The times, they are a’changing

In around 1986 I was accepted into the WA College of Advanced Education (now called Edith Cowan University) to undertake a Diploma in Arts with two majors – Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies and English Literature. There were no fees at the time except for purchasing my text books. I had turned thirty, had three young sons to look after and the amazing opportunity to study. It was only part-time so I needed child-care for two lectures a week. The childcare was subsidized and was affordable.

I clearly remember the excitement and gratefulness I felt for this opportunity. Life was good . I had done ok at school but I left early at 17 and I found work, got married at 18 years and then had my three sons in my twenties. My marriage broke up in 1985 when I was 30 and my world was turned upside down.

In the last year of my marriage I did some correspondence studies to gain access to Uni. I worked with Indigenous women in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, teaching them English and we

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 had no resources and so had to develop our own. This is what sparked my interest in further study.

I can’t explain the exhilaration I felt at such an opportunity being available to me. I loved everything I learnt and couldn’t get enough of it. I clearly remember one day as I was walking back to my car (a HR Holden station wagon over 20 years old at the time) I was thinking just how fortunate I was to have this opportunity.

This past week I revisited the University for a couple of days as a part-time staff member. Who would have thought my life would have turned out like it did. I wanted to share with the people I met but there was no way to explain all the changes over the past 25 years. I was one of the first students in the first classrooms that were built there. Now it is like a metropolis with thousands of students and acres of buildings. It was alive and exciting however the contrast to 1985 was lost on everyone but me.

This caused me to reflect how our memories are very much our own. We hold a picture and a feeling inside that is unique to us at that place and time. I started to understand my parents generation and their talk of the past and how we cannot imagine what it was like. Our time on Earth is but a blink of an eye in the history of the world but it is a very special time for each one of us.

cheers for now

Lorraine

 

Do we go to work as a refuge?

Around the globe there are millions of people going to work every day and night. Why? (apart from the money we need to survive)

How many of these people actually enjoy their work? How many people are stressed, anxious or depressed about their jobs?

When  I first joined the workforce at seventeen, I felt quite distressed about the impact it was having on me. I went to see a doctor because I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me. He was an older man and he told me, “that is just what life is. I get up each morning and go home each night, just like you do…” I think he was saying “Get over it. That’s life! ” I always remember him when I question our economic system that requires a good percentage of us to work and pay taxes for the infrastructure we enjoy.

I have included a link of a great blogger EOF737 (Elizabeth) who got me to thinking about work and what we could do with our lives if we didn’t have to work. I hope you will have a read - all Elizabeth’s posts are inspiring.

http://eof737.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/inspiration-ten-things-to-do/

So I started out thinking about NOT WORKING and in contrast, the great things about having some work. In a good work scenario (I know not all workplaces are good) I enjoy such things as:

• the social aspect – conversations with a diverse range of people
• money – this is an obvious one – it provides a buffer against stress and struggle
• a sense of being of value for what I can do
• the chance to do something completely different from I would if I was at home all the time
• a sense of belonging to something bigger
• the chance to quiet a busy mind of personal stuff - refuge from the questions about why are we here
• respect
• a purpose for getting up in the morning
• something else to talk about after the day at work
• learn new things – keep the brain active
• a chance to dress up
• the reassurance of the self-esteem

Most of these things are intangible and we don’t notice them until they are not there. So, I reluctantly conclude that going to work can be good for us Can you suggest any other reasons why work is GOOD for us?

cheers

Lorraine

 

 

Job Interview Outcome and today’s blog…

The tree-fern just outside the gym is a pleasant sight

For those who saw my previous two blogs, I can tell you today that I was successful in winning the job I had applied for! I am really happy about that outcome. They called me back for a second interview and I was able to make use of my reflections following the first interview. They rang this morning with the good news

Today’s blog – Exercise

In one week tomorrow, my son is getting married to the love of his life and we are all very excited about it. What has this to do with exercise, you might ask? Well, a lot, when you consider I had put on 3 kg since I had last tried on the wedding outfit. I even went out and bought another dress, just in case I couldn’t fit into the other one. (I can now wear the other one to my new job!)

I considered my options and decided to test the theory that if I burn more energy than what I consume, I would, in fact, lose weight! I heard this theory decades ago but it wasn’t a very inviting option as I would have to get up and do something physical!

At the complex where I live, there is a mini-gymnasium. I decided three weeks ago to watch my diet and do half an hour’s exercise each day. Would you believe that I am actually enjoying it? Not only that, I have lost the weight and now fit into the lovely dress that was kindly lent to me by a good friend.

Now, I don’t make any  promises that I will continue using the gym, but you never know, I may find it habit-forming.

All for now

Lorraine

Job Interview Reflections

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This blog follows on from yesterday’s about job interviews.

I had my job interview this morning and now I am reflecting on how I could have improved my performance. Below are some of my reflections that may be useful next time.

