segs

Hi all,

Just looking for some advice from more experienced folk.
I'm currently looking for work as a psychiatrist using canadian based medical recruitment agencies.

For one job, after several months and badgering by e mail on my part, I got to speak to the medical director and offered to come along to 'visit' the organization when I was on leave... This went well with the 'visit' being turned into a formal interview by the organization which included meeting management and the executive director. In the end this led to a 'firmish'job offer.


Sorry about the preamble but my question is, it seems like my other applications just disappear into the ether! Sometimes not even an acknowledgement of receipt of said application

Now in the UK one would have an application acknowledged and be told if short listed for interview after the closing date

Is this kind of silence usual and is it 'normal' to pursue applications with phone calls and follow up emails etc which I've never had to do in the UK?

Any advice gladly received and hope the query is clear
Thank you

nikki dreaming

silence is completely normal, take a look at this

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Canada...erent%21%21%21

scribe123

I don't think that is the case in the UK from my pov, or at least not since I left Uni in 1999 (I work in IT) Sometimes I'm kept up to date, but usually if I don't hear anything I cross it off my list. Calling the agent only confirms this.

It's just the way they work - think of how many people they're speaking with. And that's not just agents, it's hiring managers and HR people. I've hired for many positions, and I barely have time to interview people, yet alone respond to every one (hiring people usually isn't one's day job). You'll get the odd agent who contacts you every day whilst things are looking good, but normally you'll hear if the company is interested, and nothing if they're not.

Almost Canadian

It's the way it is here. Lots that post here will try to justify it but, IMO, it doesn't take anything away from the fact that it is ignorant and rude.

Quaks

Make your CV stand out, my girlfriend works in HR, and if the CV doesn't stand out it literally goes in a pile that doesn't get read unless people phone up chasing it. Automatically weeds of the people who either aren't truly interested in the job or those who don't know how to write a CV which isn't hard. I know plenty of company's in the UK which did the same too.

Siouxie

They are called resume's in Canada, not CV's.

Quaks

Bah they are basically the same thing.

magnumpi

Get one of them Birthday cards with a tune that plays when it's opened, then, yup you got it, place it between page one and two. Your sure to get noticed then?

The secret is to get the right song of choice. Happy birthday won't cut it on a Resume, you need something like Tina Turner "simply the best"

PM me if you need any more solid résumé advice.

Tigger1

I agree, I always make sure I follow up with candidates that have interviewed either with me or the hiring manager and let them know yes or no. But unfortunately it's the norm here to not do that, and I have had many of my own job applications disappear into the great unknown!

As for acknowledging an application, again I do that (& all manually I'd like to point out) but I only contact candidates that I'm going to interview I just don't have the time to give an update every step of the way!

DandNHill

They're recruiting a psychiatrist here in Yarmouth. Most of our doctors come from abroad so you're in with a chance... If you are interested in living in a small backwater in rural NS PM me and I will tell you exactly who to contact...

Dorothy

It's the way it is in most places. Of the hundreds of CVs I've sent from overseas to the UK for positions in healthcare I have heard back from exactly 2. It's ignorant and rude no matter where it happens.
Resumes is neither possessive nor a contraction. No apostrophe necessary.

Siouxie

What can I say, I was in a hurry and didn't have time to check that my response was grammatically correct.

Ooops.

januarymix

I have worked in a few countries and to be honest, I find that quite rude to just ignore a person if they are not "going to benefit my own"

But it's good to know what the "common etiquette" is that's for sure.

Mikeypm

I think its common practice the world over. When I lived in denmark I sent upwards of 3000 applications/cv's etc and had a handful of acknowledgements.

So I would not take it to heart, I have found with my search for work in Canada that I have followed up on all the resumes I sent and that has led at least in part to sort of acknowledgement even if its a thanks but no thanks. In some cases I have not been shortlisted for a role but having followed as sparked interest and I have instead made network connectuions that have got my foot in other doors.

januarymix

Agreed, a good perspective and fair enough.