Just about to head in to work for my third shift since returning home. It's been nice to see everyone in the shop and good to be doing something out of the house, but I must admit I am not happy to be back at work for the most part. My knees have been troubling me a lot since the start of February and standing for eight hours a day, walking up and down stairs, and bending/squatting down to reach books on lower shelves surely isn't helping them any. I am still trying to sort out what to do with myself for the next six or seven months, because ideally I would like to make my big move (aka THE BIG PLAN) in October. Of course, that is all dependent on how soon I get myself a job that pays at least double what I'm making now (which, trust me, isn't going to be too hard considering my wee salary at the moment) and on how motivated I am to stick to my guns.
This time, I think I am more than ready to get out of here and should be able to follow any path necessary to get there. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll have some new job prospects on the horizon. Wish me luck.
Showing posts with label Job Search. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Job Search. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Thursday, 29 November 2007
my poor, neglected blog
It has been nearly one week since my last post, and considering I was keeping pretty up-to-date with entries, I feel this six day absence is just unacceptable. Of course, the main reason for not writing is because I have been working a lot (which is great!) and in my time off have been keeping busy. Until today that is. Today is the first day since I started work that I have had absolutely nothing to do. No appointments, no babysitting, no lunch meetings, nothing. I am sitting at home, in my grubby clothes doing laundry and browsing the Internet for jobs.
Speaking of which, yesterday I sent in a fairly decent application for an editor position at the Imperial War Museum in London only to find out that the deadline was noon GMT (so 7am my time) and therefore I missed the deadline by about five hours. My application is NOT being considered. Suppose it serves me right for not having gotten my stuff together with more time to spare. Hmph.
I found another potential job in London, but am not sure how they feel about telephone interviews and/or about hiring a Canadian. The good thing about this one is that it's a 12 month contract, which is the exact length of time I can work without a permit... so they wouldn't have to worry about me running off on them after a year of work. In fact, they would insist that I run off. So we'll see.
On Sunday afternoon I had some of my dear high school friends over. Anna brought her son Kofi over and we were joined by Emily, Leanne, Doug and Ron and later by Kate and her sister Stacy. It was a really nice afternoon full of memories and photos, good food and great company. I really should host little gatherings like that more often. It's nice to know that even after six years away from each other we can all sit around in my living room and chat like no time has passed. I mean, except for the fact that one of us has a child now, things don't feel like they have changed all that much. It's good to have good friends.
Hmmm, what else? My parents have decided to come to my graduation ceremony in January. I didn't expect them to come at all and therefore am pleasantly surprised that they will be coming. It looks like they will be in England about one week before I arrive and will leave before I do as well, giving us probably one week together over there. It will be nice for them to meet some of my English friends finally. When they visited in June/July there wasn't much of a chance to get everyone together, and I missed the few chances I had to introduce them to certain friends of mine. There's always more time, right?
Work is going well. I've been moved up to the Home section of the store, which includes Self Help & Well Being, Cooking, The Home, Music & Performing Arts, Crafts & Hobbies, and Art/Architecture/Photography. It's a really packed section in terms of very little space for some very large books, but I'm enjoying it all the same. PLUS the staff up there are really welcoming, so that helps a lot. I am getting a lot of very good ideas for Christmas gifts this year. I don't have much money to buy said gifts, but I will sort something out one way or another.
Okay, that's about it for now. I am getting very excited for Christmas even though it's still a few weeks away. My family and I are going to cut down our tree this year, hopefully around 16 December - but we'll sort that out closer to the date. What is everyone else doing for the holidays?
Speaking of which, yesterday I sent in a fairly decent application for an editor position at the Imperial War Museum in London only to find out that the deadline was noon GMT (so 7am my time) and therefore I missed the deadline by about five hours. My application is NOT being considered. Suppose it serves me right for not having gotten my stuff together with more time to spare. Hmph.
I found another potential job in London, but am not sure how they feel about telephone interviews and/or about hiring a Canadian. The good thing about this one is that it's a 12 month contract, which is the exact length of time I can work without a permit... so they wouldn't have to worry about me running off on them after a year of work. In fact, they would insist that I run off. So we'll see.
On Sunday afternoon I had some of my dear high school friends over. Anna brought her son Kofi over and we were joined by Emily, Leanne, Doug and Ron and later by Kate and her sister Stacy. It was a really nice afternoon full of memories and photos, good food and great company. I really should host little gatherings like that more often. It's nice to know that even after six years away from each other we can all sit around in my living room and chat like no time has passed. I mean, except for the fact that one of us has a child now, things don't feel like they have changed all that much. It's good to have good friends.
