My expriences so far ... first two days in Toronto!!!

[CharlotteJ]

CharlotteJ,

You are right, discrimination is again on rise in Western Europe. Be it in Holland, Denmark, Germany or France the right wing political parties are gaining. Definitely it will not make Europe a better place to live in a long run.


About your job in Missisauga (I guess I am not wrong), I have read a blog from an Argentinian IT guy, he mentioned the initial job hunting and call center job as one of the worst moment in Canada.

You mean the Call Center job in Mississauga? Do they make cold calls too? Hope not.

I haven't heard from the guy who I talked to. Hope he was not collecting résumés.

I find it btw quite bizzar that a well established recruiter does require a Police Check, Credit History Check and all that?!
I was amazed as to sit there and sign like ten pages of paper work as to just guarantee and agree with rules and conditions and all the checks need to be done as to determine I am have no criminal record and/or been having a bad credit. As if who cares if I 've a good credit or not ,I am not purchasing a house and asking your for a mortgage loan or a personal laon? I am here to find a job and you to help me find one.

In the Netherlands, they never ask for a Police check and/or Credit check! The whole conscent and all the agreements are simply bizzar.

What a Banana Republic!

 

[imu]

dear martha marita
thanks a lot for your writing.it would be more helpful for us to know all about from your writings.we would very much appreciated if we find more writings on food, housing, education and all essentials from your writings.
thanks indeed, martha !
imu

 

[CharlotteJ]

dear martha marita
thanks a lot for your writing.it would be more helpful for us to know all about from your writings.we would very much appreciated if we find more writings on food, housing, education and all essentials from your writings.
thanks indeed, martha !
imu

I am not Martha Marita and I am sorry if I can't help you with information on Food and/or Education.

Food-wise everything here is the same as in USA, Europe and many more countries, You can choose to buy food at the supermarket or buy organic and you pay more for organic food naturally.

Education: I can only provide some information regarding continuing education and short courses that are available but not much so on "schools" for children.

I am sure there are plenty of other forumers here who can do so, so please if you have any questions, just ask and me or other friends here will asnwer it. Right?

 

[Saudi]

Hey Charlotte...

I think each country and/or company has their own rules when it comes to recruitment. I work at a bank here in Saudi Arabia and when they hired me, they did check my credit history (although they didn't ask for my permission!). Many employers here are now doing the same thing either because the employer wants to maintain a positive image about the staff's credit history (i.e. my bank) or the employer wants to have employees with good financial planning skills (perhaps?).

I also think they'd need to do a police check if the job involves dealing with cash money ( saleswoman, cashier..etc).

 

[CharlotteJ]

Hey Charlotte...

I think each country and/or company has their own rules when it comes to recruitment. I work at a bank here in Saudi Arabia and when they hired me, they did check my credit history (although they didn't ask for my permission!). Many employers here are now doing the same thing either because the employer wants to maintain a positive image about the staff's credit history (i.e. my bank) or the employer wants to have employees with good financial planning skills (perhaps?).

I also think they'd need to do a police check if the job involves dealing with cash money ( saleswoman, cashier..etc).

I suppose you are right. Maybe not common or widely accepted in NL, but if that is the case in other countries, then it is something we should just accept like I did.

Yes, a financially well oriented and succesful employeer is more productive than one who does worry paying off his credit and might not be really concentrating fully on his tasks and in certain area's it is sure recommended to pre-screen the employees as to see if they are trustworthy.

 

[PG]

You mean the Call Center job in Mississauga? Do they make cold calls too? Hope not.

I haven't heard from the guy who I talked to. Hope he was not collecting résumés.

I find it btw quite bizzar that a well established recruiter does require a Police Check, Credit History Check and all that?!
I was amazed as to sit there and sign like ten pages of paper work as to just guarantee and agree with rules and conditions and all the checks need to be done as to determine I am have no criminal record and/or been having a bad credit. As if who cares if I 've a good credit or not ,I am not purchasing a house and asking your for a mortgage loan or a personal laon? I am here to find a job and you to help me find one.

