Finding work and job hunting in Vancouver

On my last evening in Vancouver before heading home for a couple of weeks, I have nearly finished packing on the 4th floor of the HI Downtown Vancouver hostel when my gaze meets the window. The autumn sun has covered Burrard Bridge and the nearby buildings in a golden shimmer. It looks so beautiful that I just drop everything, grab my camera and head out of the door. It’s almost like Vancouver wants to make up for the hard time it’s giving me getting settled here. Or like it’s trying to reassure me that coming back was a good decision, despite the fact that I don’t have much time left on my visa and no job lined up. And it works. I stroll down to the waterfront to the beautifully lit Canada place to say goodbye for now. I head to the cobblestone roads of Gastown where the famous steam clock is whistling every quarter of the hour the Westminster Quarters. Then I head back to the hostel to finish packing for my flight back home tomorrow.

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Golden September – View from the hostel rooftop terrace
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Canada Place
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View to North Vancouver
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The old town of Vancouver – Gastown (above and below)

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The Steam Clock in Gastown in action
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Gastown with view to the Space Needle by night

When I return to Vancouver two weeks later, the weather has really taken a turn for the worse. I am flying back a day before a big storm is forecasted. From the skytrain, I watch the hazy city with the distant mountains partly covered in cloud with a mix of anticipation and grim determination. I have come back, now I’m going to find a job. Fast. Under the burden of my luggage, which including my skiing gear and the work clothes is now heavier than ever, and in the ceaseless rain, I arrive at my flat. The trees on my street have all turned red and yellow which makes the street look beautiful. From our balcony, I can see the mountains in the distance once the mist has lifted and the evergreen trees are still unchanged in colour.

I had already started applying for jobs before and while I was back in Germany and I had a couple of interviews for temporary Marketing roles over the phone and via skype. I had also already signed up with some temp agencies, who act as agents for companies in need for temporary workers. The day after my return, I have a follow up appointment for one of the roles I interviewed with in Germany. It’s a role as a Marketing Coordinator covering a variety of tasks including social media management and content creation. As I only have a couple of months left on my visa, I’m keen to start working soon. A lot of temporary assignments are significantly longer than this, i.e. at least six months so this one would be perfect.

The recruitment process for the role is taking longer than I thought and a week after coming back, I receive the news that the job description has been changed but the company would like to offer me the role. Already feeling a bit deflated, I am even more disappointed when the salary is quite a way below my expectations. As none of the temp agencies have come back to me with a concrete job offer and my applying to other roles has remained fruitless so far, I’m seriously contemplating on taking the job offer anyway. I have also signed up and passed a test for http://transcribeme.com, a company that enables you to earn some money transcribing audio files as well as created a profile on http://peopleperhour.com, which advertises freelance jobs, but for now I’d really like a job that gets me out of the house and back into a work routine.

Just then, a contact from my previous job at Canon that I got in touch with a few weeks ago gets back to me. He has an idea for a project that I could assist with and invites me for a chat. Only a day later, I receive the great news that I am being offered the job and only a few days later, I head to Richmond to start my 2-month assignment supporting the communications around a product launch.

Richmond is only a 20-minute drive from my house, but seeing that I don’t have a car, I will have the joy to sit on two or three different means of public transport for more than an hour twice a day. But so far it doesn’t bother me, also because I am frequently getting lifts from my nice colleagues. I’m truly glad to have found an interesting job and it’s a good feeling to get working on products I already know and like. After work, if it’s not too late, I try to make it to the gym which is part of the Renfrew Community Centre (Monthly passes cost 42 CAD (25.19 GBP / 28.25 EUR)). I have also been offered to become a volunteer contributor / writer for a local music and entertainment magazine here called BeatRoute which I am really excited about. But more about that in my next post.

Tips for the job hunt in Vancouver

  • First and foremost, especially if you have done other Working Holidays in Australia and New Zealand, be prepared that in Canada, finding a qualified job might take a bit longer.
  • The best places to look for temporary jobs are:
    • Hostels boards and websites – in particular for manual / labour work or hostel jobs.
    • Pristine Labour is good for starting a labour job fast – you just need to pass a security exam. Some of my friends have started working via this route.
    • Websites such as indeed.ca and craigslist.ca.
    • Temp agencies – I have registered with Angusone, Adecco, Drake International and TempYours but there are plenty more. I just went in with my CV and registered with them on-site. It’s essential that you follow up with them regularly and stay on the case. Some agencies such as Kelly Services advertise roles on their website and prefer that you apply online.
    • Some Facebook groups advertise jobs, e.g. Irish in Vancouver, or Brand Ambassadors of Vancouver, the latter mainly for promotion jobs.
    • For restaurant and bar work, it’s best to check the places and ask if they are looking to employ. The same goes for hostels although they also advertise jobs online. For this type of work, in particular with hostels, it seems that applying ahead of season is best; the same goes for jobs in ski resorts.
  • The salaries in Canada for temporary jobs aren’t great. Office admin roles can pay anything between usually 14-20 CAD (8.39 – 11.99 GBP / 9.43 – 13.47 EUR) / hour. In bars and restaurants the salaries are usually a bit lower however you get tips. The minimum wage in Canada depends on the province; in British Columbia it is 10.85 CAD (6.50 GBP / 7.30 EUR) / hour. Qualified work can get paid a lot better than this.
  • I found this article – 13 weird (but totally legal) ways to make extra money in Canada – really interesting, listing options such as transcription and freelancing to earn some extra cash.
  • Networking seems to be big in Canada too, therefore I would recommend finding out about local job fairs or checking meetup.com for professional meetups in your field

Published by Christina

Born in a picturesque little village in Germany, I have spent the last ten years living and working in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and England. In this blog, I am sharing my experiences and tips about working holiday visas, living abroad and travelling in general.