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Interview advice (merged)

Most of their questions are quite specific to point where they can be answered with ease but make sure you know yourself (resume & what you entered when you filled out your application forms) and your trade choices like the back of your hand, based on notion that you know what your own hand is like very well...
Prior to the interview, the atmosphere may be sickening due to the anxiety but it ends up being very relaxed. The interviewer is a human being, he/she wears the same pants as you and eats the same food too. Like any other interview, be honest and highlight the most relevant skills pertaining to the available position or trade.
Just remember the importance of professional demeanor during an interview.

Good luck!
 
kolkim said:
I am filling out the interview planning sheet but I'm wondering if they will really ask most of these questions, especially things like "Tell me about a time when you were criticized for your performance. How did you accept the criticism?". Are questions like this asked in that form of manner making you really think about specific times in your life for many questions?

Given that throughout your military career you'll be getting evaluations of your performance, some of which may be very critical, it's a very valid question.  If you think you walk on water and your performance speaks to the contrary and someone tells you about it, how you react will directly affect how the next reporting period goes...and possibly how your career progresses, if at all. 

BTW, my interview for my current job, the first I'd done in many years incidentally, was almost in it's entirety about my abilties to relate interpersonally, accept and give criticism, accept responsibility, knowledge of personal shortcomings and how I'd improve on them, etc...very little about my professional abilities.

Food for thought.

MM
 
kolkim said:
I am filling out the interview planning sheet but I'm wondering if they will really ask most of these questions, especially things like "Tell me about a time when you were criticized for your performance. How did you accept the criticism?". Are questions like this asked in that form of manner making you really think about specific times in your life for many questions?


Hmm, I can't recall exactly but I'm thinking that you fill out the form and then they go over your answers verbally, at least I think this is how i'm remembering it was done. The interview though is confidential I think. In addition to the questions themselves, if they feel the need to get more information for a clear response they will delve into any of your answers they may not have a clear impression on.

If I recall I think most of the questions are very straight forward. So in terms of the form, I think they look over the forms you provide, and confirm the details. I can't remember exactly though but expect any information you provide to be verified or scruitinized. I'm pretty sure that the stuff is just to get a general impression of your personality and to start making some notes on your file in regard to suitability.

I am not administration so this is just my opinion and could be completely wrong.

EDIT:

Just to add, anything you write if not sufficient, will likely be verbally expanded, and what you say may be noted just to fill in the blanks a bit to make the answers full enough or summarized a bit.


For sure though, I would just aim to be prepared to have a chat about the questions on the form.
 
So I'm an 18 year old Canadian male who has graduated from highschool in BC last June. I'm seriously considering joining the Navy, and from what I've read on the website, the job I'm most interested in is Boatswain. I'm not sure about whether I want to join in for full-time or part time, and I needed to confirm alot of general information in person with a recruiter before making any decisions.

I read on the internet that it is the job of recruiters to answer my questions and make me feel comfortable, when I entered the recruiting office today this did not happen at all.
The recruiter automatically put me on the defensive the minute I walked in. He first directed me to the computers and told me to use the website that I had already used, and before I could say anything he explained everything the site would explain to me. I had already used the site and I wouldn't be going out of my way to go to the place if the site could help me instead. He then asked me my highschool GPA of which I don't even know and he then explained to me that the hiring process is competitive and only the top 50% of applicants will be hired. I told him I used the site and I'm interested in boatswain and he told me they are hiring them all tomorrow so I would have to apply for next year and he told me to apply online. I told him I'm not sure if I'm even applying yet I just wanted to ask some questions, then I asked him when is the nearest time training would start and he said about 8 months, I still had plenty of questions but I wasn't going to stand over him at his desk uncomfortably and have him try to make me leave, so I just left.
the entire time he had an irritated tone in his voice and It was clear that he had no intention of helping me or trying to convince me to enlist, is this the norm for all recruiters or should I try another recruiter on vancouver island?
 
Anon36912 said:
So I'm an 18 year old Canadian male who has graduated from highschool in BC last June. I'm seriously considering joining the Navy, and from what I've read on the website, the job I'm most interested in is Boatswain. I'm not sure about whether I want to join in for full-time or part time, and I needed to confirm alot of general information in person with a recruiter before making any decisions.

