Open Competition
Canadian jobs are open to competition to all regardless of colour, height, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital status. Knowing someone helps because employers are comfortable with people whose background is known by someone they know and trust. Newly-arrived immigrants find the competition imbalanced because:
1. they do not know anyone in the system
2. they take time to learn the difference in culture and work ethics
3. they do not know what Canadian employers are looking for
In Canada, qualifications and experience constitute the first half of the requirements. The second half is about:
Likeability: Canadians like to hire people they can get along with
Enculturation: Canadians will hire you because you understand them, their mannerisms, jokes and culture
Attitude: Canadians are likely to reject a qualified person who seems to place paper qualification above social integration.
What Can One Do to Integrate?
Very Important: Learn the cultural expectations of the Canadian work place
Equally Important: Take a lower job (to put food on the dinner table) and utilize that time to learn the ropes
Remember that job search is a very individual affair. No employer will hire you as a social class. Any time spent grumbling with your social class about how unfair the system is, is time wasted. Get out and find the job.
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