I've completely run out of ideas as to where my "niche" is here! In the UK I worked in Receptionist & Typist positions all my adult life, but here I'm finding a severe lack of Receptionist posts that don't involve in some way or other, accounts/book-keeping experience.....which I don't have and do not have confidence in learning

I'm back registered with Manpower again and have had 3 "one day" assignments to cover an extremely quiet switchboard. These "day here and day there" sporadic placements just aren't enough to contribute in our house and I'm getting tired of the nagging as to when I'm going to find something SOON! Even though there are LOADS of jobs in our local paper, I have terrible confidence in myself that I could do any of them, plus I'm nit-picky that I don't want to have to do weekends or evenings and that really narrows my options down. However, I've had enough now and have brought my grey matter into the realistic world that if we want to go anywhere in life, you sometimes have to make sacrifices of giving up your weekends. I've recently been contemplating applying for Tim Hortons as I know they are always desperate for staff and I believe they pay quite well. I appreciate that I will have to compromise a lot and work shifts that will include weekends. My only and biggest worry is, again, my confidence! Handling money, coping well in a fast, often frantic paced environment and screwing up people's orders and having to deal with complaints! These are just my fears......a front store person I spoke to at Timmies in Rocky Mountain House on Sunday told me it was a fantastic job, absolutely easy-peasy and they treat you very well.

Can anyone tell me if they know anybody who's worked at Tim's and if they can tell me their opinions. Also considered Costco too so anyone with experience working for them would be appreciated!

Thanks for your time.
Jaycee

I haven't worked at Tim Hortons but the not for profit where I work does get applications for loans from Tim Hortons employees and you have to be within the low income cut-off to qualify, so whatever they're paying is not huge. Depends how much you'll be depending on the income from it...

Hi Jaycee - as they are so desperate that they hire 12 year olds here, my daughter almost did (but chickened out at the last minute...lol)

You can read about it and print off an application form HERE. Why not just go for it - what have you got to lose? You can always quit if you don't like it, or it doesn't work out, right?

Edit to add: It has a list of jobs available at each location, and a job description for each position.

I'm not 100% but rumour has it that a couple of branches here in Red Deer are offering a starting rate of $12/13 an hour.......don't know how accurate that is and I know it's wrong to just walk in and ask what they're paying before you fill out an application form.

Thanks Calgal! I remember calling into a Tim's one night in Leduc on route to RD and I was served by a kid who I thought was around 12 My order got completely messed up, causing me to go back into the store twice to get put right and they just sniggered when I complained.

I want to "go for it" but my Resume is starting to look like your top 25 Red Neck songs with all the jobs I've tried

Hey!

I have a friend that is working at Starbucks - she loves it and is trying to get me to join her (she'll get $50 - I'm tyring to get her to join me where I am - i'll get $250 ) She works the shifts SHE wants to work she gets $9 per hour for a half day she gets 2 drinks of her choice (4 on a full day) and a 1lb of coffee a week as well as a massive discount, I think 40%. Gi's a call if your home today, I am.

Tim's here is struggling to recruit people 'cos all the Newfoundlanders have moved to Alberta to work in Tim's there for $12 an hour! Anyway idly looking at their adverts whilst waiting for my coffee I noted that they make a big play on being a good place to work, benefits (such as healthcare), flexible shifts etc etc. Assuming that things are the same out west then I'd go for it. Tims is definately a step up from McD's so you gain some moral superiority!

Have you tried handing in a resume at the local hospital? Every hospital I've ever worked in has always had a shortage of clerical staff.

Some of the young kids working there wouldn't mind telling you how much is the starting rate. Visit both branches and watch how the staff interact with each other and also with the customers.That would give you an idea what
is like working in one of the branches.

I think they do give you a few days of orientation on their system .
Good luck with your job hunting,
Yoong

Timmies, McDonalds and other chains can be a good entry point for a career in food service especially if you'r not the academic type. My nephew started at Macdonalds and is now a restaurant manager.

