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Survival Jobs in Calgary

Ketevan

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2012
803
34
UK
Category........
Visa Office......
London (Federal), Paris (BIQ)
NOC Code......
4162
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
18-03-2011 (Quebec); 29-02-2012 (Federal), signed by KRSZWDA
Nomination.....
Interview letter received from BIQ (Paris) November 2011
AOR Received.
15-08-2011 (Quebec); 23-03-2012 (Federal, e-mail)
File Transfer...
19-04-2012 (London started processing)
Med's Request
12-06-2012 (delivered on 19-06-2012 by post)
Med's Done....
04-07-2012 (received by London on 09-07-2012, signed by IAN); appeared on ECAS on 31-07-2012
Interview........
06-02-2012 (got CSQ at Paris BIQ)
Passport Req..
30-07-12, but cancelled on 08-08-12 (additional background checks needed :o ) New passport req. - 05/11/12
VISA ISSUED...
20-11-12 (Passport submitted in person 15/11/12; Decision made and canadian address on ECAS 23/11/12; passport picked up in person 29/11/12).
LANDED..........
09-03-13, Montreal YUL
Call centre job is relatively easy to get but not that easy to survive. I got a call centre job 3 weeks after landing in montreal but could not stay there more than 2 months. I will explain why:

The first reason is that you are forced to sell a certain quota per day. I was working in customer service for large telecom in income calls. After solving the client's problem (e.g. Paying bill) I had to propose a product to him. If he said no, I had to insist until he gets furious and hangs up or swears at me. It is hard to work when you feel that everybody hates you. If you do not sell enough, after 3 months you get sacked.

The second - you are constantly under control. If you spend more than 2 minutes looking for the answer to client's question, the vigilance officer will come and pull your ear. But believe me in most cases 2 minutes is not enough to find info. Your heartbeat reaches dangerous maximum.

All your calls are recorded. At the end of the day, your team and your coach will go to class to listen to your call and criticize you together. Here you asked too many questions, there you took a too deep breath, here you forgot to mute while coughing...

Working hours are inhumane - finishing at midnight on monday, starting at 7 am on tuesday, finishing at midnight on wednesday etc.

And all of this for a minimum wage and under supervision of people who do not even have a university of college degree. Wave good bye to your self esteem.

After quitting the job, i spent 3 weeks on job hunting and the only interview that I got was again with a call centre. Seems my destiny is to return there, but this time I will avoid any aggressive sales duties and when customers swear at me, I will imagine I am listening to Beethoven.

thor said:
a call centre job is an easy survival job, it also helps new immigrants develop their communication skills
 

kingkong1

Star Member
May 18, 2013
83
16
Ketevan said:
Call centre job is relatively easy to get but not that easy to survive. I got a call centre job 3 weeks after landing in montreal but could not stay there more than 2 months. I will explain why:

The first reason is that you are forced to sell a certain quota per day. I was working in customer service for large telecom in income calls. After solving the client's problem (e.g. Paying bill) I had to propose a product to him. If he said no, I had to insist until he gets furious and hangs up or swears at me. It is hard to work when you feel that everybody hates you. If you do not sell enough, after 3 months you get sacked.

The second - you are constantly under control. If you spend more than 2 minutes looking for the answer to client's question, the vigilance officer will come and pull your ear. But believe me in most cases 2 minutes is not enough to find info. Your heartbeat reaches dangerous maximum.

All your calls are recorded. At the end of the day, your team and your coach will go to class to listen to your call and criticize you together. Here you asked too many questions, there you took a too deep breath, here you forgot to mute while coughing...

Working hours are inhumane - finishing at midnight on monday, starting at 7 am on tuesday, finishing at midnight on wednesday etc.

And all of this for a minimum wage and under supervision of people who do not even have a university of college degree. Wave good bye to your self esteem.

After quitting the job, i spent 3 weeks on job hunting and the only interview that I got was again with a call centre. Seems my destiny is to return there, but this time I will avoid any aggressive sales duties and when customers swear at me, I will imagine I am listening to Beethoven.
Yeah, from what I hear from you, it seems easier to get this kind of call centre jobs than a cashier job at a McDonald's.
 

Ketevan

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2012
803
34
UK
Category........
Visa Office......
London (Federal), Paris (BIQ)
NOC Code......
4162
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
18-03-2011 (Quebec); 29-02-2012 (Federal), signed by KRSZWDA
Nomination.....
Interview letter received from BIQ (Paris) November 2011
AOR Received.
15-08-2011 (Quebec); 23-03-2012 (Federal, e-mail)
File Transfer...
19-04-2012 (London started processing)
Med's Request
12-06-2012 (delivered on 19-06-2012 by post)
Med's Done....
04-07-2012 (received by London on 09-07-2012, signed by IAN); appeared on ECAS on 31-07-2012
Interview........
06-02-2012 (got CSQ at Paris BIQ)
Passport Req..
30-07-12, but cancelled on 08-08-12 (additional background checks needed :o ) New passport req. - 05/11/12
VISA ISSUED...
20-11-12 (Passport submitted in person 15/11/12; Decision made and canadian address on ECAS 23/11/12; passport picked up in person 29/11/12).
LANDED..........
09-03-13, Montreal YUL
I have not applied to cashier in MacDonalds, but applied as cashier to banks and never got response to my applications. I get immediate interview invitations to my applications to call centres though, both outsource call centres and within-company centres :D or probably they call me out of curiosity,just to ask why with a british PhD I apply to such jobs :eek: as if it was my choice 8)
I would prefer a cashier in MD though, because my actions will not be constantly recorded and people generally are in good mood, while in my previous call centre 80% of clients called to yell and hang up.

