So, today is Thursday (well, technically Friday at time of going to press, but really Thursday). I should start my new job on Monday. In theory.
So far I have had limited communication and have sent off an official application form so it can be processed by the HR department (you know, the one with the stuff about you have no outstanding criminal convictions and suchlike). That I did nearly three weeks ago. I have recieved nothing else.
So tomorrow I expect to spend most of it on the phone trying to work out just what is going on, what time I start, who I should meet, many other things of a similar nature, and just what did happen to my contract that they supposedly sent to me. I am quite disappointed that I have to do this myself, it's not a good sign, but on the other hand it can show my abilities as someone who will get things done. Silver linings and clouds and all that stuff.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Correction
Anyone who read my last post already, ignore it entirely. It's almost completely inaccurate.
After a long struggle to set up the internet in my room, it then self-destructed. McAfee went entirely nuts at being allowed access to the internet. It then opted to shut down the internet and block me from it. After attempting to get control back, I eventually opted to do a simple system restore.
The ultimate irony, isn't it? Having to do a restore system because my computer was thrown into disarray by a virus-scanner/security program. This time it seems to be working better, but we'll see. It may still be problematic. Tomorrow will be fun in that respect, I'm sure!
After a long struggle to set up the internet in my room, it then self-destructed. McAfee went entirely nuts at being allowed access to the internet. It then opted to shut down the internet and block me from it. After attempting to get control back, I eventually opted to do a simple system restore.
The ultimate irony, isn't it? Having to do a restore system because my computer was thrown into disarray by a virus-scanner/security program. This time it seems to be working better, but we'll see. It may still be problematic. Tomorrow will be fun in that respect, I'm sure!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Time For Another Update
Well, I haven't updated in quite a while, so I thought I'd provide a little comment on my activities since I've got my job and stopped the jobhunting.
This is actually really little. I've done bits and pieces, but nothing in great length. The only thing I have really acheived is getting a wireless network set up at home. What this means is that, as of today when my PCI Adaptor arrived in the post, I can get internet in my room on my own desktop as opposed to the far slower house computer.
This is, in fact, where I am now. It's not exciting, it's not that interesting. But it's just about all I've done the last week and a half or so. It took a while to do - but eventually after three-four trips up the village to check whether the router I needed was in yet, I managed to get it. Then no sooner had I got that then I discovered the PCI Adaptor I needed wasn't actually included. I wish they'd told me the previous week, but oh well; I sent off for that and that arrived this morning.
Following an hour battle with McAfee Privacy Service, I was connected. Let me give this piece of advice to people; don't use this McAfee service. It's useless. All it seems to do is slow things down and prevent you from doing things. It secures your computer from yourself. What it was doing was effectively preventing me from connecting to the internet for more than three minutes at a time. After much battling to uninstall it (I'd had this problem before on the home desktop), it eventually succumbed at about the fourth attempt.
So, internet in my room. It's just like being back at uni.
This is actually really little. I've done bits and pieces, but nothing in great length. The only thing I have really acheived is getting a wireless network set up at home. What this means is that, as of today when my PCI Adaptor arrived in the post, I can get internet in my room on my own desktop as opposed to the far slower house computer.
This is, in fact, where I am now. It's not exciting, it's not that interesting. But it's just about all I've done the last week and a half or so. It took a while to do - but eventually after three-four trips up the village to check whether the router I needed was in yet, I managed to get it. Then no sooner had I got that then I discovered the PCI Adaptor I needed wasn't actually included. I wish they'd told me the previous week, but oh well; I sent off for that and that arrived this morning.
Following an hour battle with McAfee Privacy Service, I was connected. Let me give this piece of advice to people; don't use this McAfee service. It's useless. All it seems to do is slow things down and prevent you from doing things. It secures your computer from yourself. What it was doing was effectively preventing me from connecting to the internet for more than three minutes at a time. After much battling to uninstall it (I'd had this problem before on the home desktop), it eventually succumbed at about the fourth attempt.
So, internet in my room. It's just like being back at uni.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Success!
