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  • 枫下拾英 / 小说故事 / Some funny stories in Toronto -- fr a new comer to Toronto
    本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Story 1: -- " We offer service seven days a week, do you need it?"

    For the economic pressure, I have to find jobs as soon as possible. I landed Toronto at the end of Februry, and it's still so cold at that time. The job market was not so active. I rent a little room in the 3rd floor of a town house. The landlord is a quite nice HK lady. I went to the HRDC everyday, fr. 9 am to 4 pm. Just like worked there. And the staffs there all knew me. Canada is good at providing so many free services for people, including new immigrants to hunt jobs.

    The first thing is to revise my resume. Time after time, as the style is totally different. The warm-hearted staff in HRDC gave me some good suggestions. But the key point is, you should find a good resume guide book, and copied some useful sentences, or words which were suitable for you. I did it.

    I worked hard at sending out my resume, or searched in the internet. But I was so worried, that after 25 days, I still couldn't find any jobs. Though I had some interview opportunities, those companies won't hire me, for I didn't have any Canadian working experience, for whatever reasons. I became more and more worried.

    The landlord's daughter owns a little Chinese resturant. She came here almost ten years ago, as the student visa. She said now we are more lucky, because ten years ago, the working experiences were much much lower than now. Though for a job washing dishes, so many people to compete. It's not easy to find a waitress job. And she also described how hard the life was to me, and some stories. So I was impreesed by what she told me a lot. Finally I decided, no matter what kind of job it would be, I would take it, in order to accumulated some Canadian working experience.

    God is looking after me, maybe. In the 26th day, I got a job in a western company. A part time job. The interview was so simple. The guy just asked me a few questions. And then he asked me whether I could speak both Madarin and Cantonese. For sure, I could, definitely. I was once a DJ in the university's radio station in Canton. So I can speak both of them fluently. He seemed very happy to hear that. Later I know the reason. The company is developing Chinese market. So they need me to call the Chinese cutomers. The job is as a telemarketor. Telemarketor is very popular in the north america, though I knew nothing about it when I was in China, fortunately, China hasn't this kind of job, as I always think it disturbs people's normal lives.

    My job is to call every Chinese name in the yellow pages. I hate it. There isn't any privacy, as the telephone company will list all the users' name in the yellow pages. If you want your name got rid of the yellow pages, you have to pay at least 30 dollars! How come? Though I don't like it, I have to call every night, as it's my first job in Canada. The salary is lower than waitress. But it's an office job. Not so tired. Sounds better than waitress. The folks in China don't know what it is, as it has a good name, telemarketor.

    --- To be continued -----更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
    • I like your story and look forward to the follow-up...
      • how much does it cost to have a part-time maid (Zhong1 Dian3 Gong1) at Toronto?
        • Sorry, I have no idea about that? Do you want to find one, babysiter, or you are interested in this job market? Just joking.
          • Hi, may I have yr email address? I am Annie, who will land in Toronto in Aug. Will you share your experience finding a job with me?
            I am an administrative assistant working in a Swidish company now. I will land in Toronto in Aug. I learn a lot about what the new immigrants' life is from the internet. And I well understand that it won't be easy at all. I just want to know if it's not difficult to make a living if I can find a general job like waitress or something like that. Or can I find a job in Chinatown? Is it easy or not?
            • Hi, annie, glad to hear fr you, sure you can have my e-mail address, by clicking my profile. Do you fr Ericsson? Sounds like that. Would like to share my story with you, if you keep reading...
              • Your stories are the encouragement to me. So far, this is the first time I have read the articles from an Art-majored lady. Of course I will keep reading. Tks for sharing your precious experience with us.
                Lumlum, I am not from Ericsson actually. I have the same feeling as you used to have when you decided to leave your company in China. I have a nice boss. Even if I have resigned, he never turns a cold shoulder to me, instead, he often encourages me to pick up my confidence to start a new life in Canada. I will live all by myself after I land there. I am worrying and the sense of stray is in my mind every moment. But I can't tell my parents and my friends how I feel. I really need someone to encourage me. I know I still have a long to go in the future.
          • Lumlum, for i'm used to have someone clean house for me here in GZ and i fear that the living condition will decrease after landing in Ca.... %-(
    • 佩服佩服!我一直想用英语写作,怎奈写了几次,十分不满意,无法写出中文的意境,作罢。向你学习!
      • Maybe it's time for you to pay some tuition so that lumlum can teach you English writing.. :) (just kidding)
        • Thanks for sailor's appreciation, & I will try to keep on writing. Hope all the friends will not get bored.