Frequently Asked Questions

Sometimes. We are occasionally contacted by employers, but we are not a placement or employment agency. We do collaborate with other organizations with which employers post job vacancies. We work with them to help you get back to work. We teach you how to find job postings, apply for them, and how to access the hidden job market.

Most probably. We have helped carpenters, floor installers, cooks, building managers, drivers, sales clerks, customer service representatives, production workers, managers, accountants, teachers, First Aid attendants, and many more find suitable employment.

Yes. If you are one of many who have always gotten work through word of mouth or by showing up on a job site, you may have noticed that things have changed. A site supervisor or manager might tell you to apply online. Job postings ask you to email your cover letter and resume. When you show up at a place of business, they ask you to leave your resume and/or cover letter. We will help you write a cover letter and resume you can truly get behind, ones that give you the confidence to present yourself to any employer.

Absolutely. We have worked with people of all levels of computer knowledge. From those who have never touched one, to those who have never had an email address, those who only use a computer for email, to computer professionals who have taught us a few things. We will guide you and support you through your learning process, sit down with you in the computer lab and do whatever it takes until you are comfortable doing an electronic job search.

We can help you access most any other resource to help you find, obtain and retain employment. We can help you with interview and work clothing, finding housing, getting a phone number where you can be reached, lunch, Food Bank, transportation, id, credit rating, driver's abstract, family justice, advocacy, Doctor, Dentist, Counsellor, and anything else that will help you to get and keep a job.

No. Our goal is to help you identify your skills, experience, strengths and interests and then assist you in finding meaningful work, a job that will fit in with the rest of your life. Your first job may not be your ideal job, but one that will help you get there.

We all have skills that are transferable to many types of work. We will sit down with you, on-on-one, to identify those skills and how you can use them to get a different job.

Although The Job Shop does not offer or fund any training, we can help you assess your need, suitability and readiness for training, and then access resources which can help you obtain training.

We can help you make that decision. Individual situations vary widely. We can help you look at pros and cons of starting a business, and connect you with any appropriate resource, such as a self employment program.

Larry, Clinical Counsellor: been with The Job Shop from the very start; 40 years of combined work experience in counselling, education, nursing, business; always client centered
Dafna, The Job Shop Coordinator: 5 years with The Job Shop; 25 years of combined work experience in arts, administration, emergency preparedness; incredibly accepting
Marty, Employment Counsellor: educated and trained as a social worker; many years of employment counselling experience; also experienced in business, non-profit, and government sectors; naturally enthusiastic
Jayne, Employment Counsellor: 5 years counselling experience in the Downtown East Side; 30 years of combined work experience in trades, self employment, film industry, communications; exceptionally resourceful