Diamond

Hello

this is my first go on this forum - so hello all

I have been in Canada since Feb. 19th and I am currently looking for work. I have now realised that only about 10-15% of jobs are actually advertised, and instead I need to network and cold-call.

I am looking for work in the non-profit sector - tutoring, teaching, training or a coordinators position. I was a teacher in the UK, managing my own subject area.

Any advice anyone can offer me, places to approach etc. would be a great help. I really hate the idea of cold calling - but I know I 've got to do it, if i am to have any chance of finding work.

Thanks
Diamond

flashman

You might want to check if any of your local schools have volunteer positions plus any organizations where your skills would be useful.

Working as a volunteer is a good way of establishing your network plus attending conferences, lectures, presentations etc.

Judy in Calgary

Welcome to the forum.

Flashman has given you good advice. Joining an association of people who do the same thing as you do gives you an opportunity to attend meetings, conferences and lectures that the association hosts. This, in turn, gives you opportunities to network.

Another very useful thing to do is to request informational meetings with people who work in your field. When you ask someone if you can meet him/her to pick his/her brain, it's well understood that you are not applying to him/her for a job, but are only asking for tips.

I'm job hunting myself, and a person to whom I directed an enquiry invited me to join him for a cup of coffee. He was very generous in giving me names of companies, the projects on which they were working at present, names of people who were associated with those projects, details about an industry conference that was coming up soon, etc.

When you follow up leads that you are given in that situation, when you can say, "So-And-So suggested I call you," it doesn't feel like "cold calling."

If you ever get to the stage of being offered a job interview, it helps to research the organisation and the requirements of the job before the interview. If you happen to know someone who works for the organisation or who has had dealings with it, it helps.

For example, I attended an interview regarding an administrative job with the Calgary Catholic School District. Before the interview, I phoned a friend of mine who is a curriculum developer with the Calgary Catholic School District, and I asked her what qualities she thought they would be looking for in the person who filled the position for which I was applying.

It's surprising from which sources information can come. Another example, in my case, was a law firm that interviewed me. I allowed time for traffic delays, etc., but everything went smoothly, and I arrived in their building too early. I decided to kill time by having a cup of coffee. The mezzanine level of the building in which the law firm was housed had a small food court. I picked a counter at random, and asked for a cup of coffee. Somehow -- I can't even remember how we got into the conversation -- the woman behind the counter and I revealed to each other that we both were job hunting. The coffee gig was an interim measure for her, and she was looking for work as a photographer.

I told her I was on my way to an interview at XYZ law firm. She told me that exactly a week previously another woman had bought a cup of coffee on her way back from an interview for the same position with the same firm. The other woman had mentioned that the interview had not gone well, because they'd considered her overqualified for the job for which she was applying. Since I was afraid that I might be overqualified for the job, this was a helpful piece of information for me to know.

I wish I could tell you that these tips have resulted in my finding a job, but so far they have not. However, my past experience suggests that this kind of networking does pay off.

Tell just about everyone with whom you come into contact that you are job hunting.

One of my sons, who is a fourth year university student, is a part-time math(s) tutor. He belongs to an agency that funnels students to him and that takes a cut of the tuition fees. I don't know if you'd be interested in doing that as an interim measure. My son doesn't earn enough from doing that to support himself. However, in your case, interacting with students might give you insights into similarities and differences between the school system with which you are familiar and the one in Ontario. In case you're interested, here is the web site of a tutoring referral service called Toronto Tutoring Services. I know nothing about them other than the fact that I found them by doing a Google search for TUTORING AGENCY + TORONTO.

You mentioned you were looking for employment in the non-profit sector. I don't know if this option would be acceptable to you, but it might open up the possibilities if you were willing to consider working in the for-profit sector as well.

It might help people around here to make suggestions if you shared what your subject area was.

Finally, if you're a teacher, I'm sure you appreciate the power of positive reinforcement. However, in case someone else is reading this post I'll mention that, if anyone gives you a lead or a tip, it is important to thank him/her afterwards, and to let him/her know how you have used his/her information. For example, in the case of my friend who works for the Calgary Catholic School District, I phoned her afterwards to thank her and let her know the outcome of the interview. In the case of the man who invited me to have a cup of coffee with him, I phoned him afterwards to thank him and to let him know that I had contacted a couple of people whose names he had given me.

All the best.

Diamond

Hi

thanks for the suggestions - I know I need to pluck-up the courage to start making some phone calls. I have got a list of community, non-profit organisations that I need to investigate and start calling. I applied for a job as learning Coach at a community centre in Toronto - didn't get an interview - so today I am going to write down some questions and see if I can get some feedback on my application.

I think the trouble is, I was used to just walking straight into jobs in the UK - with little effort, and the thought of cold-calling is such an alien and uncomfortable prospect. :scared:

I taught Sociology and Criminology in the UK, and also worked as a researcher into issues on Social action and education.

I have applied for 4 jobs so far - teachers assistant (didn't even get an interview - I am trying to convince myself it was because I was over-qualified), learning coach (assisting adult learners to gain high school qualifications), Community Service Prog. Coord. for an Independent school and I am currently applying for a position that invovles training professionals on issues regarding violence against women.

Thanks for the leads and advice - I shall follow these up.

Diamond