Change

Check out that sexy piece of clip art! So I’ve been keeping a lot of this under my belt, and even now I can only say so much, but change is in the air. 3 BioWare fulltime QA positions have opened up, internally, 2 in Edmonton and 1 in Montreal. I applied for all 3 and there was a written test that 40 or so people took. LOTS of people were hoping to get one of these jobs! The test was used, in conjunction with manager feedback and work experience/ethic to create a short-list for interviews. I did the test, and felt pretty good about it, except for one question. After leaving the room I realized I’d messed up that one question and started to feel discouraged.

At around that time an opportunity presented itself at a studio in Halifax, Longtail Studios. They contacted me, looking for a QA Lead for their expanding studio. They used to do their QA remotely in Quebec, but were looking to create an in-house QA department, and if I got the job I’d be the lead of that department. It’d be a huge step forward in responsibility, however it is a smaller studio, so the department would probably only be 5 people max, and they don’t make AAA games, more things like Wii dancing games. None the less, a great opportunity. I had a 45 minute phone interview with the producer there which I think went well. I find out either Friday or Monday if that job is a possibility. Halifax would be a big change though. Cost of living is low, but taxes are a bit higher. I hear it’s a beautiful city though.

Then yesterday I got an email telling me I’d been short-listed for the Montreal position. I was really surprised because I’d been pretty certain the one question I messed up would be a deal breaker, but I guess I did really well on the other 3 questions and my managers all like me. I was pretty psyched that I had a chance to stay with BioWare, a company I love which has treated me so well. It was a shame it was Montreal though. It meant either way I’d be moving; Montreal or Halifax.

AND THEN an hour later I got another email telling me I’d been short-listed for the Edmonton Dragon Age fulltime position! Of the 3 positions available, I was short-listed for 2! Obviously the Edmonton position is my priority. Moving from Winnipeg to Edmonton was a great adventure, but I’m not looking to make it a lifestyle. This feels like home now, I have friends, I know the city, Chad just moved out with Olga coming down soon, and I love my job here.

As the day went on I found out a lot of VERY talented people didn’t even get short-listed. So I’m very grateful I’ve gotten this far. From the sounds of it, the short-list is very short indeed. Earlier today I got an email telling me my interview would be this Friday. One interview for both positions. I will be bringing my A-game.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself. It’s entirely possibly of the 3 positions, Edmonton, Montreal and Halifax, I won’t get any. But after 2 years of hard work, and wondering if I had it in me, or if it’d ever work out, to suddenly have 3 career opportunities feels very validating. And thankfully I don’t have to live in limbo forever. By then end of next week I should know what the plan is for my career, my life.

It’s a scary and exciting time. Change is in the air.