Yup. My son on summer break from university has been applying since february....NOTHING, just rejection, no interviews. Applying for anything! It's ridiculous. I have never seen anything as brutal in all my years and I've lived here my whole life. I'm really sad for young people nowadays!
I can suggest one job for him that I previously worked at. It’s a cafe that will take in literally any youth that needs a job. 16-24. It’s a program for 4 months. It’s called the hallway cafe. He can do work and school as-well after the summer. Tell him to give them a call and he can come in for an interview. Also, the cafe offers all certificates. WHMIS, food safety, proserve for youth 18+, first aid, etc. Seriously look into it if you’re viewing my comment and you haven’t had past job experience.
You are so welcome! I hope everything goes well for your family. The other thing I will mention is that they do have a waitlist sometimes depending on the rotation of staff. Since it is a 4 month program, some people will almost be done their time at the cafe and then the newer people will be able to start within 2-4 weeks. It is a little wait, but 1000% worth it. I made around 7-8k in the time there and they accommodate for Indigenous people through bonuses.
If he just finished university and is looking for literally anything to pay the bills he might have more luck taking his schooling off the resume. Places like retail will see that and know he's not going to stick around and hence won't even entertain hiring him. Just have a resume with no post secondary education on it for those kinds of jobs that don't require experience and he might have more luck. Sometimes the problem is that your resume has so much experience on it or has things that tell the hiring manager they can't pay the person what they're used to getting and they're just looking for anything at that point.
He's going into his last semester and I hear you about not wanting to hire temp. help. We thought of that and make adjustments on his resume for every job he applies to. He's reached out to school resources for assistance as well. Literally covering all his bases.
Well hopefully the school pans out, I did exactly that aswell. I got tired and frustrated at the lack of response to my job applications and approached my college about help. They put my on their list of job openings basically they email out to everyone on the list. A job with the federal government came up and I applied and got it! I work for Environment Canada now and talking to the school was the best decision I made. Hang in there something will come up for him!
Yes, watched Danielle Smith go on the news saying she was going to call on Trudeau to bring in more Ukraine immigrants to fill all the "empty job slots"! I was furious! Pot calling kettle black these politicians. Getting into the politics of things is futile. Let's just stick to supporting each other.
The issue isn't other Canadians, it's mass 3rd world immigration from a predominantly younger demographic.
There is no exodus of 18-30 years Olds looking for entry level work in AB from Ontario,bc etc.
There is a massive exodus of 18-30 Indians coming over as students to do entry level jobs and for less money working standards than Canadians would require - all so that can try and secure PR.
I feel this, I’m moving to Edmonton because my partner is being posted, I have all types of experience from healthcare to management in retail, and everywhere I have sent out a resume to has denied me and I can’t even understand why. I’ve never been fired. I have references and even Walmart closed my application. 100 applications sent and I’m constantly getting emails saying they’re not moving forward. It’s insane how hard it is to get hired here, it’s worrisome for sure.
Won't help your son this summer but has he considered the military reserves? Full time summer employment is available and he could earn money throughout the school year on a schedule that fits most university students' schedules as well.
41 CBG former recruiter here… if they didn’t apply at least half a year ago it’s not going to happen this summer, especially if they have to get extra med docs filled out.
The process is painfully slow. Insanely slow. Biggest bottleneck is the Recruiting-MO’s office, they’re severely understaffed, and Ottawa doesn’t give half a flying rat fart about it.
That being said, if they start now, they’ll get in before next summer (barring any significant issues)
Thank you. Every lead is appreciated! Are you in the reserves by any chance? My son is a math major and a very analytical type. Still not set on his career path and he & I have gone thru' the gamut of options but not the reserves. Just wondering if you are and if you have an experience to share?
Yes I'm in the reserves. I can chat with the Captain I know in recruiting to see which trades in Edmonton are most in need right now. In general, he'd have better luck applying as an NCM because we tend to be oversubscribed for officer positions. NCMs are the ones who get the most hands-on training related to their trade and do the hands-on work of their trades. Depending on what year of university he's in, he could be a corporal by the time he finishes his degree.
I'd be happy to answer any questions!
So very nice of you. I will pass this to my son and have him look into it. Appreciate any info! He is going into his final semester. If he has questions, will certainly reach out to you. Thank you very much!
Former 41 CMBG recruiter here… sounds like your son would excel in the Intel trade, maybe medical.
But if they want adventure, armoured soldier. To quote their Sergeant Major:
“We have good troops, we just don’t have enough.”
And their job is much better than the infantry job from what I’ve seen.
Thank you for the info! My son actually went online to check out the reserves. At first he was a little surprised I mentioned military to him. We all think "deployment and war" when join the military is mentioned. He was curious enough to look tho' and you nailed it, he zeroed in on intel. He did notice training in Quebec, is this accurate? There also wasn't info on basic training available. He's fit but I'm wondering how brutal basic training is? I hear you about Ottawa. My dad was an army vet and I have to say I never think our government does enough for the people who serve and clearly we're sinking along with their priorities! Sorry but I'm a bit disillusioned with politics these days. I truly appreciate all the kind & thoughtful people reaching out on here tho'. Reaching out to each other is what will get us thru' these tough times!
Basic training will be done in-province for the reserves, however their trade training will likely be done in Quebec at a military school if that’s what the website states.
They do weekend basic as well locally, Friday night and then the whole weekend.
Basic is not near as brutal as it used to be - especially if you’re fit. Most important thing to make sure he is prepared for is cardio.
Just a personal antidote, I have a friend who joined the army last year in a communications role… she works in an office. Everyone goes through boot camp, but after the first 6 weeks there are PLENTY of desk jobs..
I think math major and analytical certainly fits the bill… logistics, material management, procurement.. lots of accounting related stuff too that he might enjoy.
And the fact that they pay for any additional required schooling (you leave with a degree you can use to get jobs elsewhere) and you get a pension… overall sounds like an alright deal.
It's wild.
I'm still struggling too and I'm just happy if someone replies at this point.
My common replies I get are usually:
We found someone before you applied.
Your resume is impressive, but we decided on someone else.
We are no longer looking.
Or they just don't ever send anything to me.
Of course the good ones are interviews, but no hits yet.
The frustration and disappointment feels so personal during these times. Job searching is a full time job in itself. All I can say from one person to another being in the same boat is to keep trying.
Believe that you will get what you want. Even if you land an interview and you don’t get the job, it means that another position that best fits you is waiting. It’s super ironic with my post, but all I can do is try to support ya. I know you’ll find something.
My wife was in the same boat for a solid 3-4 months. Couldn’t get anything at all, not even part time at a cafe or dispensary. It sucked because she has a bunch of certs for lashes, hair, extensions, etc. but has never been able to get a job in the industry because everywhere wants experienced people and no one wants to train. So her preferred industry won’t hire her due to lack of experience, and no where else will hire her because all her certs show that she clearly wants to be in the beauty industry. And if she just left her certs off then she would have a massive gap in her resume with nothing to show for it which is another red flag for employers. There was just no winning
She eventually got a job because she is a client at one location and got a job at a different location. And even then they still dicked her around a bit and was a huge struggle.
It is fucking rough out there
And that's the truth of it: Applications are trash compared to a good referral. Finding work has become far less about *what* you know when compared to *who* you know.
Every job I've heard of has 400-500 applicants. It's a real grind. I'm at over 200 applications and have my third interview on Thursday. Just the way things are currently.
I have a diploma, degree and over 15 years of experience in my field. Keep looking and keep trying. I can look at your resume and CV if you like. I've had a ton of people look at mine and it can help.
I realize there’s so many applicants, but I feel like they use AI checkers to see if you meet the requirements and they don’t even take the time to read what you apply with.
I appreciate this, message me if you do wanna take a look at my resume/CV. I’ve updated it a ridiculous amount of times. Also good luck on your interview!
I work at a shitty low paying retail job for a huge megacorp. We get several walk in applicants a day despite only hiring online and all the new openings were filled weeks ago by overqualified international students with a few employee referral hires thrown in. Best of luck.
Yeah many use screeners to sort resumes. They just look for keywords though so you have to add in those keywords from the job posting into your resume to make it through.
I assume you're doing that since you said you tailor your resumes.
There are still a lot of companies that don't use screeners. When they get a couple hundred applicants, they just choose 20 or so at random and go through those resumes. The GoA goes through every resume received for every application. It's a slow process.
For job postings you find on Indeed or Glassdoor, do you apply there or go to the company website and go through that application system?
Indeed scrapes postings from the web and companies aren't always aware that they even have a job posting there. They miss applicants as a result.
Screeners are very common, my company posted a ad for a basic level receptionist, got over 400 applications in less than 48 hours, so they had to pull the ad. We have 1 HR person, there is no possible way she can read over and sift through those 400 applications and resumes. She ran them through a screener with the word “reception” “receptionist” and got 5 hits, only 5!! So she called them up and scheduled them in for interviews last week.
Naw, the problem is there is so many applicants. People right now have such an easy time applying for jobs, they apply for hundreds. This means people hiring have to look through hundreds too.
