Sometimes All You need is Some Guidance

Canada, a land of dreams for many immigrants, can be very daunting when it comes to finding a suitable job. I was no exception when I landed in Canada. When I first began the job-hunting process, I found that it was almost impossible for me to get a job in my field, despite having over 7 years of experience in Project Management with companies like Google, Metlife and Telenor. I was getting job offers that were unrelated to my profession and would take my career off-track. Eventually, I was willing to accept one because I had tried everything else. Or so I thought…

Looking back two years, I cannot recall exactly how I heard about WeCloudData. Perhapslooking into learning a new skill one last shot. If I had to learn a new skill and restart my career, I may as well choose something I love to do, and preferably something in demand. I decided to learn Data Analytics. When I was searching for an institution and curriculum that best fit my needs, WeCloudData stood out to me. I decided to pick up the phone and make an appointment.

Eric and I got to meet for the first time. The hour I spent discussing my career goals with Eric gave me a ray of hope. For the first time in months, I was confident I would be able to turn things around. I told Eric I tried everything, but nothing was working. Eric told me that maybe all I needed was a mentor who could steer me in the right direction. I didn’t realize it at the time, but three months from that day he would prove to be right. All had to do was take a leap of faith. I figured I had nothing to lose in trying something new. Eric told me about the mentorship program and how it helped many students find their dream job. I was immediately convinced and signed up for the program on the same day. Eric didn’t simply encourage me to completely go off-track and only seek Data Analyst jobs, but he explained how the knowledge I would gather through the data analytics bootcamp could significantly help my career in Project Management. He explained that I should strive to get a job in Data Analysis, but also keep an open mind. He told me that if the right opportunity in Project Management should present itself, that I should consider that as well. This way, I could continue to progress my Project Management career if I wanted to.

I like to think of a mentor as a bridge between two places. On one side, I have all my past work experience from before I immigrated to Canada. On the other side, is the Canadian job market that you simply won’t be able to leap into without some guidance, regardless of knowledge and skillset. You need to be culturally ready for this job market. A mentor is the bridge that will take you there. A good mentor will guide you, push you beyond your comfort zone and make you believe things are possible when all hope is lost. Eric introduced me to my mentor, Jamie. Jamie was a Senior Business Analyst working in a reputable bank in Canada who Eric believed could help me find a role in Project Management, while teaching me invaluable job-hunting skills. The first thing Jamie did for me was to set a discipline standard. Previously, I was applying to 10-15 jobs per day until Jamie showed me how to apply to targeted jobs effectively. Jamie helped me create a resume that would tell my potential employers exactly who I was in a way that made me seem interesting, which would result in more phone calls. Three months later, I was getting more than five interviews per week. Jamie taught me how to prepare for interviews, how to compose myself during the interviews and what I should do after they ended. We went through many mock interviews and pointed out specific areas of improvement. These efforts were incredibly successful.

I eventually received a job offer that was not only in Project Management, but in an industry which I always wanted to work. I also had a few more offers lined up for that week. However, the offer I already received would give me the opportunity to work with one of the leading ERP systems that exists today, so I accepted it.

The moment you decide to take control of your fate you will see things changing for the better every day. Everyone has a different pace, and while it may take some people less time to get to their end goal, the important thing to remember is that you will get there. For me, it took a little less than three months between signing up for the program and receiving a job offer. The journey is not always rosy. There were times when I would not get any interviews for weeks and there were times when I would get plenty. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand how the job market operates because there are external factors beyond your control. I remember the days when I would be frustrated but my mentor kept me motivated.

If you have read this far, and find yourself in a similar situation to when I first landed in Canada, then my question to you is – what’s in the way of pursuing your dream job?