How Canadian employers expect candidates to talk in an interview

[newly_settled_in_Canada]

Hi everyone.

I moved to Canada from India last year in October. Coming from a tropical zone to the winters of Canada was tough, but the people here are warm enough to make your stay pleasant.
I have written about my experiences in finding a job during winters in Canada in another thread.
Here I focus on how Canadian employers expect candidates to talk during interviews.

Last year, I cleared the 23rd interview I appeared for. Since then, I have shifted one more job (full-time) and cleared the first opportunity I was called to interview for. This is my experience, but I hope it helps young job seekers who are new to job sector in Canada.

What I was doing wrong:

I was too operational in my explanation - just talking about what I did and what I was good at. I was good with my work, but the employer was not able to see a team player, and an excellent communicator in me. Yes, they don't just write it in their job description. They actually expect candidates to be great with English.

What I modified:

I started being more conversational. I allowed the recruiter take his/her own time before coming to job-specific questions, which I was confident I was good at already. This has taken my job search efforts up a notch.

For reference, you may check this piece which I found really helpful to prepare for interviews especially in Canada:

https://www.dg.ca/blog/how-to-talk-during-an-interview


Everyone's journey is different. This experience is just to provide you a foreground as to what to expect being questioned in an interview. A couple of times I have been told they are "surprised" to find my English so good. You have to understand that from a Canadian employer's perspective too: a number of immigrants land in the country under refugee status, with no real experience in a professional setting, or in professional communication in English language.

It is these things that are assessed in an interview. The way you open your conversation, and especially, the way you close it will be more important than the number of years of professional experience on your resume.

Hope it helps. If there is anything else I may supply some input on, kindly let me know.

Wish you all the very best in your job search in this beautiful country.

Thanks.

 

[parttimebasement]

Hi everyone.

I moved to Canada from India last year in October. Coming from a tropical zone to the winters of Canada was tough, but the people here are warm enough to make your stay pleasant.
I have written about my experiences in finding a job during winters in Canada in another thread.
Here I focus on how Canadian employers expect candidates to talk during interviews.

Last year, I cleared the 23rd interview I appeared for. Since then, I have shifted one more job (full-time) and cleared the first opportunity I was called to interview for. This is my experience, but I hope it helps young job seekers who are new to job sector in Canada.

What I was doing wrong:

I was too operational in my explanation - just talking about what I did and what I was good at. I was good with my work, but the employer was not able to see a team player, and an excellent communicator in me. Yes, they don't just write it in their job description. They actually expect candidates to be great with English.

What I modified:

I started being more conversational. I allowed the recruiter take his/her own time before coming to job-specific questions, which I was confident I was good at already. This has taken my job search efforts up a notch.

For reference, you may check this piece which I found really helpful to prepare for interviews especially in Canada:

https://www.dg.ca/blog/how-to-talk-during-an-interview


Everyone's journey is different. This experience is just to provide you a foreground as to what to expect being questioned in an interview. A couple of times I have been told they are "surprised" to find my English so good. You have to understand that from a Canadian employer's perspective too: a number of immigrants land in the country under refugee status, with no real experience in a professional setting, or in professional communication in English language.

It is these things that are assessed in an interview. The way you open your conversation, and especially, the way you close it will be more important than the number of years of professional experience on your resume.

Hope it helps. If there is anything else I may supply some input on, kindly let me know.

Wish you all the very best in your job search in this beautiful country.

Thanks.

What ethnicty is your employer and your interviewer/team and your manager ?

 

[newly_settled_in_Canada]

I don't really find ethnicity of the interviewer as a causative factor in the outcome of an interview. But my experience talks about Canadian employers and their expectations from a candidate in an interview. Hope it helps.

 

[russ6970]

Yes, you have come to a mainly English speaking country. I know in certain parts they do speak french, but most times you will be expected to hold a conversation in English. Its just like if I went to a mainly foreign speaking country, I would expect the interviewer to want me to converse in their language.

 

[newly_settled_in_Canada]

Yes, you have come to a mainly English speaking country. I know in certain parts they do speak french, but most times you will be expected to hold a conversation in English. Its just like if I went to a mainly foreign speaking country, I would expect the interviewer to want me to converse in their language.

Exactly, @russ6970 . It has to be in the primary language of the nation you are finding work in, unless it is for a position that specifically looks for a skill set in another language (I have found job postings in Canada which exclusively demanded knowledge of French, or Mandarin - English was optional).
Even then, what I intended to say was not just about the language of communication, but what is being said in that setting (an interview). Initially, I was being very strict and measured in my responses - keeping them only to my work, but since I had arrived from another country, they wanted to assess my communication skills and work culture through the interaction - which, when I look back, is a very plausible reason for any employer.

Once I started giving my skills a context, the rate at which the job interviews converted into offers increased substantially.

 

[russ6970]

Exactly, @russ6970 . It has to be in the primary language of the nation you are finding work in, unless it is for a position that specifically looks for a skill set in another language (I have found job postings in Canada which exclusively demanded knowledge of French, or Mandarin - English was optional).
Even then, what I intended to say was not just about the language of communication, but what is being said in that setting (an interview). Initially, I was being very strict and measured in my responses - keeping them only to my work, but since I had arrived from another country, they wanted to assess my communication skills and work culture through the interaction - which, when I look back, is a very plausible reason for any employer.

