I've never been unemployment in all of my 18 years of working. It was a slap in the face but what can you do if the telecommunications industry is closed up tighter than a clam? I've sent out over 250 resumes (fax-email-hand delivered) and of course the good ol' follow up letters for good measures.
Than I got a form letter from HRDC (unemployment) saying they screwed up my claim and cut my unemployment insurance claim in half leaving me less than 5 checks left. I disconnected my digital cable and Internet and all non-essential items not needed to pay the bills and proceeded to panic.
I pounded the doors at the few communication company's here in Halifax when faxing and e-mail resumes didn't pay off. I was either over qualified or the shops where closed for hiring. Out of luck, one day last week I took a wrong turn coming out of a gas station and *boom* there was this company I've been trying to find. I had a resume on me and dropped it off to the project manager. I came back later than day and did it right. I made a cover letter to go along with another resume and of course my trusty video portfolio on a mini CD-R. The owner interviewed my on the spot.
He said I was tenacious, something he said he hasn't seen in a very long time. Although his company was full he gave me the job. He also said my professional resume was very impressive and that it was too hard to believe so he said that he would give me a 1 week trial to prove my skills, something I had no problem with. I know I'm going to dazzle them.
I have my Communication Cabling Specialist certification and a few others to go along with it. In his company of 16 no other employees has the CCS certification. Hell I'm also an indentured Electrician Apprentice something he didn't have either.
I'll be working on the outside plant on the CATV side of things installing residential digital cable and broadband cable for the major cable provider here in the Maritimes. The project manager is a retired telephone company employee and was my foreman's supervisor years ago. He knew the Network Provisioning I did daily at the telco and liked my attitude and personality. He wants me to run the structured wiring projects as a crew chief working new construction sites such as condo's and apartments etc. I'm thrilled! That's my cup of tea. Having a CCS is a prerequisite in the province to work in the telecommunications field to work large scale projects. All the hard work studying and passing the CCS paid off.
I get a fully outfitted van to take home and tools to boot. I asked the owner If I could use my own tools and he said sure. I just feel more comfortable using my own. So I posted some pictures of my stuff. I got my stuff ready last week. Hell, I was excited!
So I ordered my adsl connection and digital cable Monday and as you can see I was up and running yesterday.
A bit of advice to everyone. Be thankful for the job you have now no matter how crappy it is because their is not to many high paying jobs out there to find. Just be happy your working!
Man it's good to be back!
Way to go!
