Tag Archives: jobs

Dec 28 2019
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The Twilight

Is anyone else waiting, pen poised to fill in day one of a fresh, new 2020 diary? Can we just get on with it now?

December has been a haze of job applications, trying not to spend unnecessarily and walking my dog. I’ve spoken to more recruiters than family over the festive period – to the point where I wondered if I should’ve included them on my Christmas card list? Oh, that’s another thing, I reckon Christmas cards will be a gonner in 2020. We’re all saving the planet with little steps and I reckon the festive, glittery tokens will be next on the cull list.

We’re in the twilight zone at the moment. That annoying time between Christmas and New Year where some people are back at work, some are still smashing through the selection boxes and daytime films, some never had a break at all. If you’e a job seeker during this time, it’s frustrating as hell.

When you’ve filed a brilliant application that you’re sure will picked up – the twilight blows it apart because everything takes so damn long at this time of year. I suppose it doesn’t help if you’re impatient.

It was also surprising to see a lot of job adverts being posted on Christmas day. Stuffed with turkey, hating on you relatives, dreading the thought of going back to that job you hate? Get on your new shiny iphone and apply for a job before the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special!

I have applied for around 178 jobs in December. Ranging from Portsmouth to Stranraer and everywhere in between. Reporter, Journalist, Media Manager, Social Media Manager, Copy Writer, Editor, Sub Editor, Night Editor, Communications Manager, you name it.

I’m hopeful that 1st January 2020 brings a flurry of interest and I can begin the next decade in a challenging yet rewarding role. Realistically, who is chasing applicants on New Years Day? Back to the selection boxes it is then!

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Apr 25 2019
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For Hire: Expert Juggler

I cannot juggle balls. 

I can juggle a young family, school run, parents evenings, dentist appointments, hospital check ups, daily nosebleeds, domestic shiz, seeing my friends, meetings, writing, sketching, way too much social media, running every day and dating – ish. That’s level expert kind of stuff right? Apparently not.

2019 is an age of influencers and the belief that we can be and achieve anything our heart desires. Manifest your best life, work hard, don’t drop the ball and you shall receive. Absolutely nothing wrong with a positive attitude and strong work-ethic.

I see that go-getting, ‘no-stopping me’ approach everywhere I go, especially on social media. Inspirational quotes based on having it all, reaching for the stars, it’s all about working on your hustle. I meet friends and colleagues who are constantly in a rush. Working on this, that’s in the pipeline, meetings for this, planning for that. It’s fascinating and fucking exhausting in equal measure.

Just because we can have it all, it doesn’t mean we have to.

I’m self-employed. I’ve juggled freelance journalism/copy writing for a number of years and I love my job. I adore it. Journalism, listening, writing, stories, meeting people, working with clients, planning media strategies, learning. It constantly challenges and frustrates me. The perfect mix.

But in 2019, is a little job satisfaction enough? How many of us believe the old adage ‘find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life’? I love my job. But I also love switching off my laptop, muting notifications on my phone and re-watching Sex And The City for the 74th time.

How many of us feel that working as much as humanly possible is the only way to get ahead or be deemed successful now? How many of us, and I’m definitely counted in this one, feel like a day off work is a day wasted? Maybe its the nature of freelance work. Don’t work, don’t get paid.

I’ve officially adopted my laptop. You know the way people in the US can marry door knobs or classic cars? My HP laptop is now my fourth child. It’s not even my favourite (that’s Cleo) but it’s the most needy and dependent. Or is that me? Is it lazy to be satisfied with one job and simply, get by? Is it not enough to boast about on social media? Should I be spending every waking moment trying to be ‘successful’?

Juggling is great. I think I’m really good at it. I have glowing references and it pays alright too. I’m going to give acrobatics a go next. You know, as a side hustle. That’ll look good on Instagram.

 

 

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Oct 26 2016
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I’m a Story-teller, whats your superpower?

It turns out I don’t have super powers in the traditional sense, I mean I can’t fly, nor can I become invisible, although I can turn into the HULK when my kids really try my patience!

I do have some super skills though, in the form of being able to turn my hand to a number of jobs which over the years have kept me afloat and helped me to turn situations into stories that engage with readers.

When I was studying to be the next Stella McCartney, I cleaned toilets at Broadgreen Hospital at the weekends to afford bolts of Calico for my first ever clothing collection. I’ve been a call centre operative, a kitchen assisant, a merchandiser, a sportswear sales assistant, a facilities manager, an administrator, a auditor, a receptionist and an exectuive PA.

Throughout all of these roles, I’ve stored the memories and drawn on them when looking for inspiration for characters and searching for examples to give to clients. Plus interviews no longer phase me.

pigeon

I’ve also juggled full-time parenting during these roles as my little brood expanded from 1 to 4 in just 10 years. Being a mlti-tasker comes as standard.

Being a Journalist is all I ever wanted to do. I worked hard during my NCTJ course, juggling classes, work experience and my children. Just a year since I started out I’ve picked up a tremendous amount of experience, some incredile contacts and ultimately my dream role.

What I love about freelance work is that its so unpredictable, the absolute opposite to how my home life works. Everything is regimented at home. From packed lunch boxes to bedtime routines, it’s all done to the letter……because it’s the only way I can get us all out of the house by 7:45am.

