[sunnykerr]

I would perhaps stay away from mentioning "complexity of the job" as part of the problem with that job. Presumably, they're looking for people who can rise to the occasion. And I have no doubt you can, so why open the door for them to think maybe you couldn't? Maybe focus on the split focus happening at that time, implying that it's been resolved...

It's interesting to hear the other side of the story of working for government. You usually hear those jobs described as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you know? Mind you, technically, most of my family has worked for the government, seeing as they're all teachers and health workers. None of them seem to have believed they found the El Dorado.

But it's generally sold as the type of job you want to get into... though I'm not really sure why or even how one pursues that.

[MsPerfectionist]

yeah you're right, basically just stick to it wasn't a good timing for me. I'd be comfortable with that answer.

well I'd say it depends which generations people are from. We see work differently. My mom is one of those people who believes that governmental jobs are stable and well paid. She'd be happy to put a stamp on paperwork day in day out.

I've been trying to explain to her for 3 years (since I left the government last time). She never truly understood why I left. There are myths to her beliefs. 1) stability: maybe there was a time where you work for the government, you stay for the rest of your career. Nowadays, it's contract after contract. It's no more stable than elsewhere. 2) the pay: true it is well paid. ha but they don't even have dental plans, yep seriously. Short staffed, the massive workload...I can go on...3) they sell the pay and the "lovely working environment" to the candidates. Reality is different. The colours of the walls, the work process are challenging but nowhere stimulating.

She told me once that I was "impulsive" to leave. Ha if i was truly impulsive I would've left after 3 months instead of 7. She believes I'm a brat and gave me the "you wouldn't leave if you have kids" speech. To her, I should be happy to work there for the rest of my career because of the pay. She quantifies success and happiness with the amount of money you earn. Also she doesn't think happy is important at work.

Yes I'm absolutely a millennial. I choose happiness and health over work. Work isn't everything and doesn't define who we are. I was offered permanency (long story but it's a 2 years process from the time of the offer) and I still left 3 months after the offer. Other than crying myself to work, I remembered sitting in my office feeling like i'm a machine and my soul decaying away. I couldn't picture myself another 2 years just for the permanency which means more of that bs. Hell no!

It's like a cage. They know you can't find better pay outside. The longer people stay, the longer they really stay. Also you come to forget what's it's like to be outside. That's how a person ends up being the docile employee with 40 years seniority. I've met some and I don't want to become them.

[sunnykerr]

Although... if part of the issue with your old job was that they expected a tonne of overtime from you and that hadn't been part of the deal initially, I would mention it. It's good to be very clear on the expectations on both side.

I'm such a xillenial. Too young to be true Gen-X, but too old to be full-on millenial. Behold my entire lack of understanding of new technologies. And I have a ridiculous attachment to stability. Mind you, that could also be a byproduct of the entire lack of it in my childhood...

Anyway, I'm totally with you on not sticking with the old job if it was making you miserable. I don't know if your mother is a boomer, like my parents are, but they do tend to be controlling and to not understand that their children have become adults who can make decisions on their own and be responsible for said decisions, whatever the outcome is.

The thing, too, is that being impulsive isn't inherently wrong. I mean, we all have to be true to our true/deeper self, or whatever, right? The part of us that makes up our personal values and seeks existential satisfaction. And if your deeper self knew after 3 months that you didn't belong there...

I do want to add that I think it's a good idea to test that feeling before acting on it, because sometimes there can be course-correction. Or, in my case, I have issues with things that are new. It always takes me a while to adapt to just the newness of something. But, beyond that... Just because something seems impulsive doesn't mean it's wrong.

[MsPerfectionist]

Ahh overtime at the other place wasn't mandatory (no pressure, no joke). You can OT on specific days for extra money (can't take it as time off), some people stayed until 10pm. It depends on your position, technical staff usually OT because according to their contracts they get 50% more per hour and dinner money. Whereas, professional staff (like I was), we only get 50% more after 40 hours (we work 35). One time, I stayed 3 hours OT and after taxes, it was like 20$. 3 hours that can't clear all the (never ending) workload, also you're more tired for the next day. Result: no professionals stayed for OT.

Haha "xillenial", that's a good way to describe the in-between generations.

We all need stability to some extend. Yeah but at what cost, that's for me to decide. My mom is very boomer. I remember having dinner with her when I told her that it was last day at the government, she was disappointed and called me impulsive. She was also furious that I didn't "consult" her. Truth is I've been telling her how unhappy I was since I started there. All she said was "suck it up and wait for opportunity", also "everywhere is the same just ignore everything". You're right impulsive doesn't mean it isn't right. I'd rather take my chances elsewhere than being miserable everyday.

From the entry exam to working there, I sensed that they are looking for a certain profile: people who follow instructions. Honestly, deep down, I don't think it's for anyone creative.

I only applied because the paid is really bad in non-profit (worse now since minimum wage is $13,10). I started my career as career counsellor 10 years ago at $18 (minimum wage was $9,50) and now, same place, they are offering a salary from $18,52 according to their recent vacancy ad.

[sunnykerr]

I didn't invent xillenial.

A friend of mine who was born the same year as me pointed me in the direction of it when I expressed my... not frustration... but basically the bit where I didn't feel like I belonged in any of the generations usually depicted in the media/studies. And, sure enough, there were a few articles that described how there is this group born after Gen-X but before millenials.

It explained a lot of the things I identified with. Like how technology is always a mystery to me, but I don't have any of the optimism of Gen-X, for instance. Or how I am passionate about a lot of "causes" but still prefer to have a stable/predictable life.

