The W word – going back to the world of work

Four weeks ago I started a new job. A real, outside people job, with colleagues and a canteen and classrooms and meetings and a commute!

I interviewed last autumn and didn’t think I’d got the job, but the friendliness of the place stuck with me, so much so that when – just over a month ago – I received an email asking me in for a second interview, I jumped at the chance. Within a week of the second interview I came in for a micro teach and to meet the boss, Mark. I didn’t think I’d got the job, “this CV, Emma, it’s very… honest, isn’t it?” Oh dear.  It made me sad but I was glad of the opportunity, and went home to explain to my mum and dad why I’d missed it – I thought I’d ballsed everything up. But a little over an hour after arriving home I got a call. They didn’t want me to be waiting and worrying. I thought ‘well, it’s kind of them to put me out of my misery. Then the lady on the end of the phone said “We’d like to offer the position. Would that be something you’d be interested in taking us up on?”
I was terrified. It’s a full time, grownups job working with adult learners. It’s so long since I’ve been in traditional employment and I’ve never worked full time. (I did five weeks working 18 hour days over the summer in 2008 but that hardly counts). I was worried that I’d be tired all the time, or that I wouldn’t get on with my colleagues, or that it would be difficult for me to fit in –on account of the oddness. I was worried that I would stand out as being unusual and out of the game. That people would find me annoying because I don’t know how to work in their systems.
~ I was wrong to worry.
The people here are so fantastic and patient with me. They’re not like me, but they don’t seem to mind the oddness. I suspect they find it amusing. I don’t mind being a source of baffled amusement. They seem like nice people, so a little laughter at my expense doesn’t bother me – I know I’m odd. And so far they’ve all gone out of their way to help me fit in and get on. I spent my afternoons in the first week finding out about the other departments – motor vehicle, work skills, warehousing, LGV, being shown around and finding out how the organisation fits together. It was very welcoming. Without wanting to jinx it, I could be happy here.
The next thing to find out is if I’ll still be able to write. I’m four weeks in and it’s not been as much of a shock to the system as I was expecting, so if I can still make myself write while working full time it’ll be a win. If not at least I’ll be able to hire someone who knows what they’re doing for my marketing.

Any ideas about who to hire for UK book marketing will be gratefully appreciated, by the way, so get in touch if you’ve had any experience here – good or bad.