Possible, maybe, potentially, there's a job in the offing...
Think I've mentioned this before, but here's the full story in brief:
- Jamie works for a handtool wholesaler, the biggest in the UK, and I used to work for a hand tool manufacturer (the 2nd biggest in the UK behind Stanley). The industry is my 'true love', if you like - after being forced to leave after several years I moved to the electrical retailing sector, which I never really enjoyed or was motivated by.
- Last week J met with the Managing Director of another hand tool manufacturer, whose name shall remain anonymous for the moment - suffice to say they are well respected, though currently very small in the UK, being a German company, but they are coming into a time of transition - they aim to double their turnover next year, consolidate their activities in the UK, and really start doing some exciting things. This MD explained he had spent the last year 'firefighting' - solving the problems left by the previous management, and only now is he able to plan for the future. He has every part of his team in place, EXCEPT, a 'PA' to work for him.
- J asked him exactly what he was looking for in this role, as I had considered working as a PA-type-person some time ago, when I was looking for part-time, lower stress, employment. He didn't go into details, but basically spoke of a savvy assistant to help him organise his time, help him out with stuff, but also with a marketing bent on the role. He would love for this person to have industry experience, and a conversational level of German would be great.
- So, meeting all those criteria (just about - my German is very rusty), he told him about myself. He explained all about my IBS, and having not worked for well over a year, all about my background in the industry, in Marketing, and working as a sort-of PA at the beginning of my career (I was actually a Marketing Assistant, but functioned also as a PA for the Marketing Director, doing typing, correspondance, diary management, travel planning, event organising, etc), and so on. He said I couldn't guarantee to be there at 9am every morning, would prefer to work some of the time at home, and so on.
- Strangely, he was still very interested after this!! He said "even if she doesn't know if she's ready, if she's only 25% interested, I want to meet her". Gotta be good right? They're based in a small town a 35 min trip from home (passing services nearly straight away and then about half way...), and just 20 in the other direction from my parents - kind of between the 2. Still quite a distance, but not bad...
- So, I asked for his email address, updated my CV, and sent a copy to him.
- He then called me yesterday - and we chatted for probably half an hour. Seems a great guy, and just as importantly the business seems to be hitting a VERY exciting time. Here's what we chatted about:
ME - we covered the 'I haven't worked for so long because I'm ill' area a bit, which is good to get it sort of out of the way. We covered my assistant-type background, shared a bit of industry knowledge, how I'm doing now, what I've been spending my time on while I've been unable to work, etc.
THE BUSINESS - coming into an exciting transitional period. Aims to double it's turnover next year. Currently only 7 people working at the office in the UK, with 5 salesmen on the road.
THE JOB - Last piece in the puzzle is the PA - to 'clear the monkeys' from the MD's desk, help organise him, but also have some Marketing input, and *potentially* to do some project work that would "enable [me] to make my mark"... We shared a mutual distaste for the huge, corporate American-owned organisations that are taking over the market, and for the way in which they operate - graduates only, lots of internal politics, focus on just numbers whilst ignoring the people, etc. Says this is very different - you can't get overshadowed, there's lots of room for [me] to take the initiative, for instance see a problem & solve it. Various issues need 'sorting' - including the lack of a UK website. Whilst I'm not currently skilled enough to design & produce a company website at the level, I do possess knowledge of how it works, and would possibly be able to work with a design agency, etc, have some input, and manage it once it's complete. Who knows!
----------
Basically it all sounds exciting - and spot on for my skills. He said in his intial meeting with J, which was about something unrelated, that he would have no problem with my requirements, but that of course remains to be seen - however, if it is indeed true then this could potentially be a gentle way back into the industry I love, a role in which I could blossom and grow again, and hopefully a way to help my moving away from my life being dominated by my IBS...
Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Watch this space for a post tomorrow about my feelings, thoughts & fears about this, and the whole thing... Would appreciate anyone's views so far!!
