Not a good statistic to read yesterday, albeit unsurprising: property is a volatile market and for too long people have assumed that property is a safe investment. Long term it is, but too many people jump on a passing bandwagon which then, a few years or even a decade later, crashes.
Still, the above is a statistic merely, with no detail explaining it. Interestingly however, when I first entered the profession, the rate was quoted as 0.1%, so some conclusions can be formed.
I had a 'Back to Work' session via the JobCentre yesterday. As part of my 'job seeker's contract' I had to go: but quite frankly, what a waste of time. One statistic they quoted was that 36% of jobs are never advertised - I didn't like to ask how many of those are professional or senior management jobs (I was in a room with a group of people who clearly were not senior managers). My guess is that most managerial jobs are advertised, though I stand to be corrected and it would be interesting to find out. I base my assumption on the fact that organisations generally put a bit more effort into recruiting managers in order to make sure they get the right people: particularly in a recession when they can take their pick.
Meanwhile I have two jobs to apply for, one which I would really like but which I don't think is logistically possible, and one which I'm feeling quite keen on but which would be a complete change from surveying. It's a policy-type job with Cumbria County Council: one of the sorts of jobs which I'm always saying are filled by over-paid people who don't really do much, and which should be the first to go when local government cuts come in.... I have realised however that basically I like having a decent, relatively risk-free income: a similar conclusion, in a way, to the one to which I came when I was working as a cross-country ski rep. in Norway. Maybe I'm too lazy to be self-employed or set up my own business: or maybe I just feel more risk-averse now there's another baby on the way. I also want to be able to support Husband change career to psychiatric nursing, or whatever he decides he wishes to do: he is so clearly not an accountant, although he is quite good at it.
I actually got out into the garden for a bit yesterday and got some weeds up, and cut some of the tall grass which even the excellent new mower couldn't reach. I think I've overdosed the pond with algae remover: it's gone brown rather than clear and the fish have all died. It was rather upsetting seeing them just floating there and having to remove them. I also fished out the 'organic' barley things which are meant to help with algae control: they had obviously been struggling badly with the level of algae in our pond as they were covered in green slime. I wonder if we'll ever get the health of the pond quite right.... I certainly do not intend to introduce more fish until it is.
Daughter and I are off to Walby Farm Park with Running Friend A and her youngest daughter in a moment. She'll be able to tell me all about the pros and cons of having three!
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