Pretty Flowers

.... doesn't apply to any that I have met so far.... My CEO even, regularily pops into my office to talk about Rugby. That NEVER happened in the UK.

Perhaps the problem is with you, and not with them...

Spiff

I have a good CV, I work hard and I have a fairly good IQ. So why is it that I don't even get interviews? Because these ****ing quebecers, especially the English ones, aren't even willing to interview me. I don't why not, I meet all their criteria, I send them my CV as they want, I do whatever the hell they ask me to do. But the only jobs I EVER get offered are ones that involve me having to pay $500 or something for some sort of start up kit, I don't have $500!
Or maybe a telemarketing scam, like when I was ripping off Americans of their life savings. Of course, the Quebecers are so arrogant the provincial government doesn't care if people are running telemarketing scams, just as long as the victims are Americans because somehow being American means it's acceptable to steal someones life savings. Well, I got sacked from that job after a couple of weeks because I wasn't a good enough con man, not like all these canadians.

seacreature

I'm getting rather tired of hearing this off certain members.
I don't want to blow my own trumpet, but I'm a very hard worker and have a great personality. Genuinely I cannot understand WHY I cannot get a job here. Until I came to Canada I was a very optimistic, upbeat person. I imagined myself to be the most employable person on earth as I can apply myself to most things. Work came to me so easily in the UK.
All the pessimism is a result of the ridiculous 'Canadian Experience' phenomonan I keep hearing every single time I go asking around for work or ring an agency. I don't have a Canadian job reference as I've never worked here, seemingly that renders me unemployable. I will do ANYTHING to get *****ing experience, I've even badgered the bloody staff at Sears and The Bay and offered to work for free for a trial period just to see if they like me or not. Seriously what do you have to do??! I will work for ***** all just to get pissing Canadian experience! Now tell me it's my 'bad attitude' that's the problem? Is it bollocks!
So stop all the personal comments, it's bang out of order!

Pretty Flowers

... and you wonder what's wrong with your attitude.

I had a much harder time breaking into my business field in the UK, than I have here in Canada. I was never asked about my Canadian experience in my interviews here. In fact I went out of my way to explain that I didn't have it in all the interviews I had for this job. It was not a problem at all for them... This is despite the fact that every single system I work with on a daily basis is different. I have had to learn how to use at least 10 different ones in my two months here. Not to mention the fact that things are structured differently, the way my agency works is different, and the culture is very different to the UK.

I think I got the job because I showed I had a can do attittude, I'm not a know all, and accept the people I work with on their terms and not on mine...

dawnwynne

Okay...I think it's time to cool things down a bit. Believe it or not I do understand where you are coming from. I am going through similar situation here in the Uk...it is depressing and above all is very demorailising when you can't get a job.

I applaud your decision...in another thread...to start volunteering. If for no other reason than to broaden your acquaintances and begin to feel a part of your community. I strongly believe that things will get better for you once you have done this. Don't expect immediate miracles...but enjoy it.


Spiff I urge you to do the same...and if that fails...move out of Quebec for a starter. There are plenty of other places in Canada.

Spiff

Oh God, how right you are. They put so much emphasis on references, but they are kind of hard to come by when every company you worked for since arriving has been shut down by the cops for being a telemarketing scam and the company one last worked for in the UK went into liquidation just after emigrating.
I know it's maybe bad of me to harp on about myself but: I work hard, I learn fast, I get on with people, I am respectable, respectful, law-abiding, clean and when I'm told to do something I damn well do it.
Every other job I've ever had I have always been complimented by my bosses as being one of their best employees.
I did get a nice job back in January (after being here since Nov 2003) doing telephone surveys. But then the "project" I was working on (calling Europe) came to an end in March (?! so soon) and now I must find other work. Still, maybe now I can find a job where they don't ban their employees from talking about politics or religion amongst themselves.

Spiff

judging from the fact that you are the sort of person who immediately starts on the personal attacks (see your post at top of page) i'd suggest that you only got your job because you slept with the boss.

you see... personal attacks get you nowhere and just piss people off, like you are no doubt pissed off right now.

Pretty Flowers

Good point, hadn't thought of that


One of the best books I read was about depression. One of the key messages in it was that to stop being depressed you had to change your version of reality, and once you do that, it no longer depresseses you. It wasn't a personal attack, and please accept my apology if that is the way you see it. What I meant was that there is some way that you are coming across to prospective employers that is preventing them from hiring you. Until you find out what this is, and change that, then you will not succeed....

