Searching for a job is one of the most arduous and dreaded tasks. Newcomers and immigrants face additional roadblocks in the process of finding a career in Canada. With these practical tips, newcomers can accelerate as well as enjoy a more productive job search.
Career search tips
1. Start with a mindset shift.
Raise your hand if you enjoy searching for a new job? Most people do not look forward to the process of looking for a job. People will stay in jobs they dislike simply to avoid the process of finding a new job.
The first and most challenging step is to change your mindset. A growth mindset opens up possibilities as it focuses on developing your abilities. Research shows that changing your mindset and adopting positive language increases your chances of success.
“This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.”
Carol Dweck, Mindset
Two books that I highly recommend you read or listen to are:
Mindset, The new psychology of success, How we can learn to fulfill our potential by Carol S. Dweck, Phd.
You are a Badass, How to Stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life by Jen Sincero.
A great way to start is to change your language from ‘job search’ to ‘career move’ or career goal.
Changing your language can help take the negativity out of the process. It reduces the stress and pressure of searching for a job and opens you up to the possibility of making a career move. When you’re looking for something, you can feel powerless. However, moving towards something gives you a better sense of control and excitement.
Take the time and work on moving from a fixed or scarcity mindset to a growth mindset. The mindset shift will drive you to reach your career goals.
2. Set S.M.A.R.T career goals.
In our Reflect and Redirect: Resetting your 2020 goals post, we look at the steps to setting Specific, Measurable, Relevant and Time-bound goals.
These steps apply when you set career goals. The reflection questions will help clarify the career goals that align with your values and life.
Rather than sending your applications to several openings in hopes of landing something, strategically apply to roles that reflect your career goals.
Set short, medium and long-term goals by answering the questions:
- Where do you want to be in your career in the next six months? 2 Years and 5 Years?
- What steps do you have to take to get there?
As a newcomer, the tendency is to accept roles below your experience level to get your foot in the door. If you find yourself taking a few steps back, have a plan to transition to the level you desire in the next six months.
3. Prepare your elevator pitch.
Aim to have your elevator pitch, also known as your purpose or mission statement at your fingertips.
In a few words, when someone asks ‘what are you looking for?’, you should be clear, concise and memorable or impactful. According to Ilene Rosenzweig and Michael Caruso, coiners of the phrase, your elevator pitch should last between 30 to 90 seconds.
A well-prepared elevator pitch will:
- Set you apart from other candidates;
- Spark the reader or listener’s curiosity;
- Organize your thoughts;
- Clarify your message; and
- Boost your confidence by being prepared.
The building blocks of a standout elevator pitch:
- Start with an introduction to who you are
- Present your offer and qualifications
- State what you are seeking
- Add a call to action or ask a question.
The next step is to perfect your elevator pitch and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.
Practice in front of the mirror, then record yourself saying your elevator pitch. Once you have mastered your elevator pitch, practice with close family, friends and coworkers. Always remember to ask for feedback and continue to perfect it.
4. Do a personal S.W.O.T analysis.
Know your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
A SWOT analysis is a tool used by many businesses to determine how they can differentiate and prepare themselves from competitors in the market.
As someone looking to make a career move, I recommend doing two levels of SWOT analysis. One general one on yourself and one for each job description.
For the General SWOT analysis, look at your whole self, review both your personal and professional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- Your strengths are the professional qualifications, certifications and experiences that set you apart. Seek out strengthsfinder tests to determine them on measurable scales. You can try the free strengthsfinder option by High5Test.
- Your weaknesses are areas or skills where you need further development to excel at the job or in your field. Include your bad habits and dig deep to find the excuses we often tend to make in this area.
- Your opportunities are where you can advance or expand your skills or prepare for future career trends.
- Your threats are the personal traits that are preventing you from advancing in your personal or career goals. External threats are typically beyond your control. Understand those that are within your control and make a plan to prepare for them.
I encourage you to take the time to prepare a detailed SWOT analysis on yourself and apply the SWOT analysis for each role.
5. Build your brand.
Accelerate your job search by getting a head start to building your brand and online presence.
