Sort of good news

Quite unexpectedly, I received a letter in the post from the NHS the other week. In it they casually announced that both and and my lovely Mrs are eligible for free prescriptions, dental care and eye tests. At first I was relieved, then I looked at the date. Though the letter was dated February 2009, by my calculation we’d been eligible for this benefit since April 2008, ten months (without knowing it!) and with an expiry date of July 2009. Wonderful.

I phoned in order to establish the facts, maybe in a moment of haste someone had make a clerical/ error, surely no letter of such importance would have been flitting around the postal service for ten months. Sure enough the letter was spot on. At this moment the conversation began to falter, I could of course try to claim money back if I had my receipts over the previous year, but there again I might not get anything. Pat, then cheerfully explained this wasn’t anything to do with her, nor was it her departments responsibility, so the message was pretty much ‘Boo Sucks Buster’. (Well not quite those words).

Pat, vigorously maintained, that she was only responsible for sending the forms out, so any concern I might have would have to be taken up with an individual working Far Far Away in Tax CreditLand. Bizzarely, the same day the benefits office said I no longer was eligible for (JSA) Jobs Seekers Allowance on account of me working over 16 hours for a couple of weeks recently. I could of course re-apply if my working hours slipped, so let’s hope I never have the need to reappear in the Job Centre again. Now that would be good news.

Dress to Impress

My first job interview came in October 2007…

On sliding open our wardrobe and after having a quick look at the clothes hanging limply on hangers, it soon became blindingly obvious that new clothes were in order. If I was to dress to impress at interviews, I had to make some changes. The smartish shirts that I’d relied on for the previous 3 years or so were no longer in the best of shape, and when it came to the suit “You can’t wear that!” spoke my conscience. Mrs Workhope, my wife, was right, it was over twelve years since my brother got married, and though the suit might still fit (in the sleeves at least) it was no longer deemed fashionable.

True, many of the roles I was applying for were Senior ones, which would require the postholder to meet with clients, present work and present the right image. Stubbornly, I tried the suit on. “Ok, you win” – I conceded.

M&S, I knew had good quality suits and with the right colour shirt and tie combination I was sure to achieve my goal. Thankfully I found what I was looking for early on, it was stylish, worked well with bright colours and was in the right price bracket – (cheap) value for money. The next and most frustrating phase was to select and purchase a suitable tie. The local store didn’t have my size in the jacket and with two days till my first employer interview, it was, (as the kids show Me Too might say) a “Race Against Time”.

I few phone calls later Marjorie had put one fitting my description by for me in the Kingston store. When I got there, I tried it on and got the in-store suit-and-tie-co-ordinator-expert to give me his valuable input. In just over an hour I had tried on three different suits, half a dozen ties, and got a free Windsor knot tie lesson in the bargain. Tired after my exertions I retreated to the Cafe for a cup of froth, mis-sold as coffee.  “I’ll knock ‘em dead with the suit and colourful-yet-carefully-considered tie, even if they’ve doubts over my portfolio” I mused.

When the interview for the Design Management position came it was after a two hour drive into Hampshire, and I arrived in the company car park just in time for the thunder and lightening. So, there I was about to enter my first interview, in torrential rain. Was the good Lord trying to tell me something? Did the tie offend?

With an air of confidence, rather than arrogance, (hopefully) I took to the interview process without too much nervousness, answering honestly and when prompted, asked pertinent questions regarding the role up for grabs. My two interviewers both seemed likeable and on the table behind, lay a copy of the Good News Bible. I smiled to myself, maybe this was a sign from above, maybe just maybe, this job would be THE one!

As I left the building, I called Claire, (Recruitment Agent) with my feedback and waited for the official response. I had liked them, and thought they had warmed to me and my work. Claire was sympathetic in her tone when she told me the news. Boo.

I’d now succeeded in registering my first failure (?) My rain sodden go-get-em-suit, would soon be carefully returned to the wardrobe – ready for another rainy day…