1. I didn’t have a really good handle on the nuts and bolts of the job. I should have asked a lot more questions when I rang up to ask about the vacancy. I could then be more specific in my responses and be relevant to the job role.

2. I was taken by surprise with one panel member participating via video conference. This made it a little difficult to make eye contact and respond to that panel member.

3. I should have asked how much time they expected the interview to go for. I could have given a lot more information than I did, but I didn’t want to overdo it either. If I knew how much time I had I could have paced myself better.

4. I didn’t refer to any of the information I prepared beforehand, however, it was still worth doing as it made me do more research and think more deeply about my answers.

5. There is a lot to think about – with each response I tried to use relevant examples but I also wanted to use more recent examples. Some of my answers related to jobs I had much earlier in my career. It is a bit like studying for an exam – do I go into great depth on one topic or do I broadly touch on a range of examples?

In summary, I did the best I could with what I know. I will now try to let go and await a phone call or letter in the post. If I am not successful, the experience wasn’t wasted - life (and job interviews) involves ongoing learning and growing Nothing is lost!

cheers

Lorraine

Related articles

• Job Interviews (allaboutwordswa.wordpress.com)

Job Interviews

York Town Hall - Western Australia

I have a been a member of an interview panel on many occasions. I have also chaired some interviews, written up the reports and notified applicants of the outcomes, good and bad. Applicants come in all shapes and sizes with many different backgrounds and expectations. The same can be said about interview panel members as well.

On most occasions people only get to the interview stage if they have met some basic criteria for the job.  On some occasions people are interviewed for internal jobs, even when they are not quite ready for the job, but it will be good for the panel and the applicant to become acquainted for future opportunities.

From my experience as an applicant and as a panel member, I would like to share some things that may be helpful if you are going to an interview.

1. I do some background research, starting with the company’s website. I try to get an overarching view of the organisation and its structure, services, values, locations etc.

2. If there is a contact person listed, I always call them and ask a few questions about the position. This can give you the opportunity for some inside information that the other applicants may not have, if they didn’t call up as well.

3. When I call, I ask them if someone is currently ”acting” in the position. You can ask if that person is applying for the position. They won’t necessarily answer the question though.

4. I read the job description and selection criteria three or four times and highlight what I believe to be the core aspects of the job. Once I have done that, I can prepare some evidence that can address what they are looking for. I bring that with me to the interview.

5. I need to dress appropriately, think about parking availability or public transport and be on time (even 10 to 15 minutes early is good practice) and be courteous.

6. When I am introduced to the panel members, I make eye contact and try to remember their names. I sometimes ask if I can write their names down and then I can focus better when I answer their questions.

7. If I don’t understand a question, I ask them to repeat it. If it is a long question, I ask them if I can write it down or answer one part at a time.

8. If I get stuck on a question (when my mind goes blank) I ask if we can go on to the next question and come back to it a little later.

9. To help reduce the fear of interviews, I just do the best I can and leave the outcome to chance. No-one really knows what the panel dynamics are and sometimes there are agendas that we know nothing about.

10. Finally, I have some questions about the position or the organisation that I prepare in advance. I then ask them when will they be making the decision and how long until I hear from them. I finish off by thanking them for the opportunity for the interview.

Now I can thank YOU for the opportunity to refresh this topic in my mind for my job interview tomorrow

cheers

Lorraine

Related articles

• Hiring staff – How to interview a job applicant (premierlinedirect.co.uk)

An impulsive moment

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I was at work in the office in Perth. It was pre-Christmas 2002. I rang a colleague to remind him about a meeting the following week. He responded, ”I will be gone by then!” He took me by surprise as I didn’t know anything about him leaving his job in the Goldfields/Esperance Region.

He was taking 12 months leave without pay to follow his passion and work on a breakfast radio program in Kalgoorlie. He did volunteer work there and loved it. They offered him a paid job and took it with both hands.

My next question was, “Who is going to do your job? ” No-one was appointed at that stage. He suggested I ring the boss if I was interested, and I was. I got on the phone to Larry (the boss) and expressed my interest in doing Steve’s job for 2003. He was agreeable – great news!

I threw in another request, “Can I live in Esperance (and not Kalgoorlie)  and do the job. He said he couldn’t see why not. Within the space of one hour, I found myself agreeing to be transferred 700kms south-east of Perth to beautiful Esperance.

We agreed I would start in the new job in February 2003. I had to find some office space and some accommodation. I still had two of my sons living with me in Perth so they agreed to stay on and rent the house from me.

So in February 2003 I started my adventure working in the Goldfields/Esperance Region of WA. It was a quick and impulsive decision, but one of the best I have ever made. I had a great time and covered 30,000kms in driving in the region in 12 months.