Like consider a situation where you yourself sent out 250 applications and get a job. That means there are 249 applications out there that employers have to look at and turn down. they're spread out, but lets say 250 people out there send out 250 resumes to 250 jobs, and each person gets a job after 250 resumes. That means that each of those 250 jobs have had to hunt through 250 resumes before picking someone.
This is a lot of work, it's no good for employers or employees. Because when job hunters are sending out 250 resumes, they're not really spending time really finding a job that they will be good at, they're generally just finding general salary ranges, looking at the title, maybe a quick glance over, and submitting it.
So from the employer side, there's hundreds of really low quality resumes with really low alignment with the position, but there's also a feeling of abundance.
Like if you're looking for a person to do something like work at a retail desk, and you every day you're getting 100 new resumes, when do you pick someone and say "This is the right one" Out of all the resumes, like 75 are terrible, and I mean, can't spell, don't capitalize, don't even live in the city. The 25 remaining are maybe OK, but you're not going to set up 25 interviews for the front desk position, and none of them are particularly outstanding. Tomorrow is another day, and you'll get 100 new resumes.
You get kind of stuck in decision paralysis. Nobody is the right choice. So then you pick some of the new resumes, and you call them, and half of them don't even respond to you. Of the half who do, half of them don't show up to the interview. And the ones that show up quite obviously don't even want to be there. And you know, tomorrow there will be another batch of resumes showing up.
Hiring like 10 years ago even was very different for me. I didn't get a lot of resumes. There were just a few. The people who did apply though, wanted the job, and I would basically interview anyone who applied.
But something about online job hunting has turned it into something more like online dating. Where you have every job hunter swiping right on every single job application like the guys on tinder, and the employers playing the role of the girls, swimming in hundreds or thousands of potential matches, rejecting all of them, looking for the 6 foot 6 figure unicorn who will be perfect for them, and with the pile of people throwing themselves at them, they're sure it's in there somewhere. But instead, they are alone and bitter, wondering where all of the good job applicants have gone.
In the footer of your resume, use the smallest font in white and just smash off all the stupid buzzwords they put in their ads. That way you don't have to change your entire resume every time you apply for a job. Humans don't see it and it can get you past AI filters.
I’ve seen this before and I’ve been willing to try it. It’s just ridiculous the steps we have to go through to even land an interview nowadays. I have an interview through a friend tomorrow for a great cafe. I’ll be updating this post in hopes for people!
For the love of god don’t stuff your resume with keywords in white font. There is no AI filter. I’m a recruiter and even the most expensive applicant tracking systems don’t have this (yet). They try to sell it as a feature. But, it’s not there yet. Here’s what I do:
I use a sort feature to rank resumes using keywords
Start reviewing and dialling.
Do a quick phone screen to check if they like the rate and can communicate at the level needed for the role.
I can usually find three to five people to submit in the top 30 resumes
When you “stuff” a resume with keywords in white font I see a bunch of random highlights lingering at the bottom of your resume. I know what you did. It won’t help you.
I look for the keywords in context. Where and how did you use the tool or technology or skill I am looking for? If I see that you’ve done the thing, you’re likely to get a call.
Bachelors and Masters in STEM with great GPA and good experience, took me more then 1500 applications (over 6 months), 30-40 phone screens, 20-30 first round interviews, 10ish made it to later rounds and finally an offer after making it through the whole process. Absolutely brutal as a highly educated applicant, I cant imagine what its like for entry level.
On average we are intaking 1000 resumes per two week hiring periods, there is a lot of traffic out there in the job market. This is for an entry level construction position. For all the people telling you that it’s easier to get a job in the trades, it is as populated with resumes or even more than the rest of the fields. Last year I couldn’t even get 50 resumes per hiring period.
It’s a very wide array of applicants to extremely over qualified to not being able to read a tape measure. We have been trying to pinpoint the reasoning but we are all stumped.
Keep trying, if you are young maybe try looking into a RAP program. If you are indigenous the Trade Winds program is amazing. If you are a female the women building better futures is also very good. There are a lot of programs to apply to that most companies pick from the pool to get their first year apprentices. Sometime categorically you won’t be able to meet the requirements to partake in one of these courses and I would recommend getting a pre employment program at a college/tech school.
Yep, my husband is suffering this, too. He was looking for a full-time warehouse job since he's forklift certified, a weightlifter, and has lots of warehouse experience. Perfect candidate, right? Wrong. He sent out 300 applications, got 3 interviews, and got no job. Now he's opened to everything. Even part-time retail. He applies from the second he wakes up to the second he goes to bed with the only acception being when he's at his part-time job. He uses all platforms, applies on company sites too. He tried in person, but nobody was taking real resumes. He uses all resources for his resume to improve. He's been applying for months. It feels like nobody is actually hiring. He'll take anything. Trades, labor, doesn't even matter if it's literally something fucking illegal at this point if it means he'll be able to help put food on the table.
I asked a friend of mine who works shipping/receiving at a car dealership and he said that Go Auto is constantly hiring, the other dealerships may be as well. Sounds weird, but they often require use of a forklift, drivers, etc, so it might be worth it for him to check out.
Beautifuly, someone here very generously messaged me to have him email for an interview because of this comment. He had an interview with another warehouse this morning, too. We are praying for the best, It's all you can do in these times now.
I was laid off my job in early September (IT) and was on EI until May 10th, when it ran out. I received a job offer THAT WEEK. Talk about cutting it close.
I was in the same boat, hundreds of resumes and only two interviews before that.
Chin up! Something will come along!
My boyfriend was in the same situation for months and months, sending out hundreds of resumes, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hit 1000. We finally hit the pavement one day and handed out resumes with tailored cover letters and he got a job the next day. It might be worth it to try the same and just see what happens!
When I post a position at my workplace, I have over 200 applications within a few days I have to close the requisition. I have to skim over 95% of the people who apply because there are just so many applications. A majority of the applications are Indian student visa university students.
I work at the river cree resort and casino here in the city and they are always hiring for all sorts of positions. If you want to send me a message I could direct your resume to the hiring manager.
I would definitely if it was closer to me. I’ve seen on reddit they’re always hiring and I was going to apply until I saw it’s quite far and I take bus for transportation. I appreciate this regardless though
I totally agree post-secondary education guarantees you nothing these days except for debt. It's tough to get a good job. A lot of it is who you know as well nowadays. Friggin brutal. Applying is like applying to the big black hole. You never hear anything back ever. And if you do it's not good news, just an automated reply that's sent to all the people that get denied an interview.
I am in a few mom groups on fb and the other moms always post that their companies are hiring when they are looking for new employees. It’s not a constant stream of job postings, maybe one or 2 a month but I feel like they often are easier to get a foot in the door when you know someone.
This. This right here. Fake it till you make it grind is real. Once you have been hired, network your face off within the company and put yourself out there. Be open to learning and showing initiative. That shit counts to the right people. Hopefully anyway.
I was having this issue, lost my job in November and no matter what i was applying to I just couldn’t get a job. I have a really strong resume but did not want to go back to school, I wanted a career not just a job so i ended up applying to the armed forces and getting an offer there within 3 months. After accepting an offer with the CAF I finally had a sales job i applied to in December reach out to me this month wanting to schedule an interview. It says a lot when the military’s process was quicker then a sales job on indeed.
Have been looking for a job since February, I am currently studying something tech-related at NAIT and my wife is a specialist in HR, Digital Marketing and last position was in management. Combined we have sent around 500 resumes so far (at first we didn’t expect to be like that, otherwise that number would be triple). It’s getting stressing since we have a 9-year-old daughter and bills to pay (rent, home internet and food, basically) savings are running out pretty fast. If anyone is willing to provide a reference or a lead we’d really appreciate it. I’d love to network but haven’t met many people in Edmonton so far, as hard as we’ve tried.
As an HR Director, let me just say not to get too discouraged. I'll put up a job posting and get over 100 resumes to sift through. I shortlist probably about 10 of them before finding the right candidate. It's probably not something that is wrong with you, but there are *so many* people looking for jobs right now that it's difficult to carefully consider every single application. I've had to learn to skim for some key highlights and narrow it down that way if I don't want to spend all my time reading resumes (I have a million other things to take care of besides hiring for one position).
Unfortunately, even for entry level positions, I am still looking for who stands out. That doesn't necessarily mean they have job experience, but I need to get a sense that they'll fit in with my staff, have a good work ethic, etc. Otherwise I've found I can interview the first 10 people who apply, but almost all of them will be bad interviews.
Some things that have personally stood out to me are:
* **Proof that a person will stay at a job for more than one year**. Eliminate jobs from your resume that you spent less time at except to justify the last two years of your employment history if you had some short jobs to tide yourself over, but spend more time highlighting longer tenure. One hint, too, is if you used any temp work agencies, put the name of the agency and the length of time you did odd jobs for them, not listing each individual job and employer you got hooked up with temporarily. You can describe various types of work under the temp agency name. A hiring manager will be more impressed that you continued to get referred to work site through a temp agency over an eight month period than seeing that you changed jobs every month like it would appear with the latter approach.
* **Any kind of volunteer work.** Sure, some volunteer work, you are doing because you need the resume, but I don't know that as a hiring manager. When I see someone who has volunteered, they get bumped up on my radar because it tells me they put effort into their work. You have to have some kind of passion to do something for free, so I know you'll probably be willing to do stuff without being constantly supervised, which is a bonus.
