Rachel Killington's main work on a website is coming to an end - so it would be nice if a fantastic opportunity would drop from the sky. Leicester Square It's funny how things turn out. A couple of weeks ago I was idly browsing the Intranet at work during lunchtime, and came across the vacancies section as usual. Jobs are fairly hard to come by, extremely competitive, and specialised, and there hadn’t been a position I was really interested in for a good few months.
Nothing caught my eye locally, but then I noticed an amazing vacancy in Leicester Square. The position was for an entertainment online editor- basically managing the national showbiz page that features on every GCAP radio station’s website across the country. The position was my dream job - a marriage of my current role, with a passion of mine - entertainment. I’m the first to admit I love ‘celebrity’. I look forward to scouring Heat magazine every Tuesday, immersing myself in celebrity weight loss (or gain), who’s dating who, and which item of clothing is regarded as the ‘in’ thing. I love settling in from 6pm on a Monday for my weekly ‘soap night’ - a veritable soap opera banquet of Hollyoaks, Coronation Street and Eastenders. I love watching DVDs and going to the cinema, and I regularly get addicted to reality shows. To be able to write about my favourite subject, whilst doing a job I adore seemed far too idyllic an idea. So I pushed it to the back of my mind, reassuring myself that I’d have no chance of even getting an interview, let alone the job itself, as I just wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, however much I tried. I toyed with the idea of applying for the job for a few days, and decided to take the ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’ stance. I didn’t believe I had a chance of getting an interview, but thought that my application would at least prove my commitment to securing a permanent online role. I dutifully updated my CV and sent in my letter, then went off to London for a couple of days’ holiday and promptly forgot all about it. A quick checkI returned to work briefly on the Saturday, and thought I’d just check my emails whilst I was there. Nothing could have prepared me for the feeling I had when I opened my inbox… I felt sick. I went dizzy, and I took such a sharp intake of breath that it was audible halfway down the office. The message simply said ‘Are you free for an interview at 10.30 on Monday?’ Panic stations soon ensued. My boss Neil (who for some reason had popped into work at precisely the right time) assured me he would help me along the way, and although I still had doubts, I finally began to realise that to get an interview, actually meant that I was being seriously considered for the role! I had a frantic afternoon of shopping - trying on clothes as quickly as possible until I assembled an outfit that was affordable, classy and smart, but not too stuffy, conservative, frumpy or expensive. The weekend passed in a blur, and before I knew it, D-Day had arrived. Neil had gone through certain points with me, and admitted he was ‘pleasantly impressed’ with my pre-interview preparation. I bought books, and read internet articles on how to impress in an interview. I had the killer outfit, and had completed the two written tasks I had been asked to bring along. I set off for the station, and arrived with ten minutes to spare. I was finally going for my first ‘proper’ interview, in London, on my own. An interview I’d felt I had no chance of ever getting, and here I was, being considered for my dream job. It was too good to be true! Literally. An immovable obstacle My 8.30 train had been cancelled. As had the 9.00 and 9.30 services, and it looked likely that services would be cancelled, or at the very least severely disrupted for the remainder of the day. A tree had fallen onto the line. A TREE! That sort of thing happens in films or on ridiculous comedy shows, not in real life! I frantically made calls and had the interview rearranged for later in the day, then made my way to London taking a detour which involved several changes. I arrived at King’s Cross instead of Liverpool Street, and had exactly twenty minutes to get my bearings, get on the tube, and get to Leicester Square. The interview went well, despite the fact I had to complete another written task on the spot which was rather unnerving, and I left feeling extremely proud of myself for actually getting an interview in the first place. I had been told that there would be no second stage interview which was a relief, and that there were only four candidates for the position. Four! I had a one in four chance of getting my dream job. 25% chance of securing the position I had never even dared to dream about. It was all so exciting! I had two days to wait until I found out the decision. Everyone said how proud they were of me, and I even began to dream of my new life… Wait for the verdict next time. See Rachel's previous job logs: | 
