Saved by Wendy Henry

I think this morning was the closest I've come to giving up. We all have mornings when we don't want to get out of bed, but this morning was just the worst. After sending out so many "spec letters" and getting so few replies back, I've even got to the stage where I'm actually happy to get rejection letters because it means somebody took the trouble to write.

But this morning I didn't want to know. It was Graduation Day at Huddersfield University and already there was no shortage of proud looking families walking with their cap-and-gowned offspring. It was all too positive for me. I felt shabby in my anorak and wet trainers, so I called into Smiths and bought a copy of The Week to cheer myself up. I couldn't really justify the expense, but I decided that if I didn't read something intelligent in the next twelve hours my brain would turn to mush.

On the way down to the Jobsearch offices I stopped. I just couldn't face the idea of spending yet another day chasing after jobs that weren't there. I turned around and headed to the bus stop. I would go home, go back to bed if I had to. But I would not walk through a town full of bright, smiling graduates as the token dropout.

Midweek was on the radio (I always carry a very small FM radio with me. It wouldn't do to be without Radio4 in this uncivilised world) and Libby Purvis was talking to Wendy Henry, who had once been the editor of the News of the World but gave it all up to work as a Dog Socialiser at Battersea Dogs Home.

They were talking about life, the universe and everything, and I don't even think I was listening. I was just standing in the drizzle, waiting for the bus and feeling generally down in the mouth.

"So what does a Dog Socialiser do?" Libby asked.

"Well, the thing about dogs, is that they don't need a lot. Just a bit of love food and water. But when they get depressed they tend to go downhill very quickly."

I raised an eyebrow at the irony, and had a good think.

Thirty seconds later I was on my way back to the Jobsearch centre. Today I've filled out an application form to work for Linda McAvan MEP, as a Research and Communications Officer.

I'm not beaten yet. Not quite.