So you want to move to Kelowna?

Unless you are one of those lovely retirees that are in abundance out here, you need to find a way to generate an income.

How do you make your future move to Kelowna a Reality?

Growing up in Penticton, the first thing many of us did was get out of the Okanagan. Many had their hopes set on a big city life with no intention of ever coming back.  However, we all hit a point in our lives where priorities change and we realize what we had once overlooked; how amazing the Okanagan is. Many are starting to consider coming back but keep telling me the same thing; "well there's no jobs out there, or a would."

HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES TO HELP YOU FIND WORK IN KELOWNA

The Okanagan Young Professionals

There is a small youth movement gaining ground in Kelowna. A great way to network and tap into it is through the Okanagan Young Professionals. They are very well connected and hear frequently about employment opportunities. This is a great resource to get you in the right direction.

www.oypcollective.com.

Accelerate Okanagan

Are you in the technology industry? This is where you need to go. They will provide you with the most up to date information on how to get your business started out here. The City has just started building the Okanagan Centre for Innovation which brings even more opportunity for technology companies to grow out of Kelowna. Accelerate Okanagan will be moving their facility and extending their reach when construction is complete.

www.accelerateokanagan.com

Central Okanagan Development Commission

Looking to start a business or bring your business into Kelowna? You should talk to the Central Okanagan Development Commission. Here is a link to a package they have put together that has a series of resources and contacts for anyone thinking about being self employed in Kelowna. Go to the link here.

www.investkelowna.com

HERE IS ANOTHER GOOD OPTION FOR YOU:

If you are in Oil and Gas and are wondering what to do...

Kelowna now flies direct to Fort McMurray. It is quite possible to work in the oil and gas industry while avoiding the Fort McMurray Winters in your downtime. With the inflated home prices and rental rates, in Fort McMurray, your flight costs will nearly cancel out your savings. There are great home options near the airport that allow you to live the the Kelowna lifestyle, while still generating a healthy living in the oil and gas industry.

Online Resources

Whether it be corporate websites or job search engines, there are always positions coming up. We have a thriving Care sector where there are numerous high paying positions. You can apply at banks or to the city and add your resume to their stack. I have found that people struggle going the online route. With programs set to pull keywords and prescreen heavily on education and experience, it can be hard to get the interview where you know you will win them over.  Use these online postings as an opportunity to see where positions are available, but don't do the norm and submit your resume and hope for a call. The best thing to do is to make some calls, drop off some resumes and follow up, follow up, follow up.

They say 90% of the jobs you get are from who you know and not from what you apply for.

Exhaust other options before focusing online with job sites like Indeed, Craigslist, and Monster. Im not saying they don't work. But in many cases corporate job postings are just put there as a standard requirement and their candidates are already picked out internally. If you want to make a serious effort of getting out here, you are going to have to get your hands dirty, call some people, and make some connections.

Obviously, one can expect a hit in gross salary when looking at wages in Kelowna vs. other major metropolitan areas. However, cost of living and quality of life can easily make up for it.

I love the fact that I don't drive 45 minutes to work anymore...unless i hit traffic where we can beef it up to over an hour. Now, I have an extra hour every day that isn't spent driving and can be allocated to other more productive things, like work or spending time with my family.

Between time saving, fuel saving, property cost reduction and reduced stress. You owe it to yourself to at least try and find a way to make it work out here.

I hope the suggestions I posted above can guide you in the right direction. If you want more immediate help, call me and I will do my best to connect you with the right people.

David Delorme - Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty - 778-821-3885