Tips For Graduates Moving To Canada
Every graduate desires to get gainful employment upon completing their studies. It is for that reason that people relocate to different countries after completing their degrees in search of greener pastures. If you are one of such graduates and you have decided to relocate to Canada, then, this article will be of help to you. After the decision of which country to relocate to has been made, the next step will be to gather as much information as possible about your chosen country. It is to make this stage a tad easier for you that we have written this.
The number of international students and immigrants in Canada is a pointer that Canada is an immigrant-friendly country. Although most persons who relocate to Canada go through the study route, it is still ok if you have completed a degree in another country before deciding to relocate. There are tons of Graduate jobs in Canada in different sectors and across different cities so you have nothing to worry about.
Below are some tips that will be useful to graduates moving to Canada.
Canadianize Your Resume
Every country has its unique resume style. So, since you are looking to secure a job in Canada, your resume must follow the Canadian format. A quick Google search will turn up tons of samples that you can use as a guide. However, Canadian-style résumés generally show how valuable you will be to the company and not just that you meet the job requirements. To make yourself stand out, you can state in clear terms the value you brought to your previous job and your achievement so far.
Network, Socialize, and Connect With People
These days, you can meet people from across different walks of life from all over the world from the comfort of your home all thanks to social media networks. So, as a job hunter, you should leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn to organize your professional connection and connect with potential employers in your field, build an online presence, and even submit applications via the platform. You can always update your LinkedIn bio to incorporate any new skill or qualification.
Explore Informational Interviews
As much as connecting with people online is encouraged, it is important to go out and meet up with people in your industry. An Informational Interview is meeting up with people who are already in the industry you wish to get into to learn from them about how that sector functions. There are things that only an experienced person can tell you. Setting up interviews like this requires intense research and hard work but then, it is worth every sweat you break for it.
Print Business Cards
Having a bunch of business cards in your purse or wallet every time you step out can go a long way. You never can tell where you might meet someone who may be of help to you. Fumbling around with your phone, or a pen and paper may seem unprofessional. This is where business cards come in. A business card doesn’t have to be flashy. So, a cheap and functional card containing your contact number, address, email, name, and profession is good enough.
Create Your Pitch
You mustn’t wait till you arrive at interviews before you start putting together a pitch. You should have one ready so you can easily answer questions like “what brings you here?” without stuttering or fumbling. It shouldn’t be anything too lengthy. Something you can communicate through the time frame of a typical elevator ride. If you don’t have one yet, this is your cue to get started. Grab a paper and pen and get to work. When you are done formulating it, practice saying it. Don’t stop practicing until you perfect it.
Be Selective
Most times, people advise job hunters to put out generic applications. However, we advise that you send out targeted job applications as these stand for better chances of achieving success. Also, there’s the likelihood that these employers are exchanging information. So, don’t send out the same resume and cover letter. A little tweak will do you lots of good.
Get Accredited
Some professions may require that your foreign qualifications be accredited in Canada. Some of these professions include Physiotherapy, social work, nursing, teaching, and many more. So, you must find out if this accreditation applies to you. If it does, then go ahead and do the needful.
Find Work As An Intern First
As a fresh graduate especially, interning will give you the required work experience which is usually a criterion you must meet before some firms can hire you. During an internship, you develop the necessary skills required for your profession, get acquainted with the Canadian work culture, and also add value to your resume.
Clean Up Your Social Media Presence
In a social media-driven age like ours, it is important to ensure that your social media activities don’t have any negative consequences in real life. So, since there’s the possibility of your employer checking out your social media activities, endeavor to keep a clean slate.
In addition to all that has been said, here are a few things you should know about working in Canada :
- It is the provinces that set the minimum wage
- The average salary in Canada is CAD 55,000
- You will be required to work an average of 40 hours every week from Monday through Friday
- Workers have access to nine paid public holidays annually
- Upon completing one year of working for a company, an employee is entitled to two weeks of paid leave
- Everyone is required to pay tax
We do hope you found this article helpful. We wish you all the best in your Canadian adventure.