I have several questions as a CF applicant.

[taebagh619]

Right now I am awaiting the interview stage of my application process. I downloaded some interview question sheets from online and saw my school's career councillor to talk about interview skills. I'm concerned because I do not have any volunteer experience, I've only worked 2 jobs that don't demonstrate leadership. The interview is an hour and a half long so I am not sure how I can talk about myself for that long.

Question 1 - How long is the wait typically for the interview? I'm going into my 3rd week of waiting.

Question 2 - Is there anything really essential I should know going into my interview?

I am applying for the Med Tech trade and it says that it takes 18 months of training and you start off with a salary of $49,500.

Question 3 - Will you be making that much after all of your training? If so, what will you be earning while in training?

I was told that your service time starts once you are fully trained and working your trade. My friend told me that he knows someone that was put on a 3 year waiting list for a working position in his trade and ended up serving 10 years.

Question 4 - How is your time served calculated? Are there actually waiting lists to get a position once you get trained?

Please let me know as much as you can tell me, this is a big decision and I want to be informed the best I can.

Thank you!

 

[ShadyBrah]

I'm still waiting for my CFAT two weeks from now, so hopefully someone with more knowledge can fill in the gaps! From what I've heard/read round here...

1. Depends on the trade, CFRC Location, demand, your CFAT scores etc etc..

2. One thing they will ask you about is the trades you applied for.. You should have a good idea of everything including training time/locations and job tasks at home/on deployment. Also, the interview isn't likely to take the full 1.5hrs. A friend of mine said his lasted about 45 minutes.

3. I believe that's the rough pay rate after you become fully qualified. I can't say for sure, but I don't think that happens until your 3rd or 4th year. Here's a pay scale to give you a rough idea.. http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/reg-force-ncm-class-c-rates.page?

4. Contracts right now are 4-5 years. Hopefully someone has more on this, but I don't think the time served counts until you are trade qualified. (About 1 - 1.5 years after enrollment) By waiting list I assume you mean after BMQ? Some programs only start a few times a year and you could be waiting quite a while after basic, but I'm not sure how Med Tech fits in there..

That's all I got. Hope you don't have to wait too much longer for the interview, and good luck!

 

[KerryBlue]

Question 1 - How long is the wait typically for the interview? I'm going into my 3rd week of waiting.

Get used to it, three weeks is peanuts compared to a lot of others. Look at my signature

Question 2 - Is there anything really essential I should know going into my interview?

Know all three of your trade choices like the back of your hand. Where you train, for how long, etc.

Question 3 - Will you be making that much after all of your training? If so, what will you be earning while in training?
That is once you are a fully trained medtech. The salary at basic training is 2806$ a month. The 49,500 is once you are a fully trained private with a hook, which is about 2-3 years in. Here is the payscale from the DND website http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/reg-force-ncm-class-c-rates.page?

Question 4 - How is your time served calculated? Are there actually waiting lists to get a position once you get trained?
On day one of BMQ your time served begins.

My answers in yellow

 

[CanadianPanzer]

Question 2 - Is there anything really essential I should know going into my interview?

My interview lasted about 15 min in total, they don't expect you to be a foreign Legionnaire with 30 year of service when you are barely out of high school , that's what happened in my case.

So know your trade and the rest is pretty much personal question you can't really study for.

 

[Chelomo]

As far as service time goes, you have something called a contract, and something called a minimum service period. Your contract is how long they're bound to employ you (unless certain circumstances arise, such as your own bad behaviour). The mandatory service period is usually shorter, depending on what's your entry plan. ROTP students usually end up doing 5 years  for a 3-4 years degree.

While that minimum service period doesn't start until after university, you do accrue benefits even while you're taking your degree or being trained, so all those years count towards your pension, even though you're paid a training wage. It's not a negligible thing.

All in all, I would suggest you go talk to a recruiter, he'll be able to answer all those questions with a degree of accuracy that you just won't get in the Recruits Only forum.

