Getting hired in Canada as a newcomer is a great accomplishment. Not only will it help you settle in and feel comfortable in your new country, but it also guarantees your financial security and prevents you from having to take out funds from your savings to survive in Canada!
Most job openings in Canada are filled through recommendations, and newcomers lack the professional ties or network to assist them in obtaining one; they are already at a disadvantage. Additionally, the work environment and company culture newcomers are stepping into may differ significantly from their previous ones.
Canadian employers also prefer to hire applicants with at least some Canadian job experience. Constant job search rejection can undermine your confidence and hope that you will find work in Canada.
Worse is, most businesses only notify successful candidates for the next round; those rejected may have to wait in silence. This article will outline how newcomers can overcome constant job search rejection in Canada.
Reasons for Constant Job Search Rejection
1. Your Resume Didn’t Make it Past A.T.S.
An Applicant Tracking System (A.T.S.) is used by most Canadian companies to filter resumes that most closely match the job description. For your resume to push past the A.T.S., it must be in a Canadian format.
Additionally, ensure you include the relevant keywords found in the job description in your resume. Even if a candidate has all the required skills and qualities, their resume may not always reach the hiring manager for consideration since newcomers are often unaccustomed to the Canadian-style CV.
2. No Canadian Experience
Including Canadian experience on your CV shows potential employers that you are knowledgeable about Canadian business practices and environments. It may also be seen as evidence that you have the highly sought-after abilities in your field or, at the very least, transferable skills that could be useful in the position you are applying for.
While you might still be searching for your first full-time, paid job in Canada as a newcomer, you can get experience by volunteering, working part-time, taking on survival tasks, and doing internships.
3. The Employer Got a Better Candidate
Not every rejection is about you! Even with your best efforts, there is always a chance that the interviewer will locate a more impressive candidate. Maybe the other applicant is better culturally or has more relevant experience.
Regarding the performance or fit of another candidate for the position, you are powerless, whatever the cause. All you can do is improve your employability and present yourself in a promising light.
4. Not Showcasing Your Skills and Achievements Well
Even if you are a strong candidate for the position, you were still turned down. At this point, you should reflect on how well you communicated your abilities, credentials, and expertise.
The company will probably look elsewhere for the position if you cannot communicate what you can provide and why they should hire you.
5. Not Demonstrating Enthusiastic or Confidence
How confident an applicant comes across during an interview is one of the things that recruiters consider when making a hiring decision. It is common for newcomers to feel anxious during their first interviews in Canada, but a recruiter can interpret this anxiety as a lack of confidence.
They might also consider your seeming enthusiasm for the job, determined by your body language, the extent of your company research, and the questions you ask the interviewer. Unfortunately, that message can not always get through, even if you are passionate about the work and confident in your abilities.
6. You Were Not a Great Culture Fit
Most Canadian businesses seek candidates who are competent in their role and also blend in well with the company’s current culture. Some companies place more value on a candidate’s culture fit than their technical expertise since a candidate’s personality often indicates whether or not they will be flexible and willing to pick up new abilities.
Most hiring procedures in Canada involve a stand-alone or integrated culture fit interview; if you don’t know much about or don’t fit in with the corporate culture, you might not be given serious consideration for the position.
How to Overcome Job Search Rejections
1. Do a Post-Interview Assessment
Every no is a chance for you to grow and get better at handling the remaining interviews. But, you must check the areas in which you fell short during the interview to determine where you can still do better.
Regardless of how you believe the interview went, you should ideally conduct a post-interview assessment immediately. Here’s how you can do this assessment:
- Note the questions you were asked and the main points you gave in your answer.
- To make your response more powerful, consider other crucial details or examples you may have included.
- Did you have answers ready for every question that was asked?
- Did you maintain your confidence the entire time?
- Did you succeed in holding the interviewer’s attention?
- After the interview, did you ask the interviewer thoughtful questions?
You can use the insights from your self-assessment to work on your weaknesses and improve your performance in future interviews.
2. Send a Thank-you Note
Make sure to express your gratitude to the hiring manager or recruiter for the opportunity if they take the time to let you know that you are no longer being considered for the position (many organizations do not). A thank-you note is a fantastic method to maintain contact with them and will also help you come across as polite and professional.
Adding the recruiting manager to your LinkedIn network and maintaining communication with them is also wise. Remember that firms frequently have openings for new positions, so just because you weren’t selected for this one doesn’t mean you won’t be a good fit for a different role later.
3. Ask for In-depth Feedback
In Canada, most rejection emails skip information explaining why you were removed from consideration for the position, but that should not prevent you from asking. You can gain more insight into your areas of weakness and a better idea of how to enhance your profile or interview skills for other opportunities by contacting the hiring manager and asking for feedback.
Additionally, it demonstrates to the hiring manager your genuine desire to develop yourself, which could be advantageous if you seek a new position within the organization.
4. Ensure You’re Applying to the Right Jobs
It could be time to consider if you’re applying to the correct positions if you’ve been turned down for several positions of the same kind. The labor market in Canada could be very different from the one in your home country, and the skills required for the same job at the same level might also be very different.
Ensure you carefully read the qualifications specified in the job advertisement, as some jobs in Canada may require a license or certification. This will assist you in identifying positions that you might be a good fit for, given your current abilities and achievements.
5. Work on Your Interview Skills
Rejection does not always indicate that you are not a good fit for the position; it might mean you must improve your interviewing techniques. During job interviews, nervousness or anxiety is natural for newcomers, and it can sometimes be interpreted as a lack of confidence in your skills.
To know better about the company culture, it is ideal to research the company, the interviewers, and the organization by speaking with current employees before each interview. These insights can be applied to tailor your elevator speech and answers to frequently asked interview questions.
Ensure that your answers are natural and don’t sound too prepared. You should also familiarize yourself with the STAR interview method and identify examples of impressive achievements that you’d like to share during your interviews.
Positive Habits to Help Newcomers Recover From Job Rejections
1. Reflect on your skills and capabilities
Are the qualities and skills you display, appropriate for the positions you applied for? Ensure you’re demonstrating the correct balance of hard and soft skills can be ensured by reading through job descriptions and researching company cultures. Interviewer feedback is another valuable resource for identifying your areas of weakness and developing strategies to close skill gaps.
2. Acknowledge your emotions
It won’t help to beat yourself up for your sadness, discouragement, or hopelessness or act like everything is fine. Recognize your real emotions and show yourself some kindness.
Communicate with yourself as you would a close friend. If they were in your position, what guidance would you provide them?
3. Do not relent
If you send out your CV to recruiters and each time you receive a negative or no response, it is reasonable to feel discouraged. That does not mean that you lack talent or are unemployed.
Rejection might make it even more challenging to put yourself out there and continue searching for jobs, remain positive, and maintain perspective. Remember that all it takes to start your career in Canada is one yes, even if you receive fifty nos.
Final Thought
Remember that persistence and determination are essential qualities that will eventually help you overcome constant job search rejection as a newcomer in Canada. Remain goal-focused and take advantage of the resources at your disposal!