djsiege83

Firstly, a quick hello to all, and apologies for the bluntness of the following post.

HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!!

My girlfriend and I have been in Vancouver now for six weeks. We're on a one year working holiday visa, have a great apartment just off Commercial Drive, and everything was looking great.

Unfortunately our savings have nearly vanished, and despite all efforts we're looking at serious problems paying next months rent due in two weeks. We're both hard working, polite, presentable, mature, and have never encountered problems with getting work before in our entire lives. I'm 25, with a degree, and years of work experience in both office/admin and hospitality. My girlfriend has about eight years hospitality experience, and neither of us are getting anywhere. We've applied for literally hundreds of jobs, via e-mail, by phone, face-to-face, speculatively, and nothing's working. We will do ANYTHING!!!

Please, if anyone has some advice about this. I'm sure there are the jobs out there, it's just something we're doing isn't working.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this, and extra thanks in advance to anyone who offers some tips.

Thanks again.

Oh, on the off chance anyone happens to be an employer looking for some hard working brits, call Chris on <snip>.

Weebie

I was always going to go to Calgary but its pretty obvious to me that Canadians don't value anything other than Canadian experience and will give canadian citizens top priority.

PaulandNikki

What sort of things are you trying to get?

dboy

I used to work in the casino business before in Vancouver and they are generally always looking for people. They train you so no experience is needed. Great Canadian and Gateway Casinos are the main two companies. There is likely a link on line somewhere. Just a thought for what it's worth.

Good luck

ESarge

Your general problem is that hospitality is one of the sectors hit by the recession. People go out less and when they do they spend less and therefore the tips are less. There'll be lots of people chasing very few jobs.

It also doesn't help that January is traditionally very quiet in the hospo market - that's why the run Dine out Vancouver to get people in the doors.

It looks like you're not competing well in the straight hospo market so I'd go looking for a way to add a twist. i.e. see if you can find an area where you've got some unique skills or something so the market's smaller. The casino idea is a useful one - or moving to another city where there's more demand.

Danny B

That's a pretty broad statement and certainly not true here in Kamloops. My company are crying out for people with real world experience, computers are computers no matter where you are from.

Auld Yin

B O L L O C K S

Simon Legree

Very well put ! I couldn't have expressed it more succinctly myself.

ESarge

Because Kamloops has a bit of a lottery cluster going on with BCLC (and others I believe) up there. However, for a new immigrant moving to Kamloops is a bit of a risk so I imagine many don't. This leads to not a lot of supply for the demand.

I briefly considered going up there - and would have if I hadn't found a job in Van after a period of time.

djsiege83

Thanks for all the advice. I'll give the casinos a try.

We've been looking at all hospitality/restaurant jobs. Dishwasher, server, busser, host/hostess, food counter attendant, barista etc etc. And anything else in retail, sales, customer service and labour that either doesn't require specific experience or requires the experience we have.

Moving to a new city isn't really an option anymore, we don't have the funds for a new place, it's that bad.

Any thoughts on live-in work?

ExKiwilass

Agree Feb/mar are the dead times, so you're up against it. I'll put my ear to the ground and see what I can rustle up. Whereabouts in Van have you tried? are you just trying in Commercial? Have you tried Yaletown? Also, hastings?

good luck.

DaviesHN

I am quite surprised you can't even get a temp job - my kids & most students expect to get those sorts of jobs in summer (just by walking into the establishment and asking). Have you tried
http://board.raisinjobs.com/index.php
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/
http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/srch_eng.as...&OfferpPage=50
http://www.workopolis.com/work.aspx?...chView&lang=EN
http://workingvancouverjobs.canada.com/js.php

Have you canadianised your resume sufficiently?
Just some suggestions
Helen

djsiege83

Hello again,

Location wise, we've been looking everywhere within a reasonable bus ride. Admittedly we haven't handed in resumes around Yaletown yet, we should do that. We've mostly replied to craigslist jobs, but haven't got ANY replies. We've been able to find the jobs online, no problem. But don't seem to get any replies. Our resume might need work. They're attached if anyone wants to offer an opinion.

djsiege83

Ok, resumes aren't attached. Will post download link shortly.

PaulandNikki

Have you got Serving It Right?