Almost Canadian

Hi all

As some of you may know, we landed in Calgary last month as PRs.

I have worked as a solicitor for the last 10 years in the UK and am currently going through the requalification process which is likely to take approx 18 months over here. During this time, due to not being licensed, my employment opportunities in the legal field are somewhat limited.

Whilst not destitute at the moment, it would be nice to be earning and to that extent I would consider pretty much anything (no bad jokes about lawyers down on their luck please !!)

I completed a full carpentry apprenticeship when I was 16-20 before deciding that it wasn't for me, selling all my tools and carving out a new career as a lawyer.

It would appear that construction would be a good area to focus my search for work at the moment but, without any tools and having only touched my tools for very basic DIY jobs around the house, I have no idea how best to market myself.

What is the best way to fnd out what jobs are available and advertised in Calgary ? Is there a specific day of the week and a local paper that has job opportunities advertised in it ? Is there a "Job Centre" over here ?

Many thanks for any replies

pete66

Hi

I don't live in your province but my wife is having problems here in Ontario. She has a solid work history of over 20 years in executive work within the UK civil service and during that time passed her degree. She doesn't expect to be offered any government work or reach the grade that she did.....but she doesn't even seem to be able to get any basic admin work.

She is constantly searching the normal employment websites and sends her resume off....but then doesn't even receive an acknowledgement. She has tried finding work through local employment resource centres, but they seem more interested in helping "refugees" and told her that because she wasn't, that she couldn't use their resources i.e phone, fax etc I am not sure if there are "job centres" as we know them. She is registered with a staffing agency who, although acknowledge her experience, etc have basically said that she should consider temping as she has no Canadian work experience.

I think we are just discovering that it is "who you know rather than what you know". I think networking is very important here.....but it still boils down to finding an employer who is willing to give you a break.

I am not sure whether being a foreign worker comes into it....my wife is certainly starting to feel paranoid about it.

I hope you have better luck.

Pete

Almost Canadian

Thanks for the reply. The problem I seem to be having at the moment is the classic "you are too qualified to do this job" response notwithstanding the fact that I am not qualified enough to do the job that I am qualified for - if you know what I mean.

No point in complaining about it - I guess it's just a case of keeping knocking on doors in the hope that something will turn up. Problem is that, as a newbie to Calgary, I have no idea where I could best make use of my energy in the job search. I have tried all the usual websites and sent off applications - I just feel it would be nice to be doing something in person rather than remotely !!

Here's hoping something turns up soon

Judy in Calgary

The following organisations provide useful mentoring services to immigrants:
Also check out the Alberta Government's Department of Employment, Immigration and Industry.

and the federal government's Job Bank website.

The federal government's website has a link to another page called Other Job Sites. That page, in turn, provides links to:

• Canadian Newspaper Help-Wanted Ads
• Monster
• Workopolist
• and most of the usual Internet job sites

Without any experience as a carpenter, you would not be able to get your Red Seal certification -- as far as I understand the system. You might be able to get a job as a handyman or something of that nature in the industrial area, in a factory or similar business. However, the morale in those kinds of companies is not the greatest at the moment. There is a high turn over rate, as the more ambitious, more hard working, and more skilled workers are siphoned off by the oil industry. If you were in a position to become a proper carpenter, I would say the world was your oyster. As things are, however, I think you would be better off aiming at a white collar job.

You should find out what professional organisations exist for lawyers in Alberta (Law Society of Alberta, Alberta Bar Association, and such). You should find out what sorts of educational and social events these organisations hold, and you should attend some of those events so that you can rub shoulders with people in legal circles.

I think an appropriate goal would be to find a job that requires legal experience and knowledge but that does not require you to be a lawyer. Oil companies, for example, have jobs like that. They have people who deal with contracts of various kinds. Sometimes those people are in the company's Land Department (they keep track of oil rig leases on farmers' land, etc.). Somtimes they're in the company's energy marketing department.

A good organisation to find out more about would be the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen. (The term "landman" came into existence when the oil industry was a man's world. Today some landmen are actually women.) Find out if CAPL holds social and education functions, and go to those functions to "network."

The EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) companies also need people with legal knowledge to administer their contracts. I'm thinking of companies like SNC-Lavalin, Fluor, Colt Engineering (which has just been bought by WorleyParsons), Bantrel (Canadian subsidiary of Bechtel), etc.

I remember a couple of old posts here at BE in which there were links to a great website that one could use to find the names of companies in a given sector, say the EPC sector. If I find it I'll come back and post it in this thread.

