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Finding a job

Montreal is still a pretty difficult place to find any kind of job these days, unless you're a telemarketer or live-in janitor. Be careful reading the Help Wanted ads, because a lot of them are carefully disguised commission-only sales gigs. When looking for a job it's wise to check in every few days at the local Canada Employment Centres (Check the Blue Pages under Human Resource Centres to find the office closest to you or call 496-1161 to reach a consultant for employment insurance or to get a SIN). Computerized job bank machines are available at each of the CEC locations, so you can walk in and look at up-to-date listings without having to talk to a civil servant. You can also obtain job listings on the web at http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/

Access Montreal (see Tenants' rights for address)

Concordia Off-Campus Housing and Job Bank (see Housing for address)

Employment Telemessage An automated job search available 24 hours as part of the Human Resources Centre of Canada at 283-3364

Face à Face Listening and referral service. Also has a welfare bank for the homeless and self-help classes. Anonymous, no appointment necessary. Mon­Fri 9am­5pm. 2050 St-Mathieu, 934-4546

Jewish Vocational Service During the academic year, this service has a variety of workshops which can help students improve their employability. If looking for a job, however, it is important to recognize that this organization mostly deals with 9-to-5 jobs which may only suit a student's summer schedule. 5151 Côte-Ste-Catherine, 345-2625

Youth Employment Service Started by Alliance Quebec, this group caters specifically to anglophones, usually between 18­35, looking for jobs. Besides the job search, they offer an entrepreneurship program. 630 René-Lévesque, #185, 878-9788

Keeping a Job

Commission des normes du travail Provincial office which makes sure employment laws are observed. For information on vacation pay, salaries, wrongful dismissal. 873-7061/873-4947

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) is the Quebec equivalent of the Worker's Compensation Board. As the provincial agency mandated to improve health and safety in the workplace, it provides compensation for work accidents and parental-leave benefits, and investigates accidents. Visit their extensive library, which includes videos. 1 Complexe Desjardins, South Tower, 34th fl. 873-3990

Action travail des femmes Resources and support for women workers in non-traditional jobs. 4706 Wellington, 768-7233

Centre d'aide aux travailleurs et travailleuses accidenté(e)s de Montréal Aid for injured workers, in addition to lobbying the government for better labour laws. The Centre d'aide also deals directly with the public through education, information sessions and consultations on workplace safety and labour laws. It also helps claimants at CSST hearings, distributes newsletters and pamphlets. 2570 Nicolet #102, 529-7942

Union des travailleurs-euses accidenté(e)s de Montréal Information sessions on workplace safety to both unionized and non-unionized workers. Offers help in CSST cases. 4533 de Lorimier, 527-3661

Welfare/EI

Comité chômage de l'est de Montréal Information on unemployment and welfare laws as well as free legal representation. 1691 Pie-IX #406, 521-3283

Comité chômage Sud-Ouest publishes a guide to Employment Insurance in English, French and Spanish. 4190 Notre-Dame W., 933-5915

Mile-End Community Mission Welfare rights info, advocacy and referrals. They'll also help you fill out applications Mon-Wed-Fri 10am­4pm. 87 Bernard W., 274-3401

Mouvement d'action chômage Informs you of your rights during EI benefits. Weekly information meetings. 6839 Drolet, 271-4099

NDG Anti-Poverty Group Welfare advocacy and networking. 6525 Somerled #7, 489-3548. Also has a branch for selling donated clothing at low cost called "Charade." 5673 Sherbrooke W., 487-0070

Share and Care LaSalle 707 75th Ave. #4, 595-7305

St. Columba House Welfare Rights Committee Run by and for people who are either on welfare or have been. Info and advocacy services, networking, fighting the new EI laws. 2365 Grand Trunk, 932-6202

Welfare Hotline Social-aid info and complaints. 873-4721

CV copy centres

An essential component of job-hunting is a snappy curriculum vitae. If you can't get one of your graphic-designer friends to help you, then you might consider paying a résumé service to put it all together. The Bakos Group, along with 24-hour service, promises an interview within 30 days, a new job and the lowest price, or they will rewrite your CV free of charge. Although there is no longer a Montreal office, the service is still available by fax 1 800 370-6641 or call 1 800 370-5627.

If you want to do it yourself and you can't get time in the computer lab at school, then computer rental is an option. The Atwater Library (1200 Atwater, 935-7344) offers on-site, hourly rental of computers, perfect for a résumé or business letter. Other companies like Electro-Rent (337-5573) offer rentals by the day, week or month, and will sometimes deliver.

Copies Ressources (3822 St-Laurent, 982-9435) has everything you need to make a document or CV look great, including Mac services by the hour. They can laserprint from your disk in most formats, and fax out a copy as well. Duplicatech, just down the street at 3790 St-Laurent (288-8999), has all the same services as above. Copie 2000 has two locations which rent computer time as well, at 5041 du Parc, 277-2000 or 1115 Sherbrooke W., 845-8339. Students will be familiar with either Copies McGill (3407 Peel, 844-5910) or Copies Concordia (1520 de Maisonneuve E., 931-3063), and Copie Express has several locations around Montreal, including 680 Sherbrooke W., 288-0288; 945 de Maisonneuve E., 526-0057; 5101 du Parc, 278-5481; or call their head office at 344-5511 for the nearest location.