I wanted to see if everyone else is having a hard time finding work? I have been applying for 2 months & have yet to hear back from a single job I have applied for. I am a graphic designer with 8 years experience. My most recent job title was Art Director. I find that I am overqualified for all the positions that are being posted. Most want someone with either 1 year to less than 2 years experience or 2 to less than 5 years experience. I go ahead an apply for these jobs anyway, assuming they know that by me applying, I am okay with the pay they are offering. Still I have not gotten a single call for an interview. I am feeling extremely frustrated and am about to go apply for a job at Michaels or Costco just to be working,but even then I'm worried they won't hire me because I don't have experience with retail/customer service. Anyone had similar problems or any advice on how to get a job?
Getting a job is surely a great deal in Canada that too in this recession time. Thou it takes TIME to get a job you want the most/that you fit in the best, its still doable. Here, more than the online applications, people get jobs thru networking/contacts/references.
1. As the number of job seekers/pool of qualified applicants is more than the jobs available, your resume/skillset MUST stand unique to get noticed.
2. You might want to "trim" your resume if you want "odd" jobs to work on temporarily. You can use this opportunity to make contacts
3. If you are a newly landed immigrant, you can apparoach employment help centre. They might have some tieups/contacts of local firms. By this way, you might find a job closest to your field thou with low pay.
4. Have you tried jobbank.gc.ca?
5. Above all, NEVER lose hopes. Keep Positive & your options open. Never stop trying.
BEST OF LUCK
Just so you know, it's difficult to get a job EVERYWHERE at the moment. I'm living in Australia, and it took me over 3 months to find a job. I'm a qualified professional, in the health industry, with years of experience and even then I ended up taking a job well below my previous level. And I actually got lucky, the average time people are spending looking for a job in Australia right now is 8 months. (actual statistic from Centrelink, our unemployment agency).
Go back to places you've already been, they might also be still looking, or might see from your 2nd attempt that you are actually serious about working for them. Follow up your applications with a phone call. Ring places that you'd like to work for even if they don't have job postings. Just let them know you're looking if something comes up. Maybe try making an appointment with a recruitment/staffing agency and getting a recruitment agent working for you.
Keep trying, don't give up, and good luck!
I never did find one in Canada in 2009, so I ended up back in the US, but its not any better in California. I have been applying and applying, and nothing.
Its not something thats gonna be easy unless you have a in demand skill so just keep on trying.
Just keep at it. I landed in May 2009, have an engineering degree and previous work experience, was actively job searching and networking and didn't find a job until December 2009. I applied for completely non related work (ie coffee shops, retail, etc...), as you mentioned, just to try to get out of the house and working and none of those jobs ever came through either. I hope you are having better luck, as your message was posted several months ago. If not, hang in there. Something has to give eventually.
Quote: I have been applying for 2 months & have yet to hear back from a single job I have applied for. I am a graphic designer with 8 years experience. My most recent job title was Art Director. I find that I am overqualified for all the positions that are being posted. Most want someone with either 1 year to less than 2 years experience or 2 to less than 5 years experience
Do you adjust your resume according to the requests of every ad you are sending it ?
Do not post the same resume for every job you are applying for.
It takes up to 6 month to find a job in North America.
Actually, resume is very weak tool to get a job. Just try to pop up at the place you want to work.
Good luck!
\'leapfrog\' pid=\'48598\' dateline=\'1256150140\ Wrote:I wanted to see if everyone else is having a hard time finding work? I have been applying for 2 months & have yet to hear back from a single job ... Anyone had similar problems or any advice on how to get a job?
I just finished interviewing 5 highly skilled New Canadians, doctors, engineers, fashion designers, etc. They all expressed your frustration about finding work. I think their most helpful advice is to join associations and try to get volunteer experience.
Here is the interview: Finding Work
http://bit.ly/dWo6KL
Direct Link
http://www.tvo.org/TVO/WebObjects/TVO.wo...0336315001
All videos are produced as a public service by TVOntario, Ontario\'s educational broadcast. All content is commercial free, you may share or embed.
It can absolutely be challenging when you come to any new country. You have to learn the job search procedures and set your expectations to what is \'normal\' in each country. Networking, Interviewing, resumes are all done differently depending on the country.
This link may give you some added information:
http://www.careego.com
http://careego.com/CareerResources/Immig...ault.aspx#
a job is a job, just because you were something in your own country, does not mean that you will get a job, or the same pay grade that you were.
Drop all your airs and graces, go to a recruitment agency and you will get any job to get you going.
\'cor-32\' pid=\'56334\' dateline=\'1298496176\ Wrote:a job is a job, just because you were something in your own country, does not mean that you will get a job, or the same pay grade that you were.
I agree people should find work as soon as possible to support themselves and their family. But, what does \"a job is a job\" say about our immigration system? Why does Canada want to attract skilled immigrants if the country doesn\'t want to recognize their professional qualifications and skills?
Tell me if you agree with me that when a skill immigrant does not find work in his/her field it reflects on a flawed immigration system. It lowers our tax base, it defeats the purpose of building a future workforce that can maintain our social benefit system, in particular, are old age security.
As a caveat, I would say that skilled immigrants should expect one to two year wait before getting a job in their chosen field.
Voices of New Canadian Web Series
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda...log_id=323
If you drop your car into a garage, would you not like the mechanic servicing the brakes to have the same competence as the mechanic working beside him?
Or would you like the electrician wiring where you like qualified to Canadian standards?
I personally think that a landed immigrant should do exams in the country- if they are qualified, whats the big deal??
In Ireland about 2 yrs ago, there was a fatal road accident, the investigation revealed exactly that - a bullshitter maintained he was a qualified mechanic
\'cor-32\' pid=\'56339\' dateline=\'1298502041\ Wrote:I personally think that a landed immigrant should do exams in the country- if they are qualified, whats the big deal??
Great point. I think that is something Canadian immigration reform should address- setting up a transparent and easy to follow entry exams process to certify qualifications. We need to directly work with industry to make it effective.
Would this not save the tax payer a huge amount of money if these exams, where possible, were taken aboard. One example, the Ontario doctor shortage. This is going on for over a decade and still no solution. In one of the videos, there are two doctors with more than seven years experience, one who was practicing medicine in the UK, and it still takes over a year, or even longer to qualify.
The quicker we qualify skilled immigrants the quicker they get better paying jobs. Better paying jobs equals more spending power, which translate into a stronger economy.
Again, a big caveat here - Skilled Immigrants should not be given any advantage over what we offer to trained graduates and skilled Canadians.
BTW
Enjoying your ideas and the discussion.
Voices of New Canadian Web Series
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda...log_id=323
I could have been hired today. I could not take a job offer because I am still waiting on PR. We have been broke since hubby got fired in august. This could have been a beautiful day but I could not take the thing that we need so badly. Its not fair. Im so depressed right now.
Sorry that was random. I just wanted to vent.
So sorry to hear about your job struggle. Is there not a form that Immigration can provide you that tells an employer that you PR status is being processed? Do you still have the contact for your case worker, he/she might be able to help?
David Erwin
Voices of New Canadians Web Series
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=3&action=blog&subaction=viewPost&post_id=14150&blog_id=323