This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
Why I’m Moving West
Many employer’s are idiots! Myself and all my friends suffer from a disease I didn’t know about. It’s called being too qualified. What the hell? When was this a bad thing? I’m going to the West because they think differently. Employer’s out there are not
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I agree with you and Harper;Maritimers have a defeatist attitude
Maybe the employers have trouble understanding you alllll the way up there on your high horse.
I agree with you about the difference in geographical attitudes, but like said, maybe your resume had some grammatical errors on it like your post. This could be the true reason for not getting as many interviews as you would like. Just seeing it from an employer’s point of view. (yes, that last part was a segment instead of a full sentence, ha ha)
I agree with you about the difference in geographical attitudes; yet as said, maybe your resume had some grammatical errors on it like your post. This could be the true reason for not getting as many interviews as you would like. Just seeing it from an employer’s point of view. (yes, that last part was a segment instead of a full sentence, ha ha)
Maybe all those stupid “employer’s” are looking for someone with a basic grasp of grammar and punctuation…
u & harper can sit on it & rotatehehehehehehehe
Clearly, you are not overqualified in your use of English… just a few too many unnecessary apostrophes there…I doubt that it’s your overqualification that prevents your obtaining a decent job here – perhaps your attitude needs some adjustment.
Clearly, you are not overqualified in your use of English… just a few too many unnecessary apostrophes there…I doubt that it’s your overqualification that prevents your obtaining a decent job here – perhaps your attitude needs some adjustment.
Do they know how to use apostrophes out west too? I guess being overqualified doesn’t include a basic understanding of English grammar.
I guess no one has anything better to comment on about this comment, as that all anyone wants to talk is grammer…how fuckin’ boring!I do think employers do suffer from this problem, and it stems from not being validated enough for THEIR job performance. Shit rolls down hill- an this is applicable with security. it’s A sad statement of our work force that the owners out there do not realize that their largest asset is their employees, and if they did then maybe they would sing the praises of the manager’s who are left in charge and would feel secure enough to hire properly qualified people who will contribute the profitablity… but people are stupid and will always find the shortest route possible to making a profit, not realizing that turnover is can be a leading cost of business that could easily be avoided!
I guess no one has anything better to comment on about this comment, as that all anyone wants to talk is grammer…how fuckin’ boring!I do think employers do suffer from this problem, and it stems from not being validated enough for THEIR job performance. Shit rolls down hill- an this is applicable with security. it’s A sad statement of our work force that the owners out there do not realize that their largest asset is their employees, and if they did then maybe they would sing the praises of the manager’s who are left in charge and would feel secure enough to hire properly qualified people who will contribute the profitablity… but people are stupid and will always find the shortest route possible to making a profit, not realizing that turnover is can be a leading cost of business that could easily be avoided!
What our original poster may not realize is that “overqualified” often means “expensive”. If this is an entry level position he’s applying for, but he has five years of experience, many employers won’t touch him because he’ll cost them more than they’re budgeted to hire for. I imagine that, if he is as overqualified as he implies, several employers he’s applied to have wished they could afford to hire him. What employer would hire you if you were likely to jump ship as soon as you found another job, more in line with your qualifications (i.e. paid you what you’re worth)?
how can you be “overqualified” if you can’t write past a grade 9 level?sorry to harp on grammar, but geez…
After graduation I worked a temp position that any idiot could have done in an office in Halifax for six months. Then I was recruited for a position in Alberta in my field. While it was great to be offered a job using my skills and education, I’m stuck with a job I love in a place I hate. Yes the pay is good and the experience is fantastic, but the quality of life sucks! You can make more money in the west, but you spend it all on trying to get out of here every change you get and on the much higher cost of living. If you like big trucks, rednecks, pollution, dirty industry and right-wing religious fanatics, then maybe Alberta is for you. For me…I’m counting down the days.
I agree with Resident Weevil’s post. Before you go out west though, make sure your resume is edited for errors. Make sure that you have a place to live besides under a bridge as well. Finally pay attention to the news as the boom out west is rapidly turning into yet another bust. Good luck!
Hey mwh,You crack me up.
