Whether you are new to the job market or kicking off a new beginning, finding the right job is important. It’s estimated that people spend 90,000 hours at the workplace in a lifetime. Therefore, your work-life balance depends heavily on the quality of your job. Unfortunately, as of April 2021, Canada’s unemployment rate ranges around 8.1%. Approximately 15.4 million people are employed, on average – this means that 1,247,400 more jobs are needed to optimize the economy and provide every household with its necessary security.
Oddly enough, around the same time of this unemployment statistic, there were approximately 560,215 job vacancies officially listed. Effectively, this means our nation’s unemployment rate could halve if there were a better connection between prospective employers and potential employees.
The Canadian Job Bank is designed to bridge that gap, acting as a virtual liaison between job seekers and businesses looking for staff. While it may not have the same buzz as other job boards like Indeed or Linkedin, it has the power of credibility through its government accreditation. To some, this can be overwhelming, but this site is a fantastic way to track down high-quality jobs that work for you, and can be held over the long-term.
What Is The Canadian Job Bank?
The Canadian Job Bank is a database of employers and employees. Using government standardized systems such as NOC codes, it helps you narrow down your job search. Its history goes all the way back to the end of the First World War, when a system was required to reintegrate returning soldiers into the workforce. Adapting with the institution of the Unemployment Insurance Act, it now works to oversee the workforce in the country overall. As a joint effort affiliated with each province, this is one of the best-established platforms for job-seekers in Canada.
Continuing to update, it went digital back in 2014, adding on a mobile platform in 2018. Advertising an average of 80,000 jobs per month, it boasts a database of five million registered employers. Employees looking for work can curate a profile, with these garnering an average of 750,000 views on a monthly basis. In short, though it has certainly modernized, this government database and workforce program remains true to its goal: getting Canadians to work.
Features Of The Canadian Job Bank
The Canadian Job Bank, once scattered across affiliated offices throughout the nation, is now integrated into a digital platform as people are growing increasingly reliant on remote access (for good reason). Designed to make finding work easier, there are a few features worth a note.
Mobile App
Chances are, if you can use your smartphone for something, you will, at some point, opt for that convenience. The mobile features of the Job Bank app (for both Apple and Google Play) lets you use your location to find jobs near you. With optional alerts curated to your interests and filter options that let you refine the selection, the app guides you as you narrow down the job search until you find your workplace fit.
Job Match
Sometimes, during the hustle and bustle of a job search, some considerations get left behind. The job match feature takes traditional headhunting and marries it with practical algorithms to streamline your results. This add-on not only matches you to jobs, it enables employers to reach out to you, plus it lets you send the resume directly to the employer.
Simplified Job Search
Sometimes, the amount of filters and features of job-seeking apps can get really overwhelming. If you are able to set parameters specific to your trade, skill, education, and experience level, there’s a much smaller chance of you wasting your time chasing a mirage. The posted jobs won’t be from illegitimate employers, your information is secure, and the interface is extremely intuitive.
Compatible Workplaces
Office culture is different everywhere. It can range from a crowded office, a bustling restaurant, or an eerily quiet workspace. Depending on who you are as a person, you’ll likely prefer a certain type of environment. Finding somewhere that works for your needs optimizes your work success and helps you be comfortable at your job.
Head-Hunting
It’s always a good boost to the ego when you get tapped by a potential employer. Though it’s only for the premium account, if you’re honest in your resume and present yourself accurately, having an employer reach out to you lends to big opportunities. They can’t see you if you’re not listed though, and it’s a handy way to stay on top of workplace trends.
Convenience
The bulk of the workforce remembers the days of dropped-off resumes and land-line phone calls to arrange work. It took time, legwork, and quite some expense. Before remote work was prevalent, your radius was restricted to a reasonable travel time. Now, the doors are open for opportunity. With the Job Bank platform, you can curate a list of jobs that actually work for you.
How It Works
Starting a job search in Canada? This is a fantastic jumping off point. It helps you deal only with well-reputed and regulated sources. Since the jobs run through the NOC code system, there is less risk of getting surprised by a lowball offer. It’s a legitimate, easy way to use a proven job hunting system to your advantage. All you have to do is:
Create Your Profile
This is where it gets a bit tedious. Because it’s government affiliated, you have to go through a few hoops to prove your identity, then set up five security questions. The options are fairly diverse, so make sure to write down your answers somewhere. As long as all the info lines up, you’re in right away.