Anyway, as with everything, there is a spectrum. You take what you want and the rest just stays behind. But all that to say that it is apparently a word that exists.

Boomers are hard to deal with. It's like they can understand that the way they see every little thing isn't the way everyone sees the same little thing. Which is hard to understand, for me anyway, because they are confronted literally every day with the fact that plenty of other people (including their spouses, children, friends, neighbours, etc.) see things differently.

I also think boomer confusion worry and anger. They express their confusion or their worry by becoming angry. Which adds to their not being easy or fun to deal with...

The salary thing is so odd to me. The same thing holds true where I work. The entry salary for a paralegal or for a clerk hasn't budged in 20-25 years. And you look at inflation and the cost of living and you wonder, you know... what the heck? But that's the private sector for you. So long as people are willing to accept those salaries, they're not going to raise them. Especially not with the recession we're now beginning.

[MsPerfectionist]

I believe in spectrum as well. Nothing is ever black and white. I think having a word for it, it's acknowledging that there the existence of the in-betweens.

ahh boomers. I've come to a point where I'm even telling her, you don't understand, it's fine but just respect my decision. Ohh yeah I agree, they express their worries and/or project them on us by being what we observe as angry on the receiving end.

It's sad that people had to accept salaries like these. The pandemic madness and recession aren't helping. It's gonna be awhile until we truly recover.

Tomorrow it is. I'll try not to sabotage myself. At the same time, I won't be upset if I don't get that job.

[sunnykerr]

Either way, whatever happens tomorrow, it's experience. And even if you don't get it, it won't necessarily be because you sabotaged yourself. You never know what can happen when you leave a good impression.

Above all else, of course, you have to see it as just as much your interview of them as theirs of you. Because you need to know what you're taking on, if you get it and accept their terms.

I'd wish you luck, but luck has little to do with it. So I'll wish you the best possible outcome for your own betterment. Which sounds esoteric as heck, but I like to leave room for the universe to come up for better outcomes than we anticipate.

[MsPerfectionist]

thanks. I was battling my printer printer driver won't work since a certain Windows update. of course we only find that out when we try to print for a BLOODY interview. I ended up printing from my phone.

*sigh* we'll see....

[sunnykerr]

Well? Not that you have to share, of course. If nothing else, I suppose it made for a change to you daily routine. There's something to that.

The sun's finally come out here. I wonder if that means it's going to get warmer. I'm going to my brother's this weekend and I know the plan is for us to stay outside. So I'm hoping for a clear, warmish day.

[MsPerfectionist]

it was such a weird day, rainy morning and then boom super sunny and hot in the afternoon. i was sweating as i was heading home after the interview.

yep definitely a change in the routine.

the interview went ok i think. i believe i have a good chance. i just don't know if i really want it. i won't hear from them for the next 2 weeks as they are meeting with other candidates.

[sunnykerr]

Is it just me or is the weather incredibly weird right now? Like, remains of hurricanes nothwithstanding. I don't remember the last time it's been thunderstorm after thunderstorm with bits of sun here and there. It's like winter weather, but summer-style. It's very odd.

And, hey, the interview's behind you. You can think of something else for a bit.

I'm just so happy I'm Canadian, and in Quebec on top of that, right now. Anyone can say whatever they want about the politics and sovereignism and all of that. It feels like we have the best of both worlds when it comes to government handling of things right now.

I'm not thrilled with this cockamamie rush to re-open schools and the apparent lack of plans for what that's gonna look like, But at least no one's pretending there isn't a crisis happening or that what few known solutions there are should be left to individual preference.

[MsPerfectionist]

it's a bit odd. all day rain, it's rare in summer time for almost 2 full-days except yesterday afternoon when i had my interview.

we are independent on certain matter that normally would be managed by the federal government. we have our own immigration system, our own parental insurance plan, we are recognised as a nation. Other provinces don't have those.

Even prior to the virus crisis, we had issues in our education system. I sensed that it'll blow up in our faces just like health care did. Both systems suffer from understaffing, staff on long term sick leaves, massive workload, stress, cut backs. We're ready to put money on disinfectants, but how about the staff? For safer learning environment, best to lower the number of students per class to allow social distancing, that'd mean more teachers. We need more human resources to lower the risks for everyone.

[sunnykerr]

We make choices, as a society, as to what we prioritize. All societies do it. I don't know what it's going to take for us to shift back towards the education system and the health-care system. With an aging population like the one we have, it seems obvious to me that the health-care system needs an overhaul and who's gonna come in to help with that if we don't have proper education?

We also have to work on making those fields appealing to the people who have a vocation for that type of work. It's not for everyone as it is, we don't need to make it a madhouse.

Same goes for every type of job, I suppose.

Can you tell it's been a long rather sleep-deprived week for me so far? I mean, nothing dramatic, but I do feel a little out of it.

[MsPerfectionist]

yeah...as you pointed out, those fields aren't appealing as it is at the moment. That's important in job retention and keeping the talents.

It's been a odd week with this weather. Have a good night of sleep!

[sunnykerr]

I did! I even overslept.

So, new tarrifs on aluminium from the Fuzzy Peach in Chief. I rather have a feeling this will help out Trudeau, who's received a (justified) beating over this WE business. This country is never as united than when we bitch about the latest way in which the U.S. try to screw us over... even if that's not really the end results of tarrifs, but be that as it may...

Otherwise, the weather has returned to sunshine and heat, just in time for my weekend family get-together where I shall have corn on the cob and lobster rolls.