# Can you apply to two jobs within the Canadian Armed Forces at the same time?



## alltheway (15 Sep 2011)

I am ready to begin my service with the Canadian Armed Forces (from now on in my post CAF). The thing is, is that the only job that truly appeals to me would be infantry. I put in an application online knowing that they will not be accepting them until April (possibly). The thing is, I am very eager to get in so I looked into some of the jobs that are accepting applications on the CAF website, one of them being a Medical Technician. After I looked into the job, i found that it suits me very well, involves both combat and a medical aspect which i find very appealing. I have been a lifeguard for 3 years, (not that its close at all..) so I have some prior first aid training and experience. I would like to apply to this job as well as infantry. If it came down to it I would take infantry, but knowing that there is a big chance of that job not even being available to me for a while makes me want to apply to become a Medical Technician. I applied online for the infantry, how would I apply to become a Medical Technician online as well (if it is even possible).
I hope to get a response soon! 

sincerely;

      Dave


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## PMedMoe (15 Sep 2011)

You can put more than one choice on your application.  Keep in mind, do not take a trade just to get in.

Do some reading in the threads.  Loads of answers to your questions including this one.


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## alltheway (15 Sep 2011)

I think I will pick choose any trade to get in, and if it doesn't work out for me, ill do my best to try and get put into another, trust me i'm very determined.


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## Nostix (15 Sep 2011)

alltheway said:
			
		

> I think I will pick choose any trade to get in, and if it doesn't work out for me, ill do my best to try and get put into another, trust me i'm very determined.



What you just described is essentially the problem.

Why should the CF take a spot away from someone who actually wants that trade, take the time and money to train you, and then take the time, money, and administrative effort to transfer you to a different occupation that you wanted in the first place? (Assuming you even get the opportunity to transfer)


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## aesop081 (15 Sep 2011)

alltheway said:
			
		

> trust me i'm very determined.



I'm one of those people who joined one trade and then changed to another, so i can speak confidently on this :

You being "determined" has nothing to do with it, you do not understand what you are saying. It took me 11 years to be able to change trade and i got lucky that my old trade was "open out" for a brief period and that i got picked up by my new trade the first time around.

Its easy to be "determined" when you have no idea how things work.


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## cn (15 Sep 2011)

There is an option of picking up to 3 trade choices on the application, and IIRC you list them in order of preference.



			
				alltheway said:
			
		

> ... Canadian Armed Forces (from now on in my post CAF)...



And it's just Canadian Forces, or CF


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## lethalLemon (15 Sep 2011)

You can select up to 3 possible trades for enrollment, in either NCM or Officer routes.

HOWEVER, you cannot select both NCM and Officer occupations - it's one or the other.


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## Neill McKay (15 Sep 2011)

alltheway said:
			
		

> I think I will pick choose any trade to get in, and if it doesn't work out for me, ill do my best to try and get put into another, trust me i'm very determined.


'

You have to understand that you may be in the trade you enrol into for a very long time.  While it's possible to ask to change trades (normally called a "remuster") there's no guarantee that you'll get it.  Don't enrol in a trade that you don't want to work in, potentially for as long as you're in the Forces; you could wind up very unhappy.


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## Pusser (16 Sep 2011)

NEVER join the CF in one occupation with the assumption that you can switch later.  It just doesn't work that way.  I have had to deal with too many unhappy members who weren't where they wanted to be.  It sucks for everyone concerned (including the chain of command who has to deal with it).  Another thing to remember is that one of the best ways to get a remuster is to be really good at your current occupation, which is really hard to do if you're not happy or interested in it.  Finally, the easiest occupations to get into (because they're short personnel), also tend to be the hardest to get out of (for the same reason).  Think about that before you sign up for whatever trade is open at the time.


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## Sigger (16 Sep 2011)

When I joined, I really wanted to be in the Infantry; I would have had to wait 6 months for an opening for that trade, so I decided to enroll as a SigOp. I was quite happy with what I settled with. Just being in the Military was good enough for me.


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## Neill McKay (16 Sep 2011)

I'd add that it's important for someone who is considering joining the CF to look in detail at the various trades.  I first joined before there was any significant CF recruiting presence on the web so I walked into the recruiting centre more or less blind, with little more than a notion that I wanted to consider joining the navy.  I was astonished to learn the variety of things a person can do in the navy.

Similarly, I suppose a lot of people take an interest in the infantry because that's what the layman's perception of the army is centred on: guys with rifles closing with and destroying the enemy.  But if your interest in the army (or the Forces in general) is less focused on that one aspect then you may find any number of other occupations that satisfy your desire to serve and are also interesting in themselves.


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## WingsofFury (16 Sep 2011)

I'm going back to school to take Communications in hopes of one day becoming a Public Affairs Officer.  There is an NCM trade that interests me - Image Tech - and lucky for me it is one that I wouldn't mind doing should I not make the grade and hopefully become a PAFFO.

The unlucky side of it all - neither the Image Tech trade or the PAFFO role are ones that have openings available as they are both over staffed at this time.

My best advice to you - don't waste the military's time being in a role you don't want to be in.  It's a waste of time and resources, and in the end, will be more of a drain on an already fatigued system.


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## mariomike (16 Sep 2011)

alltheway said:
			
		

> I have been a lifeguard for 3 years, (not that its close at all..) so I have some prior first aid training and experience.



Don't sell yourself short.


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