Light at the end of the tunnel?

After waiting patiently on some news of an interview for a couple of days, both companies confirmed almost at the same time that I had been successful! Both interviews are next week and I'm already nervous and excited at the same time. I am apprehensive as I want to make a good impression but I am eager to get a feel of each company and learn more about them. I am conscious not to get ahead of myself as getting a job is more challenging than ever at the moment but it is exciting to think that by the end of August I might find myself in a full time marketing job! Let's hope I get to live my dream :). I'm going to spend the next few days fully preparing for each of the interviews so that I can give them my best shot ... nothing worth having comes easy.

Sadly this exciting news was paired with some more sombre news resulting in a whole rollercoaster of emotions over the past few days. I found out one of my friends is unwell so I'm wishing her all the best in recovering before our little reunion in September :D!

A breakthrough?

Having sent off what must have been about 50 CVs and job offers I was starting to think that I was unemployable! Even with a good degree from a top university I had not heard back from one of my applications. However, when I least expected it, a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of a phonecall from a small, local recruitment agency with the news that there were a couple of marketing jobs they'd like to put me forward for! Yay! I had been starting to realise that applying to jobs through large recruitment firms wasn't going to prove very fruitful as for most posts they were receiving 100+ applications. How would my CV stand out against all the other more experienced applicants?! A small agency who were willing to actually speak to me and listen to what I really wanted was just what I needed and now I am just keeping my fingers crossed that I get offered an interview!

In the meantime I have been enjoying spending time with my family: taking my grandparents out for lunches and sifting through old photos remembering the past :)

Job hunting

Today there was a breakthrough, if only a small one, in terms of the job hunt! Coincidentally two different recruitment agencies rang me on the same day both wanting to put me forward for the same job at a marketing agency. It sounds like a perfect job at a leading agency so I have was more than happy for them to pass on my details to the agency. I am now waiting to hear if I will be lucky enough to get an interview. For now I'm holding my breath ... oh and drinking many fruit coolers from Costas to keep me cool in this heat!

Quinoa Supper

So with the job search currently being unsuccessful I decided to throw all my effort into cooking. I'd been wanting to try out one of the so-called superfoods - quinoa - for a long time but wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I had a search online and found a recipe on one of my favourite evening reads Nouvelle Daily for a quinoa salad. I modified it slightly, adding some sweet potato spiced with paprika and beetroot, and cooked it up for my family. It went down well and I'm planning to cook it again next week with chicken this time!

Graduation Day

I did it! I officially graduated with a BA (Hons) degree from the University of Nottingham. Now I have that piece of paper officiating I endured three challenging years of study there is no way they can rescind it. I was really looking forward to the day but didn't expect it to be quite as special as it turned out to be. The weather was beautiful and Nottingham Uni looked pretty fine! The whole day was perfect and one I will remember for many years.

As if having to suffer FOUR hours dressed in my full gown in the sweltering heat wasn't enough, every man and their dog wanted to take a million pictures. Who'd have thought there were so many different poses a group of girls could do. Expect to see at least ten copies of exactly the same photo on Facebook within 24 hours. At least I will have many photos to document the day and look back on in years to come. Now it's official, I have no reason not to find a job!

My dad couldn't resist getting in on the act seeing as he never graduated the first time...

Good Things Come In Small Packages

My Dad bought my Mum a Mini for her 50th Birthday! Well that was a shock and a half from the tightest man to have every walked this planet! I'm sure he even shocked himself! Mum was so surprised and overwhelmed by it all that a long period of blubbering soon followed. After 25 years together, Dad did good. You go Glen Coco Dad! Now Mum, only another 50 years to wait for your next surprise. As she would say, I could complete a double life sentence in that time!

Barmouth

Today was spent sitting on Barmouth beach in 28 degree heat scoffing Raspberry Ripple ice cream from the most elaborate ice cream parlour ever. For most of the 3 hour drive there we seemingly couldn't decide which country we were in: one minute England, the next Wales, and soon enough back in England again! Missed a call from an agency about potential graduate jobs so will give them a ring back in the morning. Tonight I go to bed hopeful :).