h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Work type news here. I got a phonecall just now from a temping agency that I left my CV with ages ago. I missed it, mainly due to not wanting to answer it in the library, but I called back and they're offering me some data-entry work at a high-street financial institution that shall remain anonymous. This is good because I want some experience in administration.

Some of you may know that I'm currently doing some part-time, temporary shop work until Christmas, so I'd have to knock that on the head, but I won't feel too guilty, because this job is expected to last until at least February, instead of chucking me out on Christmas Eve . It will also pay better than minimum wage.

Anyhow, let's not get carried away just yet because I have to go in and be assessed on Monday. From the phonecall it's just going to be the sort of computing and accuracy tests that I could do on my head (though I won't, because appearing too eccentric might not help my chances), but I've had stuff before that I thought was more-or-less a formality, and then not got the job.

Oooh, I wish you lots of

Me, too!

A merry xmass then

!!!

zdt

Way to go!

Thanks all. I'll let you know what happens. In the meantime, I've been given some freelance proofreading.

Freelance proofreading? I used to do some of that.

Good wishes to you, Bagpuss and bunches of warm fuzzies from the Midwest, USA.

Okay, change of plan. I've been given a promise of employment at the current place beyond Christmas, so I'm staying. I hope I'll land more proofreading, so the part-timeness is desirable. I didn't like letting down the agency, but they said it was okay, and I had to let someone down.

for the good wishes everyone.

From nothing and looking to having to choose and let someone down. Can it get better? Sure it can, the present job can extend even farther. Good show and happy holidays to you.

Do you know of any way i could get some work proof-reading? I live in France though & don't have a "professional" qualification; though i am a qualified English teacher with Grade One English language if that helps.

I'm not in a position to fork out for one of these Charterhouse type courses; you can get all the info about how to mark typos from the Writer's & Artist's yearbook!

zdt

I haven't found it easy to find proofreading work, and I did do a course (from the Publishing Training Centre). I'm an associate of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (http://www.sfep.org.uk ), which is how I got the current work. I've tried writing to publishers, but not had any luck, though I will try again.

Basically I'm not an expert on how to get work, but I think doing some courses in proofreading is necessary - there's more to it than merely what the symbols look like, and the SfEP run courses for experienced editors.

hmh - The current job could get more interesting and better paid. Don't get me wrong, I do like it, but I am stuck on the tills a little too much. Admittedly that's because Christmas is approaching, which is why they hired new people in the first place.

When most of the population is having holidays, there's usually work to be had from covering for them. Some work *has* to be done at those times.

When I was a student I loved the 'holidays' because it was so easy to get extra hours at the supermarket, and in those days when bank holiday opening was a novelty, we got paid triple time for them

I kind of liked the tills, mainly because you got paid more for working them but also because I liked chatting to people. In the really busy days in the run up to christmas you could set yourself all sorts of little mini-challenges for clearing your queue and helping people get through what, for them, was a pretty horrendous chore. Plus because it was so busy the shift would fly past incredibly quickly

Glad you've got yourself some gainful employment anyhow

Hmmm, I don't find much time for chatting when it's busy. And if I do chat I have to be careful or I'll forget to give change or something.

I find some interesting coins, though - there's one that I'm sure came in a Securicor delivery rather than from a customer, and I haven't been able to work out where it's from. It's 10p-sized and has a mans head with the number one and some squareish Arabic writing. I forget what's on the reverse.

Doesn't take long before that kind of thing is second nature so you can chat *and* deal with the till at the same time Mind you not everyone wants to talk - there is a knack to spotting how to treat each customer. Also I discovered I can scan *much* quicker than people can pack so getting the pace right was important too.

Odd-sounding coin. I used to look out for interesting names as well. I did like supermarket work - when I'm old and don't want anything with too much responsibility but still need a bit of pin money, I'll probably go back to working in a supermarket.

I see cashiers at some of the supermarket lines. It's a good way to meet people (though some customers are kind of horrid ).

I have to pack things as well as scan. I like it when people use credit/debit cards because I can pack while they pay.