Empowering New Beginnings: Strategies for Career Practitioners to Support New Canadians

-By Ksenia Lazoukova and Lori Jazvac-
Starting a new life in Canada offers incredible opportunities and unique challenges, particularly career development. For newcomers, finding employment transcends mere job acquisition; it’s about achieving safety, security, and a sense of belonging. It involves finding a new home, rediscovering one’s identity, establishing a stable future for their family, and contributing to their new community.
Statistics Canada reports that nearly 22% of the Canadian population is foreign-born, a number projected to rise to 30% by 2036. Career practitioners must effectively adapt their strategies to support this growing demographic, which presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
Understanding the Unique Nuances
Career practitioners must understand the unique nuances of their journeys to support newcomers, helping them navigate the complexities of entering the Canadian workforce and empowering them to succeed. Career development practitioners (CDPs) must understand newcomers’ distinct challenges and tailor their strategies accordingly.
Here are ten strategies of how practitioners can support newcomers in their career journeys:
1. Understanding the Canadian Job Market
Newcomers often possess impressive qualifications but may struggle to adapt to the Canadian job market. CDPs can:
- Educate clients about the Canadian job market, including resume formats, cover letter writing, and interview techniques.
- Support newcomers in finding and interpreting current labour market information (LMI), provide orientation services, and help them tap into the hidden job market.
- Connect clients with resource centers, such as the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, for licensing requirements and professional networks.
- Offer workshops or sessions on job market norms and creating short-term and long-term career plans.
2. Understanding Canadian Workplace Culture and Soft Skills
Cultural differences can affect how newcomers perceive and apply soft skills, such as communication and leadership. To bridge this gap:
- Provide cultural sensitivity training for practitioners to better understand newcomers’ diverse backgrounds. This can improve cultural intelligence while strengthening empathy and communication.
- Offer tailored career coaching to address cultural nuances and promote effective self-promotion. For instance, self-promotion is less common in some cultures. Newcomers might need guidance on effectively advocating for their skills and achievements.
- Encourage language skills development through programs like Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and advice on workplace-specific language. These programs help newcomers improve their English and French language skills, which are crucial for effective workplace communication and enhancing immigrant outcomes.
3. Addressing the “Canadian Experience” Barrier
Newcomers often encounter systemic barriers related to “Canadian experience” and credential recognition:
- Help clients understand credential assessment through services like World Education Services (WES).
- Explore alternative pathways, such as additional training or certification programs, or guide clients to leverage their existing skills in a Canadian context.
- Encourage local experience and skill development through volunteer work, internships, or bridging programs, joining professional associations and networks, developing a strong LinkedIn profile targeted to their desired jobs, and helping your clients position themselves as field experts.
- Inspire clients to explore their interests through short-term, contractual, or temporary work through agencies, which could help them build and refine their brand and lead to more long-term roles.
- Guide clients in targeting junior-level positions to gain initial employment.
4. Explaining Career Gaps
Immigrants may have employment gaps due to migration and settlement challenges. CDPs need to:
- Help clients address gaps by highlighting personal and professional development.
- Aid clients in identifying transferable skills gained during these gaps, such as resilience and problem-solving.
- Assist in framing these gaps positively in resumes and cover letters by showcasing relevant accomplishments related to the client’s career focus.
5. Building Professional Networks
Newcomers may struggle to access the hidden job market without established professional connections. If clients are more introverted, networking may pose a challenge, yet an opportunity for them to build their collaboration and social skills. Career professionals could:
- Facilitate networking events and job fairs tailored to newcomers.
- Encourage clients to use hidden labour market tools like referrals, informational interviews, and social media. A Forbes article cites that 80% of opportunities are uncovered through the hidden job market instead of job boards.
- Connect newcomers with mentorship programs and community leadership/volunteer roles to build valuable connections that may foster future work prospects or project-based opportunities.
6. Targeting Job Applications
Canadian resumes differ in style and content. CDPs need to engage in the following:
- Support clients in identifying a clear career target for resume and cover letter customization.
- Teach clients how to craft targeted resumes and cover letters highlighting their value propositions.
- Help clients create accomplishment-driven statements that align with job requirements.
7. Navigating Licensure in Regulated Professions
For newcomers in regulated professions, navigating licensure can be complex. Career practitioners must:
- Provide empathetic support and exercise emotional intelligence when delivering news to newcomer clients in regulated professions.
- Help clients understand and fully explain licensure requirements and alternative pathways, like bridging programs, mentorships, or provisional licenses, so they can transition smoothly into their professional roles.
A strategic, informed approach is critical to overcoming these hurdles and achieving career success.
8. Addressing Loss and Trauma Associated with Immigration
Immigration-based experiences often involve loss, trauma, and change. CDPs need to:
- Approach clients with empathy, offering a trauma-informed, person-centred perspective.
- Integrate mental health support into career services to promote adaptability and long-term success.
9. Supporting Mental Health and Well-BeingTransitioning to a new country can impact mental health and career success. Career professionals must champion clients in maintaining mental health wellness.
- Provide access to mental health resources, such as those offered by the.
- Incorporate into career counselling to help newcomers cope with job search challenges or setbacks.
- Leverage referrals—If your service offerings in mental health counselling are limited, refer your clients to someone licensed and qualified in this field.
10. Managing Settlement Needs Alongside Employment Goals
Since newcomers often juggle settlement needs with job search goals, career professionals can integrate these initiatives:
- Connect clients with local immigrant settlement agencies for comprehensive support.
- Collaborate with settlement agencies to deliver timely career and employment assistance.
- Share cost-efficient or free newcomer services.
- Encourage long-term career planning, focusing on continuous learning and professional development. Assist in developing long-term career plans that align with newcomers’ skills, interests, and goals. This strategy includes identifying career targets, setting achievable milestones, and exploring opportunities for career advancement.
Conclusion
Supporting newcomers in their career journeys involves more than job placement; it’s about fostering a sense of belonging and building long-term success. Career practitioners must offer guidance with empathy, knowledge, and cultural understanding, helping newcomers navigate challenges and achieve their career goals. By doing so, we enrich our communities with their diverse talents and perspectives.
For further professional development, consider signing up for CPC’s Career Development Practitioner (CDP) program and attend the Complimentary Thought Leadership Webinar on October 16, 2024, from 1:00-2:00 pm EST. Join the Special Interest Group (SIG) Working With Newcomers to Canada for their next session on October 10, 2024, from 1:00-2:00 pm.