Take A Tour
There’s a menu option that is specifically made to help you get started. The first question asks whether you’re a recruiter or job-seeker. From there, you can go through all the features, one by one, and curate the experience best tailored to your needs. The job search section accesses a database, while the alerts give you real-time information on topics of interest. Once you’ve adjusted your settings, move onto the resume builder.
Resume Builder
Here, the site offers a variety of templates, since resumes aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It lets you customize the material, as well as letting you download and print resumes as much as necessary. The site also includes some practical advice on structuring your resume to put your best foot forward. Designed to highlight the virtues of both the employers and employees, making a resume with the building tool is a great first step.
Career Planning
The whole point of the Canadian Job Bank is to reduce attrition rates, meaning encouraging employees to stick around for a whole lot longer than they would otherwise. If the job is right, the Job Bank wants you to stay. If you can advance, truly building your career, that’s even better. It helps you use the education and experience you’ve garnered to build on that foundation. This section features:
Career Tool
This is sorted either through your field of study or by occupation and place. It depends on whether you are leaning more on education or experience for your job profile.
Career Quizzes
To better understand your positioning strategy as someone in pursuit of a career, there are some quick tests online. You can learn about yourself, better understand your priorities, and maybe find a hidden gem you hadn’t considered.
Job Profiles
If you have a specific topic of interest, a dream job, or a general trajectory onto which you want to shift your career, this is a good place to look. Especially if it’s a big change you’re looking to make, learning more about the job specifics lets you consider your true desires.
Resume Builder
Once you’ve settled on your career approach, it’s time to cultivate a resume that works for you. The site is designed to guide you along this process so that you can clearly highlight your experience and the value you offer for the positions you seek.
Advanced Search
The job market is perpetually in flux, and being able to narrow down your options to actionable pursuits is really helpful. You can streamline your search based on a host of parameters including:
- Job title
- Location
- Employer name
- Workplace language
- Type of employment (full, part-time, or casual)
- Verified employers
- Removing recruitment agencies from your search
- Looking exclusively for government work
- Based on your training
- Desired salary
Once you’ve broken down those requirements, it lets you further expand, selecting which industries you wish to investigate, the province, whether you’re willing to work on-call, if you’re a Canadian newcomer, and just about every other factor you could consider. The advanced search is so specific that, if you know what you truly want to do for work, the odds are in your favour.
How Do You Apply For A Job Through The Canadian Job Bank?
Anyone is able to apply for positions through the Canadian job bank. If you are applying outside of the country, you can apply directly through the indicated method for each individual posting. Alternatively, if you register with Express Entry, you are only put forth for matched jobs 30 days after the posting.
If you are applying within Canada, the steps are similar. Depending on the features you opted for (job match, alerts, etc.), you will get notified of relevant positions. Follow the instructions for the job posting and supply your resume. If you have a premium account, you can send the resume directly to the employer through the site. It’s a bit more of a rigamarole than the standard account, but if you qualify, use it.
How To Create An Account With The Canadian Job Bank
There are two types of accounts you can get through this database. The first is the Standard account, open to anyone internationally. All you need to qualify is a valid email address. On the other hand, the Premium account requires both an email address and either an Express Entry profile number or a Social Insurance Number. There are different features for each of these candidates:
| Features | Standard | Plus |
| Customize Search | YES | YES |
| Create Job Alerts | YES | YES |
| Favourite Jobs | YES | YES |
| Build a Resume | YES | YES |
| Track Search Activity | YES | YES |
| Get Job Matches | NO | YES |
| Enable Employer Invites | NO | YES |
| Share Resume Directly | NO | YES |
Find out what other documents you need in order to get a job in Canada.
Canadian Job Bank FAQs
Does the Canadian Job Bank show jobs from other job boards?
Can I track my job searches?
Can I get a job with no experience through the Canadian Job Bank?
Final Thoughts
It can be overwhelming to dive into the job market, but with tools like the Canadian Job Bank, it’s a much more accessible feat. Open internationally, whether you are in a different country looking for work or a citizen seeking career advancement, there is a way to use this resource to your benefit. Perhaps it won’t be your only source in your job hunt, but it is a valuable tool to have at hand. When used diligently and in conjunction with sufficient marketplace research, you can have real success with this platform.
