Photo: Standing Out from the Crowd by Jarrod Carruthers on Flickr

Mentoring Connections has many talented clients: designers, architects, analysts and accountants, engineers, marketing professionals, software engineers… I could go on. Many of them are MBAs and PhDs with several years of experience managing large projects and dynamic teams. When skilled immigrants come to Canada they are often advised to hide their phenomenal skills and outstanding experience so that they do not seem overqualified, especially when they seek survival jobs. I do not argue that it is a necessity. I do wish to suggest not an alternative, but a complementary strategy.

Online tools, which include social media, can be used to gain access and leverage. These tools can lead to more job postings, more ideas, and a larger network. They make it easier to connect with people, and show them who you are, what you do, why they should know you, or maybe even hire you.

Our first level of workshops provided online tips to ensure that our clients are using social media in a proper way. We wanted to make sure that our clients limit their mistakes and follow the proper etiquette on social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Our second level workshops focused on encouraging our talented clients to think about the different ways that they can exhibit their talent. We wanted to get them thinking outside of the box, to showcase their skills, and to stand out from the crowd.

Not your average resume…

Not all resumes need to come in the same shape, size and colour. If you work in the design field where the work is visual, you might want to think about presenting your work experience in a way that not only states your talent, but also is a visual representation of your talent and an extension of your personality. Take a look at these unconventional resumes. Maybe they will light a spark in you.

Of course, keep in mind that this strategy is not for everyone.But even if you’re not in the design field, you can still present your experience in a visual manner. Why not compose a chart or bar graph that depicts your achievements or the impact that you made in a company?

Blogging

Blogging is another excellent way to showcase your skills and talent. You can provide an in-depth answer to certain questions that are of interest to your industry or contacts. You add value to your thoughts and establish yourself as a source for interesting ideas and information for your industry.

There are different platforms for blogging. Tumblr, WordPress.com and Blogger are free services – the downside to these content management systems that you do not have access to your blog’s HTML which will limit your ability to customize the general look and feel of your blog. In order to get greater control over your blog’s appearance, try using WordPress.org. Through this blogging platform, you will be able to access the CSS and HTML file to customize your blog to your liking. Do keep in mind though that WordPress.org is not free and it may require more work than the other platforms. When you are developing your blog, pick the platform that works best for you depending on your level of expertise and the amount of time and money that you are willing to invest.

Explore the blogs and personal websites of “Our Talented Participants” on our blog’s homepage and you’ll get a better idea. Gordana Pelic uses her personal blog to express her thoughts and ideas. See how designers Thelma Palma, Monica Calderon and Qingyuan Liu use their personal websites to display their work.

Customize your LinkedIn profile

It’s okay if you don’t have a blog. A great place to showcase your skills is on your LinkedIn profile. In addition to connecting with professionals, LinkedIn is also a great place to show your connections your achievements and honours. Add sections and additional applications to enhance your profile. If you go to ‘Edit Profile,’ and scroll to ‘Add Sections,’ you can add certifications, patents, publications, courses that you have taken, languages that you speak and more. Other applications you can add to your profile include:

• Slideshare – You can upload presentations, documents or videos to show the previous work that you have done.
• Creative Portfolio Display – Present your creative projects and showcase your talent by displaying the visual work that you have done for clients in the past.
• Reading List by Amazon – An excellent way to show your contacts that you are constantly learning if you display that you are reading books related to your craft. Or you can also post non-business related books to show that you have other interests.

New media has changed the way that we can present ourselves to the world. We have more targeted options, alternatives, and complementary strategies that we can use to stand out from the crowd.

To read more about social media tips, take a look at our blog post, Social Media 101.

Photo by Squeaky Marmot on Flickr

It can be intimidating to walk into a room and be expected to deliver a presentation to a group of strangers. It certainly doesn’t help that the group of strangers resides on the 28^th floor and works for one of the largest, most prestigious professional services organizations in the world, Deloitte. The experience was made easier by the fifteen attentive and genuinely interested Deloitte employees representing several departments which included tax, audit, marketing and more. Since the presentation, we have registered five new volunteer mentors from Deloitte.

