What if the position I want isn't open?

[Bucannon13]

Because of my aptitude test scores, I was given more time to decide on what I want to do in the forces because I was shown that I had a lot of opportunities. I have what I want to do in mind, but the recruiting website shows that the position isn't open at the moment. There really isn't anything else I'd rather do, and I told my mom about this problem (big mistake).

Now I'm taking all kinds of flak from her at every opportunity she can find to tell me that I should join the army and go for whatever's available and just transfer into the job I want when it's open. This really seems impractical to me with the amount of training I'd take part in only to jump into another job as soon as it's available and start training once again. I imagine it would be years and years for this process to even happen.

My question is this: should I go into the army for a job only because it's open and wait for my job to open up and transfer in? And if I did, how long would I be waiting for? (I'm planning on becoming a Combat Engineer)

 

[JorgSlice]

You're never guaranteed a transfer and they can take years to process. Join a trade you can see yourself doing for potentially the rest of your life. There's a reason there's a space for 3 choices.

 

[Jayjaycf]

As PrairieThunder told you, theres no guarantee that you will be able to transfer out, if you have your hearth set on combat engineer then wait until the trade opens up. If I were you I would call the nearest recruiting center every couple of weeks to inquire about the state of the trade and future opening. My  :2c:

 

[lee465]

Don't take a job you are not willing to spend the next couple of years doing. It really isn't fair to yourself to do something you don't really want to do and it isn't fair for someone who does. No offense, but your mom isn't the one signing the contract and she's probably just worried for you as any mother would.

 

[krimynal]

let me put it this way.  If you want to become a Marketing Agent for lets say McDonald's .... are you gonna go out and flip burger and hope that one day they might see a potential in you to switch you to a Marketing spot ???

I'm not saying it won't happen , I'm just saying it can take years , if it happens at all.....

If no other job in the CF really speaks to you , then don't join it until the one you want open , get yourself a civy job for a while and just way till it open backs !

 

[vivelespatates]

Hey!

I may do some mistake 'cause english isn't my first language. But I'll try to do my best to answer you.

I think that you should wait for the trade you want to. Because like the person above said, you may do this job for the rest of your life. And considering that work is a big part of a life person, you have to be happy in what you do.

About the ''How many times would I wait for the trade to open''. It depends. Some open while other are close. But you have some ''Period'' in the year where trade have more chance to be open.

I did my CFAT like a month ago to become HCA. The recruiter I talked to told me that for now It is closed. He suggested me some others trades but I refused because i really want to be a HCA. So he told me that the next ''Big recruitement period'' for DEO should be in Feb. - March - April. Because at this time of the year they try to figured out the need for the next fiscal year, as I understand. So, I think that you should wait until this April to see if it's open. If no, i would suggest you to wait if you really want this job until it's open or just change trade.

Hope it's help!

-ViveLesPatates

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I am too lazy to read the other replies because it's Friday but I'll tell you this:

I joined the CF in 1993 as an Armour Crewman, there was one position available in Quebec and no other army jobs at the time.  I joined with the intent of changing trades after a couple of years and become a weapons technician. 

21 years into my career...I enjoy very much being an Armour Crewman.

 

[DAA]

Because of my aptitude test scores, I was given more time to decide on what I want to do in the forces because I was shown that I had a lot of opportunities. I have what I want to do in mind, but the recruiting website shows that the position isn't open at the moment.  (I'm planning on becoming a Combat Engineer)

The website is NOT reflective of actual requirements.  NCM Cbt Engr is currently OPEN and available for processing for RY 14/15 with selections in Feb 14.

Mind you, it is probably a "low priority" for CFRC's at the moment but nevertheless, it is OPEN.

 

[Pusser]

Now I'm taking all kinds of flak from her at every opportunity she can find to tell me that I should join the army and go for whatever's available and just transfer into the job I want when it's open. This really seems impractical to me with the amount of training I'd take part in only to jump into another job as soon as it's available and start training once again. I imagine it would be years and years for this process to even happen.

This is one of those extremely rare cases where your mother is absolutely wrong and you are absolutely right.  You cannot "just transfer into the job you want when it's open."  It's not that simple.  If the CF is going to train you to do something, it want's its pound of flesh in return.  Occupational Transfers are not impossible, but it can be a protracted process.  In the meantime, you still have to continue in the occupation to which you belong.  The kicker is that if you aren't doing well in your current occupation, then it can be very difficult to get another occupation to take you on (nobody want's another group's deadweight).  In other words, in order to become a combat engineer in the future, you will have to be one of the top cooks (or whatever occupation you do accept) in the Army.  It's really hard to do well in a job if your heart's not in it.

I speak from experience as the guy who has had to deal with a fair number of unhappy people who are in occupations that they don't like and want to get out of.  The only reason that they were in this predicament is that they accepted what was available at the time instead of what they wanted.

Never accept a position if you are not prepared to do it for a long time, up to and including an entire career.