CANADIAN NEWCOMER 18
All the Plans! Plan A, B, C… and Z!
Plan Your Job Search
Most newcomers land in Canada and almost-immediately need to find a job.
Planning is key.
If you are here, and have read my previous entries, I think you will have learned a lot.
This time I’d like to double back and give a framework for your job search.
All the Plans
I recommend to have not just 1 plan, but many plans. You should have a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D…
Why?
Because when you are searching for work in Canada as a newcomer, you won’t be guaranteed to get a job at the same level you had in the previous country. Usually you would be expected to move down in seniority at least 1 level.
Why?
Canadian employers often can not judge your international education or experience because the places you studied or worked are not familiar to them. So they can discount your experience because it is hard for them to understand what you did, or who you can be, when they don’t understand the place you came from.
(Sometimes you also face the barrier of ‘Canadian Experience’; I’ll come back to this in a later article)
Alternative Paths
So, while Plan A (ideal job = possibly the same job you did in previous country) what happens if you don’t land that role within the first 3–6 months of your Canadian life?
What happens when the bills keep coming, but your savings keep going down? Well, you need a Plan B. A job that is maybe a little more junior than what you previously did.
That might still be difficult to find here, so you need a Plan C too (Maybe a job like you did before, but in a new industry).
(And of course, your profile should be adjusted and resume targeted differently depending on whether you are applying for Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C!)
In fact, the more plans you have, the easier it will be to navigate your job search as you progress.
And if things don’t work out immediately, there is also the option of a survival job. My friend Liliana Nakamura has written about that subject here.
So, what kind of job are you looking for?
I think most newcomers can answer that question:
- If you want to continue the career you left off in your previous home, then you are looking for Job XYZ in the same industry or area of speciality. This is Plan A
- Or, if you are an entrepreneur, you might be looking into how to raise funds or start your business in Canada as Plan A
- Perhaps, if you are pivoting your career, you might be looking for work experience in a new field, but with the same level as your previous role
If this sounds like you, then great! Hopefully by following my advice in the other parts of this series, you are well on your way to finding that ideal job in your perfect industry or field of work. Good luck with Plan A!
Backup Plan
What if Plan A isn’t working out? If it feels like the road is closed and you are not making progress after months of work, then what?
It’s time to make an adjustment.
What is your Plan B?
Can you drop down a grade?
Instead of searching for Director roles, are there any Senior Manager roles that would be acceptable to you?
Normally if you take a step down, you will be able to perform very well in the role due to your previous experience. Within 1–2yrs, you should be climbing the ladder to the previous heights you reached, but this time with a foundation of work experience here in Canada. Problem solved!
Show it, not Say it: Project or Portfolio
If you are having difficulty to explain to employers about your experience, you can show them.
In pre- and post-COVID times, bringing examples of your work to the interview is one solution. Offline, prove your value with samples of what you can do.
Online portfolios are also a COVID-proof way to show your skills. Spend some time during your job search to build an online profile or Tableau resume, code a small website to show your talents, or prepare a proposal for the company you are targeting is a great way to get attention. If you submit it during your application, it can be a talking point during the interview. And best of all, once you have created that profile or project, you can use it over and over to demonstrate your skills.
Educate Yourself
Another option is to pursue a local version of your specialised skill or qualification. If you are an accountant from e.g. Nigeria, you can take streamlined courses from the Canadian CPA to convert your license to a Canadian-recognised qualification. Several industries have licensing bodies in Canada (e.g. Engineers in Ontario, Supply Chain, and so on).
You can also enroll in courses with newcomer organisations like Skills for Change, JVS, or ACCES to help you understand the Canadian workplace, or to convert your Internationally Educated Professional (IEP) skills to the Canadian market.
Other Avenues
If you have tried all these steps and are still not making progress, what then?
Transferable Skills- Same Job, New Industry
If you are finding it hard to port over your project manager in banking experience to Canada, why not look at your transferable skills? You could become a project manager in retail, for example.
