Am I getting old?

As detailed here I will be made redundant in April.

My current employers are providing assistance through an external company to give us the best chance of getting new employment as soon as possible. To this end, this morning I typed out a fourth version of my CV. It looks NOTHING like how I was taught at school a CV should look like.

I don't know how the hell I've managed to get myself employed this far I don't know. Luck?

I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY IS UP ANYMORE!

A change in circumstances

I’m currently experiencing something I never have before, but which many before me have and will in the future. It’s stressful, not entirely unexpected and certainly not wanted.

In April, I will be made redundant. My employers are moving the offices to Surrey. I can’t commute that distance and I don’t want to move out of the area.3

I’m certainly not happy about it but I understand the thinking behind it. I thoroughly enjoy my job despite the odd oddball here and there. I can say with absolutely certainty that my employer is the best one I’ve worked for to date. I’ve been employed by good and mediocre organisations before so I know and appreciate what I’ve got here.

When I leave I’ll have been in this job for over seven years, where I’ve made friends, laughed a lot and learnt plenty. I’ll exit with more experience, obviously, and a veritable wedge of certificates from the many training courses provided by the company. Will this happen elsewhere?

Anybody want an administrator / call centre monkey?!

"Gizza job!"

A new venture

This evening sees my first social engagement in my new venture (if that's the right word for it). Long story short, I got roped into the secretarial role for a charity committee about a month ago as it is a new group raising funds in and around a nearby town. The suggested committee member was not at all keen on taking up the role (which is understandable – it's a role which needs experience in a secretarial and administrative environment and I can't say I blame her) so I was guilt-tripped into it by my beloved mater.

It's for charidee, great mate!

Tonight is the committee's launch party including an auction (having seen the lots on offer, I certainly wouldn't mind taking a shot at one or two of them myself) and frankly, I'm feeling increasingly more and more terrified.

Why? I think mainly because I'll be there in an official committee capacity and be expected to talk up the charity to strangers. I hope I might be able to put my assertiveness training into play but I've a fear words will escape me and I'll stupidly end up getting one of the other committee members to charm which ever person has just collared me.

I think I should emphasise just how much I want the launch to go well. I've been worried for a while now as the committee (through reasons I'm not going to go into here) were unable to pick the day of the launch and holding a function on a Sunday evening isn't ideal. (I'm glad I'm driving so won't have the chance to turn up for work tomorrow feeling worse for wear.)

There are (were?) fifty spaces available for guests but the last time I spoke to the chairlady she had numbers around forty. My worst idea of the evening is for people to be making speeches to a half-filled room, and us struggling to garner bids for the prizes.

You! Are you bidding? A MILLION POUNDS?! SOLD!

There you have it. I'm a worrier and right now I can't help but think of the worst possible scenario. (I mean, not apocalyptic, 'function area blowing up and people running from the launch on fire' worst possible scenario, but the launch not going as swimmingly as it could.

My afore-mentioned mother dearest has voiced some similar concerns but I don't think she's aware just how much a small part of me is dreading this evening.

Fingers crossed! *gulp*