My Experience with landing a job with CareerEdge

[vengaty]

Hello everyone,

It has been a while since I posted on here, I'm a new immigrant as well to Canada and I have been here for 2 months now. I would like to share my person advice and experience while I have been here and how I had few job offers and landed a good job.

Things to do once you land.
1) I opened a bank account with scotia and immediately got a credit card to pay for things instead of cash and just transfer the money over to my credit card on a regular basis. Also if you do go with scotia make sure you get a scene card as you collect points and can go see movies at the cinema for free. You can join TD or any other bank if you wish.

2) Health card. People will tell you that you need to go and apply for it as soon as you land as it takes 3 months to receive it, well you don't exactly need to collect it on the same day you can even go a month later because regardless of the day you go the health card starts the 3 month period from the day you land and not the day you walk in to register.

3) Exchange your drivers license to get a Canadian as I just gave them mine and they gave me a G license as alot of jobs will ask if you have your license.

To me these things above where my most important things I got done as soon as I landed.

Resume and cover letters
If you have applied to multiple jobs and are not getting any replies back then you need to think about making sure that you totally customize your resume and cover letter according to the job as a lot of companies use a scanning system which scans all the resumes and picks out the keywords of them to be the closest match to the job. I know theres a lot of you that have crazy qualifications and experience but if your resume is not even getting acknowledged in the resume screening then your resume is getting lost in the pile.

It personal took me like 1-2 hours to customize each resume and I even changed my job title to match theres as their system could also been scanning the titles an apparently its ok to change your previous job title to match theirs as if the job is identical to what you done back home but a different name then there is nothing wrong with changing it to get noticed.

My first week in Canada I had 2 interviews with two recruiters and 2 job interviews the following week. You need to bare in mind like if you want to settle in Toronto then you need to make sure the jobs are not to far from where you live are just go for the closest ones, because the traffic on the 401 will kill you as it can become a nightmare if your work place is a hour drive away but in traffic its 3 hours. So with the positions I had offered I was picky and did not take either of them because the pay was not really what I was looking for and the companies was not too great so the benefits were pretty rubbish. Main thing I noticed about Canada is don't look at the pay but look at the benefits as things like health and medical benefits can save you thousands and most of them include family medical which care which is a MUST

Inteview Tips
It was also amazing to have had interviews as I have not had any interviews since like 16 years ago so I was nervous but what I realized is that Canadians are very laid back and friendly so they make you feel relaxed and calm. My personal advice is that in the interviews I sold myself to them as if I was talking like I already had the job with questions that I asked " We can work together and make this project work" or "What are your deadlines?" etc I then noticed that the interview did not no longer feel like a interview and it felt more like a senior management meeting from then you have pretty much sold yourself and out of the 7 interviews I had in the first 4 weeks of being here I had 6 offers.

If your from a IT background like me please please please don't be the typical boring IT guy and say stuff like " I can do everything, I can even programme and there is nothing that I can not do" Do you know 3 of the interviews told me that I'm the first IT person they have ever interviewed that did not say I can do everything, yes I researched the company and job description and high lighted that I can do the main things in the job but other things that did not involve in the job description I told them that honestly my knowledge is average in that area but I'm very keen and willing to learn as technology is always developing.

Career Edge Experience
I honestly think this company is AMAZING. I will walk you through the process as I noticed people asked questions and questions never got answered.

Well firstly when you apply to them online apply as if your applying for a job as they will look at your resume and experience and see if it is relevant to the job positions they have at that current time. Once you get a phone call or a email saying that they would like to have a pre-screening interview be prepared to have a skype interview, its basically to see how good your communication is as I think having a British accent is for sure golden in Canada everyone loves you. Be very prepared for this pre-screening as they will ask you to have hand picked a job description from their website and ask you questions regarding the position like as if your in a actual interview.

Once you pass the pre-screening you will know immediately as they will tell you there and then. You will receive a email saying that you have been approved and have access to intern job postings.

I saw alot of REALLY good companies on the listing and some amazing job postings, I applied to a few and got a reply back from one of the jobs I really liked which is project Management. Once you get a reply you are then called in for a actual interview for the job. Luckily I got the job and after getting really close with the managers they told me they had 16 candidates from careeredge interview but none of them took charge of the interview and just sat back and answered the questions. Key to it is ask questions make them feel like your already part of the team and for god sake SMILE.