The other aspect of freelance work I like so much, is the relationship building. Some clients I work with on long projects that involve developing and implementing strategy over a number of months. Some I work with for just a day. No two days, nor clients are ever the same.

I absolutely love hearing people’s stories. How they came to be in business, what they sacrifice for the sake of providing a service or developing a product and being their own boss. The long hours, taking work home, never being able to switch off. It’s an exclusive gang that only those who are self-employed, or closesly related to those who are, really understand.

Helping people is second nature to some, and being able to support businesses with their admin, marketing, social media and advertising makes me happy. Whether its turning my hand to tax preparation or writing advertorial articles……or even hand writing 100 company Christmas cards, to know I’m relieveing a little of the workload gives me great job satisfaction.

Can I help you? Drop me a line katereillyjames@gmail.com

 

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Oct 06 2015
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Eat Sleep WAHHHH Repeat

This weekend I suffered the ultimate shame. I had to listen to a stranger apologise for MY behaviour. I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life. This is how it came about.

I started the NCTJ course in early September and since then my feet have barely touched the ground! I’m on the go from 5am until 8pm most days, furiously scribbling shorthand exercises all over the Metro paper en route to college and consuming every possible headline on Twitter. Lessons involve British history, political debate, discussing media law cases and commentating on football matches, plus learning hieroglyphics……no wait sorry…I mean shorthand (which after four weeks I’m finally beginning to get my head around).

It’s hard work and I’m not ashamed to say some days I feel like I’m struggling to keep up. I come tearing out of college after hours of lessons to collect my three kids from nursery and school to go straight home and start dinner, feed them, clear up, tell them to quit bickering and pulling hair, start the bath and bedtime routine, throw the hoover around, while soaking up the tidal wave in the bathroom and wiping sticky finger marks off the TV and then pack bags for the following day and set out clean uniforms. Once they’re all in bed after four requests for a drink, a wee and yet another raucous rendition of Room on The Broom I can finally sit down to look over the days notes and try to retain least a little bit of the information I’ve learned. Sound familiar? It’s all go……well until it all stopped, on Saturday.

I was taken to The Royal Liverpool Hospital by paramedics Eddie and Rich, who after learning that I’m a trainee journalist, went on to tell me just how deeply the NHS cuts were being felt by staff and patients. It’s a sorry tale, and one I intend on writing up in detail in the coming weeks. (See Eddie, told you I’d give you a mention)

The medical staff in A&E worked out I was suffering from some kind of virus and left me with a dainty little cardboard pot in a busy triage while they prepped my paperwork. It was at this exact point that I lost control of my faculties. Feeling a wave of heat rising rapidly from my feet I tried in vain to get my Superdry hoody off over my head……only to faint forwards out of the chair and vomit all over the shoes of two ladies sat to my left. The last thing I remember is a nurse running towards me saying ‘Oh dear, I’m so sorry about that’

I came around a minute of so later laying on a bed feeling utterly horrendous and being glared at by two angry-looking ladies wiping their shoes with paper towels. Not my finest hour. It turns out I have a stomach ulcer and coughing up blood all weekend is a symptom of doing something wrong! I’d run myself into the ground, my diet was pretty disgusting and trying to be the best at everything clearly wasn’t working out.

Armed with a medicine haul Walter White would be proud of, I’m now back at home resting up. I’ve come up with a better strategy to still be awesome at everything but also to take better care of myself too. And the silver lining….easy weight loss!

Thank you so very much to everyone who looked after me. Paramedics Eddie and Rich, A&E staff Laura, Kayleigh and Rob and especially to the lovely catering lady who said she’s save me chicken curry and rice in case I got my appetite back. Legends!

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Aug 06 2015
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Liverpool Loves

This morning I met 150 people in less than an hour…..nope not another disastrous attempt at speed dating…but an utterly brilliant business festival at the iconic Cunard building….welcome to three day festival..Liverpool Loves.

As a trainee journalist with a passion for everything marketing, PR and art based in the north west, I thought it would be a good idea to meet as many local companies and training providers as possible to find out first hand, how local businesses and media agencies build working relationships. I’ve been away from the north west for almost 3 years and Liverpool as a city has evolved into something almost unrecognizable. Business is booming, job opportunities for self-starters and apprenticeships are growing and there is a whole host of independent traders popping up, making the city center more diverse than ever before. Liverpool is an exciting place to be.

I couldn’t have picked a better event to begin my learning journey. I chatted easily with many passionate, friendly people and I came away feeling overwhelmed but elated with a tree worth of printed information about tailored support and mentoring. The Women’s Organisation, Launch 22 and Agent Marketing all providing practical solutions, training opportunities and advice that really opened my eyes to how media and business work hand in hand to reach wider yet specific audiences, enabling new start-ups to flourish. I enjoyed today immensely and feel much more confident about approaching the companies I have an interest in. My (humble) advice if you have a business idea, want more information about starting out or just want to feel inspired by people really making a go of it….be confident….get off your bum and go speak to them…..buy them a coffee and have a chat….they’re human too!

As per my tweet earlier today. Hats off to Liverpool Loves organizers Orb Events CIC if the business festival was just the launch event…the next two days of music, food, health and well being are going to be truly spectacular. I’ve added my photos to the Inspiration page, can you spot any famous faces?

For all the listings of whats on at Liverpool Loves please click here. For Business, for families, for everyone!

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