How to Succeed in the Canadian Job Market ? [for a New Immigrant]

[qorax]

Hi friends,

I had been contemplating to write this for quite sometime. There are many of us who are over-enthusiastically positive & similarly many, who think poorly of the Canadian job market.  And there are quite a few of us who are thinking to go or not to, given the enormous waiting time on this immigration process, by which time we already get well settled in our homeland. But, are we?

I have replied this to many who PMed me directly and in another thread here as well. Now plz bear with me for posting it seperately, for the betterment of all friends. I hope I'll not be bashed upon for this long write-up.

Buddies, in regard to our job scenario (FSW w/out AEO) in Canada, if we plan as per below, we'll sail thru satisfactorily. It's not whether we think good or bad abt it, it's more abt our understanding of the Job Process for a New Immigrant & how we address it, take precautions & manage our settlement well, now that we are positively thinking of moving. Our jobs in Canada, post landing, shall come under 3 stages:

Stage-1. 'Survival Jobs':
The moment we land [whatever city we chose], we must catch-on any opportunity that may arrive. At this stage, we must importantly keep our Ego at home. The idea is to safeguard the 'landing funds' and plan our regular expenses on any vocation based earnings. At this stage, it'll be potent to be frugile. Cut costs at all angles & get our daily meals thru whatever job that we can take. This is the most important phase of our newcomer life in Canada. If we can plan it well, we'll avoid the 'josh story', else depression shall set-in. In this phase, I might be a IT proff, an Engr, a Doctor, whatever, or of any age bracket... I'd do well to take a job as a FedEx Helper, DtoD Salesman, MacDonald Teamer, Night Watchman, Office Boy etc.
!-Stage Criteria: Whatever our homeland profession be, take any job to start earning.
!-Remember: Till now No one knows us & No one is bothered abt us.
!-Job Search: No further search, till we get settled in this present vocation.
!-Timeframe: 0-3 months.

Stage-2. 'Tertiary Jobs':
Now we are fairy aware of the city & the Canadian concepts. This is the time to foray into our 2nd job. Start seraching, but remember that it'll not be an actual 'job hunting' yet. In this phase, due to our awarness, we might land into an Ok job, which'll be better than the survival stage. But we are still not into our choice occupation. Again it should be taken as a challenge & pursue a job that will increase our earnings from the previous one. We may not yet be satisfied with what we are doing, but shall start some savings hereon. That'll get reflected in our bank a/cs. We are actually now building our credit history, an important thing that'll hold us in good stead later. Some of the Tertiary Jobs can be Office Assistant, Hypermarket Cashier/Teller, Warehouse Assistant, Industrial Labour Controller, Store Keeper, Security Officer/Supervisor, Courier Deliveryman etc. All of these being higher paid than minimum wages.
!-Stage Criteria: Try & get a better paid job than the previous. Any field. Complete all PR documentation.
!-Remember: We are still in our nascent stage. No one yet cares abt us.
!-Job Search: Yes, keep looking. Classifieds, Online, HR Agents, Networking, Prospective Employer visits etc.
!-Timeframe: 3-6 months.

Stage-3. 'Intermediate Jobs':
By now we have smartenned up. We are no more a novice. We have developed our links. Bank position is OK. Probably, the 'landing funds' is still not fiully depleted. Our networking & friend circle has started paying. Thus, hereon we shall, most likely, get our 'first satisfactory job'. Something in our related field. No, not yet what we actually have been doing in our homeland, but in the same department. The idea is to land a job within our specialty field. Eg. if I'm a IT professional, I'll get a job in the IT dept. of a company, as a first-level operator or a team leader (if I'm lucky). If I'm an Engr. I'll be landing the job of a technician in the engineering dept of a company. If I'm an Accountant, I'll catch hold of a Asst. Bookkeeper's task, or a financial data entry operator, or a departmental assistant. The combinations can be many. The requirement is, now start building your career. Opportunities shall commence.
!-Stage Criteria: Land a job in your related field. The designation be anything, be much lower -but must be taken.
!-Remember: Ppl will start knowing us in our field & thus professional growth is imminent.
!-Job Search: Full-fledged 'job hunting'. This hunting now is in our choice occupation.
!-Timeframe: 6-12 months.

