PLEASE RECOMMEND LEGITIMATE JOB RECRUITING AGENCIES - HELP NEEDED !

[david1697]

I ask all forum members to post links of LEGITIMATE job recruiting agencies throughout entire Canada.
Posting links to job sites may also be helpful, along with tips and recommendations how to proceed.

In my particular case:

I am currently abroad.

I am generally a SHY person, so networking is very bad method for me even in US, where I have lived all of my aduld life.
I can greatly excel at what I do (and I did get high marks whenever I worked on anything and tried hard), but NETWORKING is not my thing.
On top of it, I can't afford to travel to Canada just for the sake of "networking". I wish I was affluent enough to just take weeks off, stay in a nice hotel room and have lunch or dinner with all the random professionals in Canada I could find, but this is not something I realistically could afford, even if I was a PhD of networking
So, I basically need links to websites and may be some individual references where possible. (Ex. "Go to website XYZ.COM , submit resume and call recruiter ABC" and so on).


Any help would be appreciated. I am already in process of applying for jobs in Alberta Government through their website and I will be doing more of it in coming weeks and months.

Let this thread to be of help to anyone who comes to this forum with the same subject in their mind: what is the best place to look fr job in Canada?
Let's make this thread specifically for those users who , for one or another reason, also can not utilize NETWORKING , as suggested by many other members.

Networking is not for everyone, we are all different individuals with different personalities, and some of us may excel at it (like extraverts, people who love to socialize with strangers and etc.), but it will not work for great many of those who don't have that specific type of personality. But we do have skills and ability to excell at what we are hired to do. So, let this thread to be geared towards those who are NOT able to network, and still looking for a job in Canada.

Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[david1697]

PLEASE NOTE: QUESTION IS RELEVANT TO LANDED PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF CANADA.
NOT LOOKING FOR PR OR TEMP WORK VISA SPONSORS.

Any suggestions...?

 

[jazibkg]

Aerotek, Hays, Robert Half Finance & International/OfficeTeam/Accountemps, Kelly Services, Staff Management, , Angus One, Goldbeck Recruitment, Hunt Personnel, Randstad.

Isn't google your friend on this one? Some of them are regional.

 

[david1697]

I did Google, wanted to hear from those who have first hand knowledge and could recommend the one that actually work.

In US, for instance, we have dozens of agencies, but few deliver after 2007-2008. Those who are local and have first hand knowledge can tell which ones work well and which ones are just a dust bin to throw your resume in.

Thanks for referrals

 

[jazibkg]

It depends on your profession though; eg in banking and tech startups, most recruitment is done directly

 

[david1697]

Aerotek, Hays, Robert Half Finance & International/OfficeTeam/Accountemps, Kelly Services, Staff Management, , Angus One, Goldbeck Recruitment, Hunt Personnel, Randstad.

Isn't google your friend on this one? Some of them are regional.

Just a quick note:

I am familiar with all the above hiring agencies, they are US based I believe.

These agencies are useless , I know it for a fact, and they became useless in past 5 or 6 years.

They have changed the model they used to work on. In earlier days they would bring you to their office, have you pass some tests, interview you and then almost INSTANTLY place you to some position. It was your choice to accept or reject , and you could say you are interested in TEMPT TO HIRE< they would immediately provide the same to you.
It no longer works like that. Now, they are just collecting resumes. Out of hundreds they collect they select a FEW that they RECOMMEND to hiring employees. It's then hiring employees decision to call you for an interview, to select you for even as short as two weeks long project, or to never contact you at all.
And often you can see 4 or 5 of those agencies posting the same job simultaneously on their website, so they are playing a matchmaker in a market where there are hundreds of sellers and half dozen of brokers for each buyer of commodity.
I don't know why would anyone go to these staffing agencies you sited above in US, instead of reaching to the employers directly.
As I said, it's a different model they employ now from what they did before .And I am thinking they probably utilize the exact same model in Canada, because large American companies are like that: if they develop ONE model, they will implement it EVERYWHERE until some day they decide to change it.

If you know of Canadian staffing agencies that are really helpful and legitimate, please post.