Hmmm, what else? My parents have decided to come to my graduation ceremony in January. I didn't expect them to come at all and therefore am pleasantly surprised that they will be coming. It looks like they will be in England about one week before I arrive and will leave before I do as well, giving us probably one week together over there. It will be nice for them to meet some of my English friends finally. When they visited in June/July there wasn't much of a chance to get everyone together, and I missed the few chances I had to introduce them to certain friends of mine. There's always more time, right?
Work is going well. I've been moved up to the Home section of the store, which includes Self Help & Well Being, Cooking, The Home, Music & Performing Arts, Crafts & Hobbies, and Art/Architecture/Photography. It's a really packed section in terms of very little space for some very large books, but I'm enjoying it all the same. PLUS the staff up there are really welcoming, so that helps a lot. I am getting a lot of very good ideas for Christmas gifts this year. I don't have much money to buy said gifts, but I will sort something out one way or another.
Okay, that's about it for now. I am getting very excited for Christmas even though it's still a few weeks away. My family and I are going to cut down our tree this year, hopefully around 16 December - but we'll sort that out closer to the date. What is everyone else doing for the holidays?
Saturday, 3 November 2007
the search is over
that's right folks, i am employed.
i start training on monday afternoon for my oh-so-convenient seasonal position at one of my favoure book shops.
i have no idea how often i will be working, what sort of shifts i will be working, or what parts of the store i will be working in. that will all be revealed in future posts with the label, yup you guessed it, BOOKSTORE.
i have a dress code to adhere to now, so i have to go out and do some shopping. what a shame! the dress code is:
bottoms - black, gray, blue, brown, or tan - no jeans or corduroy
top - black, white or any shade of blue
shoes - no sneakers
pretty easy, pretty classy. i am excited to no longer be merely "sitting around writing whimsical tracts on [my] Internet blog" as my dear friend jack so lovingly put it. i will be making some money to fund my winter vacation at the end of january.
huzzah!
i start training on monday afternoon for my oh-so-convenient seasonal position at one of my favoure book shops.
i have no idea how often i will be working, what sort of shifts i will be working, or what parts of the store i will be working in. that will all be revealed in future posts with the label, yup you guessed it, BOOKSTORE.
i have a dress code to adhere to now, so i have to go out and do some shopping. what a shame! the dress code is:
pretty easy, pretty classy. i am excited to no longer be merely "sitting around writing whimsical tracts on [my] Internet blog" as my dear friend jack so lovingly put it. i will be making some money to fund my winter vacation at the end of january.
huzzah!
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
books = money??
maybe.
i stopped by the book store today (aka my favourite store in toronto) and dropped off a resume. not 45 minutes later i got a call from them asking me to come in for a group interview later today. naturally, i said yes!
the group interview was pretty good, especially since i think i was the most experienced of the six of us being interviewed. we were told that tomorrow before 6pm we would hear from them if they were interested in having us see the general manager for a second interview. two hours later i got a call asking me to come in for that second interview. so friday is the big day - we'll see how it goes.
the job is seasonal, which means my contract would end either mid january
(which would be PERFECT timing for my trip to england) or the start of january. the pay isn't great, but better than the zero dollars per hour that i'm raking in at the moment. and really, working in a store i love, helping customers, listening to music, with a discount on books/cds/dvds/gifts right around christmas time is a-ok with me.
fingers crossed... i'm too bored to stay unemployed much longer.
i stopped by the book store today (aka my favourite store in toronto) and dropped off a resume. not 45 minutes later i got a call from them asking me to come in for a group interview later today. naturally, i said yes!
the group interview was pretty good, especially since i think i was the most experienced of the six of us being interviewed. we were told that tomorrow before 6pm we would hear from them if they were interested in having us see the general manager for a second interview. two hours later i got a call asking me to come in for that second interview. so friday is the big day - we'll see how it goes.
the job is seasonal, which means my contract would end either mid january
(which would be PERFECT timing for my trip to england) or the start of january. the pay isn't great, but better than the zero dollars per hour that i'm raking in at the moment. and really, working in a store i love, helping customers, listening to music, with a discount on books/cds/dvds/gifts right around christmas time is a-ok with me.
fingers crossed... i'm too bored to stay unemployed much longer.
