My day off

So I'm sat at home watching Gino make panettone. It's my day off and so far I've had some sales person trying to get me to upgrade my phone contract (not happening), a window cleaning firm trying to sell me a six week cleaning plan (also not happening) and the posty asking me to look after a neighbour's parcel.

It's as if the whole world knows that I am 'off'. Except for my boyfriend.

I couldn't tell him.

I went home last night with a little bit of sulk still present in my eyes and he picked up on it straight away.

I walked in and shouted upstairs to say hello and from the top of the landing he shouted back, 'what's wrong?'

Do it tell him? Yes, I should have, but I couldn't. I've only been in this job for TWO WEEKS and already I'm coming home with that weathered worker tone. A tone that he is so familiar with, but I will tell you about my previous job in another post...

So I just lied. Straight out lied to him and said that I was 'just tired'. But I will tell him tonight. I promise.

Anyway, I'm sat here thinking about how I got here, in life.

I've had a few rocky years in the world of work. A retail job selling granny coats, a few weeks here and there in a some local pubs and a 'professional' job that professionally 'did me in'. And now this job. A job that requires me to lift information off one database to another 'more clever' one (according to the boss that is).

Now I'm happy to do this type of job for a little while. It's completely different to what I have done in the past  and, until yesterday, it actually gave me the head space to enjoy Eastenders every night without worrying about the next day in work.

What makes it even more special is that I did not have to trawl through hundreds of jobs on online search sites, I just simply walked in. Yes, that simple. I walked in on the Thursday asking if any jobs were going and voila! I started on the following Monday.

I was also told that I would be paid weekly. This seemed perfect! I had been on the dole for six weeks and due to working at the wrong time I was refused contribution based Job Seekers Allowance (I'll go into this in a future post), so quick money to boost my funds has worked really well. I'm just not so sure about feeling so unstable. What if this happens next week?

Could this be the day that I start searching for a new job? Maybe...

Do I have a real job?

Wow, so today I was at my job, doing my jobs for the day and was shocked when my boss informed me that I should 'take the day off tomorrow' as there will be no phone lines or internet access in the office.

Lucky bugger I hear you say!

Well, if I were being paid for it I would have given her a smackaroo on the lips and skipped home at 5pm to tell my boyfriend that he should write that Christmas list for me tonight because tomorrow, I AM GOING SHOPPING!

But no, I'm not being paid. So I have no choice other than to get up and watch Phil and Holly talk utter bunk whilst sulking all day that I will not be paid my £6.08 p/h.

Now I'm not ungrateful for this pay- it pays the bills right? And it should be a full-time job (37 hours per week) which makes me look like a good little earner as most jobs in Britain these days are limited to part-time hours. But my job, like many, many other jobs requires you to 'live on the edge'.

Truth is, I have a full-time job that is based on a one week contract. That basically means that my boss only has to give me one week of work before 'letting me go'. It also means that my job is temporary (temp work) which means that if my job is not needed, then all they have to do is tell me not to come in. And, of course, it would be stupid if they paid me not to come in wouldn't it? Even if I didn't ask to have that day off.

So do I really have a real job? According to Google (see post), I don't do I? Not if it they consider a job to be regular. I would say I have an irregular job- one day on, one day off, one day...well, I don't know.

What is a...job?

Since my first post I've had a little think about how to go about this job hunt malarkey and it got me thinking about what I consider to be job. 

Now a job could be something you do around the house like washing up or a bit of DIY- that's a job right? To put that into context I would say, 'I've got a few jobs to do around the house...'

But really, I see a job as being work you do in order to bring in money and pay the bills and according to Google, 'job' is defined as 'A paid position of regular employment.' 

Now that doesn't sound too bad I guess. But it does suggest that in order to have a job, it must be seen as 'regular', and as a lot of us know, not all work is regular. What about temporary contracts or recruitment work? What about employers who give you 12 permanent hours a week, but expect you to come into work at the drop of a hat to cover someone with 'man-flu' (hangover). 

So, if I were to merge these two viewpoints together, a job, to me, seems to be a bit of a chore. A number of chores or tasks to complete over a period of time that you are paid for, so you can go home and complete those other chores like paying the bills...

Now as I mentioned in my previous post, what I really, really want is another job. One that is far more interesting than just completing tasks. Now I would Google search 'task', but that isn't what this post is about. To me, a task is the same as a chore- pretty boring. 

So my search thickens. 

Not only do a want a new job (something regular that pays my bills), but I also want something that makes use of my skills- I believe I have some of these, somewhere...

Hello!

So this is my first post- the one that defines this blog? Probably not! So I'll keep it brief.

I'm looking for a job.

Some people may think I'm greedy- because I already have one.

Now the job isn't that bad, but it's boring and pays just £6.08 per hour (British minimum wage).

I recently left a job that paid DOUBLE that an hour, but it was depressing (something I will post about in the future).

I have to pay bills each month- mortgage, fuel, food, car, petrol, internet, satellite TV (I know...), mobile phone contract etc, etc, etc...so yes, I NEED to stay in a job.

Now don't think I'm complaining- I put myself in this position, but wouldn't it be nice to find a job pays well, satisfies your brain cells and leaves you with enough time afterwards to kick back, put your feet up and watch Eastenders without worrying about THAT job and what little delights it has in store for you tomorrow?

Hmm...that does sound nice. So maybe I should do it.

I'm going on a JOB HUNT!