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Getting that all important first job!!
Fancy filling in a questionnaire?
I am looking to find out what people's experiences are on job hunting (ie for those who didn't arrange employment until after arriving). So here goes: :) What is your current occupation in Canada? Which province do you live in? How long did it take you to find your first job? Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? How many days holiday do you get? Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. :( ) Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? What advice would you give to newcomers? How long have you lived in Canada? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm hoping this will be helpful to those preparing to take the plunge. Good points and bad points accepted but please, no nasty language or picking on those who have had a harder time than others!! :lecture: |
What is your current occupation in Canada?
Student (Currently finishing my MA) but I was employed here for 2 years as a sale assistant in retail and other jobs, such as parking cars or mopping floors Which province do you live in? Ontario How long did it take you to find your first job? Months Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Not a job I desired, there are no good jobs here for foreigners with education/ experience abroad When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Never did and am no longer trying. All my applications now go to the UK or other EU states, and yes I do get called back unlike for jobs here. Nuff said really! Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? No progress even after 2 years. High job turnover. How many days holiday do you get? None Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) None. After 3 years of continuous employment my wife's salary increased by 70 cents after much badgering Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? Yes I would not have come here. I didn't realise that somebody with a British Degree (Honours 2:1 in Business Admin by the way) would be treated like a pion forvever. All job adverts here don't relate to any actual jobs, and the term networking that is used here is simply code for people giving jobs to their family members, or other Canadians. As a Brit and therefore a foreigner you will forever be outside this so called network. What advice would you give to newcomers? Don't come here, otherwise you will curse the day you arrived, and now like me save every penny to return to the UK, which will occupy your thoughts for every waking hour. For me hopefully this year. Luckily I am still young enough that I didn't jeopardise my retirement or sell a house in the UK to come to this land of either ignorant, socially backward and uneducated Canadian's with paid work, or poverty stricken neds. These mixed in of course with a whole slew of, usually, well educated and experienced immigrants who quite literally often return (to third world or war-torn countries in some cases) because it is so bad here. How long have you lived in Canada? 3 years too long. |
not a happy chappy
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Ok Here Goes
What is your current occupation in Canada?
I work with the Regional Purchaser at a unique chain of grocery stores. (www.wholefoods.com/toronto) Which province do you live in? Ontario How long did it take you to find your first job? Just over 1 Month. Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Nope not in my area of choice. My degree and background are in IT and Technology but as those jobs seemed rather thin on the ground I thought I'd branch out rather than waste my time waiting on the dream job. When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? It was pretty much what I expected, which was crappy, but it's not a tradiationally high paid area and it was out weighed by the work environment and nature of the business Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? The job it's self is progressive reasonably well. The fact I am from the UK and have a UK degree seems to make no difference has half the people in the office I work are from all over the world. If anything I feel being from the UK puts me at advantage over people from many other countries in respect of language and communications. Also my IT knowledge puts me ahead as most people are not from a technology background and so spend more time struggling with spreadsheets and e-mail etc and even basic IT skills make you stand out. How many days holiday do you get? Just the basic 2 weeks a year paid. Due to the nature of the business though I can take extra days without pay if I really want to. Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) There is a job dialogue process every 6 months with the possiblity of a pay rise. I managed to get a $1/hour raise after my 1st 6 months and we shall see what I am doing for them when I have been there 12 months in May. Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? Possibly although I don't really see what I could have done differently. You just have to try and find a job. What advice would you give to newcomers? Network. Ignore the job adverts as most of them are vauge and over advertised unless you have a very specific skill. If you are a skilled trades person you will do better from job adverts as they all tend to be very specific for a specific position with specific experience. There isn't much for general employment for wide ranging skills or growth etc. You need to get to know people and then hope someone knows of a job vacancy that they will reccomend you for. That's how I found my current job. My wife found her new job via her mother's work and they had about 20 applicants and it was never even advertised. Most places will try and fill a position through referal that saves them the more expensive hiring process. They will still interview you and you still need to know how to do the job but you can get in there before it's advertised. How long have you lived in Canada? Permanently for around 9 months but visiting for extended periods for about 5 years (to visit my now wife). -Drew- |
What is your current occupation in Canada?