In the Netherlands, they never ask for a Police check and/or Credit check! The whole conscent and all the agreements are simply bizzar.

What a Banana Republic!

May be I mixed up...yes I meant the call center job.
I read the guys blog, though he has not arranged all the titles properly still you can find his first few months.
(use http//: without www) thezieglersblog.com/2010/11/about-how-we-landed-in-quebec-and-ended-up-living-in-ontario-part-iii-what-did-i-do-wrong/


I was skeptical to use his links as it would look like someone's advertisement whom I never know, still I think he has written about his stress, depression or red tapism which would be important for many people to plan how to begin with.

I guess this red tapism does not let new immigrants to land a job as for the notorious credit history (I think its totally crap as holding any credit card or bank account on no-minus status makes you reliable or good person able to pay "everything") one needs more than 6 months to prove a "good" status. Police certificates are required in few jobs in EU also (as far as I know in Germany) but not for every job and it arrives within 2 weeks to your mail box if you need.

Canadian experience, credit history, security clearance etc. for a survival job ? ...its too much. Even for all professional jobs, it should not be required. I would give priority to personality, education, experience, motivation etc. if I am to hire someone.

 

[CharlotteJ]

Exactly! Nicely put.

Luckily I already have a credit history, since I have been using my Scotia Visa card for some time (This is why I encourage new immigrants to go to Scotia Bank and apply for their StartRight program as so obtain a Visa card and immediately start building up a good healthy credit history
I also got me a The Bay (Hudson Bay Company) credit card given my seasonal job there in December which sure allowed me to apply through their HBC CC via my manager and got it, which will be declined as long as one is new here and has not lived or worked here for less than 6 months as I was told there.

So in my case, having a Police clearance and a Credit Check is off course not such a big issue and so I accepted them, but I was surprised that one should go through so much paperwork in order to get signed in and submitted for jobs if using a recruiter.

Although I strongly and truly recommend Adecco, they really listen to you, take time to review your resumé and their personel is really truly professionally trained and I can tell.

My experience with Randstad, at least the one here next door on Bloor East, was really aweful. The young woman who was taking the interview and the intake was anything BUT friendly and treated me like trash to be honest.

But Adecco, I felt like being back at home, dealing with people who did review me and my experiences and skills, listened to me and if they have jobs available, I am sure they won't hesitate to call me and if not so, then they can't do much about it and shall take some time to be hearing from them.

It took me some time to find their office in downtown, but they were more than happy and helpful to have me there and interview me.

Now I have to finish an online assessment as to determine my basic knowledge of MS Office and Outlook, but each time I click on the link that is provided, I am told that I first need to instal Internet Explorer on my laptop! which is odd, because I already have Internet Explorer on my computer unless it should be some other software I do lack now.

But I am glad that I could talk to Adecco and hopefully they will come up with any office job as to help me and give me the much necessary push I need to acquire Office experience here and also improve my language skills because now I volunteer as Office Assistant in the Nursing home, I notice there are many terms or words that are used differently here and so I am going through a very good learning process to be honest.

So, if you can volunteer, just do! It helps you really learn something new each day.

 

[rubyalabar]

hi charlotte,

when you availed of the StartRight at Scotiabank, was there a minimun amount required for deposit to open an account? and will the credit limit on your visa card depend on how much you deposit to your savings?

happy new year!

ruby

 

[Saudi]

back to credit history again... ( sorry but banking is in my blood)

they keep all resumes and records in their database.... so it's possible that they'll find you a job within a week, month or even 6 months (if not longer) so I guess they want to have an access to your credit history at anytime in case they found a potential position for you.

I'm aware that newcomers don't have a real credit history .... but by the time they find a suitable job, he/she has built up his/her own credit history by then so if you authorize them to do that, it doesn't mean they gonna do it only once as they have to highlight your credit history in everytime they share your resumes with a potential employer.


English like most of other languages, is so rich and there are always new things to learn. However, I'd assume most europeans have learned the british english which is a bit different comparing to the american/canadian english in terms of vocabulary and spelling (I'm only guessing here!)