As we are living in a digital age, our online presence is becoming more critical when making a career move.
According to many career experts, developing a personal brand is becoming essential to standing out.
Many recommend getting a logo, brand colours, a website and a consistent online presence. Be authentic, develop your brand personality and content strategy to showcase your strengths, unique qualities and passions.
Steps to developing a personal brand:
1️⃣ Identify your strengths and unique qualities
2️⃣ Create your vision, mission and values
3️⃣ Prioritize your personal and career goals
4️⃣ Choose your platforms for sharing
5️⃣ Develop your brand image
6️⃣ Identify your target audience
7️⃣ Develop your brand statement
8️⃣ Start producing and sharing content
9️⃣ Review personal sites of influencers
If you are now starting to develop a robust social presence, be sure to take stock of your current presence online. Archive pictures that you may not want your future employers or employees to see. Ensure consistency across your multiple platforms. If you highlight your passion for cooking as part of your brand, you should be conscious of sharing that in pictures or videos.
When you have an intentional and consistent brand online, you will find employers seeking you out.
6. Keep up with job market trends.
Now that you have developed your brand and built your online presence. It’s essential to understand and keep up with the job market trends in your field or industry.
Knowing the unemployment rate alone does not give you a real understanding of the job market.
Below are a few steps to take to understand the job market better:
✅ Know what jobs are available for your skills, experience and qualifications.
✅ Understand how long it takes to find a job in your field or industry.
✅ Pay close attention to the current industry trends and whether top employers in your industry are actively hiring. There are different strategies to take if your industry is curbing hiring or actively hiring and growing.
✅ Know what you’re worth and research the expected salary range for the positions that interest you.
✅ Start networking with experts in your industry.
When you have a good grasp of the job market, you will be better equipped to achieve your career goals.
We list the best ways to learn the job market in our post 11 common mistakes newcomers to Canada make and how to avoid them.
7. Build connections not contacts.
The first rule in networking for a job is simple, DO NOT NETWORK FOR A JOB, network to build connections.
Many people cringe at the word networking for a good reason. It comes across as opportunistic and shortsighted.
The goal should not be to have the 500+ check mark on your LinkedIn profile. The goal should be to cultivate connections with people with shared values, interests and aspirations for as long as possible.
As a newcomer to Canada, this can appear daunting. You’ve arrived in a new country where your achievements and accomplishments from your previous country are unrecognized and undervalued.
If your goal is to start your career in Canada right away, I recommend taking these steps to build meaningful connections:
- Your first order of business is to build connections with people who share common interests organically. Your fellow immigrant community, religious community, sports or other hobby community.
- The next step is to join professional or industry organizations.
- Then strategically sign up for free seminars, conferences, community career events and job fairs. The goal here is to practice meeting people and making connections.
- Volunteer for organizations looking for your skills. Organizations such as non-profit boards or small startups. You can also volunteer to support large conferences to attend for free or at a reduced rate.
- Connect with other newcomers starting their careers in Canada, as well as established newcomers. It’s always best to journey with others in the same situation.
- Do not be afraid to reach out directly to people in your target companies, field or industry. Do this from a place of humility and curiosity.
Build connections along the way and not contacts. Seek a relationship first and foremost, and eventually, it could lead to a path to your next career. If it doesn’t lead to a job, then that is ok.
The benefits of having a community and connecting with people far outweigh having 1000 superficial contacts.
Stay connected with us as we’ll be launching our first workshop on networking for newcomers soon.
8. Develop key soft skills.
Know the top 10 soft skills employers are searching for in 2020.
There are many free resources available for self-education, personal growth and development. Some of the best premium resources have free one or two months trials you can take advantage of.
Be sure to check out LinkedIn premium learning, which offers unlimited access to over 14,000 courses and Skillshare with over 16,000 classes.
If you’re currently employed and looking to move into a role that requires more advanced skills, work on mastering those skills. However, don’t forget about soft skills.
