The Ross Family

Michele

You are not alone in not being able to find a job. I must have applied for near on 70 jobs in the 10 weeks I have been here. It is so hard to get a foot in the door, I have also tried all the big job agencies here in Calgary and although I have been 'banked' not a job in sight.

You have just got to ask in every shop you go into if they are hiring and don't expect to get the same type of job that you had in the UK, dumb down that resume.

All the best

The Ross Family

R I C H

For any immigrant or would-be immigrant, I think it's important to ask yourself the following questions:

• What skills do I have that would make me stand out from a Canadian applicant ? (assuming you've no Canadian work experience, which in the eyes of many employees may make you a riskier proposition).
  
• Am I willing to take a lower paid job, just to get Canadian experience?
  
• Am I meeting the right people that might be able to influence a decision, or recommend me to an employer? (the importance of networking).

If you're not having any luck, attend public events in your local community - local forums, business seminars, volunteer events etc etc. Expand your social circle as much as possible and make your face and skills known.

scrubbedexpat091

I've been looking for work for 1/2 year now, no interviews at all in 2009. My local unemployment is 12% and pretty much nobody is hiring in town right now, and those that are get a huge amount of resumes.

What your experiencing right now is the norm in many areas of the country.

If you current skill set isn't working for you, maybe look into going to school and gaining a new set or improving your current set until the economy starts to recover.

I threw in the towel in looking for work and just became a fulll-time student, and living off government student loans for now.

ks65

To OP, you are sitting in a University town, University admin dept's are short on budget and high on staff turnover, it might be an idea to volunteer in one of the depts (they will not turn you down), then when an opportunity does arise - you have a foot in the door. Just a thought..

Jay-Producer

Apply for 30-50 you having a laugh. What is the point in that? Your wasting your time doing that. You should only apply for jobs that meet your criteria and fits in with your skills and experiences in the circumstances she is in.

Butch Cassidy

Have you ever tried getting a Job in Canada?

Read the posts above and you will see that basically your idea of 'pinpointing' 'your' job search is TOSH.

The4BellsLondon

Michelle - we have been here since Dec - I am a fully qualified (UK) urban Planner and an aerobics instructor- I have recently started working at the bakery department of the local IGA Market Place - not ideal BUT - i am getting out and meeting people!! -

Jay-Producer

I have never failed a job interview in my line of work. Outside that I have. 6/6 for me. I have only ever failed at 4 job interviews i n my life. And here is why...

So this is my advice when applying for job in another country:

- Only apply for the ones that matches your skills and experience. Don't waste your time with jobs that are way out your scope, your wasting your time because you haven't worked for a year and you are not Canadian so they may be more inclined to hire a Canadian who understands the nature of work in that country - not saying you don't but they might not look at that. Just because you have 30-years experience in another country doesn't mean that is worth anything in another. Once you have a job you can then start applying for jobs within other sectors or more senior roles.

- Don't look at your CV for 2 days and then pick it up pretending your looking to hire the perfect candidate. You have looked through 50 CVs and yours is next, what do you like about it, what stands out, what doesn't stand out, what needs to be changed etc. Your friends say your CV is good, they may well be correct, but no CV is perfect and make sure it is within what employers want. What I mean by that Canadians do not like reading more than 2 pages and if I'm correct they prefer just one page.

- Tailor your CV to the job role you are applying for.

- Have you done a cover letter? I'm not sure if you need this in Canada but if you do this is very important that it is perfect. Its needs to be the best piece you have ever written. Let me know if you need a hand with this.

- Contact employers, build up a repoir. Call them before hand to get more info on the job, talk to the manager if possible. From what I've read Canadians like to be contacted by phone or met in person. They prefer putting a face to an application form. No harm in popping round to the company you are applying for and meeting up with the manager. You need to stand out above everyone else. I do that all the time, I email all the employers I am applying for and talk to the human resource department so that they will remember me when I submit my application form. If I was in Canada (which I'm not) I would be calling them for sure and even consider popping round.

- Practice your interview techniques. Practice, practice, practice. This pays off without a doubt. The more interviews you get the better you will be at it. Plus you will get an idea of the questions you will be asked. I always write down answers to questions they may ask me at an interview before hand and revise it. Then I practice on my partner and get her to ask me questions. This helps heaps because I have an excellent record in my sector. But I sometimes get told my references win the job for me so it perhaps isn't just about the interview.

- If you get asked to respond to a job description, wow them with your answers. When went to Australia I got in contact with a company months before going over, built up a relationship and applied for a relief position. I had to respond to the job specification and it was 18 pages long my response. The director was so impressed when I went for the informal interview I got the job straight away and was even considering to offer me the managers position. Wow them!

I hope this helps and good luck with everything.

Jay-Producer

Applying for that amount is ridiculous. Its a waste of time. It doesn't matter on the quantity its the quality of the application that matters. Applying for pointless jobs does not help self-esteem or confidence. I have a 100% record in my sector so I know for a fact applying for that amount of jobs monthly is over the top.

The4BellsLondon

hmm wish I was that perfect!

Butch Cassidy

LOL, me too. (BTW I have got every Position I interviewed for in Canada)

Jay-Producer

Congrats on getting a job pal. Well done. When I talked to employers last year in Canada. I contacted one by phone in Edmonton because I was interested to know the job market. He said it doesn't matter what qualifications I have in the UK it is up to the employer if they will accept it or not and 9/10 he told me they don't because it is not a Canadian qualification. He said to me that you need to talk to employers and wow them over first. Anyway I hope it works out for you and you get your dream job

The4BellsLondon

Actually me too- only had 1 interview - for the bakery!!

oh and the other one I had - interview / audition - I got that too - but club doesn't open til Oct so wont start teaching til then !!

Jay-Producer

Well done. Good stuff. Perhaps you can give some advice then to the OP on how to get a job instead of giving pointless comments.

Jay-Producer

That's not giving the OP much confidence is it. Saying I got 1 first time and there she is struggling. Help her out by giving some advice on how you got it, what you did to get it etc.