Ice, White & Blue

Redhead Amok in Antarctica

Employment Status

I know it has been months, but my original purpose to this blog was to write about my travel experiences, particularly those on the Ice. Which I did.  I'm not travelling right now, I'm sitting in a cubicle trying my damnedest to get back down there. It has not been easy. So I am not writing.

I did not attend the job fair in Denver this year. I figured I didn't have the time, nor the money, and I couldn't imagine that I would not be rehired in my previous job. I also knew that what the job fair is all about is face time, getting your face & personality in front of the hiring supervisors. I had 2 1/2 months of face time with almost all the hiring supervisors when I was on the Ice. Why did I need to do the dance again?

I know it's more about Who You Know than What You Know when it comes to hiring under these circumstances: Each hiring supervisor gets about a thousand applications to shuffle through, and they see several hundred faces at the job fair. If you know someone who can mention your name and get them to take your resume out of that tall pile and take a look at it, then you are several steps ahead of the game already.

Naive me, I figured I had evolved beyond that level of the application process, simply by having spent a half season on the Ice already.

It also helps to continue the delicate process of harassing keeping in touch with the hiring supervisors via both email and voice mail. On a weekly basis with the email, several time weekly on their voice mail. Sometimes they will respond just to get you off their backs. But it's a response, and that's an opportunity for you to be the best you you can be and sell that to them. It's not like they don't already have a hundred overqualified applicants for that position already.  Don't be too angry when even the people you KNOW do not respond to you at all in any way. Keep on stalking communicating. It's not easy to be that pushy, without going over the line.

Certainly, it was because of my previous season that I have received any kind of job offer at this point. Amanda, my potential supervisor, was in Happy Camper School with me last season. She built her shelter right next to mine, we helped each other out here and there. I have been offered a position in her department as Alternate Janitor, Winfly.

Interpretation: I am going through the PQ process for a position as Janitor right now, just in case one of the Primary Janitors gets taken out of the running for some reason (fails PQ, changes mind, offered better position, etc.) and I can head on down there for Winfly.

Winfly is the short period of time toward the end of the winter season (late Feb-early Oct) when they open the station up to incoming flights for 3 days. On August 15th, or thereabouts, depending on weather conditions, they fly in a few hundred people, remove some Winterovers, during the few hours of daylight they have at that time of year. Then they shut the station down again until Mainbody in October. They do this in order to get the station ramped up to speed from the Winter and prepared for the influx of 1000+ people for the Summer.

So, I may make it down during the most beautiful time of the year. To clean toilets. I'm perfectly willing to do that. I don't care at this point. I enjoyed Shuttles, and losing that daily travel out of town will be a let down, but I'll still be in Antarctica and I can travel on my own. I'll still go out to see Erebus. And I won't be feeling guilty about taking pictures while I'm out there, because I'll be doing it in my leisure time. I have every intention of climbing Ob Hill as often as possible for the view. I will also volunteer my driving abilities for any trips out on Sundays to Cape Royds & Cape Evans.

I am a bit disappointed in my difficulties in getting back to the Ice this season, but I have to trust it'll happen and I will be back. If not this season, then next season, and if not next season, then the season after that. Cuz Me & The Ice? We are destined to be together again. I've never fallen so hard for anything in my life before, and I'm not letting go of it now.

But I think it'll happen this year. I can feel it in my bones. I'm trying to turn myself into an optimist, but it ain't natural.

Wish me luck.

posted by: coldwish at 12:28 | link | comments (2) |