Hi Melanie

Welcome to Nelson! I can truly understand what a big adjustment this is for you, as I came from Ontario myself about12 years ago, and now I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I hope you find yourself adapting and enjoying the change of pace that a small town in the interior of BC provides. Many people move to Nelson for a lifestyle change, and the difference in wages is often made up by the good fortune to live in the beauty of the West Kootenays, and the outdoor recreation opportunities it provides.

It is often considered by job seekers to be a good idea to ”plaster the town” with resumes, in the hopes that something comes up in the way of a job offer. In my experience, both personally and professionally, this is not necessarily a good use of time and energy. It’s possible that retail and food service employers wouldn’t give your resume a second look as you may not have highlighted any of your transferable skills in the retail field.

I suggest it would be more effective for you to target your resume and your job search to those positions to which you are best suited, i.e. clerical and office administration. Do you have a skills summary or relevant skills section on the front page of your resume? Make it easy for the employer to see what skills and accomplishments you bring to their workplace. Ensure that your resume and cover letter meets the employers’ needs.

Another idea is to use the informational interview as part of your job search strategy. This kind of interview helps you to gain knowledge about a particular organization or industry, and find out what’s happening locally in that field. When I first arrived in Nelson I set up appointments to meet with local employers, and found it invaluable in terms of networking and gaining local labour market information in their particular field. I found out names of other local companies, individual contact names as well as the required certification in these fields in BC.

Networking is very important when seeking employment in a new town. We often speak of the hidden job market. The job market is like an iceberg, only the top 20% of the iceberg is apparent, i.e. the jobs that are advertised. The other 80% of the jobs are typically given to people that either the employer already knows or who come recommended.  I have found that it’s not always what you know, but who knows you. Ensure that neighbours, friends, your church, your husband’s organization, everyone with whom you are connected is aware that not only you are seeking employment, but also what your skill sets are. Now is a good time to volunteer to help you meet new friends, increase your exposure in the community and gain local references.
Be prepared to take a more entry level position than you would like. Once you have made yourself invaluable to an employer you are in a much better position to negotiate more responsibilities and a higher wage. Furthermore it can be easier to find work when you are employed as a job seeker may exude a feeling of confidence when they are already working.

Good luck in your job search, Melanie, and if you need further support Kootenay Career Development Society is available for all your employment needs including free individual counselling and workshops, a regularly updated job board, and both local and provincial labour market information.

Ask the Career Expert is a regular feature of Kootenay Career Development Society.  If you have questions you would like to ask the Career Expert, would like to share your own experience of looking for work in Nelson and area or any comments, please contact us at admin@kcds.ca