• About us
  • People
  • Philosophy
  • Partners
  • Company & Goals
  • News
  • Contact
• Career Strategies
  • Career pointers
  • Success stories
  • Ask an expert
  • Career coaching
  • Leadership development
  • Executive & business coaching
  • Assessments & evaluations
  • Promotional Offer
  • Fees
• Corporate Solutions
  • Performance pointers
  • Case studies
  • Human performance management
  • Organizational & team development
  • Instructional design & training
  • Assessments & evaluations
  • Promotional Offer
  • Promotional Offer
  • Consulting rates
• Resources
  • Career resources
  • Corporate resources
  • White Papers
  • Presentation downloads
• Members area
  • Log in
  • Register

Career Pointers Archives

"But you have no Canadian experience ..."

Every new Canadian, no matter how well-educated, experienced and highly skilled, has heard that particular phrase more times than they care to think about. And most are sick of hearing it. Why does the response keep coming up? What does it mean?

Literally, it means what it says—you have no work experience in Canada. In other words “We can’t figure out how what you did over there (fill in any country) relates to what we do here”. It often also means “... and we don’t have the time or the energy to find out”. Sometimes it means “We are not familiar with the (corporate) culture over there, so maybe you won’t fit in easily with our (corporate) culture”.

While a case can be made for specific programs to address the gaps in knowledge of Canada-specific regulations, standards and methodologies, in many cases there is no justification for the barriers placed in the path of experienced professionals and tradespeople trained elsewhere. We all know the joke:

Q: “Where’s the safest place to have a heart-attack?”
A: “In the back of a cab.”

At the same time, for many financial professionals, general management professionals, most engineers with project leadership experience, sales and marketing professionals, and many other careers—there is no valid reason. If the concern is not a rational one, the response to it must appeal to emotions, rather than logic.

Rather than sighing and whining and complaining about it—there is a way around this persistent and annoying situation: don’t leave the “translation” up to them. By understanding and anticipating an employer’s concerns—however irrational they are—you can pro-actively present yourself. Instead of reacting (defensively) to these mostly bogus fears, find ways to emphasize the benefits of your experience and training. Develop success stories that draw parallels between over there and here. Tell compelling, colourful stories about your professional life over there, and link these stories to events you-ve learnt over here.

Having a resume that de-emphasizes your employment history and focuses more on your achievements and talents is also helpful. Getting to know as many people as you can, and talking to them about what you’d like to do, is not only the most effective way of finding a rewarding job, it’s also the best way to circumvent the “Well, hmmm, I don’t know ...” attitude. Not only will the people you’ve met have a better understanding of your skills - they will have come to know (and like) you as a person!

Many things factor into your approach for it to be successful:

- Believe in yourself - not in the horror stories of others
- Familiarize yourself with business etiquette
- Stay positive - even when disappointment hits
- Prepare, prepare, prepare for your interview.
- Practice interviewing with someone you can trust to be brutally honest about your performance - and then change what needs to be changed!

Don’t give up—and get professional help if you need it.

Page 14 of 14 pages « First  <  12 13 14

Resource Topics & Types

Career Marketing
Career Strategies
Interview Strategies
Negotiating Worth
Resume Development
Book Reviews
Articles/PDFs
White Papers & Presentations

Recent Entries