Finding Jobs in Canada - 10 Tips to a Successful Job Search

To successfully immigrate to Canada, you will have to seriously start considering various employment opportunities that are available and suitable based on your experience and educational qualifications. There are several ways to go about seeking employment in Canada including recruitment agencies, staffing services, placement consultants, online job portals, and through network contacts based in Canada.

Listed below are 10 tips for job seekers prior to immigrating and seeking employment in Canada.

1. Self-assessment – Determine skills relevant to job requirements in Canada

Self-assessment will confirm or determine if the educational background, qualifications, and work experience of the job seeker meet the criteria of the job requirement. Self-assessment tests or evaluations will help establish one’s area of expertise based on which one can determine which area he or she should focus on while scouting for employment opportunities.

During the process of self-assessment, one will also discover certain drawbacks or weak areas where one might need to concentrate and work on before seeking employment. For someone seeking a position in the Finance sector, it might be important to learn how to use Quick Books or any other finance-related software that is commonly used in Canada. If one does not have exposure to this software, it might be of immense help to undergo a course or class to learn the same.

2. Rewrite your resume until you get it right – Highlight key words

The importance of an excellent resume cannot be emphasized enough. As an applicant, you must strive hard to create a resume that highlights all your strengths in the preferred area of employment. Canadian employers prefer applicants who market their skills well and give them what they are looking for.

A certified Canadian resume writer perhaps will understand this best and it is certainly worth the time and money to approach one and make life simpler. Crafting resumes while keeping in mind what the employer or organization is seeking is an expertise that is best known to resume writers. Once this task is taken care of, one can concentrate on posting the resume to organizations that one is interested in.

3. Make a good impression – Get it right the first time

Once a professional Canadian resume writer has crafted a resume, there is a very good possibility that one will be approached for an in-person interview. Therefore, it is important for one to first study how the resume has been crafted, and which are the key areas one needs to concentrate on during the interview.

It is also extremely important to be presentable during the in-person interview, especially since first impressions are lasting impressions, and one should look as good as his or her resume. Confidence and exuberance should shine through when you walk through the door!

4. Follow up – An effective way to express interest

After an interview, it is essential to keep the channel of communication open with the potential employer. Of course, this should be done professionally and appropriately, and follow-up letters should clearly communicate one’s appreciation, interest, and enthusiasm for the position, after the interview.

A formal thank you letter sent within 24 hours after the interview will go a long way in communicating all of the above. Follow-up letters and/or emails are considered polite and professional. This will not only draw the attention of the hiring manager to your profile and interview, it will also confirm your interest in the position. You could also subtly add a line or two confirming points that you missed during the interview, ensuring that all sides are clear and prepared to make an easy decision.

Having said the above, one must remember to keep the follow-up letter or thank you note brief and polite, without any gush and mush in it. Otherwise, this will have the opposite effect, and might put the hiring manager off completely. Balance and moderation are the key words to bear in mind while drafting follow-up letters.

5. Keep track of your applications – always stay one step ahead

This is especially true if one has submitted a number of resumes and job applications to various organizations, recruiters, or online job searches. One should archive and/or maintain a separate folder with all the job applications posted, especially in the order of positing with the job profile and employer contact information attached.

When approached by these employers or recruiters for interviews, one must never be at a loss to confirm details and recollect information. If one is not able to recall the job application and what is asked by the potential employer, chances are one will be written off as unorganized and uninterested. Going through job applications periodically will also help one stay on top of things, and when called, he or she will be able to recollect information easily and effectively.

6. Network – Build references

For those who have undergone Canadian immigration, it is important to build a wide social network. After all, not all jobs are listed in job postings or job boards. New friends might have information on available jobs at the company they are working with. It always helps to go through good references, particularly since trusted sources will always provide accurate information regarding employers, wages, and work environment.  Based on this information, one can customize the job application according to the organization’s requirements, since all the relevant information is available.

7. Do your research – Go armed with information for interviews

Reading up on the job market and employment trends will help one gain a deeper insight into what the organization is looking for. Based on this knowledge, one can customize the resume, highlight key words, and ensure there is a perfect match between the resume and job profile. Also, all information researched and understood with regards to the organization will come in handy during the interview.

When quizzed on various topics pertaining to the industry and organization, one should be able to quote the information on the websites. This is an effective way to communicate the interest and enthusiasm to the potential employer. Also, making note of the vision and mission of the organization and expressing your belief in the same will certainly create a positive impression.

8. Be punctual – Carry a formal folder with all relevant documentation

Nothing irks an employer more than a late applicant. Strive to show that you are professional, courteous, and can follow instructions. Also ensure that you are prepared with copies of all necessary documents, transcripts, visa or permanent resident card copies, updated resume, and any particular work that you are interested in sharing. Software engineers, especially graphic and animation professionals might want to share some of their creations with potential employers; one can always carry pen drives or CDs with a collection of the same.

9. Work with headhunters – Explore avenues that work professionally

The core business or main activity of headhunters is to place people and earn revenues. Most headhunters have an extensive database of job requirements and are extremely well networked with various organizations. Depending on the job seekers experience, interest, and availability, headhunters generally find an appropriate job opening for job seekers. Organizations generally collaborate with headhunters to fill in various positions. Therefore, headhunters will be in a better position to forward resumes and job seekers to these organizations.

10. Positive Energy and Attitude – Create a lasting impression

It is easy to slip into negativity and start becoming pessimistic if one does not receive interview calls immediately after posting the resume. The number of applications posted or the qualifications is not an indication of the number of calls one might receive from potential employers. It is the quality of the cover letter, resume, relevant industry experience, educational background, and a match between the job profile and the resume that will generate the calls.

Thus, before hastily concluding that things are not working in one’s favor, one must see if he or she has done everything right: crafted a resume that looks professional, applied for positions that match one’s profile, and possess relevant experience and expertise, to be selected for the job. Above all, one must see if all of the aforementioned was done with interest and enthusiasm.

If one has remained positive during the entire process and continues to remain positive later, one will draw positive energy to oneself. By becoming cynical and negative, one will do all the wrong things, say all the wrong things, and nothing productive will come out of the entire effort. Hence, it is important to continue to be positive during the entire job seeking exercise.

The same energy will ensure the interview goes well and the results are positive too. Ultimately, it is the job seeker who is deciding his or her results more than anyone or anything else.

By-line:

Contact Candace Davies, Owner of <aonClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="http://canadianresumeservice.com/"> Canadian Resume Writing Service</a>. Candace is a Global Career Management Professional dedicated to helping client’s worldwide leverage their strengths, accomplishments, and unique selling points to capture their dream career. Her team has
successfully assisted 4000+ professionals by transforming their talents into concise documents that secure numerous interviews, leading to excellent job offers. Advancing your career is Canadian Resume Writing Service business. Candace is Dually Certified as a Professional Resume Writer, Certified Interview Coach, Certified Employment Interview Professional, Associate Certified Career Coach, and Certified Electronic Career Coach. You can email her at candoco@telus.net or call toll-free 1 877 738 8052.