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! ^_~

I think my interview went really well. ^_^

It was a nice little 45 minuts drive down to the place, which wasn’t bad at all. Apparently a lot of their staff live in the Tri-City/Guelph or London areas and just commute down to Paris.

Nice little facility; only about 2 years old so everything is state of the art, which is always fun . ^_^

As far as I could tell, the interview itself went well, and now I just need to wait and see if I get a second interview next week. ^_^
Cross your fingers for me again!

I finally have a job interview!
Of course, it would be the only job I’ve applied to that isn’t a permanent position (it’s a 14 month maternity leave). But hey, 14 months of experience and money is 14 months of experience and money! ^_^

It’s for Export Packers, in Paris, Ontario. They make “ready to eat cooked chicken products”. Mmm boy.
The job description was the same as most of the jobs I’ve applied for, and all of the jobs I’ve had (except Zehrs): Hot/cold/noisy/wet work environment. Standing and walking. Sample collection. Work lots of hours, with sometimes wonky shifts.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt but had t sell it because I’m poor now.

My interview is Thursday afternoon (right after a very stressful exam, yay!) so wish me luck! ^_^

Dear Maple Leaf Foods,

Please call me. I don’t have cooties.
You have posted the exact same Microbiology Lab Technician job about 3 times since February. I have applied all 3 times.
You are obviously not getting the specific superhuman person you are looking for, so just give me a shot. Please pick up the phone, and give me an interview.

Love,

The girl who really needs a job and already IS a good “Microbiology Lab Technician”

_________

They keep posting the same job. If it’s not the exact same job, then they’ve got a whole bunch of Micro Lab Techs, and all of them happened to leave their jobs within the past 2 months.

Their application website is kinda screwy, though. It lets you save a cover letter and a resume.
The first time I applied (to several positions), I assumed it would send the resume/cover letter to whoever gets the job applications, but now I’m pretty sure it just send them a link to my MapleLeafJobs.ca profile and lets them view the stored resume/cover letter there. So all those carefully worded, job-specific applications were useless, I believe, if instead of sending them out it just told the HR person to check out my profile, because unless they checked right away they’d see a cover letter talking about a different job position they had open. Now I have a nice generic one there. Not as good overall, but better for this situation 😛

PS: give me an interview!