 

[CharlotteJ]

hi charlotte,

when you availed of the StartRight at Scotiabank, was there a minimun amount required for deposit to open an account? and will the credit limit on your visa card depend on how much you deposit to your savings?

happy new year!

ruby

NO Ruby ... you can simply check their website and read all about the StartRight plan offered by ScotiaBank.

 

[clubcanada]

Yes, a financially well oriented and succesful employeer is more productive than one who does worry paying off his credit and might not be really concentrating fully on his tasks and in certain area's it is sure recommended to pre-screen the employees as to see if they are trustworthy.

no offense but this is complete bull****! personal financial situation is a private aspect and should be treated that way. it's no one's business. how about marital status, kids, personal health, family diseases, etc.? during the application process you're not supposed to bring these things up - you aren't even supposed to reveal your date of birth - but your credit history must be provided???

So I'd suggest to have every employee run through a medical exam and have an indepth psycho profiling done before deciding to hire him/her. I guess an overall healthy employee is also more productive. So all married applicant should have to bring their spouses as well to a follow-up interview where they'll be undergone a marital check. And then it must be obligated that the applicant submit all his/her kids' school reports because low performing kids might lead to distractions of the parent/employee and have a negative impact on the performance...

There's nothing wrong with a background check but it must be job-related and it's not supposed to be a privacy invasion!

 

[CharlotteJ]

Well, believe it or not, that is how it did go and will be done too if even you will be willing to be submitted into their system as a job seeker. They need to answer certain questions for their clients obviously.

I only had to agree and sign these documents on which was stated that I clarify to have completed the forms in all honesty and that the employers are allowed to check my reliability, study, back ground, education, driving license, you name it. A police check will be done too and that was it and on each page I was asked to fill out my SIN, my full address, my previous address, my date of birth etc.

Maybe the rules are changed, I am not sure and am not there to say if it is so or not since I don't live here for too long.

But who knows, maybe if this will be the case now and in near future, as soon as they hear that you are married, have children, one sick and wife is demanding and you have a mortgage or are not fully covered by your insurance, they just reject one!?! I don't know.

It wasn't that bad though ... I just filled out the forms and agreed on all topics.

If you want a job, then you sacrifice a lot more than just nothing or you can simply walk out and don't ask them to help you.

By the way, in much of Europe, it is very common and especially in The Netherlands to have ANY employer ask you about your personal life, as a woman they ask you if you like children, will you like to be mother, how many children you might like to have? are you happily married? are you single? what sports do you like etc ...

So, if you have to work as a machine operator and you do like going to ski or climb trees, you better lie or you ll be simply rejected.

if the job requires you to be flexible and at work at any given date or time, you better not have children!

 

[clubcanada]

By the way, in much of Europe, it is very common and especially in The Netherlands to have ANY employer ask you about your personal life, as a woman they ask you if you like children, will you like to be mother, how many children you might like to have? are you happily married? are you single? what sports do you like etc ...

that's only partially correct for most western european countries. pregnancy, family planning, parents, questions in regards to spouse's job position etc. are all a no-go questions for a job interview and do not need to be answered correctly by the applicant. Of course you might ask questions in regards to hobbies in order to evaluate a candidate but there're limitaitions. You also might ask a pilot in regards to his health conditions as this might have a direct impact on his job and an extraordinary risk factor. And yes, a banker who is intended to have access to larger amounts of money might have to provide a financial background check as this directly correlats with his responsibilities. But these are exceptions. the questions are legitimate if they have a direct impact on the position - your example of the machine operator would not fall into this category as skiing might have an negative impact on every employee and is not limited to machine operators and cannot be seen as risk factor to be considered.

 

[CharlotteJ]

I will soon update you all with the latest from my neck of the woods.

I got some positive news coming out and who knows, by the end of January I am working somewhere! Fingers crossed

 

[SFD]

CharlotteJ

You tend to have a positive attitude and that makes a difference. Hope you get that job SOON.

Remember that your Canadavisa Family is with you...

Take care

SFD