It is with great pleasure that we announce ISSofBC Mentoring Connections’ newest partner, Deloitte.

It has not always been this easy. In the summer of 2008, when the program was only a few months old, we began the exciting (and somewhat daunting) task of marketing our program and recruiting Vancouver-area professionals to act as mentors. Thanks to our often untraditional marketing strategy, what started as a slow trickle has now become a steady stream of mentors, resulting in hundreds of matches in our program’s short existence.

Thousands of new immigrants walk through the doors of ISSofBC each year, as they have for over 30 years. These days, it’s no surprise that a substantial number of these newcomers are highly skilled, and are looking to bring their expertise to Canada, make a name for themselves and a home for their families.

Sure, the services our Case Managers and Career Counsellors at ISSofBC provide to these newcomers are extremely valuable, and create a solid foundation from which to work from, but the insider information that only an industry professional can provide is critical to closing the final gaps separating newcomers from meaningful, professional employment.

It is for this reason that three years ago, ISSofBC proposed the idea of a mentoring program that would connect skilled immigrants with Vancouver-area professionals, in career-focused mentorships. In June 2008, Mentoring Connections was born!

Today, what is most exciting about our program is the number of high-profile corporate and community partners that are beginning to hop aboard. From CGA BC and TD Canada Trust to the City of Vancouver, our partners have taken a leadership role at their respective organizations, and have championed the idea of mentoring to their employees and members.

Our new partner, Deloitte, is taking the same leadership role. Their dedicated staff members are spreading the word about the value of mentoring. To our delight, we have received more inquiries from Deloitte staff about how to become volunteer mentors. Our program hopes to take this momentum into the coming months.

We are thrilled to see that organizations are acknowledging that mentoring skilled immigrants is a good idea. With the help of our partners like Deloitte, we plan to continue making this ‘good idea’ into a reality.

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One thing our program has observed over the past few years is that engineers are a busy group of people. If there was a secret meeting place for Vancouver-area engineers, you can be sure that Jericho and I would be there, coyly slipping Mentor Brochures to whoever made eye contact with us.

Luckily for us, we have engaged a core group of local engineers as volunteer mentors, many of whom have taken on multiple mentorships at our program, and who spread the word about Mentoring Connections to their colleagues. Long-time mentor and Professional Advisory Committee member Carlos Perez did just that, and last Tuesday our program welcomed Carlos and members of his CH2M Hill team to our office for an Industry Insights event for our engineer mentees.

The afternoon started off with a presentation by CH2M Hill  about accessing the hidden job market as an internationally-trained engineer. Participants then broke off into one-on-one informational interviews, where mentees were able to ask their most pressing questions of a CH2M volunteer.

Miss the event? Read our re-cap, below:

“I was really happy to hear a CH2M volunteer say, “Don’t discount your Ph. D. Keep it on your resume.” I know many of my clients are worried that their higher education eliminates them from some jobs. I think it’s important to find a company that appreciates it!” –Romanda Simpson, MC staff

“It was very nice to “talk shop” with a professional in my field, and to hear some tips on how to get noticed. The casual atmosphere of the event made it easy for everyone to be honest and frank about the realities of the industry and the job market.” –MC mentee

“I got a lot more insight into what the hiring process is like from inside a company.” –Mentee attendee

“I got a much better idea of how networking will pay off eventually, and how getting a job can be easy if I meet the right person.” –MC mentee

“After listening in on several informational interviews, common questions that the CH2M volunteers asked were, “What do you like to do? What do you want to do?” If you just want any job, you can find one! But what do you want to do? The way the mentee would answer these questions would help the CH2M volunteer give advice on where the mentee should focus his/her efforts. If you find yourself struggling with these questions, try a needs-values exercise, like the ones found  here.” –Catherine Rana, MC staff

“The opening presentation provided a lot of great insight about job search. I found the suggestions regarding social media, in particular LinkedIn, to be very useful for the attendees. It was suggested that one should follow companies of interest and see which industry-specific groups their employees participate in and join these groups. Some of our clients who are new to social media are still skeptical of this new tool. I think that it was important to hear this advice from industry professionals who actually uses LinkedIn to their advantage. Most of the attendees were not on LinkedIn. After hearing what CH2M had to say, I’m sure they will all be creating a profile soon.” –Jericho Bundac, MC staff

JOB-TARGETING

-Learn about where you live. Find out which companies operate out of the big office towers. Did you know that fifty-percent of all BC employers operate out of the Bentall buildings downtown?

