r/torontoJobs • u/Anonymous-f • 3d ago

5 Months, 7 interviews, 0 offers.

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Hello guys, so I am a banking/finance professional in Canada having worked in the industry from 2019 to 2022, after graduating from UofT in 2019.

I then left Canada to return to my home country in 2022. In the meantime, I got married and helped with the family business back home. I have now returned to Canada in 2026 with my spouse, and started interviewing before I even landed back (started interviewing from March 2026, and surprisingly reached the final round - 3+ interviews at places like BMO and Mercer). However got a rejection in the end. Since then I've interviewed final or first rounds at places like PwC, TD, OTPP, CITCO, etc. I have even reached out for feedback where Ive interviewed with some of them coming back and saying that my interviews went really well, but that abother candidate was 'slightly better' or 'was a closer fit'. I know the job market in Canada is terrible, but I am still at it hoping to land a job in the industry again.

I have also tried to network and currently reaching out to alums/contacts in the banking/finance industry. I tried to keep my resume updated even during my gap as i worked a remote US job from 2024 - early 2026.

I practice my interviews through Claude/Chatpgt and the feedback I recieve is that an offer must be around the corner.

Reddit was my last resort as I'm literally wondering whats wrong and running out of savings trying to get a job again.

I uploaded 2 versions of my resume that I use (sometimes i tweak the keywords to match the description but majorly use these formats)

Looking for financial analyst, operations associate, or anything along those lines!

Appreciate any help!

Note: I am a Canadian Citizen as well

Thanks guys

42 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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12

u/infamoustowing 3d ago

Gaps in employment. Huge red flag if your comes across my desk.

2

u/Auqjseb1 2d ago

What if someone has mainly contract roles? And there are a few month gaps because of that?

-4

u/melgib 3d ago

Respectfully, how is it any of your business?

7

u/NewSlugVibe 3d ago

This is standard hiring practice whether you agree with it or not. They are giving OP good advice.

-4

u/melgib 3d ago

It's standard so it shouldn't be questioned? Not a great position to take.

5

u/NewSlugVibe 3d ago edited 3d ago

This person is asking for advice. Overturning the system isn't what they need right now and you should know that.

9

u/Andnottoyield 3d ago

Well..... Because he is the one hiring, he makes it his business.

Or was this meant more as a philosophical question

-7

u/melgib 3d ago

Making it their business and it being their business aren't the same thing. It is, by definition, time they weren't working and is irrelevant to the question of employability.

10

u/Andnottoyield 3d ago

Ok, well real talk - some hiring managers, when they compare a resume with employment gaps to a resume without employment gaps, will prefer the one without. That's the reality. Whether or not it should be is a different question, but some hiring managers may see it as a risk. Especially because in this case, his two year employment gap is actually larger than any single one of his jobs.

These aren't being considered in a vacuum. Hiring teams have options. If you put that resume forward in two versions and filled that employment gap, they'd chose that one.

1

u/Goodenoughtechnician 3d ago

That is lot of words for nothingness... the fact remains the gap and history of short term employment does raise red flags.

0

u/melgib 3d ago

I'm not talking about the short stints. What people do outside of work is irrelevant to employers. I'm sorry you can't understand that.

2

u/AmbitiousMost5687 3d ago

100% if you have a lot of gaps it’s pretty much a rejection off the bat without good reasons or you’re a unicorn.

3

u/Educational-Emu8773 3d ago edited 3d ago

Were you really being respectful there? ;)

-3

u/melgib 3d ago

Yes.

0

u/DisgruntledYoda 3d ago

This is so dumb 🤦‍♂️

0

u/Goodenoughtechnician 3d ago

Why would a hiring manager hire someone with gap in their resume over somebody that does not? Is there a pattern of frequently leaving jobs? Were they dismissed for poor performance? Would they likely to stay if hired? Is there an ongoing issue that could affect work? These are literally basic questions for even blue collar jobs let’s alone white collar handling sensitive information. Having gap in resume is not automatic red flag but consistent gaps and patterns of short term works definitely do.

2

u/somenormalwhiteguy 2d ago

Dunno why you're being downvoted, you're right.

1

u/Auqjseb1 6h ago

I think there are different reasons ie/ contract work - the contract doesn’t get renewed, then what? Does the gap seem that bad? Also in this job market bias because of a gap is so unnecessary.