Need suggestion on finding a job in Canada

[Narayani]

Hi Friends,

Can someone suggest any really working methods to get a job opportunity in Canada? Please please dont tell me about references, networking because as a new immigrant I don't have any. I tried building networks through Linked In but why would anyone refer me for a role? That source is not working for me.. I tried connecting with new members and seeking their reference for a role but no help. If I were a famous or influential personality, people would respond to my mails but who will care for a common person?

I wonder if the positions available in various job sites really exist and if the agencies really proceed with the applications? Its like apply, apply but no reply

I really do not want to go for comfort jobs because that is not what I had dreamt of when I had left my very good IT job in India. I am frustrated and worried why my huge experience, diverse skills, good qualifications and passion cannot get a job for me.

Is the whole job market in that stage now? What are the trends because of the changes in global scenario? Please share your experiences and suggestions.

 

[CDNPR2014]

where are you located? have you partnered with an immigrant service organization in your area to see if they have mentor programs to help with job searching and increasing your local network? I'd recommend checking out world skills employment centre. they have great programs, though i'm not sure what they offer outside of ontario. def. worth looking into. they have job placement programs for newcomers and they are fantastic!

besides partnering with an immigrant organization, my recommendation is to start reading up on Liz Ryan and The Human Workplace or Li Lin (both searchable on Linkedin and Facebook). Both offer similiar and successful approaches to finding a job. Their information certainly helped me secure employment. it's a tough market out there, and newcomers need to leverage what they can to be noticed. keep going and don't give up!!! Finding a job is a full time job in itself, and it's important to put as many hours as possible doing it.

here's some ideas where to start:

- create a target list of 10-20 companies you want to work for in your area
- start using linkedin to research who's who in those companies. who's the HR manager? who posts the job ads? who is the person who has the position that would be hiring an employee like you?
- research the company and find something you like about them. are they in the news? did they just release something? do you know of any ideas/papers/events that would be relevant to their business?
- reach out to the people you find, tell them what you like about their company/admire about their profile and seek connections for the sole purpose of meeting local people in your field, not because you are looking for a job. people are more likely to share ideas and respond when you aren't trying to get anything out of them.
- don't just rely on applying for jobs through the online portals. if there is a position available at one of those companies, send a copy of your resume/cover letter to the hiring manager directly, letting them know you applied. your goal is to get your resume noticed so they will invite you to an interview.
- research creative resumes and see if any of those layouts work for your job/industry
- make sure your resume/cover letter is specific to the job/company you are applying do. DO NOT just send the same copies or only edit position/company names. you need to convince that specific company you are a good fit. you will only do that when you tailor your application to their needs, not yours.

 

[lieudefroid]

Hi Friends,

Can someone suggest any really working methods to get a job opportunity in Canada? Please please dont tell me about references, networking because as a new immigrant I don't have any. I tried building networks through Linked In but why would anyone refer me for a role? That source is not working for me.. I tried connecting with new members and seeking their reference for a role but no help. If I were a famous or influential personality, people would respond to my mails but who will care for a common person?

I wonder if the positions available in various job sites really exist and if the agencies really proceed with the applications? Its like apply, apply but no reply

I really do not want to go for comfort jobs because that is not what I had dreamt of when I had left my very good IT job in India. I am frustrated and worried why my huge experience, diverse skills, good qualifications and passion cannot get a job for me.

Is the whole job market in that stage now? What are the trends because of the changes in global scenario? Please share your experiences and suggestions.

Which city are you in, and what are your skills? Please list the technology skills you have and we can connect you to IT contract firms who can deploy you on projects.

 

[MissJustice]

I am going to share the old school method that worked for me. I went door to door, street by street and handed out my Resume. I was reluctant at first, because who looks for an office work this way today? but it worked. I landed an incredible job at a law firm, as a legal assistant. I am law graduate, so some were a little reluctant since I am over qualified and on a 1 yr work visa. But it all turned out well. I walked in to their office in the perfect time and they gave me indefinite contacts that will help me with PR app.

After few days of cold calling i landed a temp job at a law firm, i then carrier on for another two months (summer) and found this permanent job. That temp job gave me excellent references.

I suggest that aside from agencies, job posts etc you just hit the streets. You can research one area and target IT companies and have them written all down with addresses etc or you can walk randomly. In my case it worked because almost every building in downtown Vancouver has at least handful of law firms. People were very impressed with my style and said that would hire me on the spot if only they had a vacancy. Many gave me contacts i should reach out too or have names of agencies, websites etc. It was very very helpful. Canadians are good people.

Make sure you take business card from each office you go to, and write a note to yourself, because it might get too much if you get 30 cards in one day. You then of course call each of that office the next day.

Another thing I would suggest is to contact your consulate in Canada and ask them for a list of companies that are established here. Pretend you are a businessman, they will give it to you via email easily. It is always a good start to reach out to your own people, which is what I did.

I know it sounds like a lot of work but IT WOKS!!!! You sound a little discouraged my friend, have faith! Just put the work in, every day! You can do it! 8)

 

[Narayani]

- reach out to the people you find, tell them what you like about their company/admire about their profile and seek connections for the sole purpose of meeting local people in your field, not because you are looking for a job. people are more likely to share ideas and respond when you aren't trying to get anything out of them.

