Has anyone able to find a decent job in Alberta?

[nix1]

1. Has anyone able to find a decent job in Alberta since moving there from the US or another country?

2. If you were able to find one, how long did it take for you to find that?

3. If you have not found one yet, how long have you been looking for it and how are your paying for all the expenses?

 

[poppyjml]

hi nix! when are you planning on landing?

i finally found a decent job here in Edmonton. I originally landed in Calgary, but since the job offer is here, I moved here.
I arrived last Sept 26, got the verbal job offer last Oct 27, and I just started work this week.

it's really hard to immediately get a job here in Alberta. Some of the companies process applications very very slowly! There were some jobs I applied to even before I arrived in Canada, and it's only now that they're calling me for interviews. Some companies have a job opening and job closing date, and it's only after the closing date that they start reviewing the submitted resumes, screen them, and then call those they want to interview. I've seen jobs whose job closing date are 2 or 3 months after the job opening date, so in those cases, you'd get a call from them AT LEAST after 2-3 months. And that's if they're interested with you.

Just to give some of you an idea of how long applications can take, I have a couple of job applications whose status are in the Final Screening...and it's been like that for more than a month now! In that company, if they don't want you, they change the status to Not accepted, so I really dunno what's up with that application.

there are others who find a job after 6 months.

Let me clarify that. If you're not choosy, you can easily get all kinds of job. BUT, if you're looking for the job that fits your current profession, then that could take long.

 

[nix1]

Congrats! Poppyjml for securing a good job. I am very happy for you. Thanks for the words of advice.

We are landing tomorrow morning through Coutts, AB. We are leaving Utah in an hour and driving towards Alberta. We will be in AB for a week and will be back in the US for a couple of months and move back to AB permanently.

 

[aNewHope]

Good luck, nix1! Drive safe.

Cheers,

Congrats! Poppyjml for securing a good job. I am very happy for you. Thanks for the words of advice.

We are landing tomorrow morning through Coutts, AB. We are leaving Utah in an hour and driving towards Alberta. We will be in AB for a week and will be back in the US for a couple of months and move back to AB permanently.

 

[Hope42010]

1. Has anyone able to find a decent job in Alberta since moving there from the US or another country?

2. If you were able to find one, how long did it take for you to find that?

3. If you have not found one yet, how long have you been looking for it and how are your paying for all the expenses?

Hi guys,

First off congrats to you all. I hope one day I can post such good news as well.

Now in response to the topic:

1 - I am looking for a cabinet maker position and or carpentry, sent dozens of emails to notice that in these trades it will be hard to even get a response. Note: American experience and pictures of my work.

2 – Searching daily for over two months, email and phone calls and at the moment they know you are looking for immigration… Cya…

3 – My offer says that I will pay for all expenses and even willing to work for a low wage for sometime to “compensate” their troubles.

I must be doing something wrong or running out of patience don’t know, sometimes it seems that is all a joke, only you guys here to keep my hopes up.

Thanks

 

[GirlOntario]

hi nix! when are you planning on landing?

i finally found a decent job here in Edmonton. I originally landed in Calgary, but since the job offer is here, I moved here.
I arrived last Sept 26, got the verbal job offer last Oct 27, and I just started work this week.

it's really hard to immediately get a job here in Alberta. Some of the companies process applications very very slowly! There were some jobs I applied to even before I arrived in Canada, and it's only now that they're calling me for interviews. Some companies have a job opening and job closing date, and it's only after the closing date that they start reviewing the submitted resumes, screen them, and then call those they want to interview. I've seen jobs whose job closing date are 2 or 3 months after the job opening date, so in those cases, you'd get a call from them AT LEAST after 2-3 months. And that's if they're interested with you.

Just to give some of you an idea of how long applications can take, I have a couple of job applications whose status are in the Final Screening...and it's been like that for more than a month now! In that company, if they don't want you, they change the status to Not accepted, so I really dunno what's up with that application.

there are others who find a job after 6 months.

