Help Somebody, I just Need A JOB!

You remember the surprise I was in from my last post, right? McDonald’s was where I ended up. All the promise of opportunities in the land of Canada, and I, a Foreign Service Officer ended up in McDonald’s. I cannot tell you how demoralizing that felt, not because I did not believe in dignity of labour or thought it was a job beneath me, but because how does one be on an upward trajectory in their career only to fall flat on their face?

Each day I would go out, put in work, and get a decent pay which kept me going (okay who am I kidding? There was nothing decent about the pay). Before I ended up at McDonald’s, I had applied to a lot of places and I mean A LOT. Most I never heard back, but soon enough, I started to get interviews. As you may already be able to tell, I am a very extroverted person, I love to talk, and words are kinda my thing. I came out of these interviews thinking “Wow, they seemed so friendly and happy with me, I am sure I would be hearing from them soonest!”. But I never did!

It was not just the fact that I never heard back, but I was confused as hell, unsure of what I was getting wrong at these interviews. At some point, I was having 2-3 interviews each week, but none turned up the good news I was hoping to hear. The excuses varied, but the most consistent was concern with my lack of Canadian experience.

As my morale dropped, so did the titles and levels of job I was applying to. Also starting to deplete was my self-confidence in my skills, knowledge, abilities, and experiences. I started doubting myself BIG TIME. And so I did what most new immigrants do when they hit this road block, I started to applying to places like Wal-Mart, Superstore, McDonald’s, Shoppers, Loblaws. Do not get me wrong please, there is nothing wrong with working in these places, it was the positions I was applying to that was the problem. Beyond these places, I applied to government and other types of organization too for positions like cleaner, mailroom clerk, etc.

These jobs did not match my skill sets, but they gave me a chance of SURVIVAL. So, yes, I started applying strictly for survival jobs with a hope to break the jinx called-you guessed right- ‘lack of Canadian experience’. *Rolls eyes* Worse part was, these positions were refusing to hire me because they were worried, I was over-qualified- like I care? I just wanted a job!

Looking back at some of the roadblocks in these interviews, here are some things I came to realize:

1.      GOOD information was seriously lacking for me. I had talked to lots of people who did not understand my previous career so could not adequately offer advise on how to transition here in Canada.

2.      I was saying a lot of ‘jargons’. Not because I was spitting out utter nonsense per say. But the system here as I came to learn much later is very competency-based in interviews. I was coming from a country where sometimes interviews were a show of technical expertise than behavioral. And so not using a very popular method like STAR (Situation, Task, Action & Result) during my interviews was me shooting myself in the leg and I did not realize. Thank God I still got foot left after all that.

3.      In the beginning, I did not know that I could follow-up with interviewers afterwards to get a review of my interview and learn how to do better. Imagine how I could have saved myself much sooner! Lots of newcomers still shy away from that- please don’t! It was after an interview with CIBC, the hiring manager had a chat with me. She told me how much she like my personality and what they were looking for with specific questions. I did not get the job, but it helped, a lot!

Word to Hiring Managers on this topic:

1.      There are many ways you play a part in the quick career integration of new Canadians. Offering feedback on their interviews is a KEY one. Choosing NOT to hire for them solely for lack of Canadian experience is a NO-NO! How else are they supposed to get Canadian experience if no one would hire them?

2.      If you won’t offer reviews first, then please indulge them when they ask you. There are so MANY things going on for a newcomer including trying to figure out ‘lingo’ and body language appropriate at interviews. So each post-interview review inches us closer to that first Canadian experience, use that power wisely and friendly. *smiles*

3.      Be more creative and innovative in how you interview newcomers, especially in the spirit of diversity and inclusion-more to come on that as we progress.

The idea that newcomers MUST work in survival jobs before being employed in a suitable capacity that matches their skill set and experience should be a thing of the past already. Considering, that newcomers get heavily vetted on these skills and experiences before coming to Canada (which is why you can’t blame us for being so hopeful about standing a good chance). Now think about what it does to a person when they soon realize all that rigorous vetting was for almost nothing. To the newcomer it is ‘survival job’. But can we call it what it really is for just a moment? UNDEREMPLOYMENT! Seriously, there should be a law against that!

I am glad to know however that the Canadian government is fully aware of this and is working to mitigate that on behalf of new Canadians, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, especially with employer education and awareness. Also check your unconscious biases. Mehn I think I am biased against unconscious biases- oh well!

"There is nothing more disappointing than seeing talent and experience going to waste when newcomers cannot move smoothly and quickly into the workforce in Canada due to credential and accreditation issues. Our region needs highly skilled individuals to fill gaps in the labour market that are hard to fill. Any progress on accreditation and recognition of skills and experience of newcomers would help meet the needs of employers and grow our economy. An improved system that could assess and recognize the international credentials and work experience that individuals have acquired in other countries would both assist newcomers and help reassure employers."

– Cathy Woodbeck, Executive Director, Thunder Bay Multicultural Association

So, here I was in McDonald’s under-employed, but giving my best. I was constantly feeling sorry for myself but unable to do much to change my experience-at first. I spent five (5) months with McDonald’s, and I came to start to enjoy my time there and LOVE it. How I switched to loving it at McDonald’s will interest you and I will share about it. Here is what I will tell you, it took a reprimand from a friend, pregnancy, explicit racial aggression towards me and an eureka moment to help me LOVE it there and look forward to work each day.

But first, next week, I will share a story on how I almost became a ‘Deputy Minister’ with the Government of Saskatchewan- it really is a hilarious one, trust me!

References: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-invites-proposals-for-projects-to-help-newcomers-enter-the-job-market-faster-854718397.html