Posted on: 20-10-04 11:01:47
Since we have this Desi community with lot of good and bad experiences in Canada, let's make this topic as a sharing portal.
Share your experiences and post good advise for people who need some help to grow and settle in Canada.
Quote:
Orginally posted by canin
Since we have this Desi community with lot of good and bad experiences in Canada, let's make this topic as a sharing portal.
Share your experiences and post good advise for people who need some help to grow and settle in Canada.
First, we have to define : What is a definition of Sucessful in Canada?
Is CA working as bookkeeper or as junior accountant, can we say him as successful person?
Is Ele. Engg working as electrician in Canada, can we say him as sucessful person?
Any professional earning more CAD in labour job then professional job, can we say him sucessful person?
For some desi : Reaching Canada is also successful in Canada.
Have a successful in Canada.
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Kap
Kap,
I'd define Success as a state of mind wherein you're happy and content with your present and look forward to a good future. You cannot tie success to a whether you're doing the job that you qualified yourself for, that's pretty narrow. Also you or I can't decide if someone is successful, they can only decide it themselves. So a CA who's happy working as a junior account here is a successful person.
Anyways, let's stick to the topic, it might be better to start another thread if you want to discuss the definition and intricacies of success (I get the impression there's one already existing).
My views on the original question.
1) Expect success (whatever it means to you). If you come here expecting failure, you're gearing yourself up for it. In this case, you're better off not immigrating.
2) Give it your best shot. Make a game-plan and work really hard at achieving your goal.
3) If things don't work out, re-evaluate and think about why they're not working out. Biding your time is also an important strategy of success.
4) Learn to see the lighter side of things when you're struggling. Don't forget to throw in some entertainment (whatever you can afford, it could be as simple as reading a good book) when you're in the yet-to-achieve- success phase.
There was a hindi song that I kinda liked. Went like "Jhukti hai duniya, jhukanewala chahiye!". Very true.
Again, please do not deviate from the question at hand.
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Are you there?
My take on the subject:
Before you arrive:
Have your Resume on some of the well known job search websites at least one month prior to your date of intended arrival in Canada (always remember that in North America, the document that you submit for a job is a “Resume” – not a “CV”, there are subtle differences between them.
Refresh the Resume constantly – log onto the site every day if you want to, so that it is visible to prospective employers.
If you can budget for one, plan on having a laptop computer with you. A job search over the internet can be pretty effective.
Budget for a cell phone when you land. Although it costs a bit of money initially as well the airtime ends up costing money, you’re better off answering the phone yourself rather than having the wife or your 3 year old child answering the phone!
Be prepared (in a financial sense) for the possibility that you won’t be employed for a few months. That way you won’t have to jump into an unskilled job at the first opportunity.
When you arrive:
Be aware of the resources available to help immigrants. A good source for starters is your “Welcome to Canada” package.
Contact one of the HRDC funded organizations that conduct job search workshops for new immigrants.
Attend the workshop, establish a rapport with your counsellor.
Develop a Resume template suitable for Canada in consultation with your counsellor.
Ask your counsellor if he / she could introduce you to some of his / her contacts among recruiters.
Start submitting Resumes to jobs posted on online sites.
Tailor each Resume to the specific job description of the position being applied for. Remove skills from the Resume that are not relevant or do not complement the job description for the position being applied for.
Proof read your Resume, or get someone else to proof read it to ensure
that there are no spelling mistakes.
When you have submitted your Resume, back it up with a phone call to the recruiter.
Be prepared with a 15 – 30 second description of yourself and your key skills. If a recruiter calls you and wants to know more about you, you won’t hum and haw your way through. Keep this description generic, since you may apply to a range of different positions and don’t know which recruiter is going to call you first.
Rehearse your pronounciation. If you have clear regional influences on parts of your speech, work to soften its impact.
If a recruiter calls to talk, and seems disinterested, try to at least schedule a meeting with them, so you can discuss and get a better picture of the Canadian market – never know, they may have a position in the future.
Be positive. Don’t assume that Canada has ONLY labour jobs or that Canadian employers will not hire you if you don’t have Canadian experience.
When called to an interview:
You may be first interviewed by a external recruitment consultant.
Remember that he is on your side in a sense. He wants to place you in the company so he can make his money. Make common cause with him so he’s confident to present you to his client.
Research the company thoroughly. Make notes of its operations, number of staff, revenues, etc (during the interview with the employer you can drop some numbers in a very subtle manner to ensure that the interviewer knows that you have done your research).
Be prepared with the usual list of strengths and weaknesses. Your weaknesses should be genuine and should be something that you have worked on and improved on. At the same time, ensure that your weakness is on a soft skill rather than a technical skill.
Understand the role that you are being interviewed for. If applicable, be aware of the latest developments in North America in regards to the role.
Work on your demeanour – if you want to, talk to people around you or to the recruitment consultant to ensure that you are doing the right stuff. Hand and facial gestures that people from the sub-continent make can be misinterpreted.
Work on your language skills, work on your pronounciation.
If you are being interviewed immediately after one of your meal times (either in the morning after breakfast or in the afternoon after lunch) remember that Listerine is a mouthwash……….
