Interviewing

I saw my agent Henk yesterday and together we looked through a databank of jobs available in Edmonton and immediate surroundings. We selected about a dozen jobs and then I started phoning the hotels to ask for information. In one case the number wasn't correct, a few other hotels didn't answer at all and then there was the voicemail. I think half of my phonecalls ended up in voicemail land never to be answered. Well, apart from one, because a lady did call back to tell me the position had already been filled.

The ice rink in the West Edmonton Mall, later that evening there was hockey practice as well

After all that, I left the Dutch Consulate (where Henk works) and drove to a hotel I hadn't phoned, but Henk knew the manager etc etc. When I got to the hotel, I asked to speak to the manager and lo and behold, I got to speak to him! He looked at my resumé, we talked for a few minutes and he said he was going to pass my resumé and information on to the manager front desk and if there was a position she would call me back today!

A pirate ship

I then went to a nearby hotel that had advertised and had to fill out a application form. However, I didn't speak to anybody. Then, I went to a hotel where again Henk knew the manager. He had moved to a different location though, but I was asked to fill out another application form. This form contained questions about my best and worst job and what job would I like to do if I were to win $5 million! That last question was easy of course: I wouldn't want to do anything, I would want to travel! When I returned the application form to the front desk however, the lady in charge of hiring front desk staff was there and she asked me several more questions. Whether I would consider working in Fort McMurray (which even according to the girls behind the desk was nearly the worst place to live in all of Alberta) or any of the other places they had hotels in. Well, provided an LMO would be gotten, I was game.

The large pool at the WEM

After all that I went to get a bite to eat at the WEM (West Edmonton Mall) which is supposedly the biggest shopping center in the whole world. It also contained an ice rink, a pirate's ship and a large swimming pool. I really had to keep track of where my car was parked and how to get there though, because it would be easy to loose your way: hardly any signs to indicate where you were or where you had to go! They just want you to shop I guess...

Today will be more of the dropping off resumés and hopefully talking to people.