موضوع مقاله: كار يابي

What is an Employment Resource Centre (ERC)?

The most important thing you should do when looking for work in Canada is to get help. There are many agencies that are able to help new (and all) Canadians find a job. Using the Internet to find job postings isn't a full job search plan. If you are in Ontario you can use the free Employment Resource Centres (ERCs) in your community.

At these ERCs you can access:

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help from staff who know the Canadian job market
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computers for your résumé and cover letters
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photocopiers and fax machines
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daily newspapers and job postings
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the Internet for job listings
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and much more

ERCs provide assistance for people looking for jobs, career direction or starting their own business, including information and workshops on local labour market, assistance with career planning, job search techniques, interview skills, résumé building. They also provide access to job posting board; access to the Internet for job searches as well as free or low cost access to computers, telephones, fax machines and photocopying. Business directories, job search materials, and labour market information are also available.

Find an ERC in your community in our Find Help Close to Home section:

How do Employment Agencies work?

Employment agencies (also known as placement and temporary (or temp) agencies) can help you find a job.

These agencies are usually private companies that find people to fill job postings. But, these jobs are with other companies. Their task is to find you a job with another company.

You should not pay any money to these agencies. Employment agencies make their money by charging the company that is looking for someone, or they may take a percentage of your wage. If someone says you need to pay first for a job you should be very careful and find out more before you give any money to anyone.

Employment agencies and headhunters may sometimes require that you pay them after they find you a job. But, any payment should be made only after you have found and started in a suitable job.

Some agencies focus on placing people in specific fields like, technology, office assistance, and security. Before you apply to an agency check to make sure that the agency can really place you in your field. You can and should also apply to many different agencies. That way, you will have more agencies working to find you a job. There is no penalty for applying to many different agencies at the same time.

Placement agencies provide different kinds of service; some place you in short-term or temporary jobs and other place you in long-term or permanent jobs. Once you register with an agency you should call your placement agent often to find out what jobs are available.

Also, visit the Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS) Web site for more information about agencies in Ontario that do not charge job seekers at any time, even after they are employed.

For links to over 100 of employment agencies visit the Directory of Canadian Recruiters.
Featured Publication

Working through a temporary agency? What you should know - This booklet provides temp agency workers with information about rights at work and how to enforce those rights.

The Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Business Services has some tips you should consider when working with an employment agency:

* Look out for "bait-and-switch" tactics. If you read about a great job but are told it has already been filled, or that you are overqualified, keep up your guard. An offer for a very different job may indicate, at the least, that the agency isn't dealing in good faith. An offer of highly paid work from home may be a complete scam.
* If the ad says "get rich quick" it's the promoter who'll win the pot of gold. For many years, scam artists placed advertisements that promised wealth for "only a small investment" and people fell for them. Now they place similar ads online. It may cost "only $39.95" to find out that your "fail-proof get-rich system" consists of instructions on how to run a similar ad to trap others. If you're job hunting you must have better ways to spend the money.
* Be wary if the job description isn't specific. Some employment agencies keep their advertised job descriptions generic to avoid tipping off competitors on the companies they represent. But you should be offered a full description of the position before you are required to specify your qualifications.
* Offers of high earnings may not mean much. Sales positions can launch a great career or offer an express ride to the basement. If, taking your experience into account, the earning potential sounds too good to be true, the job is probably not. Offers that promise high earnings for beginners often involve commission sales rather than salaries.
* Even the best sales technique won't sell a bad product-for long. Internet sales are growing so quickly many new grads are tempted to jump into any sales job to gain experience. If you're interested in online sales, look before you leap. Make sure you know all the details about the product, the producer and the marketer. Check their reputation with business associations and consumer agencies. Remember, once you represent a company it's your good name on the line.
* Be wary of companies that are selling you a service. Many companies promote their resume writing and interviewing technique services by trying to draw potential clients with promises of jobs. Honest service agencies have established clienteles and reputations. Check them out before you check in.
* Never give out your Social Insurance Number (SIN), credit card number or any financial information in response to an advertisement. Over the Internet, the telephone, or at your doorstep don't give personal information to anyone unless you've been offered a job in writing and receive a copy of the contract. Special caution is urged when making application over the Internet, because the company you thought had an office next door could really be located anywhere.