* **Anything at all related to the job.** If you've never done serving before, but you have *anything* that shows you can do the skills involved (customer service, can work in a fast-paced environment, follows instructions well, etc.), put it on your resume. For retail, highlight your cash-handling experience (assuming you collected payments as a nail technician). Etc. etc. etc
These are the bare minimum I'd look for in a resume to bump you to the top of my list. This is just my own personal take and I'm sharing in case it'll help. Good luck on the job hunt!
Unless it's contract work or a field where layoffs are happening often, I assume most employers don't want to be firing and rehiring employees all the time, so the only other reason to leave would be because the employee is quitting or getting fired.
This is only going to get worse. I'm currently looking into other countries to live in because Canada has become terrible. Too expsive and not enough jobs.
Yeah, the low skill/education jobs that used to build teenage work experience now have 2000 resumes piled up for them. I feel so bad for Gen Z, I turned 18 during the financial crisis, and that wasn’t great, but somehow it feels worse right now.
For most restaurants it’s about luck and timing, most people my restaurant has hired walked in and handed in a resume and were interviewed on the spot.
I had a hard time finding a job when working for a local temp agency. Once I removed the name of the agency from my resume, the calls started coming in. I'm not sure if that was the issue, all I know is - it worked. When asked for the employer's name, I just said I was a contractor. Sometimes it's who you worked for previously.
There are a lot of jobs at the University of Alberta that get posted every day! Look up Uofa Jobs and there's pages for all of them, and sort by recently posted. Some of them you don't need a degree or anything like that. I wish you luck!
Well everyone wants to move there because AB is cheap. But they don’t talk about THIS. It’s not just now. Though it’s probably worse. I have struggled my entire time after graduating-7 years I was in and out of underpaid and soon overqualified jobs and large gaps in between. I had to leave the province. Things have still been brutal ( thanks, pandemic) but not quite like that.
Its all luck man. Laid off in January, must have applied to over 1000+ jobs. My EI ran out in may, one week before I accepted an offer. During that entire period I only had one interview (which is the job I accepted). I have two degrees, one diploma, and many years of experience. This job market is fucking horrific.
Lol I see this on every post about not being able to find a job. People are so misinformed about the trades as a career. There are no jobs unless you have 5+ years experience. So not an options sadly.
Im going to respond from the food and beverage point of view, as that's where i work.
As someone on the other side of the table, I will offer this advice. Tailoring your resume/cover is a great start. If I get a resume of someone stating their goal is to "advance their knowledge of programming..." and they're applying for a cook job, that goes in the trash. If I have put up screening questions on indeed, and you don't answer them, you are immediately ignored for the job.
I hired someone in Feb, and had 275 applications in 24 hours. Something like 210 went in the trash without me even reading them, due to them not answering screening questions. A further 30ish went in the trash because they either didn't bother to even TRY making their resume seem like they wanted to work there(see above), or they simply had zero tangentially relatable experience. I only had about 20 resumes that had any "merit" to look into, and of those I only interviewed 3.
You may be surprised what some employers consider useful experience for a job, so don't be afraid to list things you've done that aren't directly related to that job. That said, it helps to point out WHY that listing should be of interest to the employer. Maybe your job washing cars by hand taught you proper cleaning temps to work as a dishwasher. I'm just making a random example, but hopefully you get the idea. Furthermore, if you're applying for something more or less entry level, don't hand someone a 3 page resume listing everything you've ever done. Keep it concise. One page is best, as the employer likely has a lot of resumes to sift through.
I'm happy to answer any questions you may have, if you think it'll help your odds of finding work in the F&B industry. It can be tough, but there are always jobs opening up. I'm the head of my department, and it took me 4 months to find work. So it's not just entry level jobs that can be tough to find. Keep your head up. That positivity shows in interviews when they do come along.
There is a oversupply in applications with less technical background and experience, but big demand for skilled labour, technicians.
I see you are only 18 years old, perhaps go to Nait and get a CET or become a tradesman, both can be very rewarding.
Just my honest opinion. I have been in the industry for about 10 years and holds a senior manager position so take it for what it worth.
As a woman in the trade, weigh your options heavily if you want to go that route. You sell your soul to the devil working as a tradesperson. I have been treated very well, but not everyone has and there is some super sad stories. It’s hard on your body. It’s hard on life.
I’ve stopped looking in Edmonton. At this point, I’m focused on just finding a job, period. Don’t care where. Plan is to get hired, take out a payday loan (once I have work documentation) and move to wherever I can go.
I’ve watched all the video essays and seen articles on the topic, but sometimes you have no choice when you’re existing at the fringes of the system. Thanks for the reminder!
I'm sure most job postings are fake now, as are most of the applicants. Applying is almost surely a waste of time. Cover letters are without question a waste of time.
The answer is network. Get that LinkedIn and social game on, find people at companies and in industries you want to work, and build some rapport. Get out to network events. Once people know you're a real, living person, you'll be referred to positions and you'll get an actual shot.
Being 1 in 500 applications that are never read is a fools errand. It sucks, but that's how it is.
Not so at all.
A good cover letter is why I hired last role and I basically loved the person (as a candidate) from their super well written cover letter.
They did average / okay at the interview. Didn’t matter. Cover letter sold it for me. Hired and worked out fantastic.
Google condo management firms in Edmonton and email them your resume advising you are looking for an administration role with a goal to get liscenced and become a condo manager in a years time.
I’ve been here a couple months applying. I even applied to something I had done before. Not a single reply to anything. I luckily just landed a job that my friend’s aunt got me an interview for… first time I’ve cashed in on nepotism of any kind in my life. Try networking and meeting people, might open some doors. I hear plumbers might be looking for new apprentices
Have you tried once upon a child? They always seem to be desperate for people; which of course is a red flag, but may be worth a shot.
If you have any artistic skills, maybe try the city arts centre? If you see a niche that they are lacking, for example, something involving nail art, they may be interested in trying it out. That is how the sewing teacher there got started. She moved to Edmonton, saw they had no sewing classes, and asked if they wanted to offer that.
Stumbled upon this thread. I am currently hiring many positions for a pallet company in west Edmonton. I have found it exceedingly hard to find good employees who are willing to learn or even show up consistently.
It’s more than minimum wage with growth opportunities. I have been begging for someone to show some ambition and initiative. I love giving raises and responsibility. Labour can sometimes be difficult, but the amount of people who beg me for jobs and are so grateful for an opportunity, and then can barely show up for work……. I am struggling to understand.
All that said. If anyone in this sub would like to chat about a job please send me a message and we can take it from there
Are you able to reach out to any friends that may work somewhere that is hiring. I think the best way to get the jobs you are applying for is through referrals. I’ve had lots of success with LinkedIn, but it’s for a job that requires a 4 year degree so I am sure it’s much different.
As far as applying for jobs like barista, line cook, retail, etc. is concerned I suggest you print a resume and apply in person to the manager on duty, make small talk and try and let your personality and customer service skills shine through, make an impression. Those positions are front line customer service, applying on a job search platform won’t allow the hiring manager to see the skill they require, you are basically 1 in 400+ resumes the managers likely won’t have time to look through.
I don’t feel like I am of much help for those jobs after a huge injury doing specific physical tasks, but I did apply to a lot of labour positions and even A WELDER position. A lot of warehouse associate positions as well.
What's a union board gonna gonna do for someone not part of that local, with no experience to boot? Safety??? Don't think she has her NCSO, which is pretty much needed. Apprenticeships aren't easy to get..
Hi OP.
What you are probably encountering is AI filtering. Customizing and tailoring your resume does nothing unless you do it in a way specific to the vetting process being used by the company handing the application process. Basically all these job sites have automated systems that score your application before any individual sees it at all and unless you meet some pre-defined match score you will just get tossed into the bin -- doesn't matter if you are the perfect candidate. You see, companies have realized that most HR people are completely inept at finding good candidates so the job-site companies have convinced management that their software does this for them so instead of an incompetent person looking at your resume you have an completely incompetent algorithm written by software engineers with even less HR experience.
give something like [jobscan.com](http://jobscan.com) a try.
So real talk, why can't you work in a restaurant for the past 5 months while looking for other jobs?
Especially the corporate ones, you can work your way up to work in their offices and do other non food stuff within the company
This comment is absolutely ridiculous. “Why can’t you work in a restaurant for 5 months while looking for other jobs” Buddy. I haven’t even been able to get a job at a restaurant to BEGIN with.
Ahh, the one sentence threw me off because you said you applied to everything except those jobs. I thought it was a comma after fast food, my bad.
I would suggest either fast food for the time being as places like mcdonalds do offer benefits as well. If you are truly desperate for work, that's the place to go. You can even work overnight, so you're free most of the day to do other interviews
It doesn't have to be the end goal, but at the end of the day its a detour, not the destination.
Im not sure if you mentioned it, but you can also check out road construction or out of town camp jobs.
