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Ex Leeds Big Brother contestant on eBay to find full time job
A former Big Brother contestant and her pal have tried an unusual method to find work - by putting themselves up for auction on internet site eBay.
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Ex-Big Brother Celebrity Hijack entrant Amy Jackson, 24, from Leeds and Hollie Belton, 23, have bravely put their names on the internet auction website in the hope of landing full-time jobs in the competitive creative advertising industry.
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Art director Amy and copywriter Hollie are hoping their unconventional tactic will land them jobs with a modest salary of 20,000 pounds each.
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The self-titled "Conjoined Creatives" have already attracted 30 bids and their highest bid so far is a whopping 40,100 pounds, which came from a private bidder.
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The cheeky pair have written "local pick up offered" and "no returns accepted" on their eBay page which says "buy now and receive brains, beauty and balls".
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The persuasive pals say they will commit to a minimum of one year in their advert which says: "Once in a lifetime offer! Two young creatives, conjoined in body and soul are selling their wares for one lucky creative director. It could be you. Treat yourself to these little gems and see your business flourish."
Oxford University graduate Amy, who has a first class degree in fine art, has been working for as little as 100 pounds a week on placements with London ad agencies for more than a year in a desperate bid to break into the creative industry.
Amy met Hollie, of Horncastle, through mutual friends in London and they soon realised they had the same ambitions.
Now the pair are hoping their current placement boss at agency 20:20 Peter Riley will see their eBay ad and snap them up on a permanent basis.
Blonde Amy found fame when she came third on Big Brother Celebrity Hijack, a twist on the usual reality show format where contestants were chosen for their unique talents.
Multi-award-winning conceptual artist Amy wanted to use her experience on the show in 2008 as a Turner prize entry, but is now desperate to crack into the creative industry with pal Hollie.
She said: "We are not selling ourselves to be cleaners, we are selling our creative minds - two minds and one team.
"We are feeling a lot more optimistic now. There have been times when it was soul destroying and there just wasn't an end to it. I think we do feel a bit more positive now.
"On average it takes six months to two years to break through in this industry and some never make it, not because they're not good enough but because there's only so long you can spend with no money."
Ambitious Amy, who reached the shortlist of five applicants to replace Carol Vorderman on Countdown, became disheartened when she realised there were more people trying to get jobs in the creative advertising jobs than those applying to be become trainee astronauts.
She said: "There are about 25 people in the UK chasing each job. The statistics are pretty grim."
Her parents, Jacky and Alex, are crossing their fingers the eBay job hunt will work out.
Mum Jacky, who runs a riding school near the family home, said: "Advertising placements don't pay them a lot and they have to work terribly long hours, it's slave labour.
"Amy's a bit of a whirlwind. She can work forever if it's something she wants to do."
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
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