First Post...
Well, I finally decided to put something up here...
I'm done University! With the exception of one more, nearly completed report. It's been a wonderful five years, and I'm kinda sad to be leaving Waterloo. I have enjoyed most of University: Studying usually wasn't all that nice, especially for courses where you don't know what to study. I've enjoyed the student life, but am ready to move into the next chapter of my life: career.
Now, to find a job. I'm still not sure why I don't have one yet. For those of you who don't know the story: I had an interview with a former co-op employer that I received a good rating from, used my supervisor there as a reference, had a great interview (not stellar, but when have I had a stellar interview?), then later was told I wasn't even a second choice. I later went to Career Services at the school for a mock job interview. I was told there that there are a few things I need to work on, but that my skills were passable (which I think is obvious from the fact that I've had first round offers for my last three co-op terms). The only thing that has come to mind is that I didn't use my last technical co-op term supervisor as a reference. This was because I didn't have time to contact him (he takes a long time to respond to emails) and ensure I'd get a good reference from him.
My time at that company hadn't gone too well: mostly because it was too fast paced for my abilities. I was expected to be able to do engineering design on systems I had never heard of using charts I had never seen before. I was also expected to complete half the work of a 8 month U of A co-op student. Completely unreasonable in my mind seeing as it takes nearly 2 months to become comfortable with the process, then about 1 month to tie up loose ends in your work. This leaves me with only 1 month of time to really get things done, but gives a U of A student about 5 months! Also, since the process was petroleum based, a U of A student would have far more background in the area than I did/do. Waterloo only offers one petroleum course, and it's an optional 4th year technical elective. From what I've heard from people in the course who worked in the same industry I did, it's useless for that application anyways!
There is also the job search. I'm wondering why I'm not getting many interviews lately. Overall, I've had quite a few, but there is one in particular that is bugging me. It's for a job that I would use as a stepping stone, so I'm not heartbroken over it, but still... I've been told that I should be granted at least an interview because I have three things they look for in new hire engineers:
1) Recently graduated
2) Female (yay being a 'visible minority'...yes it is referred to that on many job applications)
3) Permanent address being Sault Ste. Marie (apparently they think if you are from the Soo, you'll want to stay there)
That's all for ranting right now. I'm going to keep plugging away at applying for jobs over the next few months. I hope to find something soon.
Onto other things...I've decided that I want to go on a backpacking camping trip in late June, like the weekend of the 20-22 or the 27-29. The plan is to go up to Lake Superior Provincial Park and take a 3 day hike on one of the backpacking trails. I've wanted to do this for a few years now, but never really had the time to plan it out. I would need to make tons of preparations because I've never done this before, and I really hate being unprepared (car camping last summer bugged me because I forgot to plan out firewood...that got so expensive).
Well, now I need to get onto packing because I have to move out of my current house by tomorrow night (why do I keep going back into residence?).
I'm done University! With the exception of one more, nearly completed report. It's been a wonderful five years, and I'm kinda sad to be leaving Waterloo. I have enjoyed most of University: Studying usually wasn't all that nice, especially for courses where you don't know what to study. I've enjoyed the student life, but am ready to move into the next chapter of my life: career.
Now, to find a job. I'm still not sure why I don't have one yet. For those of you who don't know the story: I had an interview with a former co-op employer that I received a good rating from, used my supervisor there as a reference, had a great interview (not stellar, but when have I had a stellar interview?), then later was told I wasn't even a second choice. I later went to Career Services at the school for a mock job interview. I was told there that there are a few things I need to work on, but that my skills were passable (which I think is obvious from the fact that I've had first round offers for my last three co-op terms). The only thing that has come to mind is that I didn't use my last technical co-op term supervisor as a reference. This was because I didn't have time to contact him (he takes a long time to respond to emails) and ensure I'd get a good reference from him.
My time at that company hadn't gone too well: mostly because it was too fast paced for my abilities. I was expected to be able to do engineering design on systems I had never heard of using charts I had never seen before. I was also expected to complete half the work of a 8 month U of A co-op student. Completely unreasonable in my mind seeing as it takes nearly 2 months to become comfortable with the process, then about 1 month to tie up loose ends in your work. This leaves me with only 1 month of time to really get things done, but gives a U of A student about 5 months! Also, since the process was petroleum based, a U of A student would have far more background in the area than I did/do. Waterloo only offers one petroleum course, and it's an optional 4th year technical elective. From what I've heard from people in the course who worked in the same industry I did, it's useless for that application anyways!
There is also the job search. I'm wondering why I'm not getting many interviews lately. Overall, I've had quite a few, but there is one in particular that is bugging me. It's for a job that I would use as a stepping stone, so I'm not heartbroken over it, but still... I've been told that I should be granted at least an interview because I have three things they look for in new hire engineers:
1) Recently graduated
2) Female (yay being a 'visible minority'...yes it is referred to that on many job applications)
3) Permanent address being Sault Ste. Marie (apparently they think if you are from the Soo, you'll want to stay there)
That's all for ranting right now. I'm going to keep plugging away at applying for jobs over the next few months. I hope to find something soon.
Onto other things...I've decided that I want to go on a backpacking camping trip in late June, like the weekend of the 20-22 or the 27-29. The plan is to go up to Lake Superior Provincial Park and take a 3 day hike on one of the backpacking trails. I've wanted to do this for a few years now, but never really had the time to plan it out. I would need to make tons of preparations because I've never done this before, and I really hate being unprepared (car camping last summer bugged me because I forgot to plan out firewood...that got so expensive).
Well, now I need to get onto packing because I have to move out of my current house by tomorrow night (why do I keep going back into residence?).