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London calling, and we have jobs!

Wow, this is the fourth blog entry. I'm impressed with myself. Honestly, I thought I would have given up by now but apparently I've lured myself into a false sense of security and assumed people actually care about what I'm saying. Thanks to those that keep reading, and if this is your first one then you should start with the first one and read them all. Have a reading binge rather than a TV binge.


Today is all about jobs, and how my journey up to London was one full of excitement, new horizons and how I found the Malawian embassy. 

Ben the diplomat
Told you. 😄 Right, let's get on with it.

I experienced various feelings when my love/hate relationship with Plymouth University ended around a year ago. Joy (I had actually survived), sadness (as my personal life was torn asunder by my inability to be a good boyfriend) and excited for the prospect of going out into the world and winning at adulthood.

Of course, I was armed with a History degree so my quest to conquer adulthood would be like trying to take on a German Panzer division with a sock puppet on one hand and the other clamped around a sign saying 'Please go away'. Prospects were low, although my desire to become a teacher and make a difference to the lives of the young generation gave me some sort of direction.

Tweed is the look of the century
These dreams fell flat; to go back to my previous analogy, the Panzer division had rumbled over me and were now in the process of running over my body multiple times in order to create some fine powder. Brutal, but that's what it felt like. 

University had given me stability for three years. I could work through the summer and know that I would be back to the life of alcohol and essays. Yet now I had no tertiary education to fall back on. It's quite scary actually, with a massive change like that. We graduates have it tough, unless you can get an internship at Daddy's company, then you're ok. 

On Wednesday I found myself doing something I had never done before in my life- going up to London in a suit. I felt like a proper businessman with my coffee and Tupperware box of mixed nuts to fuel my body with healthy fats and keep my skin beautiful. I knew those around me were thinking how dapper I looked, and admired the sheer amount of concentration I was paying to my phone. Sadly I was not pouring over some business documentation; the Premier League fixtures had just been released.

I'm such a good businessman
London, as always, looked gorgeous. On the day that Greenfell was engulfed in flames, not to mention the aftermath of two terrorist attacks, London could not be stopped. I love London, and if I ended up living over a chip shop on some back street then I wouldn't care. I just want to be part of the rush.
What a good looking capital city
I made my way to High Holborn to meet with the team at Inspiring Interns and film a video CV. 'How modern!' I thought when I was told about this meeting two weeks ago. Now I could show the adult world how beautiful I was and how my skills would lead myself and the company to greatness. My research skills, my teamwork abilities, and some other characteristics that are obviously super important would excel me to glory.
The bottom one is the most important IMHO
This job hunt has led me to some very interesting opportunities. What started as an application to work as a Graduate Researcher evolved into trying to become a Club Journalist for Norwich City FC, a Police Officer for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and an FX Broker. Am I ambitious, or am I just under the illusion that my skills as a historian means that I can do something successful with my life?

All I can say is that if you feel a little bit trapped in a job and want a way out, then go for it. One small passion or skill can lead to a whole new career. I enjoy writing and being active on social media, so I've applied to work for companies who need someone to communicate with a wider audience. Compared to the journalists I haven't got a hope in hell but there's no shame in trying.

I don't know how this story will end, but this crazy journey is something we graduates go through. Some career paths are clear with a certain degree, others are a little more... well... complicated. Historians are usually assumed to go into teaching or end up in their garden shed surrounded by books and shrouded in darkness. This would be an awesome life, but the desire to earn money and fund my lavish life is one that can't be stopped. 

All I know is that this is an important step for me in my journey to be an adult. Now would be a good time to put in an inspirational quote, so here is one from the kind folks at Inspiring Interns. I've heard it before, but seriously it's so perfect that more people need to see it. 

Cracking stuff! Carpe Diem and all that.

Ben G xo 😁 

(P.S. Sorry for the selfies, I'm a walking stereotype of a social media loser really)





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