On my 4th week which was last week they offered me a full time permanent position which is 3 times the pay career edge pays you, so if your wondering that is it possible to get employed before your internship is up it is possible as the only thing is they would of lost the lump some of money they sent to careeredge to pay you with and its bi-weekly pay.

If you do manage to get a intern job you will be treated like a normal colleague and expected to do things with minimal help and advice as careeredge programme is International Qualified Professionals as that means your qualified in your home country and your just here to seek experience in Canada, not like the co-op students intern as they will be monitored and guided through step by step.

If I have missed out anything and you have questions please feel free to ask I do wish you all luck and success in your future in Canada.

Don't give up be positive and keep trying!

You are a life saver bro +1 for you

 

[MusterMark]

hi nthompson
i am a civil engineer.. and i m trying to look for job in canada... but i am not able to found as i m being asked about workpermit.... i m confused as what to be done as for visa one requires job letter... and for job letter they say u require work permit.. i m totally confused.. and what is the difference between.. open work permit.. work permit and sponsorship visa... u would be of great help to me

hi Shah.vish

i had the same question as you. this is what i learned from other expert members:

depending on someone's age, they can come to canada on a working holiday visa. if the person is specifically skilled, they may qualify as a federal skilled worker (FSW). otherwise,all work permits require a job offer from a canadian employer who needs to take the time and money to prove there are no canadians qualified for the job. (rhcohen2014)

There are 50 "in demand" occupations for FSW in which a person anywhere in the world can apply for PR without a job offer, provided the cap hasn't been met. See here for the list of occupations http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/complete-applications.asp. (canuck_in_uk)

hope this helps!

 

[nthompson]

Hi nthompson, so do you mean, even if you already have PR Visa approved but outside of Canada, you would still not advise to apply?

Hope you could clarify, since I was initially planning to apply from outside Canada once my PR visa has been approved...(still a long way from there)

Hello Ayanami,

I'm very very sorry for my delayed response I've not been on here for a few weeks. Well you could apply from outside but you would need your PR first and to get your PR stamped you will need to land in Canada.

But I'd say best wait till your here because you don't want to waste your chances of getting a internship.

It seems very promising so far I've had two other jobs which I applied for through careeredge that called me for a interview.

 

[nthompson]

Thanks nthompson, I didn't know there is something like sponsorship. But that's not applicable to me. I don't have family in Canada.

I'm planning to move to BC. But still a lot of hurdles to pass before I can go. I'm betting on 2 horses for the moment. My first goal is to get a PR card via the FSW program. Secondly, I will try to get a visitor visa for 6 months in order to look for a job in BC. But then I have to find an employer that is willing to sponsor for a Labour Market Opinion.

I'll keep your CareerEdge experience in mind. Maybe it can help me in a further stage.

All the best to you and your wife!

Hello MusterMark,

Go for it if your under 30 you can apply for a working visa which you would most likely get approved on. Once you get that you can network and potentially get a sponsorship as I've met a few couples who came on a work visa and now are Canadian residents. Also Labor works are highly needed here you would not have a problem finding work specially in BC.

Good luck and don't get demotivated good things come to those who wait

 

[nthompson]

hi nthompson
i am a civil engineer.. and i m trying to look for job in canada... but i am not able to found as i m being asked about workpermit.... i m confused as what to be done as for visa one requires job letter... and for job letter they say u require work permit.. i m totally confused.. and what is the difference between.. open work permit.. work permit and sponsorship visa... u would be of great help to me

Hello Shah,

Well for the open work visa, this is the information I just gathered for you "An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. Because it is not job-specific, no job offer or authorization from Employment and Social Development Canada (known as a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA) is needed"

So basically you can be open to apply to any kind of work within Canada. I would say try and apply for a work visa of you can't get that then your best bet is applying for a University over here once you have completed your 4 year studies you can apply for PR and most likely get approved.

Good luck

 

[nthompson]

You are a life saver bro +1 for you

Thanks Vengaty

 

[prmurthy]

Hi

Does Career Edge helps us in getting Jobs while we are still in our home country? I am trying to apply for PR visa and would like to have a job offer in hand. Does career edge helps me in securing a job offer while I am still outside Canada? If yes, can you give me the link or mail id / address of career edge.

