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Nov. 20th, 2012 05:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bare_bearThis morning was a bit of a rollar coaster of an emotional ride. Glad the worst of that one is over.
Wait, let me backtrack a bit.
(This is extremely long because I needed to organize my thoughts and get this out of my head. Long bit behind the cut, short story below.)
As I've said (oh so numerously) before, I'm looking for work, have been looking for work for a long while now. I've been on EI (employment insurance - sort of back up insurance we pay into every pay cheque in case you lose your job and need income until you find another one), but it ran out at the end of October, as they so helpfully told me two weeks into November via post. Since I was barely getting by on EI, I was left wondering how the heck I was going to pay for rent, food, student loans, etc.
So needless to say, I'm getting a little desperate on the job-hunt.
Unfortunately, even if I found something, anything, for income, I'm not going to receive anything for the end of the month deadline of All The Bills. Then, I heard from my Mom. Apparently some of the old family property was sold, and my Grandma is splitting the money between her three kids. Since my Dad is gone, she's splitting his portion between my brother and I. It's not a lot of money, but it was enough to buy the winter tires for my car that it so desperately needs. I've had so many near misses from sliding through intersections because Whitehorse doesn't seem to plow any of their roads, and my private car insurance sucks. (I miss public insurance.) However, now I know exactly where that money is going to go: keeping a roof over my head.
So that's one problem temporarily solved.
Luckily, the Geoscience Forum is on here in town, and the Trade Show is free. On Sunday, I dressed up in more professional gear, printed off a pile of resumes on D's printer, and tottled my way over. Nervious as hell talking to people, but I eventually relaxed and remembered the Networking skills I learned as a Grad Student. Eventually made my way over to one of the mining companies here in Yukon, one whom I've been incredibly impressed by based on their environmental practices and work with First Nation Communities.
And then I proceeded to smooze.
While they don't have any positions available in the environmental side, they do have a position available as a Geology Technician. A bit of a step down, even for someone with just a geology undergraduate degree, but I don't even care. It's geo work, I get to play with rocks, and it's full time fly-in camp work. It's underground, but I've done that before. The HR rep took my resume, asked me to send her a digital copy, and said she'd talk with the Senior Geo.
Cue two days later to this morning:
I was planning on heading down to the trade show to remind this company that I'm Very Awesome and Perfect For The Position. But I woke up anxious and really down. See, on top of this trade show, I've been conversing with my Thesis Supervisor about job opportunities here, and finally worked up the nerve to email her my resume and cover letter (a concept that freaked the fuck out of me). I've also sent applications all over the place, cold called several companies, and talked to employers from entirely unrelated jobs.
This morning, I was a burnt-out, nervous wreck.
So after nearly crying a couple times and having what I can only assume was an anxiety attack when I tried to write an email to someone I really owe a professional email, I declaired a Mental Health Day. No more job applications, no more resumes, no trade show, no nothing. Maybe not the best thing, professionally, but infinitely the best thing mentally and emotionally. I planned to make eggs and hashbrowns for lunch, make some tea and knit while watching tv, and Not Think. I even declaired it on facebook.
And then, just as I cracked a couple eggs in the pan, my phone rang. It does this a lot. Not because anyone is trying to get a hold of me, but because my number is very similar to at least 2 other people, and I get their phone calls all the time.
This time, it was the Mining Company, calling to set up an interview. Tomorrow.
Well, if that didn't completely 180 degree turn my mood around, nothing else could! I was giddy! I don't know why I didn't expect them to call me, I was pretty sure I smoozed my way into at least an interview at the Trade Show on Sunday. But after so long with absolutely nothing, no interests from anyone, I guess it didn't really click in that someone, sometime would eventually call me back. I gushed all over a couple of very good friends to get that excess glee out of my system (thanks guys!), and have been up and down all day.
I want this job. Not only because, uh, need a job and this is the first one to come along, but because I would rather go work at a mine site than in a consulting office. My last job taught me that. I'd be working a 2 week in-2 week out rotational cycle, which would be fantastic! One of the things I hated the most about the last office job (and is a common complaint I hear from everyone in that sort of job) is that you can't just leave the job at work, you have to take it home. That doesn't really happen at this type of job. Never mind that I'll get to work with rocks again (!!!). And while their environmental sector is full right now, something may open up in the future, and these places much rather hire in-staff first. So while it's not the job I really want, it's possibly on the path to it.
Plus it should be decent money, and I'd love to start seriously paying down my debt asap.
But this is all getting a head of myself, and one of the reasons my mood keeps dumping. I have to get through the interview first, and I have to wait to see if they actually want me. No sense counting my chickens before they're hatched (this phrase is only just starting to make sense to me, btw).
So, really long story short: after a really (really) long job hunt, a lot of networking at a local geoscience trade show, and an anxiety attack this morning over the concept of doing more job hunting and networking, I have an interview tomorrow morning for a geo tech position at a Yukon mine! Work I don't mind doing (yay rocks!), and in a place where I could possibly move into environmental down the road. At a mine who has impressed me with their policies and practices.