-Vancouver is not the easiest place to get an engineering job, compared to other more remote parts of the province, or Alberta. The jobs that do exist here are very competitive, so in order to be considered, you may want to get some experience in another part of the country first. That way when you apply for one of the more competitive jobs in Vancouver, you will be more “qualified” in the eyes of Vancouver employers.

RESUMES

-When describing your past experience and projects on a resume, include the size of the project in dollar amounts. It helps the HR person put your experience into context.

-If your APEG application or any other accreditation or certification is in-process, include it in your resume as such. It shows the employer that you have identified certification as important to working in BC, and are already taking valuable steps in the right direction.

NETWORKING

-When contacting someone about an informational interview, even if the person only has ten minutes to spare, take it! It’s a chance for the person to meet you face-to-face, and allows you to make a well-rounded, genuine first impression that a resume sometimes cannot portray.

-Once you find a job posting, paste the company name into LinkedIn. If the company has a group, join. Begin to research the company’s employees, and connect to set up informational interviews and to learn more about the company.

-To combat a lack of Canadian experience, find ways to connect with people in your industry, and show them who you are as a person. Once they feel confident that your personality would fit at their workplace, Canadian experience can become less important. More concretely, find a connection between what you did in your previous country and Canada. Is there a client or type of client that your past company and the Canadian company have in common? Is there a process or certification that both companies use? Are companies in your previous country and those in Canada structured similarly?

If you attended our event, we would love to hear from you! Leave your comments, below.

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Armi (far left) with her family in Canada.

Our latest Mentee Spotlight features Armi Bless-Pacis. Matched with a Mentoring Connections mentor in 2009, Armi reflects on the obstacles that she faced when she first arrived and shares how her mentor gave her confidence and helped guide her in the right direction.

In Armi’s words:

I am Armi Bless-Pacis and I came to Canada with over 10 years of Human Resources experience from the Philippines. Just like many immigrants, I gave up a promising job in my home country and the comfort of being with my family and friends hoping to create greater opportunities for myself and my family.

I found myself facing many challenges when I first arrived. I missed my friends and family. I had difficulty expressing myself, given that English was my second language. I was applying to many jobs but found that I needed to upgrade my skills to align with the industry standards.

I am truly grateful to be one of the mentees at ISSofBC’s Mentoring Connections program. My mentor helped me through these challenges by sharing a wealth of information about the Canadian labour market, and insights about workplace culture and industry practices. Being part of this program allowed me to have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with a professional who is in the HR field.

Through the mentoring program at ISSofBC, I learned about hiring practices in Canada, ways to upgrade my skills, and effective job search strategies. My mentor also provided input on my resume and practiced job interviews with me. One thing that I appreciated about my mentor was that he gave me honest feedback and let me know that I’m on the right track.

The Mentoring Connections program provided me with a mentor who was a good match for my education and work background, as well as my career goals and interests. Other than sharing experience in the Human Resources industry, my mentor and I also shared an experience as immigrants. He empathized with my situation because he went through the same challenges that I was going through. He listened, re-energized me and provided positive guidance whenever I was anxious about finding a job and when I felt like giving up.

After more than a year now, I can say that I have successfully aligned myself with the Canadian labour market standards in my industry.  I am now a Certified HR Professional and I obtained a job in my industry. My mentor made a significant impact in my life. He not only helped me with my job search, he helped me create opportunities in my career, regain my self esteem, and find my purpose again.

Learn more about our mentors and mentees by watching our video.

Bridging The Social Media Gap by Intersection Consulting on Flickr

There is a lot to learn for immigrants who have recently arrived in a new country. It’s one challenge after another for a lot of our clients.  In the midst of finding a place to live, looking for a job, enrolling their children in school, attending resume workshops, soft skills workshops, personality dimensions workshops, mock interviews, one on one career counselling, and numerous program information sessions, someone at some point will ask them, “Are you on LinkedIn?”

