Would it be a dumb idea to move to Calgary WITHOUT a job?

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by psicodude

especially if you don't carry any delusions that you should be making $50k per year coming out of University.

wow.... I need to stop feeling like the visions guy ripped me off on my TV....

Also, my contribution to this thread, log on to rentfaster.ca and sign up for the new listing alert. When I looked in April - June, there was nothing for rent, if you didn't reply off a new listing alert, the landlord's voice mail was already full

[wookster]

I wouldn't think you would have too much trouble with an entry level IT position at a helpdesk. Shaw and Telus are both advertising for Tech support people right now for Calgary on their websites. There are also many staffing agency's that will "pimp" you out for IT work as well, including a lot of help desks for oil and gas company's.

I started out as a TSA at Shaw, made contacts, moved onto a help desk within an Energy company (as a contractor through a staffing agency), and I am now an Employee at my present Oil and Gas company and doing very well with said company.

There are definitely opportunities here...especially once you've gained some experience and made some contacts.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Rudee

No guarantee you'll find work in IT here in Calgary. I know two people who have an IT background and they've been job hunting since early summer for suitable IT work. i.e. not low paying bottom rung tech support stuff.

There's nothing wrong with that for someone who is just starting out a career. I know IT consultants who charge $200/hour who started out on help-desk. At my current company, a lot of systems analysts and even business analysts and developers started out at the help desk. It's also one of the most powerful ways to network if you're smart about it.

Doesn't your school help you with careers? Do they have a job board or anything? Having one or two field-related jobs on your resume before you get here will save your ass! Grab a couple of IT contractor jobs out of school or through their job system. Here in Calgary, a lot of the IT contracting companies actively post on school job boards because they have found students reliable in the past for rush/manpower jobs where expertise is not needed as much as energy and willingness to work for a short term (and low pay of course).

When I was in the middle of school I picked up a one day IT job from the school postings (show up at small O&G company, migrate a floor full of computers from their old domain to their new one, move network cables to new switch, eat pizza). This was literally my first paying IT job ever.

Having that single, one-day job on my resume let me B.S. errr... apply to another school job board posting and land a 1 weekend job with BP and they flew me out to a plant to decommission their systems (wipe computers, retrieve backups, pull systems, get Westjet vouchers for tons of food at airports).

I ended up working only about 15 hours (actually spent working, not including transit) total for both jobs combined but on my resume it looked like I had a whole IT career already as both an office and field guy and I hadn't even graduated yet which was a killer advantage when I started looking for real full-time work which I got 3 offers for a month before I even graduated. Then I worked service desk for 4 months before being given the opportunity to move into a systems or business analyst or developer role.

A lot of the time, IT companies or IT departments will put new grads into a help desk role in order to get you to learn the company. Because of that, I ended up talking on the phone to managers and VPs throughout the whole company every day and was on a first name basis with the CEO because I helped him a couple of times. Never underestimate the service desk role. It gets you in contact with people from every department, it teaches you the whole business, and gets you connections like you wouldn't believe if you know how to use it.

Doesn't hurt to write some certs before you leave home for a place with no guaranteed job though but the job experience of 1 or 2 small field related jobs on your resume is what will really make and save you in terms of having your resume picked out of a pile and to give you something to say regarding your experience in interviews.

[JD]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

......awesome career advice....

Well-said, and great advice for anyone still in school or just out.

No matter what program you're in or how well it is regarded, nobody fresh out of school is actually qualified to do anything useful, particularly in technical careers. Experience is all that matters and the more of it you have (and variety counts too!), the better.

[flamingreen]

Renting a place in Calgary is stupid expensive (for what you get) and scarce. If you are moving to Calgary without a job, you better have a good chunk of savings.

Personally, I don't see the wisdom in moving to Calgary to secure a job at Best Buy or Futureshop so you can make negative money and live below the poverty line. Work those kinds of jobs where you are now while still applying for a real IT job and move when you've secured one.