Friends, hereafter we will most likely, be in our selected field of work. And we'll be aware of the job market within our profession. Hereon, we'll know what to look for & where to look for. Thus, can apply for jobs smartly & keep growing satisfactorily. It is expected that after a yr at Canada, we should be able to establish ourselves nicely. Be professionally motivated and quite possibly grow well into our Canadian settlement process.

Job hunting, obviously will continue until we are self-satisfied. But man... we have arrived... & arrived well ! In a couple of yrs we'll be sailing in our Original Position, that we left in our homeland. And remember, we'd be still earning better than before, even if the routine costs are higher in Canada. Our margins will be much higher too. Unless we really goof-up, in 2-3 yrs time we'll be calling the shots.

A thing to remember is that, since our 2nd stage, we should start developing our skills, by way of gaining qualifications/certifications to enhance our selected profession. As most occupations like IT, Accounts, Engineering etc. will not get us a job of that field, unless we have a Canadian Recognized Certificate. The only exception is of Doctors, who might face tremendous difficulty due to the 4 yrs. requirement of Canadian Medical studies.

The above 3 phases is also important to gain a Canadian Experience. Something we cannot do without if we want to succeed in our professions. The previous jobs can be anything, but when we try to apply for a job in our field the employers will always ask/look for a Canadian Experience. They wouldn't bother what we did, but will want an "employer's reference". This is to see our employability & people management skills. And we can't blame them as well, 'coz they need to doubly ensure that who they are employing is of 'good standing', as they have no clue of our occupations/designations in our homeland. It reminds me to advice, to do good in those previous Canadian jobs. 'Coz, we'll need those employer's references, whether in writing (best to take) or telephonically by the next employer.

Plz note that in some cases the 1st & 2nd stages may be interlinked. Some may get promoted within the 1st stage itself & thus avoid/require a seperate 2nd stage. While there are also many situations/actual cases where some PRs have settled-down well in their Tertiary Occupations itself. There is this case of an Electrical Engineer, who carried-on with his Warehouse Supervisor's job and settled down as businessman of 'Custom Bonded Warehouses' forever. There are scores of other examples.

I hope the foregoing shall lead to a proper understanding of our job-worth, vis-a-vis our aspirations in Canada. And help us to get hold of ourselves in a timeframe wise & market scenario wise assimilation of what, when and how to settle ourselves in this new found homeland. [I have deliberately avoided the Credit History & House Building scenarios, 'coz this post is directed to job market only].

Thanks & all the best to everyone !

(Member: Canadian Society of Industrial Security)

[ankit_20]

Thanks for starting this thread qorax

I agree with your assessment and laid out plan. My two cents

My research shows me that there are few things that we should do before we land.
1.)   Get our degrees and certificate evaluated and find out Canadian education equivalent: There are many organizations that do this evaluation for a fee. What we need is sealed transcripts from college and little fee to get the degrees evaluated. Once we know how our education stands in Canadian education system we can better asses ourselves and market our selves accordingly. Also some of employers may accept this evaluation.

2.)   Do as many international certificates as possible: I can speak only for 0213 here.  If you are working for 0213 code do as many relevant certifications as you can before landing like PMP, ITIL, and technical certifications like CCNA, checkpoint etc if applicable to you.

3.)   Be ready for voluntary work and paid internship: Canada has culture where lots of people do voluntary work, which is not common in part of the world that I come from. We need to make this cultural transition in our minds.  As soon as we land we should take voluntary work and start paid internship in our field. Please see http://www.triec.ca/ for more details

4.)   Start Building professional network over linked in and other websites

5.)   Join as many technical and recruiting groups in your field of work as possible

6.)   Search for matching jobs and see what skill sets they need which you may not have

What I have read tells me it is really tough to find out jobs without Canadian Education and Canadian Experience. But there are many organizations that work with immigrants to reduce the pain. Once we have know what to expect, how to over come these challenges and are willing to take jobs that come our way irrespective of profile and salary, we will be in better shape to handle the initial troubles related to immigration

[CPA2CANADA]

QORAX...well said! thanks for your encouragement!!!!!!

