Frustrated (job hunting)
Sep 28th 2009, 2:30 am
#1
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Frustrated (job hunting)
As some of you may know, I came to Montreal as my partner secured a new job and as a result I got an open work permit...
Back home I was a qualified paediatric nurse and I also hold a higher National certificate in social care... given my experience and lack of French skills I have focused on trying to get nannying or home care poisitions with English speaking families. This is proving harder than I thought. I had a "trial job" awaiting references however the gentlemen who required home care wanted a secretary/marketing individual rather than a carer... He also tried dodging US import tax after a "breif" trip over the border to "pick up mail" causing me to be stuck there for an anxiety provoking 4 hours with him. Needless to say that didn't really work out.
Since this I have applied for a couple of things but nothing has panned out. I am currently volunteering which is enjoyable and stops me going totally insane however I am slowly getting fed up of not having some sort of income for myself.
I know the answer seems simple - Learn French. Partner's work is meant to provide money towards lessons however my darling other half keeps "forgetting" to ask about it
We really can't afford to pay for them out of our own pocket at this point either. We have been here two months, in our own place for a month and have only just got enough money for a stove!! I don't think we can wait out until I "pick it up" volunteering. That's if I ever do... right now it seems an impossible task.
I am just so frustrated and wondering at this point, why we even bothered with this move.
Back home I was a qualified paediatric nurse and I also hold a higher National certificate in social care... given my experience and lack of French skills I have focused on trying to get nannying or home care poisitions with English speaking families. This is proving harder than I thought. I had a "trial job" awaiting references however the gentlemen who required home care wanted a secretary/marketing individual rather than a carer... He also tried dodging US import tax after a "breif" trip over the border to "pick up mail" causing me to be stuck there for an anxiety provoking 4 hours with him. Needless to say that didn't really work out.
Since this I have applied for a couple of things but nothing has panned out. I am currently volunteering which is enjoyable and stops me going totally insane however I am slowly getting fed up of not having some sort of income for myself.
I know the answer seems simple - Learn French. Partner's work is meant to provide money towards lessons however my darling other half keeps "forgetting" to ask about it
We really can't afford to pay for them out of our own pocket at this point either. We have been here two months, in our own place for a month and have only just got enough money for a stove!! I don't think we can wait out until I "pick it up" volunteering. That's if I ever do... right now it seems an impossible task.I am just so frustrated and wondering at this point, why we even bothered with this move.
Sep 28th 2009, 2:50 am
#2
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Location: Ontario
Posts: 483
Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
Montreal is tough right now, and without fluent French Im afraid most ppeople dont survive here unless you do something specific and land a Hi-tech job in one of the multinationals or something like that.
Have you tried the hospitals affililated with McGill? If I were you I would volunteer there...and see if this could lead to an opportunity.
One does need french here Im afraid
Have you tried the hospitals affililated with McGill? If I were you I would volunteer there...and see if this could lead to an opportunity.
One does need french here Im afraid
As some of you may know, I came to Montreal as my partner secured a new job and as a result I got an open work permit...
Back home I was a qualified paediatric nurse and I also hold a higher National certificate in social care... given my experience and lack of French skills I have focused on trying to get nannying or home care poisitions with English speaking families. This is proving harder than I thought. I had a "trial job" awaiting references however the gentlemen who required home care wanted a secretary/marketing individual rather than a carer... He also tried dodging US import tax after a "breif" trip over the border to "pick up mail" causing me to be stuck there for an anxiety provoking 4 hours with him. Needless to say that didn't really work out.
Since this I have applied for a couple of things but nothing has panned out. I am currently volunteering which is enjoyable and stops me going totally insane however I am slowly getting fed up of not having some sort of income for myself.
I know the answer seems simple - Learn French. Partner's work is meant to provide money towards lessons however my darling other half keeps "forgetting" to ask about it We really can't afford to pay for them out of our own pocket at this point either. We have been here two months, in our own place for a month and have only just got enough money for a stove!! I don't think we can wait out until I "pick it up" volunteering. That's if I ever do... right now it seems an impossible task.
I am just so frustrated and wondering at this point, why we even bothered with this move.
