Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Work Life

In London I started out temping as a travel agent to see what was out there and until I could find work as a travel coordinator.  What is the difference between travel agent and travel coordinator you may ask. Well basically  the travel agent works for a travel agency booking travel (cars, hotels and flights) in a GDS (global distribution system) the generic name for the different airline reservation systems.  A travel coordinator works for a company and looks after many people's travel arrangements, liaising with the travel agency, dealing with visas, making sure payment of hotels is taken care of etc.

I started out temping for an agency in the city for 4 months, which was a great to experience working in the city.  I interviewed for a position of travel coordinator for the Royal Saudi family, but didn't get it. The next interview on a Friday afternoon was with Sky Sports (TV) as Studio Travel coordinator. By 5pm I had the job and started the following Monday! The job was just what I was looking for, except the location, it is in a business park in the suburbs about 20 minutes down the road from Heathrow Airport.

I found myself in the middle of the TV and football world, neither of which were familiar to me. There was a sharp learning curve as well as an overwhelming work load.  My job was to call up the guests coming in for shows and finding out what travel arrangements they would need to get to the studio, as well as sorting out travel for shoots and for the Sky Sports News reporters. I was working long hours but I enjoyed the new challenge, and getting to see behind the scenes of TV, I and even got to go out to France to work on some Rugby broadcasts!

I have now been here over 3 years and know a lot more about Rugby, Cricket, Darts, and of course Football. I have also worked with my boss to have my work load reduced which makes a big difference with my commute (which is over an hour), I now get home before 830pm!

The view from where I sit, that is Jo and Kate my co-workers in the foreground.

It is a very open plan office, many TV's (most recently the 3D TV arrived), if you click on it you will get a bigger version in which you can see the ciaos!

This is what the business park looks like, one of the main studios is across the road.

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