Visiting Vancouver in mid June

Whiskey_Sours · 2012-05-26T01:38:55.074355+00:00

PM'd you

y0ni · 2012-05-26T01:06:22.312095+00:00

Thanks for the tip

y0ni · 2012-05-25T04:43:04.150409+00:00

Seriously? I just registered 2 days ago and I didn't know that :(

mbdude · 1 day

Oh god, now we're arguing semantics. It's called networking when you do it for work and dating if you want a bf/gf.

Where and how you meet someone is arbitrary; most of it is just chance. What difference does it make if you met your future boss at an interview, conference, at Starbucks, or via email?

It's really not that complicated to contact someone you find interesting regardless of whether you want a job lead, friend, or dating partner and make a new contact. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I'm not advocating sending a VP or whoever your resume and cover letter and telling them flat out you want a job, I'm advocating asking them about their career and their industry in the city. Find out about their work. Go with the intent of finding out information. People are interested in people who are interested in them. Anyone who is willing to meet you is most likely going to do so out of their own good will; you'll almost always get good advice, tips, leads, or even a job offer if you're lucky.

I doubt I'd get response if I emailed Bill Gates asking if I could take him out to lunch to ask him about entrepreneurship, but it's wouldn't be a big deal to try.

When is the last time you tried to contact someone you were interested in talking to even if they had no idea who you were? You would be shocked at the response rate you get when people can tell you are sincere.

revert · 1 day

This will be rad.

Turbo_Dan · 1 day

Avoid: anything owned by Donnelly Group. In general, overpriced, bland, poor service.

We need more information! How sinful do you want your bachelor party to be? Are we talking limos, booze, gambling, strippers, and world famous BC bud? Or spring skiing, kayaking, paragliding, and zip-lining? Or an insane combination of everything that will leave you thinking that "The Hangover" was tame?

The great thing about Vancouver is that while it may not have the best of everything, be world class, or remotely affordable, you can basically do whatever you can think of here.

Damn, I should plan bachelor parties for out-of-towners.

mbdude · 2 days

Never tried online dating? Or flirting? That's pretty much how it works.

I don't want to derail this, but I find it's such a typical Vancouver attitude to fear initiating contact with strangers and take all types of rejection very personally. People are just people. If you approach them with sincerity, some will reciprocate.

bertweaze · 2 days

I think OP means "not starve to death in the cold Torontonian winter" when they refer to "FI."

If your parents aren't making your life a living hell other than you know, being parents, I suggest you stay with them for a while. It's 2012, not 1972; life is harder, shit is more expensive, and you shouldn't insist on moving out because that's what the cultural ethos says you should. The reality is that most students stay at home. I did, and now I'm well on my way to true FI.

To be on your feet you should have at least 6 months' expenses saved up (i.e., cash).

While at school, in addition to trying to hold down part-time work, you can boost your income several hundred dollars a month by tutoring ($15-30/h) or doing psychology experiments at your university ($5-20/h). If you have any sort of skill such as design, programming, fixing stuff, post ads online and ask for paid work from your network. One thing my brother did was build computers from parts for friends; it typically took 2-3 hours, and he could make a $100-200 profit from that while still saving his friends money. Also, consider the classic buying stuff you know is cheap and selling it on ebay/craigslist for more. Difficult, but people do make decent money off this.

Most importantly, if you haven't already tried, look for grants and scholarships. I know you're probably not a Catholic Albanian woman with spina bifidia who has started a non-profit and is studying midwifery, but believe it or not, many scholarships end up getting given out by default to the only person who applied. This is my biggest regret; my friend, who was in no way more special than I, paid almost nothing for her degree because she tried so hard to get scholarships (only about $500 was because of her race or gender) whereas I got around $2000 mostly for exam marks. When it came down to it, she earned about $100/h by applying to scholarships.

Let's estimate part time work @ $10/h x 20 h/week x 4 weeks/month = $800 + 8 h tutoring/month @ $20/h + 3 h experiments/month @ $10/h = $990/mo x 8 months school year = ~$7920. Add 4 months full-time in the summer: $10/h x 40 h/week x 4 weeks x 4 months = $6400. Total $14320 or ~$1200/mo.

Hard work, but doable. You can live on that in Toronto, but wouldn't save more than $100-200/mo. However, I bet living at home would let you save 75% of that, leaving you with up to 6 months' expenses in less than 1 year.

mbdude · 2 days

Everyone has to eat sometime. If you message 10 people and 1 responds, that's not bad at all.

Actually, it's really not as hard as your make it out to be. Also, you'd be surprised how few people even try. I was able to network and meet with a few researchers and people working in science supply companies. You have to demonstrate some value beyond, "me want job." It's just like dating; you can't just ask someone to sleep with you even if they know it's your ultimate goal. Correspond for a bit. Build rapport. Ask questions, ask about them, discuss your industry and experience, then ask to meet and make it clear its your treat. If there's one thing people like talking about, it's themselves. If they like you, they will offer information, interviews, or jobs.

I landed a few interviews this way, but in the end, I went a different route and networked online to find contracts, but if wanted a job in this city, I would definitely do this.

mbdude · 2 days

Me, and it's worked fantastically for myself and everyone I know who has tried it seriously.

Oh, and I'm not in marketing.

