The Job You Have When There's No Job To Have

Last week, my boss told me about two secret EA jobs that were being advertised at Landcom through my agency. Within seconds, Agency Girl was on the blower saying she'd put my CV forward.

You'd have never guessed it was where I was working from the advertisement. They made it sound like private enterprise. Well in a way it is. A government agency that has been incorporated and is responsible to a Board but still a government agency who find, buy and develop land for sustainable, affordable housing (big initiative from the Federal Budget). It's a weird mix of old public servants and new blood. Propriety prevents me from discussing the role too much but it's a good one with a dynamic female General Manager as head of the largest head count in the company. She needs a wing-girl!

Anyway, Agency Girl was very positive about my attributes (nice to know that a 25 year old living at home and who can' spell has faith in me) and an interview was arranged for Wednesday 12th August. All fine and dandy. I've had a public service interview before and began familiarising myself with all the weird stuff like Equal Employment Opportunity policies and the Finance Act. Well the Position Description said I had to know this stuff!

So, Monday morning, the agency rings and says they've cancelled Wednesday interviews and want me to front up to one of the boardrooms at 2:45 on Monday! GAH . . talk about lack of preparation! I began to lament not wearing a suit and having only my very sexy but not so corporate black trenchcoat.

It was a strange interview. The Managing Director's EA, HR Manager and my prospective boss, the General Manager, IT, Corporate Services and Finance . . .three women! This could go either way, you know how objective women are . . were they looking at my nails or the fact I was wearing a very expensive trenchcoat instead of a black suit? Was my hair corporate enough, my body language demure enough. Would I be too bolshy, to bimbo'ish . . I've been dumbing myself down a bit lately due to the constant "You're overqualified, you'll get bored!" reaction.

Basically it ended up being a 'Tell us about yourself' sales pitch. The only real question being "Would you call yourself a team player or do you prefer to work alone". This actually made sense since they were interviewing for two positions. One a work alone appointment-making, and collating the monthly Board Meeting Agenda and the other far more dynamic and people oriented position. Naturally I was really vying for the team option.

So after 40 minutes chat . . back to work I went. The whole process being very secretive and nobody even knowing that the interviews were taking place except a select few.

My current boss was rooting for me big time and putting in an amazingly good word for me. My agency rep calling me every 10 minutes to 'see how it went'. Loads of positive affirmation then Tuesday evening, another informal hour with my prospective boss, laying out the landscape, explaining her mandate and declaring that she wants me on board because we're 'peas in a pod'. Fantastic! At this point I'm thinking of taking the kids out to an expensive restaurant and cracking open the Billecart Salmon to celebrate . . . .screeeeeeeeeech . . .Hold yer horses Hells . . . just as I'm ready to accept with glee she says "I just have to run this past Belinda first."

What? Belinda is the GM's PA and has a reputation for being 2IC within the organisation. Belinda doesn't like you . . .no go! Actually she was lovely. We'll get along just fine and I received her wholehearted endorsement.

But I know you want more . .and that was the "Wednesday" reference on Saturday's Post. One more hurdle. I have to meet the MD and Director of Urban Planning, both of whom earn more than the Prime Minister. If they like me, I'm in like Flynn. So I met with them today, lovely chaps and yep. I got the job!

But I know you want more . . .however, new legislation passed on Friday night, due to a Government hiring freeze, demands that a Business Case be put forward for every new Government position whether you're a several hundred million dollar Corporation or not. So less than 2 hours ago, I'm sitting with two very frustrated women having this explained to me. The Business Case has been rushed off to Premier's Department but they have no way of knowing how long this 'hopefully' Rubber Stamp will take. There is a very remote possibility that Premiers will reject the business case and knock the job on the head . . so . . for now

I have a job . . but there isn't a job to have . . .they'll keep me busy until they hear word . . .but nobody knows how long that will take! Could be Monday (since I'm sure I'm one of the first candidates to test the new Legislation so they can't claim a 'backlog') could be next month!

Time to put pressure on my agency to increase my hourly rate and reduce their commission since I'm such a bloody good candidate and if passed, they'll receive 12% of my first years salary as payment!

So, no champagne . . and after a week in the fridge, it's ice cold . . but I am going out for dinner for a 'Claytons" celebration to celebrate the job that isn't a job, the job that might be . . sometime . . .

Don't you love the bureaucracy that is the public service! I just hope I live to see my job materialise!