Like everything that comes with moving to a new country, landing a job as a new Canadian immigrant isn't an easy journey. You'll inevitably encounter several challenges in finding a suitable employment opportunity, especially in this day and age where the pandemic has caused further changes in Canada's labor laws and market.
Not to worry! While successfully getting hired as a newcomer isn't going to be a breeze, it certainly isn't IMPOSSIBLE! Here are five top tips to get hired as a new Canadian immigrant.
Know and sign up on significant Canadian job websites
While job searches aren't a walk in the park, knowing where to find employment opportunities will help you manage it better. For one, the Canadian government offers several free resources and websites to have a higher chance of success. Some of the best websites include:
- Government of Canada Job Bank-- the official job website for Canada. You can look for more specific positions in the job portal's Covid 19 listings.
- Workpolis
- Indeed
- Monster
- WorkInNonProfits.ca
Sharpen your resume and cover letter
Even if you're NOT a newcomer in Canada, the first thing employers look at when hiring is the resume. Your resume serves as your key to the next phase, the interview stage, and in Canada, resumes for employment are formatted traditionally.
One resume tip? Highlight your professional experience instead of listing all the tasks you've performed. You'll also want to tweak your resume every time you apply to a different place instead of sending a standard resume to every potential employer.
Be sure to put more effort into your cover letter, too, as a strongly crafted cover letter solidifies your stance and intent to collaborate with a particular employer.
Carefully filter your job search
Since Canadian job portals are flooded with thousands of career opportunities daily, new immigrants must filter their job search. Going through each one looking for your perfect fit is time-consuming and tedious, and you want to avoid wasting effort and time that you can use on other significant tasks and errands. It may take longer to find a job when you are looking for a particular position, but the chances of success will be much higher.
Meanwhile, if you don't have any specific area in mind yet, factor in the area with more opportunities in your chosen field. Remember, research is the key!
Polish your interview skills
Sharpening your soft skills will help you and your potential employer get the best possible interview experience. So, while you're on the hunt for a job, practice understanding communication techniques and professional body language!
For starters, ensure that you keep the conversation engaging instead of overthinking what you should say next. Let the conversation flow naturally instead of sounding too smart or too funny. There's no perfect answer to every interviewer's question, but what you can do is present yourself as a reliable employee with a credible skill set ready to grow with the organization.
Widen and strengthen your network and connections
Social platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn provide multiple opportunities for network expansion and job confirmation, so widening and strengthening your social network and connections on these platforms will give you a better advantage.
But don't get us wrong, simply uploading your resume is not enough! You'll have to craft your work experience in a manner that prominently highlights your professional accomplishments. Making sure that your posts are professional and that you connect with Canadian professionals working in your domain will also give you an edge.
Oh, and if you can, don't forget to take a letter of recommendation from your former employers. While it doesn't guarantee a job, it gives you a foot in the door. If your resume ends up with the right employer, your chances of getting to the job interview round will be higher.