Written by Omar A. Hasan
Looking for a job in your domain in Canada is not an easy task, especially for newcomers like us.
When we find our first job in Canada, we often don’t have time to tell people about our journey. That is why you may not see as many success stories as you would like but we are out there. Here’s my success story.
I started my job search journey the next day after I arrived in Canada, back in November 2015. I engaged in many programs offered by the government and many other organizations: I started French language courses (Francization) funded by the Quebec Ministry of Education. For the next three semesters (30 weeks) I learned French, and I got lots of information about laws and regulations in Canada. During the courses, for example, many experts visited our class and covered different topics about life in Canada.
During the weekends, I also started another course called “How to Start a New Business in Canada.” I learned many things about the Canadian markets, the rules, and everything you need to know about opening a new business in Canada. The government funded all these courses including the living expenses.
After nine months, my ideas and perceptions changed significantly. I rewrote my resume according to the Canadian style, especially the “Quebecois Style.” Once I have completed my language and business startup classes, I started another course with an organization called SFIM (Service Et Formation Aux Immigrants En Montérégie.) I was taking this class full time (8hr/day for a month). The goal was to learn how to find jobs in your domain. The course included real practice for find jobs, like seeking and contacting potential employers in your area of expertise, requesting and preparing for interviews. As I said, this was a one-month full-time course. After three weeks, about 25% of the class had found jobs and started working in their domain!
The most exciting part of this class was the interview simulation. Someone came to the class and conducted a mock interview with every one of us about a job ad we had chosen. The mock interview was video-recorded. After we had our interview, we discussed the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
During this time, I applied to the Syndicate of Chemists to become a member as this was a must-have to find jobs in my domain. Each syndicate asked for specific requirements such as an evaluation of your diploma, a few tests, among other things. Two weeks after I finished my one-month full-time class, I received my first job-related call, I had an interview and accepted a job offer.
I recently celebrated my first anniversary on the job. If someone asks me is it hard to find jobs in your domain in, Canada?, I say yes, but it is not impossible.
Everyone here, government and non-government organizations offer you the services and tools you need to find and secure a job in your domain. They do not get jobs for you but they guide you so can fulfill the job requirements and find a job yourself. Law regulates everything in Canada, so you have to know as much as you can about these rules and facts if you want to achieve your goals.