Employment agencies in Calgary are limited in their ability to help

Violet Spirk wakes up every morning to start a new job search.

Shechecks the Government of Canada's job bank, the ninestaffing agencies she's with, then severalonline job sites.

The 53-year-oldbegan this rituallast March, after she lost her jobas a file clerk with an oilwell service company.

"I don't know what else to do, just keep applying, keep your fingers crossed that maybe one day something will come up?" she said.

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The most recent statistics show more than 61,000 people in Alberta were on employment insurance benefits last November, double the number the previous year.

In the 11 months since she's been out of work, Spirksays she'shad threeweeks of temporary workand threeinterviews for permanent jobs that didn'tpanout.

Spirksays she's even applied for a cashier'sjob at Home Depot, without any luck.

"I mean Iknew it was bad, but that bad? Wow."

Flooded with resumes

Andrew Ward, withDiversified Staffing Services, says he hears similar stories every day.

In this downturn he says everyone from support staff to CFO's have been let go.

Andthe volume of candidates that come through his employment agency's doors is up dramatically, especially within the last two months.

"We have a lot of highly qualified personnellooking for positions probably one of the largest influx of candidates we've seen in recent memory," saidWard.

He says companies are receiving up to 1,000 resumes directly, allowing employers to be picky.

"If they do have a job position, if they have a specific skill set requirementfor that position, in the past they might have rounded a few corners, maybe settled for a candidate that didn't quite havethe skill sets that they were looking for. Now they have lots of options available."

Networking helps

Ward says they can only help people find work if they get a requestfrom a company, but those orders are down.

"Alot of companies are hesitant to extend a job offer to a candidate even on a temporary basis at this time as they are trying to keep their budgets under control," he said.

So with more applicants and fewer jobs Ward saysnetworking has become even more important in this downturn.

"It will come down to friendsand family and who you know, this is where your network will really win out."

Other advice make sure your resume is completely factual, up to dateandrelevant to the positions for which you are applying.

Ward also says tolet peopleknow you are available to work, and what you are willing to do.