Update

Porto 6th to 10th of August

and 24th to 26th of August

So finally I can give an update on my job situation. I didn't want to put anything in before so as not to worry some people unduly, but now that I have got a new job (sorry, you'll have to read a bit more to find that out) I can put the whole job saga up.

I found out I was being made redundant in May - this, as I now know and have been at pains to explain since, is not the same as being fired. They were downsizing the company and decided to close my division (of pharma conferences). They offered me an option in finance conferences but I wasn't interested so on the 19th of May I started job-hunting. 14th of June I stopped working (I chose to work during my notice period) and the first two weeks off were bliss as i finally managed to catch up on some of the sleep I missed out on whilst finishing my thesis. (If you recall, I didn't take any holiday after that). After the two weeks I started getting bored, and although I had been going to a few interviews, nothing materialised.

In the last 12 days everything happened: on Fri 20th I went for an interview for Officer for National Science and Engineering Week. On Monday23rd , I got called in for an interview on Friday for the position of Programme Developer for the Dana Centre. On Tuesday I got an interview set up by a recruitment agent for another position as Conference Producer. On Wednesday, I got offered the position of Officer for National Science and Engineering Week. After the interview on Friday the 27th for Conference Producer, I promptly got offered that as well. On Monday the 30th, after a very good interview and me telling them that I needed to know quickly because of another job offer, I got offered the position of Programme Developer at the Dana Centre. Which I accepted, because it's always what I have wanted to do, even though it was by far the lowest paid of the three jobs I was offered.

Check here for what the Dana Centre does, I'm going to be one of the people responsible for coming up with the ideas and transforming them into events. So it all turned out brilliantly in the end. To carry on with my stroke of fortune, yesterday I managed to get a flight to Porto for next week, with TAP, for under a £100 (all included). I am still flabbergasted, and definitely want to recommend the travel agency that got me this, Caravela. Also got one for the last weekend in August as it is my birthday, you'll probably hear more of that by e-mail.

So there it is, I start work on the 14th of August, and hope to see ALL of you come to a few of my events.