Spiff

I've racked my brains but all I can think is that I'm not the most talkative person ever, so maybe that's what it is? But I never had any problems with getting jobs in Europe, and it's not like I've ever spoken to anyone in relation to a job for long enough for my lack of talkativeness to kick in.
Anyway, I'm beginning to seriously consider dropping out of uni, taking a TESL exam ad buggering off to china to teach English.
There's loads of jobs available for an ESL teacher and I'd love to see China

stepnek

I've gone through the culture shock that seems to afflict quite a few when they arrive to live in a new country and there are certainly some differences to have to adjust to. But I've found Canada to be an alright-kind-of-place. I've found the people to be friendly, the local support agencies excellent and I've actually enjoyed the experience of the two job interviews that I've attended so far because they were such relaxed and friendly episodes. The first resulted in an offer that I decided not to accept and now I'm waiting on another interview. Whenever I meet people they are totally interested in my English background and it's a good conversation piece. Sometimes I get a little down about things but I feel that any negative feelings that I personally experience are from within myself. It's no good slagging Canada off because we perceive it to be treating us unfairly because that's not going to be the fix.

SANDRAPAUL

Saw an amazing picture of a mobile execution vehicle used in China. Looks like an ambulance from the outside. Seems that from sentence being given to death can take less than ten minutes. Out of the court, into the waiting van and bobs you uncle. ...Or was.

And the good part is its cheaper for the family as they no longer send a bill to the bereaved for the bullet.

Don't ye just love advancements.

Purley

Friends of mine emigrated last February and seem to be settling down well. They bought a house for much less than the one they sold in England. The wife has a job that she does in England still - by phone and email. The husband got a job right away - he is an engineer, welder. I am not sure that its the absolute perfect job but at least its a job!!

Of course, its a Catch 22 - property in Regina is very cheap - but then the jobs are not that plentiful. If you go somewhere where there are more jobs - then the housing is probably going to cost a fortune!! You can buy a house in Regina for just over $100,000. I guess if you thought it was going to take you a time to find a job, you could move somewhere cheap, buy a house and use your savings to get used to being a Canadian and then perhaps move somewhere else when you find a job. Don't know if its easier to get a job if you are actually living in Canada already.

But perhaps this isn't feasible.

Grah

Spiff what do the people in the Student Union office Say?

What Uni do you go to?

Which part of Montreal are you in?

Cut and paste the last "CV" "Resume" you sent for a job and the Job profile you applied for. Maybe asking Directly for the advice would be better than all this "Canada is crap" "no its not" bull.

yorkiebar99

if you are completely serious about doing any work try Chapters/Indigo. they are an absolutely terrible company to work for but they go through staff like noones business and if you pester them enough they will start you with little hours and if you turn out to be functional you can easily get extra hours. i worked for them for my first 3months here.....
my husband also had to work for convergys for a couple of months(a horrid call centre) and he got that having 0 customer service experience. quite funny really.i think they have centres all over the place. I hear Rogers/bell canada need call centre agents and if you get an interview with them you really have to push your love for sales and service.

have you tried Labour Ready?it can seem degrading but it helps to look at the funny side of things.
landscaping?
my husband made up a resume with made up labouring jobs on it so that they wouldn't think he was just looking for temporary work. He landed a landscaping job telling them that since he was new to canada he wanted to live and work in the outdoors.......it worked for him.
but just make sure you have someone in the uk to vouch for you as they really do seem to check up on your references here

hope you can get even the shittiest job in Canada cause it has always been my experience that once you land a job it makes it much easier to find another one.........

hope this helps

dingbat

Ouch. Some people come here with "the security of job" [offer]which then vanishes on arrival or they find that the terms and conditions agreed upon are now changed. They were not asking for trouble, I am sure their moves were taken with much forethought and research. Employment laws are not as strict here and unfortunately people get shafted. There is no such thing as a secure job in Canada, as I hope you don't find out while you depend on a work permit. Being 100% sure that you would be able to care for yourself (and perhaps others) is rather irrelevant when you find that you can't earn enough to cover bills, regular ones as well as daycare. To assume that people up-sticks with no thought for how they will survive is rather unfair.