Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Hi All.
I have recently moved to Canada (Vancouver) from the UK (August 2019). Over the past 4 months, I have been applying to numerous Jobs for my line of work. I have managed to get a few interviews and just missed out - probably placing too much pressure on myself to get the Job !!

Anyway, one thing I have noticed is that Employers are very very slow to get back to applicants here. There are jobs that I applied to, in early August, inviting me to interview now after 4 months !! Furthermore, after a couple of interviews which I attended, I was informed that I would be told of the outcome in a few days. On average they have taken 2 weeks !!!

I use to think that HR departments in the UK were slow.....but this is taking it to another level.

Anyone had a similar experience?

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Welcome to Canada. 4 months is nothing.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Hi and welcome to BE! :welcome:

The hiring culture is very different in Canada.. what you are experiencing is quite common unless you are in a niche profession or headhunted. I'd suggest getting a cuppa and having a really good read of our Wiki on job hunting (there's lots of sections, you might find them useful). https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...Hunting-Canada
and https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Job_H...Process-Canada


What is it you do for a living?

:)

+1

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

I am working on filling a role here in Kamloops and it was 55 days between advertising and sending the successful applicant an offer letter.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

It's how things work in Canada, there are times I get interview invites from places I can't even remember applying to because it was so long ago.

Another one is don't always expect calls/emails etc after an interview or applying, many employers don't respond at all after an interview unless hiring you, communication is not something Canadian employers excel at.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Yup welcome to Canada.

You'll get little joy out of employment here at any stages.

I'm sure your children are happier though.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

That part is true. Working in Canada is far less pleasent vs California, management style in Canada I find is more passive aggressive and more of a management vs employees type environment. In all my US employers the managers I had were always friendly, open door, easy to talk to, where all my managers in Canada have actively avoided contact with employees and sent out passive aggressive emails on a regular basis.

Break rules in BC suck too which means less breaks and more work.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

In Canada everything moves slow and HR people are no exception.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

It just seems the Canadian way.
I had someone contact me last night to supply some office furniture. I last heard from them back in March when they said they'd be in touch shortly to let me know what they wanted.
Eight months to place an order for a few desks and chairs..

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Once you are in employment , it can work to your favour.
I'm constantly praised for how quickly I respond to issues and external inquiries.
I guess i'm still working at a UK pace :)

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

I think it is the culture in Vancouver, a lot of people have an aversion to human interaction - sending an email back, even saying "Sorry we filled the position" could prompt another reply and more dialog. People just don't want to deal with it.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Not just Vancouver, GTA too..
It's sometimes impossible to have a phone conversation, all done by email or text..

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

Pretty much and they will openly lie to you as well, we will call you either way, and nobody ever does, follow up an interview with an email and very rarely receive a reply.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

I'd say that is in the same category as people who say they will come to an event but cancel last minute or don't show. There's an issue here with people not wanting to appear rude, so they will say they agree to things when they don't or will do things they actually don't want to do to avoid conflict.

Re: Why is Canadian Employers so slow to respond?
 

That is a common complaint I see often about Vancouver, also heard people refer to Vancouver as Flakecouver.

I have never been great at making friends, but everywhere else I have lived, I managed to make a couple, but here I have never been able to, people in general don't seem to like bringing new people into their groups, it's odd to me still. Back in San Diego pretty much everywhere I worked, I quickly got along with co-workers and we would have coffee or do things through the year, but here, always been go to work, go home, nobody for the most part has interest in doing things.

My sister in law is queen of flaking, she will say yes to something and then day before cancel 8 times out of 10, we rarely try to make plans with her anymore because of it, but my MIL is the same, she will flake out an hour before she was supposed to meet us.

But I see this type of complaint often online, usually posted by people who moved from elsewhere and notice it, locals who have been here a long time, or from here don't seem to notice and think its normal everywhere.

Seattle has similiar issues, from what I can tell based on comments made in local Seattle groups.

Vancouver/Lower Mainland is the only place I have struggled to even make acquaintance, I don't even try anymore.