My job update...

  You, Steve and I, will have to do an 'office worker power lunch' down at Granary Wharf when you get back!

We will! This place is really close to where Steve works too -- such that I can go stand out on this little canal bridge & wave at his building...and if he's standing in the stairwell, he can see me.   (We tried it before my first interview.)  He already said that now we can start having lunch together at 'The Pickled Pepper' & the sarnie boat & he likes 'Home' which is there in Granary Wharf, etc.

Thanks zenmomma!  I can't *wait* to start shopping!!!  Everything is soooo much cheaper...Super Target, Super Wal-Mart, the mall... And now that I have a regular job -- I won't feel too guilty either!

Well done Carolyn. Sounds like you'll be over by Soveriegn Street or that general area. 

I'm really glad you've got yourself a job. What will you be doing? When do you start?

Well done Carolyn. Sounds like you'll be over by Soveriegn Street or that general area.

I'm really glad you've got yourself a job. What will you be doing? When do you start?

Thanks Ashley!  It's a company that administers pension plans for charitable & non-profit employers/employees -- it's over on Canal Wharf.  Really neat, progressive-minded company -- they even have onsite daycare!  (If I had kids, that'd be way cool.)  I'll be an admin person/team member, doing different things (they rotate you around on different teams with different specific functions which might include processing plan paperwork, dealing with money transfers in/out, correspondence, some phone work, etc) & learning/studying toward professional qualification in pensions over here.  The role seems very comparable to what I was doing in the States for a major mutual fund company.

It's a big pay cut compared to what I made in the US (about £5000 less, converted), but I was at the top of my salary range there & here (I think) they're starting me at the bottom.  Oh well - you can't have everything & since Steve has a good job -- I wasn't too worried over starting salary.  The job really meets all my criteria!  Leeds city centre (easy to get to), great benefits (22 or 23 days paid holiday to start, some kind of gym club discount, etc), and like I said -- they seem really progressive & values-oriented in consideration of their clientele (charities, non-profits).  (No audio typing!!!  hee hee)  I'm a happy camper!!  Not sure on the start date yet -- they know I'm away for a couple weeks & said we'd get all that sorted out after, once I've got the contract & they've contacted my references, etc.

PS -- I didn't get it through the agency, but I'll still buy you lunch or a drink or whatever sometime, ok?

Carolyn,
I have been reading the story of your job search frustrations and triumphs and I wanted to say that I really admire your tenacity and congrats on your new job. How exciting!

Liz

I have been reading the story of your job search frustrations and triumphs and I wanted to say that I really admire your tenacity and congrats on your new job. How exciting!  

Thanks Liz!  Mostly - I'm relieved!  For some reason, your current tag line on here (seek opportunity, etc) reminds me of one of my favorite quotes -- which is not necessarily topically relevant...

Civilisation is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor.
-- Arnold Toynbee, English historian & historical philosopher (1889-1975)

some kind of gym club discount, etc),

My company does that too. It's really nifty. They pay for 50% of my gym fees. Haven't used it yet but it's definately been on my mind lately and something I'm very interested in. There's a really nice gym near my work that I've been looking into.

There's a really nice gym near my work that I've been looking into.

Is that the Esporta in The Light?  or a different one?

Virgin. They're at Jacobs Well which is just down the street from where I work.

Yay Carolyn! I've been following along your posts as well and I am so happy you can now relax and ENJOY your holiday. Well done!

Thanks Courtney!

Virgin. They're at Jacobs Well which is just down the street from where I work.

Yeah?  I'd heard about their facility over at Cardigan Fields(?) but didn't realize they had one there in Jacobs Well (isn't it Josephs Well? I dunno).  I had my two temp jobs in that area right around there & I interviewed with Ford & Warren over there too.  (They offered me the job but it was my first interview out of many others scheduled recently & I didn't feel certain about the position---audio typing &#%*&#**%).  I'll have to check the place out sometime after I get back. See what my new employer offers specifically in that regard & research some of the different ones. The one in The Light seems to offer nice facilities, but I guess I worry a little about places smack dab in city centre (don't know where else I would go however?) -- whether it'll be too much of a meat/meet market or not (totally not into that). Just want a place where a fat girl like me can work on getting healthier & not feel too out of place.

