Earning Money with Survival Jobs: Is it Worth it?

When you arrive in Canada, you must decide whether to get a “survival job” to earn money or look for a job in your profession. Your job choices will greatly affect how you live in Canada for the next few years. So, consider your options before you opt for a job that may not relate to your dream career, skills, qualifications, and industry. Discover how much you can earn, the advantages, and how to find a survival job in Canada.

What is a Survival Job?

These jobs are easy to get and earn just enough to pay the bills. But it may not relate to your dream career or professional background. Often, it’s a low-paying job that requires little to no skills. Once you get a survival job, keep searching for a job in your profession.

What are Some Survival Jobs?

Survival jobs can include driving for ride-sharing apps like Uber, delivery drivers for food services, retail sales representative, customer service, call centre agent, warehouse worker, restaurant server, and more.

Since a survival job requires little skill, it doesn’t have to relate to your profession. The employer will train you for the skills you need.

Salary for Survival Jobs in Canada

Generally, these jobs pay less than $20 per hour. Employers in Canada must pay you at least the federal minimum wage. You can expect to earn an annual income of around $30,000 to $50,000. Depending on where you live in Canada, this income probably won’t be enough to save for a down payment and buy a house. This salary will barely pay the rent if you live in Toronto or Vancouver.

Survival jobs are not meant to be permanent jobs. They allow you to earn income to help you get by until you find a permanent job in your field.

Advantages

Canada is expensive, and it can take up to six months to find a job in your chosen field. Without enough savings, you’ll need to earn additional money. In this case, finding a survival job is smart. It can also help you:

Cover Living Expenses

A survival job will earn you enough money to get by and save some money if you are careful. It can help you cover day-to-day living expenses. Survival jobs may offer flexible hours to allow you to attend interviews.

Since they are easier to obtain than regular jobs, newcomers usually get a survival job first. If you have savings, plan how long you can live on your savings while searching for a job in your profession.

Gain Canadian Experience

Most people look for the highest-paying survival job they can find. This may not be the best approach. A better approach is to find a job related to your profession. If you have a specific organization you would like to work for, try to get an entry-level job to get your foot in the door. This can help you secure a position that matches your skills and experience.

If you can’t find a job directly related to your profession, look for survival jobs that share some of the same skills with your profession. A good example would be teachers who could tutor part-time or full-time to show future employers that you can teach to Canadian standards. When you apply for a teaching job, you will have some Canadian experience to help you land the job.  

Learn New Skills

While a survival job is not your ideal choice, it can help you learn or enhance existing skills. Canadian employers value adaptability, teamwork, and communication skills. You’ll also learn about the Canadian workplace, hone your skills, and build confidence for job interviews related to your profession.

Disadvantages

A survival job is not always the best option, and there are some disadvantages. Often, they leave you little time and energy to continue your job search. Employers usually don’t offer medical or dental benefits. But, ask the employer if they offer any benefits.

It May Impede Your Job Search

Survival jobs can give you a feeling of self-satisfaction or ease. This is because they don’t require much thinking, and the tasks are generally easy. When both of these factors are combined, newcomers often give up on their job search after a few years of doing survival jobs. The longer you keep a survival job, the harder it is to find a job in your profession.

Many survival jobs are in the service sector, such as restaurants or tourist attractions. These jobs pay less and create a negative cycle of ‘no time and no energy’. This is because you work longer hours to earn enough money. Or, you can’t take time off to attend interviews for your dream job. As a result, you have little energy for networking, job hunting, professional development, and interviewing.

Erode Professional Skills

It may not sound logical, but a long-term survival job may hurt your Canadian experience and erode your professional skills. Earning money with a short-term survival job can help you build Canadian experience. But employers will be hesitant to hire you if you have a survival job for too long. Your professional skills will count as older experience, and employers may not consider it relevant.

Despite the downsides, a survival job can help you stay afloat financially.

How to Find a Survival Job

Finding a survival job in Canada is easy if you know where and how to look:

Networking

Networking is the number one way to get any job in Canada. Simply put, networking is building relationships to help you with your career. Effective networking happens by building two-way relationships. You show value and prove you have the required skills and experience to do the job.

Your network can include friends, relatives, and people you meet during your job search. Just showing your resumé to the HR department of the organization will not be enough. Words are more effective than any cover letter or resumé.

Tell people about your skills and capabilities. When people hear about a job opening, make sure they remember you. They may recommend you for the job if you leave a good impression.

Employment Agencies

Another great way to find jobs is through employment agencies. Companies hire these agencies to find capable and experienced workers. It’s a good idea to look up some of the best employment agencies in your area and approach them.

Online Job Boards

Job boards are the most common way to find jobs. Websites such as Indeed, the Canada Job Bank, and LinkedIn are great online job boards.

LinkedIn is also great for building your network. Employers use online job boards to advertise available jobs. If you see a job that interests you, you can apply directly to the employer through the job board.

While a survival job is not the best first job you can get, it is easy to get and can help you earn money to pay the bills. But don’t give up on your permanent job search.

Join professional associations, build your network, and take junior roles to get your foot in the door. These steps will help you reach career success in Canada faster!

Should You Get a Survival Job in Canada?

It depends on your financial situation and savings. Research your profession to assess the job outlook. If possible, search for a job related to your field to gain relevant Canadian experience. While a survival job can help you manage your finances while you look for your dream job, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons.