Down and out in Calgary - looking for advice

[ssiguy]

Hali87........ Sorry to hear about your difficulties so I will give you my 2 cents worth:

1} Often the problem is not a lack of experience but rather a lack of LOCAL experience. Certain things in Urban Planning are obviously universal but each city is different and has unique challenges and Calgary & Halifax are 2 very different places. Take a job that may not be up to your qualifications or pay expectations to get that local experience.

2} Go to a major employer in Urban Planning ie Calgary Transit/City of Calgary, and accept one of their jobs. Transit agencies especially are hiring like wildfire right now and get your foot in the door no matter what the job or whether it's P/T or even contract. It brings you a personal job experience, will offer decent pay to pay your bills no matter what type of job you get, and helps you make important contacts within the organization.

The last point is very important. Remember all union jobs {which CT/CH are} MUST, by their contracts, place all job offerings internal before they go external. There may currently be quite a few jobs in these organizations that fit your skills but you cannot apply for them because they must go internal first and if they can't find a qualified person then they go external when you are up against other planners who may have years of experience over you. When you get your foot in the door for any job, make sure you go to all those public planning meetings or the ones only employees can attend and make your voice heard and mingle with the other senior planners in the depts so they know who you are on a first hand bases.

I hope that helps and best of luck.

[urbandreamer]

I didn't realize urban planners make $45-50/hr jeez I'm jealous. Anyway, I see Lloydminster is hiring: an isolated, but affordable smaller city, probably way less competition for jobs. $800 for a small apartment. I'd move there, save a lot of $ and maybe stay 5 years.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Have you looked into working with a recruiter to try and find a position?

I honestly don't know anything about recruiters (I have only a vague idea of what that is, tbh). That would probably be something useful for me to look into. Thank you.

My youngest son has a masters degree in mechanical engineering, and only got a single nibble despite sending out numerous job applications over the course of six months. He did get hired by a consulting engineering firm in Fredericton, but, he is not overly busy there and is fearful of getting laid off. Consequently, he is still living at home with me in Moncton and commuting (he doesn't want to get saddled with a lease, and then get laid off). The situation is not ideal.

That is quite a long commute! Although I can understand the reasoning behind it, and I would probably do the same in that situation. At least until it became clear that there would be steady work.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

I didn't realize urban planners make $45-50/hr jeez I'm jealous.

Well, some do, if they have jobs

Anyway, I see Lloydminster is hiring: an isolated, but affordable smaller city, probably way less competition for jobs. $800 for a small apartment. I'd move there, save a lot of $ and maybe stay 5 years.

That is something I'll think about. Although again at this point in my life I'd rather try to make a go at something (even if it's unrelated and pays way less than $45-50/hr) in Calgary rather than move again to someplace where I don't want to live and don't know anyone at all. But I appreciate the heads up and will check it out.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Hali87........ Sorry to hear about your difficulties so I will give you my 2 cents worth:

1} Often the problem is not a lack of experience but rather a lack of LOCAL experience. Certain things in Urban Planning are obviously universal but each city is different and has unique challenges and Calgary & Halifax are 2 very different places. Take a job that may not be up to your qualifications or pay expectations to get that local experience.

2} Go to a major employer in Urban Planning ie Calgary Transit/City of Calgary, and accept one of their jobs. Transit agencies especially are hiring like wildfire right now and get your foot in the door no matter what the job or whether it's P/T or even contract. It brings you a personal job experience, will offer decent pay to pay your bills no matter what type of job you get, and helps you make important contacts within the organization.

The last point is very important. Remember all union jobs {which CT/CH are} MUST, by their contracts, place all job offerings internal before they go external. There may currently be quite a few jobs in these organizations that fit your skills but you cannot apply for them because they must go internal first and if they can't find a qualified person then they go external when you are up against other planners who may have years of experience over you. When you get your foot in the door for any job, make sure you go to all those public planning meetings or the ones only employees can attend and make your voice heard and mingle with the other senior planners in the depts so they know who you are on a first hand bases.

I hope that helps and best of luck.

Thanks! To be honest, I have already been applying to the most entry-level jobs that have been available - in the case of the Planning Department itself, "Planning Services Technician 2" along with the Planner 1, Planner 2, and DO jobs that I meet the listed requirements for (I don't really expect to get a Planner 2 job right away but figure it would be a waste NOT to apply in cases where I do meet the requirements). Also applied to a "Planning Assistant" job at Rocky View County, and a $20/hr-with-no-benefits contract job at Calgary Municipal Lands Corp which basically would have been managing a single small park.

There just haven't been any entry-level jobs available at all most of the time that I've been here. I'm hoping that the city will do a round of hiring for Planning Services Technician 1 positions sometime soon but have no idea when that will happen (for all I know it could be years). That is something that I think would be realistic for me and I would take it in a heartbeat. If I could find an even more entry-level job within the organization that paid something like $18/hr + health coverage after 3 months, I would honestly apply for that as well, just to get the experience/foot in the door, but I don't know if any such position exists (and if it does, realistically there would probably be tons of competition even for that).

As for Calgary Transit, the only job I've seen posted since I've been here (other than drivers/mechanics) required something like 5+ years of route scheduling experience. I considered applying as a driver although their hiring process takes something like 6 months, involves paying for a bunch of stuff as part of the application process, and I don't think that would really "get my foot in the door" for an office job, although maybe I'm wrong. The only other transit jobs I've seen locally have been very high-level jobs (ie being Head of Transit for somewhere like Okotoks) and those tended to require something like 10+ years of experience.

[1ajs]

re tranit 5-10 years experiance still apply u just never know whos guna apply.

sorry u got driven outa halifax
if ur interested come to lynn lake mb theres 12 postsing at alamos gold atm for entry level core technition and core cutting with a 20yr mine on verge of starting construction options for camp work in their exploration department atm its not planning but if u wana be apart of rebuiling a community come i can find u afixer upper right now for 10k and help u with heap housing ur planning schooling would be a huge asset in this community hell the whole regon..

if not have u applied at any first nations for planning positions many would be happy to take u id imagin

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

re tranit 5-10 years experiance still apply u just never know whos guna apply.

I have applied to a few positions like that, but ultimately each application takes time and energy, so in practice I've mostly been prioritizing the ones that I meet (or come close to meeting) the qualifications for. But that is a good point.

if not have u applied at any first nations for planning positions many would be happy to take u id imagin

That's something that I hadn't really thought of, I appreciate the suggestion and will look into that.

[ssiguy]

Even applying for a security job at CT would be fine and they are hiring tons of them. Obviously, it is ideal if you can get a job in your field but if you can't you still have a job to pay the bills and more importantly, you are accruing experience within the organization so that you can apply for those Urban Planning jobs when they come up. Remember those vacancies you applied for have already gone internal and they can't find anyone within the organization to fill them so now they are external jobs.

Whether you are the Chief of Calgary Transit or a floor sweeper or security guard doesn't make any difference in terms of the hiring process. If you have accumulated enough hours within the organization, you can apply for ANY position in ANY of the depts before anyone else even if they have 20 years experience and a PH'D but are not currently employed within the organization. Being within the organization also allows you to get to know other employees including in the fields you wish to enter. Go to those planning meetings regardless of if your job is just sweeping floors and give them feedback and let them know of your qualifications and jobs you would like to eventually have. Make sure they know who you are on a first name basis so when jobs become available in their dept they have you in the back of their minds and may "encourage" you to apply.

They also get to know you personally and you can demonstrate that you are friendly and personable with a positive outlook and a team player. They DO take this into account when hiring and this is a skill you have proven you have unlike an external person applying. By being outside the organization and with little experience they don't know what kind of person you are and what type of employee you will be and getting to know people within the organization let's them know that you are a person they would enjoy working with.

First thing first, get your foot in the door and your ability to move up the ladder with your qualifications is assured.

[Hali87]

^ Good to know. Thanks!