 

[AtHomeInMontreal]

Hi David,

I've communicated with a number of forum users here (as well as individuals elsewhere) that have either approached or been approached by hiring/placement organizations offering job location assistance in Canada (going back to 2011). You seem like an intelligent guy that isn't going to be duped by anyone but I thought I'd refer you - and others - to a past post that you might find interesting:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/need-some-help-to-check-if-employer-is-scam-t83632.0.html

I am not referring to previous responses in this thread.

This kind of thing happens more than you might realize and there are unsavory characters that scan through immigration boards such as this one to find possible targets. Please be very careful (see italics below). If you need someone in Canada (particularly in Quebec) to do a bit of footwork to look into the legitimacy of an employer or agency you are welcome to reach out to me. I am more than willing to dig a bit for you or anyone out there. Be safe.

By the way, I am also originally from the U.S. and found that communicating with HR departments of companies based in the U.S. but with locations in Canada can be a great way of finding a job here in Canada. This is how I found employment here in Quebec; in fact, someone that I knew that was working in a U.S. location connected me directly to the key people I now work with here in Montreal. Networking is also not my strong point but my reputation in my industry is excellent and what I really needed was an "in" that 10,000 other people were not also exploiting at the same time. I'd suggest thinking outside the box and contacting everyone you know that work for international companies to see if they can point you in the right direction.

I'll repeat something that I posted back on 8 December 2011 that I think is still very relevant with regard to Canadian employment opportunities offered on the Internet that come up in various search engines:

Watch out when...

The agency contacted you; you didn't initiate the process. They might have contacted you after you post questions on the Internet, etc...

Promises are made that you will somehow receive priority treatment, or that your visa acceptance is "guaranteed" (obviously visa acceptance isn't an issue for a Canadian PR)...

The agency address does not appear when searched on Google Maps or another mapping service...

Their phone number returns "no record found" when searched in a reverse directory such as http://www.411.ca/ or a similar service located in the country where the business is based. This probably means that you are dealing with a cell phone or an online number rather than a landline. Not good if you are supposedly working with a reputable agency...

They are using disposable email addresses (gmail, yahoo, etc)...

They ask for payment only via a money transfer service...

There is always "something else" needed, and you experience delay after delay - delays that can be solved if you just send in more money...

They provide you with only scanned (email or faxed) documents / approvals rather than original documents sent by a recognized carrier/courier...

They are unable to provide tracking numbers that are active and available online for verification when documents were supposedly sent to you; they may provide tracking numbers but they never seem to work...

Their website was built using a free online service...

Their website is hosted by a free hosting service...


I wish you the best of luck and hope that you will find what you are looking for.

And, is there a particular industry sector that are you looking to find employment in?

 

[jazibkg]

Just a quick note:

I am familiar with all the above hiring agencies, they are US based I believe.

These agencies are useless , I know it for a fact, and they became useless in past 5 or 6 years.

They have changed the model they used to work on. In earlier days they would bring you to their office, have you pass some tests, interview you and then almost INSTANTLY place you to some position. It was your choice to accept or reject , and you could say you are interested in TEMPT TO HIRE< they would immediately provide the same to you.
It no longer works like that. Now, they are just collecting resumes. Out of hundreds they collect they select a FEW that they RECOMMEND to hiring employees. It's then hiring employees decision to call you for an interview, to select you for even as short as two weeks long project, or to never contact you at all.
And often you can see 4 or 5 of those agencies posting the same job simultaneously on their website, so they are playing a matchmaker in a market where there are hundreds of sellers and half dozen of brokers for each buyer of commodity.
I don't know why would anyone go to these staffing agencies you sited above in US, instead of reaching to the employers directly.
As I said, it's a different model they employ now from what they did before .And I am thinking they probably utilize the exact same model in Canada, because large American companies are like that: if they develop ONE model, they will implement it EVERYWHERE until some day they decide to change it.

If you know of Canadian staffing agencies that are really helpful and legitimate, please post.

Sorry to say but I believe there's no really helpful staffing agencies out there. I've given around 7-8 interviews in Canada and only 1 was arranged through an recruitment agency. Yes, it no longer works the way you mentioned. By the way, what's your profession? Are these actually US based? I found some of them present in the UK as well. I must have registered with at least 3 of these, hardly any use.

