Hello Guys,
I hope my previous articles would been beneficial in assisting you if you may have any doubts or uncertainties in your mind before coming to Canada or after you have landed. This post is not for demotivating anybody and as I say these are my personal experiences which I encountered here with my family and friends. Today I am writing about networking. Ever since we landed in Canada and looking for a job we were the hot topic in all gathering we went to. Every other person advised make "Networking". Well, we went to gathering to make networking, right? Did it help? - No.
Every other sites may tell us to make networking, give cold calls to company's to see if they have any openings or to just drop in and give resume to the receptionist. Well, does it help? - Maybe. To be true this may not be fruitful now unless your known is really at a very high position to influence others in his company to appoint you. Why? Here are the reasons -
1. Email me - When I contacted my knowns who were really at a very positions in some big companies which I do not want to name here (Obviously!!), they all told me to email the resume and when I followed up with them, "My email never reached their Inbox". Funny right, but true! No body really cares.
2. Checkout these links - This happened to me when I was very tensed and contacted my very dearest uncle (who is director in a very big company in Toronto). He said not to worry and he is gonna send me some job profiles. I was happy, told my husband, "see my uncle is great, he will help" and when I saw the links, my reaction was - huh?!! He send me these links -
www.indeed.com
www.workopolis.com
www.jobsincanada.com
I was like - Really? I was so foolish....
3. Work for free - I contacted my another networker and requested if he may know any job openings. He gave me a number to contact. I asked my husband to call that person. On the telephone the person said, "Well, you don't have any Canadian Experience - You need to work for free for 6 months and if I will have any opening after 6 months, we will put you on payroll." Really? - Is for this we ever came to Canada? We don't mind working for free and gain experience, but who the hell will pay our rent and groceries? Are we getting any rebate/subsidy from government - No.
4. Forget high profile jobs, go for survival jobs - Every other person I came in contact said these same words, "everybody in Canada doesn't get a nice job, they have to do survival jobs". I don't mind doing survival jobs, but do you really need to demotivate people and break their dreams and confidence? We also know that if we won't get a job in our area of expertise, we will go for survival jobs. But why to demoralize them? Caution is a different thing and true friends really caution but they convey the message in such a way that people do not get demotivate. I always tend to give hope to others and really promise at least if I cannot assist them with job, I won't mock them or their conditions, or gossip about them in public.
People I just want to say that networking is not bad but it's not useful if you encounter who are crook and tend to take opportunity of your misery. It's always good to make contacts, but make them with those who are worthy. After my these encounters - I made two motto's of my life - First, "first impression is the last impression", this does not apply for us, but for those with whom we are making our contacts. Talk with them and analyze to see if they are the one who just blabber or the one who can really make any difference. If they really make an impression that they are really helpful, go forward and befriend with them else leave them. Second, "never trust strangers". We were always told when we were children to not to trust strangers, so why do we forget it when we grow up? Trust if broken gives pain and so not trusting anybody will never disappoint us and nor it will give us this feeling that we were betrayed. These are my mottos. You have to decide yours. Just want to add one more thing, always remember "God help those who help themselves". Hope this helps. Please share your views.
Shruti
"God help those who help themselves"...this is so right.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI`d like to say you are absolutely right about your experiences and say a few things myself too.
As you said Canada is a great country,yes it is.I have been living in Toronto for 3 years now.What I see is there is "hidden" discrimination toward small communities.As everybody knows Chinese,Indian,Filipino communities are quite respectable.However,people such as Indonesians are not that many and have no help from others,as you said above.I`m from a small community too so I also have difficulty having friends and getting jobs.I`d like to say,please people listen to others,some people try to help you do not think they degrade you.Some of my friends get angry with me because I tell them the reality you shared with us here.Selfishness does not help anybody at all.We do not have to lie and nobody is going to take anybody`s job or possessions.
Live and let live.Help each other and love.
Thanks for your views.
If they like your face you are in, if not, then not. You can be the most experienced and educated person in the world, if you do not fit in the team, there is no chance. Think of that, too..
ReplyDeleteI would say if you are a regulated professional..who needs a license to work..it is not difficult to land in a job..if you are part of general public..like arts, commerce or science graduate..you are in competition with everybody...so finding a job is difficult..
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this great content, I really enjoyed the insign you bring to the topic, awesome stuff!
ReplyDeletePNP Edmonton
Hi, I totally agree with your post! I landed in Toronto in March 2012 and did one of those "bridging programs" for Internationally Educated Professionals. They gave "lessons" on Canadian business culture (because "everything is done so differently in Canada") and organized networking events. The problem? The lessons were a joke, almost disrespectful to people with global experience like me, and the networking events were full of other unemployed people like me. So... no job! No result whatsoever!
ReplyDeletePlease keep writing your points of view. I think you're doing a good thing because this serves as a warning for people who want to come.
God bless you!
Networking works if you approach the right person. Not everyone you will meet can refer you but it is still better to widen one's network since you'll never know when opportunity knocks and someone might give you the tip.
ReplyDeleteSurvival job is definitely a fact. One thing to remember is that it should be temporary. Keep on looking -- work hard and smart.