Julie’s Job Strategy

I’ve applied for two jobs recently, one with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and one with Christian Aid. Both are communications/campaigning/advocacy roles. My thinking was that if I worked somewhere for a few years, I’d develop a network in Northern Ireland that might provide opportunities for freelance work down the road. But I can’t say I’m that excited about either job. It is tough figuring out this last decade of my working life. I don’t need to make much to cover living expenses, which is good, but I want to do something I’m interested in.

Julie’s advice was to spend some time each day thinking about what I want to learn more about, what am I excited about, who do I need to talk to to explore the things I care most about. If I do these things, I will fall into the right thing for me--either by networking with people who share my interests or by finding an opportunity to create my own role. She gave me this advice the last time I looked for a job, but I wasn’t ready for it. This time, it is just making a lot more sense. I think I’m too old to fit myself into someone else’s box.

I love spending time with Julie. We go for long walks with her dogs, we visit her parents and her sister Carolyn, and she feeds me lovely veggie meals. She is so good to me, as is her husband Ian. They give me lifts into the city and home from the last dance. Taxis are hard to come by late at night in Derry, so I appreciated having two chauffeurs.

May 7