cityhog

If you can rap like this guy and have a girlfriend like that, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding a job.

KenD

What line of work are you in? If you don't want to put that out there, PM me, my public profile will give you an idea about my knowledge base.

As others have said, give it a bit longer. The summer months are notoriously quiet in the recruitment sector. As a former executive recruiter, we focused almost exclusively on client development over the summer months due to a lack of traction on live assignments.

It is true that the recruitment process takes a little bit longer over here, it's cultural, what else can you say! As someone originally from the UK recruiting world, I initially thought the sky was falling when a client didn't return a call instantly to tell me how great my candidate was. I had to adjust.

For the moment, chin up, keep sending the applications out, and definitely make sure your resume and cover letter are tip top! Recruiting activity will increase in September/October.

JonboyE

Your story told of the common, normal, and natural reaction to the implicit criticism from someone from outside (wherever outside is) who says that you and your group are doing things wrong.

This is not a British phenomenon, or a Canadian one. It is just part of the way humanity works. The best advice I can give to anyone moving to a new country who wants to

a) get a job and
b) succeed in it

is to try and avoid provoking this reaction.

That is all.

JonboyE

Tempting But you are here, working, and making a success of your life. You don't need me to give you advice on getting a job.

Anyway, if I go slightly off topic I get this ...

If that is aimed at me you are way off the mark. I'm talking good **** for once. You can chose to read and take notice of what I say. If you don't want to then fine. You don't have to take notice of this to get a job. Just that you have more chance of getting a job, and keeping it, if you consider how you come across to the people you want to offer you work.

Keep in mind that you are either still in the UK or only just here. I've been been for over 11 years working in and with SMEs in SW BC. I'm not trying to score points or p*ss on anyone's parade. I am telling the truth as I see it. I honestly believe that the advice I have given in this thread will do more for the wealth of a new immigrant from the UK than any of the stuff on tax that I post about.

And, if others who have been here a while think I am talking b*ll*cks I am sure they will say so.

ExKiwilass

ha, I thought that post was directed at me.

Aviator

You're not, that is pretty much how it is.

Alan2005

It wasn't aimed at me that's for sure as I'm the most helpful person here. It probably was that JonboyE; he's always too sarcastic and his tax advice is wrong - if he says something you should probably just do the opposite.

vaughant

Yeah,I think I basically covered that in one of my posts,no one really likes others coming in and telling you what to do,how bad you are etc. and as I said,in their defence they were really good people who WANTED to make a success of it,just their methods were very poor,quite underhanded as well.

If you look back up the postings,you'll see that I was simply giving the op a bit of advice through MY own experiences of the Canadian physce when it comes to employing people,after all,he hasn't got employment yet and was willing to quit because of this,as I said,I thought we were here to help each other out,not jump down the throat of people who are offering advice.if i'd never worked for a Canadian firm,then I wouldn't be contributing!!it's been said above that Brits have the wrong attitude so that's why I posted that maybe he needs to make his Canadian employer feel that they know a bit more than him so he can get his foot in the door,I don't like this slate the new guy stuff,I'm CONTRIBUTING,my points are VALID,just like yours,in fact I believe that I thanked you for a post on another thread regarding electricians so please don't take it as a criticism.

As for my attitude etc,would you really expect me to go into any sort of interview,no matter how informal,slating a Canadian firm?or anyone else in Canada for that matter!!!

Not sure if you got the wrong end of the stick with nicky1234 either,I think she was referring to all the invaluable help she's given me so far via replies and pm,don't think it was aimed at you sir!!

JonboyE

It wasn't intended to be personal so my apologies if it came across that way.

We have had posters here who don't get the type of job they felt they deserved. As a result they complained bitterly about Canada and Canadians. One poster insisted that he would not "lower" himself to adopt Canadian workplace practices, yet he blamed everybody and everything else for his failure to get a decent job. He was an extreme case but I still see that underlying attitude surfacing every now and again.

I picked on your post because it was a good example of some of the issues involved. I didn't intend to imply anything about you or your personal situation. I wish you all the luck possible in your new life.

Lemonfish

Wow, that's quite a reaction. My post actually wasn't saying that I think the sun shines out of my backside or that I think the 'way I'm used to doing things' is superior to Canadians.

And I'm not complaining about anything thanks - have been very successful in this job market, better pay and holidays than in the UK in fact.

Some Canadians themselves would recognize that some of my comments about their own workplace practices are true, particularly those who have worked abroad.

Plenty of immigrant serving organizations will also tell you the same thing.

So I'm puzzled by your defensive visceral reaction?

cityhog

Some of the regulars here have a medical condition: verbal diarrhea.

Atlantic Xpat

I aim for pith myself......

Carrera88

Wow !! I'm looking, right now, at moving TO Canada. Your experience sounds a bit rough so far but... Keep at it !!! Wish you the best of luck !!

JonboyE

You did say it was your opinion and was a generalization so fair enough.

However, this is what you said:

I think part of the reluctance to hire newly arrived foreigners is due to a more general under-confidence among some Canadians.

For some, newcomers are a risk in a range of respects:

- they might out-shine others in the workplace
- they might bring in new ideas that feel threatening
- they might be direct in their style rather than passive-agressive
- you may not be able to understand what they say, which is embarrasing for everyone
- they may not be able to talk easily about the same subjects that everyone else does: cottage, hockey, golf, good deals at stores, barbeques past and planned etc

This is a huge generalization, but I honestly feel that some of these are deep-seated concerns among a minority of Canadians.


In my opinion this is complete rubbish. In the Maple Leaf I would probably have ignored it as being patronizing to Canadians seems to pass as humor there. In the context of this thread it has to be challenged. I have never known a Canadian company decline to hire a competent candidate because they will or might outshine others, bring new ideas, be direct or not chat about hockey. You might have something on the language in some companies.

I do see that faced with two candidates of roughly equal ability they will hire the one who they think will fit best into the organization. They are unlikely to hire someone who gives the impression that their British education and experience makes them somehow superior to the Canadians they will have to work amongst.

Anyone looking for work should keep this in mind. If someone wants a pay cheque they have to meet the employers needs - not the other way around.

I was reacting to the words on the screen, not to you personally. I may have misinterpreted what you were saying. I have no wish to cause you offense and apologize if I have done so.

JSHalifax

Dear Kevin and John
Just a few words of encouragement from a couple of Brits who have been here for many years now, you are going through what so many of us feel when we arent in full control of our lives anymore, a job had always defined who we were in the UK and made us feel as if we were part of society .. we arrived here without jobs and ended up with retail work over the christmas period, Halifax is always looking for employees this time of year to employ for the christmas period , jobs here are hard to track down but its worth taking some of the free courses and workshops that are available to you as a permanent resident, People Plus and ISIS have courses, also there are some great networking groups Anchor is one of them, just step outside of your comfort Zone and get out and chat to everybody. People here really do care more about each other and getting involved even in a volunteer capacity will get you more focused on positive thoughts. To us looking back was never an option, we have opened up our hearts and our home to hundreds of people
who have relocated over the last ten years or so , when the honeymoon period is over the hard work begins and the true meaning of friendships and support really make a difference, Hang in there you are more than your job you have made it this far, you were looking for some change and new direction in your lives beleive me you will find it .