Saturday, 27 October 2007
operation get me out of here: update
i stopped by one of my local pubs today to fill out an application and drop off my resume. working at a pub was a major part of my big plan, because tips in toronto are oh-so-generous if you have a friendly smile and always remember to say "i'm so sorry" when you spill something... anyway, after standing in that particular pub today, surrounded by the dullness of a friday afternoon at a pub in north toronto, i realised that is not the place for me. halfway through filling out an application for a job that may or may not even become available before january ("yea, people are coming and going all the time" according to the bartender), i told him i'd bring it back in another day once i had all the phone numbers for my references sorted.
truth: i will not be bringing it back in another day.
so, i'm back to the drawing board. well, not really. i'm still looking for a job. did i mention that i went to a staffing agency the other day and apparently made a good impression because i got a call from them that afternoon with a job for the following day. unfortunately i couldn't do it because of volunteering at the gym.
speaking of which... if i want a proper job i won't be able to volunteer anymore. if i can't volunteer anymore, i won't have a free membership to the gym. if i don't have a free membership anymore i will have to pay for one and that means signing some sort of lengthy contract which i am not too thrilled about doing. signing a lengthy contract could potentially mean me staying in toronto much, much longer than planned. and by 'much much' i mean a few extra months. BUT if i stay with things the way they are now, volunteering, working out for free, and no job, i won't have the money to get back to england - EVER!
i think the realistic goal for the big move is may/june. the vacation in january is still on and i'm hoping to make it last 3-4 weeks. that way i can make sure i spend enough time with all of the wonderful friends i have over there AND a little time with my family.
and of course, i am looking for a job that does not require me to work beyond 20 january... or one that will let me take a month off after working there only a couple months. sounds good to me.
wishful thinking or realistic goals? you decide.
*sigh*
---
in other news:
DAN IN REAL LIFE certainly worth seeing. family togetherness, lots of love, some dancing, some bowling, and just a feel good sort of movie.
truth: i will not be bringing it back in another day.
so, i'm back to the drawing board. well, not really. i'm still looking for a job. did i mention that i went to a staffing agency the other day and apparently made a good impression because i got a call from them that afternoon with a job for the following day. unfortunately i couldn't do it because of volunteering at the gym.
speaking of which... if i want a proper job i won't be able to volunteer anymore. if i can't volunteer anymore, i won't have a free membership to the gym. if i don't have a free membership anymore i will have to pay for one and that means signing some sort of lengthy contract which i am not too thrilled about doing. signing a lengthy contract could potentially mean me staying in toronto much, much longer than planned. and by 'much much' i mean a few extra months. BUT if i stay with things the way they are now, volunteering, working out for free, and no job, i won't have the money to get back to england - EVER!
i think the realistic goal for the big move is may/june. the vacation in january is still on and i'm hoping to make it last 3-4 weeks. that way i can make sure i spend enough time with all of the wonderful friends i have over there AND a little time with my family.
and of course, i am looking for a job that does not require me to work beyond 20 january... or one that will let me take a month off after working there only a couple months. sounds good to me.
wishful thinking or realistic goals? you decide.
*sigh*
---
in other news:
DAN IN REAL LIFE
Saturday, 20 October 2007
the big plan (aka operation get me out of here)
now that i have been home six weeks i have decided it's time to set out a plan for myself. this plan is one that has been in the works in my head since i stepped off the plane in toronto last month, but over the last week or so it's starting to get put to paper. so here goes: the big plan aka operation get me out of here.
step one: get a job/other source of income - without money the rest of the plan will not be possible.
step two: check results next month and make sure i have passed my MA and obtain a letter from the university proving that i have passed.
step three: re-apply for entry clearance, if the embassy tells me i can't use my current valid visa, to the UK and get myself into the country under the International Graduate Scheme
step four: have a happy holiday season and bid farewell, once again, to the wonderful people of toronto and get packed for at least 12 months in the UK
pretty simple, right? actually, i think it is. so long as i get my butt in gear and get a job RIGHT NOW i can probably save up enough money to allow me to live in the UK for at least a couple months without a job... in the meantime i am applying for jobs here and there and am open to any number of areas for work. if all goes well my ticket to london on 21 january might very well be THE BIG TICKET (meaning, the one that takes me over there to live), but if i can't get stuff together in time, or if i feel it would be wiser to stick it out in toronto a little longer then that ticket will be the one that brings me to my graduation.
either way, i'm bound for england 21 january and will post updates on how long that stay will last.
now, to make some soup.... it's cold in here.