Guess what? Yesterday I got to know an egyptian lady by chance in a park and when we started talking about job experiences, it turned out she worked in the same call centre as me and quit for the same reason as me - sales pressure.

kingkong1 said:
Yeah, from what I hear from you, it seems easier to get this kind of call centre jobs than a cashier job at a McDonald's.
 

ravercwb

Star Member
Aug 20, 2012
55
0
Category........
Visa Office......
New York
NOC Code......
3113
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
16-12-2010
Doc's Request.
sent with application
AOR Received.
03-2011
IELTS Request
sent with application
Med's Request
20-08-2012
Med's Done....
30-08-2012
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
03-07-2013
VISA ISSUED...
09-07-2013
LANDED..........
Before August 2013
Ketevan said:
I have not applied to cashier in MacDonalds, but applied as cashier to banks and never got response to my applications. I get immediate interview invitations to my applications to call centres though, both outsource call centres and within-company centres :D or probably they call me out of curiosity,just to ask why with a british PhD I apply to such jobs :eek: as if it was my choice 8)
I would prefer a cashier in MD though, because my actions will not be constantly recorded and people generally are in good mood, while in my previous call centre 80% of clients called to yell and hang up.

Guess what? Yesterday I got to know an egyptian lady by chance in a park and when we started talking about job experiences, it turned out she worked in the same call centre as me and quit for the same reason as me - sales pressure.
Hi there,

Have you tried to move to a francophone province since you have a British PhD?

Have you worked on your Canadian resume and applied to real jobs emphasizing your British experience and expertise?

Thanks for replying.

RaverCWB
 

Ketevan

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2012
803
34
UK
Category........
Visa Office......
London (Federal), Paris (BIQ)
NOC Code......
4162
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
18-03-2011 (Quebec); 29-02-2012 (Federal), signed by KRSZWDA
Nomination.....
Interview letter received from BIQ (Paris) November 2011
AOR Received.
15-08-2011 (Quebec); 23-03-2012 (Federal, e-mail)
File Transfer...
19-04-2012 (London started processing)
Med's Request
12-06-2012 (delivered on 19-06-2012 by post)
Med's Done....
04-07-2012 (received by London on 09-07-2012, signed by IAN); appeared on ECAS on 31-07-2012
Interview........
06-02-2012 (got CSQ at Paris BIQ)
Passport Req..
30-07-12, but cancelled on 08-08-12 (additional background checks needed :o ) New passport req. - 05/11/12
VISA ISSUED...
20-11-12 (Passport submitted in person 15/11/12; Decision made and canadian address on ECAS 23/11/12; passport picked up in person 29/11/12).
LANDED..........
09-03-13, Montreal YUL
I am already in francophone province - Quebec.

Yes, there is no bank, consultancy company or college left in Quebec where I have not applied yet.

ravercwb said:
Hi there,

Have you tried to move to a francophone province since you have a British PhD?

Have you worked on your Canadian resume and applied to real jobs emphasizing your British experience and expertise?

Thanks for replying.

RaverCWB
 

ravercwb

Star Member
Aug 20, 2012
55
0
Category........
Visa Office......
New York
NOC Code......
3113
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
16-12-2010
Doc's Request.
sent with application
AOR Received.
03-2011
IELTS Request
sent with application
Med's Request
20-08-2012
Med's Done....
30-08-2012
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
03-07-2013
VISA ISSUED...
09-07-2013
LANDED..........
Before August 2013
Ketevan said:
I am already in francophone province - Quebec.

Yes, there is no bank, consultancy company or college left in Quebec where I have not applied yet.
I mean anglofone province
 

Ketevan

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2012
803
34
UK
Category........
Visa Office......
London (Federal), Paris (BIQ)
NOC Code......
4162
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
18-03-2011 (Quebec); 29-02-2012 (Federal), signed by KRSZWDA
Nomination.....
Interview letter received from BIQ (Paris) November 2011
AOR Received.
15-08-2011 (Quebec); 23-03-2012 (Federal, e-mail)
File Transfer...
19-04-2012 (London started processing)
Med's Request
12-06-2012 (delivered on 19-06-2012 by post)
Med's Done....
04-07-2012 (received by London on 09-07-2012, signed by IAN); appeared on ECAS on 31-07-2012
Interview........
06-02-2012 (got CSQ at Paris BIQ)
Passport Req..
30-07-12, but cancelled on 08-08-12 (additional background checks needed :o ) New passport req. - 05/11/12
VISA ISSUED...
20-11-12 (Passport submitted in person 15/11/12; Decision made and canadian address on ECAS 23/11/12; passport picked up in person 29/11/12).
LANDED..........
09-03-13, Montreal YUL
I am quebec skilled worker and signed a contract before landing that I will live in Quebec only. Besides, I do not find the situation in other provinces significantly better as I follow my friends' stories there. Wherever we go, we face the same scepticism towards foreign credentials, where these are British or Malawian credentials.

ravercwb said:
I mean anglofone province