Regards
prmurthy

 

[luvly3]

Hello everyone,

It has been a while since I posted on here, I'm a new immigrant as well to Canada and I have been here for 2 months now. I would like to share my person advice and experience while I have been here and how I had few job offers and landed a good job.

Things to do once you land.
1) I opened a bank account with scotia and immediately got a credit card to pay for things instead of cash and just transfer the money over to my credit card on a regular basis. Also if you do go with scotia make sure you get a scene card as you collect points and can go see movies at the cinema for free. You can join TD or any other bank if you wish.

2) Health card. People will tell you that you need to go and apply for it as soon as you land as it takes 3 months to receive it, well you don't exactly need to collect it on the same day you can even go a month later because regardless of the day you go the health card starts the 3 month period from the day you land and not the day you walk in to register.

3) Exchange your drivers license to get a Canadian as I just gave them mine and they gave me a G license as alot of jobs will ask if you have your license.

To me these things above where my most important things I got done as soon as I landed.

Resume and cover letters
If you have applied to multiple jobs and are not getting any replies back then you need to think about making sure that you totally customize your resume and cover letter according to the job as a lot of companies use a scanning system which scans all the resumes and picks out the keywords of them to be the closest match to the job. I know theres a lot of you that have crazy qualifications and experience but if your resume is not even getting acknowledged in the resume screening then your resume is getting lost in the pile.

It personal took me like 1-2 hours to customize each resume and I even changed my job title to match theres as their system could also been scanning the titles an apparently its ok to change your previous job title to match theirs as if the job is identical to what you done back home but a different name then there is nothing wrong with changing it to get noticed.

My first week in Canada I had 2 interviews with two recruiters and 2 job interviews the following week. You need to bare in mind like if you want to settle in Toronto then you need to make sure the jobs are not to far from where you live are just go for the closest ones, because the traffic on the 401 will kill you as it can become a nightmare if your work place is a hour drive away but in traffic its 3 hours. So with the positions I had offered I was picky and did not take either of them because the pay was not really what I was looking for and the companies was not too great so the benefits were pretty rubbish. Main thing I noticed about Canada is don't look at the pay but look at the benefits as things like health and medical benefits can save you thousands and most of them include family medical which care which is a MUST

Inteview Tips
It was also amazing to have had interviews as I have not had any interviews since like 16 years ago so I was nervous but what I realized is that Canadians are very laid back and friendly so they make you feel relaxed and calm. My personal advice is that in the interviews I sold myself to them as if I was talking like I already had the job with questions that I asked " We can work together and make this project work" or "What are your deadlines?" etc I then noticed that the interview did not no longer feel like a interview and it felt more like a senior management meeting from then you have pretty much sold yourself and out of the 7 interviews I had in the first 4 weeks of being here I had 6 offers.

If your from a IT background like me please please please don't be the typical boring IT guy and say stuff like " I can do everything, I can even programme and there is nothing that I can not do" Do you know 3 of the interviews told me that I'm the first IT person they have ever interviewed that did not say I can do everything, yes I researched the company and job description and high lighted that I can do the main things in the job but other things that did not involve in the job description I told them that honestly my knowledge is average in that area but I'm very keen and willing to learn as technology is always developing.

Career Edge Experience
I honestly think this company is AMAZING. I will walk you through the process as I noticed people asked questions and questions never got answered.

Well firstly when you apply to them online apply as if your applying for a job as they will look at your resume and experience and see if it is relevant to the job positions they have at that current time. Once you get a phone call or a email saying that they would like to have a pre-screening interview be prepared to have a skype interview, its basically to see how good your communication is as I think having a British accent is for sure golden in Canada everyone loves you. Be very prepared for this pre-screening as they will ask you to have hand picked a job description from their website and ask you questions regarding the position like as if your in a actual interview.

Once you pass the pre-screening you will know immediately as they will tell you there and then. You will receive a email saying that you have been approved and have access to intern job postings.

I saw alot of REALLY good companies on the listing and some amazing job postings, I applied to a few and got a reply back from one of the jobs I really liked which is project Management. Once you get a reply you are then called in for a actual interview for the job. Luckily I got the job and after getting really close with the managers they told me they had 16 candidates from careeredge interview but none of them took charge of the interview and just sat back and answered the questions. Key to it is ask questions make them feel like your already part of the team and for god sake SMILE.

