Recruiting in the Canadian army

[morggs]

Hi all.
I‘m a young guy from New Zealand. I hold Canadian citizenship and have been here for about 14 months. I have had an application in with the Canadian army for around 10 months. I‘m still waiting for the security clearance to come through. The thing that is frustrating me, is they never call to keep me interested or informed. I phone them, and chase them up for the information on my progress. Is this not there job! Can somebody please inlighten me as to why this service is substandard. I can see why they have trouble recuiting new members. I‘m sitting here ready to go!!!!
Cheers guy‘s

 

[Infanteer]

Yeah, don‘t worry about it. CFRC sucks.

 

[Pikache]

And it‘s better answer in recruiting forum.

 

[yot]

same as me, the recuiter said I have to wait for a year to 2 years to go though security clearance check... I am waiting..............

 

[Enzo]

Hang in there boys, going into year 5. I‘m a "special" case though

CFRC SUCKS!!! Require a serious overhaul of procedure and personnel.

That‘s the best I can say about them

Cheers.

 

[Franko]

Lets start getting real here chaps. If they haven‘t gotten in touch with you after you‘ve gone through the entire process including testing,interviews,security application and the physical, well...I‘ll be blunt.They don‘t forget who you are or where your files are...you probably didn‘t make the grade.

BTW...security checks don‘t take 2 years.

Sorry ‘bout your luck

Regards

 

[Sh0rtbUs]

dont give up..keep harassing them like i did..eventually they get tired of hearing your voice and tell you what you want.

 

[btk_joker]

I know two people who got shut down for reasons that they only saw on paper, where if they me them, they would be in. Anyway, the point I was making is that both of these individuals decided not to take no for an answer and wrote all kinda of politicians. within weeks, they were both in.

Keep trying,
J. Lightfoot

 

[yot]

Do u guys know... usually, how long will the security clearance check for non Canadian take? I came from H.K, and I have Canadian citzship.

 

[Ruthless4Life]

Originally posted by Hulk:
[qb] I know two people who got shut down for reasons that they only saw on paper, where if they me them, they would be in. Anyway, the point I was making is that both of these individuals decided not to take no for an answer and wrote all kinda of politicians. within weeks, they were both in.

Keep trying,
J. Lightfoot [/qb]

Makes me think about the decisiveness of the army...

 

[Ruthless4Life]

Originally posted by yot:
[qb] Do u guys know... usually, how long will the security clearance check for non Canadian take? I came from H.K, and I have Canadian citzship. [/qb]

How long have you been in Canada? If 10 years or over, then it shouldn‘t be too much of a problem.

 

[yot]

not over 10, its only around 7 years

 

[kaspacanada]

My security clearance took a while, I think my application was in progress for about a 8 months in total and you raise what I feel is a really good point: they never call to keep you interested. I do think that is a problem. The army is desperately seeking manpower, and the process is so long, tedious and seems to be fruitless while you are going through it. I am sure that people find other things to do while their applications are in progress and they drop it. I did at one point. I remember looking for a job when I had left BC when I was 17 and had worked for a while in restaurants. I wanted a change and looked for the first time to the military. The recruiting lady in Calgary told me that it would be about an 8 month process and I was like WTF??? I needed a job then, not in 8 months. Didn‘t even think about it for two more years, worked in a few different industries, and then went back to college in BC and joined the reserves.

And as for the case of Canadian citizens, I don‘t think the waiting period should be as long as it is. They have passed enough clearance to get CDN citizenship. It may help if the process was streamlined like a normal job, at least for Canadian citizens. Might have some issues with dual citizenship people, but I see no reason to seriously delay the average applicant if there is a demand for the position.

 

[Enzo]

Franko - The point is, if they have decided to pass on you, then how about a letter, e-mail or phone call eh? I understand the concept of showing interest on your part to get in, but this isn‘t exactly a overcrowded market. Does the CF have to ensure that they are getting the best pers that they can. In theory, yes. Are they in practice? Not always no. Are they trying? As a whole, I‘d question that. Individually, maybe. So in short, the CFRC sucks. Too many people in there who are drifting along.

And for the record, I personally don‘t enjoy doing other peoples work for them. In my enjoyable time in dealing with the CFRC, I‘ve had to in order to "speed up the process." You‘d think we were in the 19th century. When a response to an enquiry takes 6 months. That is hardly efficient. To test that one by the way, I called in a favour and a officer was able to acquire the same information that I was requesting with 1 phone call in 30 minutes. Nothing was confidential. There was no security or sensitivity issues regarding that information. What else would you call it but inefficient. That‘s the nicest way I can phrase my feelings about this.

 

[NMPeters]

Let‘s not blame the Army for a system over which it has no control. The Army would like to see changes made within the recruiting system too and is working with those that control recruiting to work out solutions. Is it going to happen over night? Nope. Just like everything else in the CF, it‘s a long slow bureaucratic process to make changes happen.