[Biblo]

How about (as someone said) starting a distance learning education from Canadian university from now, instead of waiting and landing in Canada. As such you'll save great amount of time and efforts in terms of technical skills development.

Although well said that there is no comparison of experience gained being there, however i believe using the common sense will also guide ppl through and save time.

[AkkDivz]

Qorax - thanks a lot ! very helpful post.

[COCOSTING]

Just wanted to add my bit.....

I read some very interesting article/statics somewhere on the web and I fail to remember where. I will work to find it and share the link with you all, it makes some very interesting read.

The article talks about how screwed up Canadian immigration system is, they are happy to let us in with the current credentials that immigrants posses but are not willing to employ us basis our credentials. Without government making laws to this effect the pvt sector will seldom change, the government has also not bothered to change its hiring policies within govt jobs. The govt is the largest employer in any country and radical changes in hiring should start from them. As a result Canada is fast becoming a knowledge dump with huge potential largely going for a waste.

Some immigrants are opting for solutions that are real drastic, at the end of the day these are highly qualified and smart people and will not sit and wait for ever. One statics claimed that one out of ever 3 skilled immigrants are leaving Canada once they become citizens and they are not necessarily going back to their home country. With a Canadian passport its a lot easier to move to other countries like UK,USA, France, Australia and New Zealand. Countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland and a few others are actively launched programmes to poach talent from the immigrant community in Canada. Canada does all the handwork to fish out the best but don't actually use it at the end and other countries are having the last laugh.

Some of the European/Scandinavian countries just like Canada and Australia have a huge requirement to people. The birth rate is so low in some of these countries that without immigration their population will actually start to decline.

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So guys you never know where we might end up keep your figures crossed and look out for these opportunities. I am thankful to Canada to let me in but if I realise that it does not value me, I personally will not think for a second and move to whoever does.
 

[pooja82]

thanks qorax for sharing this information................................

[Sure]

Mr.Qorax, Thank you, very good guidence

Regards,

[dreamteam]

nice one,thanks a bunch

[commonwealth]

Qorax and COCOSTING....
Two different but good comments, one with high aspirations and decent research and other with ground experience, good luck to both of you....

[qorax]

Just wanted to add my bit.....
I read some very interesting article/statics somewhere on the web and I fail to remember where...The article talks about how screwed up Canadian immigration system is, they are happy to let us in with the current credentials that immigrants posses but are not willing to employ us basis our credentials... Canada does all the handwork to fish out the best but don't actually use it at the end and other countries are having the last laugh... So guys you never know where we might end... will not think for a second and move to whoever does.

Dear Cocosting,

That was a nice & correct insight into the aweful Canadian Immigration Settlement system. It obviously feels (and practically seen on ground) that Canada virtually uses main-stream skilled workers/professionals into un-skilled jobs, for the first few yrs. Or until they can. Reasons for which, you & me are well aware of.

However, that is not stopping hordes of immigrants to land-up year-on into the Canadian soil. Actually, most of us are opting for the better quality of life & a sound future for our kids & family. Thus, the initial teething-trouble period is usualy accepted by us. Which is why, we need to be prepared before plunging unawares.

I have the article that you are referring. And shall place it in a later post, here.

Regards.

[qorax]

Hi Ankit,

Your observations are right... bang on !

Thanks buddy.

[Maaties]

An important note to remember is that, communication skills are important.
Despite sounding condescending, I am going to say it. Learn to speak English properly and to speak like a Canadian. This means both colloquial English and formal English. Don't underestimate the power of accent to disadvantage someone.

Same could go for learning French.

This is just a personal opinion.

[commonwealth]

rupeshhari ---- well said!
Soft skills are far more critical especially in the absence of local experience.

[rk2009]

Qorax your post puts things into perspective and sets expectations.

I also would like to add timing as a major factor  which could make a lot of difference. I see a lot of jobs right now in my  area but haven't got a PR so there is no point me even applying for those, given the random timelines ( 1-5months from the stage where  I am) there is no company willing to wait that much.

I am counting on the time after recieving the PPR as grace period to land an opportunity.