Slashdot Mirror


Moving Between Countries?

An anonymous reader writes "In six months' time, I am packing up and moving from Australia (Melbourne) to Canada (Vancouver). I'm a qualified network engineer. What I want to know is, what sort of quirks and tricks I am going to have to get used to in the Canadian job market? I'm used to Australian recruiters, and all the hoops you have to jump through, but Canada may have different hoops. I've tried contacting recruiters directly for information but they don't really give out much, as I am not actually in the country yet and therefore not worth their time. Is anyone willing to share their experiences on making the big move from country to country?"

13 of 450 comments (clear)

  1. #1: Beware of Moose by dangitman · · Score: 5, Funny

    They are known to drop from the trees and surprise foreigners with deadly force.

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
    1. Re:#1: Beware of Moose by MichaelSmith · · Score: 4, Funny

      #1: Beware of Moose (Score:5, Insightful) by dangitman (862676) Alter Relationship on Sunday June 01, @09:41AM (#23615699) They are known to drop from the trees and surprise foreigners with deadly force. Looks like the mods today skipped biology Let me tell you about the Australian hoopsnake.
    2. Re:#1: Beware of Moose by definate · · Score: 5, Funny

      You mean like drop bears? We know all about drop bears in Australia.

      That's why when Yanks that aren't used to drop bears come to the forests out here, we make sure they wear a helmet.

      That and it is funny.

      --
      This is my footer. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
    3. Re:#1: Beware of Moose by dangitman · · Score: 4, Funny

      You mean like drop bears? We know all about drop bears in Australia.

      Sure, Australians know about drop bears, but these are Moose! Much heavier.

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
  2. Re:Huh? by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's a very broad and vague question. That's a very broad and vague comment.
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  3. Re:Huh? by Vectronic · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is a very vague comment about broads...

  4. Re:always, Always, ALWAYS, talk to a lawyer... by Vectronic · · Score: 5, Funny

    He's probably a lawyer, looking for work.

  5. Re:I'm in Australia (Adelaide) Looking to move cou by felipekk · · Score: 4, Funny

    I bet Americans are wondering why on earth we would want to leave Australia..... I guess the kangaroos won?
  6. Re:Job references by Z00L00K · · Score: 4, Funny
    That's why your reference has to be read in a specific way:
    • X has been employed by us - X has been the cause for a disaster that we don't want to talk about and we have 'suggested' that he ended the employment.
    • X has been working for us during N years. - X has been the cause for several near disasters during the years he has been working for us.
    • X has been doing a good job - X is not a very remarkable person, neither good or bad. (average joe)
    • X has been doing a very good job - X doesn't produce disasters, and delivers a bit above average without any real surprises.
    • X has been doing an excellent job - We would recommend you to employ X, but don't pay him too much!
    • X has been doing an outstanding job - You are stupid if you don't employ X.
    • X has been a cornerstone in our company. - We are fu*d stupid to let him have reasons to leave us.
    And in general - if an old employer gives incorrect references that can come back to bite them really hard, so that is very seldom a problem.
    --
    If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  7. Re:I work in Canada by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny

    The reason why they are not supposed to take up references until after an offer is because you might not have told your boss you are looking until after you have a job to go to. It might ruin your job prospects of your boss finds out you are job hunting.

    ... alternatively, it's the quickest way to a fat raise.

  8. Re:Job references by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 4, Funny

    When we called to get the reference of a new woman, her old place of employment went on and on about how great she was. Turns out, they forgot how great of an employee was. They offered her old job to her at a higher pay.

    --
    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  9. Re:A qualified network engineer? by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny

    You also can't call yourself a software architect - architect is another regulated profession.

    Besides, when someone at a party asks you what you do for a living, which is the cooler answer:

    • [_] "I'm a software architect."
    • [_] "I'm a software engineer"
    • [X] "I'm a writer."

    As for the network engineer, if you're foolish enough to admit to it at a party, you're going to have everyone asking you why their DSL service is so shitty and what you can do to help them. Better off telling everyone you're a pimp, politician, or lawyer (but I'm being redundant).

  10. How to Live and Work in Canada by florescent_beige · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Concise Guide

    Number One

    Don't say 'oot and aboot' that's just stupid. And if you looked at that and thought those should have been double quotes, I'd hire you.

    Number Two

    Canadian girls are easy except in Toronto Montreal Calgary Vancouver St John St Johns Halifax Quebec City Gander and lets see where else have I lived...

    Number Three

    There is one city called St. John and another one called St Johns nobody knows which is which

    Number Four

    Pants are expected to be worn at work

    Number Six

    Math skills are important for getting a job

    Number Seven

    Is a nice number. Too bad that movie had to ruin it for me

    Number Three Redux

    I just looked it up and St John is where they actually do say oot and aboot

    Number Five

    Better late than never

    Number Eight

    Montreal has potholes and Toronto has that smell so take your pick. In Calgary, bring your own cardboard box to live in. Vancouver has a commuter train that takes you into the middle of the woods.

    Number Nine

    Saskatchewan is flat because the 6000 kph winds blew all the hills into Lake Superior

    Number Ten

    There are lots of high tech jobs in Ottawa but the only thing to do there in your spare time is laugh at Corel's office building.

    --
    Equine Mammals Are Considerably Smaller