Once I started giving my skills a context, the rate at which the job interviews converted into offers increased substantially.

I'm glad you are willing to embrace the culture and adapt. There are unfortunately quite a few people that are not willing to do this and think that the country owes them. You will be successful with that attitude. Good luck

 

[parttimebasement]

I don't really find ethnicity of the interviewer as a causative factor in the outcome of an interview. But my experience talks about Canadian employers and their expectations from a candidate in an interview. Hope it helps.

If you dont mind then you can share the answer or else thats fine.

 

[newly_settled_in_Canada]

Hi @parttimebasement . I am not really sure about which particular question, but I'll be happy to tell you an answer that worked for me not once, but thrice.
My background is into Martech, so a lot of strategic and management work. A number of times I have been asked how did you handle such-and-such issue/campaign with your previous company?

Earlier, I went into the details of execution straightaway - which is fine, and a must too; but the mistake you end up not providing the employer a holistic picture of your teamwork and man-management skills in an office setting.
So from: "I started with preparing a marketing mix and a budget analysis........", I went to, " During the planning stage, I had my account manager and media buy team brainstorm on marketing mix, while I prepared a detailed cost-benefit analysis to present to the client along with the Gantt chart of various project milestones."

The second answer gave the employer a background where he saw me fit working with a big team, knowing key stakeholders, along with being an expert in my domain.

Hope this answer helps.

 

[canuck78]

Hi @parttimebasement . I am not really sure about which particular question, but I'll be happy to tell you an answer that worked for me not once, but thrice.
My background is into Martech, so a lot of strategic and management work. A number of times I have been asked how did you handle such-and-such issue/campaign with your previous company?

Earlier, I went into the details of execution straightaway - which is fine, and a must too; but the mistake you end up not providing the employer a holistic picture of your teamwork and man-management skills in an office setting.
So from: "I started with preparing a marketing mix and a budget analysis........", I went to, " During the planning stage, I had my account manager and media buy team brainstorm on marketing mix, while I prepared a detailed cost-benefit analysis to present to the client along with the Gantt chart of various project milestones."

The second answer gave the employer a background where he saw me fit working with a big team, knowing key stakeholders, along with being an expert in my domain.

Hope this answer helps.

Unfortunately @parttimebasement feels that Canada is against all immigrants and traps them in low wage jobs and basement apartments regardless of their qualifications. I do agree that transferring of skills can be difficult especially for some qualifications like medicine. There are various issues for this but there are lots of examples of successful immigrants. Some also arrive with totally unrealistic expectations which may be one of the issues.

 

[parttimebasement]

Unfortunately @parttimebasement feels that Canada is against all immigrants and traps them in low wage jobs and basement apartments regardless of their qualifications. I do agree that transferring of skills can be difficult especially for some qualifications like medicine. There are various issues for this but there are lots of examples of successful immigrants. Some also arrive with totally unrealistic expectations which may be one of the issues.

It is unfortunate but I dont feel anything. newly_settled_in_Canada can crunch numbers and does analysis to put food on his table, so he will explain to you what's reality based on facts and figures based on the official report below instead of what I feel.

Few highlights from the report - as per OECD data — the 2018 International Migration Outlook:-

• The skill gaps between natives and immigrants still exist at every education level, and they are much more important for a worker’s competitiveness in highly skilled jobs than in menial ones.
• In Canada, according to official statistics, the unemployment rate among immigrants with university degrees was 6.1 percent last year, compared with 2.9 percent for native-born Canadians with the same education level.

 

[russ6970]

That's probably because immigrants from certain parts feel like they are somehow due things. If you work hard and network, you will get the job. If not, you won't...simple really.

 

[parttimebasement]

Hi @parttimebasement . I am not really sure about which particular question, but I'll be happy to tell you an answer that worked for me not once, but thrice.
My background is into Martech, so a lot of strategic and management work. A number of times I have been asked how did you handle such-and-such issue/campaign with your previous company?

Earlier, I went into the details of execution straightaway - which is fine, and a must too; but the mistake you end up not providing the employer a holistic picture of your teamwork and man-management skills in an office setting.
So from: "I started with preparing a marketing mix and a budget analysis........", I went to, " During the planning stage, I had my account manager and media buy team brainstorm on marketing mix, while I prepared a detailed cost-benefit analysis to present to the client along with the Gantt chart of various project milestones."

The second answer gave the employer a background where he saw me fit working with a big team, knowing key stakeholders, along with being an expert in my domain.

Hope this answer helps.

My question remains the same as below which I asked on Dec 7, 2018 at 9:31 PM
What ethnicty is your employer and your interviewer/team and your manager ?

 

[parttimebasement]

That's probably because immigrants from certain parts feel like they are somehow due things. If you work hard and network, you will get the job. If not, you won't...simple really.

Now you will say budget analysis,cost-benefit analysis etc are BS & fancy terms.
blah blah blah.....yes I rather agree with you rather than trust those fools at OECD.
Again there is no probably. OECD is no joke.

 

[CaBeaver]

I think how you do in an interview is a factor but not everything. What your specialty is (i.e., if it's in demand or not) and how many years of experience you have are other factors. I receive many rejection letters because I don't have experience and there are few openings at a given time in my field, so, they don't bother with an interview to begin with.