Third Time Lucky

Well I can finally deliver some good news about my buying career. After nearly 2 years of working towards it, I've finally been offered a Trainer Buyer position! Officially I'll start work on 16th April and cannot wait to get stuck in. What a week it's been waiting for an answer but finally the right one came. In the mean time, if you have any suggestions for first day outfits, I'm happy to hear them!
Lots of love,
VA xxx

How much of success is actually just luck?

Today I spent a gruelling afternoon trailing round Manchester doing research for yet another presentation. Some may think that going round shops looking at children's clothes would be easy as pie, but no, not when you're trying to get an idea of what pure competitors are doing and how this compares to a range you've never worked with before. Now we all know this is the third time in a year that I am going through this process, the second time it's for a childrenswear job. This got me thinking how much of my progression is really down to me and my hard work, and how much is down to luck, circumstance and the ever present, who you know. I realise that in my first attempt I wasn't ready and it was completely fair that I didn't get the job. Then in my second attempt, I had worked so hard, done everything I could and yet still it wasn't enough. To be fair to the interviewer, there were others with more experience, but in my defence, how can I get more of this without giving up my current job and paying my mortgage to replace it with a free month or two or work experience?! Whoever says once your foot's in the door of a business you can move around, don't believe it. If anything, the fact that I already work in the company - even though it's in a completely unrelated dept - means that they expect more from me than any other candidate. I realise I don't have as much experience and so they probably need me to strive harder for it, but really, no one has time to give me this experience when they're already so busy and working long days. I can't expect them to give up their free time to help me, but neither should my office.
Anyway, I suppose I'm preparing myself for the worst, again. Whether I'll have a mental breakdown if this happens is another question. But I will ask this, if I've done everything I can to get all the experience I can, what else is there? Luck. And often the helping hand of someone high up. Fortunately, or unfortunately, for me I have principles. I know, I didn't realise it till now either! But I don't want to be given a job based on someone on high saying they want me to have it. I want to be given the job because I'm good enough and I've worked hard to get it. Its bot like I'm under some delusion that I can do this - last time HR and the interviewer said i was more than capable of the job and would do well. So surely that's only fair that I should get it? Right? I guess I'll just do my best and wait for a phone call.
Lots of love,
VA xxxxxxxx