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by psicodude

There are a ton of entry level IT openings in this city, especially if you don't carry any delusions that you should be making $50k per year coming out of University. The quickest place to start will be in PC sales at Future Shop, Best Buy, Memory Express, etc. or 1st level help desk. These places put a lot of stock into your personality and attitude as opposed to experience.

As for moving to Calgary, I personally would want a good $5000 in the bank or the financial backing of family before coming out here. Unless you are coming from another large city, the jump in cost of living can be a shock to younger people. Don't underestimate how much it will cost to get set-up in an apartment.

Any of the online job banks are a good place to start. I personally know a couple of people that started their IT careers here, for example: http://regionalhelpwanted.com/Search...62&ID=75485441

I am not in IT, and I'm not right out of uni, but I am basically a new grad experience level and I would not even get out of bed for 50k/yr. Honestly, I would rather not work.

Hmm... I think I figured out why young people have trouble finding "suitable" jobs...

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I am not in IT, and I'm not right out of uni, but I am basically a new grad experience level and I would not even get out of bed for 50k/yr. Honestly, I would rather not work.

Hmm... I think I figured out why young people have trouble finding "suitable" jobs...

Can i kick you?

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I am not in IT, and I'm not right out of uni, but I am basically a new grad experience level and I would not even get out of bed for 50k/yr. Honestly, I would rather not work.

So you are still living with your mommy right?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I am not in IT, and I'm not right out of uni, but I am basically a new grad experience level and I would not even get out of bed for 50k/yr. Honestly, I would rather not work.

Hmm... I think I figured out why young people have trouble finding "suitable" jobs...

Jesus.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

it's way more expensive.
the transit in Vancouver is massively overrated.

Well I've lived in both for about equal parts of the last 7 years. In my experience living not super close to the core Vancouver was overall cheaper for my living costs. Obviously it is going to vary by person and where you want to live/rent but Calgary is not a cheap city and I don't understand when people say Vancouver is way more expensive. You can actually eat out in Vancouver for a reasonable price.

The transit in Calgary is massively useless unless you're trying to go to downtown and back. try going from the SW to the NE, or the SE to the NW, etc. Had way less issues in Vancouver going a variety of directions.

Just my experience of course but it is firsthand. I assume you've lived in both as well?

[Cal23]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Having that single, one-day job on my resume let me B.S. errr... apply to another school job board posting and land a 1 weekend job with BP and they flew me out to a plant to decommission their systems (wipe computers, retrieve backups, pull systems, get Westjet vouchers for tons of food at airports).

Let's just say, hypothetically, that I never really 'worked' at a place but volunteered my time every so often to help (and thus, gain IT experience). Would putting this on my resume make a big difference in terms of securing a job you think?

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

The transit in Calgary is massively useless unless you're trying to go to downtown and back. try going from the SW to the NE, or the SE to the NW, etc. Had way less issues in Vancouver going a variety of directions

Was kind of hoping that I wouldn't need a car in Calgary (just like I didn't need one in Toronto), because of gas+insurance. Bad idea you think?

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I am not in IT, and I'm not right out of uni, but I am basically a new grad experience level and I would not even get out of bed for 50k/yr. Honestly, I would rather not work.

Hmm... I think I figured out why young people have trouble finding "suitable" jobs...

I kind of agree.

I recently graduated, have a few years experince in my field, and I would not be able to take a position that paid any less than $50k a year.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Cal23

Let's just say, hypothetically, that I never really 'worked' at a place but volunteered my time every so often to help (and thus, gain IT experience). Would putting this on my resume make a big difference in terms of securing a job you think?

Absolutely. Don't mention it was an unpaid job but don't claim they hired you either. Explain in an interview that it was like a volunteering internship and be persuasive about your work ethic at doing something without pay just because you valued the learning opportunity and hands-on experience.

I did the same thing for 2 months and while unpaid, I offered to do everything there that I could possibly do and therefore was able to put down that I did "this and that" at this company even though they didn't actually pay me.