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Diary of SeaGully: You think you know, but you have no idea...
I figured it's about time I partake in the personal stories so here's mine.
I had a romanticized idea about the Navy (two words, Kelly and Sinatra) ever since I was a lil' girl growing up having watched Anchors Away and Out on the Town enough to know the musical numbers off by heart.
I blame my mom for buying me a navy blouse with a gold sequined anchor and rope decolletage and a striped skirt complete with doughboy hat when I was ten. You couldn't peel that outfit off of me. It sounds cheesy but boats and water were always my drug of choice. Suffice it to say I was fascinated with all things nautical.
My ride into the application process was not a long one.
I spent a month on www.forces.ca watching every trade video, reading every trade PD, I watched Basic Up.
I went down to the CFRC Toronto and asked a bunch of questions and took home an application package.
It spent three months neglected, on my desk before I finally made the decision to fill it out and hand it in.
The recruiter was super cool we were cracking jokes and I said 'I shouldn't be joking around I'm applying for a job!'
We went over my trade choices and I started with AVN-TECH as my first but was told that because I was in the process of taking a gr.10 math course and didn't actually already have the credit, I wouldn't even be able to apply for that trade.
No matter I said, I'll place NavCom as my first choice and follow in my brother's footsteps.
A few days later I arrived for my aptitude test. I was confident that I would pass the Vocab and Spatial portions
however the math portion was a disaster because math and I do not mix very well at all.
After the test we were told to fill out the drug questionnaire and then we were shown the video about BMQ, (we were not told if we passed or failed or qualified for our trades...I found out a few days later during my interview and was really bummed out that I didn't make NavCom)
My interview went well. The Captain who conducted my interview was really nice and very informative
and I had a great time talking with him.
It really didn't feel like an interview at all ie: I wasn't nervous and I was able to be myself.
I interviewed for Boatswain.(my original 3rd choice and the only choice I qualified for)
I called back a week later to change my trade of choice to Steward after some career advice from my brother and some insight into the trade from the nice people at navy.ca
In the long run, Steward and I would be a better match than Boatswain.
I had a second interview this morning (well technically yesterday morning) for my new trade selection
The Captain said that everything checked out regarding references and security checks and the only thing left for me to complete
is the Medical and then I'd be merit listed if the Doc gave me the a.o.k.
The whole process to date has taken less than a month, with my medical to be done after the holidays.
I am surprised that it was so fast and so easy for me after reading other applicant's stories about their process.
I feel very fortunate but I also realise that everybody's different and some people in my shoes would have retaken the test or waited until the math credit was completed and then apply.
I am happy with the choice that I have made.
I can't wait for the medical and if all goes well I can't wait to get the call!
Nobody here knows me, but I'll confess, I am not a go-getter I have come up with brilliant ideas only to let them fall by the wayside
and not act on my heart. This is the first time in a long time that I've put alot of research and time and thought and ACTION into something I want.
For anyone applying, know yourself, know what questions to ask, have a realistic idea of what you're getting into, be honest, do some research to prepare yourself (this forum is a goldmine) and THINK IT THROUGH!
You'll thank yourself for applying and don't worry, don't be nervous, the recruiters are the friendliest bunch I've had the pleasure of dealing with. They are not intimidating at all and are there to HELP you. ASK away and GOOD LUCK!
oh yes, and thanks for reading this super-long story I didn't mean for it to run off like that but alas...
I figured it's about time I partake in the personal stories so here's mine.
I had a romanticized idea about the Navy (two words, Kelly and Sinatra) ever since I was a lil' girl growing up having watched Anchors Away and Out on the Town enough to know the musical numbers off by heart.
I blame my mom for buying me a navy blouse with a gold sequined anchor and rope decolletage and a striped skirt complete with doughboy hat when I was ten. You couldn't peel that outfit off of me. It sounds cheesy but boats and water were always my drug of choice. Suffice it to say I was fascinated with all things nautical.
My ride into the application process was not a long one.
I spent a month on www.forces.ca watching every trade video, reading every trade PD, I watched Basic Up.
I went down to the CFRC Toronto and asked a bunch of questions and took home an application package.
It spent three months neglected, on my desk before I finally made the decision to fill it out and hand it in.
The recruiter was super cool we were cracking jokes and I said 'I shouldn't be joking around I'm applying for a job!'
We went over my trade choices and I started with AVN-TECH as my first but was told that because I was in the process of taking a gr.10 math course and didn't actually already have the credit, I wouldn't even be able to apply for that trade.
No matter I said, I'll place NavCom as my first choice and follow in my brother's footsteps.
A few days later I arrived for my aptitude test. I was confident that I would pass the Vocab and Spatial portions
however the math portion was a disaster because math and I do not mix very well at all.
After the test we were told to fill out the drug questionnaire and then we were shown the video about BMQ, (we were not told if we passed or failed or qualified for our trades...I found out a few days later during my interview and was really bummed out that I didn't make NavCom)
My interview went well. The Captain who conducted my interview was really nice and very informative
and I had a great time talking with him.
It really didn't feel like an interview at all ie: I wasn't nervous and I was able to be myself.
I interviewed for Boatswain.(my original 3rd choice and the only choice I qualified for)
I called back a week later to change my trade of choice to Steward after some career advice from my brother and some insight into the trade from the nice people at navy.ca
In the long run, Steward and I would be a better match than Boatswain.
I had a second interview this morning (well technically yesterday morning) for my new trade selection
The Captain said that everything checked out regarding references and security checks and the only thing left for me to complete
is the Medical and then I'd be merit listed if the Doc gave me the a.o.k.
The whole process to date has taken less than a month, with my medical to be done after the holidays.
I am surprised that it was so fast and so easy for me after reading other applicant's stories about their process.
I feel very fortunate but I also realise that everybody's different and some people in my shoes would have retaken the test or waited until the math credit was completed and then apply.
I am happy with the choice that I have made.
I can't wait for the medical and if all goes well I can't wait to get the call!
Nobody here knows me, but I'll confess, I am not a go-getter I have come up with brilliant ideas only to let them fall by the wayside
and not act on my heart. This is the first time in a long time that I've put alot of research and time and thought and ACTION into something I want.
For anyone applying, know yourself, know what questions to ask, have a realistic idea of what you're getting into, be honest, do some research to prepare yourself (this forum is a goldmine) and THINK IT THROUGH!
You'll thank yourself for applying and don't worry, don't be nervous, the recruiters are the friendliest bunch I've had the pleasure of dealing with. They are not intimidating at all and are there to HELP you. ASK away and GOOD LUCK!
oh yes, and thanks for reading this super-long story I didn't mean for it to run off like that but alas...
