As the title implies, I am once again employed!
Not just any old job this time, and actual career job in my field, with actual chances for advancement within the company!

I’m going to be working for a new branch of a small lab media company. It’s still quite small, but growing.

They make growth media, mainly for IVF. That’s in vitro fertilization, if you are unsure. The irony is not lost on me.

But I get to work in a brand new, well-equipped lab, in the city I want to live in! *squee*

It’s technically an entry level position, since I am still just a fresh graduate, but it starts at [something very nice].
To that I say: Awesome!
However, they want to train me up the way they like, and want me to head the lab once I’m trained and have some experience under my belt. Woo hoo!

I went through 2 interviews (including spending time on a Saturday watching and learning what the actual process entailed) and was potentially going to have to site through a third. They got burned pretty bad by the last person they hired – she didn’t want to do some parts of her job, like cleaning the lab (It’s a clean room, it’s not like we can hire Molly Maid to come clean it for us!) or proper filing. On top of that, she quit via phone call, while the boss was overseas at a conference, stating that the job clashed with her morality (why the hell would you apply to a job that makes media for IVF, if you believe IVF is playing God and therefore wrong?).

So they wanted to be darn sure I didn’t suck, and would actually do my job.

They also kept stressing that they were looking for someone to stay with the company for years. Me, me! I want some o’ that modern day equivalent to job security, please!

*squeeing happy dance*

The recap:
-Job in my field
-Full time, permanent (not contract work)
-Pays well (has benefits, but I don’t know the details yet)
-Is in the city where I want to live
-Is near places where Josh can find a job
-Potential for growth and promotion

Sounds good to me! ^_^

So watch out, Guelph! Here we come (again)!
(Speaking of which, we’ll be in Guelph probably Friday and Saturday looking for a place to live. If you know of housing listings somewhere besides UoG and the newspaper, please let us know!)

I’ve lost over 10 pounds since I quit my job! (That reminds me, I forgot to post about that. Well, I quit my job after being there a month because it sucked. I got two paycheques out of it to pay bills, and now I’m spending time on my business and on looking for a real job).
Anyway.
That’s not a lot overall, but it’s a lot when the only lifestyle change you make is a massive reduction in stress level. School was stressful. The stupid job was stressful. Now they are gone! Yay!
I’m also able to grow my nails now. I usually tear them up when I get stressed or nervous, so they’re always short and stumpy and in poor shape.
Since I got rid of the things in my life that causes all-encompasing, never ending stress, they’ve grown very nicely, and I can deal with the normal amounts of life stress that people get, because there’s not a huge one in the background. Yet. That could change, the longer I go without finding a job.

In job hunt news: still no news.
I got a “congratulations, you’re on the short list for an interview!” email from a company in Mississauga, but that was back on June 19th so I’ve pretty much written that one off since it’s been so long since then and they said they’d contact me “soon” if I was selected for an interview. Damnit, that one sounded really good, too.

I applied for a lab technician job at McMaster University today.
I also applied through 2 “Microbiology Analyst” jobs, a Lab Tech, and a QA Food Tech job on Workopolis.
Busy day. My cover leters are all starting to sound the same.

Yup, I’m employed.
Don’t get all excited, it’s not a “real” job yet. ^_~

For legal purposes (aka “because I shall undoubtedly bitch about it”) the company shall remain nameless. However, here’s three big hints:
1. Inbound call center
2. Tech support
3. Josh works there
If you don’t know where Josh works, points 1 and 2 are really all you need to know. ^_^

Not exactly a job I can see myself enjoying, but this way I can make $10/hour while I continue my hunt for a real job. Making money to pay off student debt is always good.

For the next 3 weeks I’ll be in traning, with nice wonky hours. 4pm to 12:30am. That’s right, 4 in the afternoon until after midnight.
Good thing I have a car, because the London busses don’t run after like 11 (or 12 or something, regardless they stop before I’m done my shift) and unlike Josh there’s no way I’d feel comfortable walking down Oxford by myself after midnight.

On the plus side, that leaves most of the “business hours” time of the day free, if I need to go anywhere for an interview. ^_^

Well, no job for me yet.

I was notified today that they had selected one of the other candidates.

On the plus side, I was told I interviewed very well, and got some tips on how to improve for the future.
On the down side, I’m still jobless, and as of the last couple days, I’ve applied to every relevant job on Workopolis and Monster, not counting ones I’m grossly underqualified for (eg Lab Manager with min 7 years lab managing experience).

Off to continue the job hunt!

They called back! I have a second interview for the Microbiology Technical job this Wednesday!

Cross your fingers for me!

Two good things about this second interview:

1. I’ll be more prepared; the first one I hadn’t had an interview in over 2 years so I was pretty rusty

2. I’m being interviewed by a different person, so I can wear the same suit I wore last week! ^_~