Ok then

Anyone living in or near the surrounding areas of Vancouver who have contacts in IT or work in IT could you please please give me a job, or your contact details!!! LOL. No seriously, i am not joking.

Hello Ann M


Yes....it is sad isnt it, but thats how it operates, Ive lost count of how many customers in the pub where I work have said "its not what you know......it WHO you know" - yes I know that! just give me a job!!!

So anyway you must do your best to fit into that situation.

Dont think a boob job would do much for me! hang on - or maybe thats where Im going wrong! And here was me thinking it was the lack of Canadian experience!

Thanks for your good luck wishes Ann


Paul

I live in Vancouver. I work in software. I've worked in the IT department at UBC (major university). There are jobs. The key isn't to scrounge around job boards - the key is to network with locals already in the industry, but to also familiarize yourself with the local companies. IT work is available in pretty much any industry in Vancouver - the universities and colleges are a good place to start (UBC, SFU, BCIT, Langara, Kwantlen, Capilano College, Emily Carr, etc). So are the local hospitals. Look into Vancouver's dozens of video game companies (EA is the most famous but there is also Radical Entertainment, Rock Star, United Front Games, Slant Six, Relic Entertainment, Ubisoft, Nintendo, etc). Microsoft recently opened an office in Vancouver. Telus and Shaw (2 local phone/internet companies) often have many IT-related job postings on their site. There are software companies like Sophos and Sierra Wireless or companies like Business Objects which are always hiring. Vancouver is one of the world's biggest headquarters for the mining industry - I guarantee you there are hundreds of small companies based in and around Vancouver and almost all require systems admin work on site. And this is just the tip of the iceberg!

You may also want to familiarize yourself with the top employees in BC for some ideas of who to start approaching:

http://www.canadastop100.com/bc/

http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/t...FZJM5Qodo0wlrw


Also, you may want to start building your network by joining a bunch of Vancouver-based IT-related social networks - it definitely exists in Vancouver and should hopefully open some doors. Here are some sites that may help:

http://www.techjobsvancouver.com/

http://www.techvibes.com/job/

wow, many thanks Lychee, thats really good of you to post those links, all the best friend. Comming over in Jan for a look around etc, and to stamp our visa`s, then it`s deciding when to make the move for real.

From what I've been told all the health authorities have job freezes on non-critical positions including IT. I was told this by a PHSA HR lady after we got talking (I was accompanying my lady as she went to get forms filled out etc). No harm in trying, just letting people know what I've heard.

I feel bad for you Paul, we're sort of the same too. My fiancee is working and we're paying all the bills on her wage, it just doesn't leave much over for fun! I think you're doing the right thing working in a bar, at least you're bringing in some $$ and like you say it's a good opportunity to meet people and make connections.

Panz,

Yes it seems were all in the same boat so to speak, whatever your profession. I think the only people that are unaffected in any country at the moment, are the public sector workers. My brother in law a policeman and my sister a civilian for the police service back in the UK, have really been unaffected by the recession, or are likely to be, with the exception of losing some overtime. I would imagine its the same here in Canada.

Im glad I have this bar job, I didnt have a lot of money remaining, its mostly all tied up in my house in the UK. So once my cash here ran out, I may well have been on a plane back to blighty with my tail between my legs! without this job, I suppose this job is a sort of life support at the moment, but importantly its buying time and is very good for meeting people on a job, living accomodation and social fronts, and is doing that, so im sticking with it!
I do hope we start seeing changes soon tho....



Paul