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Dear Canadian Friends,
Thank you for taking time off and reading my article. My article will really help you to plan everything about Canada. I will start of from my earlier career, then the problems I faced after coming back, and then end with today’s results.
I finished my bachelors in 1999 from India and went to Alaska for my Masters in Electrical Engineering. I further worked in Alaska as an Electrical Engineer after my Masters. In the mean time I received my Canada PR in March 2005. I decided to move to Canada, but always missed India and was thinking if Canada would be a good place for me or now. So I took up a 3-month job in India and worked in Bangalore.
Surprisingly my wife got a job offer from Canada in July 2005 (right from India in an IT company). So we finally packed everything and moved to Calgary in July 2005. Everything was going very good and I was not atall worrying about my job. First month I started applying through workopolis and similar websites. Nothing helped!
2 months later I started getting crazy and then started thinking, “I think I cant get a job”. Days and weeks were passing and not a single phone from anyone. I am good in English, good in communication, but nothing helped.
Then after about 5 months of job search, I came across this Canadian Desi website and started reading the articles. I literally got de-motivated and started feeling bad in my heart. Every day I started asking myself, “Why did I come back from Alaska? Why did I move from India?....”
So finally in a frustrated mood I decided to go back to India. I went back to Pune on November 8th (me and my wife with a one-way flight). Lot of this happened because I was not able to cope up the fact that I am sitting home doing nothing. Also because of the pressure from my parents that only my wife is working and I am not…..you know how that it..
When we reached our home in Pune, then next day I told my wife that I again did a mistake of coming back to India. Without thinking anything I again booked 2 tickets and flew back to Canada on 17th November, stayed in a hotel for a week and then found an apartment to stay.
This time I had no other choice except to find a job. I started thinking positive and then decided that I will not send my resume to anyone online, because already more than 400 people have it now. I decided to handle this strategically.
I did a lot of research from Nov 25 to Nov 30 and made a list of companies I am interested in. Then started taking out notes of all the work that interests me. Started finding out the names of the direct managers who are the decision makers in the company.
Then from Decembr 1st, 2005 I started calling only 5 companies every day. I used to call them and tell them that I am new in town and need to have a short meeting with the manager to discuss more about the company and find out how I can start a business. I immediately got meetings arranged. Then on December 16th 2005, I have about 3 job offers in my hand. Now I have to decide which one to take..
I haven’t written my job-search process in great detail but if anyone is interested, I shall be very happy to help you. You will first need to email me at and then I will give you my phone number. Then you can call me and I will try to help you.
Remember; please do not break the way I did. Hope is the only thing that we have. If you really need money then and then only take a dead-end job. Our qualifications are from different country and we are also different, so it takes time.
If I can get a good job, if my wife can get a job, an dif few of my other friends can get a job, so can you….Getting job is not at all dependent on your qualifications. It depends on your communication, ethics and experience. Sustaining the job is entirely dependant on an individual.
So do not get depressed. Canada has lot of opportunities, but it is real difficult to enter. So be calm and handle it diplomatically. I will like to get feedback fro you for this article. I will also write more later.
Regards,
BS
Follow up
Hello friends. I got few email queries. Thank you for reading my post. Here is what I advised them. This is just a recommendation; you are free to try different things. Good luck !
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Networking is the only key for interviews. Create a strategy and then play the game.
1. Never email Resumes to anyone henceforth.
2. Never talk to people for a job
3. Never meet anyone with intent of getting hired.
4. Create an agenda and hand it over to the person you are meeting.
5. Always follow up with people.
Here is what I recommend. Make a list of companies you would be contacting (atleast 50). Then make an excel sheet, write in the details, phone numbers, Managers if any, type of work…etc
Always call someone after 11am so that they are not busy. Call them and tell them :
“ Hello, My name is xxxx and I am working with a company as an Industrial engineer for the past 1 year. I am still very new in this area and meeting different managers in this sector to expand my network and get some leads and referrals to other programs in the city. I would like to know if you can give me few minutes of your time for a short information meeting. “
Then he may say that he is busy or he cant give you time. Then you tell him that you appreciate his time and understand his busy schedule. You would still like to meet him, and ask him what would be a good time to call him again to check his availability.
Now remember 1 thing. If you call 15 people, about 2 or 3 people might be ready to meet you. So its tough.
Now how to get the contact details of the Hiring Manager right? Simple.
First when you call the main desk, tell them the above story and ask them that you need to talk to someone technical in the firm. Like a Head/ Manager in your specific department.
You have to laugh and be polite. This is also a hurdle. Once you get the contact details then do the same thing again.
If they ask you, are you looking for a job? Just say NO. I am not looking for job at this moment. You just want to meet people and find out more about the work in the company and do networking. Once you finally meet someone then tell him that you have been working on contract and looking for better opportunity. Then ask questions to that manager and get friends with him. Then before you leave tell him that you are interested in hic company based on the research you have done and would like to stay in touch with him to find out about the coming opportunities.
It may happen that this information meeting can get turned into an interview. Good luck! Keep me posted
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