Saturday 29 January 2011

Pinstripes and Glitter

So, this morning, I went out and did it... I bought a suit for Monday's interview... black with a slight pinstripe look. It took some trying on and I sensed that the fashion for suit jackets are not for me (short jackets when I have a long body) but I have a matching suit and lots of pretty shoes at home that can be worn with it!


I'm not good at clothes shopping by myself, never know if the clothes look good on me or anything like that, but it fits, looks smart and that's all I need for an interview suit I guess. I much prefer being able to get someone else's opinion as all I see are the flaws and everything that makes the suit look terrible on me. I need to know that they aren't visible to anyone but me and I look alright enough to be let out in public ;D

On top of a new suit I also painted my nails (boy do I wish I had a camera instead of explaining) Like a french polish but with some gold glitter along the line where white tip meets pink base. It looks rather cool imo, though I'm quite sure a professional could've done it a lot better.

It's definitely one of the things that I think help me in an interview, my confidence boost that can be seen by an employer. Obviously experience, personality, knowledge and ability also go a fair way to helping cinch the deal. I'm going to be reading up on the company, try to understand what they're about, what they do and what I need to show these people I can do!

I guess, basically, what I'm saying is that I think doing the small things: new outfit, fun nails, bit of make up will give me a slight spring in my step when I walk in the room and come across to the employers. It's not really for their benefit as much as it's for my own. Something I think other people should look into if they ever have a moment of doubt... it's a tried and tested method - treat yourself and have a happy feeling, it doesn't even need to cost loads!

Friday 28 January 2011

The little girl inside of me...

It can be hard to believe for people who have just met me or see me walking through the shopping centre but I have one heck of a girly streak in me like you wouldn't believe! I love the beauty side of things, especially nail art, and I'm a qualified beauty therapist, but I went on the course to scratch an itch and found it was scratching in the wrong blinking place (nowhere close to nails :O)

I can take some serious pride in my looks - not necessarily first thing in the morning when all I'm doing is going to work at a lovely place that is quite informal so full make up and a suit are not required - but if I'm going out or just feel in the mood to look good I will - I have a beauty case almost bursting with makeup and nail polishes just waiting to be used. But you'd never guess from just looking at me on a street during my 'normal' days, heck I'm even writing this up whilst wearing baggy (unintentionally so) jeans and my old, purple Matt Hardy t-shirt!

My greatest pride is in my nails, not for any reason other than they are nice, healthy and are pretty good at letting me do what I want with them. I have only once had false nails and that was back when I was 11 and they came in a box from Superdrug or something with glue that stuck my big sister's fingers together (I didn't laugh... much!) Since then I've never seen a need for them on myself, my own nails are perfectly practical for what I want to do, just long enough to look rather feminine (in my opinion) but not too long to become impractical for someone who's rather hands on. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not anti tips, acrylics or gel nails... quite the opposite in fact, I want to be a trained nail technician (I'm saving up slowly but surely to go on all the right courses and get the proper qualifications) as well as a nail artist, I just don't think my nails need any additions because they are, currently, perfect for me!

Some people don't like their nails, have issues with growing their nails or just want them to be better and those are the people that I would love to work on. In my mind having nice nails is a pretty good step to feeling good about your appearance in general, if you can go out knowing that every single part of you looks good it gives a great feeling. I think that every person deserves that sort of feeling even if it's by doing something as small as painting a friend's nails before she goes out on a date, she leaves with a smile on her face and it carries on.

So, hopefully, I can become qualified and work as a nail technician (even just on weekends for a while) and give someone a small bit of a confidence boost. Until then, if you see some tall, lanky girl wandering around in tomboyish clothes, take a closer look at her nails ;D

Thursday 27 January 2011

Perfect Timing... unless crossing a road!

So I received a phone call almost immediately after I stepped foot outside work yesterday - it was someone getting back to me asking me in for an interview next week - I don't ever want to turn down a phone call about this with the request to call me back later just in case it comes across as aloof or just plain rude, how do I know they're calling me just before they leave the office?



As it was I answered my mobile, said that I was free to talk and tried my hardest to be happy, confident and seem like I held the market on telephone skills.... all whilst trying to cross a road on a corner avoiding drivers who seem to forget what indicators are for, I think I may have failed slightly, but I did end the conversation with an apology if I seemed a bit disconnected (explaining that I was walking home/negotiating main roads) Hope that worked somewhat.

So I've booked off the whole of Monday (emergency dentist) even though the interview isn't until the afternoon so that I can have a lie in before making sure I'm as fully prepared as possible for this interview - that means my weekend will be spent swotting up on the company like mad. Saturday I'm going to try and see if I can walk to and from this place on a daily basis - just to ensure I still get my daily dose of fresh air and exercise (pedestrian hating drivers be darned!) Obviously I'll be nicely dressed on Monday so a Taxi there and a bus back will happen then.

I don't want to talk to my friends etc about this too much just in case I jinx my chances of getting it, because it would obviously have NOTHING to do with my actual skills or experience ;D

But I just thought I needed to talk about this somehow, even just venting on a random blog that gets lost in the internet ether!

Ciao,
BB

Monday 17 January 2011

New Year's Resolutions going away with the flying pigs.

So I decided to make a NY resolution or two this year.... last's year's giving up alcohol went rather well (7 months then the mothership turned up at my door with champane to celebrate renting my own place - how could I say no?) My first was to eat healthier and cut out takeaways, second was to cut out sugar in my coffee (I'm sure I used to not have any) third was to sort out my life in regards to job and boyfriends (get a new/better paying one and get one!)

Now I would just like to start off by saying that, in this current working climate, I am grateful to still have a job when there are so many people out there who have a lot less than me... but this is my blog for venting about my thoughts and ideas, so sorry if you may feel insulted by my whining ;P

The company I worked for was a nice, small, friendly company, then it got taken over - but the people who came in are still lovely and nice, jsut a bit more professional and snakey saleslike :S My only issue is that not only am I on the same pay I was on 2 years ago but they then hired on people on 3 grand more than my friend (who started the same time as me and has yet to receive a pay rise) and 2 grand more than me.

Pay really is my only major issue with this place, I cannot keep surviving by eating next to nothing over weekends and just hoping tea and buttered bread keeps me full enough until Monday!  I swear, if anyone needs tips on how to cook cheap meals to last them a week I'm the gal to speak to :D

In one way it's a great life experience, teaching me to keep an eye on my money, be able to survive on just over £100 a month for food etc... in another - I'm 24.... I want a social life of some description!! However, that is being sacrificed in the search for a second/weekend job for this week I shall be handing in my CVs with cover note to any random shop whether they want it or not! I want to be able to save up some money at the end of every month and it'll be very hard for me to spend the money I earn if I'm working a lot of the time (I've done it before I can do it again!)

My thought is this though: In order to achieve part one of my 3rd resolution I can't see part two happening, and I wouldn't really mind having a boyfriend at this point in my life (nothing too, dramatically serious mind :D)