Wait, let me backtrack a bit.
(This is extremely long because I needed to organize my thoughts and get this out of my head. Long bit behind the cut, short story below.)
As I've said (oh so numerously) before, I'm looking for work, have been looking for work for a long while now. I've been on EI (employment insurance - sort of back up insurance we pay into every pay cheque in case you lose your job and need income until you find another one), but it ran out at the end of October, as they so helpfully told me two weeks into November via post. Since I was barely getting by on EI, I was left wondering how the heck I was going to pay for rent, food, student loans, etc.
So needless to say, I'm getting a little desperate on the job-hunt.
Unfortunately, even if I found something, anything, for income, I'm not going to receive anything for the end of the month deadline of All The Bills. Then, I heard from my Mom. Apparently some of the old family property was sold, and my Grandma is splitting the money between her three kids. Since my Dad is gone, she's splitting his portion between my brother and I. It's not a lot of money, but it was enough to buy the winter tires for my car that it so desperately needs. I've had so many near misses from sliding through intersections because Whitehorse doesn't seem to plow any of their roads, and my private car insurance sucks. (I miss public insurance.) However, now I know exactly where that money is going to go: keeping a roof over my head.
So that's one problem temporarily solved.
Luckily, the Geoscience Forum is on here in town, and the Trade Show is free. On Sunday, I dressed up in more professional gear, printed off a pile of resumes on D's printer, and tottled my way over. Nervious as hell talking to people, but I eventually relaxed and remembered the Networking skills I learned as a Grad Student. Eventually made my way over to one of the mining companies here in Yukon, one whom I've been incredibly impressed by based on their environmental practices and work with First Nation Communities.
And then I proceeded to smooze.
While they don't have any positions available in the environmental side, they do have a position available as a Geology Technician. A bit of a step down, even for someone with just a geology undergraduate degree, but I don't even care. It's geo work, I get to play with rocks, and it's full time fly-in camp work. It's underground, but I've done that before. The HR rep took my resume, asked me to send her a digital copy, and said she'd talk with the Senior Geo.
Cue two days later to this morning:
I was planning on heading down to the trade show to remind this company that I'm Very Awesome and Perfect For The Position. But I woke up anxious and really down. See, on top of this trade show, I've been conversing with my Thesis Supervisor about job opportunities here, and finally worked up the nerve to email her my resume and cover letter (a concept that freaked the fuck out of me). I've also sent applications all over the place, cold called several companies, and talked to employers from entirely unrelated jobs.
This morning, I was a burnt-out, nervous wreck.
So after nearly crying a couple times and having what I can only assume was an anxiety attack when I tried to write an email to someone I really owe a professional email, I declaired a Mental Health Day. No more job applications, no more resumes, no trade show, no nothing. Maybe not the best thing, professionally, but infinitely the best thing mentally and emotionally. I planned to make eggs and hashbrowns for lunch, make some tea and knit while watching tv, and Not Think. I even declaired it on facebook.
And then, just as I cracked a couple eggs in the pan, my phone rang. It does this a lot. Not because anyone is trying to get a hold of me, but because my number is very similar to at least 2 other people, and I get their phone calls all the time.
This time, it was the Mining Company, calling to set up an interview. Tomorrow.
Well, if that didn't completely 180 degree turn my mood around, nothing else could! I was giddy! I don't know why I didn't expect them to call me, I was pretty sure I smoozed my way into at least an interview at the Trade Show on Sunday. But after so long with absolutely nothing, no interests from anyone, I guess it didn't really click in that someone, sometime would eventually call me back. I gushed all over a couple of very good friends to get that excess glee out of my system (thanks guys!), and have been up and down all day.
I want this job. Not only because, uh, need a job and this is the first one to come along, but because I would rather go work at a mine site than in a consulting office. My last job taught me that. I'd be working a 2 week in-2 week out rotational cycle, which would be fantastic! One of the things I hated the most about the last office job (and is a common complaint I hear from everyone in that sort of job) is that you can't just leave the job at work, you have to take it home. That doesn't really happen at this type of job. Never mind that I'll get to work with rocks again (!!!). And while their environmental sector is full right now, something may open up in the future, and these places much rather hire in-staff first. So while it's not the job I really want, it's possibly on the path to it.
Plus it should be decent money, and I'd love to start seriously paying down my debt asap.
But this is all getting a head of myself, and one of the reasons my mood keeps dumping. I have to get through the interview first, and I have to wait to see if they actually want me. No sense counting my chickens before they're hatched (this phrase is only just starting to make sense to me, btw).
So, really long story short: after a really (really) long job hunt, a lot of networking at a local geoscience trade show, and an anxiety attack this morning over the concept of doing more job hunting and networking, I have an interview tomorrow morning for a geo tech position at a Yukon mine! Work I don't mind doing (yay rocks!), and in a place where I could possibly move into environmental down the road. At a mine who has impressed me with their policies and practices.
