kevinand john

moved here july 1st with so much confidence and hope for the future.gave up good jobs and a nice house in the uk too.moved here with job agencies and people saying you can easily get a job with your experience.partner has applied for job after job and if they do ring you back and give you an interview you never here back from them again ,always having to chase them.ive even applied for a job shelf stacking that i can walk into in the uk ,got an interview and then nothing.what do you have to do to get a job.we cant carry on like this for much longer as we can only afford to use so much money trying before we have to decide whats next.do we call it quits say we tried and go back to the uk? at least we would get dole and help with rent there.did anybody else find it difficult to get employment here? we even did a test visit in june trying job agenices etc all said you will have no problem with work just come in when you arrive.now we are here its a different story-they dont bother to answerthe phone or get back to you
its so frustrating all we want to do is get jobs and settle down here.never knew it would be this hard though.we are seriously thinking of going back tothe uk now!

iaink

I sort of gave up trying to read through it, but my first impression is July 1st was only 6 weeks ago. Got to give it at least a year before you can be sure culture shock, home sickness and all that isnt a factor in any decision.

Getting a job here is hard work, its a different process. In most cases its the foundation of a sucessful stay in canada as it leads to steady income, social contact, a network of friends etc. Give it time. Summer is always slow with people on vacation etc, took me 9 weeks from 1st interview to starting work one time.

Hopefully your resume has some punctuation and paragraphs and all that stuff

el_richo

You've only been there 6 weeks. The employment process if retarded in Canada so if i were you i'd hang on for a while longer to see what happens.

If you can't afford to do that, i'd have to question your sanity in your decision to emigrate

In fact, as a sanity check, other than the dole, do you think you could return to the UK and be in a job within 6 weeks? By that i mean begin the search, apply, interview, receive confirmation, and start work, in those 6 weeks? I would doubt many occupations would be.

Also, triple check your CV format, Cover Letter wording and content, follow-up technique, etc etc.

nikky1234

Don't give up just yet, think how hard it was to get there? If you come back to the UK now chances are you'll be in the same situation? Probably won't get dole for 3 months as you gave up jobs etc and end up living with family for a bit. Chin up maybe you just need to look a bit further afield?

kevinand john

thanks for your nice reply at least you arent criticizing my spelling etc.we are finding it tough only have so much money to live on before it gets tight.just a few responses to job applications would help.eveything in this country seems to be 20 years behind the uk though

iaink

Thats probably a conservative estimate. But for some of us thats part of the appeal.

No offence intended, its just hard to make sense of a post that's a block of text with no capitals or paragraphs. On an internet forum I could care less about spelling, but others will tell you I am probably not the best to comment on that anyway!

Aviator

It is however a valid point. One mistake on a resume can be the difference between an interview and the garbage can. This is an excellent forum to practice attention to detail. As soon as we slip into slack writing habits, it is easy for this to become the norm.

chobert

is that what you really meant!?

Atlantic Xpat

Your spelling is fine. Your punctuation, sentence and paragraph formation is appalling and just about unreadable. If your resume and cover letters read like your posts here, they are getting thrown in the trash in the first pass through. This is not being insulting, this is feedback from someone who has recruited both here and in the UK.

Many people move to Canada and NS because they seek that 20 years behind the UK feeling. What did your research lead you to believe?

Tuppence

I'm afraid you are probably going to have to be much more patient. If you can't afford to hang out for a few more months, I would go now before you burn through all your money.
It can take yonks to get any level of job in NS. You just need to have a lucky moment. My suggestion would be to sign up for a temping agency and take whatever they offer to get some experience, and meet some employers.
What field are you in, and at what level? Might be able to give better hints if you give more details.

iaink

When in rome... Ive been here 13 years now... you will have to forgive me if I occasionaly use native phrases.

Siouxie

I've been applying for every job in my area to do with office work (admin mostly) since February 2010.

I have not had one interview! I put that down to the following:

1) My resume / cover letter isn't Canadian enough (I'm dealing with that)
2) My work history ends 10 years ago when I left the UK (I'm thinking about volunteering, just to get some Canadian experience)
3) I am bloody old (nothing I can do... sigh)

Keep plugging away!

