jobs or lack thereof

I have never been on the open job market. I have only had two careers in my life and both I just walked into. In my arrogance I assumed that, when I left the Church, as long as I was prepared to do anything and accept minimum wage, I would easily find a job. I hadn't bargained on two things; the recession and my CV.

The recession really started to hit before I left Devon. But by the time I seriously started to look for something, the job situation in the West Midlands had become dire. I only really woke up to this when I applied for a washing up job and got knocked back in favour of someone else and then heard about a cleaning job being advertised and 200 people applying for it!

I thought my CV would help as I have worked with the public all my life and have been in responsible, leadership roles where I have had to use my own initiative. But no! Apparantly my cv scared employers off. The idea of employing an ex detective sergeant and an ex evangelist was just too much for them!

But, just as I was starting to really worry, I was offered a 'part time casual' job in the marina. It sounded great. I was to 'show out' hire boats to clients - in other words, explain how everything worked and then take them through a lock and give them basic instruction. Then when the boats returned, I was to clean them and ready them for the next guests. I was told the job wouldn't start until the season did, which would be just before Easter, but I didn't mind. I had savings still and as long as I worked 4 days a week - as promised, everything would be fine. So I didn't look for anything else, but just enjoyed the leisure time up till Easter.

To begin with it all went swimmingly. I loved working on the boats and the two men I worked with were lovely. However, within a month it became clear that the boss had over estimated the amount of work available. He gave me less and less hours, but didn't explain why. Finally, he started giving the hours that there were to someone else without telling me or explaining why. Eventually I took the hint and reluctantly returned to the souless hell that is the job centre.

Again, in my naivity, I thought the job centre was there to help you find work. No, it's there to make sure you tick the right boxes so they can hand over the pitifully small sum you are expected to live on and sneer at you while they do it.

I was running out of savings fast. The upside to that was, for the first time in my life, I really had to count the pennies and choose what to spend them on. Being broke really does sort out your priorities! Then, in June a new garden centre opened up right opposite my boat in an empty unit in the marina. A friend from another boat (fascinating 75 year old who lives on his boat and won a bronze medal in the Olympics for fast walking) went in while they were still putting the shop together, ascertained they needed staff and dragged me over there one evening, without telling me what for! He presented me to them and said "here you are then, you can employ her; she needs a job" It was hard to know who was more taken aback - me or the employer. But a couple of days later he and a couple of others interviewed me on my boat and I got the job. Only 3 days a week unfortunately, but at least it is regular money coming in.

So, I have been working there for 6 weeks and have been learning what it is like to run a shop. For 2 of my 3 days a week I'm on my own and I haven't really been taught anything - I just pick things up as I go along. I am surprised how much I enjoy it - particularly the plants. I also love the fact that, when I lock up and go home, that's it. I don't have to think about it again until my next days work. I have never had a job like that before. I also love only working three days a week. There is something very satisfying about having more days to yourself than as a wage slave! However, I'm still spending more than I'm earning (the boat loan taking a huge chunk). So that's primarily why I set up The Narrow Way. Although the idea of helping people slow down and connect with their God and themselves on a boat has been a dream for a while before I got 'Don't Panic', the need for some income has certainly spurred me on. The bad news is that I have yet to receive my first booking! Ah well, I guess these things take time.