For all those freshly stepping into the shoes of a Canadian Immigrant’s life, scoring a dream job is probably one of the topmost priorities on your itineraries before you settle down into the country. This article shall provide you a comprehensive guide and a detailed outline of the process and various resources available at your service before you begin job-hunting!

A prime example of Canada’s immense involvement in helping out newbies seek valid and legitimate job offers is the contribution of approximately 2 Billion dollars set aside towards supporting the settlement of newcomers into the nation by the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). This is done on an annual basis and stands accessible to all freshly immigrated PRs (permanent residents). The distribution takes place across a total of about 500 immigration organizations located in various parts of the globe.

The main objective of these organizations and institutions is to provide laudable services to those newly immigrating to the Maple country while also assisting them with IRCC-aided services free of cost. Out of all the offered services, employment stands to hold the highest weightage. Everyone is eligible to establish contact with a Canadian local immigration service/organization as soon as they enter the nation. This gains you the privilege of obtaining top-tier support for employment opportunities such as resume-building, mentorship, networking in the professional world, and helping you prep for upcoming potential job interviews.

The IRCC’s official website has a complete list of names of such organizations for you to check out if interested.

Canada is widely open to extending its arms towards newcomers as it thrives on enriching talent like theirs in order to help boost up its economy which in turn contributes towards its prosperity. The key factor before every job-hunting process is staying undeterred, passionate, and motivated throughout.

Here’s a step-by-step job search guide to help all those seeking out assistance during this crucial process:

> Start Research From Day 1

In order to bag a competent job offer that also aligns with one’s career objectives, dreams, and ultimate goals, conducting personal research about the Canadian job market and the available opportunities is key. The preliminary step would be to envision your future self, maybe 2-3 years down the line, and picture yourself doing something you like. That’s the career choice you would probably opt for and that makes it easier to select which employers in Canada would be your prime selections.

Keeping in mind one’s own competencies, knowledge, skillset, and personal preferences, you can then begin searching from thousands of job listings available on Canadian websites. Key things you must research on about potential employers are their background, their knowledge, their products/services offered, and what they’re currently working on. Start framing yourself to pitch yourself to potential employers, by highlighting how your skills could help cater to their needs.

Make sure the jobs you’re noticing are regulated under Canadian law. Otherwise, there may be a requirement to get verified foreign credentials or accreditations to work within the country. Resources are vast and scattered around everywhere to help you accelerate towards your dream job, make the best use of them.

> Resume-building and Cover Letter

Post your personal research, it’s time to get prepared to approach your employers and pitch yourself in the best possible way, which is where your resume and cover letter come in handy. Canadian resumes are much shorter than most others and hence it’s important to tailor your resume to suit the trends existent within the job market.

Your resume should also be customized to suit the descriptions of every job you apply for while highlighting what skills you possess to match those vacancy needs. Being short, concise, and precise is key. One primary thing to include is a summary of your work experiences. Avoid mentioning notable references, DOB, nationality, ethnicity as well as marital status. Even your cover letter needs to be curated to fit the job posting.

Questions you should be focused on answering include who are you, why are you in need of this job, and why do you think you’re a good fit for this vacancy. Avoid stating the exact same details on both, your resume and cover letter. They’re meant to complement each other to increase your employability chances. Always end your cover letter with a short thank you note to the hiring manager and promote your intention of following up after the interview ends.

Canada boasts of a large number of people who will readily support and help you procure your dream job in your job-hunting process. Therefore, it’s a good bet to have someone other than your close friends and family help review your resume and point out any errors or mistakes you may need to rectify.

> Establish Connections and Build Networks

Once you start forming essential bonds, having conversations, and driving fruitful information through networking and building connections, this will help you uncover the hidden job market that isn’t really openly advertised within the Maple country.

The best way to gain resourceful information is using the 30-second elevator pitch to get the ball rolling. Approach your network through a variety of platforms and media like attending job fairs or associated networking events in the locality, connect with meaningful leads through professional sites like LinkedIn and keep your search limited to those within the target industry of your choice.

Another way to make things happen quicker is streamlining your search towards looking for a mentor. Canada has plenty of mentorship programs in the making every single year and you might just benefit from them. Whether you’re ready to accept it or not, the country is filled with bountiful folk who may even go out of their ways to provide you quality one-on-one mentorship.

> Start Applying to Vacant Positions

There are plenty of resources to keep oneself updated about the latest job postings within the country. Some of the popular favorites include LinkedIn, Google for Jobs, Monster, Zip Recruiter, Indeed, Glassdoor, and the even more frequently accessed, the Canadian Visa job search tool.

Applications take place either through any of the aforementioned listed websites or via the visa job process site. At times, it might be best to just apply via the employer’s website in a direct manner. Another way would be sending out an email showing your potential interest in case you received the contact information after networking.

Upon connecting with them once, it’s very important to constantly follow up proving that this position holds a lot of meaning to you and that you’re eager to know how things will proceed. Alternatively, you have the permission to get in touch with one of Canada’s recruitment agencies, or employment support portals to better your chances or get additional clarity. The major reason why you might land your dream job quicker is that Canadian employers are constantly visiting these job portals in search of potential talent. 

> Ace the Job Interview

After going through almost all the above stages, it’s time to start getting prepped for the highlight of the job-hunting process, appearing for the actual interview. This is the singular most important part that could either make or break your chances of getting into your desired company. Keep aside your fear of approaching this step owing to the novel work culture and different environment compared to your hometown because we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you sail through:

• Go through the job description well in advance and in detail and tailor your personal pitch to match the needs that have been voiced out in the same. The employer will have certain expectations while hiring and hence it’s important that you fill in the vacancy well. You could also keep handy certain questions you may have for the employer as they’d like to see initiative from your end.

• Conduct wholesome research about the employer and the organization’s offerings in terms of products and/or services they cater to in the market. Also, stay updated on their latest news through LinkedIn or press releases.

• Get well-pumped up for the question that asks you to describe yourself and why you may be a good fit for the company. Start by talking about your background while highlighting your work experiences and educational accreditations.

• Work properly to ace the behavioral questions, as Canadians often target these towards potential applicants. A classic example would be “Have you ever seen yourself in a scenario like this in the past? How would you go about getting out of this problem?”

• Make sure to have a mock interview session with friends/family or someone that could provide good criticism so you can better yourself and avoid simple mistakes.

• Always keep handy some hard and soft copies of your CV, your portfolio as well as any samples of work you might want to display.

• It’s important to adorn professional attire while going for your interview. Canadians are keen on observing people’s gestures, facial expressions, body language, and eye contact.

• One way to gain an advantage over others is to send out a ‘thank you’ email or a message indicating you’re grateful for having received the opportunity to interview with them. In case you fail to receive a  response, it’s alright to mail them a follow-up message indicating your eagerness about the outcome.

Lastly, don’t lose your self-driven passion and the uniqueness that makes you ‘you’. Keep in mind that you were sent out an invite for a reason because they probably saw something special in you and think you may have something worthy to offer. So keep calm, put on a smile, and be relaxed during the process.

Avail Helpful Canadian Resources

As mentioned above too, the Maple country is very open and accommodating towards welcoming fresh applicants and also goes out of its way to help you secure notable and fruitful resources that could make your job-search process a piece of cake!

Here are some of them:

• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/prepare-life-canada/prepare-work/look-jobs.html
• https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/services/index.asp
• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/newcomers.html