Too late for this year?

[Sean_Kelleher]

Is it really too late to be applying for this year? Last summer I marked my calendar for the job fair, then stupidly chose not to take time off work and fly down. Now I’m kicking myself.

The website, as usual, lists dozens upon dozens of jobs, with no clue as to which have actual primary/alternate openings. I would assume at this time of year that all the primaries are filled.

I submitted my resume anyhow; I’m a computer programmer/tech. I see a job posting from only two weeks ago, for a computer/instrument tech on the R/V Laurence Gould. Has anyone here served on one of the research vessels, who can comment on what that’s like?

Cheers,
Sean

[Sciencetech]

Hi Sean,

It’s never too late to apply. It just becomes more unlikely as the season progresses, but that shouldn’t stop anyone who’s really determined. (hint)

Pay no attention to the “open” or “closed” designations on the web site. Even if the site is up-to-date, and if that job really is full, and if the hired person PQ’s — that’s a lot of IFs — they might still need you for something else. (hint hint)

As far as working on the LMG… Have you ever worked on a ship? It’s not easy. If you have some serious moxie, go for it. Some good computer and technical skills would help in this case, too. Ship contracts work differently than normal Antarctic contracts; you can apply at any time. (yo! hint, etc)

g

[thepooles98]

All those if’s are if’s because there are lots of things that can go wrong in the process of hiring the “best” person.  The hardest one for the hiring people is what do you do when at the last minute the hiree calls and says he changed his mind. They are left with a couple of weeks to find someone and get them through the background checks and physicals. All jobs have alternates just in case, but the reality is that even with alternates there are some jobs that still come open at the last minute.
I would say at this point you need to have some personal contact in addition to applying online. Do what you have to do to talk to someone. If you get a chance to be an alternate, take the physical right away and be ready to go. The first group will be going down at winfly in August. The bulk of people will be going in the first part of October.
mike

[Author]

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