Nerves

by backpackingbongos

My stomach has been in a knot for the last few days, I can now feel the knot getting ever tighter.

I have a job interview tomorrow morning for a ‘Gateway to nature coordinator’. A new project set up to engage with vulnerable people and support them in accessing green spaces, bringing them closer to nature. It looks like a stunning opportunity, hence the nerves as I don’t want to bugger it up. As well as the interview I also have to give a dreaded presentation!

That’s why it has been a bit quiet on the blog front for a while now as my thoughts have been elsewhere. I did manage to get out into the Peaks on Friday and had a throughly miserable grotty day on the hills and in the valleys. I will post later on in the week about how little I enjoyed myself and show the dull, misty photos I took! A review of the product sent from Webtogs will be forthcoming as well.

Currently it is butterfly time!

Posted on December 12, 2010 at 6:45 pm in Random Pish | RSS feed | Reply | Trackback URL

16 Comments to “Nerves”

Paul White
December 12, 2010 at 7:02 pm

Good luck with your interview tomorrow. I just recommend being yourself and not bull******** anyone. Those that interview you that specialise in this subject will be able to gauge your level of knowledge rather quickly. However, it is better to to employ someone honest and less knowledgeable who can learn on the job 🙂 I wish you every success!

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markswalkingblog
December 12, 2010 at 7:24 pm

James, from what I know of you from your writings, you clearly have a passion for both the great outdoors and helping the vulnerable in our society. I therefore think you are well qualified for this position. Good luck at the interview.
Mark
P.S. – if you wear your PHD jacket at the interview, don’t put the hood up ! 🙂

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writesofway
December 12, 2010 at 7:26 pm

Hey James! You can do it; you are after all the very rightest person for the job. Your experience of working with vulnerable people and your love and appreciation of the world of outdoors – notwithstanding your day in the Peaks! – are the best qualifications for the role. Being self-employed and not having had an interview for several millenia, I can’t really talk, but I hope it’s not a throwaway to say: be yourself, they’ll love you!

Good luck!

p.s. when do they let you know?

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Steve W
December 12, 2010 at 9:43 pm

I hope it goes well. Remember to relax.

For myself I have learned to detest interviews. Do they want someone who can play the interview game well or someone who can do the job? I sometimes wonder whether people remember the difference. Remember you’re interviewing them as much as the other way round.

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Maz
December 12, 2010 at 9:54 pm

As someone who has interviewed quite a bit, I always liked people who were not arrogant, but confident; knowledgeable without being pompous; honest and direct; personable and pleasant and, finally, conveyed to me a desire to do the role they were interviewing for that demonstrated commitment beyond the financial. Good luck, be yourself (largely because if you try to be someone else and don’t get it, you’ll never forgive yourself and you’ll come across as fake and untrustworthy anyway) and do your research.

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Martin Rye
December 12, 2010 at 10:04 pm

Tell them about your passion and commitment to their goal and aims. I wish you all the best. Go get it.

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Martin B
December 12, 2010 at 10:45 pm

There’s some good advice in there James, if you needed it.
Good Luck.

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alan.sloman
December 12, 2010 at 11:43 pm

All the very best of luck, James. As Martin has said, there is some first class advice in there.

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backpackingbongos
December 13, 2010 at 3:55 pm

Thanks everyone, the deed had now been done and it is just a waiting game. Should find out on Weds if I have been successful or not. Got one of those stress headaches now so an evening not thinking about my presentation and interview prep is in order!

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Peter
December 13, 2010 at 4:44 pm

Well done, lad! Fingers crossed for wednesday.

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Marcus
December 13, 2010 at 9:30 pm

Hi James,

I’m sure you’ll be fine but best of luck all the same. Be yourself, sell your skills and you’ll have it in the bag.

P.S. I advise not wearing your PHD jacket – with or without the hood!

Marcus

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terrybnd
December 13, 2010 at 9:47 pm

Aye, good luck, mate.

Had to laugh about your comment about the weather in the Peaks last Friday – was dire eh? I was camped out in that! lol

Headed down and spent most of the day in the pub in the end – well, two pubs – well, three if you count the one I made at the next nights camp!

Hopefully, we’ll hear good news from you soon

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backpackingbongos
December 13, 2010 at 11:55 pm

I managed to leave the PHD jacket at home, although I did the usual gamble of turning up for an interview in Jeans and Tshirt (nothing will get me in a shirt and tie!).

Terry that weather was bloody awful, went home in a worse mood that I left it in!

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dave
December 15, 2010 at 1:08 pm

good luck fer the results James, sounds golden!

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GeoffC
December 15, 2010 at 8:33 pm

Sounds like an interesting take on the outdoor game, it might even reacquaint you with the pleasures you felt as a novice in the hills and now take for granted. As others say, I hope your passion shone through.
I can barely recall what an appointment interview is like – except that it was generally horrible – my last interview was my one and only. I worked for the same company from that day until retirement and never had another. That doesn’t happen often these days!.

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- backpackingbongos
  December 15, 2010 at 11:42 pm
  
  Wow that is pretty good going Geoff, one job for life. I think that would be very rare these days indeed!
  
  Reply