Soft skills are becoming more critical in the hiring process, especially in Canada. Research shows that the top soft skills most companies are searching for in 2020 are:
✅ Creativity
✅ Collaboration
✅ Persuasion
✅ Emotional Intelligence
✅ Growth mindset
✅ Storytelling
Enhance and develop soft critical skills while you’re making your next career move.
9. Master the art of negotiation.
Mastering the art of negotiation makes a difference between receiving what you’re worth or being undervalued.
The sole purpose of a well-negotiated outcome is to create value for you as well as the organization. In other words, create a win-win scenario for everyone.
Mastering negotiation is an area that I believe requires financial investment. Invest in a negotiation class, workshop or books on salary negotiation.
My favourite books on salary negotiations are:
Never Split the Difference; Negotiating as if your life depended on it by Chris Voss.
Getting to Yes, Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William Ury
Beyond salary negotiation, strong negotiation skills are vital to bringing in more value within your organizations.
Many newcomers in their first jobs in Canada earn well below their value. Many accept a lower-paying or entry-level role to get their foot in the door and gain Canadian experience.
Once you have worked to build your brand and develop your skills, do not leave money on the table by flustering through the salary negotiation.
Go for it, apply for your dream job.
‘There is no time like the present.’ This phrase is very relevant in the uncertain times that we’re living in today. We all have our eyes on a dream job, role or company that we have shied away from pursuing.
Take a bold step and apply for your dream job by following these steps:
🔹Arm yourself with knowledge by conducting detailed research on the role and company
🔹Connect with the hiring manager or a member of the organization to learn more about their needs and pain points
🔹Prepare a stellar application and include the optional cover letter or supporting documents
🔹Be sure to seek out a referral for your application where possible
🔹Submit your application with a sense of accomplishment, pride and confidence
🔹Follow up after two weeks with the hiring manager if you have not received a response to your application
I have allowed fear to stop me from applying from my dream job in the past.
When I finally went for a position in my dream company, I had laid the foundation to ensure that I put my best application forward as well as secured a referral for the role.
Remember the wise words of Eileen Johnson Sirleaf, “If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.”
Dream big and go for it.
Bonus job search tips
Be well prepared for job interviews.
At first glance, this seems obvious. Nonetheless, there is a fine line between preparing and over-preparing for a job interview. When you over-prepare, you memorize responses to specific interview questions and sound rehearsed.
Most companies are doing away with traditional interview questions and focusing on subjects that get to know you as a person.
So rather than concentrating on canned responses to specific questions, identify the points you want to get across.
I have interviewed 100s of candidates and to be successful; it’s essential to:
🔹Be authentic
🔹Speak to your strengths
🔹Demonstrate your qualifications
🔹Show your interest and knowledge of the company and interviewers
🔹Exhibit resilience and how you overcome adversity
🔹 Have a plan for your first 30,60 and 90 days in the role
🔹 Prepare excellent questions and ask them throughout the interview
Prepare the stories you would like to share using the SPARR method:
Situation| Problem |Action |Results |Reflection
Send thank-you notes and follow up.
It may surprise you to know that only 24% of candidates send thank you notes after interviews. However, 80% of hiring managers say thank you notes play a significant role when reviewing candidates.
In addition to sending a thank-you note after interviews, always express gratitude to people you connect with throughout your career search journey. A well-written thank you note is personalized and shows appreciation for specific things the person did that you found valuable.
If you can send a handwritten note, please take the time to do so. Handwritten notes can foster a more heartfelt connection and help you stand out even more.
Many applicants shy away from sending follow up messages after the thank you note. There is a fine art to sending follow up messages.
Follow up messages are generally acceptable:
- If you have not heard back within a promised time frame; and
- To stay in touch to keep the connection warm.
I encourage you to master the art of writing thank you notes and follow up messages. Aim to write in your voice and practice by referring to templates.
I have found these resources that provide great templates and guides to writing thank you notes and follow up messages:
Take the time to craft well thought out thank you notes and follow up messages as the receiver truly appreciates them.
Following these 11 tips will set you apart from most people who blindly apply for as many jobs as possible.