An Office Job (In Canada) With No Experience?

Centipeed

So, the low-down is that in September I'm going to Canada for a year. A working holiday or sorts. Because it'll look better on my CV (Resumé) than working in a supermarket, I'd like to get a job in an office type environment.

Even though I've just got my degree in Information Systems, I've got 6 months of work experience (In a hotel) and nothing else. I'm wondering what jobs in an office environment I could even apply for without relevant experience.

I'd ideally like to be doing clerical work (Filing, typing, answering phones, assistant type stuff), but a lot of the job listings I find call for relevant experience, and I don't have it. Where do I start? Or don't I?

LaOs

I'm not sure how it will work (if it will be any different, I mean) because you're on a working holiday, basically, but you may want to check out Kelly Services or another Temp agency and see what they can get you. At the very least, they will assess your office-like skills and you can use that information in your search elsewhere.

Where are you going to be?

Centipeed

Vancouver, for the entire year. Do temp agencies tend to charge a fee for offering their services to you? Or, if not, how do they get paid?

onceling

The way I understand it, say the job that you end up in technically pays $15/hr. You will receive $13.75 or something and the rest is what Kelly (or other agency) is taking from it. The company you work for pays Kelly, who in turn pays you most of it, but not all.

SmallLady

Check out UBC and SFU and try getting into their casual work pool. from there you could even get full time work. and you won't have a temp agency giving you the shaft either.

LaOs

onceling wrote: »

The way I understand it, say the job that you end up in technically pays $15/hr. You will receive $13.75 or something and the rest is what Kelly (or other agency) is taking from it. The company you work for pays Kelly, who in turn pays you most of it, but not all.

That's how it goes.

What percentage you receive depends on your skills, how badly they want you, and how long you've worked for them. I know that near the end of my time with them the last time, Kelly bumped up the percentage I received (because I had consistent and awesome positive feedback from my placements). If you are going to be charged up front or anything, find another agency. You shouldn't have to pay for the evaluation, either, so far as I know--I applied to a job they had posted, so they did the evaluation as part of their interview process.

LaOs

SmallLady wrote: »

Check out UBC and SFU and try getting into their casual work pool. from there you could even get full time work.

That's a good idea, too.

Centipeed

So I'm guessing there aren't really any jobs in an office where the only experience you need is in not being a fuckwit?

exmello

HR often posts standard requirements for experience that they won't likely find anyone with. At least online. People with tons of experience usually end up finding jobs through referrals and networking. When you actually get in contact with an employer, they tend to be more realistic about your experience.

LaOs

Centipeed wrote: »

So I'm guessing there aren't really any jobs in an office where the only experience you need is in not being a fuckwit?

Data-entry jobs may be easier then... but I'm talking about crappy, entry-level, poor pay, data entry.

mully

Try Spherion. They're on Alberni Street, @ Bute Street, downtown Vancouver.

I got my current (now 5 years) job through them. It started as a filing clerk position, but progressed. Upon entering that agency, I had little experience and absolutely no education. They'll place you as they deem fit, and they test you up front to see where your skills fall.

Kelly Personnel is, I believe, in Bentall 2. (Burrard @ Dunsmuir). There's also a Temp Agency in Bentall 1, but I don't recall the name.

There's also Hays which is on Pender Street.

Agencies are definitely the best way to go. Also try Expert Recruiters, they're in a townhouse on Nelson @ Helmcken.

If you want to do "crappy data entry" and nothing else, try Elan. They're somewhere on Beatty Street, near the skytrain station, but I think you'd want to find a ph # and apply that way.