Wednesday, March 30, 2005
The last two weeks in review
The past two weeks have gone by very quickly-I guess because of the interviews and the holiday. I've also had to run my son to the naturopath. He's not progressing like he was. In fact, it seems like some things have taken a step backwards. She's now suggesting therapy just like the specialist. I asked about a support group and there might be something.
At the suggestion of a former teammate, I sent out my resume to an ex-colleague who's set up his own consulting firm. All I got back in response was a request for someone else's contact info. From the Internet job boards, I applied for a short-term contract at IBM and an AIX administrator long-term contract via recruiters, but didn't hear anything back (not surprised/disappointed). I also applied for an Intermediate Technical Analyst at the Toronto Police Service and also haven't heard anything which is disappointing. I used the church fax for this last one, and it seemed to transmit OK but maybe not. I got emails that my resume had been passed to the hiring manager at RBC and a turndown from Canadian Depository for Securities.
I applied for an mature student teaching part-time position nearby, again using the church fax. I expected to hear something since I have been having good luck with teaching applications lately, but no joy. This market appears to have dried up for now although there might be some summer school positions coming up shortly.
D.
At the suggestion of a former teammate, I sent out my resume to an ex-colleague who's set up his own consulting firm. All I got back in response was a request for someone else's contact info. From the Internet job boards, I applied for a short-term contract at IBM and an AIX administrator long-term contract via recruiters, but didn't hear anything back (not surprised/disappointed). I also applied for an Intermediate Technical Analyst at the Toronto Police Service and also haven't heard anything which is disappointing. I used the church fax for this last one, and it seemed to transmit OK but maybe not. I got emails that my resume had been passed to the hiring manager at RBC and a turndown from Canadian Depository for Securities.
I applied for an mature student teaching part-time position nearby, again using the church fax. I expected to hear something since I have been having good luck with teaching applications lately, but no joy. This market appears to have dried up for now although there might be some summer school positions coming up shortly.
D.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Happy Easter!
I had a great Easter. The WSIB interview seems to have taken a load off my mind. I'm not saying that I feel confident about the process moving to the next level, just that I'm glad that it's over.
I went to church on Good Friday to sing with the choir. The congregation outnumbered the choir which was a pleasant surprise. Although this is one of my favourite services, it is usually poorly attended. The anthems we sing at this service cannot be used at any other time of the year, e.g. My Lord is Weeping, Like a Lamb.
After the service, I started making Easter babka (Ukrainian egg bread) as I have for the last few years. It takes the remainder of the day as the bread has to rise three times.
On Saturday, we went to my sister's for Easter dinner. Passover is late this year so we didn't have to accomodate my Jewish brother-in-law and keep kosher. It was a good meal with ham, yams, perogies, peas, babka and Pillsbury crescent rolls. I also brought a green salad which I forgot out on the side porch. We had birthday cake and ice cream for my other sister who turned 49 (and holding) on Easter Sunday. My five-year-old nephew was good for a change. It was my turn to make an idiot of myself-I had a few belts before dinner and got a little tipsy. Maybe that's why I forgot the salad.
The next morning I went over to the church at 7: 15 to help out with Easter Breakfast. We had four times the food that we needed (ham, sausages, eggs, pancakes, fruit salad, toast, hot cross buns). I brought a babka for display purposes, but it ended up being cut and eaten too. Coloured boiled eggs were put out on the tables which was nice touch.
All in all, it was a nice break from the stress of job hunting.
D.
I went to church on Good Friday to sing with the choir. The congregation outnumbered the choir which was a pleasant surprise. Although this is one of my favourite services, it is usually poorly attended. The anthems we sing at this service cannot be used at any other time of the year, e.g. My Lord is Weeping, Like a Lamb.
After the service, I started making Easter babka (Ukrainian egg bread) as I have for the last few years. It takes the remainder of the day as the bread has to rise three times.
