Tips to find job in Canada

[david1697]

If networking is of such importance that without it one can't get a decent job in Canda, then Canada will lose some of the best and most qualified candidates. There are Canadian permanent Residents who will not be able to land a job in Canada if networking is the only way to find one.

It's normal in any society to help friends and make referrals in anything you could think of, but it's abnormal if it is the only way for anyone to get anything.

I have posted a thread where I asked about legitimate agencies or links to websites where I should be looking for a job (as someone who doesn;t have the much prized network in Canada), and my thread hasn't received any replies yet.
If it is a confirmation of what many members here suggest (that you must have a network to get a job in Canada), then it's truly unfortunate.

Such a great country, so many things that are likable about it and so many reasons people may have to move there, but what to do if you don't have a network but need a professional job, to live and pay your bills as well as to continue your professional life?

 

[mrbeachman]

If networking is of such importance that without it one can't get a decent job in Canda, then Canada will lose some of the best and most qualified candidates. There are Canadian permanent Residents who will not be able to land a job in Canada if networking is the only way to find one.

It's normal in any society to help friends and make referrals in anything you could think of, but it's abnormal if it is the only way for anyone to get anything.

I have posted a thread where I asked about legitimate agencies or links to websites where I should be looking for a job (as someone who doesn;t have the much prized network in Canada), and my thread hasn't received any replies yet.
If it is a confirmation of what many members here suggest (that you must have a network to get a job in Canada), then it's truly unfortunate.

Such a great country, so many things that are likable about it and so many reasons people may have to move there, but what to do if you don't have a network but need a professional job, to live and pay your bills as well as to continue your professional life?

With all due respect why would any country have to confirm to your own personal opinions?

It seems like Canada is doing just fine doing it's own thing and will not lose any "talent" because there will always be people naïve enough (like yourself apparently) who believe the brochure and propaganda that Canada is the best place on Earth.

Canada is in the business of importing immigrants and cheap labour. Perhaps you should Google the latest deal they struck with Microsoft that will make your stomach turn.

Canada is not the best place to live. Far from it. You can make a pretty decent living here, but certainly not if you are "shy".

Myself, I am not very shy, I just refuse to put up with hypocrisy and people telling me how lucky I am to be here. So, I moved to another country.

I realize not many people have the guts to do what I did, but I am just putting this out there for a few people who have good jobs in their home country and are thinking about moving to Canada. Perhaps for the truly desperate and truly poor, the "Canadian dream" is all they need.

I strongly suggest you join other (Canadian) forums and check the reality of the situation. Google RFD forums under careers section and see for your self how many young Canadian graduates and even the ones with experience are struggling. I am not sure if I am allowed to post links.

Good luck.

 

[david1697]

With all due respect why would any country have to confirm to your own personal opinions?

It seems like Canada is doing just fine doing it's own thing and will not lose any "talent" because there will always be people naïve enough (like yourself apparently) who believe the brochure and propaganda that Canada is the best place on Earth.

Canada is in the business of importing immigrants and cheap labour. Perhaps you should Google the latest deal they struck with Microsoft that will make your stomach turn.

Canada is not the best place to live. Far from it. You can make a pretty decent living here, but certainly not if you are "shy".

Myself, I am not very shy, I just refuse to put up with hypocrisy and people telling me how lucky I am to be here. So, I moved to another country.

I realize not many people have the guts to do what I did, but I am just putting this out there for a few people who have good jobs in their home country and are thinking about moving to Canada. Perhaps for the truly desperate and truly poor, the "Canadian dream" is all they need.

I strongly suggest you join other (Canadian) forums and check the reality of the situation. Google RFD forums under careers section and see for your self how many young Canadian graduates and even the ones with experience are struggling. I am not sure if I am allowed to post links.

Good luck.

Most respected Sir/Madame.

Please tell me why should any country conform to my personal opinions?

As someone who lives in US I am used to speak up my mind freely and send people on their merry way if they don't like what they hear, but I do not know why would any country have to conform to what my thoughts are. Do you by any chance know? If you do please kindly let me know.

My concern is not with Canada importing cheap labor. If that's what Canada wants to do then so be it.

