KAYKAY

First things first

I’ve got to resurrect my Employment Insurance (EI) to tap into those sweet sweet unemployment benefits. After being unceremoniously booted from my job last October, I took a breather to hang out with the fam and ponder life’s big questions over two vacations (as one would, obviously). But when I returned to Toronto, all I got was a frosty reception from Old Man Winter and a severe case of the blahs. Just as I was gearing up to tackle the job market one application at a time, BAM! Plot twist: Dad needs an open-heart surgery. Cue the frantic dash back home, where I’ve spent the past month moonlighting as his personal nurse. Now, as he’s on the mend and I’m back in the Great White North, it’s time to jump through the bureaucratic hoops to reinstate my EI. But, alas, after being ghosted by the EI hotline 5+ times, I’m facing the ultimate showdown: me vs. the red tape! The hold music haunts me…

She’s an entrepreneur now?

Next on the agenda? Starting my own company. Yeah, you read that right. It wasn’t even on my radar until last Thursday, when eight different staffing agencies bombarded me with the same job. It felt like they hit the “send” button after typing in a few filters and keywords, and suddenly, I was the only match in the Toronto market. Flattering? Absolutely. Overwhelming? You betcha! My inbox was flooded with messages from recruiters. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a crash course in contracting and navigating the world of staffing agencies. As a newbie to the Canadian job scene and with about as much experience in contracting as a goldfish has in a marathon, I was thrown into the deep end. Every agency had two burning questions: Would I sign an exclusive representation agreement? And would I be contracting through my own company? Say what now?

Feeling the pressure to make a decision, I sought advice from some knowledgeable folks. Long story short, I decided to take the plunge and start my own company, with the help of a fantastic accountant who guided me through the maze of paperwork. Oh, and I also signed an exclusive agreement with one of the staffing agencies, based on a vibe check (of course!). But here’s where it gets tricky – I needed a name for my company, and I needed it yesterday. With the clock ticking, I called in the cavalry – my creative girlies. After a few glasses of liquid inspiration (for, uh, research purposes), we finally stumbled upon a name that perfectly captured my background in project management and my passion for flying. Success, right? WRONG! Turns out, the company name we settled on was a no-go, thanks to a faulty tool hosted by the Government. So, back to square one I go, all while I’m still on hold with the EI folks, listening to that oh-so-familiar hold music…

The perfect resume

It’s 2021, and I’m in my final round of the whole visa shuffle in the US, trying to land a work permit like it’s a game of Whac-A-Mole. Spoiler alert: I lost. So, back to India I go, just in time for the world to hit peak dumpster fire mode with the pandemic. Cue the existential crisis soundtrack as I wrestle with my own thoughts and wonder if I accidentally stumbled into a dystopian novel. And here’s the kicker: I’m usually the life of the party, but suddenly I’m quieter than a mime. I felt my life in the US was rudely snatched away from me because of reasons outside my control. After several heart-to-hearts with my folks, we all agreed that it’s best for me (and my fragile mental health) to head back to LA.

So, I dust off my ancient resume from 2017 and dive back into the job hunt. Lo and behold, I stumble upon a resume guru on YouTube, like finding a unicorn in a sea of donkeys. With her tips, I magically land seven interviews and become the belle of the job market ball. I found a job and moved back to the US! I figure lightning can strike twice, so I set out on another quest for resume wisdom in March 2024. But here’s the plot twist: Turns out, my YouTube hero has upgraded from guru to full-blown resume deity, complete with a pricey course. And so begins my latest adventure in job-hunting antics, armed with a dusty old resume and a credit card ready to take a beating. Oh, the joys of adulting!

Oh yeah, the dream job!

I suddenly remembered that I was also supposed to make steady progression and hold myself accountable on the whole “getting my dream job of becoming a pilot”. My goal – at least one blog post per week working towards my dream gig. So I gave up on the first three items on my to-do list and decided to dive headfirst into a book I’d been eyeing for days – a mere $25 investment that took longer to deliberate than booking a spontaneous trip to LA. Yet, here I am, devouring the Kindle version like it’s a Michelin-starred meal, all while realizing I’m about as clueless about flying as a fish is about bicycles. But hey, who needs expertise when you’ve got determination and a Kindle full of dreams?

Now onto the exciting task of picking a flight school – a decision that could shape my entire future. Armed with a checklist longer than a CVS receipt, I’m meticulously evaluating every school in Toronto like a seasoned food critic at a Michelin-star restaurant. But just when I thought I was making progress, I finally got through to an EI employee and was treated with the dreaded news: their system is down. They asked me to call them tomorrow. It’s like playing chess with fate and realizing it’s always one step ahead.