A must read article for all students going to Canada

[ashokcan]

I found this article very interesting . Hope you will find it too. Enjoy ;D www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/ask-a-career-expert/ask-a-career-coach/why-cant-i-get-canadian-companies-to-take-my-us-experience-seriously/article23650361

Sorry to you all. There is some kind of problem with this web link to open.
But you can go to www.theglobeandmail.com Click - Business, then scroll downwards, you will find Career column , Why can't I get Canadian companies to take my U.S. experience seriously.
Interesting indeed .............. [/u]

 

[economicalindian]

I found this article very interesting . Hope you will find it too. Enjoy ;D www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/ask-a-career-expert/ask-a-career-coach/why-cant-i-get-canadian-companies-to-take-my-us-experience-seriously/article23650361

Sorry to you all. There is some kind of problem with this web link to open.
But you can go to www.theglobeandmail.com Click - Business, then scroll downwards, you will find Career column , Why can't I get Canadian companies to take my U.S. experience seriously.
Interesting indeed .............. [/u]

thnks mate

 

[Regina]

Why a surprise?

Thank you for the link to the article, economicalindian, very informative and highly useful!

(Guys, you can reach it just typing in Google " Why can't I get Canadian companies to take my U.S. experience seriously?")

 

[Serendipity]

I totally get how an MBA from the US would focus his employment seeking efforts on his hard skills. That's is, however, not that effective in a society where, unlike in the US, social interaction and soft skills are of particular importance when finding a job.

In the US about 45% to 50% of job openings are advertised in the web, while the so called hidden job market only accounts for about 25% to 35% - the rest is filled by agencies/headhunters, a group that is loosing ground to the overwhelming success of sites such as LinkedIn, Plaxo, Visual CV, etc., which are taking over at light speed.

However, in Canada the hidden job market accounts for a significantly higher percentage, in the range of 80% to 85%, according with some Ministry of Labor statistics. Out of the remaining 15%, about 12% or less is filled through agencies and headhunters, which tells us that only about 3% to 5% of all available positions are advertised, and those are the ones to which newcomers are applying. What that means is that in Canada a potential candidate's "cold assessment" - that one that occurs when submitting a resume and that is based on the evaluation of technical qualifications/work experience - is extremely limited, hence forcing Canadians job seekers to depend on a different strategy that may not necessarily rely on the "hard facts" stated on their resumes to access non-advertised openings. And, what is that strategy to reach the oh-so-elusive hidden job market in Canada?: Networking, which, yes!, heavily relies on soft-skills.

One of the first things I did when moving from New York City to Toronto - besides having some Molson Canadian to get acclimated -, was joining as many professional groups as possible and attending every networking opportunity available in my industry, which eventually helped me get the right job in Toronto within a month of getting my work permit. Yes, I initially took a bit of a pay cut, but within a year I was earning just as much as in the US. You see, Canadians' values and expectations in many ways differ from those in the US in the work place, and job-seekers coming from other countries ought to understand and embrace those cultural differences, which include a very unique approach when entering the local job market.

I have to say that this sort of cultural adjustment wasn't new to me as I went through a similar process when I first moved from South America to the US. Anyone's 10 years of work experience - whether in the US or elsewhere else - and many diplomas will be of little help if he/she doesn't first recognize and embrace the importance of Canadian values and their ways, in and out of the work place. That is your ticket to success!!

 

[itstime]

One of the first things I did when moving from New York City to Toronto - besides having some Molson Canadian to get acclimated -, was joining as many professional groups as possible and attending every networking opportunity available in my industry, which eventually helped me get the right job in Toronto within a month of getting my job permit.

I'm here as a student and I don't even have a work permit yet. I found a networking group in my field, two doors down the street from the building I live in! They've been there once a month for longer than I have lived here. So I went, introduced myself to a few people and the day after received an email asking me what type of position I was looking for as he was staffing up for a short term project, starting after the winter. Fortunately, that job won't start until after I have my permit.

Networking is THE most important skill to have when finding a job these days, pretty much anywhere in the world.

 

[singh-ak]

I'm here as a student and I don't even have a work permit yet. I found a networking group in my field, two doors down the street from the building I live in! They've been there once a month for longer than I have lived here. So I went, introduced myself to a few people and the day after received an email asking me what type of position I was looking for as he was staffing up for a short term project, starting after the winter. Fortunately, that job won't start until after I have my permit.

Networking is THE most important skill to have when finding a job these days, pretty much anywhere in the world.

You are from which field?

 

[itstime]

You are from which field?

That is irrelevant. The point is that networking is key to finding work and has been for years.

 

[Serendipity]

BTW, here is a gem from the University of British Columbia about resume-based professional job search, which is, of course, how online job hunting works:


"Media Release | May 20, 2009
Employers discriminate against applicants with non-English names, UBC study suggests

A new University of British Columbia study finds that job applicants with English names have a greater chance of getting interviews than those with Chinese, Indian or Pakistani names.

The study, which sent thousands of resum�s to Canadian employers, found those with English names like Jill Wilson or John Martin received interview callbacks 40 per cent more often than identical resumes with names like Sana Khan or Lei Li.

The findings suggest that Canadians and immigrants with non-English names face discrimination by employers and help to explain why skilled immigrants arriving under Canada�s point system � with university degrees and significant work experience � fare poorly in today�s labour market.

�The findings suggest that a distinct foreign-sounding name may be a significant disadvantage on the job market � even if you are a second- or third-generation citizen,� says UBC Economics Prof. Philip Oreopoulos, whose working paper was released today by Metropolis BC, part of an international immigration and diversity research network.

For the study, 6,000 mock resum�s were constructed to represent recent immigrants and Canadians with and without non-English names. They were tailored to job requirements and sent to 2,000 online job postings from employers across 20 occupational categories in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada�s largest and most multicultural city.

Each resum� listed a bachelor's degree and four to six years of experience, with name and domestic or foreign education and work experience randomly assigned.

�If employers are engaging in name-based discrimination, they may be contravening the Human Rights Act,� says Oreopoulos, who adds that more research is needed to determine whether the behaviour is intentional. �They may also be missing out on hiring the best person for the job.�

Another key finding is that employers appear to prefer Canadian work experience over Canadian education. For resum�s with foreign names and education, callbacks nearly doubled with the addition of just one previous job in Canada.

�This suggests policies that prioritize Canadian experience or help new immigrants find initial domestic work experience might significantly increase their employment chances,� he says.

Oreopoulos � who is affiliated with National Bureau of Economic Research and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research � hopes the study�s findings will help to improve current immigration and diversity practices."

http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2009/mr-09-056.html

 

[itstime]

"Media Release | May 20, 2009
Employers discriminate against applicants with non-English names, UBC study suggests

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.

A new University of British Columbia study finds that job applicants with English names have a greater chance of getting interviews than those with Chinese, Indian or Pakistani names.

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".

 

[Serendipity]

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?

- 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.
- 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.

 

[itstime]

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.

That wasn't my point.

My point is that this is NOT a canada specific problem. It IS an international problem and happens all over the place, in particular in Europe. I have lived in many places there and even grew up in one of the countries and have experienced it myself. My first name is internationa, my last name is local. If I introduced myself with my first name only I was ignored, at best.

So, how do you overcome those obstacles as an international student and future job seeker in Canada?

- 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.
- 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.

I totally agree.

I also agree that you have to identify your market and your chosen field and learn how it operates and the networking codes within your field. If you can crack those, more than half the battle is won.