Nymeria

Hey everyone. I have a question for people who have had experience with job fairs whilst in Canada.

Myself and my friend are heading out to Van on an IEC visa on 26th Sep, and then on to Whistler which is where we are hoping to work and stay for the winter season.

This is from the Whistler website in regards to their job fair: "Whistler Blackcomb will be holding our Annual Recruiting Fair at the Blackcomb Daylodge on October 31st and November 1st , 2014. We will be hiring for some full time positions but primarily part time and volunteer positions."

Obviously me and my friend are going to make full use of every opportunity we have so we will be attending this but my question is, how essential are the job fairs for securing a job?

We aren't going to sit on our haunches for a month until this job fair, we will apply for anything and everything as soon as we arrive in Whistler. The above quote just worries me a bit as we will be wanting full time work and I would just like to get an idea of how easy/hard it is to get a job without the help of a fair.

Thanks in advance

beckiwoo

Shame your not there a couple of days before that. Whistler have their job fair on 24th and 25th September.

I think you can apply online before hand as the only you can go to that fair is if you have applied online. Not sure with the job fair in October/November though

Nymeria

I know, I actually can't believe that we fly the day after the job fair!

Although this part confused me: "In September 2014, Whistler Blackcomb will be travelling to Ontario and Quebec to interview candidates in the following cities"

I'm not sure if that means that the job fair is held in just Ontario and Quebec

I hope the age old method of going into every place I can find and handing in resumes is just as effective as the job fair

beckiwoo

There are going to be job fairs in all the places/cities listed on the specific dates.

What you could do is apply online. When it opens and if you get an offer of interview at one of the job fairs then advise them of you flight and see if you can arrange you interview a couple of days after you land?? Maybe email them and see what they say

tee1

I wouldn't worry unless you specifically want to work for Whistler/Blackcomb. Most people will get jobs by walking around and meeting with employers. You can't just rock up to a Whistler/Blackcomb job fair though you need to apply online and then attend an interview if selected.
If you can't make the interview on the job fair day then you're out of luck but more individual applications might be held later after the main job fair, keep an eye on the website or find out who is in charge of the dept you're interested in and email them direct (when you can meet in person)

Look in the Pique and Craigslist for jobs but don't hold you breath for securing anything before you're actually here and can meet face to face.
The Fairmont and a few other hotels are maybe a chance for securing a job before you arrive though.
I don't recommend wasting your time with the Whistler bars jobfair. You aint getting a job there, some of the other bars too don't bother unless you fit the profile or know someone (you will know what I mean when you get here)

I do recommend looking for the Whistler buy/sell an page on facebook as sometimes jobs are posted there along with alot of other stuff. Also ask to join the facebook page for local housing rentals. Don't post wanted adds though or you'll be booted out hehe

scrubbedexpat091

They are just 1 employer of many in the area remember.

Nymeria

Good idea Becki! I'll definitely do that!

Thanks for the helpful advice tee! So what areas would you recommend other than Whistler to try that are in decent reaching distance by public transport etc? I'm willing to try anywhere.

That's a shame to hear about the bars. I have bar experience and it was one of the avenues I was looking at going down, seeing as you'd have the days free to ski etc. So people mostly get bar jobs through connections? Damn

I'll look for that Facebook page too, thanks. So much to do

scrubbedexpat091

The only other area of any size near Whistler is Squamish,but its 30 minutes south, and no transit access to Whistler, you need a car.

There isn't much in this region for alternatives if you want to work in Whistler and need transit, your going to have to live/work in Whistler.

If you want the days free to ski and can handle overnights, apply for night auditor jobs at hotels, its basic job and doesn't require much, as long as you have good customer skills, basic computers skills, and basic math skills, you can do it. Larger hotels may have a specific auditor position where that is all you do, small hotels will combine the position with front desk.

tee1

Yes as said before you can't get between Whistler/Squamish/Pemby without a car. You don't need to look at them places though, you're arriving early enough to find both job and accom. Just keep an eye on the paper and apply in person and have a walk around and hand out CV'S.

If you have bar experience then by all means apply, there's bar where you might aswell not bother but there's others where you can get that job.
Look at serving jobs too where you get the day off, or most jobs will be shifts any way so you should get a mix of days and nights with time to ski
Getting you're first job here is the hard part so just be persistant.

Good Luck