Looking for Jobs in Canada
Last week, I said that it would take about 4 weeks to get your SIN (social insurance number) card through the mail. You will receive your permanent SIN number when you go to the Human Resources office. While you are waiting for the SIN card to arrive, start working on your C.V and cover letter so that you will be ready to apply for jobs when you receive your SIN card. By the way, the term C.V is almost never used in Canada. Instead you will hear the term résumé.There are a lot of non-profit organizations in Canada that help new immigrants write their résumés the way employers in Canada want to see them. Most go even further by conducting mocked interviews to help new immigrants develop their interview skills. Ask around if there is such an organization in your community. Chances are there will be at least one.
The only problem I find with the organizations mentioned in the previous paragraph, is they focus a lot on the résumé, but neglect the cover letter. This is a big mistake. Don’t get me wrong, a well-written résumé has all its importance, but a well-written cover letter is what will make a potential employer want to look at your résumé. You should, therefore, consider searching the internet or visit a public library to find sample cover letters you can use. Of course, you will have to modify them to suit your needs. Unlike other countries, here, the résumé does not contain your date of birth, your age, your marital status or how many children you have. It is very important not to put these information. After you have come up with a well-written cover letter (which should be customized for each application) and a well-written résumé, you can start applying for jobs.
Job postings can be found on specialized web sites, in newspapers’ classified sections, and in databases maintained by the Human Resources and Social Development Canada. You should consider checking all of them. You should also be aware that the jobs postings visible to the public form the tip of the iceberg. Most of the available jobs are never advertised. So, if you have friends or relatives in Canada, let them know you are actively looking for a job. They will be able to tell you if there is any vacancy at their work place. Very often, it will be through an acquaintance that you will get your first job. Do not underestimate your personal network.
Once you have gathered a list of job offerings, it’s time to send your cover letters and résumés. But before you send anything, you should analyze the job postings carefully and then customize your cover letters and résumés to match them. Don’t handwrite your cover letter and résumé. If you don’t access to a computer and a printer, check if you can print them at your local library or at the Human Resources (jobs) office.
You should also put the internet to work for you by posting your résumé on dedicated work sites such as workpolis.com, jobboom.com or monster.ca. You should also use the Internet to search for information about the companies you are sending your résumés to.
The more visible you make yourself to potential employers, the greater your chance of being called for an interview. I cannot say too much about the interviews themselves, because each interview is different. You will have to use your own judgment to know how to play it. Be prepared to face questions you did not anticipate such as “Why should I hire you? Give me a good reason why I should hire your?� And also be prepared ask questions to your interviewers. For example, you can ask your interviewer why the position is available.
After each interview, no matter how well or how bad it went, always, and I mean ALWAYS, write a follow up letter or e-mail. Never underestimate the power a follow-up letter or e-mail. Why is it powerful? Let me ask you a question. If you were an employer, would you hire the candidate who did not write a follow-up e-mail or would you rather hire the one who wrote a nice follow-up e-mail, saying how much he or she appreciated the opportunity to speak to you in person?
One more thing, if you get more than one job offer, take some time to consider the one which offers benefits even if it pays less (not much less) than the offer job offer. Why? Although seeing a doctor will not cost you anything in Canada (after your third month in your province), medecine does not come for free. On the contrary, medecine can be quite expensive. Also, if you have to see a dentist, you will not want to do so without any insurance coverage. A simple teeth cleaning can cost about $130. Now, if you have one job offer (without benefits) that pays way more than the one that comes with benefits, you can consider it, and buy health insurance coverage on your own.
Having said all this, you have to keep in mind that you will not be called for an interview each time you send a cover letter and/or a résumé. It’s very likely that you will send tons of cover letters and résumés without getting any reply. Don’t lose hope. You only need to be lucky once!!!