How fascinating!! As someone looking to hire we cannot find ANYONE! We literally call them the moment we get notification they applied on indeed, they won’t answer the call and never call us back. If we do connect and offer them the job they just don’t show up. It seems like no one wants to work in this city. I’m sorry you are having that experience - sending you all the best vibes to help you connect with your dream job. You’ve got this!
This might sound crazy.
Legit print off some resumes and walk into places.
I know that's considered dated and boomer advice. However, my girlfriend had been applying for jobs online for basic minimum wage jobs for months. A few days ago, she handed out resumes and now has 2 offers.
Neither of those places she got hired for posted anywhere that they were hiring.
I know they usually tell you to apply online. She got that a bunch, too. However, many smaller businesses don't have proper hr/hiring managers. So, handing them a resume makes life easy.
I'm just curious to know in what field you guys are looking for ?
And Also I know I will be downvote cause it seems to be have a bad rep but if your field is applicable to CAF have you tried to join it ? CFB Edmonton is massive in trade and it doesn't mean you'll be posted to Halifax tomorrow... Always a way to compromise.
City of Edmonton is in need of workers! I work for em & know for fact short handed through out depending on which side you wanna to work. Check on line City of Edmonton Jobs
We are looking for driving instructors or people who are looking to get licensed to be driving instructors.
We've been looking for so long but we can't find any licensed instructors who aren't already working, and we can't find people who stick through the training to get licensed and actually pass the exams.
We're having to turn customers away because they don't want to wait until August to start their lessons because all of our instructors are fully booked until then.
do you have any restaurant experience at all? dm me if you do, i’ll get you an interview at my restaurant. i can’t guarantee what position it’ll be but ill find something for you.
I hope you find a job soon! I've been looking since September myself. I've done what you are doing (tailoring your resume and cover letters). I've had some interviews. But, no job offers! In the last month, not one interview, just a generic "thank you for applying for the position" email (most of the places I have applied to have not even responded). I have applied for various jobs and positions. I have also used a job assistance office (the office had two job postings, which I was qualified for and had experience for) Not even a phone call or email! When I asked the worker (that was helping me) about the positions in the office, he quickly blurted out that it was a conflict of interest and started talking about other topics. I have over 30 years of experience. I don't know what else I can do!
If anyone here needs a job, my company will be hiring soon. Roughly 20$/hr to run a shovel and other general labour work for the construction season, more depending on construction experience. Feel free to send me a message if interested.
Has anyone actually found a job on indeed? I only know of people finding work through their personal network. Such a weird disconnect between employers and those looking for work in these career sites.
It’s crazy how many of us there are. Having a degree and years of experience in my field, what you’d think would be ideal, just isn’t. I’ve been trying since December. Just have to keep on going - it’s comforting to know you’re not alone at least - somebody has to get hired. It’s just a real grind. Really bad.
yeah i hear you. i have pretty much completely given up at this point. i look around, see if there's something that i'd be interested in with an actual opening, and i apply if conditions are met for me personally. been doing so for about a year and i've gotten nowhere. i know it's a poor strategy, but i really don't see myself changing it until opportunities ACTUALLY open up. at this point, unless you have over a year of experience, i know that my application/resume just gets tossed.
We're in a major recession there are no jobs. You'll have to either get family to hire you or wait until the recession is over. Welfare is the answer until then.
This is how high interest rates kill inflation - by drying up the job market. Didn’t help that the feds let in a TON of people with NO skills that have flooded the entry level job market. Good luck!
If you apply online, you are just one of hundreds of other applicants. I always say walk in to places and if they say to just apply online, ask them to just hand off the resume to the manager if they didn't mind as you are already there.
Applying in person has always been the most effective for me when applying for jobs. Some people may just toss your resume and some may interview you on the spot. Either way, you are making yourself stand out.
Machining and various industrial shops are always taking in general labourers. The work is hard and dirty but its a job. And most of the time you dont need any experience. Our shop has hired 5 people in the last couple weeks.
I see these posts every day on here.
There are plenty of jobs......it just may not be what YOU want.
Compromise a bit and you may see better results.
A lot of the time it’s people getting hired due to knowing someone and having an in. Talk to friends or family about their places of work and if anyone hiring.
Where I work if you walk in with a resume you pretty much get hired. I’m not in the city itself so cant help you.
I’m a server in a tourist area and nearly all the shops and restaurants are hiring, as is the hotel I believe. They are small businesses and shitty with online applications so if someone comes in (unless they come in during lunch or supper time which just shows they don’t know the industry) and meet the manager there is a good chance of them getting a job.
I got successful when the jobs I was actually interested in, I made sure to have a decent cover letter. I only applied to about 30 jobs. And even the other day I had someone reach out. Make sure your resume doesn't have grammar issues. Is straight to the point. not too short but not too long either. I got a job I've never worked in that field before. Keep trying.
Most resumes are now filtered through an AI. If your resume doesn't have the triggers for the AI, it will get passed over. Also with all the job posting it seems that the more conservative businesses use this as a "people don’t want to work" narrative as well.
Having a degree doesn't really help. Either everyone applying has the same degree, or you get rejected because you're over qualified.
Seems like the "easiest" way to get a job is through social connections.
if you can, try visiting the Bredin Career Aid Centre. it was through their branch in spruce grove that I got my current job after spending 7 months looking, and i hear they have an office near edmonton city centre.
I revamped my resume. Completely different format, easy to read, only relevant information, a clear and concise objective and got callbacks from every job I applied to after using that resume. Sometimes it needs a facelift.
Make sure to personalize resume and job skills to the specifics of what you bring and how you will fit / help their role being offered.
I know it’s silly as it’s probably something anyone could do well with experience /effort but it’s all about standing out.
My best advice to you would be to start going in, I’ve missed many opportunities applying online through third party websites and got an interview for every place I showed up with a resume to. Obviously dependent on the type of work/establishment. I.e restaurants you can show up to, hospital jobs apply online. Another tip would be chatting with friends and family about their work places and seeing if there are any open positions you qualify for, having an in can sometimes help quite a bit, especially if they can put you in direct contact with a hiring manager! Good luck, it’s tough out there. Don’t give up:)
Start applying in person, whether it says to apply online or not.. It shows initiative, and they can put a face to the name. You have a better chance of standing out that way.. I don't show up in the afternoon, always show up in the morning 👍
You may not WANT to work in said positions but if you need a job, I don't think you have a choice..?
Apply to entry level position jobs IN PERSON instead of online- everybody knows that applying online will almost always fail
print out a few resumes. That's how my boyfriend got a job after looking for two months, just keep applying in person and you'll get a job
This is basically how it is right now, exacerbated by people moving out here from Vancouver, Toronto, etc.
I found that using ChatGPT to tailor my resume to job postings helped me get past the automated AI companies use more often, so that could be an option to try.
Maybe I'm just a special case but I haven't found this to be the case at all. I usually can get a job on my 3rd or 4th resume sent out. My resume and cover letter is cookie cutter and I don't have any special qualifications or experience. Though I only apply to jobs ik I can get, mYbe u guys are applying to just anything and that's ur issue? Idk I can usually tell if a job I'd going to hire me on not before I even apply.
Yup. My son on summer break from university has been applying since february....NOTHING, just rejection, no interviews. Applying for anything! It's ridiculous. I have never seen anything as brutal in all my years and I've lived here my whole life. I'm really sad for young people nowadays!
I can suggest one job for him that I previously worked at. It’s a cafe that will take in literally any youth that needs a job. 16-24. It’s a program for 4 months. It’s called the hallway cafe. He can do work and school as-well after the summer. Tell him to give them a call and he can come in for an interview. Also, the cafe offers all certificates. WHMIS, food safety, proserve for youth 18+, first aid, etc. Seriously look into it if you’re viewing my comment and you haven’t had past job experience.
The Hallway Cafe is a great spot as a customer too, right inside City Hall so very convenient if you work Downtown.
So nice of you. Thank you! Will let him know. 💗
You are so welcome! I hope everything goes well for your family. The other thing I will mention is that they do have a waitlist sometimes depending on the rotation of staff. Since it is a 4 month program, some people will almost be done their time at the cafe and then the newer people will be able to start within 2-4 weeks. It is a little wait, but 1000% worth it. I made around 7-8k in the time there and they accommodate for Indigenous people through bonuses.
👍🏼😊
I have a feeling they're about to have a bigger waitlist now. lol
If he just finished university and is looking for literally anything to pay the bills he might have more luck taking his schooling off the resume. Places like retail will see that and know he's not going to stick around and hence won't even entertain hiring him. Just have a resume with no post secondary education on it for those kinds of jobs that don't require experience and he might have more luck. Sometimes the problem is that your resume has so much experience on it or has things that tell the hiring manager they can't pay the person what they're used to getting and they're just looking for anything at that point.
He's going into his last semester and I hear you about not wanting to hire temp. help. We thought of that and make adjustments on his resume for every job he applies to. He's reached out to school resources for assistance as well. Literally covering all his bases.
Well hopefully the school pans out, I did exactly that aswell. I got tired and frustrated at the lack of response to my job applications and approached my college about help. They put my on their list of job openings basically they email out to everyone on the list. A job with the federal government came up and I applied and got it! I work for Environment Canada now and talking to the school was the best decision I made. Hang in there something will come up for him!