On Saturday, we went to my sister's for Easter dinner. Passover is late this year so we didn't have to accomodate my Jewish brother-in-law and keep kosher. It was a good meal with ham, yams, perogies, peas, babka and Pillsbury crescent rolls. I also brought a green salad which I forgot out on the side porch. We had birthday cake and ice cream for my other sister who turned 49 (and holding) on Easter Sunday. My five-year-old nephew was good for a change. It was my turn to make an idiot of myself-I had a few belts before dinner and got a little tipsy. Maybe that's why I forgot the salad.
The next morning I went over to the church at 7: 15 to help out with Easter Breakfast. We had four times the food that we needed (ham, sausages, eggs, pancakes, fruit salad, toast, hot cross buns). I brought a babka for display purposes, but it ended up being cut and eaten too. Coloured boiled eggs were put out on the tables which was nice touch.
All in all, it was a nice break from the stress of job hunting.
D.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Night and day
I finally got my shot at WSIB, at 3:30 in the afternoon just before the long weekend starts. This interview was the complete opposite of the one on Monday.
The hiring manager is very pleasant. We have a few laughs during the interview. She basically reviews my resume. She also asks me about oncall, documentation and tasks I avoid (I almost answered this last one seriously). It lasts about 30 and 40 minutes and seems short. The interview felt a lot like the first one at the cheque manufacturers.
I am missing one product, MQ Message Broker, so we'll have to wait and see; otherwise, I'm a good fit for their product set. She's still interviewing, but expects to move to the next round in a couple of weeks.
I saw a former CLA employee as we were walking in, but he doesn't acknowledge me and vice versa. It's the same one who wouldn't give me a reference due to "internal issues/concerns".
D.
The hiring manager is very pleasant. We have a few laughs during the interview. She basically reviews my resume. She also asks me about oncall, documentation and tasks I avoid (I almost answered this last one seriously). It lasts about 30 and 40 minutes and seems short. The interview felt a lot like the first one at the cheque manufacturers.
I am missing one product, MQ Message Broker, so we'll have to wait and see; otherwise, I'm a good fit for their product set. She's still interviewing, but expects to move to the next round in a couple of weeks.
I saw a former CLA employee as we were walking in, but he doesn't acknowledge me and vice versa. It's the same one who wouldn't give me a reference due to "internal issues/concerns".
D.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
A complete and total disaster
I came out of yesterday's interview spitting mad. Now I'm trying to figure out if I'm more mad at the interviewers or myself.
I didn't realize it until I got downtown, but this interview was in the same building where I couldn't find a company that I was scheduled to interview with. I'm hoping that this is not a bad omen.
The interview starts. The manager gives me a bunch of info about the interview process and the organization. Another interviewer joins us (I didn't know it at the time, but this was the manager's boss). The manager gives me a test to write. The two guys chat the whole time I am writing. The test gives a project scenario and asks what questions I would use to collect business requirements. Huh?
The manager asks me if I have been given the job title and seen the job description. I hadn't, at least not for the job I thought I was interviewing for. First, he gives me the wrong one. He tries to find the right one and doesn't, but I get to see one that's "the same". It's two full pages long. I scan it, and the two guys again chat while I am reading.
The interview begins and there are endless questions about business requirements (collecting, methodology used) and security. Huh? I feel like a fish completely out of water. The questions have no resemblance to the job description I saw.
At the end of the interview, the manager confirms that the title of the position is Business Analyst which at any other company that I know of is an application development role. Not at the Province of Ontario. These guys have done over 100 interviews. It doesn't show. I ask if they have an integration strategy. The manager replies that they are using WebSphere and Weblogic. Huh? These are not integration products as far as I am concerned.
The manager says they'll get back to me the beginning of next week after they score the resumes. I've heard that one before.
D.
I didn't realize it until I got downtown, but this interview was in the same building where I couldn't find a company that I was scheduled to interview with. I'm hoping that this is not a bad omen.
