First time poster, general advise.
 

Hello guys,

As the subject says, this is my first post so please be gentle..

Both my fiancee and i are planning on putting in an application for Canadian Immigration.

My girlfriend is a secretary/administrator, and i am an aircraft support engineer.

I am wondering if there are any agencies over in Canada that can help people look for work prior to going out there.

Failing that can anyone give any advise as to where to start as far as looking for work is concerned. I have created a list of about 40-45 avaition companies in certain areas of the country, and i plan on sending out covering letters and CVs to them all, as i imagine its nothing lost but my time.

Any help would be appreciated.... I am just lost at where to start.

Thanks

Lee

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Go on to websites such as:

www.jobbank.ca

Also you should be sending a 'Resume' and not a CV there are slight differences for an example of a resume go to a job site and they will have supporting programmes to help you along the way.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Thanks for the info, i will take a look.

Does anyone know of a website that explains the expected format of a resume within Canada.

I don't want to go down the route of creating one, and find out i have messed it up....

Thanks guys!

Lee

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Try www.mydasrecruitment.com they are an aviation agency based in Ireland and they sometimes have vacancies for Canada and they sort out work permits for you.

If you need any other info PM me and I will see what I can find out for you. My OH has worked in the aviation industry for 18 years now, so he will be able to guide you a lot better than me.

Raine

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

If you search this site for resume you'll find lots of links and a couple of good examples.

Question is what do you want apart from work?

Lifestyle will effect you way more than the job.

Think long and hard as it appears that there are airports and mechanices required in many different locations.

So what do you want out of you new life except a job?

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Welcome to the forum, Lee.

As Grah says, there is lots of information about resumes in previous threads on this forum. I'll give you a couple of clues to get you started. Format the page to North American letter sized paper (8.5" x 11") rather than A4, and here is a free PDF writer if you want to save your resume as a PDF file and send it as an attachment to an e-mail.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Often-times (Canadian word!) you get little response from mailings, especially in they know you are not even in the country. :rolleyes:

One thing that might elicit more interest, once you have researched further and decided or (at least narrowed down) where you want to end up, is to write to the company/companies that interest/s you, and inform that you are planning to be in that area and would appreciate a chance to call in for a "visit".

Give rough dates for your as-yet-unbooked visit, and if you get a response and finances permit, hop on a plane and go meet with them. Half the battle is getting a face-to-face. Once they've seen you (and hopefully like you) you have a toe in the door, and even if they can't offer you a job it may be the start of a good networking tool. The fact that you have taken the trouble to actually physically be there adds weight.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Thanks Raine, i appreciate the offer, i will take a look at the website and see if there is anything there to get me started, failing that i will be intouch.

I dont mind going down the skilled worker route, i have been intouch with an immigration agency based in Vancouver, who i have spoke with on and off for the past year, and they are confident i will get though.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Great advice there, plus its well worth making a trip anyway to areas of interest to check out the realities of living here, rather than just visiting.

Why are you drawn to Canada, and are you prepared to wait for 4, maybe more years before you finally get to live here?

Canada is a nice place in general, but the immigration process is ludicrous, and once you get here you find its a lot more expensive to live here than the cost of eating out and petrol in your rental car might lead you to believe.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

I like the idea of calgary, or edmonton. I have been to Toronto, london and the surrounding areas before, and quite liked them too... I have friends in Montreal. So where to live isn't a "must" but there are places i have ideas for.

What i want out of life.......... contentment, new adventures, better quality of life, to be able to walk down a street at night and not feel threatened, to be able to walk into a bar, and not be afraid of getting a bottle over my head.
My primary goal isn't to make loads of money (i wouldnt complain though) but to be confortable, and be happy. I am an outdoor person, and the idea of being out in the open with my daughter seeing new things and meeting some amazing people would be great......

Not sure if that was the answer you wanted...

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Both my fiancee and i are planning on going out to Alberta next spring time to take a look about, and i was planning exactly getting intouch with some companies to see about visiting them, to get some face to faces..

I can handle waiting 4 years, it gives me time to prepare, and in the kind of industry i am in, they are good at putting you on courses etc, so i can research more of what specifically is required job wise, and aim to brush up in the areas required.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Not for me to say it's for you to say if it's the right answer as it's your life.

but answer seem to remind me of a little story.

A management consultant, on holiday in an African fishing village, watched a little fishing boat dock at the quayside. Noting the quality of the fish, the consultant asked the fisherman how long it had taken to catch them.

"Not very long." answered the fisherman.

"Then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the consultant.

The fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The consultant asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and have an afternoon's rest under a coconut tree. In the evenings, I go into the community hall to see my friends, have a few beers, play the drums, and sing a few songs.....
I have a full and happy life." replied the fisherman.

The consultant ventured, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you...... You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have a large fleet. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to a city here or maybe even in the United Kingdom, from where you can direct your huge enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the fisherman.

"Oh, ten, maybe twenty years." replied the consultant.

"And after that?" asked the fisherman.

"After that? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the consultant, laughing, "When your business gets really big, you can start selling shares in your company and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" pressed the fisherman.

"After that you'll be able to retire, move out to a small village by the sea, sleep in late every day, spend time with your family, go fishing, take afternoon naps under a coconut tree, and spend relaxing evenings having drinks with friends..."


----------------------------------
Suppose it all depends on the price of the drinks and fishing license.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

I am sorry Grah, and maybe its my ignorance, but i don't see what that story has to do with the answer i gave you, prehaps you could elaborate a little?

I don't know why but i tend to sense a little negagtivity here, i simply came here to ask for some advise, if anyone has other motives it would be nice to have them explained.

My reasons for wanting to emigrate to canada are what i said before and also personal, i have experienced living in other places before, and infact spent 14 years living on the Isle of Man after going there alone looking for something different.

I arrived there after spending some time travelling around greece, and after meeting some people out there decided to "try" the isle of man for something to do.

I honestly arrived there with literally one pound in my pocket... I never became a millionaire :) but in the time i was there i went from working in a supermarket to becoming a aircraft engineer in a 3 bedroom house a girlfriend and a beautiful daughter. i think i have done ok for myself.

I love life and intend to enjoy it to its most, my dad died when i was 10 years old, he was only 36, my brother died 8 years ago he was 34. I have learned the hard way to enjoy life and make the most of what little time we have, i count myself to be quite a fortunate person i am not the brainest person in the world the most popular or atheletic etc, but i appreciate whats around me and i appreaciate the people who do good by people.

In the times i have been to canada i have met some genuinely nice people, and seen some beautiful things, and i want to be among it to experience it first hand. I know the grass will always be greener, and mistakes will be there for me to make, but out of any bad situation something has always come good.

My dad died, the worst thing that could happen to someone, but by him and my mum having me, i have the most beautiful, funniest and precious daughter i could ever want.

So thats what i want out of life, to experience it and enjoy it.

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

Hi leeiom,
You sure put the outlook of life in perspective, thanks for sharing
part of your personal history. You have a lovely family ,why not live
in different parts of the world when you have the ability to do so.
Regarding job hunting, you need to find out about registration with
the engineering association here and have your credentials assessed.
The rest is the waiting game with roller coaster rides.
Your attitude is excellent, Canada is fortunate to have you and your
family wanting to emigrate here. Good luck, Yoong

Re: First time poster, general advise.
 

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Longueuil is a Montreal suburb.

http://www.pwc.ca/index.asp?lang=en