On my 4th week which was last week they offered me a full time permanent position which is 3 times the pay career edge pays you, so if your wondering that is it possible to get employed before your internship is up it is possible as the only thing is they would of lost the lump some of money they sent to careeredge to pay you with and its bi-weekly pay.

If you do manage to get a intern job you will be treated like a normal colleague and expected to do things with minimal help and advice as careeredge programme is International Qualified Professionals as that means your qualified in your home country and your just here to seek experience in Canada, not like the co-op students intern as they will be monitored and guided through step by step.

If I have missed out anything and you have questions please feel free to ask I do wish you all luck and success in your future in Canada.

Don't give up be positive and keep trying!

Hi.... Nice one.... Congrats on your success story... Pls I would love to know how you were able to exchange your home country drivers license to get a Canadian one.... I have just come into canada as a student and would love to get a Canadian drivers license... Thanks

 

[nthompson]

Hi

Does Career Edge helps us in getting Jobs while we are still in our home country? I am trying to apply for PR visa and would like to have a job offer in hand. Does career edge helps me in securing a job offer while I am still outside Canada? If yes, can you give me the link or mail id / address of career edge.

Regards
prmurthy

Hello Prmurthy,

Sorry to disappoint you but no you have to be a landed immigrant to apply for this program. Its a really good program because they have jobs for large oganizations such as, Scotia, Rogers,TD, IBM and government jobs. Wait till your landed then apply for it.

They also have a program for newly qualified grads as well

 

[nthompson]

Hi.... Nice one.... Congrats on your success story... Pls I would love to know how you were able to exchange your home country drivers license to get a Canadian one.... I have just come into canada as a student and would love to get a Canadian drivers license... Thanks

Hello Luvly3,

Thanks,and welcome to Canada Well you will need the counterfeit part that came with your driving license from your home country and your photo driving license as well as proof of address and your passport and visa documents. You get your temporary driving license card there and then and they take your license from you.

Also once you have finished your studies you can apply to Career Edge through their newly qualified internship program.

 

[MusterMark]

Hello MusterMark,

Go for it if your under 30 you can apply for a working visa which you would most likely get approved on. Once you get that you can network and potentially get a sponsorship as I've met a few couples who came on a work visa and now are Canadian residents. Also Labor works are highly needed here you would not have a problem finding work specially in BC.

Good luck and don't get demotivated good things come to those who wait

Hello nthompson,

Thanks for your help. Unfortunately I'm already 36. I think getting a work visa won't be easy for me because I need to find an employer that is willing to pay for the LMIA.

I think trying to get the PR card through the FSW program is safer for me (I'm an engineer). Maybe it will take a long time, but I will have much better chance on the job market when I have the PR status.

What do you think?

 

[nthompson]

Hello nthompson,

Thanks for your help. Unfortunately I'm already 36. I think getting a work visa won't be easy for me because I need to find an employer that is willing to pay for the LMIA.

I think trying to get the PR card through the FSW program is safer for me (I'm an engineer). Maybe it will take a long time, but I will have much better chance on the job market when I have the PR status.

What do you think?

Hello MusterMark,

Ah one of my friends is also in the same situation as you as his over the age of 30. I would for sure try applying through skilled working visa and see if you can get approved that way, if not I would cold email a lot of companies basically selling yourself to them via email and hopefully one will offer you can a LMIA.

If your not on LinkedIn I would sign up on there and make as much canadian connections as possible.

Good Lucky

 

[MusterMark]

Hello MusterMark,

Ah one of my friends is also in the same situation as you as his over the age of 30. I would for sure try applying through skilled working visa and see if you can get approved that way, if not I would cold email a lot of companies basically selling yourself to them via email and hopefully one will offer you can a LMIA.

If your not on LinkedIn I would sign up on there and make as much canadian connections as possible.

Good Lucky

Thanks, nthompson. So, networking is the word!

 

[mrbeachman]

Thanks, nthompson. So, networking is the word!

Not really.

There is another name for that.

 

[S7]

Hi nthompson

+1 for the valuable information.


by doing some search on the career edge website i can see they pay about 2500 per month. Id doesn't appear that they have jobs in Calgary, do you know of any agencies with similar approach in Calgary?


Regards,
S7