Interview with Ben from France
Fri 03 Apr 2009
With just hours to till the announcement of the top 10 Best Job in the World applicants ChannelWhitsunday.com sought some answers from the top 50 that have now endured months of blogging, interviews and sleepness nights as they campaign be the first "Island Caretaker" for the Great Barrier Reef.
We received this response from Ben from France about his campaign.
1. When you started out with BJITw did you consider the amount of time that you would have to put in to eventually be the island caretaker?
Since the begining of this adventure, I knew that I would invest a lot of time in my application. However, I did not imagine that it would be so much!
At the moment I knew I was shortlisted, my agenda radically changed :) But I am already quite familiar with dealing with the "lack of time" issue as I am a full time worker, and student during the weekends!
2. How many hours would you estimate that you have put into your campaign?
I have been working a lot during the last two months in order to create my application video, blog and all the e-marketing campaign around it. I really wanted to build a strong identity awareness around the Ben For Best Job logo. The medias attention has also been quite time consuming...
Working on average 3 hours a day on this project during the last two months, I think I spent more than 100 hours of work to set up my campaign.
3. Who has been in the most inspirational and supportive in your campaign (outside your folks)?
My girlfriend participated actively in my application. Our two different visions were complementary. My parents also helped me a lot with their networks of friends and with some precious advice. I wish to add special thanks to Elodie and Sylvie, two Facebook users I didn't know, who created and updated two new Ben For Best Job fan groups in Facebook. Finally, I want to thank Laura of FR2 TV network who was the first to talk about my blog and who supported me repeatedly during my media campaign.
4. There has been some media and internet coverage that has been quite critical of the campaign. Have you come in for any direct flak for your success thus far? How did you feel about it?
There were initially a few negative comments in some Internet Forums, from people disgruntled by the amount of money offered for what they felt was a paid vacation... This attitude disappeared very quickly when people understood that this was a serious job offer and the feedback has since been extremely supportive and enthusiastic. My feeling was that this job offer was opened to everybody, worldwide and rather than being critical they should just make the effort of sending their own application.
5. What is the most important thing you have learned during the process?
To be organized to cope with the load, to learn how to communicate over Internet and on the TV, Radio and Press medias,
6. Should you not eventually become the IC, what does life look like after the dust has settled?
I will be looking for a job on the Internet Marketing market in July '09, so I will definitely present this experience as a strong accomplishement I achieved.
It was a great experience working so hard and being shortlisted. I will never forget that :). I also enjoy "normal" life, without all the media attention. I never pretended to be a star, to become famous or else. I kept being who I am during all the campaign, and it won't change after that, even if I am selected as the IC.
