Hello everyone.

I've been thinking about this for some time, and been sort of apprehensive whether to go ahead with asking here or not. But, after a while of contemplating, and also after being pushed by the circumstances, I've decided to give it a try. I've been looking for a suitable employment in the GTA for some time, but so far have not had any real positive results. My strategy was mainly to apply to online job postings (such as those in Jobbank or Monster.ca), go to job fairs where I give my resume to agencies, etc. Sadly, it has not really worked. Although I send out applications through e-mail frequently, I rarely get a response (this is to jobs which I am qualified for, of course - not something where I don't meet most of the criteria). I was wondering whether anyone here on these boards might be able to give me a hand by letting me know of any openings in the companies/institutions they work for. I am looking mainly for administrative or office related positions, but others, such as customer service, banking, or other specialized positions (editor, proofreader), would also be good (no sales or marketing though... I don't think I could or would be suitable for that). I was told a few times over about how the hidden job market actually holds most of the unadvertised positions and how candidates can find out about these positions through networking.. And I can confirm this from my own experience, it is much easier to get an interview with a company when you have a contact working there. Unfortunately, I do not have many such contacts, so that's why I decided to take the courage to ask here for any possible leads... So, if any of you would be kind enough to give me a hand by letting me know of any immediate or near future openings for administrative, customer service, banking, library, etc. positions in the GTA, in the companies you work for, I would be very grateful. I could then provide further information. Also, I have a Bachelor's degree in Psychology (Arts) in case that's a factor, but I found that this education is not really helpful and I am starting to wish I studied something else. Thanks!!

___________________
Music was my first love
and it will be my last
Music of the future
And music of the past
To live without my music
would be impossible to do
Cause in these times of trouble
My music pulls me through...

quote:

Originally posted by Rodrico To be honest, I dont mind the big guy up there, I just hate all his fanclubs.

***I've got hairgel in my bathroom and Tylenol near my bed***

Have you registered with any job agencies? It's their job to find you a job, and help you get there. I'm sure some people here could recommend some good ones.

What feedback have you gotten so far as to why you have not been successful? Is there something that you could work on to improve your success rate?

Having been on both sides of the coin - recruiter and recruitee - I can safely say the number one thing is attitude. With a confident, positive, "I can do anything" attitude I've been able able to land jobs where I've not fulfilled all the requirements on the job spec but I was able to convince the employer/interviewer that I was capable of learning everything in time. As a manager in my previous role I interviewed and hired similar people.

I didn't get all this overnight either. I must have attended twenty or thirty interviews, sent out hundreds of applications online and by letter, and by the end of it I was well prepared for any and all interviews and it became a game I could not lose.

Good luck with your search.

___________________
This is trance...
Jose Amnesia - The Eternal (Pulser Remix) / Chicane - Saltwater / Photon Project - Illumination / Gouryella - Tenshi / Altitude - Altitude (SHOKK Remix) / Rank 1 - Airwave / The Thrillseekers - Synaesthesia (En Motion Mix)

Last edited by eRRaTiK on Jan-12-2008 at 04:24

Thank you eRRaTiK

Yes, I've contacted agencies, however they only provided me with a few, temporary assignments where I have not really utilized my skills at all, and some of the agencies I've registered with even claim that they have no position at all, despite the fact that it's been a few months and I had excellent results on the software packages and other things they tested me on I guess it depends on where their clientele is, and what kind of positions do they specialize in as well. I was hoping however, to get more of like direct contacts (opportunities or possible openings, to put it more appropriately) at companies themselves, because I think that can give you a better chance of being able to nail a position. ...

I'm still hoping that I will get some leads; anyone who is able to give me some tips, your help will be much appreciated!

___________________
Music was my first love
and it will be my last
Music of the future
And music of the past
To live without my music
would be impossible to do
Cause in these times of trouble
My music pulls me through...

quote:

Originally posted by Rodrico To be honest, I dont mind the big guy up there, I just hate all his fanclubs.

***I've got hairgel in my bathroom and Tylenol near my bed***

I personally looked for employment for 1 year (during my last year in uni), and only the last 6 months got me some results

I registered with 3 or 4 job agencies, which didn't help me at all, they didn't even call me once! all interviews I went to were the jobs I found myself

surprisingly, the best rate of response was through the job section of Craigslist, so I suggest you give it a try!

also, I had my resume "proof read" and edited by a friend of mine, and definitely helped!

___________________
Just surrender yourself to the rhythm,
With your hands up in the sky,
Feel the energy deep inside your system
And leave this world behind...

quote:

Originally posted by FunkyCrew also, I had my resume "proof read" and edited by a friend of mine, and definitely helped!

yep, great idea. There's lots of career sites online too that offer great tips on how to write a dynamic resume.

