Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

When looking for work in Toronto has anyone tried this approach? Regarding office work type jobs?

My background is 8 years in website admin and content managing for a small family run e-commerce business. Along with brand design, newsletters, photoshop, html ect. I'm self taught and would love to go into a larger business doing the same kind of thing, or more into design and branding - do you think offering myself up for free could be a way to get my foot in the door and work up from the bottom? Considering no formal training/qualifications.

I have enough money to support myself for 6 months.

What are peoples thoughts on this? :)

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

Hi


1. Nope, it is called working without permission whether you get paid or not. You can only volunteer if a person doing the same work would not get paid, i.e. crisis line, hospital volunteer etc.

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

I am assuming you already have a visa.

Perhaps you could volunteer to do this for a charity to gain Canadian experience, references etc.

I dont think I would recommend working for free for a business, instead conduct informational interviews (google it) where you can talk to them about exactly what you can do without them being under any pressure to hire you for a specific job. It gets you sat down with the right people in a low pressure environment e.g. a chat over coffee. It has been extremely effective for me and seems commonplace here

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

I think the OP will be coming over on IEC, so will have permission to work (as far as I can tell from other threads).

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

Yeah sorry I am coming over on my first IEC, I was thinking like a free work trial - nothing dodgy! I have a digital portfolio of my work, great references ect.

I would rather work free for a few months and gain experience and maybe a way in then sit around looking for jobs to come up.

I know how important it is to network ect especially knowing I don't have a degree behind me - well I never completed it and it wasn't in a relevant field anyway.

I will google informational interviews. Thank you - that's really informative :)

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

If they think you are worth hiring they will pay you. If they don't think you are worth hiring they won't take you on paid or not. Something that costs nothing is worth nothing.

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

That's a bit harsh. To add another cliche, it's horses for courses. There are bound to be some small businesses that could use some digital support but have no budget to pay. If the OP clicks with the said business, she may well get her foot in the door, especially as a newcomer looking to get some Canadian experience.

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

Why don't you try temping? It would get you into the work place, meeting people, and if the office is ghastly, you aren't stuck there for ever. You would also get the chance to build your confidence.

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

Are there many temping agencies?

R

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

Yes

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

DARN, never looked into that - sure I read that they don't exist in the same way as in the UK.

Shall start looking into them.

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

I wouldn't let that worry you. I've never been asked to produce my qualifications in 25 years of working as a designer. If your book is good enough you'll get work.

The fact you're offering to work for free isn't necessarily going to give you much of an edge, as even established design firms/freelancers regularly do work on spec or for pitches. :)

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

If you get stuck, the Y in Hamilton has a program to match up internationally trained IT/Webmasters etc., with prospective employers to gain Canadian Experience.

You can read more here: http://www.softwarehamilton.com/2012...ology-program/

They also have job postings in that field: http://www.softwarehamilton.com/jobs/ (not all are in Hamilton)

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

L-E-L's, it's evidently different here on the East Coast, as we have a much smaller population, but yes there are temp agencies, and the (1!) here in Fredericton was great for me, I found work pretty much solidly, and in a wide variety of companies, and more importantly, it let me see the 'Canadian' workplace in action. Do give it a try, and best of luck.

OP, as ever Siouxie comes up with the goodies! Well done Siouxie. When are you coming over Emjacas?

Re: Offering to work for free to get your foot in the door?
 

I have no formal qualifications in Web Design but got a job fairly quickly. I live in Guelph though. My employer is looking for people but finding it difficult as Toronto seems to suck all up the people and those who don't expect Toronto wages.