Just sent a resume...
 

Well I was looking at that Buffalo job for awhile, but the more I thought about it, I decided what is the point of moving to another country if it's right across the lake from my country? I might as well just find a job in Ontario and not have to deal with visas and border crossings. Anyways, I was just browsing through jobs and this one jumped out at me from Vancouver. They are looking for a Civil Technologist to work in drafting and design for municipal projects. Salary: 55,000-75,000 :eek:
They want 5 years experience and I only have 2 and a half but I thought what the heck! It can't hurt to try, right? I just sent a resume and cover letter, and got an automatic reply from the recruiter saying he's out of the office until July 14th. I have knots in my stomach though! I know I probably won't even be contacted since the ad was posted 2 weeks ago, but I'm still kind of excited. I'm sure the excitement will eventually die down. I haven't applied for a job in so long. My company just offered me a job straight out of college and I took it!

Lindsey, sounds like a good plan & good to hear that you took the initiative to go for it!!! Let us know what happens. :crossfingers::crossfingers:

Good luck hon, I hope this works out to be a start of something better for you!

Good luck Lindsey! Change is good.

Hey Lindsey...good luck. I hope they get back to you real soon...I always hated sending out resumes and then waiting.

I have a feeling now that I won't hear back, but at least I have that first one out of the way so I feel more ready to send out more resumes now, if that makes any sense! I love BC and I've never been to Vancouver but I've always wanted to go. I've heard it's such a cool city :) It's on the coast and doesn't get a whole lot of snow, plus it apparently has the 3rd highest standard of living in the world!

OMg good luck! How cool would it be if you moved here? We could be real life human friends!!! I hope you get it!

LOL I know! My parents are in town and we just went for supper. I was talking about how I'm having trouble finding someone to watch Layla for a weekend while I go bridesmaid dress shopping with my best friend in Alberta. Then I was like "But if I went to Vancouver, I know a bunch of people from Yorkietalk there and I'm sure they would watch her if I had to go somewhere!"

I wouldn't give up yet. According to the e-mail you recieved he's not expected back in the office until today. Maybe you'll hear something next week. Don't give up so easily!!!! Good luck!!!

Heck yeah!

You're on a roll Lindsey! Isn't it exciting? The perfect job will come along and that's the one you'll get. Maybe it is this one.

Oh my gosh I just got home and there's a message on my phone from the guy in Vancouver and he likes my resume and he wants to talk to me oh my gosh I'm SHAKING! So excited, I'm trying to get ahold of my parents!!

Yaaaaa!!!!!! Fantastic, Lindsey!!!!! I'd post some celebration smilies, but don't want to jinks anything. Fingers will be crossed even tighter now!!!!

Well, my mom didn't seem too excited, and my brother seemed completely indifferent, so I don't know. I was just looking up rentals in Vancouver and I could barely find anything that allowed pets, and those that did were $1500-$2000 a month for a one bedroom apartment! And I have no idea what utility bills and stuff would be like there. Now I don't know whether to be happy or to cry!

OMG OMG OMG!!! I'm so excited for you. Remember, you are the bomb, and anyone would be lucky to have you. Keep this in mind and it'll help give you the confidence, and hopefully reduce the shakes! Good luck! Let us know.

Your mom prob. wouldn't want her baby so far away...don't let them get you down Lindsay. Rentals here is sooo expensive, but if you get a job here, I'll help you find a place that allows Layla, don't worry about that part. There are affordable places to live that do allow pets, you just have to search your butt off!~ Do well on your phone interview!!! Keep us updated!

You need to stay upbeat for your interview. Things will work out with housing if it's meant to be, and your family will come around when they see you happy. Go for the opportunity and if you are offered the job then you can decide if the move is right for you.

Turns out the job is in Chilliwack, so warmer winters but much colder and rainier summers. I'd be about 2 hours east of Vancouver. He also said that he'd pass on my resume but wasn't sure that they'd go for me being a step below the woman who had left the job. My salary would be about the same as it is now, which is lower than their ad because they were looking for more experience. Now I don't know what to think. I'm kind of bummed about it.

Give it a day and then see how you feel. Anyway, you got the job!

well I gave it a couple hours and I feel better lol. I did some more research into Chilliwack and wikipedia is wrong about their climate. Summers are about the same as here, winters are much much warmer, plus I'd still get a little snow and gorgeous mountain views. I was excited about Vancouver in the beginning, but Chilliwack isn't that far away, plus cost of living would be way less, and there's possibly a better chance of finding rentals that would allow Layla. Basically my big plan in the first place was to get out of Saskatoon, not necessarily to Vancouver, but just somewhere different. I think I could deal with Chilliwack :) We'll see if the employer decides to contact me after seeing my resume.