I agree with the original poster. I tried staying home in Nova Scotia but the way my employers (an engineering firm) treated me as an entry level employee was unbearable. After 4 years of schooling, I was given the important jobs of filling out spreadsheets and sorting files. After a year of work I was very happy to leave the East and come out to Calgary. Now I am in charge of my own projects and have a lot more responsibility, as well as a huge increase in wages. My employers in Halifax knew if I complained about my wages or the lack of responsibility there would be 10 resumes on my bosses desk to pick a new junior employee. Companies back home will realize soon that the fate of their business relies on young up-and-comers and not 60 year old-should be retired-can’t remember what it was like to be a entry-level-geezers.
Ok I am the guy. And I apologize for the grammar. When I say, “overqualified,” I mean just that. My salary expectation’s are exactly what they look for. In fact I often agree with everything they want in a person. But I show confidence and an ability to learn and grow. And my resume has been checked and re-checked by Recruiter’s and a lot of professional’s in the industry. So despite my post, my resume look’s like it could win a bloody Oscar. If you haven’t been elsewhere in Canada or the world you might not agree with me. But there is a lack of confidence East Coaster’s have that I didn’t know until I went elsewhere. People are afraid of success in all its form’s. And if you are in HR, you definitely don’t want someone who look’s better then you. At least not in NS. Oh and by the way. It was edited out due to lack of space. But I am already hired with several companies in BC. Bigger ones then the ones in NS where I’d be doing the same job for less pay. I tried it here. This is what I saw. I’m off to bigger and better. And don’t worry. My grammar doesn’t have to be good where I’m going.
ok what is with all this grammer crap!i am sick of it! it’s a bitch! deal
Boy, are you in for a shock!
Bad grammar/over qualified employee – I agree with you 100% and I wish you nothing but success in BC. Being a transplant “from aways” who has been looking for a job in my field for over a year (!) I can totally see the closed-minded attitudes companies out here have when it comes to hiring. It seems like they are terrified of people who are from “somewheres else,” have actual skills and will demand quality work experience on a fair pay scale. Though it’s not like the latter points are an option here, when the best most companies have to offer is basic admin work and call centre positions. Seriously, what university grad with a huge debt would rather work a shit job for minimum wage here when they can take a risk, move away and acutally use the skills they worked so hard to buy? No wonder there’s a mass exodus!
A man or woman after my heart…!…I left the east coast as well due to the exact same problems(s).In actuality, I was born in Halifax, left to study in Montreal because there were no schools for professional makeup artists in Halifax at the time to work in televison and film and they still are without a budget since 1991 when I left. I pursue my goals elsewhere.Needless to say, 15 years working in la belle province and T-dot for both Canadian and American film productions, etc, I couldn’t even get hired on as a brainless cosmetician in that cave that I was born,Halifax.News flash: I now am back in Montreal and gainfully employed!!!To all of you(you know who I am)that were so intimated by my credentials and beauty, I just flipped you the bird and happy living in that hole you bunch of inferiority stricken, insecure bitches!
This province is rife with educational snobbery. Too many degrees, not enough experience in our workforce. The MBAs think that only MBAs matter and they hire people who can’t possibly upstage them. There is so much one-upmanship and nobody seems to buy into the concept that if you support the person, you win as a team. This is the attitude that stifles this region. Sorry, I don’t have my MBA but I have experience that dates back to when the MBA was only for those who wanted to go to New York and become a stockbroker. Not for those who wanted to sell cars. So does that mean I should be disqualified from a job simply because I did not get the degree? Does experience not matter? The only thing that keeps me here is the knowledge that we have tons of upcoming retirements in our workforce in the next few years and that there will not be enough people to fill the vacancies. Then perhaps people like me – those with actual, real experience – will get the opportunity to finally use our hard-won skills.
I agree with some posters. This place has only in the last 10-15 years or so begun to get rid of open BS patronage “who’s your dad” sort of crap to get a job and the folks who were doing it are still around.Not to mention that nearly every single person who wants to do something real in their line of work has to leave and come back at the very least, just to get the experience. It is often due to simple corruption and local minded crap.Go through the work of an education, take your knocks in a low level job, try to follow the advice of career professionals, etc and in the end, there are still almost no opportunities unless you happen to know someone who can help and then you’re suposed to be in their flippin debt somehow. Established employers here are definitely afraid of letting someone new grab the reins occasionally. Probably because they are half qualified themselves and enjoy sitting around doing jack rather than doing actual work.