What do you think the entire process of convincing someone to give you money for stuff is?

mbdude · 2 days

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I have no links to insurance. I just wanted to help because many people come to Van, check Craigslist and get pretty discouraged. Van's job market sucks. Lots of cronyism. You have to be very resourceful.

Good luck with the search. Will let you know if anything comes up.

mbdude · 3 days

Craiglist? Fuck that shit. Bottom feeders. Walking around? Waste of time unless you want to work in the mall or a cafe.

If you want to get in line like all the other schlubs applying to jobs on classified sites so you can fight for low wages, be my guest. Many employers in Vancouver love having 100 overqualified people clamour for low-paid work.

If you really want decent jobs in this town (or era), you need to go directly to companies you want to work for. You need to create your own leads and message the actual people you want to work for, not cranky HR people who couldn't care less what you do. You need to do lots of research and prep work before you cold call or email. Know exactly what each employer needs and what value you can provide them. Take your "prospective" boss out to lunch or coffee do discuss the industry here. 5-10 lunch meetings should not cost that much; that's how you'll get real leads or jobs, not from your buddy who knows a guy that once worked in an insurance company. Also create business cards and attend meetings and conferences.

broccolus · 3 days

Cool site. All they need to do now to make it more accurate is factor is wait times, late buses, pass-ups, not in services, people arguing with the bus driver over the validity of their bus pass, and people refusing to move to the back of the bus even when there is clearly room.

sexyturtlepower · 4 days

I'm an editor, but I do know about freelance writing. Blog like a mofo.

The only way you're going to get anywhere with writing (or anything else) these days is specialization, a sexy portfolio, and a brand. Create value that no one else can replicate. Become an expert in something you're passionate about. Experiment on different topics and blogs; shut down blogs that you tire of or do not feel represent your ability as a writer. Use Google Analytics and track your readership. If you write an online diary of your teenage life, no one is going to care.

Your brand is you. Don't hide your identity. Get your name out there. A great example of this is Chris Gillebeau, albeit not my favorite writer. However, he's created a brand, an image around himself that makes him marketable.

If you have an identity and a specialty, then you become valuable to others; magazines and blogs will want to pay for your content. You'll be able to sell content (i.e., books, videos) directly to customers.

goNucks · 4 days

Crud. I haven't been for several months, so I didn't know.

iamthetruemichael · 4 days

Actually, I'm pretty sure constructive dismissal is legal as long as no one does it making while poking at your gender, race, age, orientation, etc. or does it in an abusive manner.

However, reducing someone to tears is generally thought of as a "dick move." Also, being yelled at for dealing with a cut could be some sort of violation on their part.

Sorry people are so inhumane to each other while trying to squeeze every penny out of minimum wage workers.

wtfgarbageman · 4 days

Get baked, then have sex, then eat food.

FTFY

goNucks · 5 days

Tips for success at Tanpopo:

Order all the "expensive" stuff first in a separate order. I.e., sashimi, nigiri. Then, put in separate orders for "cheap" stuff such as sunumono, tofu, salad, etc. Otherwise, your orders for fish will mysteriously "disappear."

Note that no matter how many pieces of sashimi you order, they will just bring you the same amount but cut into smaller pieces. Don't go overboard and order 100 pieces; just ask for 3-4 plates.

Lastly, if you don't see your stuff coming, ask them. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

oliveboomer · 6 days

Saying:

When you're young, you care what people think of you.

In middle age, you generally don't care about what people think of you.

When you're old, you realize no one ever cared at all.

hitchcocklikedblonds · 6 days

The hard part is asking them if doing the opposite makes them happy.

hitchcocklikedblonds · 6 days

Because buying shit that others want me to have doesn't make me happy.

End of discussion.

tapedeckghost · 7 days

With the magic of math, I estimate you're working around 35 hours, but only around 5-6 h/day; for 6 days/week, this schedule is ridiculous. You should try your best to push for a raise and schedule change to 5 days/week.

As much as your living situation annoys you, I think your work is your foremost problem: its sucking the life out of you. It doesn't give you much free time to tackle your problems. It's preventing you from making any progress. I imagine you come home tired and accomplish little for the rest of the day.

How long can you last without a job? If you can last a few months and your hosts will support you, I'm tempted to encourage you to quit because believe it or not. Once you have a free schedule, you'll be much more capable of making positive changes since you'll have free time. You'll be able to see opportunities that you might have missed. You'll be able to negotiate a new wage.

ccsmeow · 7 days

How being frugal doesn't feel like self-denial: spend lavishly on things you like but ruthlessly cutting costs on things you don't care much about. By giving up x, I have money for y.

For me, travel and outdoor activities > all other crap.

Furthermore, if you're frugal, you allow your self a comfortable margin to deal with unexpected crap and have to worry less in general if you can afford to do things you like.

Concise_Pirate · 7 days

Yes. Spend more on functional design and furniture and less on space.

It could save tons of money.

I_27_04 · 8 days

Only if you do not waste or throw out what you buy.

Many people assume buying in bulk is frugal. However, many people waste huge portions of good, especially food.

Worse, marketers aren't dumb; if there's a trend, they will try to cash in. Many bulk "deals" aren't deals at all. Why buy 4x as much as you need if it's only a few percent cheaper? Remember, you buy more is every marketers dream.

twelvis

TROPHY CASE

twelvis

TROPHY CASE

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