September 20, 2016 Leave a Comment

CanPrep in the spotlight on New Canadians web show

JVS Toronto‘s pre-arrival employment program CanPrep – is a free specialized employment program. This online program is designed for internationally trained individuals relocating to anywhere in Canada. CanPrep was recently in the spotlight when New Canadians interviewed our very own – Irene Vaksman (Director of Newcomer Services) for their web show. New Canadians is a rich and informative web and TV show portraying stories of recent immigrants making Canada their home.

Click on the “Play” button to view the full interview.

September 12, 2016 Leave a Comment

Ask Our Employment Specialist: How do I handle a bad interviewer?

Dear Employment Specialist,

I am very upset about my interview today. I was so prepared, dressed professionally and was ready for any question with a perfect handshake! Unfortunately, I got the feeling that the person interviewing me was the opposite. He seemed unprepared and inexperienced.

How do I handle such an interviewer?

Signed: Perfect Handshake (PH)

Dear PH,

As Will Kerr states in his blog, sometimes a bad job interview doesn’t mean you were a bad job interviewee. It is a good idea to recognize the traits of a bad interview, suggests Kerr, so that “you can take action to make sure that, in spite of them, you still manage to give the best possible account of yours.”

Kerr presents the following three traits of a poor interviewer and tips for handling them:

1. An interviewer who does all the talking.

This could be a sign of an experienced interviewers who know exactly what are looking for and are trying to weed out those candidates who cannot speak up, when hiring, for example, for a sales position. On the other hand, an inexperienced interviewers could be talking endlessly because of nervousness, not being prepared, or a lack of understanding of their role. Your responsibility, as an interviewee is, even if your interviewer doesn’t seem interested in your skills, make sure that they have the necessary evidence to make an informed choice  when making a job offer.

2. An under-prepared interviewer.

I agree that it is upsetting to go into an interview when the interviewer is not clear on who you are, and isn’t particularly familiar with your resume. In some cases, where a department is trying to fill multiple vacancies simultaneously, it’s not uncommon for an interviewer to be confused as to which role the candidate in front of them is actually applying. In this case, interviewers may be distracted by many other concerns, and recruitment might not be their primary responsibility. In some cases remember that, in giving your answers, you cannot assume the level of knowledge from your interviewer that you may have expected, so if you give information regarding something listed on your resume, make sure they actually know what you’re talking about. If you really feel the situation is hopeless, do not be afraid to ask if they would prefer to reschedule — make sure to pose the question in a polite manner. If it has come to that, you don’t really have anything to lose.

3. An overly-aggressive interviewer.

This is a trait of people who are placed in an uncomfortable situation – Kerr suggests that they respond by “bluffing bravado”. Inexperienced interviewers could definitely fall into this behaviour. If you are feeling that your interviewer is on the attack and keeps interrupting you through your response or openly contradicts you, you should (as the British say) keep calm and carry on. Even if it’s a deliberate ploy, or a sign or nerves. One great way of doing this is to have a glass of water to hand. Even if you’re not thirsty, taking a sip is a great way to give yourself a little time to keep your cool and order your thoughts.

Good luck on those interviews!

Joanna Samuels B.Ed. (Adult Education), M.Ed., CMF, CTDP, RRP is a certified Life Skills Coach, and certified Personality Dimensions Facilitator who works at JVS Toronto as a Job Developer/Job Coach/Workshop Facilitator. Also, Joanna is a part-time instructor of employment counselling with people with disabilities at George Brown College.

September 2, 2016 1 Comment

Success story: Canada InfoNet helped Yana secure her dream job before arriving in Canada!

JVS Toronto’s Canada InfoNet program is designed to guide internationally trained professionals through the challenging aspects of the Canadian job market. Many Canada InfoNet participants find jobs in their field shortly after they arrive, and sometimes even before they have left their home country!

Yana is an internationally trained Software Developer who was able to secure her dream job before arriving in Canada. She attributes her success to the support of the Canada InfoNet program and her Employment Counsellor. We asked Yana to share her amazing success story and advice for other soon-to-be Canadian immigrants:

How long after starting the Canada InfoNet program did you secure the job?

Two months!

How has the Canada InfoNet pre-arrival program helped ease your transition into Canada?

I was able to secure a job before arrival and avoid the risks and worries of being unemployed for months. It provided much-needed safety and reassurance of smooth transition. Not to mention that the job itself is my dream job! I hope everyone will have such a rewarding job search.

What aspects of the program did you find most helpful?

