XL Lakeside Packers
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)
How to Apply
As one of Canada’s business human resource offices, we receive hundreds of calls every month. In this FAQ (“frequently asked question”) section, you should be able to find the answer to most every question you may have regarding employment at XL Lakeside. Read on...
Q. I live in Newfoundland (or B.C. or Ontario, etc.). Can’t we just do a phone interview?
A. Unfortunately not. Part of the Lakeside hiring process includes a physical assessment, done by one of the registered nurses at our plant. Naturally we can’t do this over the phone. We also like to show prospective employees a bit of the plant in the interview process. Our recruiting department does regular ongoing mobile recruiting trips across Canada – in many instances, we may be doing interview in or near your home-town.
Q. I just had my annual medical done and my doctor will write a note saying I’m in perfect shape. Now can we do a phone interview?
A. Sorry. You may have the best physician around, but nurses at our corporation have done tens of thousands of assessments for our company. In recruiting, we can never emphasize enough the tough physical nature of XL Lakeside jobs. If a conditional offer of employment is made, our nurses ensure that Human Resources is fully aware of those applicants who meet all of the bona fide occupational requirements of the positions being filled.
Q. I have to travel 3000 kilometres for the interview. Will you help me with the expenses?
A. Due to the number of applications we receive and the nation-wide nature of our recruiting, we are unable to cover expenses for prospective applicants. We do suggest that you save all receipts for any costs when coming out for an interview – if the interview turns into a job offer, all of your expenses are tax-deductible and can be used for your next income tax return. If you are hired by one of our recruiters during one of our mobile recruiting trips, though, there are some relocation assistance programs available for you to come to Alberta– so it is a good idea to phone our office to see if we will be in your area any time soon.
Q. My wife wants to apply, as well. Do you have jobs for women?
A. Of course! About 40% of our employees are female. In addition, we welcome family members (both immediate and extended) applying at the plant.
Q. I have worked at XL Lakeside before. Can I reapply?
A. Of course you can. But we try to caution our new employees that getting a second chance is very difficult at XL Lakeside. We receive, literally, thousands of applications each year from former employees who left XL Lakeside for a wide variety of reasons.
The process for re-hiring is time-consuming and many former employees are unsuccessful at returning to the plant. Current XL Lakeside employees would be best advised to make the very best attempt they can at succeeding on their first try – sometimes, only when people leave (and try, unsuccessfully, to come back) to they realize what a good opportunity they lost out on.
Q. I did have tendonitis once, but it hasn’t happened in two years. I’ll just ‘forget’ it happened when I’m applying...
A. If, at any time, you are found to have misled or withheld information regarding previous medical issues – you are dismissed. It is our policy.
If you receive a conditional job offer, you will be required to complete a questionnaire regarding your medical history. With your consent, our medical staff does contact doctors and clinics across Canada to get medical history/information on injured employees.
If we learn that you did have a problem and did not disclose it, you could lose your employment and any potential Worker’s Compensation or disability insurance. In all areas of recruiting, honesty is not just the best policy – it is our expectation.
Q. It sounds pretty good. How do I apply?
A. XL Lakeside encourages you to apply using this web site.
- 1. If you are reading this FAQ you have access to XL Lakeside’s employment application
- 2. Print out the application on your own computer.
- 3. Fully complete the application (note: we ignore incomplete applications)
- 4. Fax your completed application to our office.
- 5. Call our toll-free number the next business day to make sure we have received your faxed application. If we are interested in your application, one of our recruiting officers will contact you to arrange in having you visit the plant for an interview.
If you are unable to obtain access to a fax machine, we also accept emailed resumes (in Word or another standard format).
Send resumes to recruitinggroup@xllakeside.com
Q. When can I start?
A. XL Lakeside has a paid two day training/orientation process that all new recruits complete. For much of the first few days on the job, new employees are taught safety rules/procedures, information about our products, our plant, and our corporation, knife skills, personal protective equipment care and use, and pay/benefit information.
Classes start daily, Monday and Wednesday, at 7:00 am sharp.
Q. You previously said you are the busiest recruiting office in Canada. Do you hire everyone?
A. No. Although we would like to give everyone an opportunity, we are responsible for hiring the best possible workers for XL Lakeside. This means, of course, that we only give interviews to individuals who are most likely to be good candidates for hiring. We hire individuals who meet the following conditions:
- You must be a Canadian citizen or have the status to legally work in Canada
- You must be over the age of majority (18 in Alberta)
- You must be able to handle tough, physical labour that is part of most XL Lakeside positions
If we advise you that we are not interested in your application, we do wish you luck in your job search. In a typical year we receive 6000 applications! We do not interview each applicant and we cannot hire each individual we interview. At this time of expansion, though, we hire approximately 40 people each week.
Q. I’m contemplating moving to Brooks or Medicine Hat for employment at Lakeside. Where will I stay when I get there?
A. If you are approved and extended a job offer, our Recruiting office can supply you with resources in the community to assist you in finding housing. There are numerous rentals in both the Brooks area and Medicine Hat.
If you are female, or have a partner or family, you can also use the services of our Community Liaison. She assists new employees with issues such as accommodations, school, daycare, and settlement services. There are numerous rental units in both the Brooks area and in Medicine Hat.
Q. I’m flying to Calgary. How do I get to Lakeside?
A. Most people without vehicles tend to bus from Calgary to Lakeside.
Our informal advice is: Check the departure times before you travel.
As Lakeside is about 5 kilometres west of Brooks, it is a fairly pricey taxi ride or a 45-60 minute hike. Be careful when near the Trans-Canada Highway (the plant is on the north side)!
Our plant is hard to miss (unless we have an extreme case of Newfoundland-type fog, which rarely occurs).
Once you have an appointment with Recruiting, travel to the west security gate – the first building you will approach on the Lakeside site (this gate handles the bulk of the steady stream of transport trucks entering and leaving the plant). Ask the guard on duty to assign you a visitor pass, sign in, and the next stop is the Recruiting office.