This is the only thing left now Thanks for the suggestions.. BTW, I am in Toronto.

Some of my friends say I am over qualified and highly experienced.. Does this work against??? I am trying only for junior to mid supervisory levels though.

 

[Narayani]

I am going to share the old school method that worked for me. I went door to door, street by street and handed out my Resume. I was reluctant at
I know it sounds like a lot of work but IT WOKS!!!! You sound a little discouraged my friend, have faith! Just put the work in, every day! You can do it! 8)

Thanks

 

[xpressentry]

This is the only thing left now Thanks for the suggestions.. BTW, I am in Toronto.

Some of my friends say I am over qualified and highly experienced.. Does this work against??? I am trying only for junior to mid supervisory levels though.

You cant compare your life and career in India with your life and career in Canada. Canadian education and Canadian work experience will surely give an edge over those who dont have Canadian education and Canadian work experience. I started all over when I moved from India to the UK as UK did not value Indian work experience. I do hope my British experience will be considered a little and I wouldnt expect Canada to consider my Indian experience.

It is a situation where you are over qualified for entry / mid level jobs and you lack the Canadian experience to pick up where you left off in India.

Try to get some Canadian certifications that could help you gain equal footing as compared to the Canadian counterparts.

There is dignity and respect in labour. Nothing bad about doing comfort jobs.

 

[CDNPR2014]

This is the only thing left now Thanks for the suggestions.. BTW, I am in Toronto.

Some of my friends say I am over qualified and highly experienced.. Does this work against??? I am trying only for junior to mid supervisory levels though.

if you are trying for junior or mid supervisory jobs, then your resume and cover letter needs to reflect that. having higher level information on your resume for lower level jobs will work against you. not everything needs to be put on your resume. choose the experiences/skills that match the specific job you are applying for. for example, when i first started looking for jobs, i removed my MBA from my resume. why? because i was looking for entry level jobs to get my foot in the door and i am well aware of the assumptions that are made by HR reps about MBA's (too expensive, will get bored easily) and the degree is not a requirement for most jobs. I tailored the information i freely shared with perspective employers based on the job requirements THEY had. it is not necessary to tell them about every skill/qualification we have. it is only necessary to show them how our skills/experiences match what they are looking for. if there are a number of positions you are looking at, then create multiple resumes so you can quickly modify them for each job ad. job ads are great tools for figuring out what information should be on the resume. so is google images.

Toronto has many immigrant organizations, and i know World Skills services that area. They have great mentorship and jobsearch programs available for newcomers that offer great success and also helps manage the emotional aspect of jobsearching/ being a newcomer. they will even endorse your application for jobs posted on their jobsite and for me that guaranteed an interview. if you're not already connected to these programs, then it's imperative to reach out. there's nothing to lose and so much to gain!

I am going to share the old school method that worked for me. I went door to door, street by street and handed out my Resume. I was reluctant at first, because who looks for an office work this way today? but it worked. I landed an incredible job at a law firm, as a legal assistant. I am law graduate, so some were a little reluctant since I am over qualified and on a 1 yr work visa. But it all turned out well. I walked in to their office in the perfect time and they gave me indefinite contacts that will help me with PR app.

After few days of cold calling i landed a temp job at a law firm, i then carrier on for another two months (summer) and found this permanent job. That temp job gave me excellent references.

I suggest that aside from agencies, job posts etc you just hit the streets. You can research one area and target IT companies and have them written all down with addresses etc or you can walk randomly. In my case it worked because almost every building in downtown Vancouver has at least handful of law firms. People were very impressed with my style and said that would hire me on the spot if only they had a vacancy. Many gave me contacts i should reach out too or have names of agencies, websites etc. It was very very helpful. Canadians are good people.

Make sure you take business card from each office you go to, and write a note to yourself, because it might get too much if you get 30 cards in one day. You then of course call each of that office the next day.

Another thing I would suggest is to contact your consulate in Canada and ask them for a list of companies that are established here. Pretend you are a businessman, they will give it to you via email easily. It is always a good start to reach out to your own people, which is what I did.

I know it sounds like a lot of work but IT WOKS!!!! You sound a little discouraged my friend, have faith! Just put the work in, every day! You can do it! 8)

these are great suggestions and great ways to find target companies/contacts. when i'm looking to create target lists, i drive around the "tech hub" in the area and write down company names, then go home and start researching.

 

[xpressentry]

I would recommend underplaying your CV too by knocking off some experience, education, etc. I had suggested it to another member on the forum and they did not take it very well. I understand that the OP has worked hard to reach where he/she is and should be proud of his/her achievements and if you have it you should flaunt it. At the end of the day, you have to do what works for you even if it means hiding your achievements to get your foot in the door.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I would recommend underplaying your CV too by knocking off some experience, education, etc. I had suggested it to another member on the forum and they did not take it very well. I understand that the OP has worked hard to reach where he/she is and should be proud of his/her achievements and if you have it you should flaunt it. At the end of the day, you have to do what works for you even if it means hiding your achievements to get your foot in the door.

exactly. employers don't care how hard we worked to get to where we are. they care about how we fit the position they are filling and how our experiences/skills match what they need. leave the ego aside, focus on the employer's needs, and brand yourself for the position you are trying to get NOW, not the one you once were in or want to end up in.