Thriving as a Newcomer in New Brunswick’s IT Industry
My name is Stephane Douglas MEUKIEJE, and I am from Cameroon. I was IT Consultant before coming to Canada. I work in the field of information technology in New Brunswick now.
When I first embarked on my journey to Canada, I registered with Connexions Francophone. During one of their sessions, I learned about various organizations dedicated to assisting candidates in settling in Atlantic Canada. This is especially true for those who speak English. Although English is not my primary language, New Brunswick being the only officially bilingual province in Canada caught my attention. I immediately registered with SOPA (Settlement Online Pre-Arrival).
In December 2023, shortly after registering, I met with an Intake counselor, Debra. Thank you, Debra, for your wonderful job! During our first session, she developed a detailed settlement plan for me. Debra then referred me to SOPA’s employment program with an employment counselor, Aleksandra. I was also referred to a job search strategies course with a facilitator, Cynthia. At the end of my Intake session I received a detailed action plan.
“SOPA played a crucial role in helping me secure my first job in Canada. I took advantage of the session on building a targeted resume and preparing for interviews.”
I took advantage of all the sessions I attended, and every piece of advice received from the employment counselors was very helpful. I also participated in multiple SOPA courses: Job Search Strategies (facilitated); Soft Skills Courses: Complex Conversations, Workplace Communication, Social Interactions, and Working with Others; as well as self-guided course Canadian Workplace Integration.
Upon arriving in Canada, Debra referred me to post-arrival services in Moncton (MAGMA). She also sent me invitations to all webinars organized in the area on diverse topics to ensure our transition was as smooth as possible. Fortunately, after just one month in Moncton, I landed my first job in the field of Information Technology.
SOPA played a crucial role in helping me secure my first job in Canada. I took advantage of the session on building a targeted resume and preparing for interviews. Although I was already familiar with the STAR method, the emphasis during the session helped me fine-tune my approach, making me better prepared and more confident during interviews.
I also attended job fairs, and I can proudly say that I got my first job during the first job fair I attended at “Centre Avenir” in Moncton. Additionally, I kept my LinkedIn profile up to date and to the point, which proved to be beneficial.
As a newcomer, I believe it is essential to have a winner mindset, a good strategy, be consistent, and never settle.
Article written by Stephane Douglas MEUKIEJE
prepared by Cynthia Wang, SOPA Altantic Cultural Communications and Job Search Strategies Facilitator
Watch Episode 4 of our IEDI (Intercultural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) video series, created to support newcomers as they prepare for employment in Canada. In this episode, we explore power dynamics in Canadian workplaces and how they differ from more hierarchical systems in other countries.