Whatever their career path, everyone fancies themselves as a bit of a writer. Which is why Stylist.co.uk will be offering regular advice on how to craft the perfect column and providing a forum for women to share their views and talent. First up to flaunt their flair for writing? Georgina Bouzova, 35, an actress from London.
Giving up the day job
It’s been two months since my last acting job, and the nasty shock I get when I check my bank balance means that I need to act fast. I call a fellow actress, who is the best person to advise on such things as she has had a plethora of jobs since drama school, not many of them involving acting.
“How about being a temp?” she says. “It’s easy enough and you get all the tea and coffee you want for absolutely free!”
So I sign up with an agency and as luck would have it, they have a position for me at a Hedge fund company in Mayfair. I’m actually quite excited about the prospect of having a ‘normal’ day job.
Stylist.co.uk columnist Georgina Bouzova (right)
My usual day would consist of rolling out of bed in time for Loose Women, whereas this week I’m up every day at 6.30am to go to work, with a spring in my step and the theme tune to Rocky on my iPod, fluttering my eyelashes at suave men in suits on their way to "very important meetings."
But after six days, the novelty has worn off and I'm worn in. I can safely say the office world is far bitchier than any film set I’ve ever worked on.
Let’s talk about Sally, PA to Head Boss. Head Boss is a 67 year old, money-making machine who drinks ten coffees a day and mutters to himself a lot about calculations and figures. Sally is like something out of Mean Girls. She has the smile of an angel but the eyes of a psycho killer. The first time I met Sally, by the coffee machine, she was moaning to the rest of the women in the office that they didn't make trousers small enough for "her size" (oh please.) Thanks to her, my job description has been miraculously transformed from Receptionist to “Sally’s Skivvy”. And all I can do is smile sweetly and say "of course".
It seems word has spread around the office of my stage and screen career “pre Receptionism”, and Head Boss has heard the news. Today, instead of marching past my desk oblivious to my presence, he wanders over, pushing his hair (what’s left of it) through his hands, and leans on my desk. "So you're a film star," he says in a charming manner as I nearly fall off my swivel chair with shock. "Well, I did a bit of telly," I say blushing. I don't usually find OAPs attractive, but Head Boss is one of those who you could actually like.
"How do you know?" I say, fiddling with my Post Its. "A little birdie told me," he says and winks at me. I blush and try and reduce the Facebook page on my screen without him noticing. "Anyway, I was intrigued," he says, " so I Googled you. And…" (Looking me up and down) "well, Georgie, I mean, you're a lovely looking girl anyway, in real life, but I found your website and by God you are one attractive lady. You must be beating the men away," he drawls, and I can see by the look in his eye that he has seen the pictures of that shoot I did for FHM in 2003.
And so, for the rest of the day, every time he passes me he bellows, "Film Star!" When I bring him his coffee he announces to the office, "My god, I have a celebrity serving my coffee." And when Sally asks me to carry yet another box to the Post Office, he butts in: "No, no, no. We can’t have Georgie lifting boxes, she's a film star!” I give her an apologetic shrug and say, "He's seen some stuff about me online." Her reply is; "Yeeeees, I've seen it too. The internet is just not your friend, is it?" I smile back sweetly as I think to myself, Well at least I'm on it!
As I walk out of the office building for the last time with a sigh of relief, I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to realise that whether you are an actress or a PA the politics never change, and they all began in exactly the same place. The playground.
Photo by Rex Features
Would you like to be a Stylist columnist? Email a 650 piece – it can be about anything from style to politics – with a photo and your contact details, age, occupation and location to: columnist@stylist.co.uk