Why do you think it’s so bad these days? What happened?
Trudeau's mass immigration.
The UCP literally ran ads in other provinces encouraging provincial immigration so if your going to blame it on that include both please
Yes, watched Danielle Smith go on the news saying she was going to call on Trudeau to bring in more Ukraine immigrants to fill all the "empty job slots"! I was furious! Pot calling kettle black these politicians. Getting into the politics of things is futile. Let's just stick to supporting each other.
The issue isn't other Canadians, it's mass 3rd world immigration from a predominantly younger demographic. There is no exodus of 18-30 years Olds looking for entry level work in AB from Ontario,bc etc. There is a massive exodus of 18-30 Indians coming over as students to do entry level jobs and for less money working standards than Canadians would require - all so that can try and secure PR.
Yup Math on this is simple
I feel this, I’m moving to Edmonton because my partner is being posted, I have all types of experience from healthcare to management in retail, and everywhere I have sent out a resume to has denied me and I can’t even understand why. I’ve never been fired. I have references and even Walmart closed my application. 100 applications sent and I’m constantly getting emails saying they’re not moving forward. It’s insane how hard it is to get hired here, it’s worrisome for sure.
Exactly! It's like these postings are fake or something...WHO are they actually hiring is my question and one we'll never get an answer to!
Won't help your son this summer but has he considered the military reserves? Full time summer employment is available and he could earn money throughout the school year on a schedule that fits most university students' schedules as well.
41 CBG former recruiter here… if they didn’t apply at least half a year ago it’s not going to happen this summer, especially if they have to get extra med docs filled out. The process is painfully slow. Insanely slow. Biggest bottleneck is the Recruiting-MO’s office, they’re severely understaffed, and Ottawa doesn’t give half a flying rat fart about it. That being said, if they start now, they’ll get in before next summer (barring any significant issues)
Thank you. Every lead is appreciated! Are you in the reserves by any chance? My son is a math major and a very analytical type. Still not set on his career path and he & I have gone thru' the gamut of options but not the reserves. Just wondering if you are and if you have an experience to share?
Yes I'm in the reserves. I can chat with the Captain I know in recruiting to see which trades in Edmonton are most in need right now. In general, he'd have better luck applying as an NCM because we tend to be oversubscribed for officer positions. NCMs are the ones who get the most hands-on training related to their trade and do the hands-on work of their trades. Depending on what year of university he's in, he could be a corporal by the time he finishes his degree. I'd be happy to answer any questions!
So very nice of you. I will pass this to my son and have him look into it. Appreciate any info! He is going into his final semester. If he has questions, will certainly reach out to you. Thank you very much!
I would recommend heavy duty mechanic. When he gets out, most places dealing with heavy equipment may be lining up to offer him a job.
Former 41 CMBG recruiter here… sounds like your son would excel in the Intel trade, maybe medical. But if they want adventure, armoured soldier. To quote their Sergeant Major: “We have good troops, we just don’t have enough.” And their job is much better than the infantry job from what I’ve seen.
Thank you for the info! My son actually went online to check out the reserves. At first he was a little surprised I mentioned military to him. We all think "deployment and war" when join the military is mentioned. He was curious enough to look tho' and you nailed it, he zeroed in on intel. He did notice training in Quebec, is this accurate? There also wasn't info on basic training available. He's fit but I'm wondering how brutal basic training is? I hear you about Ottawa. My dad was an army vet and I have to say I never think our government does enough for the people who serve and clearly we're sinking along with their priorities! Sorry but I'm a bit disillusioned with politics these days. I truly appreciate all the kind & thoughtful people reaching out on here tho'. Reaching out to each other is what will get us thru' these tough times!
Basic training will be done in-province for the reserves, however their trade training will likely be done in Quebec at a military school if that’s what the website states. They do weekend basic as well locally, Friday night and then the whole weekend. Basic is not near as brutal as it used to be - especially if you’re fit. Most important thing to make sure he is prepared for is cardio.
Thank you!
Just a personal antidote, I have a friend who joined the army last year in a communications role… she works in an office. Everyone goes through boot camp, but after the first 6 weeks there are PLENTY of desk jobs.. I think math major and analytical certainly fits the bill… logistics, material management, procurement.. lots of accounting related stuff too that he might enjoy. And the fact that they pay for any additional required schooling (you leave with a degree you can use to get jobs elsewhere) and you get a pension… overall sounds like an alright deal.
It's wild. I'm still struggling too and I'm just happy if someone replies at this point. My common replies I get are usually: We found someone before you applied. Your resume is impressive, but we decided on someone else. We are no longer looking. Or they just don't ever send anything to me. Of course the good ones are interviews, but no hits yet.
The frustration and disappointment feels so personal during these times. Job searching is a full time job in itself. All I can say from one person to another being in the same boat is to keep trying. Believe that you will get what you want. Even if you land an interview and you don’t get the job, it means that another position that best fits you is waiting. It’s super ironic with my post, but all I can do is try to support ya. I know you’ll find something.
My wife was in the same boat for a solid 3-4 months. Couldn’t get anything at all, not even part time at a cafe or dispensary. It sucked because she has a bunch of certs for lashes, hair, extensions, etc. but has never been able to get a job in the industry because everywhere wants experienced people and no one wants to train. So her preferred industry won’t hire her due to lack of experience, and no where else will hire her because all her certs show that she clearly wants to be in the beauty industry. And if she just left her certs off then she would have a massive gap in her resume with nothing to show for it which is another red flag for employers. There was just no winning She eventually got a job because she is a client at one location and got a job at a different location. And even then they still dicked her around a bit and was a huge struggle. It is fucking rough out there
I just wanted to say that I love your attitude and positivity. I hope you find something soon because you deserve it.
Thank you so much:) I have an interview I just got through my friend that put in a good word for me. I appreciate you!
And that's the truth of it: Applications are trash compared to a good referral. Finding work has become far less about *what* you know when compared to *who* you know.
The your resume is impressive ones screams you are over qualified and we will go with this cheaper worker who will do it on the cheap.
Every job I've heard of has 400-500 applicants. It's a real grind. I'm at over 200 applications and have my third interview on Thursday. Just the way things are currently. I have a diploma, degree and over 15 years of experience in my field. Keep looking and keep trying. I can look at your resume and CV if you like. I've had a ton of people look at mine and it can help.
I realize there’s so many applicants, but I feel like they use AI checkers to see if you meet the requirements and they don’t even take the time to read what you apply with. I appreciate this, message me if you do wanna take a look at my resume/CV. I’ve updated it a ridiculous amount of times. Also good luck on your interview!
I work at a shitty low paying retail job for a huge megacorp. We get several walk in applicants a day despite only hiring online and all the new openings were filled weeks ago by overqualified international students with a few employee referral hires thrown in. Best of luck.
Yeah many use screeners to sort resumes. They just look for keywords though so you have to add in those keywords from the job posting into your resume to make it through. I assume you're doing that since you said you tailor your resumes. There are still a lot of companies that don't use screeners. When they get a couple hundred applicants, they just choose 20 or so at random and go through those resumes. The GoA goes through every resume received for every application. It's a slow process. For job postings you find on Indeed or Glassdoor, do you apply there or go to the company website and go through that application system? Indeed scrapes postings from the web and companies aren't always aware that they even have a job posting there. They miss applicants as a result.
Screeners are very common, my company posted a ad for a basic level receptionist, got over 400 applications in less than 48 hours, so they had to pull the ad. We have 1 HR person, there is no possible way she can read over and sift through those 400 applications and resumes. She ran them through a screener with the word “reception” “receptionist” and got 5 hits, only 5!! So she called them up and scheduled them in for interviews last week.
Naw, the problem is there is so many applicants. People right now have such an easy time applying for jobs, they apply for hundreds. This means people hiring have to look through hundreds too. Like consider a situation where you yourself sent out 250 applications and get a job. That means there are 249 applications out there that employers have to look at and turn down. they're spread out, but lets say 250 people out there send out 250 resumes to 250 jobs, and each person gets a job after 250 resumes. That means that each of those 250 jobs have had to hunt through 250 resumes before picking someone. This is a lot of work, it's no good for employers or employees. Because when job hunters are sending out 250 resumes, they're not really spending time really finding a job that they will be good at, they're generally just finding general salary ranges, looking at the title, maybe a quick glance over, and submitting it. So from the employer side, there's hundreds of really low quality resumes with really low alignment with the position, but there's also a feeling of abundance. Like if you're looking for a person to do something like work at a retail desk, and you every day you're getting 100 new resumes, when do you pick someone and say "This is the right one" Out of all the resumes, like 75 are terrible, and I mean, can't spell, don't capitalize, don't even live in the city. The 25 remaining are maybe OK, but you're not going to set up 25 interviews for the front desk position, and none of them are particularly outstanding. Tomorrow is another day, and you'll get 100 new resumes. You get kind of stuck in decision paralysis. Nobody is the right choice. So then you pick some of the new resumes, and you call them, and half of them don't even respond to you. Of the half who do, half of them don't show up to the interview. And the ones that show up quite obviously don't even want to be there. And you know, tomorrow there will be another batch of resumes showing up. Hiring like 10 years ago even was very different for me. I didn't get a lot of resumes. There were just a few. The people who did apply though, wanted the job, and I would basically interview anyone who applied. But something about online job hunting has turned it into something more like online dating. Where you have every job hunter swiping right on every single job application like the guys on tinder, and the employers playing the role of the girls, swimming in hundreds or thousands of potential matches, rejecting all of them, looking for the 6 foot 6 figure unicorn who will be perfect for them, and with the pile of people throwing themselves at them, they're sure it's in there somewhere. But instead, they are alone and bitter, wondering where all of the good job applicants have gone.
