Losing a job and finding a new one: Part 2
I quickly got accustomed to the unemployed lifestyle after that fateful day in January. Staying up late, sleeping in and not having to answer to anybody day after day was fantastic. I could party any day of the week, eat whenever I wanted and I could do nothing all day if I so desired.
Luckily, I managed to stay somewhat productive, doing work around the house, cooking dinners and hanging out with fellow unemployed friends. However, after three months, being unemployed started to take its toll. While I was staying busy day-to-day, I wasn’t really accomplishing much. Sure, daily chores were getting done, and I managed to help clean up the house and do some repairs/maintenance, but overall, I wasn’t doing much to further my career or life goals. I wasn’t gaining experience in my field and I wasn’t making money either.
I had been applying for a few jobs here and there over the course of my unemployment, but I didn’t really step up my job search until about the middle of April. In a matter of about two weeks, I had three interviews scheduled.
The first interview was at a small webhosting company in Pickering and it didn’t go very well at all. To be honest, the owner was a dick, and in hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t get that job. However, it was still a learning experience.
The second interview went incredibly well. The position was a technical support role at a telecommunications company in Oshawa that develops phone call tracking software. I had no trouble answering the technical questions, I developed good rapport with the interviewer and I walked out of the interview knowing they would offer me the position. The only problem was the pay… For a semi-skilled technical position, they just barely broke the double digit per hour mark.
Despite the pay, everything else about the job was decent. It would be fairly interesting work, it offered some travel, it was close to home and it was a standard 9-5 schedule. I decided that if nothing else came up, and assuming they offered it to me, I would accept this position for the time being.
Interview number three came on Wednesday May 10th. Right from the start I knew things would be different. The interview was rather enjoyable and lasted almost an hour and a half. By the end, I was offered a software developer position on the spot. I gladly accepted.
Interestingly, while I was at interview number three, the telecommunications company called my house offering me the job. Had they called earlier in the day, I may not have even attended the last interview. At the least, it would have complicated matters, so it’s a good thing they waited so long to call with their offer. Plus it’s kinda nice to be in demand. 
I’ve been at this company for just three weeks, but I am already considering this the best job I’ve ever had. There is a great group of people here, they have a strong focus on health and wellness and the work I’ve been doing is interesting. (On a more nerdy note, the software here is extremely well-written and it really is a pleasure to work with).
Overall, I’m happy to be back in the workforce. I’m still getting used to the schedule and the lifestyle, but I feel more productive and I am earning a regular paycheque.