Social media sites, like LinkedIn, are powerful tools and more people are embracing this technology every day. You can share ideas with people in your field of expertise, re-connect with that old friend from school, read the latest MacLean’s article online, learn about the latest injury update from your favourite sports team, or monitor the latest celebrity meltdown. Social media has many uses. The best part is that you, the user, get to decide what you use it for.

For many new immigrants, social media can be an intimidating space.  It can’t be more difficult than moving and building your life in another country.  Social media requires you to set your own goals and make your own content.  However, it’s essential to keep a few things in mind:

Just because your friend does it, does not mean that you have to do it too.

The “Social Media Club” is not exclusive. They want you to come and bring lots of your friends. Before signing up for Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn ask yourself, “Why?” Don’t just join Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn because you were encouraged to by a friend. Try to have a goal and purpose in mind. It doesn’t have to be a big, earth-shattering reason: even keeping up-to-date with friends or gathering information can be made easier with social media.  Knowing what your motives are and who your audience is will improve your whole experience.

Be careful about turning over personal information and be on the lookout for internet scams.

Some good advice to start with is to be vigilant. Internet scams happen. You have to be smart and be careful about turning over your personal information.

Take a look at this blog post from Mentoring Connections’ Romanda Simpson.

There is a difference between social media platforms. Facebook and LinkedIn can have different purposes and different audiences.

Would you want your boss or co-workers to see your embarrassing pictures on Facebook? Would you speak in the same manner to your closest friends as you would to your professional acquaintances?

Each social media platform has its own boundaries and unspoken understanding that defines interactions in its network. For example, Facebook is mainly reserved for your personal life and LinkedIn has been set aside to manage your professional network.

Connect with people who have similar interests as you do. Feel free to use flattery.

Look for people that you know. Search industry-specific groups and find people who share an interest or specialty. When you are inviting people you do not know personally to connect on LinkedIn, don’t just use the generic, “I would like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” Add a personal touch. Tell them who you are and why you want to connect. Ensuring that you personalize the request will prevent your account from being restricted. If too many of your invitations to connect are declined and marked as “Spam,” or “I don’t know this person” then your account may be restricted.

Have something to share. A link to an interesting article or video is a good way to show others that you have something worthwhile to offer.

Show off your expertise and breadth of knowledge by posting interesting articles or useful links. Use message boards tied to your industry to share information with people in those groups. Show that you’re in tune with your industry and that you have interesting information to share with everyone.

Remember to be professional and watch what you say because…

Nothing is private anymore.

Do a simple “Google” search about yourself. What comes up? Is it something that you want everyone to be able to see? What about your employer? Or a potential employer?

Adjust your privacy settings accordingly and watch the content that you post and others post about you on Facebook or Twitter.

Get out there and meet people! Build a positive online persona so that the connections that you make online will want to meet you in person.

Social media is just one part of the equation. If you can use social media to showcase your expertise, it may lead to in-person meetings. However, you should still go out and meet people at networking events and meet-ups. Try volunteering to increase both your personal network and your virtual network. Social media is an excellent complement to going out and doing good old-fashioned networking, but it will never replace it.

Hope Arriving by h.koppdelaney on Flickr

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Anne Keeble and Arturo Pallares for sharing their stories and contributing to a very insightful and welcoming healthcare-themed networking event!

As the Controller at the BC Medical Association, Anne was a great first speaker. She gave a wonderful overview of the healthcare industry and reminded all of the accountants, IT professionals and healthcare professionals in attendance that the industry is very large and requires people with skills in many different areas. She also shared that, as a heavily unionized industry, the healthcare field can be difficult to enter initially. However, once you’re in, you have a fairly secure job.

Anne spoke about the importance of volunteering and suggested that volunteer experience is something she values when she looks at resumes of possible candidates.  Often it is the soft skills that will make the difference for her.  During the group discussion afterwards, it was re-emphasized that no matter what position you hold, you can develop skills and make connections.

