21685 said:
Dear amikety you are giving useful information to the readers of this forum. I really appreciate for your efforts and also taking out your precious time
for helping the newcomers, keep it up. I am moving to Calgary from GTA early next month please give some advice to get good accommodation in NE
and also give some sites or links to apply for jobs in Calgary before moving.
How much you want to spend will determine 'good' accommodation in the NE. For $700-$1000, you can find a basement apartment, sometimes with utilities included. Usually 2 bedrooms, sometimes 1 or 3. Having only 1 doesn't seem to significantly reduce the price. If you're hoping for apartment/condo/upper floor, expect to spent closer to $1200-$1500 for an average neighborhood. Near my house, there is a one bedroom apartment in a low rise building renting for $1195/month not including utilities and the laundry is shared with the whole building (gross).
www.rentfaster.ca
www.kijiji.ca
Just my opinion, but Kijiji seems to have better deals. Rent Faster has a lot of building management companies and they're expensive. I found my apartment on Kijiji. But remember, don't give anyone a ton of money upfront. It's usually a good idea to find a hotel for the few days first.
Jobs:
Here are some websites you can check out (which you may already know).
www.monster.ca
http://www.workopolis.com/EN/Common/HomePage.aspx
http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/Intro-eng.aspx
http://www.now-hiring.ca/
http://www.calgaryjobs.com/ (local to Calgary and Edmonton)
http://www.calgary.ca/CS/HR/Pages/Careers/Career-Opportunities.aspx (City of Calgary)
Another thing to do is identify companies you want to work for. I have never gotten hired by applying at a job website. I've always narrowed down which companies I like and apply for jobs there directly. Sometimes they aren't hiring - but they will hold on to a resume for a few months at least. So lets say you're an experienced banker. Go directly to RBC, CIBC, BMO, etc website and apply there. (I've already identified my first stops when I finally get my PR visa - I even have a plan! Basically, I know who I will apply to first and go on from there.) If the company allows you to go in person, it's worth a shot, but many don't. (One of mine only accepts resumes in person, which is so outdated! But I like it.)
Also, when you're using these job websites, keep in mind some companies post to multiple sites. It may help to write down or print out which jobs you've already applied for. That way you don't apply on three different websites. It confuses the HR manager and makes you look deseparate. We don't want that. We want to look confident and competent.
If Alberta has any certifications or licenses for your program, it may be worthwhile to get one. I would research the internet before I plop money down to see if it's worth it. I'll use myself as an example
My degree is from the USA - which is basically treated the same in Canada as the USA
but the laws are different in Canada. In order to show I'm competent with laws in Canada, I'll need to either get my Master's in Canada, get a second degree in Canada, or get a certification. I haven't decided yet (because I haven't decided my Master's concentration) but it'll be either a Canadian Master's or a certificate.