The irony......!

Got2change

I could cry - or scream - or both.....

Whilst on my computer late last night (reading the Big Brother thread on Digital Spy as it happens), my eye was drawn to one of the "banners" (don't know the technical term) that appeared at the top of the page.

I clicked onto the website as it happens to be a topic dear to my heart (animals/welfare etc etc). Then onto their jobs section where I see that they have a vacancy for a PA at a (very) senior level.

My newly truncated CV is armed and ready to go; they also wanted a detailed letter of application. Closing date 4 July. So I submitted my application at 23:45 last night for goodness sake......

Now I get a call this morning inviting me to an interview and I find myself wondering what the hell I was thinking in applying.

The job is a dream for me; I even - having read the job description - believe that I could do it. But I must be crazy.

It is in London. I live 2 hours away by train from King's Cross Station.
I was just checking my bank account; I can't even afford the train fare (let alone tube/taxis) - unless I use the Housing Benefit that went into my account today and is due out last week...

....and if I actually GOT the job (there is a second interview), how on Earth could I even contemplate moving to London (would £28,000 be enough to sustain myself ? Sounds a lot to me but I'm just a country bumpkin to whom that would be fantastic if I was to stay here but am realistic enought to know that London would be very very different). Let alone the fact that even GETTING somewhere to live would be difficult given that I'm bankrupt and broke.

Oh, what was I thinking? I truly thought I would hear nothing. The closing date was actually Friday so I was late submitting my application. I also made typing mistakes in my first submission but because one of those errors was in the email address, it bounced back and I had chance to perfect it before sending. So I also feel that this was/is meant to be pretty much as my last "offer" wasn't.

Any thoughts from anyone? I need other points of view on this....
x

Zazen999

sometimes you get a curveball...how much do you need for train fare?

Got2change

I haven't researched fully yet; the cheapest to London before for me has been about £40 but doubt I'll get that as return is bound to be a peak time (unless I hang around at Kings Cross for hours - done that before but that's another story) and I have just looked up the office location - only 4.1 miles from Station to Offices but from one side of the Thames to the other, so there will be other fare costs too.

I hate to give up before I start - and TBH the cost of getting there is only one factor. (I am a wreck....)

Voyager2002

Go for it!

Employers usually pay the cost of travel to interview, but it would be worth confirming in this case.

At the end of the interview, make it clear that you would be prepared to relocate to London for this job and ask if they can provide any assistance with the process: even on the level of sending round an email asking if anyone working there has a spare room that they could let for a few months.

Of course, if you need home for a family of five then the salary might not be enough. But if it is just you...

Cazza

Doesn't hurt to go for the interview, it's all practice! Worry about the other stuff if you get offered it!

As far as the train fare is concerned, I had an interview with the Council recently and got sent an expenses claim form. I was surprised at this and mentioned it to my friend, who said that companies were obliged to cover your (reasonable!) travel expenses to attend an interview, it's just that most companies wait for you to ask to claim, rather than a Council which automatically sends you the form :rolleyes: .

My friend might, of course, be wrong, but a quick email to politely query if they cover travel expenses is worth a try!

Good luck! :j

Got2change

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Of course, if you need home for a family of five then the salary might not be enough. But if it is just you...

Just little old me.

floss2

Give it a go...what have you got to lose? If you try it & it doesn't suit after 6 months, if nothing else you can say "well I gave it my best shot".

Re transport to the interview - have a look at Megabus or National Express coaches.....may take an age, but should be cheaper....

Zazen999

i had a huge row with my boss once, and he said at the end he didn't know whether to 'get shot or not'...i opened the paper the next saturday [Guardian jobs] and there was this job which would be perfect for me...a couple of months later [slow processes and holidays] I was offered it - and never looked back. Absolutely dream job for me.

Sometimes you just gotta go with it...I'm excited for you.

Oldernotwiser

Got2change wrote: »

(unless I hang around at Kings Cross for hours - done that before but that's another story)

If you hang round Kings Cross for hours you'll probably make rather more money than just your train fare!! (Sorry, couldn't resist it!)

Seriously, you've got nothing to lose and will be better off on £28,000 living and working in London than you'll be living on benefits in Bedfordshire or wherever. Be brave - go for it!

Got2change

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If you hang round Kings Cross for hours you'll probably make rather more money than just your train fare!! (Sorry, couldn't resist it!)

Seriously, you've got nothing to lose and will be better off on £28,000 living and working in London than you'll be living on benefits in Bedfordshire or wherever. Be brave - go for it!

Ya think.........?
Probably would have to give change though.

Before anyone begins to think that I actually was another kind of working girl; the reason I "hung around" at King's Cross was when I travelled to South Africa (in better financial days that's for sure) and made useless provision for my return journey - which just happened to coincide with the rush hour on January Monday morning - and I call myself organised?

Landed at Heathrow with two black eyes and therefore wearing sunglasses (boy, did I get some strange looks!) in the freezing cold; took Heathrow Express to Paddington and then the tube to King's Cross. For the sake of a few cigarettes (I smoked then), I missed the train that my ticket was for and got on another later one - only to be fined for being the wrong train.

You have to laugh.

(South Yorks/Notts border actually. Bit of a country bumpkin.)

x

[Deleted User]

What is your current standard of living? I flat shared when i was on 26k in london (and still saved towards a house deposit)