My real concern is with persistent suggestion by board members that one must have a "network" to get a job. In short, you have to know someone in order to land a jaob, any professional job. And there is no way around it (or so it sounds to me when I constantly read about "networK' being such an invaluable asset). That's abnormality, Sir/Madame. That's a trait of a third world country, not of developed Western world democracy. I am in disbelief and sinserely doubt such assertion. If true, it would make it nearly impossible for me, as well as many other individuals like myself, to find a job in Canada.

And, unlike you, I am rather shy , introvert person.

I neither blame you for not being shy, nor have any intentions to torture myself into becoming someone nature hasn't made me into.
I am just who I am, personality wise, and I hope to be able to land a job in a country where I have been granted a right to live and work. Because, if I can't then I can't move there either. Nor can my family.
And this is a serious subject for us, not something to be taken lightly.


All the best.

 

[mrbeachman]

Much respected Sir/Madame.

Please tell me why should any country conform to my personal opinions?

As someone who lives in US I am used to speak up my mind freely and send people on their merry way if they don't liek what they hear, but I am not sure why would any country have to conform to what my thoughts are. Do you by any chance know? If you do please kindly let me know.

My concern is not with Canada importing cheap labor. If that's what Canada wants to do then so be it.

My real concern is with persistent suggestion by board members that one must have a "network" to get a job. In short, you have to know someone in order to land a jaob, any job. That's abnormality, Sir/Madame. That's a trait of third world country, not of developed Western democracy. I am in disbelief and sinserely doubt this assertion. If true, it would make it nearly impossible for me, as well as many other individuals like myself, to find a job in Canada.

And, unlike you, I am rather shy , introvert person.

I neither blame you for not being shy, nor have any intentions to torture myself into becoming someone nature hasn't made me into.
I am just who I am, personality wise, and I hope to be able to land a job in a country where I have been granted a right to live and work. Because, if I can't then I can't move there either. Nor can my family.
And this is a serious subject for us, not something to be taken lightly.


All the best.

This has nothing to do with the freedom of speech. You are expecting to get a job in Canada based on your US experiences (not work experience, living experience). You are saying that networking (which is really a nice way of saying corruption) is a trait of a third world country. I do not disagree with this statement.

"I am in disbelief and sincerely doubt this assertion." This is perhaps the scariest part of your post. The refusal to accept what is a reality in Canada.

You can come here and blow your savings because everything is 50% more expensive than in USA, or you could indeed get lucky and get a decent job.

Please at least do realize that the odds are against you.

 

[on-hold]

In response to your criticism, I will share a little networking story.

I attended a major oil and gas convention in Calgary after my graduation. After talking to a few companies on the exhibition floor with no job leads, I was invited to a networking dinner by one of the exhibitors. The networking dinner was about 90% industry professionals and the rest of us were either recent graduates or job seekers. I knew this because we all got to meet. You have to go around as much as you can in a networking dinner.

At the end of the night we (recent graduates and job seekers) exchanged contacts and started sharing our job search stories, which was really encouraging to me. We kept in contact and believe it or not, a girl from that group referred me to her boss for my very first job in Alberta. It was barely a month we met at the networking event and she was also only a month into her Job.

When you are in a networking dinner please do not underestimate anyone. Treat everyone equally regardless of status. You never know what staying in touch after networking can do for you.

So the job didn't come from the industry professional I was looking up to, but a girl that was in the same boat as me. To be fair, It would have been either ways.

I couldn't encourage anyone to be a bum, just saying.

These are serious issues and people's future at stake here man. What you said is actually discouraging. I still can't believe you ask potential job seekers to be Bums.

Its really sad.

Don't ignore what he's saying, and don't take your experience as typical. Finding a job in Calgary is like finding a rock on the beach -- don't congratulate yourself too much, just because you got a nice one.

Let me put it this way -- every month, thousands of Canadians move to Alberta from the rest of Canada. If they couldn't find jobs, why are you going to find one? Do you have an advantage that they don't? If not, take the training courses that are offered.

 

[david1697]

This has nothing to do with the freedom of speech. You are expecting to get a job in Canada based on your US experiences (not work experience, living experience). You are saying that networking (which is really a nice way of saying corruption) is a trait of a third world country. I do not disagree with this statement.

"I am in disbelief and sincerely doubt this assertion." This is perhaps the scariest part of your post. The refusal to accept what is a reality in Canada.

