That’s what I believed myself for years, because I had heard it so often, it had to be true, right?

Guess what? Much to my surprise, the statistics actually say otherwise.

The hard figures

The September 2010 unemployment rates are out, and here’s what they look like:

- Vancouver: 7.3%
- Toronto: 10.1%
- Canadian average: 8.0%

(Source: Statistics Canada)

Not what you were expecting? I know. Same here.

Disclaimers galore

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics!” *

[ * By the way, does anyone know who actually coined this phrase? I've seen it variously attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, Charles W. Dilke, and of course, the ever prolific Mark Twain...]

Sure, there’s more to the issue than just unemployment rates. One single figure, especially when taken out of context, cannot possibly show you the whole picture. And it’s always a good idea to take statistics with a grain of salt – particularly in a politically charged context like unemployment.

But still, figures like these sort of force you to challenge your own perception of the job market in Vancouver.

A shift in perspective

I’d be the worst coach on the planet if I didn’t ask you this simple question:

What changes for you when you tell yourself there is less unemployment in Vancouver than in most of Canada?

… doesn’t it make you more motivated to start looking for a better job today?
… doesn’t it make it easier to write that cover letter you’ve been procrastinating on?
… doesn’t it make it less scary to take a chance and approach someone for a job?

What happens when you stop focusing on scarcity (“There are no jobs out there”, “Everyone’s struggling, why would it be any different for me?”) and look for the positive instead?

After all, we’re doing better here than in the rest of the country, including Toronto. And if most everyone finds a job in Vancouver, why wouldn’t you find one too?

Take your daily vitamins

I’m not saying that it’s going to be easy and smooth sailing from here. I know full well that as a newcomer, you’re facing specific challenges in your job search. That’s precisely why I’m here to help.

But I do strongly believe that a “Hey, it’s not that bad after all!” attitude is ten thousand times more helpful than a “Why even bother?” doom-and-gloom outlook. Employers can often sense you’re insecure just by reading your application, you know – and they’d much rather hire a determined, self-confident candidate.

So make up your mind to look for positive signs (like encouraging statistics) – think of them as daily vitamins to boost your morale and strengthen your determination to land the job you want!

Emmanuelle

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They worry that their English may not be perfect. They worry that their writing may sound quaint, or not professional enough.

So they do what every logical person would do: they get one of those “2857 résumés so impressive they’ll make grown men cry” books. And they load up on clichés.

The kiss of death

Clichés are the kiss of death for a résumé.

Seriously. Your résumé may not make grown men cry, but if it sounds like something straight out of Dilbert, it will certainly make recruiters laugh. Or at the very least roll their eyes and discard your application.

How can you tell?

But how do you know if you’re using clichés? How can you even tell them apart from normal everyday phrases?

Here’s a handy list of words to avoid in a résumé. [I love this article - the author doesn't mince words, and the videos are pretty great too.]

A few choice quotes:

- Old, boring, hackneyed words and phrases make your resume look as interesting as cheap wallpaper.

- Multi-tasker – this has often come to mean that a person can do a lot of things at once, but most of them incorrectly.

- Detail-focused, team-oriented, results-driven, highly motivated, no-nonsense manager. That manager wastes too much time writing adjectives.

Need I say more? Arm yourself with your favourite red pen, and get ready to edit that résumé of yours!

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

Emmanuelle

Image by Jean Jullien

… but if people don’t have a crystal-clear idea of what you do, how are they ever going to remember you next time they hear about a suitable opening?

Without a good “elevator speech”, your networking efforts aren’t going to do you much good.

Simply mentioning what industry you work in – or what your last position was – isn’t enough. You need to give a clear (and preferably memorable) explanation of what your skills are, and what you can bring to a local company.

A few pointers:

For maximum impact, keep your pitch short. One or two sentences is a perfect length.

Give people talking points – something to talk about when they want to refer you. Don’t leave it up to them to decide what story they will tell about you!

If you’re stuck…

Having a hard time coming up with a convincing one-liner? Here are a few tips:

• Identify your strongest skill set, and focus on what you can do for your future employer;
• Try to come up with a catchy or unusual phrase – for example, today I met a Vegetarian SEO Expert. I’m not likely to forget about him anytime soon.
• If you need step-by-step instructions, let me recommend – once again – the excellent Brag! by Peggy Klaus. This book is guaranteed to give you at least a couple of important insights into elevator speeches, personal branding, and promoting yourself. A must-read for everyone!

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

Emmanuelle

Image by stefano principato, via Flickr Creative Commons

- 5 tips to start off on the right foot

- Feeling at home: build your networks online

- How to find the best job opportunities through your contacts

And because this is the best book I’ve ever read about non-slimy networking, I would highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Dig your well before you’re thirsty by Harvey Mckay.