The interview starts. The manager gives me a bunch of info about the interview process and the organization. Another interviewer joins us (I didn't know it at the time, but this was the manager's boss). The manager gives me a test to write. The two guys chat the whole time I am writing. The test gives a project scenario and asks what questions I would use to collect business requirements. Huh?
The manager asks me if I have been given the job title and seen the job description. I hadn't, at least not for the job I thought I was interviewing for. First, he gives me the wrong one. He tries to find the right one and doesn't, but I get to see one that's "the same". It's two full pages long. I scan it, and the two guys again chat while I am reading.
The interview begins and there are endless questions about business requirements (collecting, methodology used) and security. Huh? I feel like a fish completely out of water. The questions have no resemblance to the job description I saw.
At the end of the interview, the manager confirms that the title of the position is Business Analyst which at any other company that I know of is an application development role. Not at the Province of Ontario. These guys have done over 100 interviews. It doesn't show. I ask if they have an integration strategy. The manager replies that they are using WebSphere and Weblogic. Huh? These are not integration products as far as I am concerned.
The manager says they'll get back to me the beginning of next week after they score the resumes. I've heard that one before.
D.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
" ... as long as nothing breaks."
I used the title line in a previous posting with regards to being OK financially. What it really means is not breaking the budget. I'm on fixed income for now.
We got a call from the propane company this week informing us that the province had mandated inspection of our propane system. We have to pay $150 for this privilege and then for any resulting repairs. We can't get any propane until the inspection is completed. Basically, the propane company is holding us (or our heat) hostage. I should call my MPP.
My husband quit his part-time job to get a supposedly full-time one, and take some strain off the budget. After two weeks at the new job, he isn't getting any more hours than the previous one. It's farther to drive to boot, and he doesn't get two consecutive days off. Also, he's having an allergic reaction to the cheap supplies they use. He turned down another full-time job because he'd already started the new one. It's almost karmic-he was gloating over being in such demand.
I think my van needs a brake job. My mechanic (the same one who put my snows on someone's else van) will hose me pretty good on this one.
D.
We got a call from the propane company this week informing us that the province had mandated inspection of our propane system. We have to pay $150 for this privilege and then for any resulting repairs. We can't get any propane until the inspection is completed. Basically, the propane company is holding us (or our heat) hostage. I should call my MPP.
My husband quit his part-time job to get a supposedly full-time one, and take some strain off the budget. After two weeks at the new job, he isn't getting any more hours than the previous one. It's farther to drive to boot, and he doesn't get two consecutive days off. Also, he's having an allergic reaction to the cheap supplies they use. He turned down another full-time job because he'd already started the new one. It's almost karmic-he was gloating over being in such demand.
I think my van needs a brake job. My mechanic (the same one who put my snows on someone's else van) will hose me pretty good on this one.
D.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
The eighteenth week in review
I've gotten a few recruiter calls since I resaved my resumes, but the market seems to have slowed down again. I set up more agents so emails get sent out when new opportunities are posted rather than having to surf for them. As long as I have identified some possibilities or have an interview scheduled, I'm a happy camper.
On the IT front, I'm still waiting to get my application cleared at WSIB. It's now become a matter of principle. It's dragged on so long I don't care if I get an interview or not (our tax dollars at work?). I called a recruiter about a large number of postings at a Christian client. It turned out to be World Vision Canada. They are using a lot of technologies that I am familiar with but not quite expert enough. I responded to a couple of job board postings (Application Support Analyst @ RBC, Infrastructure Specialist @ IBM via TES) that I probably won't hear anything back. The good news is that I got a bite on the resume I sent to the old CICS team leader, and I have an interview after March break. Why does the whole world come to a stop just because the kids are out of school?
On the teaching front, I completed my supply teaching application with the Toronto District School Board. I'm still studying Linear Algebra and I got a pager for the tutoring position. I haven't heard anything back from the interview I went to last week, but in this case, no news is good news.
D.
