Reflections on time, and timing

It has been a funny year.  At the start of this year I decided that I couldn’t hack the uncertainty of this freelance/consultant life, and I needed a full time ‘real’ job.  I set about this task, applying here, applying there.  Getting rejected here, getting interviewed and then rejected there.  I applied for jobs I wanted, and jobs I didn’t really want, or like, because I became obsessed with the fact that I need A JOB, ANY JOB!

I was getting more stressed by the week.  Panic was really setting in, my confidence was getting battered and selection criteria were driving me bananas.  Nearly six months into my quest for a real job, I got a short term contract.  Less than 20 days work, but hard work, good work, and work in an area I’ve been trying to crack into.  And then someone called with some more work.  Work I could do around my existing childcare arrangements, with only a little bit of juggling.  It was interesting work, a bit different to what I’m used to, and a huge eye opener (my very first experience of being a direct public servant!).  And then a few weeks ago I got another call, some more work, which I could again fit around childcare, in a space where I felt I could be useful.  And so it goes.

So why am I telling you about my 2014 happy ending?  Well I was contacted last week by someone who had noticed my LinkedIn profile, and liked the sound of being a Freelance/Consultant in international education, but wondered how I got to be just that.  It was a funny conversation and a good chance for reflection.  Because while I know how I got here (kinda), and why I got here, this certainly wasn’t what I expected to be doing 2 years ago when I decided that going back to my “real job” after my second baby wasn’t what I wanted.  Most of all though, it was interesting to discuss with this person the first half of this year, when I thought I wanted a real job.  And how I’m really really glad that none of those jobs ever came about (although, there is probably one or two that I would have loved!).  I have the benefit of great, interesting work, without the office politics.  I get to meet a huge number of interesting people, and never get bored.

While I don’t want to tempt fate, I hope to not apply for any real jobs for a while (that is unless it is super awesome, is extremely well paid, and I don’t have to do selection criteria), and it feels pretty good.  I took a leap 2 years ago, and finally it feels like I’m not going to bang into something hard on the landing.