From where I sit,  it is still men who get all excited and thirsty for knowledge of the latest software tool, James Bond-style gadgets and the gruesome details of many a case.  But with the arrival in the last couple of years of forensic science as a mainstream subject in a few universities, women have seen the opportunties available in an industry that offers career progression, relative job security and good pay.  It also provides job satisfaction knowing that the outcome of your work is helping the world as a whole by keeping the scum off our streets.

So although the lead role in CSI Miami (or anywhere else)  is always a man, stay tuned – soon we could see women calling the shots, saying ‘Book him, Dano”. Sorry, wrong show.

Facebook is very age-friendly and Twitter seems favoured by the ‘oldies’ as a way of communicating (or should that be nattering?).  Twitter itself is a ‘blog’ of types so you could argue that every age is ‘blogging’.  But I am not sure that they would admit they ‘blogged’ in the diary/encyclopaedic sense of the word. 

So, give me a virtual ‘show of hands’ with your comments – to blog or not to blog?

Of course, most would go for the experience.  But it’s the age old rhetorical poser – how do you get experience if you can’t get a job, but how can you get a job with no experience?  Someone, somewhere – perhaps when the sun is shining and there was something in their water that morning – may decide to take a chance that day and commission some ‘new’ work.

And if you are that person – the ‘virgin’ is here……

Case example – today I placed a project for bidding on a freelance site to have a new website implemented. Being of meagre funds, I invited bids from up-and-coming designers who were willing to work for less but needed a platform to showcase their talents.  I also offered half a page on my eventual site for their own advertising, as another bonus, to appeal to traffic viewing my site. 

I had one extremely cutting comment from what I expect was an established freelancer claiming that the price I was asking meant he is increasingly being priced out of the market (yes, it is obviously all my fault) and also that any project I accepted would look s**t (rhymes with hit).  This really got my goat.  In my reply, which surprised me as to how polite I was, I reminded him that surely, he had started somewhere and the idea was not to ‘outprice’ leading people in the freelance market, but to build a portfolio for new designers.  He also remarked that I would never get a decent site for that money.  When I looked at the calibre of interested parties, I was amazed at what they could come up with for the money and all were willing to work on my premise because I was honest about the type of person I wanted to work with – someone with enthusiasm and vision.  Perhaps the professional felt threatened by the younger, fresher freelancers?  Or could it be his prices have been slightly higher than they needed to be when the credit crunch was not apparent, and now could do with being brought down in line with his competition?

Regardless, I took it as professional snobbery.  Of course I understand that I will get what I pay for.  I am not expecting an award-winning site but I do feel pleased that I can give a helping hand to someone desperate to show the world what they can do.