sonlymewalter

yep and its a poor show when that happens. Its not happened to me but it has to people I know and its not on. Companies or recruitment agents that promise someone a job and then don't get back are low lives and don't deserve decent employees. They get the staff they deserve

I understand if there are hundreds of applicants that you don't get to hear anything, but when youve been shortlisted, have attended an interview and taken time out to prepare for it all and to attend, the least they could do is thank the applicant for attending and tell them they were not successful.

scrubbedexpat133

it does my fruit!!!!! you would think it would kill the idle sod that sits at a desk shuffling papers and complaining how busy they are having spent two hours of their day fart arsing about on the internet to fire off a std letter saying thanks but you have not been successful this time.

def bl***y rude !!!! :curse:

ann m

^^ This.

That's a fair comment. If the company have met you, talked to you, interviewed you or whatever, a courtesy phone call is a must.

We've all been on the receiving end of silence after an application. It's not nice. But I think for most companies, it is just not practical to respond to everyone who applies.

CanadaJimmy

Recent experience my girlfriend had trying to get a job: Got shortlisted, went for an interview, didn't hear anything for a week and a half, had to call multiple times to get a hold of the person who interviewed her, only to be told that they had hired a friend of the business owner, presumably instead of anyone who had applied for the position.

There are some very rude and inconsiderate employers out there, and the way they often just hire friends is such a roadblock for many immigrants and canadians.

ultrarunner

They actually told her "that they had hired the friend of the business owner"?

CanadaJimmy

Yep, not those exact words, but basically that her (the interviewer's) partner, who owns the business, had hired a friend of his instead.

Juliet C

Couldn't agree more

johnh009

This is a universal situation. Otherwise, keep plugging away, job seeking these days is a numbers game, someone may be interested in you down the road and at least you are getting yourself known. Try posting your CV/resume online and see if they approach you. Target the agencies also, some companies only recruit through agencies.

Also, it is hard to get a response when you are out of the country as they have no way of knowing if you are legally entitled to work there are not without extensive enquires.

matt_t

Quote:
Originally Posted by geo4
Why on Earth would they respond to someone they have no intention of carrying on any further dialogue with? Some of our postings have over 500 applications.

What do you do? I sincerely hope, like so many before you, you're not heading over to Canada expecting people to be impressed you're from the UK. Because they're not.



Sounds like a typical HR kind of attitude.

MillieF

Gosh, I've read all these posts, and what a depressing portrait it paints! It's terrifying! My husband lost his job 18 months ago, and was basically strung along by his old company and ex-colleagues, as they were permanently on the cusp of signing a new contract and giving him work. All he jobs he applied for he got zero response, and it was just so depressing. Thankfully he is now back in employment, and all the 'friends' who ignored him before now want to play 'best mates, and can you get me a job too'. I am going to try to get back into the world of work in Canada, having spent ten years being a (sometimes not) yummie mummy. I am re-doing all sorts of my work skills via on-line courses in readiness and to build my confidence, but the idea of being completely ignored is soul destroying. I shall go off and busily grow a thicker skin. Best of luck to all attempting to find work.

sonlymewalter

This is so true for many people and unless anyone has been in this humbling situation like this then they have no idea what it's like losing a job and trying so hard to find another to keep the wolves from the door. Like you say, you really get to know who your friends are when you're down. I personally found some Recruitment agents acted extremely unprofessional and it's amazing but the minute you find a job they are all over you like a rash wanting to meet for coffee or lunch so they can tap into your new found resources to see if they can get their nose in the trough

Great to hear your OH has found something and good luck with your job hunting too mate

YoshiPal2010

It's that old networking thing again! Still, look at it this way. Because a lot of Canadian employers hire their friends, they are most likely NOT getting the best person for the job, and therefore deserve all the crap that flies at their company.

canadian_critic

The whole employment process and procedures in North America will be a shock to all of us, that didn't get the first job we applied for. The whole thing stinks. Yes it may be the way it always has been here but it doesn't make it right.

Many jobs appear to be unadvertised, making those that are potentially troublesome. Recruiters often have extensive personal networks and their 'ads' are among their contacts. This often means that if you're chosen via someone's network, you may be the only person being considered and will likely get hired. They'll then evaluate you in the job, and won't hesitate to get rid of you should someone else come along who is better suited.

The challenge for a new immigrant is to get into these networks. But how? If there are special interest groups for your area then you could join those. Or you could get a job and... oh ok, and there lies the problem.

The process of getting hired in NA is just horrible, even in the boom times. This has a knock on effect on prospect employees. Because of the importance of personal networks, people seem to build enormous lists of personal contacts; just a huge bunch of superficial relationships. However these are by no means friends or even acquaintances. Few of a typical person's 500+ network would piss on them if they were to catch alight. People seem to be just into it if it benefits them, and sod everyone else. This may be the North America way, but this kind of behaviour has kept my linked in, my skype, my facebook lists extremely trim.