- Jamie works for a handtool wholesaler, the biggest in the UK, and I used to work for a hand tool manufacturer (the 2nd biggest in the UK behind Stanley). The industry is my 'true love', if you like - after being forced to leave after several years I moved to the electrical retailing sector, which I never really enjoyed or was motivated by.
- Last week J met with the Managing Director of another hand tool manufacturer, whose name shall remain anonymous for the moment - suffice to say they are well respected, though currently very small in the UK, being a German company, but they are coming into a time of transition - they aim to double their turnover next year, consolidate their activities in the UK, and really start doing some exciting things. This MD explained he had spent the last year 'firefighting' - solving the problems left by the previous management, and only now is he able to plan for the future. He has every part of his team in place, EXCEPT, a 'PA' to work for him.
- J asked him exactly what he was looking for in this role, as I had considered working as a PA-type-person some time ago, when I was looking for part-time, lower stress, employment. He didn't go into details, but basically spoke of a savvy assistant to help him organise his time, help him out with stuff, but also with a marketing bent on the role. He would love for this person to have industry experience, and a conversational level of German would be great.
- So, meeting all those criteria (just about - my German is very rusty), he told him about myself. He explained all about my IBS, and having not worked for well over a year, all about my background in the industry, in Marketing, and working as a sort-of PA at the beginning of my career (I was actually a Marketing Assistant, but functioned also as a PA for the Marketing Director, doing typing, correspondance, diary management, travel planning, event organising, etc), and so on. He said I couldn't guarantee to be there at 9am every morning, would prefer to work some of the time at home, and so on.
- Strangely, he was still very interested after this!! He said "even if she doesn't know if she's ready, if she's only 25% interested, I want to meet her". Gotta be good right? They're based in a small town a 35 min trip from home (passing services nearly straight away and then about half way...), and just 20 in the other direction from my parents - kind of between the 2. Still quite a distance, but not bad...
- So, I asked for his email address, updated my CV, and sent a copy to him.
- He then called me yesterday - and we chatted for probably half an hour. Seems a great guy, and just as importantly the business seems to be hitting a VERY exciting time. Here's what we chatted about:
ME - we covered the 'I haven't worked for so long because I'm ill' area a bit, which is good to get it sort of out of the way. We covered my assistant-type background, shared a bit of industry knowledge, how I'm doing now, what I've been spending my time on while I've been unable to work, etc.
THE BUSINESS - coming into an exciting transitional period. Aims to double it's turnover next year. Currently only 7 people working at the office in the UK, with 5 salesmen on the road.
THE JOB - Last piece in the puzzle is the PA - to 'clear the monkeys' from the MD's desk, help organise him, but also have some Marketing input, and *potentially* to do some project work that would "enable [me] to make my mark"... We shared a mutual distaste for the huge, corporate American-owned organisations that are taking over the market, and for the way in which they operate - graduates only, lots of internal politics, focus on just numbers whilst ignoring the people, etc. Says this is very different - you can't get overshadowed, there's lots of room for [me] to take the initiative, for instance see a problem & solve it. Various issues need 'sorting' - including the lack of a UK website. Whilst I'm not currently skilled enough to design & produce a company website at the level, I do possess knowledge of how it works, and would possibly be able to work with a design agency, etc, have some input, and manage it once it's complete. Who knows!
----------
Basically it all sounds exciting - and spot on for my skills. He said in his intial meeting with J, which was about something unrelated, that he would have no problem with my requirements, but that of course remains to be seen - however, if it is indeed true then this could potentially be a gentle way back into the industry I love, a role in which I could blossom and grow again, and hopefully a way to help my moving away from my life being dominated by my IBS...
Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.
He's asked me to come see him in the office next Wed, 10.30am.
Watch this space for a post tomorrow about my feelings, thoughts & fears about this, and the whole thing... Would appreciate anyone's views so far!!
posted by Blondie13 at 1:20 AM
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