When Laura Ripley was suddenly made redundant from her job in the oil and gas industry, she took matters into her own hands.
Having lost her job as an EUR sourcing specialist, she wasted no time in looking for work elsewhere.
The 31-year-old from Portlethen joined hundreds of job seekers across the north-east who face a similar situation, due to the ripple effect of Covid-19.
With the competition at the forefront of her mind, Laura came up with a rather novel way of securing her next role.
Her quirky website hirelauraripley.co.uk is certainly not your average CV. She has opted to include some of her more unusual hobbies, including costume making and her role in directing horror films in the north-east.
Laura is hopeful that her novel approach to job hunting will pay off, and she has already secured a job interview.
“I was made redundant on Wednesday and had designed my website by the weekend,” she said.
“I live on my own and I have bills to pay, including my mortgage. But I didn’t really want to sit at my home computer, job hunting for eight hours every day. That can be pretty soul destroying.
“So, I’ve put aside one hour each morning for job applications, and that’s it. I decided to include things on my CV outside of the standard format.
“I’m 31 and I don’t think anyone has ever asked about my standard grades. The same goes for having a degree. Some of the jobs I’ve been successful at in the past actually required a degree in the advert, but I was able to offer experience.”
Although Laura has worked in the oil and gas industry for 12 years, she has made sure to include some unusual talents on her resume.
From her ability to complete a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle in less than eight hours, to her diploma in cryptozoology, it certainly makes for fascinating reading.
“A few people have said that it’s unprofessional to include stuff I do outside of work,” said Laura.
“But I don’t see it that way at all. I don’t want to hide who I am at work, and I would like to meet an employer who embraces that side of me.”
Laura has already made the news, after her foam costume making was featured in The Press and Journal’s your life weekend magazine.
She has also made the headlines further afield, after her blog went viral.
“I created this bucket list of 300 things,” said Laura. “From doing different college courses to sky-diving, I started getting sponsorship. I was interviewed by BBC, CNN and Women You Should Know because of my positive attitude to life.”
Laura is unsure if she will return to the oil and gas industry, and is open to new opportunities.
“I have bills to pay, but by showing a different side to me, I’m excited as to what might come my way,” she said.