The one-on-one communication with a professional Counsellor is the best part of program. In the pre-arrival flurry it is easy to skip the consultations and lectures offered, but when the help is so personally directed at you it’s your responsibility to do your very best.

The personal touch also offers unparalleled credibility to the advice given: the internet (while mostly providing you with accurate information) is known to offer skewed or outdated opinions from time to time. Encouragement and moral support from the Counsellor is a big deal as well!

What did you think would be your biggest challenges before arriving in Canada?

I assumed it would be difficult to start speaking English since I’ve never used it for daily communication. Passing the trial period while taking care of post-arrival affairs seemed challenging as well. Mostly I was worried I would feel alone after all the warm goodbyes at home.

What do you feel about the challenges post-arrival?

Finding a permanent place to stay in Toronto turned out to be a much more involved process than I had thought. If I could, I would allow more time for it; a full month instead of two weeks in a temporary place. As for the anticipated challenges, speaking a foreign language feels more tiresome than difficult now.

My first month in Canada would have been impossible without my family taking care of home tasks while I was in the office, but it all worked well enough in the end. I also miss my friends and family but we try to keep in touch.

What are the strategies you used that helped you find your job?

I had tried sending out as many resumes with “templated” cover letters as I could prepare. I had made some critical mistakes, like focusing too much on past jobs instead of what benefits I would bring to new employers, and got mostly silence or rejection letters in response. I considered carefully what I wanted my job to look like, and spent a fair amount of time studying job search techniques during the Canada InfoNet program. After my research I made just two applications, focusing on my cover letter and making it as persuasive as I could. One was a rejection, but another one (my favourite) became my current job! I was certainly very lucky.

When hiring a software developer personality is an important point to consider, which makes candidate’s message very relevant. My letter was found impressive enough for an interview, and while I was showing more general experience, drive and levelheadedness than skills with the exact technologies being used, I got an offer in a matter of days. The program helped me to have faith and put a lot of work upfront to make a well-prepared and precisely targeted application instead of hurriedly sending out lots of un-useful ones.

Any pre-arrival job search tips that you would like to share with other soon-to-be Canadian immigrants?

Rejection is a not a bad thing and may happen for a number of reasons. No-one would like a job where they do not fit in – if your best resume and honest cover letter was sent without a reply, the place may not be a good match for you!

A hand-crafted cover letter makes all the difference, giving an opportunity to connect to people on the other side; generic letters kill your chances – no one will notice the human being behind the text.

Ask yourself: if you honestly think you fit the job, what should you share about yourself to the recruiter/hiring manager to send her running to your future boss with your resume?

Would you recommend Canada InfoNet to others?

I would certainly recommend it! The program offers comprehensive guidance through the process of finding a job in Canada, from the early steps to the completion. The highlight for me was the support and motivation from my Employment Counsellor to do better and keep trying.

Has Yana’s story motivated you to enroll yourself or someone you know in our program? Click here to register.

August 29, 2016 2 Comments

Ask Our Employment Specialist: Looking for work in another city

Dear Joanna,

I have been working as an Administrative Assistant for more than a year in another province. Right now, I want to relocate to Toronto but would like to find a job first before I move. I submitted quite a lot of resumes online, but have not received any interviews. I believe that there’s a hidden market. I know from my previous job search, that networking is very important. I do not know anyone in Toronto.

I am wondering if you could give me some suggestions on expanding my networking or which websites would be good for me to find jobs?

Thank you very much.
Signed: Relocator

[Read more…]

August 23, 2016 1 Comment

Ask an Employment Specialist: Identifying and marketing transferable skills

Dear Joanna,

As an experienced and accomplished internationally trained professional banker, and newcomer to Canada, I have started my job search by applying for jobs in my field. After a couple of months and countless applications, I have not received one phone call for an interview! How do I market my skills, qualifications, expertise and education to build my career in Canada?

Signed: Blocked Banker

Dear BB,

Welcome to Canada and you sound like a very talented professional. One of the first steps in the job search that will make your resume and job application stronger is to identify your transferable skills. You can also sell yourself to employers for alternative careers through your transferable skills. Let’s begin by understanding this term, followed by identifying your “transferable skill” and then learning how to articulate as well as market your wealth of these talents in your resume, social media profiles and networking activities.

Step 1: Definition

The best definition is explained by the JVS Toronto Employment Counsellors. TRANSFERABLE SKILLS can be used in many different occupations and work environments. They may be natural talents that are refined through work or leisure experience or education, or may be developed through specific training. These skills provide flexibility to move from one position to another or from one occupation or industry to another. For example, solving mathematical problems, operating machinery, and communicating effectively with your team and customers.

