itstime said:
Swap non-English to non-German or non-Danish or non-French or non-WhateverLanguage name and it will be the same findings in Germany/Denmark/France/Wherever.
UofBC is far from the only institution who has done such a study and come to that conclusion. It's not a Canadian phenomenon. It is a universal phenomenon, or at least in "the western world".
The name of this site is www.canadavisa.com, hence UBC's study is fully relevant here, a site focused on the Canadian experience, whether or not a similar study has been conducted elsewhere else.
Also, this very same phenomenon is not necessarily true in the US, or at least not all over the country. As explained before, resume-based job search is a significantly more successful endeavor in America where, in some instances, having a multicultural background may indeed give you a competitive advantage over other job applicants. This largely depends on two factors: 1) The city where the job is, and 2) The field/industry. For instance, if you are a recent grad with a degree in Finance and live in NYC, chances are that you may find yourself getting an internship in Goldman Sachs, UBS, etc. in no time, which will eventually lead to a full time job (saw it happen countless times). Whether your last name is Khan or Gutiérrez, that fully multicultural city will take you in - of course, NYC happens to be the economic engine of the country and an international economic hub, not to mention the largest and most diverse DMA (designated market area) in the US. That city would certainly welcome your 'ethnic" name, bilingualism or multilingualism and overseas professional experience. Now, try the same in Raleigh NC.!! You are likely to fall flat on your face, specially in a state where xenophobic attitudes and racial discrimination are so common.
In a city like Toronto it is not that easy either. Despite the fact that there is great diversity - 53% of Toronto's population is foreign born -, from a sociological standpoint the professional environment is focused inwards, and multicultural markets barely have an international scope of action which turns them into mere "niche" - incipient - markets. For instance, while an immigrant
professional in the US, first generation or not, is a an individual that may get better wages simply because of his/her multicultural background - take a look at Latino professionals in the last two decades - , in Canada, "from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s, earnings differences between recent immigrant and native-born workers have widened substantially (Statistics Canada, 2008)", where immigrants have shown to earn significantly less. There is a societal phenomenon in this country where newcomers are welcome as part of a diverse society, yet not so much to the professional workforce.
So, how do you overcome those obstacles as an international student and future job seeker in Canada?
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Market yourself as if you were a product: identify your strengths and those cities, industries, employers, jobs, etc, that would welcome them. That may - or should - include your multilingual skills and cross-cultural experience.
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Sell yourself as if you were a product: that is right! Once you know where your best chances are for succeeding, get your butt off the the couch and start shaking hands, meeting people. We said it before: NETWORKING IS KEY, and do it proactively. (Do your homework. Networking takes a bit of time to learn, but it is doable, specially in a world where the web is king. BTW, have you noticed that this thread is already a form of networking?)
-Spend some time at your local/school library learning about the Canadian hidden-job market - there is plenty written about it. You will be surprised to learn how important and valuable that info will be for you.
- If possible, find a mentor (use the web, school resources, etc.), or just make friends with someone who is already doing what you want. Only someone who is already "there" will be able to tell you how to get "there". People in your exact same situation today won't be of much help.
- Be willing to make mistakes.
- Be flexible.
A propos, about myself: I am originally from South America and have been an international student in both the USA and Canada (for both undergrad and grad school). Also, I've worked professionally for over ten years while based in Miami, New York City and more recently Toronto, with a focus on multicultural and international marketing. I do have an 'ethnic' name, an accent, and my skin color is darker than most, specially after having margaritas on the beach!!
Basically, been there, done that, yet I know all too well that everyday is a learning opportunity in this fascinating journey that is being an immigrant!
Good luck to all.
S.