Oftentimes, you can do the same type of work as before, just in a new environment. Some of the vocabulary might be different, but the day to day aspects of the work would be the same. If you are doing job searches, focus on the title, and required skills, rather than specifying the industry.
Same but Different
To take the project manager example further, if you are finding it hard to get an opening as a project manager, and have identified the skills you already possess, why not apply for roles as a project controller, for example? The title and day-to-day might be only 70% the same as what you did before, but you could learn new skills on the job, or you can arrange to take courses before starting the new position, to fill the skills gap.
Work for Free
I am referring to volunteer positions. While not everyone can afford to give away their time for free, if you are in a position to do so, consider applying for volunteer roles. It can be a job doing stereotypical volunteering like at a food bank or charity.
But it can also mean professional volunteering, e.g. accountants auditing the books for a charity, or journalists writing articles for an industry organisation, or supporting behind-the-scenes of your profession’s local events…
All of these can be ways to combat the lack of Canadian Experience, to make connections in your field, to develop referrals from your network…There are many benefits to giving a few hours of your week in this way. Just think- if you have directly worked with someone (even in a volunteer capacity), they can attest to your skills & performance, or act as a reference for you.
Survival Jobs
If you have not yet found your Plan A, or B (or C…etc) job yet, but your bills keep coming in and the savings are almost gone, you can feel stuck. in this situation, many newcomers take what are referred to as survival jobs.
These are more like part-time or temporary jobs, where the only important thing is making money to survive. Again, Liliana has written on the topic here.
If you are in this situation, it can be tough to manage your time, but don’t lose sight of the fact that your priority is still your job search.
However, working in survival jobs can be physically or mentally demanding, so do make sure that you keep time in your schedule for rest & relaxation. You need to take care of yourself.
Look on the bright side.
Remember, that if you are working in a survival job, it is not the end of the world. You are learning skills, you are working with Canadians, and most of all you are developing “Canadian Experience”.
Depending on the company you choose, you may also find a path into your career job again. Seasonal workers in Amazon do make it to full-time roles. Shelf-stackers make it to department manager. Internships can turn into management positions.
Don’t see a survival job as a dead-end.
You can still learn things from the experience if you think about it in a positive manner!
Summing Up
To all the newcomers searching for work right now: I know that COVID will be making things extra tough for you, but having a plan and being organised can help take away some of your stress. Having backup plans and alternate plans can help open your eyes to new opportunities you might not have considered before. Volunteering can also be a way to start your Canadian career. And if you have to take a survival job, make sure you still find time to work on your job search, but not at the expense of your mental & physical health.
Whatever roles you are applying for, good luck!
Previous Articles in the Series:
- Pre- & Post-Arrival Services
- Your LinkedIn Profile
- How to Structure Your Job Search
- Prepare for Your Job interview
- The Interview (In-person and Video)
- Connection Request on LinkedIn
- Networking
- Building Strong Relationships
- Resume and Cover Letter Tips
- LinkedIn Power Details
- Follow and Unfollow
- Informational Interviews
- Mentoring & Associations
- Bridging Programs
- Dealing with Rejection
- Starting a Job During COVID
- First months on the Job During COVID
- Planning your Job Search, Plan A, B, C to Z
- Canadian Experience
- Finding Temporary Accommodation
Future Topics, Coming Soon!
- Your request here!
If you have requests for any more topics, or want to add information of your own, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Good luck with your journey as a newcomer and job-seeker here in Canada!
Who Am I?
Hello, I am Garry. Nice to meet you. Here is my LinkedIn profile. After 15yrs living in Japan, I moved to Canada in late 2019. Since I got here, I have learned a lot from friends, great mentors and advisors, pre- and post-arrival services, and good old-fashioned internet research! I would like to share that advice with you and help you on your journey here in Canada.
Also earlier this year I talked about some of these things in a LinkedIn article, and in a webinar with NewCanadians I discussed with some smart people about the newcomer’s job search and the impacts of COVID-19. Please check them out!
