3 job search tactics that don’t work (and a magic formula that does)

Posted on 26. Aug, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Working Abroad
3 comments

You’ve been in Vancouver for a number of weeks – or months – and it’s time for you to get a job.

But no matter how many résumés you send out, you’re not getting anywhere. No one’s calling you back. You’re beginning to wonder if you’ll ever be able to find a decent job in this city.

Here’s the good news: No, you haven’t suddenly become unemployable. You’re going to find that job.

But first, you need to stop relying on 3 common job search tactics that just don’t work here.

Then I’ll show you the magic formula that will get you hired.

Forget what you know

One universal truth of job hunting abroad is that there’s no universal truth. (Yes, I know. With aphorisms like this, I should look into starting a cult, or at the very least add “Guru” to my job title.)

Anyway. What I mean is, just like there’s no universal résumé format that works worldwide (you have re-written your résumé to Canadian standards, right?), there’s no one way to approach employers that works worldwide.

In other words, if you want to be hired in Vancouver, you need to forget about some of the tactics you learned in your home country.

It’s not easy, especially when these job search habits have been beaten into you since you graduated college. But what used to work there and then won’t get you hired here and now.

3 common mistakes newcomers make

• Playing the numbers game

Mailing out 300 résumés to big corporations and sitting back waiting for interviews might work in some cities, but not in Vancouver. There are not very many large companies around here, and most jobs are with small but dynamic companies and start-ups. A targeted approach works best.

• Waiting for the employer to contact you

In many countries, pestering an employer with follow-up calls and thank-you letters is a big no-no. Not so in Vancouver, where you need to sell yourself throughout the hiring process instead of waiting passively.

• Relying on your degree and experience to get the job

I bet expats rarely believe me when I tell them this, but it’s the truth: employers here care very little about degrees and work experience acquired outside of Canada.

Hard as it may be to accept, a local volunteer position is often more helpful than a prestigious foreign degree – at least it provides you with a Canadian reference that the employer can easily check.

What will help you succeed (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed!)

OK, so if the methods you’ve relied on in the past don’t work here, how on earth are you ever going to get hired? There has to be a way, right?

Right.

And the answer is very straightforward:
Canadians want to hire people they know, like, and trust.

It’s as simple as that. Position yourself as a “known quantity”, show you’re likeable and trustworthy, and you’re well on your way to be hired. Even if you don’t have as much experience or the same degrees as the other applicants.

Huh? Easier said than done, you say… especially when you’re new in town and don’t know anyone yet.

That’s a very good point. But there are many ways to work around that. In the next few posts, I’ll show you how to land on your future employer’s radar – preferably before your life savings run out!

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Image by Caro Wallis, via Flickr Creative Commons