Let me clarify that. If you're not choosy, you can easily get all kinds of job. BUT, if you're looking for the job that fits your current profession, then that could take long.

Great Popyjml may god prosper you and your family! Good to see a final sucess!!

 

[poppyjml]

Thanks Girlontario!!

hi Hope42010, are you already in Alberta? if not, it's really hard to get a job in Alberta when you're not yet here.
I've experienced that. Only when I arrived in Calgary, got a prepaid cell here, and changed my address to the Calgary address where I'm staying did I get some response.

The family friend I was staying at in Calgary, advised me to look at the service canada website. Here's the link for the job section of that site - http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/othsite_eng.aspx .

I went through each and every site in there that's relevant to my profession, and uploaded my resume and cover letter. If they have job notifications sent through email, I apply for that. So everyday, I get several emails notifying me of the openings. I look through them and just apply for those that I think fit my skills. It's a lot of work because you get dozens of email everyday, but that's good since you're chances of getting a job gets better.

I also searched for alberta companies, went through each of those companies' site, and applied for job notifications if they have...and also uploaded my resume and cover letter.

Good Luck with your job hunting!

 

[Hope42010]

Thanks Girlontario!!

hi Hope42010, are you already in Alberta? if not, it's really hard to get a job in Alberta when you're not yet here.
I've experienced that. Only when I arrived in Calgary, got a prepaid cell here, and changed my address to the Calgary address where I'm staying did I get some response.

The family friend I was staying at in Calgary, advised me to look at the service canada website. Here's the link for the job section of that site - http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/othsite_eng.aspx .

I went through each and every site in there that's relevant to my profession, and uploaded my resume and cover letter. If they have job notifications sent through email, I apply for that. So everyday, I get several emails notifying me of the openings. I look through them and just apply for those that I think fit my skills. It's a lot of work because you get dozens of email everyday, but that's good since you're chances of getting a job gets better.

I also searched for alberta companies, went through each of those companies' site, and applied for job notifications if they have...and also uploaded my resume and cover letter.

Good Luck with your job hunting!

Hi Poppyjml,

Thanks for your words and advise, I been doing all that even calling from my home country and it is all the same, at the moment they learn that I am an immigration candidate, the call goes away.

Reality is in my field of work all is very relative for instance, how long does it take to build a house? That dictates the length of the work and for that it is easy to get locals a least I would assume it considering the lack of attention given to my applications. Also, most people think that because I am not a canadian carpenter I won't know the work forgeting that US has the same building code with tinny differences only.

Usually house builders are small contractors and they are very short minded with no much planning for future, more like going on day by day bases then going for year around planning, besides upon seeing my portfolio they fear that soon I will be a fiercest competitor and if I don’t show it… well, they say … I got locals why bother.

True is I won’t quit my search and eventually I will find an open minded company to work with it. ;-)

Canada will tremble as my nails guns and saws are coming. :-D

 

[Leon]

Also, most people think that because I am not a canadian carpenter I won't know the work forgeting that US has the same building code with tinny differences only.

One thing you can look into is taking an equivalency exam. Canada has the red seal exam for many of their trades which allows you to be recognized as a tradesman in any province in Canada but there is also a blue seal exam which is supposedly recognized in the US. Talk to the carpenters union in the US where you are or the apprentice board and ask them if there is any such exam you can take to get yourself recognized in Canada. It might not be a big deal to do it and could make you look a bit more valuable to a Canadian employer.

 

[Hope42010]

Hi Leon thanks for your words,

In fact I have a license already and the building code for Canada is based on the US and vice versa.
When I was taking classes for my license we were told that both countries follow these rules with tinny variations mainly regarding to city distances set back from sidewalks and some occupancy issues as per the rest of it both are very alike.

In the US we respond for all trades performance regardless of other trades license requirements in my case goes up to a 35.000 CF of enclosed space.

I welcome and agree 100% with testing professionals in order to evaluate then.