For those who were not born with a silver spoon in their mouths, part-time employment is a one of life’s duties in post-secondary education. The International Students’ Center and University of Calgary Career Services, provide job-finding help for international and domestic students alike.
On-campus venues, such as Jugo Juice and Subway are excellent choices for international students, as roughly 70 per cent of employees hail from foriegn countries.
“To get a job off-campus as an international student, you have to prove that you’re not taking a job away from a Canadian,” said Jugo Juice and Subway Manager Faith Slen. “Then you have to apply for a working permit.”
One way an international student can obtain an income outside of school grounds is if the student’s spouse works off-campus.
“The rules [here] are different,” said Madelyn Bradley, advisor at the ISC. “The [spouse] can apply for a work permit, does not need HRDC and can get an open work permit that will expire at the same time that the study permit expires.”
For everyone else at the U of C, Career Services is available at absolutely no cost. These services include computer access for job hunting and the critiquing and posting of resumes online.
“Students need to learn to target resumes and know how to land the job once they have secured the interview,” said Ann Dyer, Assistant Director of U of C Career Services.
Also offered are free workshops on resume writing and interview skills.