Social Worker, Child Protection Which province do you live in? BC How long did it take you to find your first job? 13 months Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? No - I was in a senior position in the UK, good degree - counted for nothing. I did work in a similar post for two years, at roughly half the salary I was earning in the UK, a fraction of the benefits and no job security. Even worse, I worked at least 60 hrs a week (much at home at night) as this was expected if you wanted to keep your job. I quit after two years, it was a joke. When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Worse, by about 40-50% but I never did get the job I wanted. Had to re-train in a new field at the cost to me of $31,000 Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? There is progress in my new field, but only after I became a Canadian citizen and so was able to work for the government. How many days holiday do you get? None for the first year, 10 days after that until ten years of service has passed. I used to get six weeks plus public holidays...sigh... Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) Yes - but means no extra $$ in real terms as your deductions go up. Have to get to Senior Manager level before you see the difference - at least five years away for me, and I will then be back where I was eight years ago in the UK.- i.e. it will have taken me 13 years to achieve the same position I had before. Would you do things differently if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? I would NEVER have come here to BC. It is a hole with spectacular scenery. What advice would you give to newcomers? The grass is not greener in BC unless you want to forsake a career, education and equality for women. Stay home, holiday often, and count your lucky stars that you live where you do. How long have you lived in Canada? 8+ years. |
Well, I will give you a Canadian citizen’s perspective. And I don’t live in Canada anymore, but I may move to Toronto in the near future.
What is your current occupation in Canada? Before I left Canada, my last job was a janitor. Which province do you live in? Edmonton, Alberta. How long did it take you to find your first job? While in college, I worked as a research assistant for a healthcare economics consulting company. I did some freelancing afterwards. Got all work through connections. Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Yes and no. I liked working with statistics and numbers, but not so much the healthcare industry. Though, I have grown to love it. When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? I did not get the job I wanted in Canada. And the work I was doing didn’t pay so well. Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? Yes, I progressed a little bit, but not that much. How many days holiday do you get? When freelancing, as much as I wanted. Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) No. Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? Network. Networking is far more important in Canada compared to the US or elsewhere. I got all my jobs (including the janitor one) because I knew someone. I am a Canadian citizen with Canadian experience and a Canadian degree and I suspect that if I land a job in Toronto, it will be because of connections. What advice would you give to newcomers? Difficult to say. It’s not easy for a newcomer to find work there at all and I think the government does a great disservice by suggesting that there is ample opportunity there. Canadians are pretty protective and this is evident in the job market. Indeed, it’s hard for Canadians to find employment too! I say if you have a good job where you are and live in a stable country, then stay. Quite honestly, if you’re able to find work before landing, then that would be the best way to move. How long have you lived in Canada? I lived there for 14 years. By the way, I went to Nashville a few times for business with my old job. I thought it was a nice city and the people were really friendly. I mostly stayed around Franklin County (Cool Springs), but I was pretty impressed with the whole area. Why are you guys so desperate to go out? And where in Canada are you going to? Also, another word of advice, it really depends where in Canada you move to because the economy and the types of employment will vary greatly from province to province. I think Ontario and Alberta are the two best places to find work. BC is not so good anymore. Opportunities in the other provinces have always been stagnant. And the Maritimes are just dead. Quebec would be good if you spoke French. |
I'll answer for both my husband and myself, if that's all right. :)
What is your current occupation in Canada? My husband - security guard, 8.50 an hour for working in the dock (loading bay). I am a Marketing Consultant, the job I could lose any moment, as I don't have a proper contract and the company seems to fire people at any given opportunity. Which province do you live in? Alberta How long did it take you to find your first job? Myself - two months. After which I've got a contract for three months with a promise to increase my pay after that. Got fired at the end of the contract and had to fight to get my two weeks contractual notice. Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? For me, it is my profession, but it is really low paid and no job security. My husband still doesn't have the job he is qualified for and not looking anymore. When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? A lot worse. It's less than a half of my UK salary, but prices here are comparable with UK's. Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? No, not at all. Just being able to keep the job is all we wanted. How many days holiday do you get? My husband - none. I get none because I am constantly on a temporary contract. Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) Haven't held the job for a year. But in both companies they do not increase salaries. Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? I wouldn't have come here. Holidaying before moving won't help either. I wish we didn't move. What advice would you give to newcomers? Think hard after you read all posted on this forum. Think hard. How long have you lived in Canada? A little over a year. |
Originally posted by Cykotronic By the way, I went to Nashville a few times for business with my old job. I thought it was a nice city and the people were really friendly. I mostly stayed around Franklin County (Cool Springs), but I was pretty impressed with the whole area. Why are you guys so desperate to go out? And where in Canada are you going to? |
Re: Getting that all important first job!!