Back home I was a qualified paediatric nurse and I also hold a higher National certificate in social care... given my experience and lack of French skills I have focused on trying to get nannying or home care poisitions with English speaking families. This is proving harder than I thought. I had a "trial job" awaiting references however the gentlemen who required home care wanted a secretary/marketing individual rather than a carer... He also tried dodging US import tax after a "breif" trip over the border to "pick up mail" causing me to be stuck there for an anxiety provoking 4 hours with him. Needless to say that didn't really work out.
Since this I have applied for a couple of things but nothing has panned out. I am currently volunteering which is enjoyable and stops me going totally insane however I am slowly getting fed up of not having some sort of income for myself.
I know the answer seems simple - Learn French. Partner's work is meant to provide money towards lessons however my darling other half keeps "forgetting" to ask about it
We really can't afford to pay for them out of our own pocket at this point either. We have been here two months, in our own place for a month and have only just got enough money for a stove!! I don't think we can wait out until I "pick it up" volunteering. That's if I ever do... right now it seems an impossible task.I am just so frustrated and wondering at this point, why we even bothered with this move.
Sep 28th 2009, 2:02 pm
#3
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
Unfortunately, although many people I know have reported French skills are not needed in certain hospitals, I can't even find out accurate information on registration as a nurse as the website says that "as nurses are required to have a proficiency in French, very little of the website is provided in English" Hence the reason I have been looking at jobs with English speaking families in some way...
Hence the reason I have been looking at jobs with English speaking families in some way...
Sep 28th 2009, 3:42 pm
#4
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
Im not in field but this article might shed some light....
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/...ses050105.html
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/...ses050105.html
Unfortunately, although many people I know have reported French skills are not needed in certain hospitals, I can't even find out accurate information on registration as a nurse as the website says that "as nurses are required to have a proficiency in French, very little of the website is provided in English" Hence the reason I have been looking at jobs with English speaking families in some way...
Hence the reason I have been looking at jobs with English speaking families in some way...
Sep 28th 2009, 4:13 pm
#5
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
As usual, politics gets in the way of individuals trying to do their jobs and society no doubt suffers the price (nurse shortages etc.)
Sep 28th 2009, 4:27 pm
#6
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
Unfortunately, although many people I know have reported French skills are not needed in certain hospitals, I can't even find out accurate information on registration as a nurse as the website says that "as nurses are required to have a proficiency in French, very little of the website is provided in English" Hence the reason I have been looking at jobs with English speaking families in some way...
Hence the reason I have been looking at jobs with English speaking families in some way...
Sep 28th 2009, 4:36 pm
#7
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
That may be very useful actually... I basically want to find out how I have my current qualifications assessed and/or what is required for registration exactly. As my current qualification is solely in paeds I am anticipating that I would need to do extra training somehow and if so I need to know how to go about that.
Sep 28th 2009, 4:41 pm
#8
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
That may be very useful actually... I basically want to find out how I have my current qualifications assessed and/or what is required for registration exactly. As my current qualification is solely in paeds I am anticipating that I would need to do extra training somehow and if so I need to know how to go about that.
Sep 28th 2009, 5:01 pm
#9
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
I have a feeling that even unscrambled this will be a VERY lengthy process... Back to job hunting in the meantime!
Thank you very much dbd33! If she has any other additional info or advice on this process that would be very much appreciated also.
Sep 28th 2009, 5:22 pm
#11
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Sep 28th 2009, 6:17 pm
#12
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
My informant took a look at the website, from the turnaround we may conclude that this a slow day for trauma in the GTA. Bear in mind that she's fluent in French and, although she took her nursing degree in English, prior to that she worked in a hospital in French Switzerland for the best part of a year. There's a mandatory exam for anyone wanting to nurse in Quebec. It's part oral, part multiple choice questions about a set text and part essay. "Really tough" was her opinion of the exam. Someone not speaking French or not knowing medical terminology in French would have no chance. "Forget it, the pay in conditions for nurses in Quebec suck anyway" was her, pragmatic, if brutal, summation. She did have one good idea though, find a student who speaks French and get him or her to tutor you. That's a cheap way to get started.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I believe this to be an accurate assessment.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I believe this to be an accurate assessment.
Sep 28th 2009, 7:32 pm
#13
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Re: Frustrated (job hunting)
Tell her thanks for her honesty!
Now... I need a decent plan b!
Now... I need a decent plan b!
Sep 28th 2009, 7:42 pm
#15
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