a twenty five hour a week job - I can only do eighteen hours because of my childcare responsibilities and yet they still employed me, so I guess that means they either really rate my work or that they were just plain desperate. Who knows.

Anyway, a more permanent version of the same post has been advertised. I say permanent, it's actually only a one year fixed term in order to allow for an easy fall guy when it comes to the fairly inevitable 're-structuring' that is likely to happen in the nearish future to the refuge team. We've already seen it happen with the community team. But still, I have applied for it. A job for a year is a job for a year. At least if I get it I'll be doing the job I love, gaining valuable experience, and buying myself more time to find something else which hopefully will be permanent.

I e-mailed my application form to my boss yesterday. And today my colleague whom I work extremely closely with for two days a week went to sift through the applications in order to help select for interview. I have to say, it feels a bit weird. I'm essentially applying for my own job, and my colleague is the one who is not only judging my application form but who will be (if I am selected for interview) amongst others on the interviewing panel.

Now I am not guaranteed to get this job, even though I am providing the temporary cover. A lot of experienced people may have applied for it, and the way I'm feeling at the moment it is perfectly possible that I will simply clam up at the interview and forget everything I ever knew about how to effectively support women and children in refuge. I have been told in the past that I interview well, but I'm ridiculously nervous about this whole process. I imagine it's pretty tough for my colleague aswell. We have a good working relationship, but she has to remain completely impartial - not easy I guess. I have so far resisted holding onto her ankles and snivelling, but I'm unsure as to how much longer I can last - I really want this job. It will mean aswell as everything else that I can put the book-keeping on hold and no longer have to deal with Naked Boss - something of a bonus, I'm sure you'll agree.

Anyway, this is just a short post (for me.) I've had an intense day at work and I'm on call tonight so I should get to bed early in case I'm woken in the wee hours. Please keep your collective fingers crossed for me. I'll keep you posted as to how it all goes.