Hi Trish and thanks for your suggestion. Every week I check out the website for the David Thompson Health Region and a lot of their clerical vacancies asks for experience in a medical background, some knowledge of terminology and again, knowledge in some accounting practices. I have sent in a few online applications for some jobs I feel I could be suitable for but have heard nothing more than an "Acknowledgement of Receipt" email. I would love to be a Medical Typist as I have audio typing exp and a fast typing speed of 70wpm.....that that would suit me down to the ground except I don't have med. terminology knowledge and to undergo a course to become one would set us back around $3500. Red Deer hospital have been advertising for a few weeks now for a Medical Typist and maybe I should pop in their HR Dept for a chat to see what exactly they would consider from my skills.

If you have had a several jobs that each have lasted a short time, it probably is not in your interests to type a conventional, chronological resume. You probably would be better off to type a “functional” resume that presents your skills and accomplishments without listing them in chronological order.

There is another kind of resume, often called a “hybrid” resume, which combines a functional resume with a brief chronological resume. These alternative resume styles are better suited to people who have switched careers, who have had gaps in their careers, who have gone through periods during which they have done temporary work, and so on.

The Susan Ireland website provides examples of resumes that address these special situations:

http://www.susanireland.com/resumeindex.htm

If you have not already done so, it would be useful to contact the agency that has placed you in your assignments up to now and ask them what feedback they have received from the clients for whom you have worked. I think it would be better to pop in and see them in person rather than asking them over the phone. Probably the best thing would be to phone ahead and ask for a meeting, and then ask for the feedback once you’re in the meeting. When you’re in the meeting, do your best to give the impression that you honestly welcome the feedback, whatever it turns out to be. Try to let the other person feel that it’s safe to tell you want they know, that is, give them confidence that you won’t spit the dummy.

This meeting may reveal to you some area in which it would be helpful for you to improve.

I know that I was not as productive in my first job in Canada as a local person would have been. My inefficiencies were small, but they did exist. For example, I didn’t know place names, and that made me less efficient at sending out courier packages and performing various other functions.

I’m sorry if you’ve already asked for feedback and if I’m repeating myself. I’m in a bit of a hurry, and don’t have time to go back through your previous posts and check what you said before.

I think you’re also on the right track when you mention having a chat to the hospital about the medical typing job. They may WANT a person who knows medical terminology, but with the current labour shortage it’s possible that they may not find the person they’re looking for and they may be willing to compromise.

In case you’re interested, SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary) offers a correspondence course called Medical Terminology I for $275. Having that introductory course under your belt may be enough to get your toe in the door.

Hope that helps.

I think you can do anything you WANT to do. You need to boost your self-confidence and be the strong vital woman you know deep down you are.

I have a friend who works in a TH in Victoria. She works very long hours, always on her feet. Apparently there are cameras in the stores so that employees are watched to see if there performance is up-to-par. They have 15 minute breaks twice a day and are paid minimum wage. There are very few full time employees.

They are also desperate for folks here.

These comments are ones made by my friend. The circumstances may be different in other areas.

Sound like something you want to do? Why not go back to school and learn a new skill and get a good paying job?

But Jaycee, can you really see yourself wearing that god-awful uniform. I think they'd get more staff if the outfit was completely different.

They should copy Safeways, which is pretty OK as uniforms go !

Hi Judy,
Thank you so much for all that information, it is very much appreciated

I was especially enthusiastic at the advice you gave on the Medical Terminology course......a definite eyebrow raiser! My OH said it would seem such a shame that after all the years' experience I have built up for myself in the clerical field, I end up in Tim Hortons, but I had it far worse when I endured 4 months in Value Village :scared:

I'm actually on an assignment tomorrow (Friday) at an Alberta Gov office.....it is my 6th call-back to their office as they think I'm wonderful! Unfortunately, there is no chance of a permanent position there.....but to be requested so many times gives me enough of a confidence boost to know that I mustn't be that crap at my job

I'll be making a visit on Monday to Red Deer hospital and have a chat with a few sources......
Thanks again, and will keep those interested posted on any progress.
Jaycee