You can come here and blow your savings because everything is 50% more expensive than in USA, or you could indeed get lucky and get a decent job.

Please at least do realize that the odds are against you.

If you notice, I haven't moved to Canada yet. This is primarily because I don't want to end up as a homeless person , nor work odd jobs to survive.
I am actually looking for a professional job in Canada. So, I posted a thread asking for links to useful job sites and to legitimate hiring agencies.

I am ok with odds being against me, that doesn't worry me. Life experience has taught me that odds are usually against you unless you are some big shot or your dad is one. What concerns me is the prospect of not finding a job in Canada just because I don't have a "network" there.

I know your opinion on it already, so I am looking to see responses by other members.

 

[on-hold]

My experience might be worth relating, though I don't take it as typical, if there is such a thing. I'm an American, with a B.A. from the University of Toronto and a master's from Duke, both in useless disciplines. When I landed, I was finishing a second master's degree in public health. I assumed, as an American with a Canadian degree, that I would be able to live anywhere in Canada and apply for work across the country -- I chose Victoria, because it is nice, and I hoped being there in person would let me stay there. This is what happened:

- I never found a job to apply for in Victoria -- the local job networks all ran through the University of Victoria, and I couldn't even apply for co-op jobs that no one else was interested in, despite my being enrolled in a graduate program. I worked in a grocery store for a year.

- in that year, I had three interviews for jobs elsewhere, and I applied for hundreds. Here's the thing.


- if you're overqualified for a job, and thousands of miles away, they don't interview you. You're obviously overqualified, and you're working in a grocery store, and you're going to leave as soon as you can. It's true, I would have loved to move to Newfoundland for any job at all, and leave as soon as possible.

- if you're underqualified and thousands of miles away, they don't interview you.

- if you're perfectly qualified and thousands of miles away, maybe they do interview you. However, this would mean a job is basically unique. It never happened to me. Anyway, it's hard to tell if someone is perfectly qualified when they're working in a grocery store with two masters degrees, it's very likely that they are actually overqualified and desperate.

Canadian job markets are very local -- they are NOT like in the States. How did I get out of this dilemma? I got a job at a distance, in Montana (something I did with a single application to America), moved my family there, and used it as a base to find a job in Edmonton. When I had a chance at an interview, I drove up there and took it in person and told them that I was moving there anyway, regardless of their decision. They gave me the job, and since then I've survived in Alberta's friendly hiring market.

However, the people who are talking about networking and whatnot are also wrong (in my experience only) -- every time I tried to do that it was an embarrassing failure. I was told by my immigration support worker that I should set up 'informational interviews'. These were the most awkward and silly experiences of my adult life, wasting a busy professional's time as he told me that he didn't have any jobs at all.

 

[mrbeachman]

I know your opinion on it already, so I am looking to see responses by other members.

Basically you are looking for something that you want to hear, rather than face the reality of the situation.

You will not get an honest reply from this forum besides a few hearsay from a friend of a friend, some other Canadian dreamers or someone who landed a job in Calgary when oil was 100 a barrel. This is not a good forum to seek advice regarding employment. I have given a place where to look for answer about your employment concerns (there are many forums). From Canadians - living in Canada, in the same situation as you.

But stick around here and wait for the fairy-tale story.....

 

[david1697]

I googled "RFD", found at least one Canadian forum where R.F.D. stands as abbreviation. Not sure if that was the forum you referred to, but thanks anyway. It's Canadian forum and I will look into it.

As to reading opinions of others, I am sure any reasonable person would agree that no one individual has monopoly on defining what "reaility" is. Some would even claim that no such thing as absolute reality exists.
So I usually take a measured approach and try to get as many inputs as possible to get the best picture I can.

It only makes sense to know what others with actual experience of living in Canada have to say about it.

 

[mrbeachman]

Yes, that's the one. Like I said, I am not sure if I am allowed to post links to other forums.

Check other Canadian forums too.

Good Luck

 

[david1697]

I will. Thank you for the reference!

 

[Papa Bomboy]

However, the people who are talking about networking and whatnot are also wrong (in my experience only) -- every time I tried to do that it was an embarrassing failure. I was told by my immigration support worker that I should set up 'informational interviews'. These were the most awkward and silly experiences of my adult life, wasting a busy professional's time as he told me that he didn't have any jobs at all.

