Catching up with the Joneses

I know I'm not a Jones, I'm a Klein.  But I feel I owe a catch up as it has been a little while since I've posted anything and I've noticed just the hint of a decrease in page views on my profile... I won't hold it against you... not this time. 

So there are various things I have considered updating you on.  Firstly, the self indulgence of those high-profile companies who feel it is their right to entirely and unsympathetically disregard candidates (with or without potential for success) without tact and without fear of reprisal.  Secondly, your very own choices and ideas of items to post on my blog, which many of you kindly voted on and which I hope to deliver on a regular basis.  And thirdly, what's new 'en mi vida' ('in my life' for you non-Spaniards out there.)

I shall start by relaying the bad news to you with the understanding that it should always be followed by something more positive to leave you smiling.  The job market is letting me down.  No, it's stronger than that really, it's failing me, it's squashing me with its enormous five inch stilettos. The Guardian and the Independent preach that we should endeavour to make job hunting our 'full time job' and so I have wiled away long days in my Paris Gellar-esque work retreat, pouring out my heart and soul (also personality traits, work experience, previous employment and personal statements) into job application after job application with think-bubbles screaming 'EMPLOY ME EMPLOY ME EMPLOY ME', all I might add, to no current avail.  I have submitted quite literally myself  to not one, not two but twenty six different publishing-related companies and in response, have heard back from six. 

The most exciting possibility was in travel oriented publishing for a company that produces in-flight magazines for big airlines.  I applied for an internship in the editorial department, lured in by the ambitious and challenging array of experiences they offered; I went for interview, but am still waiting for a definitive answer.   

Who else did I apply to? 

• The BBC to work in research for an Arts Documentary - no luck there, but honestly not especially surprised.  I'm no Simpson or Dimbleby.

• NOW Magazine - jumped through hoops writing some 'sample' pieces for them but after an initially positive response, was told nothing was available until May and I would need to reapply.  The response read: "Sorry, we are now booked up until April. If you would like to apply for a placement after 6 April 2011, please put your new dates in subject field and reply to this email".  That was it, no 'thank you for your time, efforts, hope, enthusiasm...'

• Time and Leisure in London were a lot more helpful in their rejection in the sense that they explained the reasoning behind it and offered some alternatives I could look into.  Thanks to them.

• Time Out gave me the following feedback which at least stopped me from deciding that I have NO talent at writing and applying for a job as a 'leaflet hander-outer' (which at least offers some financial incentive): "Your application was of an extremely high quality so although I can not offer you a work placement at this time, I would like to keep your details on file."

So, having Googled every single publishing company the gargantuan online encyclopaedia could provide me with and trawled through copious magazines, applying to them didn't seem to have benefited me in the slightest.  All I had achieved was a colossal contribution to deforestation and a displacement of several thousand hours of my time. It seems that I must reassess my application technique, try even harder for an internship and in my hopes to reaffirm my true love of writing, put fingers to keypad even more often to substantiate myself as a writer. 

And so onto the good news :) my poem 'Human Expose' won first place in a competition called 'Strictly Shakespeare'. It wasn't a big competition, I entered mostly because the theme was 'Valentines Day' and the entry fee was only a pound. In a knock-out elimination process based on daily votes, I somehow managed to beat the final competitor with her brilliant poem 'Worth It' and got a nice little prize of £20. Thanks to everyone who went on the site and voted :-)

Finally, thank you to everyone who voted on the poll I put up on my site asking what you would all like to see more of.  First place, quite surprisingly, was Photo of the Day.  So I'll be keeping my eyes skimmed for interesting things to snap! Secondly, tied, were The Alabama Chronicles and My own little Hogwarts. I get so excited delving into the vast expanse that is my memory and recollecting the nuggets of quirkisms and peculiarities that accompanied those years of my life.  Some people suggested more travel and culture related pieces, which I have some ideas for so I'll keep you posted on those and I might even do some little insights into things that I personally find engaging / exciting / noteworthy, whether it be books, films, cooking or whatever! Wait and see!