Brutal Winter and a Jobless Immigrant family

[baykus]

Do settlement agencies really know how to perfectly answer all the above questions and is one of the main factors to help a newcomer landing a job? I mean most of them can be answered very easily with common sense. Like do you seriously don't know how to call your superior and write a business email?? If you had been working before coming to Canada, I bet you must know those basic job hunting skills. I, myself, found that most job hunting workshop in my university and other places are pretty useless as the majority of those info are freely available on the Internet, except for the Resume and Cover letter writing services.

You cannot land any job if you don't have the necessary skills for the job you apply to, no matter how many professional helps you get. I think this is the main reason why many new comers cannot land a job.



IMO, to land a job, the most important thing is, obviously, your skills. Yo

Thanks mr. Obvious yes if you don't have necessary skills you cant land a job requires that skills. And yes I did not really know how to talk and write to people, before. You may have a very close culture to north america and you may not understand my point but it is very hard for me to call first name of older people and clients instead of using Mr. Sirname.

Anyways my questions may be irrelevant to some people because it is my personal experience. Everybody has a different background, culture, power and weakness but still we can learn a lot from each other. If it is not valid for just skip dont try to be smart.

 

[Alexios07]

Thanks mr. Obvious yes if you don't have necessary skills you cant land a job requires that skills. And yes I did not really know how to talk and write to people, before. You may have a very close culture to north america and you may not understand my point but it is very hard for me to call first name of older people and clients instead of using Mr. Sirname.

Anyways my questions may be irrelevant to some people because it is my personal experience. Everybody has a different background, culture, power and weakness but still we can learn a lot from each other. If it is not valid for just skip dont try to be smart.

I didn't try to be smart at all, just asking some simple questions. In addition, I'm from an Asian country whose culture is pretty far from North American or European cultures. I was just a bit surprised by some of the questions you listed, but I'm glad that you were able to find help.

 

[emamabd]

Do settlement agencies really know how to perfectly answer all the above questions

I wouldn't under-estimate the value which settlement services bring to a newcomer, from my experience it is best to focus on those who provide job search programs targeted to your industry (i.e. IT, Engineering..etc). In my opinion - even if have a job offer in hand before landing, there is still value in attending such a program.

IMO, to land a job, the most important thing is, obviously, your skills. Yo

True, but not only technical skills - soft skills are also equally important (if not "more" important!). Any newcomer might think he has "great softskills" ..but the reality is, in Canada the criteria that you are being measured against are different that of other countries/cultures.

 

[kryt0n]

I wouldn't under-estimate the value which settlement services bring to a newcomer, from my experience it is best to focus on those who provide job search programs targeted to your industry (i.e. IT, Engineering..etc). In my opinion - even if have a job offer in hand before landing, there is still value in attending such a program.

True, but not only technical skills - soft skills are also equally important (if not "more" important!). Any newcomer might think he has "great softskills" ..but the reality is, in Canada the criteria that you are being measured against are different that of other countries/cultures.

Those kind of soft skills arent something connected to immigration, that's something a person develops over time as part of becoming a skilled worker.

 

[Hansdza]

As long as you have internet connection on your pc/laptop you're fine. You can find everything you need to settle in Canada by spending few hours on the internet. Those services provided by settlement agencies are very basic. So don't expect too much. But at least, you can meet some people and perhaps make friend with them. And trust me, it's super important to know people in Canada.

It's all about Canadian education and experience when it comes into landing a job. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants landed before you faced the same dilemma before. Talk to them, they will tell you the truth.

Resume online? forget about it. Contact headhunters, personally approach the hiring managers, make direct contact with them. If you are lucky and if they like you, you'll get the job.

hardskills and softskills are equally important here (50:50). You may be super smart and diligent, but if the hiring manager don't like you because of you personality, meh, you'll never get the job. If your intelligent is just average but you are an easy person to talk to and to work with, big chances that you'll get the job.

 

[emamabd]

Those kind of soft skills arent something connected to immigration, that's something a person develops over time as part of becoming a skilled worker.

So what are the challenges then, in your opinion? Why do you think newcomers face difficulties in finding a job here. All newcomers (under the FSW immigration stream) are skilled workers.

 

[volodyalysak]

So what are the challenges then, in your opinion? Why do you think newcomers face difficulties in finding a job here. All newcomers (under the FSW immigration stream) are skilled workers.

Challenge is to understand the culture and adapt to everything quickly, also language barrier in first couple of month, even if your English is OK, than lack of friends and support. So it all adds up. I don't think it is hard to find survival job in Canada, once you find one, do not stop, socialize, network your skills and you will land descent job soon. (My opinion and observation is based on living in US for last 9 years)

 

[Batman_is_Real]

So what are the challenges then, in your opinion? Why do you think newcomers face difficulties in finding a job here. All newcomers (under the FSW immigration stream) are skilled workers.

There many challenges depending on which field you belong to.

But in general, Environment and Culture/Work environment adaption is the biggest in my opinion.
One for example recruitment process in professional job(IT field specially) takes way to longer compare to my home country.

 

[emamabd]

But in general, Environment and Culture/Work environment adaption is the biggest in my opinion.

Agree, and that's what I've tried to describe in my earlier post. I've attended a 5 week IT bridging program which helped me find my first job. The course also had a component "work place communication in Canada" delivered by Ryerson university - which i found really useful and made it easier for me to fit into the workplace. That was almost 3 years ago...i don't consider myself a newcomer anymore.

 

[emamabd]

One for example recruitment process in professional job(IT field specially) takes way to longer compare to my home country.

I don't think that's a challenge...so what if it takes a few months? Skilled workers should have some funds to support themselves during the settlement period.

 

[Batman_is_Real]

I don't think that's a challenge...so what if it takes a few months? Skilled workers should have some funds to support themselves during the settlement period.

It's mental challenge compare to financial challenge. Usually you don't expect to get a job if you don't here within 2 weeks of your first interview. In Canada however that's not true, I have changed job twice and both time it took around 3 months from Me applying to receiving offer, this can surely break some people mentally as they will think their application got rejected.

 

[Alexios07]

The course also had a component "work place communication in Canada" delivered by Ryerson university - which i found really useful and made it easier for me to fit into the workplace

I'm really curious, what's exactly do they teach you in the "workplace communication in Canada"? because I've worked with many IT workers, devs and QAs who were straight out of the boat, and we didn't have any problem understand or interact with each other.

 

[emamabd]

I'm really curious, what's exactly do they teach you in the "workplace communication in Canada"? because I've worked with many IT workers, devs and QAs who were straight out of the boat, and we didn't have any problem understand or interact with each other.

If you're curious about it - this link would provide you more info:
http://ce-online.ryerson.ca/ce/default.aspx?id=2806

Dev's and QA roles are very hands-on, i would think this type of training would be more beneficial for team leaders, BA's and PM's..

But again, its my own opinion..there isn't really any right or wrong here, each individual is free to decide what makes sense for him/her. I felt the need to share my experience in this post as there were some opinions suggesting those programs are useless, and i personally think that's a bad advice to give to a newcomer!

 

[DEEPCUR]

Lol, I am surprised that OP never wants to post back on what's up with him! He seems to be super active in the forum, just avoiding this thread! I am pretty sure he knows how to check show new replies to your posts section!

 

[Batman_is_Real]

Lol, I am surprised that OP never wants to post back on what's up with him! He seems to be super active in the forum, just avoiding this thread! I am pretty sure he knows how to check show new replies to your posts section!

don't see OP being active on EE forum beside he/she only has about 200 post wouldn't call that super active.