Interview #1

I'll say now that I neither passed nor failed the interview, it was postponed until next Tuesday 21st, for the reasons outlined below.

From previous experience I arrived in Brighton 45mins early, sat down, had a coffee and tried to calm my nerves - which were making my heart pound and adrenaline flow. I headed off for the AFCO and got there at 9:10.

I played a game with my nerves for the next 20mins, trying to calm myself right down but then getting all wobbly again. The CPO walked in and suddenly my nervousness vanished - we shook hands, exchanged paperwork (opticians report form, security check and mug-shots) and went off to another room.

Now things began to go a little weird. The CPO asked me if I really wanted to continue my application as a Warfare Specialist because I'd scored twice the required mark for it in my selection test, in fact I'd scored high enough to make any job I wanted available to me.

Communications Technicians have the most academically demanding job. Their work involves intercepting signals from around the world, as such there is very little I can say about what's really involved (for "security reasons") - but you get what I mean, I hope. It's something that really interested me as the CPO was talking about it (he is a CT), however the downside is the ~24 month waiting time. I'm just not prepared to wait another 2 years to join.

On the other hand, CIS (Communications and Information Systems) Specialists are the next step down, after listening to the CPO it is an area of work that I'd find much more challenging. He was reluctant to tell me exactly what to do but said he thought I'd slot in to a communications role much better than anything else. Even better there is no waiting time - I'm now applying as a CIS Specialist!

These guys are the centre of the communications network on a ship: from using high-speed satellite links to opening a line for someone to talk to his mum at home.

http://www.careers.royalnavy.mod.uk/pdf/L3-X-CIS.pdf

Because I'd obviously prepared to be interviewed for the Warfare Specialist job, I wasn't ready to do a CIS-oriented interview so it's been rearranged for next week - can't wait!