How to apply for jobs online at big chains

Most large grocery stores, coffee chains, retailers, and fast food restaurants take applications online. Each company's careers page looks a little different. But behind the scenes, many of them use one of a few hiring systems. Once you know how these systems work, applying gets faster and less stressful.

On ZeroExperiences.ca, every job links to the employer's original posting. That is where you apply.

We checked these facts on October 12, 2026. Follow the links for the latest details.

Before you start

Have these ready before you open your first application:

• An email address you check every day. Use one that looks professional, such as your first and last name.
• A phone that can get text messages. Some employers book interviews by text.
• Your resume as a PDF. See Writing your first resume with no work experience.
• Your availability, written down. Know the days and hours you can work. Our guide Job availability explained helps you fill it in.
• A reference list on a separate page, in case the form asks. See References when you have no work experience.
• A simple tracker. A notebook or spreadsheet works. Write down the company, store location, job title, date, and the email you used.

Workday career sites

Many large employers use Workday to run their careers pages. Here is what to expect:

• You create an account. You sign up with your email address and a password. Employers can require an account before you apply (Workday).
• The account is often for one employer only. If a second company also uses Workday, you may need to create a new account on its site. This is normal.
• The form has several pages. You fill in your contact details, education, any experience, and some questions. You can usually go back and fix things before you submit.
• Your account is where later steps happen. Through the account, employers can ask you to complete questionnaires, take assessments, or book an interview time (Workday).

Write down your password somewhere safe. If you forget which email you used, you may not be able to find your application again.

Chat and text applications

Some employers skip the long form. Instead, a chat assistant asks you questions one at a time on the website or by text message. A common one is Olivia, made by a company called Paradox. Paradox says Olivia checks basic qualifications "through chat or text" and lets you choose an interview time that works (Paradox). It can also translate messages for candidates in many languages.

Tips for chat applications:

• You are talking to software, not a person. Give short, clear answers.
• Watch your texts. After you apply, you may get a text with interview times. Reply quickly, because times can fill up.
• If you can't make the time, reschedule. Use the link in the message. Don't just skip the interview.
• Check that it's real. A real hiring assistant works through the employer's own careers site. It won't ask you for money, your bank details, or your Social Insurance Number (SIN) before you're hired. If you're unsure, go to the company's website yourself and find the job there. Our guide to text and WhatsApp job scams shows what fake messages look like.

CareerPlug and other short forms

Many franchise locations are run by local owners, and some of them use simpler hiring tools. CareerPlug, for example, describes itself as built for franchise hiring (CareerPlug).

These forms are usually short: your contact details, your resume, and a few questions. Read each question carefully. On CareerPlug, an employer can mark certain answers as "disqualifying" (CareerPlug Help Center). That means one careless click can remove you from the list.

Screening questions and assessments

Most applications include a few screening questions. Common ones ask:

• Are you legally allowed to work in Canada?
• Which days and shifts can you work?
• How many hours a week do you want?
• Can you get to this location reliably?
• Do you have a certificate, such as food safety?

Answer honestly. If you say you can work every weekend and then can't, it causes problems later.

Some employers also send a short assessment. It might ask how you would handle a situation with a customer, or test basic math. Find a quiet place, read the instructions, and answer as yourself. There is often no single "perfect" personality.

Job postings must now show more information:

• BC: Employers must include the expected pay or pay range in all public job postings (Pay transparency in B.C.).
• Ontario: For postings made on or after January 1, 2026, employers with 25 or more employees must include the expected pay or pay range. They must say whether they use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants, and whether the job is an existing vacancy (Ontario job posting rules).

Uploading your resume

• Upload a PDF. Name the file with your name, like "Your-Name-Resume.pdf".
• Check anything the site fills in for you. Many sites read your resume and copy it into the form. They often make mistakes, like mixing up dates or putting your school in the wrong box.
• No work history? That's okay. If the work experience section is optional, you can leave it empty. If you add volunteering, label it clearly as volunteer work.
• Cover letter field. For most hourly jobs, it's optional. Read Do you need a cover letter for an hourly job? to decide.

Checking your status

After you submit, you'll usually get a confirmation email. Keep it.

• Check your email, including the spam or junk folder, and your text messages.
• Sign in to your account on the employer's site. Many sites show whether your application is still being reviewed.
• Don't read too much into the status. It may say "under review" for weeks, even after the job is filled.
• Ontario interviews: If an Ontario employer with 25 or more employees interviews you for a publicly advertised job, it must tell you within 45 days after the interview whether a hiring decision has been made (Ontario job posting rules).

If you don't hear back, our guide on how to follow up after applying explains when and how to check in.

Use one account per employer

• Use the same email address everywhere. Then all replies come to one place.
• Create only one account on each employer's site. Two accounts can split your applications, and the store may not find you.
• Use a strong, different password for each site. Don't reuse your email password.
• Apply to the stores you can really get to. It's better to apply to a few nearby locations than to every store in the city.

Never pay to apply

Real employers don't charge you a fee to apply or to be trained, and they don't ask you to send them money for equipment. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says never to send deposits or pay fees for a job (CAFC).

Protect your personal information, too:

• You don't need your SIN to fill out a job application. Your SIN is required only after you are hired (Service Canada).
• Don't give banking details before you're hired. Direct deposit forms come after you get the job. See Your first week at a new job.
• Start from the company's real website. Don't apply through a link in a random text or social media message.
• Report fake postings. In Ontario, job posting websites must give you a way to report fraudulent postings (Ontario job posting rules).

Learn more in Job scams that target first-time job seekers and How to check if a job posting is real.

Next steps

• Find entry-level jobs in Metro Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area
• Get your resume ready: Writing your first resume with no work experience
• Fill in your availability: Job availability explained
• After you apply: How to follow up after a job application or interview