ozzoon

Hi,

I am landing in Toronto on July 1 and a couple of interviews are booked by a job consultant.
However, I'm not confident of having good interviews because of my English.

So, I am looking for other opportunities at the same time he is looking for position on behalf of myself.
But he said not to apply but to forward the link of posts to him if I find what I'd be interested.

Also friends of mine work at a semiconductor company as a project manager in Korea so I contact him if I can mention him as a reference for a position in Toronto or Vancouver.
But the job agent said not to apply but he will manage with the company for me and it would be better.

As my friends work in Korean branch office, what he said was that they wouldn't even look at my resume unless my friends hand over my resume to HR guys in Canada.
They are in Korea and they don't contact with HR in Canada. So it wouldn't be helpful.
It sounds fair enough.

I don't know how Canadian job markets go though.
Am I going right by trusting him 100%(OK at least 80%) and tossing my research to him?
Or should I do apply for opportunities by myself in the mean time the job agent does?

Gremmie

Dont bet on it

iaink

Less than perfect English never held anyone back in Canada as far as i can tell

The consultant wants you to deal through him so he gets his commission if you are hired to a job he recommended you for, even though you found it yourself.

If he happens to have a good track record with that particular firm it might work in your favour, b ut note that it shouldnt cost you anything personally for him to do that, by law THE EMPLOYER HAS TO PAY THE CONSULTANT, NOT THE HIRED WORKER if they hire you. However, the thought of extra fees might also put off an employer from employing someone coming to them through an agent, unless its a specialised position with high costs to fill anyway.


Canada very much works on the basis of "who you know" rather then "what you know". If you have contacts within an organisation who will put your name forward that goes a long way here.

Dont worry about references until you are near the point of getting hired. They may check out foreign contacts, they may not, but you should at least have some ready to offer if asked. Something along the line of "references available on request" on a resume should be sufficient.

I dont see a down side to applying directly yourself and letting the consultant have the details too?

Yelkcub

Hi

My English is good by UK standard but as I have an accent, some Canadian's struggle understanding what I say - the same is true wherever you come from; even different provinces in Canada!

My advise is to by pass the agency and go direct - it saves the employer a recruitment fee and ultimately if they want you, they will cointact you. Make sure your Resume is targeted for the particular position.

That been said if you know an insider use it as Canada is definitely initially about who you know rather than what you know!

Good luck

Yelkcub

seanyg

Your friends work for this semiconductor company or you work(ed) for them??

ozzoon

Thank everyone.



See... my English isn't that great..
but ..

My friends who was my former colleagues work for that company at a Korea branch office and I am about to apply for a position in Vancouver or Toronto branch office.

seanyg

Oh ok... I'd lose the consultant if I were you, for 2 reasons:- (1) if the consultant finds you a job then fair enough, you should pay him, but he shouldn't charge you for a job that you've found yourself! and (2) I'd agree with whomever it was who said employers may be put off by the consultant's fee, whereas if you applied directly there would be no fee incurred.

Good luck anyway