If an employer interviewing you suggests that you don’t have Canadian experience, don’t get agitated. Stress the diversity of your experience (especially if you’ve worked in the Middle East) be prepared to explain to the employer that Toronto being a city of diverse ethnicities, the diversity of your experience would be an asset to the organization.
If you have international experience, stress to the potential employer that you were able to make the transition from India, to the foreign country that you worked in, and that you are confident that you will be able to make the transition to Canada once again.
Ask the interviewer whether they have any negative perceptions of you, towards the end of the interviewer. If you have to, disagree politely but firmly. Also counter negative arguments with a range of skills that you have that would reasonably complement the role that is intended to be filled.
These suggestions may not work for everyone, worked for me though.
Hope this helps........
Quote:
Orginally posted by crenshaw
My take on the subject:
Before you arrive:
Have your Resume on some of the well known job search websites at least one month prior to your date of intended arrival in Canada (always remember that in North America, the document that you submit for a job is a “Resume” – not a “CV”, there are subtle differences between them.
Refresh the Resume constantly – log onto the site every day if you want to, so that it is visible to prospective employers.
If you can budget for one, plan on having a laptop computer with you. A job search over the internet can be pretty effective.
Budget for a cell phone when you land. Although it costs a bit of money initially as well the airtime ends up costing money, you’re better off answering the phone yourself rather than having the wife or your 3 year old child answering the phone!
Be prepared (in a financial sense) for the possibility that you won’t be employed for a few months. That way you won’t have to jump into an unskilled job at the first opportunity.
When you arrive:
Be aware of the resources available to help immigrants. A good source for starters is your “Welcome to Canada” package.
Contact one of the HRDC funded organizations that conduct job search workshops for new immigrants.
Attend the workshop, establish a rapport with your counsellor.
Develop a Resume template suitable for Canada in consultation with your counsellor.
Ask your counsellor if he / she could introduce you to some of his / her contacts among recruiters.
Start submitting Resumes to jobs posted on online sites.
Tailor each Resume to the specific job description of the position being applied for. Remove skills from the Resume that are not relevant or do not complement the job description for the position being applied for.
Proof read your Resume, or get someone else to proof read it to ensure
that there are no spelling mistakes.
When you have submitted your Resume, back it up with a phone call to the recruiter.
Be prepared with a 15 – 30 second description of yourself and your key skills. If a recruiter calls you and wants to know more about you, you won’t hum and haw your way through. Keep this description generic, since you may apply to a range of different positions and don’t know which recruiter is going to call you first.
Rehearse your pronounciation. If you have clear regional influences on parts of your speech, work to soften its impact.
If a recruiter calls to talk, and seems disinterested, try to at least schedule a meeting with them, so you can discuss and get a better picture of the Canadian market – never know, they may have a position in the future.
Be positive. Don’t assume that Canada has ONLY labour jobs or that Canadian employers will not hire you if you don’t have Canadian experience.
When called to an interview:
You may be first interviewed by a external recruitment consultant.
Remember that he is on your side in a sense. He wants to place you in the company so he can make his money. Make common cause with him so he’s confident to present you to his client.
Research the company thoroughly. Make notes of its operations, number of staff, revenues, etc (during the interview with the employer you can drop some numbers in a very subtle manner to ensure that the interviewer knows that you have done your research).
Be prepared with the usual list of strengths and weaknesses. Your weaknesses should be genuine and should be something that you have worked on and improved on. At the same time, ensure that your weakness is on a soft skill rather than a technical skill.
Understand the role that you are being interviewed for. If applicable, be aware of the latest developments in North America in regards to the role.
Work on your demeanour – if you want to, talk to people around you or to the recruitment consultant to ensure that you are doing the right stuff. Hand and facial gestures that people from the sub-continent make can be misinterpreted.
Work on your language skills, work on your pronounciation.
If you are being interviewed immediately after one of your meal times (either in the morning after breakfast or in the afternoon after lunch) remember that Listerine is a mouthwash……….
If an employer interviewing you suggests that you don’t have Canadian experience, don’t get agitated. Stress the diversity of your experience (especially if you’ve worked in the Middle East) be prepared to explain to the employer that Toronto being a city of diverse ethnicities, the diversity of your experience would be an asset to the organization.
If you have international experience, stress to the potential employer that you were able to make the transition from India, to the foreign country that you worked in, and that you are confident that you will be able to make the transition to Canada once again.
Ask the interviewer whether they have any negative perceptions of you, towards the end of the interviewer. If you have to, disagree politely but firmly. Also counter negative arguments with a range of skills that you have that would reasonably complement the role that is intended to be filled.
These suggestions may not work for everyone, worked for me though.
Hope this helps........
I agree with you Crenshaw.
I would also like to add that one must work on their first appearance.
We now have landed in a different culture. Thier thoughts, likings, dislikings, perpective etc. could be totally different than us.
Unless we setup ourselves to mingle with them, we won't be able to sit and work with them at the same work place.
very good explaination by crenshaw...appreciation from my end....all fellow members who are seeking job...pl follw these points....and success is that much more closer to you....
thanks crenshaw for your post...
chow
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Let's help each other to grow & prosper in Canada
Excellent post Crenshaw...
Lets keep such great suggestions and guidelines coming ....posts like is reflects the real reason we stick to this forum.
Great attitude buddy.
Samir
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What can be imagined, can be achieved.
