Posts by Albina Ziatdinova
Guest post: Falling in love with Calgary’s Parks
Hold on to what is good, even if it’s a handful of earth.Hold on to what you believe, even if it’s a tree that stands by itself.Hold on to what you must do, even if it’s a long way from here.Hold on to your life, even if it’s easier to let go.Hold on to my…
Read MoreOsagiator Dickson Esokpunwu: The Right Approach To Finding A Job
I am Osagiator Dickson Esokpunwu, from Nigeria. I arrived in Moncton, New Brunswick in April 2022 with my family. I landed in Canada with an open mind to find a good job either in my current NOC code or a job which matches my transferable skills. Then later to climb up the career ladder having…
Read MoreCultural Talks: Diversity in Working
Canada is a wonderful place if you like diversity. There are people from all over the world in every major Canadian city, including Winnipeg. Travelling through Winnipeg shows our history of immigration. When Winnipeg was first settled by European settlers, it was not known as Winnipeg. It was known as Red River, for the soil…
Read MoreKeep the focus on your long-term goals
Munir El Kadi who lived in many different countries before moving to Canada is sharing with us the role SOPA played in his success and the steps he took prior to his arrival in Canada. Hello Munir, please tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Munir El Kadi and I am originally…
Read MoreSmall Community of People That Rallied For Me
I can vividly remember the excitement when I finally received an email confirming the approval of my permanent resident visa application after three long years of waiting. Shortly after that, panic set in because I had no idea where to start looking for a job and a place to stay. I was acutely aware that…
Read MoreCultural Talks: Workplace Communication and Fit
We at SOPA want our clients to feel prepared before arriving in Canada. Whether in job searching or in acquiring a job, if that is all that is achieved, there is still one piece missing. After receiving the job, we want people to be able to keep the job. Career coaches working with newcomers send…
Read MoreYou Need to Have A Focused Job Search Strategy
As an established finance and accounting manager from India, Hemamalini has over eight years of experience in manufacturing, retail, banking, financial services, and construction. She has completed CPA & CGA in Canada, holds ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) from the UK, and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Madras, India. Received…
Read MoreHow I Aced My First Canadian Interview
I am Adeshola Afolabi, a Permanent Resident who recently relocated from Lagos, Nigeria to Toronto, Ontario. I learned about SOPA when I got my passport request letter email from IRCC in December 2020 from the pre-arrival services section. I signed up for the courses on the SOPA platform and the Job Search Strategy course was…
Read MoreBeat the odds: Settling in Calgary During the Pandemic (Part 2)
I apologize that the second part of my blog is coming much later than anticipated. It’s been a year since the first part of my guest post was posted here, and you might be wondering why it has taken me so long to write the second one. I will mention the reason later below, but…
Read MoreSidra Mobin: Learning Opportunity
Sidra Mobin is originally from Karachi, Pakistan. She landed in British Columbia on June 28th, 2020- during the pandemic. Sidra was all alone and did not know anyone in BC as opposed to back in Pakistan, where she has family and friends who were always there for her. With her positive attitude, Sidra wanted to…
Read More