And morggs, I understand your frustration with the length of the process; however, if you were applying for a job anywhere else, would you expect the employer to call you all the time saying "Yes, we have your application on file. Just wanted to let you know that". Nine times out of ten a civilian employer won‘t even acknowledge receipt of an application or resume yet no one starts discussion threads complaining about that. So is it CFRC‘s job to call you regularly and let you know that your file is still active? No. YOU are the one who wants the job, so YOU need to be the one to take the interest in your application.

I know everyone is going to jump all over me for that response but, oh well.

 

[kaspacanada]

The only prob I see with that Peters is that civilian employers don‘t take 8 months - at least most don‘t - to hire you. Generally speaking, if there is an opening, it is filled as fast as possible, and you usually know within a few weeks or a month whether or not you have the job. The army needs people badly from many official and non-official accounts, and the process doesn‘t seem to help the situation. But I totally agree with the first half of your post. It will be "a long slow bureaucratic process to make changes happen" if at all any changes are acutally made.

 

[onecat]

true most civilian employers don‘t take 8 months to hire, but then most companies also won‘t hire you if have no experience or at all. Or for that matter if they have take more than a week to train you; then you most likely not going to get the job. Add to that, the fact that CF has to time your hiring to fit in a training schedule, and it just takes a while.

There is nothing wrong with having to wait a while to to get in. And to be honest its a not a long slow "bureacratic process". They need each step to make sure your a fit for Forces.

 

[kaspacanada]

The luxury of waiting is not given to all people. The first time I wanted to join, I needed a job then, within a month or mabey I could have held on for two months...but not eight. Eventually I went home and went back to school and had the time to wait while joining the reserves, but what I am just saying is that this 8 month stuff is not practical for recruiting when our manpower shortages are in the situation they are in. (yes we always seem to get by) There are a few slow processes in the army, some for good reasons, some just due to staffing shortages and heavy workloads on our admin clerks.. Last summer the ‘slowness‘ acutally saved me from being plucked from a wonderful summer camp I was working at because the reserves had no work that they could send me on, and dropped into whatever **** might have been waiting for me at St. Jean. All because they couldn‘t get me out of the reserves, into the regular force, and loaded onto the IAP/BOTC before it was supposed to start. I spent the rest of the summer enjoying myeself jumping in and out of a lake all day every nice day we had. (As a side note, I didn‘t know that h*e*l*l was a swearword...)

 

[Franko]

Just remember chaps, the CF is making an INVESTMENT in the people they"hire". It is not a job, hobby, or something you go to when the chips are down. You are applying to be in a position to protect the people of our country. You are applying to defend our way of life, our morals.

Radiohead had a good point...training schedules. If you are availiable to join up and swear an oath to Queen and country...you may have to wait for courses to be availiable. The recruiters know this and sadly, can‘t or won‘t say anything for reasons that are beyond my understanding.(never been a recruiter)

You are entitled to your opinion of my career and my brothers in arms‘.

I may not agree with what you are saying, but I‘ll put my life on the line and stare danger in the face so you can say it.

As for the guys who got a politician involved to get them in the forces....

Regards

 

[Enzo]

Franko - That‘s what the politician is there for. To assist in an individuals situation when they feel that the system is failing them. I spent 4 years fighting the system until I exhausted all of my options. Now, I regret not going to my MP much sooner. But I didn‘t feel at the time that was an appropriate step as I believed in the system. I do not believe in the system any longer. I have yet to meet anyone who has met or knows me that can understand why I am not back in the CF. Those at CFRC just shrug and say, "the decision was made in Borden, nothing we can do." The Lt. at Borden has never bothered to return my repeated phone calls and I have a stack of paper now which highlights about a dozen inaccuracies and mistakes on the part of the CF.

This is not an undertaking that I have committed myself to because it is a job. If I only wanted that then I‘d be back in the Caribbean or flying somewhere. I have more options than many as I am very well qualified. I grew up with the military and it is within me. I honestly am not satisfied with being anywhere else in life. It‘s what I do best. So when you‘ve gone through the proper channels, been patient and cooperative and are still left alone feeling forgotten. Then I suppose I‘m now glad that someone is listening to me as a person which is nice, but is also looking at the facts and working towards that effect.

As for their "investment." I consider myself to be an assest and PERS reflected that. I performed very well because I earned it. I‘m sorry I chose to leave when I did, but at the time I honestly felt I did not have any other options. My health was a priority to me and my recovery even more so as I am determined to earn a position that I want, not a transfer to a trade I have no interest in only because it is "open." So penalizing me because I left is crap. I wasn‘t medically unfit when I left the CF, why am I considered to be so now for the same injury? Especially when that injury was acquired while I was on duty in the CF - something that they will not accept responsibility for, although they do acknowledge that they picked up the tab for my surgery.

So keep your rolling eyes and your sanctimonious attitude and consider for a moment that maybe there are others who need to make use of that same political system that you have sworn to put your life on the line for.