Candidate Expose-Anja

So lucky you! This week you have two candidate exposes. Anja is actually currently participating in the hospitality program. She was gracious enough to take the time out of her busy schedule to sit down with me (over the Internet of course) and answer a few of my questions in regards to her experiences in Canada. I think she is a perfect example of how beneficial our programs can be for our candidates future goals. So keep reading and see if the hospitality program might be for you!

What is your name?
Anja

Where are you originally from?
Munich Bavaria, Germany. I have lived there since i was born, so around 21 years ago.

Why did you want to come to Canada in the first place?
I had just recently finished up with my apprenticeship in Germany which i had been doing for the past three years in a hotel. I needed a change and so i decided to go abroad. Honestly at first i had no idea as to where i would like to go so i went through an agency back home and they gave me the option of either Canada or Australia and so i chose the former.

How did you find out about INTERNeX?
Well i applied in Germany through the agency known as StepIn and they are working together with INTERNeX and they said that INTERNeX was the company to work with if i was really interested in working in Canada.

Why did you choose to participate in the Hospitality Program?
I signed up for this program because i wanted to gain some invaluable experience in the international hotel business. I have already had some amazing experiences with my company and my language skills have improved drastically.

For how long were you participating in this program?
I will be working for one year in total. I started organizing everything last year in February with StepIn in Germany and in March I got in contact with Internex and 4 weeks later I found out that i would be going to Vancouver soon. And in May 2009 I finally arrived in Vancouver and had my meeting with Marien and she gave me all the details and than I was on my way to Banff. All happened very quickly!

What position do you currently hold at your site of employment?
Front Desk Agent.

What kind of tasks are you responsible for on a daily basis?
Checking in and checking out guests, making reservations, dealing with complaints, giving information about all our resort has to offer, preparing check in packages for arriving guests, dealing with lost and found items and of course making our guests happy!

Do you feel that this experience has helped in terms of your future goals both professionally and personally?
I really do because it has helped me to learn so much about people, both Canadians and Americans, and how to deal with different situations which can be a challenge for me because i am not an English native speaker. Before i came here my English was really bad but now it makes me so happy when guests are telling my how great my English sounds!
When i worked in Germany i was very much focused on other people and what they need and i would always forget to ask myself what i really want. I never would do things just for me and now that i am here in Canada i am doing what i love and i am learning things about myself that i never really acknowledged. I would really like to open my own restaurant and hopefully have locations all over the world…and my experiences here are taking me one step closer to my dream.

What was one of the most memorable moments you have had in Canada so far?
By far when i met Connie, the president of the Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours. I had the pleasure of accompanying her on one of her many trips with her wolf Shaman. That was just amazing for me! I never in my life thought that i would meet a wolf face to face…but i can check that of my list now.

List the top three reasons why you would recommend others to participate in the Hospitality Program?
Everyday is different, you get to travel to lots of different places and you meet so many people from different cultures.

Have you managed to do any traveling? And what is the one place that you recommend people to visit in Banff?
So far i have managed to visit Vancouver, Jasper, Edmonton and lots of places around Banff of course. But at the end of my trip i am going to head over to Montreal, Toronto and Quebec. One place that i would highly recommend is The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel it is one of the most spectacular looking hotels i think i have ever seen-it truly looks like a castle!

Candidate Expose-Corinne

So when i began this mission of interviewing candidate’s in order to give you all a glimpse into our programs possibilities, one name seemed to pop up in every one of our staff meetings. Martina told me that she had the perfect candidate for me…and that once i was done talking to this person i myself would want to participate in our Ranchstay program. And i was certainly not disappointed! Corinne signed up for the Ranchstay program TWICE! Once in Spring 2007 and again from Spring to Fall 2009. She is still constantly in touch with her farm families and is actually returning to Canada AGAIN this year because she has found a job on a farm. I don’t want to tell you anymore so you will just have to read on and see for yourself…

What is your name?
Corinne

Where are you originally from?
Glattbrugg, Switzerland.

What made you want to come to Canada in the first place?
Well i had been on a few holidays throughout Canada in the past and i just believed that the next step for me would be to try and find some way that i could shift from being a tourist in Canada to a resident. The experiences between these two are quite different. In order for me to achieve this i went through an agency back home known as Canada Life and they set me up with INTERNeX. Due to the fact that my English was not exactly up to par i attended a language school (known as IH) for the first 4 weeks of my stay and then from there i went to a farm and began the Ranchstay portion of my experience.

Which program did you participate in? and why?
As mentioned previously i participated in the Ranchstay program and the reason i chose this route rather then the other two is because ever since i can remember i have loved horses. Since i was 12 years old i have been an avid rider and it has been a childhood dream of mine to stay and work on a horse farm so this was the perfect opportunity for me. The reason why i chose to participate for a second time was 1) because i had such a positive and amazing experience the first time and 2) i felt that there was more to learn. So the second time around i started to really work on my education and i learnt a brand way to train horses and also managed to take my riding skills to the next level.

What kind of skills/experiences (specifically) did you  acquire due to your participation in our Ranchstay program?
Well one accomplishment that i am truly proud of is the Chris Irwin Bronze Certification that i worked hard for. This program is designed to establish competency guidelines for horse training, thereby bringing consistent results to all breeds and all disciplines. Chris Irwin’s non-resistance techniques with horses are known and respected throughout North America and i am actually the first certified trainer in Switzerland! I attended courses for acupressure and massage tailored for horses in Switzerland so I was able to help a mare after giving birth by using acupressure and so  i have become a truly skilled horse lady lol.

What kind of tasks did you do on a daily basis? both times?
Well, the first time i went i fed and gave water to the horses, cleaned the riding equipment, helped fix fences, worked with the horses from the ground and of course rode them. The second time i was able to take on more responsibilities since i had previous experience. Therefore, i helped to train young horses from the ground and in the saddle.

Would you recommend others to do the Ranchstay program?
Of course! This was a great experience for me and i am positive it will be for everyone else too who chooses to be a part of it. It really helped me to grow not only as a rider but also a person. I was pushed to my own personal limits but each and every time i came across a hurdle i was always able to overcome it. My English level was adequate when i first came to Vancouver but now i am able to hold a conversation quite easily.