Saying Something

The last month has seen the world in a dire state. As trust in 'the system', democracy and equality has rapidly disintegrated, the powerful voice of the internet has allowed those whose frustrations mirror so many others to discuss this terrifying situation we're in. Through a common good and mutual desire for change, a hashtag is found. It may not sound like much, but the unifying power of that little symbol is enough to make headline news and attract the attention of people in power. The hashtag is increasingly becoming a revolution hidden in the guise of a punctuation mark.

Uncomfortable News

Last night I read something on Facebook that made me indescribably angry. In a poorly thought out status, a mutual acquaintance posted the following:

I re-read the post what seemed like 100 times. I was completely stunned, but thought I'd give this guy the chance to redeem himself. Maybe he was just inarticulately stating that reading about rape is a really horrific thing and if it didn't happen then we wouldn't have it in the news so often. His response (which, along with the whole status and all my comments, has now been deleted) said that yes, he agrees that it's an awful thing, but that having it in the news all the time is unnecessary and 'getting on his nerves'.

Now let's make this clear. This guy is not endorsing rape, and he is not an evil misogynist who thinks that a short skirt is 'asking for it'. He genuinely just believes that it's not necessary to report this subject so frequently in the news. He is so wrong. Along with all the other disgusting things that happen in this world like murder and famine, it is absolutely essential that the media covers these topics for so many reasons. In the case of rape, we must continue to talk about it so that women of all ages are aware of the dangers posed to them, wherever they live, however old they are, whatever time of day it is. We must make sure that our children grow up to know that this is an evil act and that it is wrong to do it, encourage it, or ignore the fact that it's happened. We must make sure that communities support rape victims and that foreign countries know that the world will not tolerate it being used as a weapon or a punishment.

I could have ignored this post on Facebook (and as a result I have deleted the guy and will no longer be associating with him as his follow-up comments were just as ignorant). I'm all for free speech, but this isn't just an opinion, this is inherently wrong. If a well-educated, seemingly decent human being who has been brought up in a vibrant and tolerant society (and, ironically, has been published in national newspapers on unrelated subjects) can post this kind of status, where does that leave us? Is this a case of a man just purely misunderstanding the threatening position a woman can end up at any point? It must be hard to realise that women must always be alert; that they walk down every street and get onto every tube and look around them to scope out who is sat next to them or who is walking behind them. It's not always walking down a dodgy alleyway or coming home late at night that triggers this instinct - it's knowing that rape is still so prevalent in all walks of society, and that predominantly it happens to women.

We must continue to talk about this subject in the media and maybe one day, rape will actually stop happening. That would be really nice.

Life: Job Hunting - How to Save Your Sanity in 5 Easy Steps

Two weeks ago I sadly had to leave my job, and after lamenting for 24 hours I realised that I'd have to find a new one and quick sharp. After graduating in 2010, I applied for internships for 5 months before getting something, and when I decided to move on to another position it took another 6 months. 


Needless to say, the thought of job hunting again therefore terrified me. I've since managed to get a fab new position in just a week, and after almost an entire year of searching and successfully getting a few opportunities in between, I wanted to share some of the things I've learnt in the hope that it'll maybe help some people realise that job hunting isn't always soul destroying, but there will always be a positive outcome if you persevere!

You don't always notice your own
mistakes on your CV

1) Please God read through your CV and then get someone else to check it!
In fact, get a whole heap of people to read through it. There's bound to be a word missing, a spelling mistake, or a layout tweak that could improve it. 


2) It's not about what you know...
It really does help to know people who could put a word in for you or find out about potential positions in their companies. Think about friends, relatives, colleagues, friends of friends, neighbours, people on Facebook you never talk to. Somebody somewhere is bound to know someone vaguely related to the industry you want to get into so forget pride, just ask!


3) Use your imagination.
Don't just rely on Guardian Jobs and Prospects for finding positions as every single person searching for a job will be using those same websites. Of course they are helpful, but try and find sites that recruit specifically for the industry you're looking for. This can be as simple as typing 'Marketing jobs' into Google to find (you guessed it) Marketing jobs.


4) Use social media!
It's not just for reading about Kim Kardashian's divorce or spying on your ex. Social media is a brilliant way of finding out about vacancies and interacting with companies and brands in a less formal setting. Why not tweet the CEO of that company you're dying to work for? It's only 140 characters, what could go wrong?!


5) Dedicate time to your search.
Finding a job doesn't just happen. You have to be on the ball, checking sites everyday if not 10 times a day. Sign up for email bulletins and tailor your CV and cover letter for every single application. Being methodical really does help. I set up a folder in my email account specifically for correspondence regarding to jobs, and had a list of companies I'd contacted and who I intended to contact. I know people who put together Excel spreadsheets for the task! It may seem like a huge pain in the behind, but it allows you to keep a tab on things and refrain from wasting your time on repeat applications.


Good luck to anyone job hunting!