Moving forward

I reserve the right to use that title for the blog because I'm actually moving forward physically and geographically - to Calgary, Alberta (I'm looking at you Dave!).

Ups and downs aside, this has been a better week. I've moved out of a crap hostel full of macho Australian wankers who drink too much and wrestle in the hallway, and I've got a firmer direction of where I'm heading (of sorts).

The job agency are still a mob of arseholes though. Of the worst kind.

At my orientation I was told to ring the HR director of "Mountain Park Lodges" who own and run about 5 or 6 different hotels up in the Jasper area, about a front desk position. This was after hourslast friday, so I rang and left a message on saturday and then rang again first thing on monday morning. Sadly when I rang, the position was already filled. So why i was told to ring is beyond me, but nevertheless these things happen.
My spirits were subsequently lifted on tuesday when an email was sent around stating that their were 4 different types of office work positions available in Calgary, where I have a friend with whom I travelled around parts of Europe last year. So I enthusiastically put my name up for that.

On wednesday I got a call from the job agency that I now have an interview for the position at Jasper which I was told was filled. No worries, the more opportunities the better, right?

I was completely honest with the interviewer in that there is possibly an opportunity for me in Calgary and that is my preference. That cut everything short. (After I explained who I am and what I'm doing in Canada etc etc). My actual question was about the timeframe of accepting or declining positions. I thought this was a fair question being that it would be wrong to accept the position (if indeed this was a job offer) and then renege if I got a position in Calgary.

 

She said she was "discouraged" by the fact that I wasn't 100% in favour of the idea of going to Jasper. I reiterated that my committment to customer service & professionalism is that I give everything 100% but she couldn't even answer whether I was close to getting the job or not. So why would I lie if I don't even know if I have a shot?

 

So essentially I've risked not getting a job because I want to get one in Calgary. And the job agency have just told me over the phone that it was essentially a job offer. Thanks for telling me that beforehand, dickheads. In fact, thanks for giving me very little detail about the position or area before hand. Google can only help me so much.

 

So, the agency weren't happy with me in the aftermath as I had not informed them of my preference of Calgary. I had initally said I don't care where I work (and to some degree still don't) but I have a friend in Calgary. And as noted above, it would be wrong to lie to one company and take a job elsewhere. That's not how I operate. In any case, the job agency tells me I must appear in person for any interviews in Calgary.


So, I'm throwing caution into the wind and flying out to Calgary. I'm going to apply for jobs there regardless of what the job agency can or can't do for me. I'm not real fond of Vancouver, and am sick of just waiting around to see what will happen.


If I can't get anything Calgary or my plans change for whatever reason, I think I will fly down to southern U.SA and be a tourist for a few months and then come home. The other option is to fly to London to see my dear brother and perhaps work there - but London is a grey, ugly place, and so are Londoners themselves.


On a more simple level, I'm eating ok due to the fact that both hostels I've stayed at have kitchens, so I've been able to buy vegetables and make lunches. And there are a couple of absurdly cheap restaurants not from me where every item on the menu is $5.95. And I've met more people and am socialising. The trick is to drink much less; of course that will have to happen in Calgary because I can't exactly sit around hungover all day when I need a job.


One last detail of note - I am off to see my first Hockey Game tonight. Really looking forward to it. I hope Dean doesn't hate me too much for it but I'm going to see Vancouver play Nashville, and obviously I'll be supporting Vancouver. It's such a unique sport; once the violence ends!