Of course, she also shared her own story of triumph over 20 years ago when she and her husband arrived in Vancouver with very little money. After realizing that getting a job wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be, she gave her goals a timeframe and set her mind to it. She is so happy to have found an opportunity that allowed her to stay because she feels Vancouver was, and still is, an incredible place to live!

Up next was Arturo, a physiotherapist and mentor, who spoke about his own struggle to re-enter the healthcare field and the nine years it took for him to become a certified physiotherapist. What resonated with me the most was his comment to, “Just go and do it.” He admits that it may be difficult and it may take a long time, but emphasized that you have a choice to make—Do you want to enter your profession or not? If yes, then start taking the steps! It may be a long road, but five years from now, do you want to look back and say, “If I had started then, I would be finished by now,” or do you want to say, “I’ve done it!”

Arturo also advised attendees not to be confined by their job descriptions, and that going above and beyond what is expected of you is what will make you a memorable and recommendable professional. Don’t limit yourself and your work with boundaries. He shared a story to illustrate this point:

While working at the hospital, Arturo saw a fellow employee standing, waiting in a room with a patient. He asked the employee what he was waiting for, and the employee said that the bed needed to be changed so he could move his patient. So, Arturo went ahead and changed the bed and asked what was next. The employee said that he needed help moving the patient into the bed, so Arturo helped him. Within a few minutes, the patient was settled in the bed and the employee was free to help someone else.

These actions, which were not part of his job description, demonstrate a strong work ethic that is valued and will be recognized.

We would love to hear from those who attended what you learned from Anne and Arturo! Please leave a comment below.

Our newest Mentee Spotlight features Tully Mtatiro. Matched with a Mentoring Connections mentor in 2009, Tully shares her story of coming to Canada and how she made her personal and professional goals a reality with the help of her mentor.

In Tully’s words:

My name is Tully, and I’m from Tanzania. I came to Canada in 2000 for a holiday, and I liked Canada, so in 2002 we decided to move here as a family. There is peace in Canada, and people are very friendly, which we liked.

As new immigrants, we face a lot of challenges; one of which is culture. In Canada it’s a different culture completely, so to raise my three children in Canada is challenging because I want them to maintain their African culture, especially Tanzanian culture.

My career has been in program management in the health services industry. I have my Bachelors Degree in Commerce and Management, and my Masters Degree in Business Administration.

When I started to look for work, there were challenges. First of all, my resume was quite different, so when I was applying for jobs I couldn’t find anything. Once you come to a new country you need to learn a lot of things; no matter what country you are coming from. I stayed in England for 10 years, but still when I came to Canada it was very different. So I decided to join a career services program and I learned about ISSofBC’s Mentoring Connections program from my career counsellor.

The first time I met my mentor, she was very good to me. She was the Executive Director of a non-profit. I shared how I was feeling with my mentor; about how, when I came here, my motivation was low because no one was recognizing my career. It was really frustrating, and I shared this with my mentor.

My mentor told me about Canada, Canadian culture, the non-profit industry and how it all works. This helped me to open up my eyes and to see a new beginning. My mentor explained to me the different terminologies used here and how the job was different. It’s not necessarily the principles of the job that we discussed, more how things are being done in Canada.

Once you have a mentor, your mentor helps you focus on where you want to go. I learned a lot from my mentor, and when I adopted these new strategies, I got a job.

I think everyone who is coming to Canada needs to be given a chance to put their skills to use so the country can develop. I feel good now that I have my professional job. I feel now that I’m somebody; I can pursue my career. Otherwise you feel so frustrated that you can’t practice what you know. I am very thankful to this program, my mentor and the staff.

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To hear more from our mentors and mentees, check out our video.

Photo by Don Hankins on Flickr

Oh boy…here it comes! The excitement you get when you find a job posting that promises tons of money with little effort on your part. But job searcher beware, you may have just stumbled upon one of the many scams proliferating the online world that will leave you with less money than when you started!