Many thanks on-hold for sharing your experience and thanks for your honesty about networking.

I can't say networking is the only way to look for a job in Alberta but it sure worked for me, but not after attending so many events. I didn't attend one networking event but I also set up so many coffee meetings that didn't end up with a job offer right away, however,I did get a lot of inside information as I went along though and that is how I ended up with a job at the end.
When i first arrived in Alberta, I was introduced to a head hunter who took a look at my resume (just a recent grad with no professional experience at the time). The head hunter praised my resume which made me smile but the next question was a shocker. "so who do you know so far? " she said. I was speechless.

I went home that night feeling so discouraged and almost cried thinking about all applications I sent out with no reply. I simply ignored the lady at the time and kept applying online and nothing changed, so I decided to give networking a try.

Networking is a full time job and will take up your money and time in some cases. I don't think its for everyone.

This is just my story, not sure I could have handled my situation any better.

Before 2008 recession, I witnessed lots of friends get hired through online job postings and never heard anything about networking so it came as a shocker to me when I was told.

I didn't think I would be contributing to this post again but David I kinda feel your pain. Its not easy especially from a family's man vantage point, but take a look at the falling Canadian dollar and oil prices - might not be a good time to make the move (just my opinion) especially if you will be looking for a professional job when you land.

It seems like you have something good working for you in the states so why not stick with it for now till things pick up? I think you love your job in the states but just want a better environment for your family, although I wonder how bad it looks down there.

Not sure if i have made any sense so far so please forgive my ignorance if I didn't. Was just about to go the bed when I noticed the heated discussion.

All best David and keep us posted on how you are doing.

 

[david1697]

hats off to on-hold. Thank you for sharing your story.

I am actually visiting now Canadian forums and see what is going on in Canadian job market.

Apparently, it's very similar to job US market.

I think over emphasis in this particular forum on "networking" could stem from the fact that a lot of people here are immigrants (or future immigrants) from certain countries, and as such are used to "networking" as the only means of getting a job (or anythign for that matter). But that is their individual projection, and does not necessarily apply to entire Canada (though, thay may think it does, since they have practical evidence of succeeding in job landing when utilizing a "network", and don't know of any other way around).

What, however, does apply to Canada (and we have similar situation in US) is that the job market currently is over saturated with qualified employees and HR's post ridiculous ads (such as requiring a Master's degree with 7+ years of experience for entry level position to sweep the floors at the local warehouse), and overwhelmening majority of apps get dismissed without a single review. Those which are lucky enough to be looked at are in fierce competition with hundreds of other qualifying and desperate job seekers. The result is you may send thousands of resumes out and never hear from anyone. In US you WILL hear from at least few, because the job market in US evidently is not as bad as it is now in Canada and because as on-hold pointed out it's more common for American workers to move accross the country and employers know it, so wider radius of acceptance, but other than those two factors the main culprit is simply lack of jobs. Economy is just doing very bad, to put it bluntly.

Btw, even though the decline in oil prices may hurt Alberta in a short run, I beleive in the long run everything will imporve if oil prices keep falling. If you study the post WWII historical data, you will find out that Western economies fell into depression , stagnated and suffered any time oil prices were up (and they were incredibly high lately). And just remember how well things were in Canada (I read and discover that just like in US, Canadian job market fell into sink hole beginning n 2008) when oil prices were lower than today. There were times, relatively long period of time, when oil was trading for $30 a barrell or less. If you look up the data and see what those years were, they were also times when Developed economies were booming (and Canada along with them, since it's part of Great 7).

Too unfortunate that these are circumstances beyond our control, we can't speed up economic recovery, we can't force anyone to hire us when there is such scarcity of jobs. And we are likely to lose our Residency due to the fact that we can't find decent jobs in Canada.

But thank you to everyone for your input, particularly on-hold and beahcman.


As to networking, there is nothing new to me about the concept. I was born and lived through my teenages in a country that was (and still is) incredibly "people skills" based, so I know too well what "networking" means'.