 

[ShadyBrah]

Just a little update on the wait time.. After my CFAT a week ago, the file manager told me that pretty much every RC is using the new recruiting process now. He told me the wait should be just over a month,but not to be surprised if it takes 3. (All applicant files are now sent back to HQ, and HQ decides when and who will receive an interview date. They see a lot of applications every week).

 

[Krow]

Like CanadianPanzer said, the interview is quite simple. When I sat down with the recruiting officer, he said that it would mostly be him talking. They'll be telling you what to expect, what benefits you'll be entitled to, salary, what forms you need to sign, etc. You'll also be asked a few questions like what skills you bring to the table that are applicable to the trade you desire.

From what you've written I can assume that you're in or fresh out of high school, so don't be deathly afraid of the lack of skills you possess that are relevant to being a Medical Technician. As long as you have the prerequisites and show them that you're worth their time, they will take you and they will train you (assuming you pass selection of course). A lack of experience in leadership won't be a huge dent to your application, considering Med Tech is an NCM trade.

Finally, again as CanadianPanzer has said, know your trade. I was so nervous about my interview, having no idea what to expect, that I memorized both the job descriptions of the Combat Engineers and the Infantry. But really, they just want to see that you know what you're getting into. In the end however, as long as you sell yourself a little, do your homework, and most importantly relax, it's a breeze.

(This is all from personal experience and I'm far from being an expert on the recruiting process. My apologies if any of this is incorrect)

 

[Stoictangler]

Right now I am awaiting the interview stage of my application process. I downloaded some interview question sheets from online and saw my school's career councillor to talk about interview skills. I'm concerned because I do not have any volunteer experience, I've only worked 2 jobs that don't demonstrate leadership. The interview is an hour and a half long so I am not sure how I can talk about myself for that long.

Question 1 - How long is the wait typically for the interview? I'm going into my 3rd week of waiting.

Question 2 - Is there anything really essential I should know going into my interview?

I am applying for the Med Tech trade and it says that it takes 18 months of training and you start off with a salary of $49,500.

Question 3 - Will you be making that much after all of your training? If so, what will you be earning while in training?

I was told that your service time starts once you are fully trained and working your trade. My friend told me that he knows someone that was put on a 3 year waiting list for a working position in his trade and ended up serving 10 years.

Question 4 - How is your time served calculated? Are there actually waiting lists to get a position once you get trained?

Please let me know as much as you can tell me, this is a big decision and I want to be informed the best I can.

Thank you!

My application process took about 110 days from the time I submitted it till I was given notice of a job offer. 
 
I was scheduled for an interview that was to take place just under a month after my CFAT.

I went into the recruiting office for my med exam and interview and both of those with a 1hour lunch break scheduled in between only took about 2 1/2 hours, with most of the time spent in the waiting room.

My interview only took about 15 mins tops and basically the Officer just was checking to see if I knew what my chosen trades entailed, and if I'd had any work experience that would relate to my chosen trades.

Patience is of absolute necessity if you are serious about a career in the military. Just remember if you really want this it will be worth waiting for...

<<[Omnia Possum]>>

 

[RedcapCrusader]

Your time in starts the day you're sworn in to the CAF.

Once you are given a job offer (before being sworn in) you are required to accept or decline. That is the "working position".

 

[Ksiiqtaboo]

Your time in starts the day you're sworn in to the CAF.

Once you are given a job offer (before being sworn in) you are required to accept or decline. That is the "working position".

Wrong your time in starts the day you start basic not the date you swear in

 

[PMedMoe]

Wrong your time in starts the day you start basic not the date you swear in

Technically, your time in starts the day your are sworn in and then you are LWOP.  The day you start BMQ is your RBED (Retirement Base Election Date).

 

[PuckChaser]

As well, RedCap is a member of the PRes, and would not go on LWOP after swearing in due to the nature of Class A service.

 

[RedcapCrusader]

Wrong your time in starts the day you start basic not the date you swear in

Thanks for coming out.

 

[DAA]

Wrong your time in starts the day you start basic not the date you swear in

Wrong again.  For Regular Force applicants, your "time" starts, the day you are authorized to commence travel to St Jean to attend your BMQ/BMOQ. 

As previously stated, for the Reserve Force, it is usually the day you are sworn in.