How does this happen? First you likely found the job posting on a free site, such as Craigslist or possibly even Monster or Workopolis. You think to yourself, this is easy money, I can do it. So you sign up and are “hired.” You may send money for a package deal that will show you how to make lots of money, or you may be asked to give private financial information so they can “pay you.” That will subsequently allow them to get a credit card in your name, or maybe they send you a cheque which you are asked to deposit while you send them a cheque for the same amount, less your percentage fee.  There are a variety of different scams, but given the state of the internet’s security these days, it is up to you to be smart about the jobs you apply for.

What’s the best advice I can give you? Here are a few tips to know if it’s a scam or not:

1.       Listen to the old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

2.       Do an online search of the company name. Often, the company name will come up on a list that identifies scams.

3.       Ask your friends or family what they think. More heads are better than one to decide if something is legitimate.

Read other tips and suggestions by going to CVTips and become familiar with the different types of scams in the article by About.com

Of course, NEVER give out your personal information online, especially financial or your SIN number. If the job is legitimate they should either be willing to speak with you on the phone, meet you in person, offer information about the company, or possibly speak with current or past employees.  Remember, your bank will NOT cover this type of fraud and you will be left having to pay. Be a cautious job seeker and be aware of jobs that promise a ride on the easy money train.

Vishwa Mootooveeren obtained his MBA, majoring in Finance from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He also holds Diplomas in HR and Export Management and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) from Canada. He is also certified in Project Management from PMI (US) and certified in IFRS from ACCA (UK). He is a Green belt 6-sigma.

Vishwa has worked extensively during the past 20 years in accounting, international business, logistics, project management and service delivery  and has held different positions from Senior Accountant to Controller, Logistics Manager and Client Service Manager. Vishwa has been a Mentoring Connections mentor since July 2010.

(Q) What hiring trends are you aware of?

           (A) With the movement from GAAP to IFRS for public companies in Canada, there seems to be an increasing demand for candidates with IFRS skills. IFRS training is provided by the main accounting bodies internationally, like ACCA and in Canada by big accounting firms and publications like CCH.

(Q) How do employment opportunities vary between public accounting and industry accounting?

          (A) Industry accounting covers many sectors, like manufacturing, transport, logistics, retail, mining, gas & oil exploration while public accounting is very limited.

Jobs in industry accounting are more easily available to new immigrants who are ready to start at lower positions. Public accounting normally requires designated accountants, which often requires more time and studies for foreign qualified immigrants.

(Q) In your experience, what are some of the skills and knowledge gaps of foreign-trained accounting professionals looking to practice in BC?

          (A) Personally, I believe the main gaps are a lack of understanding of Canada-specific communication styles, the Canadian taxation system, as well as the industries that are unique in Canada, like mining and oil/gas exploration.

(Q) What tips would you give to newly-arrived immigrants in your industry to help them prepare for assessment of their education and accounting experience?

          (A) I recommend doing your due diligence on which certification will be the best fit for your career prospects and then prepare and send your application to obtain maximum exemptions.  Also, look for possible financial support from provincial and federal student loans, as well as banks, as these studies are expensive.

(Q) What courses and certifications would be helpful for immigrant accounting professionals to improve their marketability in BC or Canada?

          (A) I recommend that people obtain Canadian designations like CA, CGA or CMA, and also obtain some training on local software. To be an expert in Microsoft Excel is definitely a great asset, since many companies in BC use Excel extensively as it is also compatible with most accounting software. Then, take Simply Accounting, ACCPAC or  QuickBooks courses.

(Q) What are some interim or entry-level job targets an immigrant accounting professional could consider while undergoing accreditation and/or training in Canada, to use transferable skills or gain contacts or experience?

          (A) Normally, an immigrant accounting professional can be exempted for the first three levels of the CGA/CMA program and with this, he/she can go for a Senior Accountant position in industry.

(Q) Are there professional or cultural associations you have found useful for your career development or for networking purposes?

          (A) CMABC organizes monthly breakfast sessions for CMAs, CMA students and information seekers to network.  When I’ve attended, I’ve met with both CMA members and students.

(Q) Any other tips?

          (A) Network as much as possible. Try all job websites and be quick to be among the first to apply and quick to respond to any calls from HR departments or recruitment agencies.

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