Well, since last update I've been rather remiss in my blog posts. However, will rectify this now. Since then on the jobhunting front I've had three interviews, one on the 1st August with Reed, one on the 3rd August with USwitch.com (unsuccessful), and a second interview with Reed yesterday which would mean it was on the 13th August. Good thing I'm not superstitious.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, get to the point, avoid meandering, I got a call back from Reed about an hour and a half ago (after an entire day of waiting - you'd think when they said they'd call me to let me know this day they wouldn't leave it until 4:58pm). To cut a long story short, I was offered a position and I accepted. So, thus ends the great job hunt. The job has been successfully hunted and its head is now hung up above my fireplace as a trophy. This metaphor doesn't work quite so well when over-extended but anyway, the gist is: I am now employed.
As to what the position is, well, to be honest I'm not exactly certain on the detailed specifics. I know the rough responsibilities and that you work with the projects teams on any other suggestions and possibilities for general business integration and similar. It's an analytical and organisational role where you have to coordinate with everyone else to improve behind-the-scenes cohesion and similar.
This is an amazingly vague description, I know, but at the moment I don't really have anything more concrete to go on and don't have a ready-made job description in front of me. Not that that makes much difference as most of them are just carbon-copies and contain far too much management speak for their own good.
But anyway, that's that. I start on the 3rd September.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, get to the point, avoid meandering, I got a call back from Reed about an hour and a half ago (after an entire day of waiting - you'd think when they said they'd call me to let me know this day they wouldn't leave it until 4:58pm). To cut a long story short, I was offered a position and I accepted. So, thus ends the great job hunt. The job has been successfully hunted and its head is now hung up above my fireplace as a trophy. This metaphor doesn't work quite so well when over-extended but anyway, the gist is: I am now employed.
As to what the position is, well, to be honest I'm not exactly certain on the detailed specifics. I know the rough responsibilities and that you work with the projects teams on any other suggestions and possibilities for general business integration and similar. It's an analytical and organisational role where you have to coordinate with everyone else to improve behind-the-scenes cohesion and similar.
This is an amazingly vague description, I know, but at the moment I don't really have anything more concrete to go on and don't have a ready-made job description in front of me. Not that that makes much difference as most of them are just carbon-copies and contain far too much management speak for their own good.
But anyway, that's that. I start on the 3rd September.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
A Summary Of July
Okay, I've been extremely lazy in updating my blog. Apologies for this. I'm going to attempt to do a high-speed summary of sorts. I'm also going to do it in an extremely unoriginal style.
The Good
My birthday! Now a scarily old-sounding 22. Thanks to all those who sent good wishes and all those who meant to but just plain forgot.
Fact stamp! Yes, I got a fact stamp for my birthday from Chrissi (among other things). This is indescribably awesome. It is blue and stamps 'fact' on things. What more could you want?
The job hunt! Well, no job yet. But two interviews this week can't be too bad. Hopeful here. Not technically July so will save that for another post though. However, I arranged them in July with consummate style, so here they go.
The rugby! Saints in the Challenge Cup final, and Wigan getting smashed with a four point penalty in the Super League and then getting crushed by Catalans in the Challenge Cup semi-finals themselves - after 10,000 Wigan fans had prematurely bought tickets for the final. Beyond hysterical. I have tickets for the Challenge Cup Final, hope that someone somewhere is jealous; should be a cracking game.
TV! Angels were actually on TV last Sunday night, so for the first time all season got to see my team on the as-live baseball on Five. I don't care if I'm the only person who watches it, it was great.
The Bad
Angels! What are they doing? Relatively big slump post-All Star game, I'm not even sure they're topping .500 in July. At least they swept Detroit. Crunch series now against the Mariners though at the top of the AL West.
TNS job - didn't succeed at interview. Ah well, c'est la vie and all that. Other applications have disappeared into the land of no responses, but that's what happens in the exciting world of employment-searching!
I've been far far too lazy and have not been organised enough to meet up with people which I really should've done. This will be corrected this week, or at least this weekend. Or at least correction will be attempted.
The Ugly
Insert your own joke here.
These bullet points. They're beyond ugly; they're horrendous.
The Good
The Bad
The Ugly
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