I don't keep contact with people looking for a one-way service. I may contact someone on my list and get no response. Yet when they're looking for work they'll act like my best friend. Disgusting. I had this happen. I genuinely helped someone get a role. Then complete silence. Not even a thank you. Oh, I hear you say, you shouldn't help people and expect to be thanked. Bollocks is what I say, of course I do, and when this happens these people are wiped from my list. If I'm going to keep a list of contacts I'm not having self-centred people on it; people who are in it for themselves only.

So you've seen Vancouver for what it's like here. It doesn't get much better when you're hear and you should not assume that your experience is specific to you being outside the area.

Also when you move here, you'll need a huge financial cushion. i hope you have that. Why? you may ask. Well there is a huge difference in the cost of living and earnings. Assuming you get a job and keep it, you'll most likely be subsidising working here. The other frustration, especially in this light, is that NOBDOY quotes salaries. Enquire about it and you'll probably not even get an interview. Vancouver employers seem to think that you should be so into the job that the salary is irrelevant. But beware. If money meant nothing to you before, you'd better reassess your priorities BEFORE you come here. Things that you got for free before are paid for here, and paid for dearly. There is a myth that Canada is somewhat cheaper than US. I don't see this so much though. Yes it looks after its people more, but places like BC have seriously inadequate services for people who find themselves in trouble. I'm surprised they don't charge you for breathing here. Social services are available but I don't believe they are available fairly. They pick certain sections of society who seem to be well looked after and the rest are left to rot.

My spouse just lost her job because the company claimed to be bankrupt. However they robber her of about 3 weeks pay, her untaken holiday, failed to give her notice, and she's even out of pocket for business expenses on her credit card. However her retail employer is still trading, just decided to wipe out 95% of the workforce and not pay them. The owner has now applied for bankruptcy protection. Basically it means that she gets to keep her multi million dollar mansion in west van and has a chance of keeping her assets and continue her business without hassle from her creditors. Disgusting. My spouse has paid to see a lawyer who confirms substantial compensation entitlement but with the dilemma that if her employer does eventually go bankrupt, her legal fees won't even be covered, let alone her compensation. We're looking at a minimum $1500 retainer and a single letter AFTER a one hour discussion will cost a further $500 or so to send. We're now in an extreme dilemma of being tens of thousands out of pocket and having to risk throwing several thousand at the case which, if the employer does go bankrupt, will be money down the drain. Unfortunately for us this is just yet another disaster to add to a history of catastrophes since we moved to BC. And if you're attitude is "piss off home", then you'll be very pleased to hear that we may be forced to do just that. But we're going to wait for our citizenship as we've paid a small fortune for that and waited years for it. Hopefully our time will come sooner than later. We may as well come away with something, to make up for the misery we've endured here, if only for the freedom of coming back should we really discover that we're better off here, or go work in the US which will at that point be a lot easier to do.

canadian_critic

This is so incredibly true! I use it as an opportunity to 'clean up' my social networks. On the many occasions I found myself in extreme shit here, NONE of my network contacts helped or even responded to my notes with a "sorry but I cannot help" response. The moment my luck turned, they're like bees to a honey pot (was going to use 'flies on shit', but thought we both deserved a promotion).

I was so screwed over by my first employer in Canada. Not only dispensing with me, doing so without cause and without following the legally required process. Without any hint something was up, I was literally thrown out onto the street in the filthy pouring rain and all my benefits including medical were ceased immediately. You're probably thinking that I'd raped a member of staff or turned up to work in a Nazi costume or been caught with my hands in the till. But no. And to this day I still don't know what I'm meant to have done wrong, unless bringing them a half million in business in 3 months was construed as a bad thing. Perhaps in Canada....

Here's the irony though and I'm going to relish in this like a pig bathing in extra strong relish sauce. I've recently been hired by an extremely well known global employer who obviously saw something positive in me. They are clients of the company that screwed me over. Although I won't work directly with that company, I will have a major say in which vendor is chosen for the future. Despite my vendetta against the company, I can dig up enough crap on them to put them where they deserve to be, at the bottom of the pile of vendors. To add to my personal satisfaction I'll make sure they know that I was very much behind this decision. They have made my life a bloody living hell here and I'm going to make every one of them pay for this.

This is the risk people take in pissing on their own doorstep in a small incestual place like Vancouver. The time to be full of vengeance has come and I'm going to flipping well bask in it. I just thought you might all enjoy a story of irony and revenge, because the employment system in Vancouver sucks big style, and karma occasionally deals a good hand.

Alan2005

You might get a few people commenting on how inappropriate and unprofessional this is. Not me though - I say stick it to them.