So as most would know I am an avid earth and oceans protector. It is my passion I love the ocean, the world and our animals, and it is my goal to get a job where I can do this or help to protect them in some way. However the job market in this is impossible and living in London its incredibly hard. But I try not to let this discourage me. I apply to every relevant job in the area as well as those outside of the area. I am pretty proud of my resume and get a good amount of responses to it and positive feedback as well. So when I do actually get the call for the interview I prepare as best I can and I have had some sketchy ones this past summer. The last one I went to was for a Team Leader position for a Water Plant. First of all I have never worked in one, I don't have an operator's certificate that was required and have no manager/supervisor experience (my job experience is limited enough due to the tough field, so how would I gain manager experience). So that being said I couldn't figure out why I was even called for it, some would say why did you apply for it then, well it was close by and water related I didn't think I stood a a chance but if you apply to these positions that are likely filled internally atleast they know your name in case a position you are more qualified for opens up. I didn't embelish my resume it says what my real background and skills are. So anyways I went to the interview, and the receptionist handed me a sheet of questions I would be asked, they were very job specific about water plant maintenance, finance, management, a couple I had no idea and then some that were more genera. After seeing these I really just wanted to leave but instead I stayed. There were 4 interviewers writing things down asking questions and me trying to answer and I had to actually say I have no experience in that it was intimidating and hard this went on for about an hour. But that is not all there was a written component where I was assigned a scenario and had to write a memo, which is hard when you don't know their protocols but I managed to write one. Then there was a really hard test with a lot of questions about water plant operations and procedures there was lots of chemistry and math and questions about how a plant runs which I had no idea, I am sure I bombed it but I had asked how I could study for it and was told it wouldn't be very hard. I did my best so not much more I can do. I also had a sketchy interview last month what was for a junior taxonomist position at a biological firm, it sounded so perfect what I went to school for. I knew there would be a test for it involving invertebrates. I spent days studying for this test and interview I had out all my invert books and notes and did pracitce tests on the internet. I felt I had prepared. First of all this firm was located in the basement of somebody's house (not very professional). After getting into the "lab" I was told to do the test which was a petri dish of invertebrates (mostly bugs), and she expected me to identify them without keys......talk about ridiculous. So I tried and she told me I was doing well, then she asked me to show her 2 and I was wrong. Then after that she told me if I didn't know my bugs and would have to relocate she didn't know how to go further than that and did not interview me further. Talk about rude after driving 2 plus hours to get there she wouldnt even interview me. It was also 11.00 an hour in a ritzy area of the GTA, to work in a basement who would even do that.
Anyways, due to frustrations and the fact that I haven't found a permanent job in my field I had applied to go back to school to try to take some upgrades to apply for grad school. I hope it is the right move, its so hard to break this school-work cycle. I got into Western and will be taking some geography to go along with my GIS background. I am going to be taking courses in Biogeography, which seems like a good mix of Biology and Geography, Geomorphology and Hydrology about water systems and cycles, and Geography Research Methods which has projects and qualitative and quantitative methods. I hope I can do well, although I have biology and GIS I don't really have basic geography but I think that should be fine. These courses seem relevant to my degree and the type of work I want to pursue and will be good to apply for grad school, that is my plan. There was only an intro GIS course this term that seems below me the counselor told me I could take it to try to get a good mark but I'm not sure there are some other GIS ones next term that sound more interesting and would expand on my skills. I also have one course left from my Environmental Conservation Certificate so I am going to take that as well one called Natural Chemicals in the Environment. Back to school again in order to take more school, call me crazy if you want but I think I need to try.
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