Well, they like me. He called back and already they told him they want to set up a phone interview. I'm so excited I'm almost jumping out of my skin! Time to research the company tonight, and look at cost of living in Chilliwack so I can think about a salary range if they ask

Oh wow!! So exciting! Chili isn't that bad...great for fishing and very beautiful, and you can still access Vancouver! So much cheaper too! Good luck I can't wait to hear!!!

Well I spoke earlier with the recruiter again, he gave me tips on the interview which he is also going to email to me... oh yeah and my interview is TOMORROW at noon. I'm so nervous. I've got some plans this evening but as soon as I get home I will be preparing for tomorrow's interview by making notes of all the projects I can remember working on in the past year and a half. Wish me luck!

Best wishes that it goes the best way for YOUR future happiness!
We all know you rock, so if they have eyes, they'll see it too.

Good luck Lindsey!

This could be the first stepping stone to walk on thru your journey into fenturing out from your home base.

What is meant to be will be..

You must be very excited thinking about all the possabilities.

Hope everything works out for you...

Lindsey, this is sounding like a good one!!!! Hope all works out for you. Let us know as soon as you can!!!

I hope everything goes great today!!!

Good luck, Lindsey!!! Let us know how things go!!!! :crossfingers::crossfingers::crossfingers:

I am feeling so sick. Everyone here is being so nice to me. My boss this morning was all smiles and asking how I am and talking about what a beautiful day it is. We just had a drafting department meeting where the engineers were saying "If you get too stressed out don't hesitate to come talk to us and we'll get everything sorted out amongst the engineers so you don't need to worry about prioritizing your work" and she finished off with "But you guys are doing a wonderful job and we're thankful for everything you do for us!"
My friend just told me "It's like cheating on your boyfriend, except it's your company"

Okay I honestly don't think that went very well. I got home a half hour early and plugged my cell phone in so it wouldn't go dead during the interview. He called and after about 5 minutes I LOST SERVICE. Sitting in one spot right beside my window in my bedroom, it just went dead. He called back and I aplogized. He was asking me questions about designs and water main fittings and stuff and I just felt so dumb. I didn't know. But I kept repeating that design is the direction I'd like to go in and I really would like to learn.
He also asked about salary and I used the recruiter's advice and told him I don't know the going rate in the engineering community around Vancouver so I couldn't say for sure. I gave him my current salary and said I would expect a raise from that to be switching jobs. Anyways, then he told me a bunch about their projects, and about the area. He also asked what my plan is and when I'd be out in that part of the country next. I said I have no idea, I've actually never been to that side of the mountains, but if this job turned into a real possibility that I'd for sure go out there and check out the area. And basically he said I would need a lot of training and he'll have to talk this over with other people and he'll call me back in about a week.
Oh yeah and he wants me to also send him some drawings I've worked on so he can see what I can do.
Ugh this is stressful. Maybe I should just be happy where I am.

Lindsey, it sounds like you're just second guessing yourself or like getting cold feet. You can always follow through with your plans...visit the area and check it out and decide from there. I hope whatever you decide, it makes you really happy and content.

Thanks Janet. I know it's seeming all a little too real now and it scares me. The problem with me just going to check it out first is that it would cost me $600 to fly out there, or it would be 18 hours to drive. I'd like to know for sure that I could get the job before I just go look.
And I sort of got a "mean" vibe from the guy :( I don't know, maybe he was just being really serious but when I interviewed with my current company everyone was so happy and always talked about what a fun environment it is to work in. He was all business and it felt like I wasn't good enough for him.
I guess with a phone interview it's harder to get a job just 'cause I'm cute :rolleyes: j/k

