You listen and immediately obey. I remember my Phys.Ed/Sex Ed teacher, Mr.Coul (or Mr. Cool as we'd spell it), discussing the importance of the word NO. One of the jocks joked, stating "No doesn't always mean no". Mr. Cool agreed with, "You're right, to a degree. When someone says they don't have any job openings, so no they can't offer you a job, it doesn't mean what it sounds like." Mr.Cool then related a story about one of his friends who aggressively pursued a job position. They finally gave it to him and even told him that it was so he wouldn't stop asking them!

Case in point. My friend's dad started work at Bell Canada as a mail clerk, and by retirement had worked his way up to some big, long-titled position where words like Senior Network Vendor Manager was part of it all. How he got in with Bell is the kicker. He asked them every week for half a year if there was an opening in the mail clerk department. He didn't take their No as an answer. Finally, he got the job.

I've been gunning for a meter-reading job since moving to Ontario. That job, and only that job. Risky, I know, but I have determination. It took me a month to get the contact information, I emailed them, didn't hear back for weeks, found their phone number last week, gave a call, left a message, called twice yesterday leaving messages... and was woken up this morning by the guy I needed to talk to at the company.

Caught off guard to a slighty better degree of "Beavers and ducks!" (for those of you who have seen the movie Bandits), I he asked where I live, and then reported the sad news that the only thing currently open was in Milton. So keep in touch, re-email the resume. Bye-now.

It took me about 20 minutes to get my thoughts organized, realizing that my hopes had been dashed against the rocks of reality. Then I decided: no. I make my own way in life. Sometimes you have to risk pissing people off to get what you want, or need. And you never know how far you can get unless you try. I called him back and said I was up for the Milton position.

He really didn't think it was a good idea with all the driving, but said we could keep in touch. I demonstrated to him my persistence in getting a difference answer. I really wanted this job, I really want to work for him and no I haven't tried anywhere else, I really want this job, this job, this job. So he played hard-ball. Can you come in today, now if possible, for an interview? Today and only today. Well, I have a valid license here in Ontario now, but no car. Almost everyone I know is unable to even take me anywhere around Hamilton let alone down to Guelph. So I said yes, I could make it to the interview.

Remember, you never know how far you can get unless you try. I'd have to contact him again very shortly to inform him of when. I called my friend Alex, checked she wasn't working until the evening and then convinced her to drop what she was doing and trash her day by taking me to Guelph for the interview asap: 11:30am at the earliest. I owe her big (she was ready to bury my in a field before we even reached Guelph!) I contact the guy and told him when I could be by and then he dropped another road block on me.

Nah, not in front of me, for if you truly wish to discourage someone coming at you head on, you place the obsticle on them! He has spent the time I was negotiation with Alex checking with the supervisor in Milton and confirmed I'd have a solid hour and twenty minutes of driving each way and back for the job and he just wasn't interested in training someone to do that because they would leave, undoubtedly. I couldn't convince him otherwise, so I asked if I could keep in touch with him on a monthly basis. He said no: I should keep in touch with him on a weekly basis and resubmit my resume if I had not already.

Aha! The dam begins to split. I'm making progress, he's caving in, seeing that I really want the job and folks, really, what can you say to someone who's pulling out all the stops and carrying at this point an entire road block on their back and still coming at you for the job. You want them. You want that determination. So I cancel the ad hoc travel plans with Alex, and took a shower. Just as I'm coming out I hear the phone ring. I'll save you the mad, naked-dash description and jump to the phone conversation.

It was the guy again, and he'd looked around and decided that they will in fact be needing someone in Burlington, Part Time only of course, in the near future. The plan was back in motion! Drove out there, had the interview, discussed the job aspects, showed him that I'd done my research and guess what, he offered me the perminant part-time job! After three month I change over to full-time! Permenant status in both cases even! Mission: Accomplished. And Damn but I feel great! Um, time to get a car? Yeah for me!!!!