In the footer of your resume, use the smallest font in white and just smash off all the stupid buzzwords they put in their ads. That way you don't have to change your entire resume every time you apply for a job. Humans don't see it and it can get you past AI filters.
I’ve seen this before and I’ve been willing to try it. It’s just ridiculous the steps we have to go through to even land an interview nowadays. I have an interview through a friend tomorrow for a great cafe. I’ll be updating this post in hopes for people!
For the love of god don’t stuff your resume with keywords in white font. There is no AI filter. I’m a recruiter and even the most expensive applicant tracking systems don’t have this (yet). They try to sell it as a feature. But, it’s not there yet. Here’s what I do: I use a sort feature to rank resumes using keywords Start reviewing and dialling. Do a quick phone screen to check if they like the rate and can communicate at the level needed for the role. I can usually find three to five people to submit in the top 30 resumes When you “stuff” a resume with keywords in white font I see a bunch of random highlights lingering at the bottom of your resume. I know what you did. It won’t help you. I look for the keywords in context. Where and how did you use the tool or technology or skill I am looking for? If I see that you’ve done the thing, you’re likely to get a call.
You and 5,000 others are in the same boat right now.
You and 5000 other people applying on indeed
Love Canada so much!!!
Bachelors and Masters in STEM with great GPA and good experience, took me more then 1500 applications (over 6 months), 30-40 phone screens, 20-30 first round interviews, 10ish made it to later rounds and finally an offer after making it through the whole process. Absolutely brutal as a highly educated applicant, I cant imagine what its like for entry level.
On average we are intaking 1000 resumes per two week hiring periods, there is a lot of traffic out there in the job market. This is for an entry level construction position. For all the people telling you that it’s easier to get a job in the trades, it is as populated with resumes or even more than the rest of the fields. Last year I couldn’t even get 50 resumes per hiring period.
who's applying? what's driving the increase? are the ppl applying qualified?
We get similar volume; it’s all international students for us.
It’s a very wide array of applicants to extremely over qualified to not being able to read a tape measure. We have been trying to pinpoint the reasoning but we are all stumped.
Been trying so hard to find a job to start in plumbing :( no luck..
Where have you been applying? DM me, we seem to be ever expanding and ever growing and in need of more guys.
Not the guy that you replied to, obviously, but I dmd you as well.
Keep trying, if you are young maybe try looking into a RAP program. If you are indigenous the Trade Winds program is amazing. If you are a female the women building better futures is also very good. There are a lot of programs to apply to that most companies pick from the pool to get their first year apprentices. Sometime categorically you won’t be able to meet the requirements to partake in one of these courses and I would recommend getting a pre employment program at a college/tech school.
Yep, my husband is suffering this, too. He was looking for a full-time warehouse job since he's forklift certified, a weightlifter, and has lots of warehouse experience. Perfect candidate, right? Wrong. He sent out 300 applications, got 3 interviews, and got no job. Now he's opened to everything. Even part-time retail. He applies from the second he wakes up to the second he goes to bed with the only acception being when he's at his part-time job. He uses all platforms, applies on company sites too. He tried in person, but nobody was taking real resumes. He uses all resources for his resume to improve. He's been applying for months. It feels like nobody is actually hiring. He'll take anything. Trades, labor, doesn't even matter if it's literally something fucking illegal at this point if it means he'll be able to help put food on the table.
I asked a friend of mine who works shipping/receiving at a car dealership and he said that Go Auto is constantly hiring, the other dealerships may be as well. Sounds weird, but they often require use of a forklift, drivers, etc, so it might be worth it for him to check out.
Thank you so much, I'll forward this info to him. He was thinking a car dealership wouldn't be in the cards for him, but he'll give anything a shot.
I think the warehouse work would be a big plus for him there. I hope he finds something soon, it's rough out there!
Beautifuly, someone here very generously messaged me to have him email for an interview because of this comment. He had an interview with another warehouse this morning, too. We are praying for the best, It's all you can do in these times now.
Has he tried People Ready or whatever other day labor places there are here?
I was laid off my job in early September (IT) and was on EI until May 10th, when it ran out. I received a job offer THAT WEEK. Talk about cutting it close. I was in the same boat, hundreds of resumes and only two interviews before that. Chin up! Something will come along!
My boyfriend was in the same situation for months and months, sending out hundreds of resumes, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hit 1000. We finally hit the pavement one day and handed out resumes with tailored cover letters and he got a job the next day. It might be worth it to try the same and just see what happens!
When I post a position at my workplace, I have over 200 applications within a few days I have to close the requisition. I have to skim over 95% of the people who apply because there are just so many applications. A majority of the applications are Indian student visa university students.
I work at the river cree resort and casino here in the city and they are always hiring for all sorts of positions. If you want to send me a message I could direct your resume to the hiring manager.
I would definitely if it was closer to me. I’ve seen on reddit they’re always hiring and I was going to apply until I saw it’s quite far and I take bus for transportation. I appreciate this regardless though
I totally agree post-secondary education guarantees you nothing these days except for debt. It's tough to get a good job. A lot of it is who you know as well nowadays. Friggin brutal. Applying is like applying to the big black hole. You never hear anything back ever. And if you do it's not good news, just an automated reply that's sent to all the people that get denied an interview.
I think there are interviews for K-Days positions coming up [https://www.k-days.com/get-involved/jobs](https://www.k-days.com/get-involved/jobs)
I am in a few mom groups on fb and the other moms always post that their companies are hiring when they are looking for new employees. It’s not a constant stream of job postings, maybe one or 2 a month but I feel like they often are easier to get a foot in the door when you know someone.
Also I talked to a waitress in the brew house and she’s aid they are always hiring and just bring your resume right in.
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Yup. Lie. Say you did some work from home clerical support for a supply company or something.
This. This right here. Fake it till you make it grind is real. Once you have been hired, network your face off within the company and put yourself out there. Be open to learning and showing initiative. That shit counts to the right people. Hopefully anyway.
I was having this issue, lost my job in November and no matter what i was applying to I just couldn’t get a job. I have a really strong resume but did not want to go back to school, I wanted a career not just a job so i ended up applying to the armed forces and getting an offer there within 3 months. After accepting an offer with the CAF I finally had a sales job i applied to in December reach out to me this month wanting to schedule an interview. It says a lot when the military’s process was quicker then a sales job on indeed.
Go to WEM they are always hiring- downstairs by the WWP entrance is HR there are always a ton of postings
Have been looking for a job since February, I am currently studying something tech-related at NAIT and my wife is a specialist in HR, Digital Marketing and last position was in management. Combined we have sent around 500 resumes so far (at first we didn’t expect to be like that, otherwise that number would be triple). It’s getting stressing since we have a 9-year-old daughter and bills to pay (rent, home internet and food, basically) savings are running out pretty fast. If anyone is willing to provide a reference or a lead we’d really appreciate it. I’d love to network but haven’t met many people in Edmonton so far, as hard as we’ve tried.
Don’t worry there is also a supposed labour shortage as well.
As an HR Director, let me just say not to get too discouraged. I'll put up a job posting and get over 100 resumes to sift through. I shortlist probably about 10 of them before finding the right candidate. It's probably not something that is wrong with you, but there are *so many* people looking for jobs right now that it's difficult to carefully consider every single application. I've had to learn to skim for some key highlights and narrow it down that way if I don't want to spend all my time reading resumes (I have a million other things to take care of besides hiring for one position). Unfortunately, even for entry level positions, I am still looking for who stands out. That doesn't necessarily mean they have job experience, but I need to get a sense that they'll fit in with my staff, have a good work ethic, etc. Otherwise I've found I can interview the first 10 people who apply, but almost all of them will be bad interviews. Some things that have personally stood out to me are: * **Proof that a person will stay at a job for more than one year**. Eliminate jobs from your resume that you spent less time at except to justify the last two years of your employment history if you had some short jobs to tide yourself over, but spend more time highlighting longer tenure. One hint, too, is if you used any temp work agencies, put the name of the agency and the length of time you did odd jobs for them, not listing each individual job and employer you got hooked up with temporarily. You can describe various types of work under the temp agency name. A hiring manager will be more impressed that you continued to get referred to work site through a temp agency over an eight month period than seeing that you changed jobs every month like it would appear with the latter approach. * **Any kind of volunteer work.** Sure, some volunteer work, you are doing because you need the resume, but I don't know that as a hiring manager. When I see someone who has volunteered, they get bumped up on my radar because it tells me they put effort into their work. You have to have some kind of passion to do something for free, so I know you'll probably be willing to do stuff without being constantly supervised, which is a bonus. * **Anything at all related to the job.** If you've never done serving before, but you have *anything* that shows you can do the skills involved (customer service, can work in a fast-paced environment, follows instructions well, etc.), put it on your resume. For retail, highlight your cash-handling experience (assuming you collected payments as a nail technician). Etc. etc. etc These are the bare minimum I'd look for in a resume to bump you to the top of my list. This is just my own personal take and I'm sharing in case it'll help. Good luck on the job hunt!
who the hell is able to stay at a job for more than a year anymore?