If you have any misgivings about networking at all, this brilliant little book will teach you how to make useful contacts that you can feel good about. Now that’s certainly something worth reading about!

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

Emmanuelle

Image by bending light, via Flickr Creative Commons

The reason is simple: most jobs never make it to Monster.com or the help wanted ads.
Remember how we said Canadians want to hire people they know, like and trust?

Well, rather than place an ad, most employers will first ask their staff if they know someone who’d like to apply. In some companies, employees even get a bonus for referring a new hire.

The obvious downside is that if no one knows you, no one is going to refer you. And that’s how better-connected newcomers go on to be gainfully employed after a few weeks, when you’re still sitting at home sending dozens of applications and getting nowhere fast.

Depressing? Not really. It’s never too late to start making connections. Sure, some people are natural-born networkers, but you can still make useful contacts even if you don’t see yourself as an extrovert extraordinaire.

Put social media to good use

Don’t know anyone in town? That’s what social media is for!

• Use LinkedIn to find the movers and shakers in your field
• Use Twitter, Facebook and blogs to connect with Vancouverites and find out about local events of interest
• Use InterNations.org, Meetup.com or any other online group that organises in-person get-togethers. Become a regular at these events, and you’re well on your way to becoming part of a ready-made network of like-minded people.*

* Four hyphenated words in the same bullet point. I think it’s a record.

Ideally, you should start making these connections before you even move to Vancouver. But because this is a step many of us skip (I’m guilty as charged!), here are a couple more tips to help you get on an employer’s radar, fast:

Use the double-branding rule

You’re much more likely to think favourably of something (be it a new movie or a job applicant) when you hear about it through two different channels.

Think about it: you’ve been reading online about the latest blockbuster, but you’re not sure yet if you want to see it. Then you overhear someone at the supermarket say they’ve just seen it and loved it. Wouldn’t you be more likely to go see it now?

It’s the same thing when you apply for a job. Faced a whole pile of applications from perfect strangers, wouldn’t a recruiter be more likely to interview you if your name already sounded familiar?

That’s what you’re aiming for: becoming a known quantity.

You don’t need to know everyone in town or be exceptionally popular to achieve that. A shared LinkedIn connection, a great blog post that gets strategically re-tweeted, or a mutual acquaintance who’s willing to let you use their name in your cover letter can be enough to set you aside from other applicants.

It’s a game of give and take

Give something before you start asking for help. Volunteer with an organisation that interests you. Join an association and serve on a committee. Offer to teach or write an article about something you know well.

The more engaged you are, the more willing people will be to get to know you and help you if they can. So find an organisation you can really get excited about, and show them how committed, reliable and dynamic you are! That’s how you get great references and build great referrals.

Also, never burn your bridges. While Vancouver is a big city, it’s also a small world business-wise. Make every effort to stay on good terms with everyone – not just potential employers, but also fellow association members or volunteer supervisors.



What other networking strategies have you successfully used when arriving in a new city? Do you have some tips to share? Let us know in the comments!

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

Emmanuelle

Image by mattingham, via Flickr Creative Commons

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

If you’re trying to rewrite your résumé to Canadian standards, you may have noticed that most books and websites are in fact aimed at US job seekers. There’s little Canadian-specific advice available, and much of it is too general or obvious to be truly helpful. At least that’s what I and many of my friends have experienced over the years.

Since expats often ask me to proofread and edit résumés, I have compiled a list of 7 writing tips to help you write an effective Canadian résumé without spending yet another sleepless night toiling over the darned thing!

So if you want to cut to the chase, check your résumé against this list and see how it scores:

The 7 commandments

1. Find a job title that fits you perfectly
Your title goes at the very top of your résumé.

A good title conveys a lot of information in a few words: your specialty or expertise, the problem you solve for your future employer, and the position you are aiming for.
It is worth spending the time to find the right title for you, rather than just listing the one you had at your last job.

2. Goal statement
This is where you state what kind of employer you’re looking for, and what kind of problem you offer to solve.

It may sound like you’re talking about what you want in this section, but in fact you’re telling employers about themselves, their issues, and what’s in it for them if they hire you.

It pays to be specific here – tailor your goal statement to each company you’re writing to. Avoid clichés that will make the recruiter’s eyes glaze over (“Proactive team player looking for a challenging position with a dynamic market leader blah blah”). My rule of thumb: if it sounds like something out of a Dilbert strip, it can’t be good.

3. Work experience first, Education last
Canadian employers are more interested in what you’ve achieved in your previous jobs than in a degree you earned 10 years ago.

And truth be told, if you earned your degrees outside of Canada, then they won’t mean much at all – so put the education section last and leave the prime real estate for your work experience.

4. Mine your past experiences
But what if you don’t have much work experience? This is often a concern for young graduates or expat spouses who are just reentering the workforce.

Thankfully, Canadian employers are often interested in the skills you have acquired through volunteering or internships, for example.

