Hi Folks,
Well the day for the recce is drawing near (19th April). I’m primarily going to look at rental properties in South Vancouver Island but think it also makes good sense (based on this forum) to start networking for work.

OK so now I need someone to hold my hand a bit……being British and naturally reserved I’m really nervous about this. TBH it goes totally against my nature to be so pushy and I’m dreading it.

One of the pieces of advice given on the forum is to shortlist companies that are within the field of work you are looking for (done that). Then actually go in and visit the companies with your CV and ask to speak to someone. Now I know that with my present company if someone came in off the street and asked for a departmental manager, they wouldn’t generally get past the receptionist without an appointment.

My questions are:
a) Out of the 12 companies I’ve short listed from the Victoria Chamber of Commerce website. What would you expect my success rate of achieving a “face to face” be?

b) Any tips on what I should say to the receptionist to get past her/him to the relevant person?

c) Could anyone give me some opening lines to ask, when telephoning from the UK to set up possible face to face meetings? Can I be as blatant as saying “Hey I’m coming over in April and would like to meet you regards employment with your company” Will they just burst out laughing and slam the phone down?

Be gentle people…I’m really nervous about this ….and believe me there are only two things that make me nervous….. the OH and Spiders!!!

I can't give you specific networking advice but I can tell you from experience that rocking up and being nervous is not a good idea.

Even if you have to lie to yourself about the reason for the meetings, eg "I'm just seeing nice people to see if we can be of mutual benefit..." do it as in this case, you are selling yourself and you cannot appear nervous because if you don't believe your pitch, why should they?

Forget you are English now......as you are competing with Canadians in Canada so when in Rome!

Right then ................ better not start with photos of our Van Island spiders

When we did our recce to the Island OH rang all the relevant peeps in the yellowpages (superpages) .... he mentioned that we had a short timeframe & asked if he could come & meet with them ........... he'd tried just showing up but IMHO people here like you to make an appointment. At one of the appointments the manager asked him if we would consider Nanaimo as there may be an opening there, we headed up here the next day & OH was informally interviewed for 2 1/2hrs!! He was told that when we officially landed there would be a job for him.
I then spent the next 15months stressing about that job because we had nothing on paper, nothing official ........ just someones word .........1 week after we arrived & our heads stopped spinning OH rang them & was told to start 2 weeks later when we were a bit more settled.

Suggest either contacting them by phone from the UK and making an appointment to see someone, even informally. Bring plenty of resumes with you and a memory stick with it on in case you need more. Make sure it is in a format that is easily printable, such as pdf and there are no odd fonts as these may not print properly. Also, if you just turn up, go in and ask if you could make an appointment to see someone. Better still if you know who the person is you should see.

They may make an appointment or just ask you in for a chat if they are not busy.
Ask for help and you usually get it. Perhaps something along the lines that you visiting from the UK, with a view to looking for work in that industry here in Canada and wondered if someone would have the time to meet with you.

Ask for a meeting to discuss the industry and job opportunities when you visit. Even if they don't have a job, they may have lots of info and contacts they could pass on.

Chill out man.... Seriously. Trust me; I'm a local...

You are beginning to network... you are not interviewing for the one and only job that determines the course of the rest of your life.

I'm not sure which industry you are in but networking on the coast does not have to be an overly formal thing at all... I have made more business contacts sitting at a sushi bar bantering with the other customers half-gone on sake than in any formal setting.

I have also gone to talk with people as you are describing - ie, making appointments. I just phoned places, asked if could speak to so-and-so... if I couldn't, I explained to the receptionist what I wanted and if I could set up a time. “Hey I’m coming over in April and would like to meet you regards employment with your company” can certainly work... if you know the company is hiring... if it isn't, you may not get a foot in. In that case, setting up an 'information interview' could get your foot in... “Hey I’m coming over in April and would like to meet you regards to learning more about your company/industry” or something ...

You have to understand that this is NORMAL in Canada. People expect that other people will want to come and pick their brains whether it's a person exploring a new career, career options or job searching. Most people get-off on it... it strokes their ego.

You wrote that you feel pushy... perhaps try to morph that into feeling interested: interested in the workplace, the career options available within the workplace and in the person you are going to see.

IMO, you don't have to be obvious about wanting/needing employment. This is networking... getting to know a new setting and new people and allowing others to get to know you. 'It's not what you know but who you know'... so get known.

Also... expect informal chit-chat.

Smiles and friendliness...

To add to the above excellent advice - use Letter paper size if at all possible.

One of my clients came here and got business cards printed up with both a Canadian cell phone (buy a Virgin pay as you go) and his UK phone number. That way he appears to be a Canadian resident. He did a lot of networking whilst here - including the techvibes networking events.

Good luck and keep smiling - imagine you're just meeting for a chat over coffee - which might well be what you're doing anyway.

Warmly,

Frank

Hi apologies to all for the late reply, unfortunatley my 2yr old decided that my laptop was a new toy and broke it...anyway I'm back now.

Thanks to you all for the advice it's all good and certainly has confirmed what I already thought....I need to get out there and sell myself.

Thanks again everyone!

Tom