I read on the internet that it is the job of recruiters to answer my questions and make me feel comfortable, when I entered the recruiting office today this did not happen at all.
The recruiter automatically put me on the defensive the minute I walked in. He first directed me to the computers and told me to use the website that I had already used, and before I could say anything he explained everything the site would explain to me. I had already used the site and I wouldn't be going out of my way to go to the place if the site could help me instead. He then asked me my highschool GPA of which I don't even know and he then explained to me that the hiring process is competitive and only the top 50% of applicants will be hired. I told him I used the site and I'm interested in boatswain and he told me they are hiring them all tomorrow so I would have to apply for next year and he told me to apply online. I told him I'm not sure if I'm even applying yet I just wanted to ask some questions, then I asked him when is the nearest time training would start and he said about 8 months, I still had plenty of questions but I wasn't going to stand over him at his desk uncomfortably and have him try to make me leave, so I just left.
the entire time he had an irritated tone in his voice and It was clear that he had no intention of helping me or trying to convince me to enlist, is this the norm for all recruiters or should I try another recruiter on vancouver island?

Wow............what an experience.

You're probably better off to "search" Army.ca for answers to your questions.  The people here are much more accommodating......unless of course you neglect to use "spell check", have bad grammar or ask questions which have already been asked..... lol
 
Anon36912 said:
I'm sorry did I make any spelling errors?

Not that I noticed but I did have to change my post due to bad grammar.....lol
 
Sometimes recruiters are really great.
Sometimes recruiters are the people no one else wants to work with.


Consider this.
You don't want to join the military, you're considering joining the military but you're not quite sure yet. You have a bunch of questions and your on the fence.  There are a lot of people who want to join the military 100%.  Recruiters are swamped with work. They're swamped with a lot of people trying to get a few spots.  They're also swamped with people who waste their time, change their mind at the last second or can't make up their mind.

Considering their time is limited and stretched very thin, do you think it's more beneficial for the recruiter to spend his time on people dead set on joining the Canadian Forces (dealing with the gross amount of paperwork) or spending his time trying to convince someone to join? Someone who might change their mind.

I'm quite critical of recruiters and the recruiting system for our military but it sounds like you wanted them to stop what their doing and almost beg you to join.
 
Just to make it clear for the OP, this site is not official.
Your dissatisfaction with how a recruiter dealt with you can not be solved here.

Yes, there are many current, experienced CAF members here but this site is unofficial.
If you are looking to make a formal complaint, this is the wrong place to do it.
 
Everyone has a bad day. The recruiter is probably stressed out and taking it out on you. Ever heard the expression "Sh*t rolls down hill"? Don't take it personally.

Keep reading the sites. Check out "basic up" on youtube. Maybe go to the local reserve unit and ask to talk to some of the guys (buy them a coffee) or watch a drill. Frankly, if you need to be convinced to join you're probably not going down the right path or maybe you're just not ready.
 
I agree with the "people have bad days". When I first walked into my nearest recruiting centre, I felt that the recruiter I spoke with was rude. A few weeks later when I walked in again, it was like he was a completely different person, telling jokes and having laughs with me. Rule of thumb: Don't take things too personally.
 
OblivionKnight said:
I agree with the "people have bad days". When I first walked into my nearest recruiting centre, I felt that the recruiter I spoke with was rude. A few weeks later when I walked in again, it was like he was a completely different person, telling jokes and having laughs with me. Rule of thumb: Don't take things too personally.

You know what they say......."First impressions are lasting impressions". 
 
I fully understand how it feels to walk into a recruiting office for the first time, I was incredibly nervous and barely able to put a sentence together, and the recruiters being the first contact you have with CAF might leave a bitter taste in your mouth. But over the course of my application the recruiting staff I have dealt with have been the most gracious and helpful people I have EVER met.

So in addition to searching for your answers on this site you should also return to the recruiting office one day and ask them to to staff. Chances are they will be very helpful and give you a good idea about what the CAF offers and what they are all about. Don't go all the way to the Victoria office just because you had one bad experience with a recruiter.

Also I see why the recruiter told you to look for info on the forces sight, from what I've seen people walk into the recruiting office pretty uninformed and telling them to go the forces.ca would make his/her job alot easier. If you walk in and show that you have a good understanding of what job you are interested in, then I don't see why they wouldn't stop and help you.
 