I attended a career transition seminar last year in Sydney, hosted by a HR firm. Here are some notes that I took down on the night. Not sure if point 6 applies to the GTA market as much as it does to Sydney. Interesting insights from a HR perspective anyway.

quote:

1. cover letters should be abolished. Your CV should address everything that you attempt to address in the cover letter. HR consultants are time poor and cover letters are viewed as a waste of time. By essentially presenting relevant work/situational experience in the CV then the cover letter becomes redundant anyhow. 2. every CV needs to be customized for each specific role that you are applying for. This means only listing relevant experience, not a laundry list of what you've done just for the sake of being chronological or extensive. 3. photos on CVs are a bad idea. Same goes for color and graphics. Use fonts, bold, underline to highlight key areas. 4. keep the CV short (max 5 pages, I'd recommend 3), have a logical sequence and make it concise (get to the point!). Your intention and motivations need to stand out. General statements about how good you are do not work. HR consultants don't have time to read hundreds of CV's each day cover to cover. 5. when applying for roles, follow up with a phone call. People who make phone calls stand out. Those who then make follow-up phone calls stand out even further (don't sit back and wait for something, if you really want it then GO FOR IT) 6. From 2008 onwards there will be more people leaving their current roles than there will be those applying for new roles. What does this mean? Serious shortage AND great opportunity. 7. If you're working with multiple agencies, limit to 3 max. Be honest when dealing with the agencies. If you've applied for a role through another agency for example, it's better that you're upfront about it. 8. It's all about establishing relationships and building networks. Talk to friends, colleagues, family, social sports people, etc. if you're looking for work. 9. Prepare for interviews and always ask for feedback following interviews. Find out what you could improve on with regards to interview technique, answering specific questions, as well as the CV. Providing feedback is the least a HR consultant could do for somebody who has put in the effort to go through the process. 10. Narrow down to what it is that you want to do and then work out which companies, and BE SPECIFIC. Applying for 50 roles across multiple industries (or even within the same organization) shows lack of clarity and turns agencies/HR consultants off. 11. Join up to a professional organization or association for your chosen field/industry. HR consultants often go to prof. organizations/associations to find qualified people.

___________________
This is trance...
Jose Amnesia - The Eternal (Pulser Remix) / Chicane - Saltwater / Photon Project - Illumination / Gouryella - Tenshi / Altitude - Altitude (SHOKK Remix) / Rank 1 - Airwave / The Thrillseekers - Synaesthesia (En Motion Mix)

i can get you a job for 12 dollars an hour. the only catch is your gonna pay me 5 bucks an hour for getting you the job

Pick up a resume book (there are hundreds out there) or find a few sample resume's online and tailor each resume to the job applied.

In your resume you should be stating your goals achieved rather then just what you did.

Add specific actions that you took on at previous jobs again tailored to the current opportunity.

In the interview you should know a bit about the company your applying for.

- know what excites you about the position
-what experience or qualifications you would need to possess that makes you suitable for the position
-describe relevant computer/office administrative expertise
-describe how you dealt with stress and difficult situations
- describe a project or assignment you initiated and carried through to completion
-describe a time when you went above and beyond what was expected of you at work
-describe your ability to communicate with different people in a variety of departments.
-describe what is important to you when working in a team
- know what your short-term goals are. (Within the company that yuor applying for ofcourse! I've not hired someone because they actually said that they intend to bounce around for a while, I mean c'mon!!)
-know your long-term goals (personal and professional development, again with the current company your applying for)
-describe a time that you received useful piece of constructive criticism.


The above are only some questions that get asked in an interview. More often then not these are questions that are asked by an HR recruiter over the phone before you even get to see a manager for the 2nd interview.

Anyways, hope it was helpful, goodluck!!

___________________
http://www.travelninja.com
------------------------------------

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

Networking here is a good step, see?

French speakers are in extremely high demand in Toronto. You should have no issues finding bilingual positions.

But as mentioned previously by others, there are placement and temp agencies galore. At my company, it is common to try out temps, and if we like them, we offer them f-t.

___________________

Short time TA, Long time Guver, Good time giver.

Last edited by Abercrombie on Jan-13-2008 at 01:55

pm me if you'd like to work with this little energy drink company called Redbull

___________________
It is time

quote:

Originally posted by Shaya007 pm me if you'd like to work with this little energy drink company called Redbull

PM Sent Can I wear one of this little silver outfits!?


PS. It's all about nepotism. Sorry to say, but like AJ said above, its about who you know.

I took me one week to find my full time job, which has tons of great benefits!

___________________
"I'm not stoned...I'm just Asian!"

quote:

Originally posted by exstasie PS. It's all about nepotism. Sorry to say, but like AJ said above, its about who you know.

50/50
i found mine because Katie told me how she found hers so it's not like i got the job at her company but she still helped me out

___________________
Just surrender yourself to the rhythm,
With your hands up in the sky,
Feel the energy deep inside your system
And leave this world behind...

Always lots available at RBC in customer service.

http://www.rbc.com/uniquecareers/careeropps/index.html

Just apply though the website. Everyone has to apply that way, even current employees. Customer service jobs don't pay great money, but it's an in and the benefits are great. They also encourage you to continue your education to further your career there, and will sometimes pay for it.