Hi there....how's this??
Originally posted by crazydaisy Fancy filling in a questionnaire? I am looking to find out what people's experiences are on job hunting (ie for those who didn't arrange employment until after arriving). So here goes: :) What is your current occupation in Canada? None - Unemployed - both of us! Which province do you live in? SK How long did it take you to find your first job? Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Anything, applied for the lot. Absolutely no responses. I've even got experience cleaning toilets but can't get a response for that either! ***Not relevant really*** When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? How many days holiday do you get? Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. :( ) Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? Yes, we had the opportunity at exactly the same time to go to New Zealand. What advice would you give to newcomers? None, obviously what we're doing isn;t working :D How long have you lived in Canada? March last year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm hoping this will be helpful to those preparing to take the plunge. Good points and bad points accepted but please, no nasty language or picking on those who have had a harder time than others!! :lecture: |
Re: Getting that all important first job!!
Guaooo, all the experiencies here are bad experience.
Anyone here could give us any hope to the people that are going to emigrate to Canada? |
Re: Getting that all important first job!!
Originally posted by eferreira Guaooo, all the experiencies here are bad experience. Anyone here could give us any hope to the people that are going to emigrate to Canada? Here goes What is your current occupation in Canada? Materials Engineer Which province do you live in? Ontario How long did it take you to find your first job? N/A but about three months to find a replacement for it Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Switched to quality engineering, not my field, but still in the ballpark When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Its OK (55 to 60k), better than I was on in the UK, but cost of living and quality of life are better in Canada, i can afford to buy a home here anyway. Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? More responsibility, but same job title. I now have people who report to me, so I guess that is progress. How many days holiday do you get? 10 days. Becomes 15 in a year or so now due to time served (5 years) Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) Usually in line with inflation, about 2 to 3% per year, sometimes higher, sometimes lower. Timing can be inconsistent, two years with no change, and then 8% raise has happened before. Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? NA, I kind of emmigrated by accident, I was headhunted to come to Canada, and wasnt really thinking about a move at the time. Job hunting, you have to be pushy and blow your own trumpet at every opportunity. Talk to all your friends and aquantainces, everyone you meet, join clubs and groups to expand the number of people you know, tell everyone you are looking for work. Jobs here are often the result of word of mouth, a very low percentage are advertised, so your chances of landing a job from ads alone are slim. Follow up all leads with a phone call. What advice would you give to newcomers? Hang in there, it willl be tough at first to get a job and get moving up the ladder, but most of the people I know in canada IMO have a better quality of life than those I know in the UK. Embrace the differences and try and be realistic, Canada is not some Wonderland that will cure all the problems you have in life. Do not have preconcieved ideas what your life will be like, you will just be disapointed. Be prepared to try anything. Examine your motivation for coming in the first place, is canada going to be the answer to your problems, or the source of more serious ones? How long have you lived in Canada? 6 years tomorrow Good luck to those coming, and also to those leaving, at least you will not spend your twilight years wondering "what if..." Iain |
Originally posted by CalgaryAMC I have to admit, I have been curious about this too. Why are you leaving Tennessee and moving to Canada? In answer to questions on leaving Nashville - we're not fleeing the city but more fleeing the nasty, evil boss who brought us here under false pretences, plus the fact I can't work here (on H4 visa) means we've been struggling financially on one salary and also the US visas are about to run out and we have no intention of renewing them etc etc. Whole host of reasons really. Why Canada? One is my grandmother was born near Winnipeg (where we're heading) so have an affection for the place and 2 we don't feel ready yet to return to the UK (left 5 and a half years ago and still enjoying life abroad) so Canada was the obvious choice. We're giving it a trial run and if it all fails we plan to move to West of Ireland where the inlaws originated from. :D |
OK, you asked for a positive reply so here goes.