Have you thought about going to go to the local centre for new immigrants and getting them to review your resume / cover letter? http://www.isisns.ca/wins.php has some useful links and advice. Also: http://www.isisns.ca/downloads/pdfs/...hure_Prod3.pdf

For instance, they have a placement service:

• Work Placement Program
This six week “on the job” experience provides Canadian work experience, local references and professional contacts as well as the chance for the host employer to assess the qualifications of the participant in a worksite setting.

Don't despair, and don't give up - you have come this far, now it's just a question of time.

JonboyE

The last bit is rubbish. Canada is different. If you were job hunting in Finland, or China, would you expect everything to be the same as in the UK? No? So why should you expect Canada to be the same?

In general, the job hunting process takes longer here. Employers take their time in selecting new hires. It is so normal that a Canadian wouldn't even comment about an employer not getting back to them in a few days, if at all. Most employers will only contact candidates if they want to pursue their application further. This isn't being backwards, or behind the times, or rude. It is just the way things are done.

Chasing up employers requires a bit of judgment. Whilst it is good to be keen it is also easy to be seen as pushy. If an advert says no telephone calls then don't. Inability to understand or follow simple instructions is not a good recommendation for anyone.

Otherwise I think one phone call should be OK. Just to check that you application/resume was received. You could also throw in something about how you wouldn't normally call so soon but this was exactly the sort of opportunity you were looking for and ideally qualified for etc etc. However, don't go overboard. I think it is also acceptable to ask for a rough idea of the time line of the recruiting process. Don't demand answers within a specific time scale of threaten that you will look elsewhere.

After an interview (formal or informal) I would always write a letter or email thanking them for the opportunity to meet and say something complementary about the employer or the business. Make sure that what you say follows on from your discussion so the interviewer knows you were paying attention. After a formal interview, one follow up call after a couple of weeks is OK as long as you keep it light. How are you getting on, anything more you need from me etc.

Don't put your job hunting on hold until you hear back from an employer, and don't assume that you are out of the running just because you don't hear back from them straight away. Just keep on looking until you find something. I always advise people to be flexible - at first a job is a job. It is better to be earning something gaining Canadian experience than spending your savings. However, don't think that Canadians are stupid. They know that if you are a qualified person you won't hang around stacking shelves when a decent job becomes available.

One approach is to seek out employers who need your skills and experience, but cannot afford to pay the going rate for someone with the equivalent Canadian qualifications and experience. Start up companies, not for profits etc.

Don't panic at this stage. The people who said you would get a job straight away might still be right. Six weeks is nothing and anything within a few months could count as "straight away." Don't rely on adverts and agencies. You have too be proactive in your search. A lot of jobs in the private sector come from recommendation so getting yourself known in the right places as competent and professional may be important in getting your first job and may be vital in getting your next one.

A last piece of advice (and the best) is to check your attitude. Employers want to employ people that they think will fit smoothly into the workplace. The last thing they want is to employ someone who thinks they are something special - and constantly lets everyone know. Always be polite and professional however trying the process becomes. It is a small world. Also a decision maker may ask other staff members for input so being brusque with the receptionist can mean the difference between getting a job or not.

Canada is not 20 years behind, or 20 years ahead. It is 2010 here as well. However, Canada is different. See the differences for what they are. Embrace them, do your best to celebrate them. Otherwise, what was the point in moving here?

Aviator

Spot on with both of these. Canada is what it is, like it or not. It is what it is however due to immigration and the contribution immigrants have made. Come here to make a contribution and it can be rewarding, come here, complain and do nothing is a recipe for failure.

When we hire staff, qualifications are important, however attitude is everything, even the most qualified candidate with the wrong attitude won't get hired. Our hiring decisions are made not only by management, but with input from other staff. When you speak to anyone at an organisation, you never know how much influence they may have in the hiring decision.

linz3112

I am nowhere near moving yet but i thought this was a brilliant, informative post!

Many thanks, i will remember these bits of advice when it's my turn!!