Preparing to Job Hunt as an Immigrant
You should start preparing for your job hunt way before you apply for the first role.
Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.
For an immigrant, finding a job is absolutely, utterly, completely, with shrieking boldface and capital letters central to settling down. However, job hunting has become some sort of extreme sports in recent months.
Book informational interviews. Find referrals on LinkedIn. Personalize your resume. Record a video so your application stands out. Down a bucket of Ben & Jerry’s when you experience the inevitable recruiter ghosting.
And you have to do all this while house hunting, finding schools for the kids if you’ve got little ones, and filling a dozen forms you need to exist at a registry office or its equivalent in your new country.
I’ve found that preparing for a job hunt before you send out the first resume can improve your odds. I don’t have any stats to back this up. However, I can share my story.
By the time I stepped off the plane at the Toronto Pearson International Airport, I had spoken with over 20 content and social marketing professionals working in Canada.
These informal chats were great because I wasn’t desperate. Trust me, it shows. I was able to work on my conversational and listening skills within a new cultural context. I had a fair idea of what to expect during proper interviews. I built up a network of friends and allies who exposed me to the hidden Canadian job market.
Once I got over the shock from the -20C Ottawa weather, I started applying for roles. I got my first set of interviews within 14 days of landing, signed my first offer within six weeks. After one month on my first job, I resigned and moved to a job that paid me 2X of my first offer.
There are, of course, several other things you could do to improve your chances of landing a job offer.
You could research your local job market and note down the sectors that are on a hiring spree. You could repackage your previous work experience to suit new roles or a new industry. You could identify industry events and go network yourself into a new job.
The key mindset shift here is as an immigrant who’s on the clock to settle down as fast as possible, you should start preparing for your job hunt way before you apply for the first role.
Over a series of articles, Angel Iyke-Osuji and I will share tips and tactics from fellow immigrants and recruiters preparing for the job hunt. We’ll cover:
How to articulate your work experience in a new work culture
Rebranding your skills for a new market
Taking advantage of your multilingual abilities when job hunting
Networking in a new country.
So, let’s begin.