I don't know if I should go with my gut feeling, or if my gut feeling is just nerves.
The recruiter tried calling me at work again and left a message to tell him how the interview went. I think I will write him an email tonight instead of leaving work early as I have been doing all week to speak with him and the guy who interviewed me. I actually have work to do at my job and I don't want to put it on hold anymore just for these people.
The direction this company leans towards is the area I have absolutely no experience in. If it were something like land usage and environmental studies, I would be all over that. I guess working at my current job I've really gained an appreciation of the environmental side of things and I think I'd like to stick there. I LIKE DIRT. I don't care so much about pipes and manholes and sewers and all that stuff. My interest lies in soil :)
And on top of that, I am great at what I do. I don't mean to sound concieted, but I am really really good at drafting. I pick up computer programs so quickly, and I can easily imagine 3D structures and build 3d models on a screen. It's not something everyone is good at. And I wonder if it was just coincidence or fate that today was chosen to have a spur of the moment meeting at work to let me and my coworker know that we're doing a great job and we're very appreciated. It made me feel so good about what I do for the company.
And finally, my trip to NYC is something I've wanted to do for almost 10 years. We have basically been planning this trip for 10 years! In BC, there are only 2 weeks of holidays a year, and I definitely wouldn't get paid holidays after only a few months of work. I would need to take about a week and a half unpaid vacation, and there would definitely be no way I'd make it home for Christmas. If I stuck it out at my current job until at least after NYC, I'd keep my paid vacation time, plus almost 2 weeks off for Christmas when my office shuts down.
When I talked to my dad tonight he thought it might be a better idea to think it through a little more and apply for jobs later. Just in my one search tonight I found offices throughout BC and Alberta wanting civil technologists to draft. That's where my specialty lies. I'm very nervous about going a totally different direction. Right now drafters are in high demand almost everywhere and I don't think that trend is going to stop anytime soon.
Okay well that was a very long and drawn out ramble. I think I just needed to get that all out :) If anyone has the patience to read it all, let me know what you think.

Lindsey,

I'm so glad you got a great response, but....

"If it were something like land usage and environmental studies, I would be all over that. I guess working at my current job I've really gained an appreciation of the environmental side of things and I think I'd like to stick there. I LIKE DIRT. I don't care so much about pipes and manholes and sewers and all that stuff. My interest lies in soil :)"

I might consider waiting for an opportunity to come along that I would love. To leave just because ?????, move, and learn skills I wouldn't be that interested in, doesn't sound like I would find it worthwhile.

You are very talented and very good at what you do. Do it in an area you're really interested in.

But....:bravo:

Thanks Judy. That's the response I was hoping for :) I just sent out one resume to see what kind of response I'd get, and it just got really overwhelming really fast that I could have another job and be living halfway across the country in a month. I think that if drafting starts slowing down, I might ask my office manager if he thinks it would be okay if I followed someone doing a phase 1 environmental site assessments... we get a ton of those and apparently they are really easy to do. It might be good to get experience into that kind of thing while I'm here.

So after a bit of searching I happened to stumble upon a website for this great looking company with offices throughout Alberta and BC. And the offices in BC are in the Okanagan area which is absolutely beautiful, and I actually do have family there (my mom's brother). And they are looking for people who do exactly what I do. They also hire people straight out of school and the website seems super friendly and basically they're saying they want people who want to go and learn new things and expand their knowledge and skills, not something like "We need you to already know all of this so you can start work right away" which is how I felt with the company I interviewed with.
Anyways, I'm not going to jump the gun on this one and send out a resume just yet :) Right now they have openings in a few offices for drafters, and hopefully they will later on in the year too. Even if I don't get the office I want, I could always start and gain experience somewhere and then transfer later!
Oh yeah and this company even has a list of publications in which they've been named best employer (Top 100 Canadian employer for a few years straight, top 30 in BC) and a lot of the website is how great they treat their employees and yadda yadda yadda :) Anyways, I don't get the bad gut feeling from this place. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it!

This one does sound interesting Lindsey! You really have it all planned out well.

lol story of my life. I plan EVERYTHING. I think that's half of what scared me about the other job. It was spur of the moment and I hadn't planned it at all so I'm just not ready yet. I'm going to keep my eyes open for jobs in Canada and the US so that I can find the perfect fit for me LATER.
I still have to call back the recruiter this week. I'm not sure how to say I'm not interested anymore.

Sounds like you are making a good decision, Lindsey. I think the experience of sending out the resume and considering the other job was a good exercise for you. Now you appreciate what you have where you are for now, and have a new perspective on things. You will know when the time is right and when the move is right. Thoughtful planning like you are doing is key to a successful transition.

You are growing in maturity, young lady, and in confidence. This is a really good thing and so happy that you are sharing with us!!

Thank you so much :)

I tried calling the recruiter back today but he was on another call. I'm really getting annoyed with him constantly calling my cell during my work hours. I've told him the only times I can talk are lunch breaks, or the half hour after I'm done work when he's still at work. He still calls and leaves messages during my work hours saying he needs to talk to me as soon as possible. He's a nice guy and everything but he can't expect me to be taking calls like that when I'm working at my current job. I hope the next time I talk to him is IT. I'm still trying to figure out how to say I'm not interested anymore. Will he want reasons? He wants to "discuss the interview".