Step 2: Make a list of YOUR Transferable Skills from these categories.

For example, COMMUNICATION involves these transferable skills:

EXPLAIN – Express/communicate a message, information, or an idea in a clear and understandable manner.
INFLUENCE/PERSUADE – Convince others to adopt a belief, change an attitude, or take an action.
FACILITATE GROUPS – Support or ease interaction for the purpose of reaching an agreement or common goal.
SERVE AS LIAISON – Act as a catalyst or connection between people or organizations to enhance communication.
PROMOTE – Use creative concepts to persuade through media, special events or personal involvement.
PUBLIC RELATIONS – Represent an employer to the public, receive or greet others, demonstrate a product or service to the public.
CONSULT – Provide a high level of expertise in the evaluation of needs and problems to recommend solutions and a plan of action.
INTERVIEW – Elicit views or probe for information through verbal questioning.
MOTIVATE – Stimulate individuals or groups to take action for optimal results.
WRITE – Compose written forms of communication demonstrating skills in the use of language, grammar and punctuation.
SELL – Describe features and benefits of a service or product to match the needs of potential buyers. Convince a prospect to make a purchase.
SPEAK BEFORE GROUPS – Deliver a message to an audience with the intent of informing and/or entertaining.

LEADERSHIP / MANAGEMENT

NEGOTIATE – Bring about a settlement or agreement by bargaining.
MAKE DECISIONS – Identify and choose an option from among alternatives.
DELEGATE – Assign tasks to others in order to achieve desired objectives.
MEDIATE – Resolve or settle differences by acting as an intermediary between two or more conflicting parties.
COORDINATE – Arrange the proper sequence, logistics, events or activities.
INITIATE – Put an idea, plan or task into action without direction.
ORGANIZE – Pull together elements into an orderly, functional and structured whole.
SUPERVISE – Direct the performance of workers and monitor work projects.
PLAN – Formulate a series of steps to meet goals and objectives.
DETERMINE POLICY – Develop guidelines and strategies for carrying out a course of action.

INTELLECTUAL / ANALYTICAL

IMPLEMENT AND FOLLOW THROUGH – Take necessary action to ensure the completion of a project.
SOLVE PROBLEMS – Trace and identify the sources of a problem and provide a solution.
MANAGE RECORDS – Collect, classify and process data using records or a computerized information system.
CALCULATE/COMPUTE – Execute simple mathematical operations to determine an exact amount.
MONITOR – Oversee and regulate flow of work in assignments or projects.
RESEARCH/INVESTIGATE – Search systematically using observation, comprehension of written sources or interviewing for discovery or application.
CATEGORIZE – Organize information or objects into groups or classifications.
EDIT – Revise and improve written material for final use.
OBSERVE – Watch closely or be acutely aware of behaviour, information or objects.
ANALYZE – Examine in detail or separate data, an idea or an object into its parts.
BUDGET – Plan or schedule expenses or operating costs against fixed income for a specified time period.
EVALUATE – Assess needs of a situation and/or determine value or quality of concepts or materials.

Step 3: Analyze the job description language for your career goal.

Target a few well-written postings in your field through www.indeed.com, www.simplyhired.com, www.glassdoor.ca and www.linkedin.com. For example, type in the job title or “jobs banks Toronto”. This will give you the language to express your transferable skills. Look for key words or phrases and match them to your skills. For example, as a banker you had to have excellent time management, work well under pressure and listen attentively when dealing with customers. These are highly desirable transferable skills for any employer

Step 4: Give concrete examples of your transferable skills from your professional experiences in your resume, social media profile and professional networking. For example: Expertise in meeting tight deadlines that helped my company secure USD$2 million portfolio of business from a large Fortune 500 company.

Step 5: Lost in Translation. Once you have prepared your resume with your transferable skills, qualifications and other information required by the job postings, I recommend working with an employment counsellor through JVS Toronto’s newcomer employment services to edit your work.

If you are a permanent resident and living overseas waiting to resettle in Canada, please contact our pre-arrival employment services – CanPrep.

For more in-depth advice on this topic (or any other job search topic), CanPrep offers individual, one-on-one employment / job coaching with a JVS Employment Specialist at no cost. In addition, CanPrep can connect you with additional training resources like the e-Learning modules on Skills Assessment, Resume and Cover Letter Preparation, Interview Skills, and Networking Strategies.

I wish you much success in your job search and building your career in Canada.

Signed,