What is your current occupation in Canada? Medical Secretary Which province do you live in? BC How long did it take you to find your first job? Just over a month Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Same job I had in the UK. Don't have a degree but I was lucky that my skills are in demand and unusually (from what I've read previously on this and other sites) my UK experience counted hugely in my favour. When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Once again I got lucky in that I have a union job and therefore my salary here is higher than it was in the UK (about £4 per hour more - although my NHS salary wasn't overly generous!). This came as a very pleasant surprise. Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? Only been working there just over four months so no progression as yet. How many days holiday do you get? As I'm currently on a temporary contract covering maternity leave I don't get paid vacation. However, there's a possibility that I will get a permanent contract later this year, in which case it will be four weeks plus statutory holidays. Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. ) Not sure, but again with the union thing I would think so. Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? Definitely not. Within three months I had found a job, passed my driving test and bought an apartment in a really nice area with a beautiful view. Considering I was living hand to mouth in the UK to pay the mortgage and bills I think this is quite an achievement. I haven't been here as long as some people on the board but I haven't once regretted my decision to move to Canada, despite the fact that I'm a 40 something female who moved here alone, knowing no-one before I came over. However, I realise that I've been extremely lucky and I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop! But even if it does, and I have to return to the UK, I'll never have to wonder "what if ...". Besides, I couldn't live without the Canucks now! What advice would you give to newcomers? I don't think I'm really in a position to give advice since my experience of emigrating seems to be a rare success story. However, I think that reading these boards is extremely helpful as they do make you realise that, however much you long to graze in pastures new, the grass is not always greener. But I would say that, whilst you should not expect everything to fall into place immediately, neither should you be put off by some of the unfortunate experiences people have gone through after their move. How long have you lived in Canada? Six months today! Hope my story gives some encouragement to those of you who were maybe thinking that most experiences of emigration were bad ones. Lesley |
Re: Getting that all important first job!!
What is your current occupation in Canada?
Executive Assistant Which province do you live in? BC How long did it take you to find your first job? 3 weeks (but started as a temp, became permanent after 6 months) Was it in the area of choice or did you have to get something different to fill in while job hunting? Area of choice!! :D When you got that job you wanted, was the salary better, worse or about what you anticipated? Started off worse (but not much),and is now BETTER!! Did you find you were able to progress in your job (ie be promoted) or has your job remained stagnant? They LURVE proactive Europeans here - it does put some Canadians noses' out of joint because we are NOT steeped in the unionised jobs worth system, do we DO work outside the parameters of our jobs, we DO the jobs we see need doing etc How many days holiday do you get? I'm lucky - 15. (But it was 33 in UK!) And I did not have to work a full year first before I was entitled to them. Do you get annual pay rises? (May sound like an odd question but my hubby hasn't had a pay rise for 3 and a half years in the U.S. :( ) If I hadn't been promoted, no, and none for the next 3 years. They don't do merit pay where I work. (So some people feel it is not worth putting in the extra effort ....) Would you do things different if you could begin the process of emigrating and job hunting again? Networked differently, not lept at the first job offer, realised how long the flaming commute was .... What advice would you give to newcomers? NETWORK, research the job market, get in touch with people before you come, don't underestimate how tricky the job market is. How long have you lived in Canada? 2.5 years :) |
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How many days holiday do you get? it will be four weeks plus statutory holidays. [B] 4 WEEKS! :eek: I am SOOOOO envious!! Hey Lesley, any jobs going there!! Clare ;) |
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