Unlike in other countries, it’s not just permanent salaried positions that count, so mine these past experiences for all they’re worth!

5. What is obvious to you may not be obvious to recruiters

Don’t expect employers to be familiar with the university you graduated from, or to know how big your previous organization was. Job titles, degrees, even company names all need to be translated into their closest Canadian equivalents, or explained in plain English.

Also, remember to mention that you speak your mother tongue at native speaker level. No matter how obvious it may be to you, don’t leave it up to the recruiter to connect the dots.

6. Keep your writing lively
The biggest résumé-writing sin expats commit is being boring. They want to come across as professional and trustworthy, and end up sounding terribly bland.

You want to paint a vivid picture with your words. Ideally, the reader should feel like they’re by your side, observing you while you’re working. Use action verbs and powerful adjectives, and avoid the dreadful “Responsible for…” at all costs!

7. Show, don’t tell
Instead of telling employers you have “a proven record” (ack! Cliché alert!), show them figures, measurable results, and specific experiences.
Tooting your own horn is OK, even essential, as long as you can back it up with concrete examples.

So, how does your résumé stack up? If it needs improvement, don’t be discouraged. Just give it a good edit keeping these 7 principles in mind, and before long you’ll have a solid document that you’ll be proud to send out to showcase your skills and abilities.

All the best with your writing!

Emmanuelle

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Simply put, your contingency plan tells you what to do when things go wrong. It’s not about preventing things from going wrong – it’s about coming up with a strategy to deal with big bumps in the road, as efficiently and as painlessly as possible.

What to plan for

You want to plan for events that are concrete, life-changing, and relatively likely to happen.

Ask yourself, “What if happened? What would I do?” Jot down the steps you would take to deal with the situation, and keep this list somewhere safe, yet accessible (in case other people need to refer to it).

Start with what scares you most – we all have one thing that we’re almost irrationally worried about, be it getting ripped off by a business partner or becoming physically disabled. There’s nothing like a concrete plan to give you peace of mind, so address your biggest concern first, even if it’s unsettling to think about it.

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all contingency plan. You know the risks you’re exposed to far better than I do. Generally speaking, though, there are a few broad categories that you may want to consider:

- Health concerns: What would happen if you got sick and were unable to work, either temporarily or permanently?

- Visa issues: Is there a possibility that your visa may not be renewed? If you’re an accompanying partner, could you lose your visa if your partner loses his or her job?

- Events beyond your control: Do you know what to do in case of a natural disaster? Depending on where you live, could political instability, general strikes or major construction and roadwork disrupt your business?

- Family issues: What if your parents need you back home due to an illness or accident? What will you do if your children or your partner are unable to cope with life abroad?

- Business issues: How would you cope with losing a key employee or business partner? What would happen should a customer sue you? Is your business overly dependent on a single client or supplier?

What not to plan for

Remember that you’re not planning for failure. If you develop a contingency plan around what happens if your business fails, you’re basically making it safe to fail. I don’t need to tell you what that does to your motivation and your drive to succeed.

I know some of us are more prone to worrying than others (hi, mom!), but don’t go overboard. You’re not writing the script for the next doomsday blockbuster movie, so please don’t waste time planning for events that are unlikely to happen – as scary as they might sound.

Only you know where to draw the line. Political unrest or armed conflict may be a possibility where you live, whereas it’s very unlikely to affect me here in Vancouver, BC. On the other hand, I live in an active seismic zone, so I do need to figure out what I’d do if a major earthquake were to hit the Pacific Northwest tomorrow.

So, yeah, it’s safe not to develop contingency plans in case of an alien invasion or vampire infestation – try to figure out how to market your products to them instead… 

How to create a useful, solid plan

You want to find a happy medium between half-baked strategies and obsessive planning.

Half-baked strategies are way too vague to be helpful. A perfect example is “Oh, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just go back home.” You can see how this doesn’t get you any closer to having an actual plan. Too many key questions are left unanswered.

How long will it take you to wrap up your life in your home country? Will you need to sell your house, your car, your business? How will you go about it? How will you pay for your move? Once you’re back in your home country, where will you live? How will you earn a living?

You need to outline the critical steps and resources needed, and figure out how you would make it all happen if you had to. If you need to take concrete action, such as building up emergency savings or writing your living will, don’t procrastinate. Take care of it today, and get it out of the way.

Don’t try and plan everything down to the last detail, though. That’s just a waste of time. If an action step doesn’t require advance planning, leave it for when – or more accurately, if – you do need to worry about it.

Decide on a strategy, nail down the essential details, make a list that you keep in a safe place – and you’re done!

Give yourself a pat on the back and breathe a sigh of relief. Now that you’ve created a solid contingency plan, you can let go of your biggest fears, and go back to growing a successful business.

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Emmanuelle

Image by ArielAmanda via Flickr Creative Commons