Thank you all for your replies.

generally I am more leaning towards joining, I simply need to figure out some specifics before I apply, I took the time to go to the building so I assumed that would show atleast a bit that I am serious about joining,  I did not expect him to beg me to join, but to atleast not seem upset that I was there.

Yes I know the site isn't official.

maybe he did have a bad day, but it really did bug me, I had work today and I had to wake up earlier and go out of my way to go there and the help i got wasn't worth it.

Anyways thanks guys I'll stick at it and go in again some other time when I figure out what I need to.
 
Anon36912 said:
generally I am more leaning towards joining, I simply need to figure out some specifics before I apply, I took the time to go to the building so I assumed that would show atleast a bit that I am serious about joining,  I did not expect him to beg me to join, but to atleast not seem upset that I was there.

maybe he did have a bad day, but it really did bug me
, I had work today and I had to wake up earlier and go out of my way to go there and the help i got wasn't worth it.

Remembering my own application and conversations with recruiters, both as a member and as an applicant:  In general (like when applying for most jobs), coming into a recruiting center and expecting someone to answer all your questions to your satisfaction is a two way street - if you come in with a fairly good understanding of what you are interested in and have done the research to show you are an informed and interested applicant, most recruiters will usually be happy to answer questions and/or find someone who can.  If you come in with little more then "I think I'd like to do "X" doesn't really give much inclination to your interest or knowledge.

Adding to that, most recruiting offices tend to have a fairly high number of individuals dipping their toes into the idea of joining the military.  After watching dozens of people tie up their time and efforts - it can make recruiters less then enthusiastic about answering every question when there is a resource (like the website) able to answer your question more effectively.  Most recruiters, while knowledgeable about the military, may not have the answers you are looking for in specific (I could answer generic questions about the Army, but would be more inclined to direct you to a computer regarding the Air Force or Navy, for example).

Ultimately, while it would be awesome if all recruiters were able to spend hours with everyone coming in the door and infallible with regards to their people skills, things are not always "ideal".  If you found someone being rude to you at a recruiting center uncomfortable, you may be in for a surprise once you start training.  Don't let one bad experience change your goals however - It is a big military, and you won't love everyone you come into contact with.
 
Anon36912 said:
Thank you all for your replies.

generally I am more leaning towards joining, I simply need to figure out some specifics before I apply, I took the time to go to the building so I assumed that would show at least a bit that I am serious about joining,  I did not expect him to beg me to join, but to at least not seem upset that I was there.

Yes I know the site isn't official.

maybe he did have a bad day, but it really did bug me, I had work today and I had to wake up earlier and go out of my way to go there and the help i got wasn't worth it.

Anyways thanks guys I'll stick at it and go in again some other time when I figure out what I need to.

I don't want to sound like an asshole here but you have to remember something: It is a privilege to be in the CAF. The CAF is an employer of choice; meaning that people want to be here.  In fact, there are so many people who want to be here that we have to be very careful who we pick.  Furthermore, this will benefit you to know if you decide to be in the military:
1) Know and research before you go and ask questions.  It it better to be prepared and seek only the answer you can't find.
2) Have thick skin: your training will be long and arduous if you get upset over the smallest things.  When you have Sgt and MCpls yelling at you at 3am after a week of no sleep in the cold outside, this will seem trivial...but if you can't hack this incident, how are you going to last in the training system?

Water off the duck's back, and use this forum to try to get some answers.  Most of us here would like to help ;D
 
...is this the norm for all recruiters or should I try another recruiter on vancouver island?

One could consider it a selection technique.  If you never come back, the recruiter will then know which side of the fence you chose to be on.  :nod:



 
That's strange to hear. Having had ample time dealing with recruiters I always found them to be genuine and approachable along with most people in CAF. It was their adminstrative capabilities I was not impressed with.


Bouncer:
He mentioned he used the forces website to research his trade, the next logical step is to talk to a recruiter. And yes it may be a privilege to be a member of CAF, but we should make an effort/maybe even go out of our way a bit to help people walking into a recruiting center find answers to their questions and be as professional as possible. I know two people on the fence about joining the CF due to a certain lack of professionalism from the recruiting system. (This went for myself until a certain member on this forum helped me out, hope restored lol) One who has previously served and another who is a personal trainer and went out of his way to get some medical schooling as to accommodate the CAF. Also having had the opportunity to spend time in the British military recruiting system, I can now compare the two and say the Brits are a little further ahead of us.

