Trying to plan a job hunt road trip

[Quentin]

Ive been looking through and reading a lot of the advice on the site on how to get your first job here (200 hr CPL Multi-IFR here)
It seems to be all about hitting the road, going North/West and pounding on doors, I have quite a few questions on that though.

Im thinking about first getting my float rating before heading out, maybe work on getting some float hours when I get a ramp/dock job maybe.

1. Should I plan an absolute one way trip, like Im not coming back? Quitting my current job in Montreal seems risky for no guarantees, Im thinking that itll be difficult to get back though since most people say you have to be ready to start working at a moments notice.

2. I live in Montreal as I said, so heading West is a hell of a drive, Im willing to do it, but how are things generally in Northern Quebec? Also, obviously theyll be speaking french there, but am I wasting my time if I head there without fluent french? I have a working grasp on French, I can communicate, but my vocabulary is generally poor, so conversations stall and it can be difficult.

3. So to find jobs, I guess I just search all the aerodromes with at least a few companies, then dot across the country to each one, hand in at least a few resumes at each one? or should there be specific places I should be going to like Thompson and Yellowknife while skipping the rest?

4. I know the best time of year is at the start of spring, but will I still have good odds of getting some job this time of year (more like a month from now)?

Thanks for any answers you can give.

[Leafers77]

Buy a couple road maps. Google the crap out of canadian companies along the way (even search on avcanada). Mark them all down. Pick the best route… something like highway 11 through ontario, then sioux lookout and red lake, winnipeg, up the interlake and over to the pas, down to prince albert, maybe buffalo narrows, saskatoon, do a loop around alberta, if nothing then maybe the territories or BC. I never made it past SK. Haven't seen a mountain in years. Awesome trip though. Coffee and chew helps the time go by. Hand in a resume to each one in person. Call ahead a day or two, ask for the best time to see the CP or OM to drop off a resume. Be there for that time (don't be late). Quit your job in Montreal, the rest of Canada laughs at southerners. The sooner you leave the sooner you'll get a job.

[Rowdy]

Not a whole lot going on west of the rockies and most of the ops in edmonton and calgary are looking for more time. Pick the little guys in the smaller communities and you'll be surprised as to how welcoming many are. Quite a few in Ontario, manitoba and alberta. Fairly small market in sask, but still worth the trip through. Depends on what you're looking for.

Have fun! Enjoy the drive.

[andy.air]

With point 1 there, I personally don't think it's wise to go for a one way trip if you can help it. I actually had wondered about this during my road trips, especially the whole ready to work thing. If you think about it though, do you really want to work for a company who expects you to work right away? I know you can't be too choosy in this industry, but employers would have to be either desperate, or are there to exploit your desperation if this is the case.

[leftoftrack]

With point 1 there, I personally don't think it's wise to go for a one way trip if you can help it. I actually had wondered about this during my road trips, especially the whole ready to work thing. If you think about it though, do you really want to work for a company who expects you to work right away? I know you can't be too choosy in this industry, but employers would have to be either desperate, or are there to exploit your desperation if this is the case.

You don't work in Canadian aviation do you

[andy.air]

Just an opinion, take it or leave it. I have known people who got hired just fine without having to pitch in the all in gamble. At the end of the day, it is in fact less risky, and quite frankly, I haven't met a whole lot of companies who expect you to have quit your job in order for you to prove commitment. It is harder to get far when being tied to a job of course. It also sucks to be unemployed too.