I lived on my own after sharing with my three sons for many years. I could choose what music I listened to; I had full authority with the remote control; the house stayed tidy all the time; I could enjoy the silence; and I only had to cook and shop for me.

My base was in Esperance and I travelled to Salmon Gums, Norseman, Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie, Boulder, Menzies and Laverton . I met some great people and saw some incredible parts of outback WA, dotted with mining communities.

I wonder what surprises are ahead for me this year!

Cheers

Lorraine

Related articles

• Tourism Western Australia Seeking Passengers for The Extraordinary Taxi Ride (prweb.com)
• Australians Catch Gold-Mining Fever (online.wsj.com)

On being an employee of the government

I worked for government for close to twenty years. It paid well, had good conditions and security. People didn’t hesitate to tell me how fortunate I was to have a permanent government job. What a journey it was!

The agency I worked for changed its name about half a dozen times. There was new stationery, new images, new messages and new ministers with varied ability and personality.

It was made clear to me early on, that I was not to express a personal opinion on issues of the day. It was important I followed the departmental line. It was quite difficult at times to sell the policies when the ideology was miles away from my personal beliefs.

I found it really difficult and frustrating when there was a change in power. I worked on issues over many months, working hard and doing my best, only to be told that “we are not doing that anymore”.

Another frustration was when politicians would announce a new strategy without consulting the bureaucracy. Sometimes these were significantly costly strategies and the government did not give the department any more funding in the budget to deliver the program. That happened quite a lot. The public servant was then left to face the angry public and defend the minister.

I managed a project a few years ago – a big event. The main negative feedback was that there was not enough publicity. We had $0.00 for promotion. We dealt with the complaints from the community  – I couldn’t tell them we had no budget for advertising!

So now that I am no longer a government employee I feel much freer. It is great to be able to express an opinion of my own again and to lobby the government about the things that concern me.

Please go easy on the public servants – they may seem to have it easy but there are many challenges they face each day and most of them have the best interests of the community in mind and they try to make our society a better place to live.

cheers

Lorraine

Go with the flow…

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Recently I was reading a book about living in the present and being mindful of my environment. I have always found this so difficult to do. Some times I master it for a little while and then I slip back into old habits.

Then I was thinking about my need to be ever vigilant to my environment; always trying to pre-guess what will happen next and the need to be ready to respond in a way that would keep up the peace and harmony around me. For me, being (1) in that state of  “high alert” and (2)being present in the moment,  are very different states of mind.

 Some times in my life I have experienced being ‘in the flow’. My first memories of that were at school when I was sewing. I had an incredibly strong need to get to the finished product and then I felt free of the enormous pressure within. I still don’t really understand what was going on. I don’t think I was comfortable with a creative urge. I didn’t know how to handle it.

 I also experienced this ‘flow’ with my school work – in things such as spelling, grammar, writing, maths, singing… Today I experience it when I am engrossed in writing.

 In many of the roles I undertook in the community sector I experienced this ‘flow’. When I was working with others of similar minds and we were working to meet similar good outcomes for disadvantaged people – it just felt that I was in the right place at the right time and experienced the feeling that our loftiest goals were attainable – and often they were reached.  

There are times when everything seems to “come together” and that is a great feeling. I don’t believe it is accidental though. I think it has a lot to do with knowing what I want and putting in the work to achieve it. Maybe there is a little bit of magic there as well, that makes it all work out.

It feels great when I can use my skills and abilities to get a good outcome and really enjoy the process as well!

cheers

Lorraine

Related Articles

• How to Lose Yourself in Your Writing (lisarivero.com)

If I could master any skill instantly…

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I would like to be able to have the skills to help others  to help themselves.

It could be in the case of giving career guidance, solving a problem or making a decision. This would mean I would need to have the gift of discerning other people’s skills, aptitudes, interests and abilities and then coaching them to take the steps needed to achieve their goals.

I mention career counselling because that is a model most of us understand. It could be any sort of dream where we know we have XYZ skills but we are not sure if a particular direction would be to our liking or not, or the right decision for us.

If I could help people, after an initial meeting, to make a choice leading to lasting happiness and fulfilment, how good would that be?

I would need to aid peoples’ self confidence and self-image (their belief in themselves) and increase their courage to take further steps in the direction of their dreams.

I could be the catalyst that makes it happen (turns the switch on) for others. They would do the hard work to reach their goals but I would help them on their way.

I like that idea… 

cheers

Lorraine

Achievements in 2010

My most significant achievement in 2010 was making the decision to quit my well paid job, sell our house and move to beautiful Busselton! It is like a dream living here. We are so close to many of the top tourist spots in South West Australia. To be able to go for  30-40 kms in most directions and find world class food, beautiful beaches and the wines of course (for those who like a good wine – not me). Add the beautiful climate and it is all wonderful! (shhh – don’t mention the flies).

Lorraine

Post a Day 2011