There are mainly 3 types of challenges faced by newcomers to Canada!
- Canadian Experience
- International Credentials (Mainly regulated industries)
- Language Barrier
Canadian Experience –
There is a hidden word here, employers are looking for Canadian “workplace” experience!
If the newcomers have experience in IT, computing, software, and telecommunication industries – it may be easier to penetrate the Canadian workforce – for others, years of work experience and degrees may not be enough to convince Moncton employers of your worth.
It has been challenging to understand this phrase and there are misconceptions about it- we will try to clear some here.
An accent is never an issue – as long as you are able to express your ideas and understand your industry terminologies used locally.
Taking a lower-level job – while it is a common approach, does help and is recommended – newcomers should be careful of not getting into menial jobs that do not have the opportunity to grow.
Start volunteering – Moncton has various charitable organizations handling varieties of projects. But instead of starting anywhere, newcomers should look out to volunteering at businesses related to their professions, if they are open to this.
Art of Selling (Candidizing your resume): Instead of having a standard resume (or answers to interview questions) detailing your wide experience and education, it does help when you research what exactly the employer is looking for (by reading the job requirements and responsibilities) narrow the specialization and give confidence to the employer that you are the right fit to do that particular job.
Find the mentor in your industry, a professional peer who can guide you on how to prepare for the entry in your desired job position.
Looking for a 100% job match – I remember meeting a few newcomers who struggled to find a job for 3-4 months. When I questioned- how many jobs have you applied so far, what places you got interviewed? and what is holding you back?? – the responses were, Haven’t applied anywhere. The reason? I did not find a job that was matching my background. At times, since the work culture is different here- you may not be able to find a 100% job match – you should be looking for a 70% job match and then “Canadianize” your skills and go on! Most of those newcomers got promoted and are doing really well!
Part of the problem is, newcomers receive bad advice. While the advice may be well-intentioned and free, it’s painful to watch when they do not prove to be worthwhile.
Newcomers need better access to some of the information as well as public services that other Canadians have so that they can make better use of their skills and abilities. Of course, when you’re new in a country, that’s easier said than done.
We the team of Moncton Cares are easily available for you. We can help you with the required soft skills, advanced English with local terminologies, networking with local employers, and even guidance in interview preparation.