Gotta run! I'll probably catch up with you after we get back. Have a nice bank hol weekend, Ashley - and that goes for everyone else too!  Looks like the weather may actually be quite nice -- I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!  It'll be warm pretty much everywhere that we're going, as long as we don't end up being sucked into a tornado or something.

Thanks Courtney!

Yeah?  I'd heard about their facility over at Cardigan Fields(?) but didn't realize they had one there in Jacobs Well (isn't it Josephs Well? I dunno).  I had my two temp jobs in that area right around there & I interviewed with Ford & Warren over there too.  (They offered me the job but it was my first interview out of many others scheduled recently & I didn't feel certain about the position---audio typing &#%*&#**%).  I'll have to check the place out sometime after I get back. See what my new employer offers specifically in that regard & research some of the different ones. The one in The Light seems to offer nice facilities, but I guess I worry a little about places smack dab in city centre (don't know where else I would go however?) -- whether it'll be too much of a meat/meet market or not (totally not into that). Just want a place where a fat girl like me can work on getting healthier & not feel too out of place.

No, you're right, it is Josephs Well. It was a name with a J.

There's also a gym across the street from BhS. Right next to the George shop. That's supposed to be pretty good. You can also go to the International Pool and do classes there although I believe they're shutting down sometime this year. A friend of mine goes to the one in The Light and he says it's brilliant but I'm a bit apprehensive of it as well, seems really posh and just not what I really want. Virgin is on St Georges Street, right across from St Georges Cathedral. It's a nice area, you've got all the professionals about but not one I'd like to hang around in the evening as St Georges is also a homeless shelter and soup kitchen and you tend to get a bit of the dodgy types about. But Jon works right at Leeds Uni, so it's near where both of us work and it'd be easy to walk home (as long as we walked together).

I applied at Ford and Warren too. I got a contract but they pulled it at the last minute as they suddenly wanted someone with experience. Go fig. Glad I didn't do it, though, a colleague of mine used to work there and she says it's a bit crap these days. I think I'll stick with my little company I'm with now. They're good to me.

man, i feel like i have been reading a book. I was like " did she get the job" I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!
 
 shala

Oh!  How did i miss this?!

Congratulations Carolyn!! 

FINALLY -- I start this new job tomorrow (Monday, July 18th).  It's taken *forever* to get a start date because they were insistent on receiving my US references before I could start -- one came back right away, the one my friend did -- she sat on for like two+ weeks...grrrr.  Oh well.

The latest obstacle is they want me to bring my 'educational certificates' with me -- which I had no idea what they were wanting so I called to ask.  Basically they are wanting something showing my GCSE's for Maths & English...which of course, I don't have.  The HR lady said to 'come to work anyway & we'll sort it out'.  The problem is that my high school diploma is in a box in storage in Florida (I've never needed it since I received it 23 years ago!), and I lost my university Bachelors degree certificate somewhere in moving from Kansas to Florida.   Bah!  Well I need to get a replacement degree certificate anyway, but it's going to take awhile -- I imagine.  Are all UK employers this feckin' unbelievable with their documentation requirements?  I just wish I had known they needed all this -- if they will accept the diplomas, etc -- while we were waiting all this time on my references!  I was IN THE USA in early June & could have chased up my high school diploma & possibly got an earlier start on my univ degree certificate.

I'm happy to be starting the job, but very stressed & frustrated with this bit -- on top of the normal 'new job stress' and 'new job in a foreign country stress'.  (My latest vent)

Thanks for everyone's support & well wishes!

It's just more sh*t you got to go through, huh?  That sucks.  I wish you all the best.  My employer didn't even read my CV before calling into an interview and then hired me later that day-so I guess you never know.  I kept offering to show them things, but whatever-they were desperate for anyone.  I'm so glad you'll be starting to work full-time, it will definitely feel good to have a more permanent job instead of temping, right?  Good luck again.  I really am very happy for you and for you to show them how great you are!