Unfortunately, even if you are not shy or introvert as me, you will still struggle with building this type of asset if you are a total stranger to Canada. Because, as any asset, it requires having some to aquire some. Think of it in economic terms, you need to have capital to make a capital, therefore you need to have a network or you need to be a networking asset yourself to begin with, so you can successfully trade it with someone else. What you do if you are "nothing" in terms of your networking asset value (which most of those suggested to "network" would be)?
How do you trade, how do you bargain, what do you offer to the other valuable contact if they can't get anything from you? it's just not realisitic, because network building is like any business, it is not based on some altruistic desire to extend hand to some stranger who needs help, it's a calculated concept of mutual trade where you give something in expectation of getting somethng (the only difference is that business is straighforward, there are no feigned pretendings, while in "networking" you often must be putting up a show , as if this was about "friendship" or "helping" when you know in fact that it isn't, it's just a business as usual but with a lot of pretending involved). Not very good position to hold if you have no leverage to use , and like other poster above said, in practice it generates some of the most awkward situations one can face.

In any event, thanks to everyone for your input! We will not give up looking until our RO time is expired, we will keep looking and every day we gain more knowledge we will try to improve as much as possible our job searching, but it may simply be a bad economic times that are outside of our control, and we may not succeed. And if so, at least in the end we will be able to say that we tried our best, rather than did nothing.

All the best to everyone.

 

[shah2014]

@mrbeachman

Tx for ur valuable suggestions/opinion. Usually, it allows links to other sites, if it doesn't you can leave space before and after "." or write it as DOT. Looking to forward to having list of forums, which u have found relevant.

Yes, that's the one. Like I said, I am not sure if I am allowed to post links to other forums.

Check other Canadian forums too.

Good Luck

 

[Katayoon]

This is an important point. Skilled immigrants come with a bunch of degrees and with ambitions to get a white collar office job for which there are already hundreds of thousands of local competitors. And in most cases, a local candidate will always be preferred. Business is all about relationships nowadays - they want someone who can easily connect to clients, who can go to these networking meetings, break the ice by quickly finding something in common with client like favourite NHL game, camping or fishing experience. Chance is slim that they will hire a recent migrant who has nothing in common with those clients to build relationships on.

It gets even more difficult when you have a social science degree, difficult to market. I know personally a few immigrant men who finished college diploma in biochemistry in Quebec and are working at hospitals, doing 60K (which is good for Quebec) but are we all ready to spend days studying urine and excrements?..

My experience might be worth relating, though I don't take it as typical, if there is such a thing. I'm an American, with a B.A. from the University of Toronto and a master's from Duke, both in useless disciplines. When I landed, I was finishing a second master's degree in public health. I assumed, as an American with a Canadian degree, that I would be able to live anywhere in Canada and apply for work across the country -- I chose Victoria, because it is nice, and I hoped being there in person would let me stay there. This is what happened:

- I never found a job to apply for in Victoria -- the local job networks all ran through the University of Victoria, and I couldn't even apply for co-op jobs that no one else was interested in, despite my being enrolled in a graduate program. I worked in a grocery store for a year.

- in that year, I had three interviews for jobs elsewhere, and I applied for hundreds. Here's the thing.


- if you're overqualified for a job, and thousands of miles away, they don't interview you. You're obviously overqualified, and you're working in a grocery store, and you're going to leave as soon as you can. It's true, I would have loved to move to Newfoundland for any job at all, and leave as soon as possible.

- if you're underqualified and thousands of miles away, they don't interview you.

- if you're perfectly qualified and thousands of miles away, maybe they do interview you. However, this would mean a job is basically unique. It never happened to me. Anyway, it's hard to tell if someone is perfectly qualified when they're working in a grocery store with two masters degrees, it's very likely that they are actually overqualified and desperate.

Canadian job markets are very local -- they are NOT like in the States. How did I get out of this dilemma? I got a job at a distance, in Montana (something I did with a single application to America), moved my family there, and used it as a base to find a job in Edmonton. When I had a chance at an interview, I drove up there and took it in person and told them that I was moving there anyway, regardless of their decision. They gave me the job, and since then I've survived in Alberta's friendly hiring market.

However, the people who are talking about networking and whatnot are also wrong (in my experience only) -- every time I tried to do that it was an embarrassing failure. I was told by my immigration support worker that I should set up 'informational interviews'. These were the most awkward and silly experiences of my adult life, wasting a busy professional's time as he told me that he didn't have any jobs at all.