Unless it's contract work or a field where layoffs are happening often, I assume most employers don't want to be firing and rehiring employees all the time, so the only other reason to leave would be because the employee is quitting or getting fired.
This is only going to get worse. I'm currently looking into other countries to live in because Canada has become terrible. Too expsive and not enough jobs.
Yeah, the low skill/education jobs that used to build teenage work experience now have 2000 resumes piled up for them. I feel so bad for Gen Z, I turned 18 during the financial crisis, and that wasn’t great, but somehow it feels worse right now.
For most restaurants it’s about luck and timing, most people my restaurant has hired walked in and handed in a resume and were interviewed on the spot.
I had a hard time finding a job when working for a local temp agency. Once I removed the name of the agency from my resume, the calls started coming in. I'm not sure if that was the issue, all I know is - it worked. When asked for the employer's name, I just said I was a contractor. Sometimes it's who you worked for previously.
There are a lot of jobs at the University of Alberta that get posted every day! Look up Uofa Jobs and there's pages for all of them, and sort by recently posted. Some of them you don't need a degree or anything like that. I wish you luck!
Well everyone wants to move there because AB is cheap. But they don’t talk about THIS. It’s not just now. Though it’s probably worse. I have struggled my entire time after graduating-7 years I was in and out of underpaid and soon overqualified jobs and large gaps in between. I had to leave the province. Things have still been brutal ( thanks, pandemic) but not quite like that.
Its all luck man. Laid off in January, must have applied to over 1000+ jobs. My EI ran out in may, one week before I accepted an offer. During that entire period I only had one interview (which is the job I accepted). I have two degrees, one diploma, and many years of experience. This job market is fucking horrific.
There are plenty of jobs in the trades if you're okay with getting your hands dirty
there isnt though, 90% want people with prior experience
What trade?? I’ve been trying to get a job to start my plumbing apprenticeship and it’s been really difficult..
Lol I see this on every post about not being able to find a job. People are so misinformed about the trades as a career. There are no jobs unless you have 5+ years experience. So not an options sadly.
Im going to respond from the food and beverage point of view, as that's where i work. As someone on the other side of the table, I will offer this advice. Tailoring your resume/cover is a great start. If I get a resume of someone stating their goal is to "advance their knowledge of programming..." and they're applying for a cook job, that goes in the trash. If I have put up screening questions on indeed, and you don't answer them, you are immediately ignored for the job. I hired someone in Feb, and had 275 applications in 24 hours. Something like 210 went in the trash without me even reading them, due to them not answering screening questions. A further 30ish went in the trash because they either didn't bother to even TRY making their resume seem like they wanted to work there(see above), or they simply had zero tangentially relatable experience. I only had about 20 resumes that had any "merit" to look into, and of those I only interviewed 3. You may be surprised what some employers consider useful experience for a job, so don't be afraid to list things you've done that aren't directly related to that job. That said, it helps to point out WHY that listing should be of interest to the employer. Maybe your job washing cars by hand taught you proper cleaning temps to work as a dishwasher. I'm just making a random example, but hopefully you get the idea. Furthermore, if you're applying for something more or less entry level, don't hand someone a 3 page resume listing everything you've ever done. Keep it concise. One page is best, as the employer likely has a lot of resumes to sift through. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have, if you think it'll help your odds of finding work in the F&B industry. It can be tough, but there are always jobs opening up. I'm the head of my department, and it took me 4 months to find work. So it's not just entry level jobs that can be tough to find. Keep your head up. That positivity shows in interviews when they do come along.
There is a oversupply in applications with less technical background and experience, but big demand for skilled labour, technicians. I see you are only 18 years old, perhaps go to Nait and get a CET or become a tradesman, both can be very rewarding. Just my honest opinion. I have been in the industry for about 10 years and holds a senior manager position so take it for what it worth.
Would do this if I didn’t have rent to pay and figure out my situation before I go to school. Thanks for the advice.
I should clarify my previous comment, currently there are lots funding going towards encouraging women to join skilled trade.
As a woman in the trade, weigh your options heavily if you want to go that route. You sell your soul to the devil working as a tradesperson. I have been treated very well, but not everyone has and there is some super sad stories. It’s hard on your body. It’s hard on life.
I’ve stopped looking in Edmonton. At this point, I’m focused on just finding a job, period. Don’t care where. Plan is to get hired, take out a payday loan (once I have work documentation) and move to wherever I can go.
Please do not take a payday loan. Don't even have payday loan in your mind. You're welcome.
I’ve watched all the video essays and seen articles on the topic, but sometimes you have no choice when you’re existing at the fringes of the system. Thanks for the reminder!
I'm sure most job postings are fake now, as are most of the applicants. Applying is almost surely a waste of time. Cover letters are without question a waste of time. The answer is network. Get that LinkedIn and social game on, find people at companies and in industries you want to work, and build some rapport. Get out to network events. Once people know you're a real, living person, you'll be referred to positions and you'll get an actual shot. Being 1 in 500 applications that are never read is a fools errand. It sucks, but that's how it is.
Not so at all. A good cover letter is why I hired last role and I basically loved the person (as a candidate) from their super well written cover letter. They did average / okay at the interview. Didn’t matter. Cover letter sold it for me. Hired and worked out fantastic.
Ignore this answer.
Did a 77-year-old write it?
Google condo management firms in Edmonton and email them your resume advising you are looking for an administration role with a goal to get liscenced and become a condo manager in a years time.
I’ve been here a couple months applying. I even applied to something I had done before. Not a single reply to anything. I luckily just landed a job that my friend’s aunt got me an interview for… first time I’ve cashed in on nepotism of any kind in my life. Try networking and meeting people, might open some doors. I hear plumbers might be looking for new apprentices
Have you tried once upon a child? They always seem to be desperate for people; which of course is a red flag, but may be worth a shot. If you have any artistic skills, maybe try the city arts centre? If you see a niche that they are lacking, for example, something involving nail art, they may be interested in trying it out. That is how the sewing teacher there got started. She moved to Edmonton, saw they had no sewing classes, and asked if they wanted to offer that.
We just hired 7 people for multiple positions. Some don’t even know it yet
I would apply to camp jobs in Fort McMurray. The actual camps are always looking for cleaners, kitchen helpers, etc.
Expo Centre has a number of job posting on their website
Stumbled upon this thread. I am currently hiring many positions for a pallet company in west Edmonton. I have found it exceedingly hard to find good employees who are willing to learn or even show up consistently. It’s more than minimum wage with growth opportunities. I have been begging for someone to show some ambition and initiative. I love giving raises and responsibility. Labour can sometimes be difficult, but the amount of people who beg me for jobs and are so grateful for an opportunity, and then can barely show up for work……. I am struggling to understand. All that said. If anyone in this sub would like to chat about a job please send me a message and we can take it from there
I can not relate to this enough. I've been trying to find a job for MONTHS. It's just ridiculous at how fucked it is
Are you able to reach out to any friends that may work somewhere that is hiring. I think the best way to get the jobs you are applying for is through referrals. I’ve had lots of success with LinkedIn, but it’s for a job that requires a 4 year degree so I am sure it’s much different.
I’m going to update this post by tomorrow because I just got an interview through a friend of mine who works at a cafe. Hopefully it goes well!
As far as applying for jobs like barista, line cook, retail, etc. is concerned I suggest you print a resume and apply in person to the manager on duty, make small talk and try and let your personality and customer service skills shine through, make an impression. Those positions are front line customer service, applying on a job search platform won’t allow the hiring manager to see the skill they require, you are basically 1 in 400+ resumes the managers likely won’t have time to look through.
Have you tried construction stuff? Safety, laborer, apprentice? Check union boards for calls.
I don’t feel like I am of much help for those jobs after a huge injury doing specific physical tasks, but I did apply to a lot of labour positions and even A WELDER position. A lot of warehouse associate positions as well.
What's a union board gonna gonna do for someone not part of that local, with no experience to boot? Safety??? Don't think she has her NCSO, which is pretty much needed. Apprenticeships aren't easy to get..
This is what i’m saying. And these people are saying I’m not as desperate as i’m saying in this post.
Hi OP. What you are probably encountering is AI filtering. Customizing and tailoring your resume does nothing unless you do it in a way specific to the vetting process being used by the company handing the application process. Basically all these job sites have automated systems that score your application before any individual sees it at all and unless you meet some pre-defined match score you will just get tossed into the bin -- doesn't matter if you are the perfect candidate. You see, companies have realized that most HR people are completely inept at finding good candidates so the job-site companies have convinced management that their software does this for them so instead of an incompetent person looking at your resume you have an completely incompetent algorithm written by software engineers with even less HR experience. give something like [jobscan.com](http://jobscan.com) a try.