Yes thick skin helps but I don't think the guy is "upset" as much as frustrated. With proper grounds for it. Maybe your question about hacking it isn't directed at him specifically though. Anon, it's not that bad.

Agreed that we are all more than happy to help. And that this forum is a good place for it as the chances you're recruiter having the answers to your question are slim as its hard to speak on other trades.

 
UnwiseCritic said:
Also having had the opportunity to spend time in the British military recruiting system, I can now compare the two and say the Brits are a little further ahead of us.

Can you expand on this a bit more, I would be interested to hear?

Nevertheless, the recruiting systems of our NATO counterparts are disctinctly unique in the way they approach things.

The US system is something to see.  Each element (Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines) traditionally recruit for themselves and each "recruiter" is responsible for their own applicants, in some way shape or form.  I believe that once an applicant is chosen and ready for enrolment in the US Armed Services, they are turned over to a "Processing Station" who looks after all the paperwork and details.  Something that would not be possible in Canada due to the manpower requirements.

 
DAA said:
Can you expand on this a bit more, I would be interested to hear?

First thing that happens when you walk in AFCO (recruiting center) is them getting some basic details from you. Regardless if you plan on applying or not. It's just a single sheet of paper on clip board. There was some questions pertaining to your areas of interest in the navy (royal marines in my case). But also basic details such as age, gender, nationality, etc. You also fill out some contact information. That way they can barrage your email... Not actually. But it also helps them when they inevitably you have to talk to someone else. As I believe this paper sticks to your file.

Following that I talked to the overseas expert who would personally handle my paperwork until it got sent to AFCO Exeter. Which he recommended me to as it would be cheaper for my stay and they had  more experience in overseas recruitment. He obviously answered various questions of mine but also gave me a link to a website similar to army.ca. But I believe there's is official. They have recruiters on the forums. So pretty much any question you can think of has been answered by a qualified person "officially". You can get to that forum through their recruiting website.

Then once back in Canada I received a phone call in my prescribed hours (time change) within a week. Notifying me that my file had been passed onto Exeter. And that it was time to book my medical, fitness test and my psychometric test. (their training booklet was far more in depth). They also test your "mechanical" knowledge. Which is good because it really tests if you can see how and why things work. In that part I felt that physics was also being tested. I also had a book on the royal marines given to me that answered most questions. "What you can go on to become, base locations, step by step guide, etc". It was actually helpful. All my tests were also booked back to back which was nice, financially. With a PRMC following shortly after if I was successful. Which is a week long selection.

Getting a hold of them by phone was also extremely easy and I never got the run around. This new extension thing at our CFRCs is really problematic as the guy I was referred to never answered and if I deviated just to talk to a human being they blew me off. So I usually just visited in person to get things done.

So the main difference was speed in recruitment. Clarity in information being passed on and I found them to be more knowledgable/ up to date on any changes in the recruitment process.  Because in contrast the first time I applied o the CAF they lost my file completely including original my documents (birth certificate). And it took forever plus a lot of harassment on my part to get things booked. I believe I waited 7ish months from my application date to sit my first test. They also never upgraded my info regarding my education to graduated highschool. Though I provided the documentation.

The 2nd time I applied I was already trained with multiple quals in my trade and could get sent straight to bn, which were and still are hurting badly for guys. I was told it would take 2 months, that never happened. And once I was merited I had to be de-merit listed because they processed me as a new recruit. So that's when I felt it was time to take certain steps as I did not want to it on my hands and play the hopeful recruit any longer. As you already know.

Unfortunately it was not in my cards to join the royal marines. As we lack any sort of expeditionary/rapid deployment amphibious force. Yes there's CSOR but it's more specialized than the marines. And right now there is still a push to go airborne when in reality every politician would be to scared to use them and even poor countries can afford radar. Yet most countries can't even watch their coastlines efficiently. And rivers are the highway of the jungle. Plus it's a place where you can go where the standards are much higher and it's not sf. Come on marine commando regiment being put in Victoria, lol.
 
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