step one: get a job/other source of income - without money the rest of the plan will not be possible.
step two: check results next month and make sure i have passed my MA and obtain a letter from the university proving that i have passed.
step three: re-apply for entry clearance, if the embassy tells me i can't use my current valid visa, to the UK and get myself into the country under the International Graduate Scheme
step four: have a happy holiday season and bid farewell, once again, to the wonderful people of toronto and get packed for at least 12 months in the UK
pretty simple, right? actually, i think it is. so long as i get my butt in gear and get a job RIGHT NOW i can probably save up enough money to allow me to live in the UK for at least a couple months without a job... in the meantime i am applying for jobs here and there and am open to any number of areas for work. if all goes well my ticket to london on 21 january might very well be THE BIG TICKET (meaning, the one that takes me over there to live), but if i can't get stuff together in time, or if i feel it would be wiser to stick it out in toronto a little longer then that ticket will be the one that brings me to my graduation.
either way, i'm bound for england 21 january and will post updates on how long that stay will last.
now, to make some soup.... it's cold in here.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
the reason i came home
my cousin erika's wedding this weekend was fantastic - and the best reason for coming back to this side of the pond. she was a beautiful bride, her husband is perfect for her and just such a sweetheart, and the ceremony and reception were both wonderful! it couldn't have been a more perfect day.
i will post some photos later tonight or later this week (depending on how much energy i have to sit in front of my laptop and watch the photos upload... 12 hours in the car yesterday has wiped me out).
no volunteering this week (yay!) so i am making good use of my free time to contact the british consulate (about getting back to england on the international graduate scheme) and to advance my job search.
it appears that i have been very lazy and very picky. i've applied for a number of jobs online and have neglected to write down the position titles and companies for said jobs. this laziness on my part has resulted in me having no clue what job i am being asked to come and interview for with PRIMERICA financial group in north york... i do remember sending in a resume to a random receptionist post, so i think this must be it. sadly (or perhaps foolishly) i am going to decline the interview offer in hopes that something closer to home and less financially-based will come up.
more soon...
i will post some photos later tonight or later this week (depending on how much energy i have to sit in front of my laptop and watch the photos upload... 12 hours in the car yesterday has wiped me out).
no volunteering this week (yay!) so i am making good use of my free time to contact the british consulate (about getting back to england on the international graduate scheme) and to advance my job search.
it appears that i have been very lazy and very picky. i've applied for a number of jobs online and have neglected to write down the position titles and companies for said jobs. this laziness on my part has resulted in me having no clue what job i am being asked to come and interview for with PRIMERICA financial group in north york... i do remember sending in a resume to a random receptionist post, so i think this must be it. sadly (or perhaps foolishly) i am going to decline the interview offer in hopes that something closer to home and less financially-based will come up.
more soon...
Thursday, 27 September 2007
jobs, jobs, jobs, which are good, which are bad?
So, in my continued half-assed search for employment I have been somewhat mindlessly sending my CV out via email. This afternoon I got a call from a staffing agency to whom I sent an application late last night/early this morning. Fortunately the woman said my resume was "quite interesting" and she would like to discuss it with me. Unfortunately, I can't really remember which job I ended up applying for through their website. Hmmm.
My father's response to this news: "They probably have some job that no one else wants." Thanks, Dad. That is really supportive.
Everyone else's response: "Cool, maybe you can get some temporary work until you find what you really want to do!" Thanks, everyone else.
---
In other news, I am currently trying to find a decent plan for a new mobile phone. I've found a few decent no-contract plans, but the phones themselves cost a FORTUNE! Oh, I hate these telecommunications companies sometimes. I am on the lookout for an old Telus or Solo phone if you know anywhere I can get one that I would be able to re-activate on a new plan...
Tomorrow night: SUSHI with Robbie and Suh! Looking forward to it muchly! Yummmm.
My father's response to this news: "They probably have some job that no one else wants." Thanks, Dad. That is really supportive.
Everyone else's response: "Cool, maybe you can get some temporary work until you find what you really want to do!" Thanks, everyone else.
---
In other news, I am currently trying to find a decent plan for a new mobile phone. I've found a few decent no-contract plans, but the phones themselves cost a FORTUNE! Oh, I hate these telecommunications companies sometimes. I am on the lookout for an old Telus or Solo phone if you know anywhere I can get one that I would be able to re-activate on a new plan...
Tomorrow night: SUSHI with Robbie and Suh! Looking forward to it muchly! Yummmm.
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