After being treated like a pariah before Christmas and people tossing out my resume and not responding things were now picking up. A second recruiter had interviewed me, liked my background, and presented me to a company that had previously seen my resume and rejected me. They rejected me again but were just being ridiculous rejecting everyone over a five month period.

My first recruiter sent me to another company for a one year mat leave position for a D&O underwriter. The company liked me after my first interview but did not want to proceed with any of the candidates from the recruiter.

Another place I applied on the Oakville border liked my phone interview and respected my overseas adventure. They wanted to do decline classes like niteclubs, motels, bars. They liked that I was interested in the challenge. However, they had to reschedule the in person interview with the VP making me suspect the position had been filled.

Finally a small company where my friend worked had a posting so I sent my resume not knowing the first thing about the company. My friend messaged me the VP from Calgary is there tomorrow and to come in at 11am.

So I came not knowing what to expect and started talking about my experience in the industry and overseas. I guess this was a courtesy interview as my friend had referred me. They stared with blank faces as I rambled on.

Then the VP jumped up. Do you know this person? Can you do this? Do you know how to write this? When are you available? Can you start now? Can you come to our conference in Montreal start of Feb?

"You're too good to be true. You left the industry, you know automobile, garage, and programs, and you're available exactly when we need you. Look I'm texting HR" ......em, that was not quite what I was expecting!!.

They needed me to start right away so that I could goto their annual meeting in Montreal start of Feb. But I was still living in my parents suburban home so wanted to wait till my condo closing end of Jan so it would be an easier daily commute to work living in Toronto.

Also they knew I was taking my friend to lunch. At the restaurant they showed up again which was quite awkward and borderline stalker. Then they paid for our lunch which was nice so I expected an offer to come soon.

I waited, and waited, and waited. Finally on Friday the HR lady called but just to do a 45 min phone interview... then I waited, and waited.. meanwhile all the condo mayhem was going on, trying to arrange financing, dealing with the two financing offers from the two mortgage brokers over the next two weeks. If I had an offer it could change the financing options.

My friend told me I got the job but I only had her word for it. The agonizing wait of getting a job offer, dealing with the financing, and have all the money available on closing day was causing major anxiety and sleepless nights. They called my references but said they needed a previous manager which was a problem as we had a big fight before I left in 2010. He did agree to meet me and was surprisingly very nice agreeing to be a reference.

Finally after two weeks I was told to come and meet the President. Great they were finally going to make an offer so I brushed up on my French knowing he was from France so that would impress him. However then they started asking me how do they know I'm not just trying to get my foot back in the insurance industry and quit after a year and the President wasn't even in the interview.

Deflated from all the condo financing problems I didn't have the strength to make a convincing argument, other than I wasn't coming with a plan to quit, and frankly they could say that about anyone they hired using them for experience.

Finally they did make an offer but it was quite low and less than two offers I got in 2007 with less experience. After some negotiation I got them to match the offer from 2007, given that I was out of the industry for three years, but after six months they would match what I had left the industry in 2010 at.

So finally I had a job and condo but it was crazy timing... I got the keys to my condo Thursday, moved in that weekend, started the job Monday, and flew to Montreal Thursday. It felt like being in Korea again. Get off the plane, show up with one suitcase, here's the key to your apartment, start work tomorrow!

Suddenly I was in demand again. The place in Oakville called back to arrange the interview but I had already started work. Even some ESL places in Toronto I applied contacted me but looks like I was back in the insurance industry again.