S
smcleod
Guest
I haven't posted here in years. Done a lot of reading instead!
The first thing I want to tell everyone is don't be surprised if your application stretches to be about a year-long. I applied last March and just got the call yesterday. it was totally worth the wait. There are a few factors which delayed my file and I'll share those with you guys.
- Background check: I'm nearly 30 now, but had a mischief conviction when I was 17. CFRG in Borden had to check into my youth record to verify what I told them the conviction was for. This took at least 30 days. The rest of my background check took about 4-5 months. I've never travelled abroad nor do I have associations with bikers, terrorists or family members who come from abroad. I'm your average "white guy from surburbia".
- Medical file: I had Intralase LASIK eye surgery in May '07. They want you to wait 3 months post-op (Septmeber '07) before your medical is good to go.
- MOC availability: I've had to switch my trade at least three times due to jobs no longer being available because they were filled during the time I was waiting. This was by far the most frustrating thing I've experienced, but the saying "soldier on" applies here. You can either sit around forever waiting for your trade to open up again, or you can choose something else.
- Education: I finished a three-year college program in March, but had to wait until May before I finally received my official "graduating papers". This delay can't be attributed to anyone...it's just annoying.
I'm a proud soon-to-be-member of the CF and every day I spent waiting was worth it. Again, the extreme delay was very frustrating, but that's the way things go sometimes. Everyone at the CFRC was/is extremely helpful, professional and more than willing to check on the status of my file. By the way, don't call the CFRC every two days asking about your file. I called about once-per-month and I think that was reasonable. Trust me, the people at the CFRC haven't forgotten about you...there are reasons they haven't called; they're waiting on your paperwork to come back from various places.
Oh yah, when you go for your trade interview it helps to address your interviewer as "sir" if they're an officer, or by rank if they're a NCM. Perhaps this is a little kiss-***, but you want them to know you're just as professional as they are. Don't call them "dude" or "man". Not that anyone here is that naive, but I met some real winners the day I wrote my aptitude test. One was sent home crying.
Hope to meet some of you at BMQ in mid-February. Frick I feel old compared to many of you 18y/olds. hah hah.
Cheers.
The first thing I want to tell everyone is don't be surprised if your application stretches to be about a year-long. I applied last March and just got the call yesterday. it was totally worth the wait. There are a few factors which delayed my file and I'll share those with you guys.
- Background check: I'm nearly 30 now, but had a mischief conviction when I was 17. CFRG in Borden had to check into my youth record to verify what I told them the conviction was for. This took at least 30 days. The rest of my background check took about 4-5 months. I've never travelled abroad nor do I have associations with bikers, terrorists or family members who come from abroad. I'm your average "white guy from surburbia".
- Medical file: I had Intralase LASIK eye surgery in May '07. They want you to wait 3 months post-op (Septmeber '07) before your medical is good to go.
- MOC availability: I've had to switch my trade at least three times due to jobs no longer being available because they were filled during the time I was waiting. This was by far the most frustrating thing I've experienced, but the saying "soldier on" applies here. You can either sit around forever waiting for your trade to open up again, or you can choose something else.
- Education: I finished a three-year college program in March, but had to wait until May before I finally received my official "graduating papers". This delay can't be attributed to anyone...it's just annoying.
I'm a proud soon-to-be-member of the CF and every day I spent waiting was worth it. Again, the extreme delay was very frustrating, but that's the way things go sometimes. Everyone at the CFRC was/is extremely helpful, professional and more than willing to check on the status of my file. By the way, don't call the CFRC every two days asking about your file. I called about once-per-month and I think that was reasonable. Trust me, the people at the CFRC haven't forgotten about you...there are reasons they haven't called; they're waiting on your paperwork to come back from various places.
Oh yah, when you go for your trade interview it helps to address your interviewer as "sir" if they're an officer, or by rank if they're a NCM. Perhaps this is a little kiss-***, but you want them to know you're just as professional as they are. Don't call them "dude" or "man". Not that anyone here is that naive, but I met some real winners the day I wrote my aptitude test. One was sent home crying.
Hope to meet some of you at BMQ in mid-February. Frick I feel old compared to many of you 18y/olds. hah hah.
Cheers.
But it's also part of the process, and understandable.