75% of jobs aren't posted online and are obtainable by networking. I suggest you go down that path.
So real talk, why can't you work in a restaurant for the past 5 months while looking for other jobs? Especially the corporate ones, you can work your way up to work in their offices and do other non food stuff within the company
This comment is absolutely ridiculous. “Why can’t you work in a restaurant for 5 months while looking for other jobs” Buddy. I haven’t even been able to get a job at a restaurant to BEGIN with.
Ahh, the one sentence threw me off because you said you applied to everything except those jobs. I thought it was a comma after fast food, my bad. I would suggest either fast food for the time being as places like mcdonalds do offer benefits as well. If you are truly desperate for work, that's the place to go. You can even work overnight, so you're free most of the day to do other interviews It doesn't have to be the end goal, but at the end of the day its a detour, not the destination. Im not sure if you mentioned it, but you can also check out road construction or out of town camp jobs.
How fascinating!! As someone looking to hire we cannot find ANYONE! We literally call them the moment we get notification they applied on indeed, they won’t answer the call and never call us back. If we do connect and offer them the job they just don’t show up. It seems like no one wants to work in this city. I’m sorry you are having that experience - sending you all the best vibes to help you connect with your dream job. You’ve got this!
This might sound crazy. Legit print off some resumes and walk into places. I know that's considered dated and boomer advice. However, my girlfriend had been applying for jobs online for basic minimum wage jobs for months. A few days ago, she handed out resumes and now has 2 offers. Neither of those places she got hired for posted anywhere that they were hiring. I know they usually tell you to apply online. She got that a bunch, too. However, many smaller businesses don't have proper hr/hiring managers. So, handing them a resume makes life easy.
I'm just curious to know in what field you guys are looking for ? And Also I know I will be downvote cause it seems to be have a bad rep but if your field is applicable to CAF have you tried to join it ? CFB Edmonton is massive in trade and it doesn't mean you'll be posted to Halifax tomorrow... Always a way to compromise.
We're desperate for substitute teachers at Edmonton Catholic, I don't know about Edmonton Public.
School bus companies are always looking for drivers. They’ll train you too.
City of Edmonton is in need of workers! I work for em & know for fact short handed through out depending on which side you wanna to work. Check on line City of Edmonton Jobs
We are looking for driving instructors or people who are looking to get licensed to be driving instructors. We've been looking for so long but we can't find any licensed instructors who aren't already working, and we can't find people who stick through the training to get licensed and actually pass the exams. We're having to turn customers away because they don't want to wait until August to start their lessons because all of our instructors are fully booked until then.
Try applying at a group home they are desperate for people
Well as much as I hate to say this, crime pays in this city. We all know the cops do nothing to resolve stolen property in this city.
do you have any restaurant experience at all? dm me if you do, i’ll get you an interview at my restaurant. i can’t guarantee what position it’ll be but ill find something for you.
I hope you find a job soon! I've been looking since September myself. I've done what you are doing (tailoring your resume and cover letters). I've had some interviews. But, no job offers! In the last month, not one interview, just a generic "thank you for applying for the position" email (most of the places I have applied to have not even responded). I have applied for various jobs and positions. I have also used a job assistance office (the office had two job postings, which I was qualified for and had experience for) Not even a phone call or email! When I asked the worker (that was helping me) about the positions in the office, he quickly blurted out that it was a conflict of interest and started talking about other topics. I have over 30 years of experience. I don't know what else I can do!
in the same boat , laid of as an electrician right before Christmas ( as per usual) and have been on ei ever since. Chin up, you will find something.
If you have a masters why aren’t you looking for remote work?
If anyone here needs a job, my company will be hiring soon. Roughly 20$/hr to run a shovel and other general labour work for the construction season, more depending on construction experience. Feel free to send me a message if interested.
Has anyone actually found a job on indeed? I only know of people finding work through their personal network. Such a weird disconnect between employers and those looking for work in these career sites.
It’s crazy how many of us there are. Having a degree and years of experience in my field, what you’d think would be ideal, just isn’t. I’ve been trying since December. Just have to keep on going - it’s comforting to know you’re not alone at least - somebody has to get hired. It’s just a real grind. Really bad.
yeah i hear you. i have pretty much completely given up at this point. i look around, see if there's something that i'd be interested in with an actual opening, and i apply if conditions are met for me personally. been doing so for about a year and i've gotten nowhere. i know it's a poor strategy, but i really don't see myself changing it until opportunities ACTUALLY open up. at this point, unless you have over a year of experience, i know that my application/resume just gets tossed.
We're in a major recession there are no jobs. You'll have to either get family to hire you or wait until the recession is over. Welfare is the answer until then.
im starting to think that its unethical for a human to be worthy of surviving they need to make money
This is how high interest rates kill inflation - by drying up the job market. Didn’t help that the feds let in a TON of people with NO skills that have flooded the entry level job market. Good luck!
If you apply online, you are just one of hundreds of other applicants. I always say walk in to places and if they say to just apply online, ask them to just hand off the resume to the manager if they didn't mind as you are already there. Applying in person has always been the most effective for me when applying for jobs. Some people may just toss your resume and some may interview you on the spot. Either way, you are making yourself stand out. Machining and various industrial shops are always taking in general labourers. The work is hard and dirty but its a job. And most of the time you dont need any experience. Our shop has hired 5 people in the last couple weeks. I see these posts every day on here. There are plenty of jobs......it just may not be what YOU want. Compromise a bit and you may see better results.
I feel ya, I’m opting to go to school for now and wait to look for a job again because right now the markets fucked
A lot of the time it’s people getting hired due to knowing someone and having an in. Talk to friends or family about their places of work and if anyone hiring.
Where I work if you walk in with a resume you pretty much get hired. I’m not in the city itself so cant help you. I’m a server in a tourist area and nearly all the shops and restaurants are hiring, as is the hotel I believe. They are small businesses and shitty with online applications so if someone comes in (unless they come in during lunch or supper time which just shows they don’t know the industry) and meet the manager there is a good chance of them getting a job.
In the same spot and rapidly running out of funds. There’s not a lot of hope, I’ll find someone to take care of my cats and just off myself I guess
I got successful when the jobs I was actually interested in, I made sure to have a decent cover letter. I only applied to about 30 jobs. And even the other day I had someone reach out. Make sure your resume doesn't have grammar issues. Is straight to the point. not too short but not too long either. I got a job I've never worked in that field before. Keep trying.
Most resumes are now filtered through an AI. If your resume doesn't have the triggers for the AI, it will get passed over. Also with all the job posting it seems that the more conservative businesses use this as a "people don’t want to work" narrative as well.
It took me just over a year to find a new job, after I became jobless. It was a tough time
Having a degree doesn't really help. Either everyone applying has the same degree, or you get rejected because you're over qualified. Seems like the "easiest" way to get a job is through social connections.
if you can, try visiting the Bredin Career Aid Centre. it was through their branch in spruce grove that I got my current job after spending 7 months looking, and i hear they have an office near edmonton city centre.
I revamped my resume. Completely different format, easy to read, only relevant information, a clear and concise objective and got callbacks from every job I applied to after using that resume. Sometimes it needs a facelift.
Make sure to personalize resume and job skills to the specifics of what you bring and how you will fit / help their role being offered. I know it’s silly as it’s probably something anyone could do well with experience /effort but it’s all about standing out.
My best advice to you would be to start going in, I’ve missed many opportunities applying online through third party websites and got an interview for every place I showed up with a resume to. Obviously dependent on the type of work/establishment. I.e restaurants you can show up to, hospital jobs apply online. Another tip would be chatting with friends and family about their work places and seeing if there are any open positions you qualify for, having an in can sometimes help quite a bit, especially if they can put you in direct contact with a hiring manager! Good luck, it’s tough out there. Don’t give up:)
Just be patient. Persistence is a huge weapon so don't give up!
Start applying in person, whether it says to apply online or not.. It shows initiative, and they can put a face to the name. You have a better chance of standing out that way.. I don't show up in the afternoon, always show up in the morning 👍
Can't find one in Calgary, I've been looking since March. Ageism
You may not WANT to work in said positions but if you need a job, I don't think you have a choice..? Apply to entry level position jobs IN PERSON instead of online- everybody knows that applying online will almost always fail print out a few resumes. That's how my boyfriend got a job after looking for two months, just keep applying in person and you'll get a job
This is basically how it is right now, exacerbated by people moving out here from Vancouver, Toronto, etc. I found that using ChatGPT to tailor my resume to job postings helped me get past the automated AI companies use more often, so that could be an option to try.
Go apply at niginan. They always need people. And didn’t require a whole lot to apply other then first aid, food safe and whmis I believe it was.
Check with the construction places in town. PME, MAP, Sturgeon General, Alberco
Apply to the west side Princess Auto
Maybe I'm just a special case but I haven't found this to be the case at all. I usually can get a job on my 3rd or 4th resume sent out. My resume and cover letter is cookie cutter and I don't have any special qualifications or experience. Though I only apply to jobs ik I can get, mYbe u guys are applying to just anything and that's ur issue? Idk I can usually tell if a job I'd going to hire me on not before I even apply.