Another sector that needs people with legal knowledge is the utilities sector (TransCanada PipeLines, TransAlta Utilities, etc.).

The thing to do, to the extent possible, is to contact actual working people in these companies, rather than people in the Human Resources Department. That's one of the reasons why attending social and educational functions helps. It gives you opportunities to meet people who, in turn, can give you names of real people.

When you meet people at social and educational functions, ask them if they'd be willing to get together for lunch or a cup of coffee so that you can pick their brains about the sectors in which they work. This is the "informational interview" that has been mentioned so often around here.

Follow up informational interviews by contacting the people whose names you received during informational interviews. It helps to be able to pick up the phone and say, "So-And-So suggested I call you." Since you now have the advantage of being in Calgary rather than trying to job hunt from the UK, it's easier for you to call people. I think it's more effective to make the initial contact by phone whenever possible.

Often the person whom you phone will say, "Well send me your resume." This gives you the opportunity to tweak your resume so that you can highlight the fit between your experience and what the company needs. It also gives you the opportunity to write a cover letter that draws attention to one or two of your qualities that would be attractive from the company's point of view. The cover letter gives you a chance to demonstrate that you have researched the company in question.

Always write thank you letters. Write thank you letters to the people who have given you informational interviews, and tell them how you have put their information to use. Also write thank you letters to people who grant you actual job interviews. Use the thank you letter as an opportunity to flatter the company. In referring to the meeting that you had with the person, say, "I was impressed to find out Such-And-Such."

Your resume, of course, should be Canadianised and printed on North American letter sized paper (8.5" x 11").

Hope that helps.

hot wasabi peas

This might sound flakey...

If you're not destitute and this stint of employment that you're considering is just filler until you gain your Canuck lawyer qualifications, why not do something that you've always wanted to do? Or something that never occured to you?

There's a bar in my neighbourhood that specializes in male strippers; I noticed a 'help wanted' sign last time I passed.

Seriously though, to me, it sounds like you have a unique opportunity.

Almost Canadian

Judy - as per usual - you have come up trumps - many thanks - I will let you know how I get on

Almost Canadian

This is exactly what I have been trying

Unfortunately, with my physique I doubt my earnings would cover the cost of gas to get to the bar !!

Souvenir

This may sound like a daft idea but why don't you go to a few contrusction sites and ask the guys there what you have to do to get into the business? Many of them are probably immigrants themselves. You don't have much to lose, do you?

I find it very interesting that you are looking to move from law to carpentry. I also work in a "white collar" occupation (I'm a chartered something or other). If I ever win the lottery, I'll jack it in and retrain as a carpenter. I'd love to make furniture. Or, rather, I'd love to make furniture properly. I already do but not very well.

ann m

So you're not gonna take up HWP's suggestion of the stripper thing then ??

Seriously - sounds like a golden opportunity to just do any ol'd thing and get paid anyway, while you study. I'd hate to see you get all demoralised after all this excitement and effort to actually get over there ! Very good luck.

Butch Cassidy

How did it go on Tuesday?

Not good?

Keep Chipp(y)ing away.

Hudman

I would seriously take the bull by the horns and set yourself up as a self employed whatever. If its only an interim thing you could set yourself up as a carpenter for a few grand, I know at least in BC there is a massive shortage of tradesmen able to do small jobs.
The consequences of sending out blind resumes and getting F all back can be demoralizing. You are better of making your own luck.
I know for a fact marketing as a European trained tradesmen is a heads up.
Join the local BNI or attend chamber of commerce breakfast mornings.
If money aint the thing do voluntary work, at least your out there meeting folk.

Almost Canadian

It went OK - I'm just bored sitting at home and the moment and would rather be out there doing something

Almost Canadian

Not a chance, I'd just rather be out there doing something.

I have an interview tomorrow with a law firm - here's hoping I can post something positive tomorrow !!

Yoong

I just looked into the govt. job bank , there are jobs for general construction
labourer in Calgary. My brother works in a hotel in Calgary and he said that
the staff there earn good money on tips.They have to close their restaurant
in the evening due to labour shortage.
The hotel is making good money and is generous to the evening shift staff,
like giving free tax rides for them to go home.
Some of the staff have been working there for over 20 years.
He is a newcomer in a managerial position,it is a medium size hotel in downtown Calgary and they are treated like family(the positive kind).
I like the govt. bank because my friend and brother had successfully
found jobs from that site.
Good luck
Yoong