I feel for the people who have ever given me a job. I have always been headstrong and a bit stroppy to say the least!
My first interview is still etched into my mind, and that of my poor employers. I was 18 when I went to an interview for a meagre post on a magazine called Pins and Needles which was meant to turn me into a true journalist. The Managing Director was a youngish sort of a chap who seemed mesmerised by the length of my mini skirt.
When he asked if I could type I blithely said that I could but with only two fingers. He employed me to start in the labelling department. Sadly when I turned up on my first day everyone discovered that I indeed could only use the digits I had mentioned. To solve this rather tricky situation he sent me on a typing course!
After a year of typing labels I was elevated to being the lady who answered the reader’s letters. Oh the things that they asked of me. One sticks in my mind, a woman wrote to say that she had groomed her dog for a year and she wanted to make the hair into a jumper for her husband! Luckily for the poor chap after I had rung around for an answer it turned out that dog hair could only be used to make slipper soles.
I must confess that as the letters got more and more peculiar I sometimes put them in the waste papers bin. But the readers weren’t fooled, they would just keep writing in again. I left the magazine when it because clear that it would take at least three years before I could be near to writing an article.
My second interview was with a husband and wife team. She specialised in Public Relations, he was a photographer. Jackie interviewed me first and I could tell from her face that I was not quite who she had in mind for the job. Luckily her husband then interviewed me. When asked if I had any special talents I replied that I was a very handy tap dancer. I got the job.
Poor Jackie and Chris had to groom me and turn me into a useful member of their team. After a while I grew a little bored and thought that I might like to try my hand in the Advertising world. We all agreed that it was time for me to spread my wings. As Bosses they were fantastic and I kept in touch with them for years.
My next Boss was a timid little woman who handled P.R and Advertising for a well known department store. She hired me on the spot as her junior and I soon found out why! The store belonged to a family and Sir Charles was the Managing Director. Every Monday we had to report to him and tell what had happened in the last week. There was always a long queue of us waiting to go and see him and Mary said that I should go instead of her as she wrote copy at that time. Which was not true, but anything to get out of the Monday ritual. Most of the people in the queue seemed very nervous and judging by their expressions when they came out Sir had given them a rather hard time.
It finally came my turn and I wasn’t worried in the least after all the worst thing he could do was to fire me, so I am afraid I answered him back as he threw questions at me. I like to think that he appreciated my talents and was not frightened of a bully like him. I stayed for two years and Mary was desperately sad when I left. I hoped she would soon find another assistant.
My next Boss was a very nice chap who was Managing Director of an Advertising agency. He gave me a job as a junior copy writer which went very well. Then the agency landed a major account with a famous fashion store. Bob thought that I would be perfect as an Account Manager. Funnily enough I was.
He also recognised that I was a bit of a loose cannon. He never recovered after I went for a very liquid lunch. I had a question for him that was to do with my wages. I held his tie and pinned him against the wall demanding a rise.
People rushed to pry me off him and he shot into his office telling his secretary not to let me near him if I had just had a large lunch. Strangely he became rather fond of me and my whacky ways so all was well. I worked in the Agency for three years until I decided that I would rather be self-employed.
I left rather sadly but full of glee with the thought of starting my own company. To give him his due he arranged a large office party to wave me good bye and also presented me with a rather nice watch to boot. I did meet up with him about a year later and he was very pleased to see me, or was it because I was finally out of his hair?
I have continued to be self-employed. At least I can’t scare any more hapless Bosses who might offer me a job! So a huge thank you for all who employed me I wouldn’t get to where I am today without you all.
Jane Buckle
