Friday, February 24, 2006
As I Work In The Shadow Of The Valley of Bread
It's been a busy week for jobs this week, with a variety of success and annoyance's.
First I there where the open interviews at Alma de Cuba / Korova, and it was a downright farce and a waste of extravagant bus fare. Some people go up and it's all smiles, full length photo shots and ten minutes talk, then the next group. They aren't even offered a hand shake, they're there about five mins and the interviewer generally makes them feel as welcome as a genital wart. Of course, I'm in the second group, and while the first group is the pretty perky bar maids, the second group is the visual rejects. I was half-heartedly asked how to make a Cosmopolitan, one of the few cocktails I know from the top of my head, and was told they'd be calling successful applicants the next day, and suffice to say.... I knew to expect this kind of thing in the field, but most other places opt for the more subtle approach of a smiley face on the back of the application form.
Next was a new Greek club / restaurant, Athena. Seemed well, phoned, asked me to come in that night, said they'd call me about starting. Now I've had this a few times since I got back, think it might be a Liverpool thing, and maybe it was the lack of enthusiasm, or maybe the long hair, but I never head from them. Besides, the boss didn't seem a very fun guy and the place seemed helluva dodgy...
However, third time the charm, I get a cover shift in Greens Health & Fitness, arranged by the good people at Search Recruitment, so for 285 glorious minutes I was employed once again! Was great to be working and it was delightful to find my skills, when applied, still have the ability to pay the bills. Not only was it good to be working again, but it was an honour to work as close as one can possibly work to, the Stone Henge of Scouce culture, the streets where Bread was filmed! It was an honour to work in the shadow it cast o'er me as I learnt to make cappuccino and other poncey coffees, and along with the view of the River Mersey it greatly restored my faith in job hunting.
First I there where the open interviews at Alma de Cuba / Korova, and it was a downright farce and a waste of extravagant bus fare. Some people go up and it's all smiles, full length photo shots and ten minutes talk, then the next group. They aren't even offered a hand shake, they're there about five mins and the interviewer generally makes them feel as welcome as a genital wart. Of course, I'm in the second group, and while the first group is the pretty perky bar maids, the second group is the visual rejects. I was half-heartedly asked how to make a Cosmopolitan, one of the few cocktails I know from the top of my head, and was told they'd be calling successful applicants the next day, and suffice to say.... I knew to expect this kind of thing in the field, but most other places opt for the more subtle approach of a smiley face on the back of the application form.
Next was a new Greek club / restaurant, Athena. Seemed well, phoned, asked me to come in that night, said they'd call me about starting. Now I've had this a few times since I got back, think it might be a Liverpool thing, and maybe it was the lack of enthusiasm, or maybe the long hair, but I never head from them. Besides, the boss didn't seem a very fun guy and the place seemed helluva dodgy...
However, third time the charm, I get a cover shift in Greens Health & Fitness, arranged by the good people at Search Recruitment, so for 285 glorious minutes I was employed once again! Was great to be working and it was delightful to find my skills, when applied, still have the ability to pay the bills. Not only was it good to be working again, but it was an honour to work as close as one can possibly work to, the Stone Henge of Scouce culture, the streets where Bread was filmed! It was an honour to work in the shadow it cast o'er me as I learnt to make cappuccino and other poncey coffees, and along with the view of the River Mersey it greatly restored my faith in job hunting.