On the IT front, I'm still waiting to get my application cleared at WSIB. It's now become a matter of principle. It's dragged on so long I don't care if I get an interview or not (our tax dollars at work?). I called a recruiter about a large number of postings at a Christian client. It turned out to be World Vision Canada. They are using a lot of technologies that I am familiar with but not quite expert enough. I responded to a couple of job board postings (Application Support Analyst @ RBC, Infrastructure Specialist @ IBM via TES) that I probably won't hear anything back. The good news is that I got a bite on the resume I sent to the old CICS team leader, and I have an interview after March break. Why does the whole world come to a stop just because the kids are out of school?
On the teaching front, I completed my supply teaching application with the Toronto District School Board. I'm still studying Linear Algebra and I got a pager for the tutoring position. I haven't heard anything back from the interview I went to last week, but in this case, no news is good news.
D.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Another teaching interview
I think I forgot to mention in my last review that I had applied for another long-term supply position teaching math near Lake Simcoe. I got a call for an interview the day after applications closed which kind of surprised me. Again, getting this job would be scary because of the preparation work involved, but it's only for two months and I would have a month before the position is open to prepare.
It was a behavioural interview with three people, two vice-principals and the department head. They asked about what quality would make me a good teacher, an unresolved situation at work, what technology kids needed to be familiar with and handling diverse abilities in the classroom. I think I blew the technology question, believe it or not. I found out they had selected me for the interview on the basis of my math qualification. Funny, this didn't work for my previous application there.
It took me about forty minutes to drive there (which isn't bad actually), and the interview lasted twenty. I left with very mixed feelings. Am I kidding myself here?
D.
It was a behavioural interview with three people, two vice-principals and the department head. They asked about what quality would make me a good teacher, an unresolved situation at work, what technology kids needed to be familiar with and handling diverse abilities in the classroom. I think I blew the technology question, believe it or not. I found out they had selected me for the interview on the basis of my math qualification. Funny, this didn't work for my previous application there.
It took me about forty minutes to drive there (which isn't bad actually), and the interview lasted twenty. I left with very mixed feelings. Am I kidding myself here?
D.
Monday, March 07, 2005
The seventeenth week in review
Four months now without a job. I read somewhere that the average for management/professionals is 3.6. My husband expected me to have something in February. On the other hand, someone quoted the outplacement service as saying a month per 10K of salary.
On the IT front, I spent the first half of the week trying to get myself un-blacklisted at WSIB. Two agencies had submitted my resume with my permission (or so they claimed), but this is just not possible. No one at their HR would return my phone calls. The offending agency swore up and down that they didn't submit my resume (I have now blocked their domain from my email). The original agency is still trying to get things straightened out, but the hiring and HR managers were away on seminar all week. This is still in the context of the LDAP job where I'm really interested in the MQ position. Also, I got a nibble from the Ontario government from one of resumes I sent out to a former colleague. I need to rejig my resume for them.
On the teaching front, I got a turndown for the Barrie supply job as soon as the posting closed so they must have hired an internal applicant. I went to an open house for one of the local school boards this past weekend, but it was disappointing both on content and salary. I haven't heard anything from the tutoring company so I need to "bug" them. The first year linear algebra is tough sledding.
D.
On the IT front, I spent the first half of the week trying to get myself un-blacklisted at WSIB. Two agencies had submitted my resume with my permission (or so they claimed), but this is just not possible. No one at their HR would return my phone calls. The offending agency swore up and down that they didn't submit my resume (I have now blocked their domain from my email). The original agency is still trying to get things straightened out, but the hiring and HR managers were away on seminar all week. This is still in the context of the LDAP job where I'm really interested in the MQ position. Also, I got a nibble from the Ontario government from one of resumes I sent out to a former colleague. I need to rejig my resume for them.
On the teaching front, I got a turndown for the Barrie supply job as soon as the posting closed so they must have hired an internal applicant. I went to an open house for one of the local school boards this past weekend, but it was disappointing both on content and salary. I haven't heard anything from the tutoring company so I need to "bug" them. The first year linear algebra is tough sledding.
D.