Why do you need to go through staffing agencies though?

People go to these agencies because some of the jobs are only advertised through them, specially temp and contracting roles.

 

[david1697]

Dave, thank you for your post and concern.

Yes, it would be difficult for anyone to dupe me with a job offer, but sadly there are many people out there scammers prey on. So, it's good that you have posted a link and advise from earlier post.

In my case the biggest challenge is not figuring out if anyone is trying to dupe me (that seems to be the least difficult of tasks to me), but rather where to find a staffing agency which won't waste my time (I know I won't be wasting any hard earned money on any promise of job).
As other poster noted, there might be none which is of practical use. If true, that's ok. Knowing it saves me time , so I won't look for something that doesn't exist.

How did you find US based companies with locations in Canada?? I know there are many US and Canadian companies that do business across the border, but I have not found any database or method of identifying them. Knowing how to find about these companies could prove to be a great asset.

I am currently looking at more than one industry/sector for employment, and I would most of all want to land a job where I could utilize my reading, analytical, legal and bilingual skills.

 

[AtHomeInMontreal]

Hi David,

I’ll send you a PM in a few minutes with some information that might be helpful and I’ll do what I can to give you a bit of an edge. Reading, analytical, legal and bilingual skills are, in my opinion, particularly marketable in my own industry (as well as in others). The good news is that there are worldwide players in my industry with offices in major Canadian cities that are often looking for people that have both generalized and specialized skillsets. You can always look at the Fortune 500 list and Google company locations in the markets you would consider, but everyone that’s been through this knows that it is all about making direct connections to the decision makers rather than being just a piece of paper crossing HR’s desk.

 

[UZZAH]

THANKS BRO FOR YOUR CANDID OPINION. I AM A REGISTERED NURSE FROM NIGERIA. HOW DO U THINK I CAN BEST SECURE A JOB AND PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA TO CANADA

 

[david1697]

Uzzah,

Thank you for your participation on this thread.

Please kindly note that I have started this thread for those who do NOT need sponsorship or Visa in Canada.

I myself am a Landed Permanent Resident of Canada with valid Canadian PR Card in my possession, and all members of my family (spouse and children) share the same status in Canada.

I am not interested in Visa or Green Card , in Canada or anywhere else.

I am looking for a professional employment in Canada.

If you would like to search for companies willing to sponsor for Temp Work or PR, please kindly start a separate thread and post your inquiries there.

I wouldn't want to bring to this thread any discussion of obtaining a Visa or Permanent Resident status in Canada.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Good luck!

 

[scylla]

If you're looking to work for one of Canada's big five banks, apply for roles through each bank's job web site directly rather than going through an agency. I've worked in Canadian banking for over 15 years and have been involved in the hiring of more people than I can name. We try to avoid agencies whenever possible since we have to pay an additional fee when we source a candidate through them. And yes - banks do hire people who apply externally for jobs through the bank's web site. Two out of my last three hires were found this way.

 

[david1697]

Thank you scylla. Any information that is helpful to land a job in Canada is greatly appreciated.

Let me ask you a question, so I can get a sense of what the labor force competition is like in Banking Industry and for jobs you hired for.
I understand that there are different jobs with different requirements which affect the competition for any position, this being considered I would still want to get some basic impression about the overall intensity of competition.
How many people in average apply for those positions posted on bank websites? 5, 10, 50, 200?
And also,what province have you hired in/from for the past 3-5 years ? If Nationwide, then please disregard the latter question, but advise if possible which province has most vacancies or higher rate of success for an applicant applying for the same or similar position.

I don't need any information that might be considered confidential or in any way compromise your relationship with your employer, so if you answer in most general terms I would much appreciate it, as long as it can help me get a basic picture.

 

[scylla]

The big five banks are all headquartered in Toronto so the majority of jobs are in Toronto. All of the hiring I've done has been for jobs located in downtown Toronto (in the financial district).

The last job I posted received around 250 applications. But only around 10 of these were applicants who had the qualifications / experience to be considered for the role.