Doggy business and dodgy business.

Where shall I start? Maybe the dodgy one first. Well, it’s not really dodgy but I will call it that as it looks good next to doggy.

When I was still doing my PhD on top of and in spite of my research I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations. There were two reasons why I decided to do it;  partly to gain more skills as a backup for my PhD – by principle to make sure I am capable of doing something that isn’t research. And partly to have a twist in my CV to make it easier to get out of the lab and do something FUN with my science degree.

A few years down the line – it was a brilliant decision. My PR degree got me into far more interviews than my PhD in the past 6 months.

But there is a BUT. Having graduated a couple of years ago and doing full time research means I did not have experience. So these interviews went very well but jobs were given to people who had more experience (du’uh). And as it was a vicious circle of not being able to gain more experience without having experience, I gave myself a chance to gain more experience and opened a PR agency.

The business was also aimed at keeping me busy and optimistic against all the difficulties with finding jobs.

So here I am, totally new to Bristol and the UK and running a business that is based mostly on contacts.

I am gaining experience, but it is far slower than it would have been if someone was wishing to introduce me to it. I am making contacts. I am getting media interested in my clients. As with everything, this has been an up-and-down experience. Some topics are being picked up by the media without much effort, and some need to be forced upon the media with a lot of effort.

Bottom line is that I am self-employed unemployed. How does it look on my CV? That is the question. My business is what I have been doing since my PhD. It proves I have been trying to make use of my time, it means I have been gaining experience in PR, it means I have initiative and  that I am not afraid of taking charge of the situation. It means I understand how to run a business, not just a lab. I had to learn how to make a website, how to run a Facebook fanpage, I learned how to use Twitter and Pinterest. I even had to understand far more than I ever wanted about  Search Engline Optimisation.  I would like to put it on my CV. BUT… But then why would I be applying for a job if my business was going well? Won’t a potential employer think I must be failing if I am still interested in jobs? Or that I must be indecisive if I apply for jobs a few months after deciding to start a business. One of my friends recommended naming it freelancing. One of those PR words that do the brilliant jobs while being gibberish really…

What about doggy business? As I am unemployed and home a lot I signed up as a host to take care of dogs while their owners go on holiday. The doggy arrives for a few days with all the necessary equipment, food, leads, grooming kits and toys and I give it walks, open food tins and play with it. Genius! Loads of fun and early mornings! Everything an unemployed person needs!