Get a head start on your Canadian job search

Get a head start on your Canadian job search! Have you wondered about job search methods in Canada? How to write a resume in a format that is acceptable in Canada? How to answer interview questions following cultural expectations? Each country has its own system of advertising jobs and hiring processes. Join SOPA’s Job Search Strategies course to learn about how this works in Canada so that you can be better prepared once you start applying for jobs!

SOPA Job Search Strategies is a facilitated, six-week, online course that will prepare you for your job search in Canada. With courses offered across the country, wherever you plan to live in Canada, you will be able to work with a trained facilitator who will be there to give you feedback throughout the course.

In  the Job Search Strategies course, you will cover topics such as regional job markets and researching jobs, how to create a general resume, how to make a targeted resume that you can adjust to any job advertisement, cover letter writing, as well as networking skills. You will learn how to present yourself and how to prepare for job interviews.

You will interact with other course participants and connect with other newcomers to Canada in your area of work as well as in a diverse range of professions. Facilitators will give you industry specific information and recommendations about how to connect with professional organizations in your area.

The Canadian job market is very competitive and JSS will help you have the skills you need to succeed. The direct communication with your facilitator and the timely responses to your questions make this course specifically valuable

Client Testimonials:

Kamaldeep, SOPA Atlantic client:

“I must say that Job Search Strategy course is a wonderful and very important course for newcomers to Canada. Before starting JSS, I regularly applied for jobs but hardly heard back from any employers, and on completion of this course, I found out why I was not hearing back from them. All areas of this course are very well oriented to target and present my own skills. Now, I am more confident and prepared for my job hunt.”

Ms. Judith Symss, SOPA Alberta Client:

“Having an experience of 13 years as a teacher in India I felt that the course on Job Search Strategies would be a piece of cake. But let me tell you, I was WRONG.

The course was challenging and required me to put in a lot of time and effort. However, as it is said, “Challenges are what that makes life interesting”.  I took up the challenge and completed the course in the given time frame. I feel happy to say that I have learnt a lot from the course.

I learnt how to build my resume and cover letter, the Canadian style. I learnt about how and where to look up for job openings and how to prepare and answer interview questions. To be honest, I had thought I knew it all. However, there was so much to learn and understand.

The course has helped me to become more confident in searching and preparing for a new Job in a new country.

I sincerely would like to thank my course facilitator Jothi Jesu for giving her time and constructive feedback for all the assignments.

Thank you SOPA for the wonderful course, which is instrumental in helping me, come prepared to Canada. Keep up the good Job. Thank you.”

Mojirade Ashiru, SOPA Saskatchewan Client

“I learnt quite a lot; the importance of improving my skills and showcasing it in a subtle way so as not to come across as being boastful. Employment skills, and most importantly interview skills. The course shed a lot of light on how to go about an interview which basically start from when you receive the interview call, all the way to ‘Thank you’ notes and further follow-ups. The most important skills I learnt is networking and ‘selling’ myself; on my cover letter, resume or during an interview.”

Rebecca Nwokocha, SOPA Alberta Client

“I can confidently say I’m much better prepared in my job search. This course gave me a different insight to what the job market is like in Canada especially coming from a different country and after been off the job market for years. Understanding how the ATS system worked and learning the importance of targeting your resume to every job application has been eye opening. Additionally, understanding the importance of networking in the Canadian job market and how it can increase your visibility and land you the job. It has made me more open to meeting people and marketing myself.

All the topics in the module were super helpful, however, I thoroughly enjoyed Targeted Resumes and Cover Letters because I gained a different insight to my knowledge on resumes. I think all the topics covered were much needed to fully understand job search in Canada and create an effective search strategy.

This is one course every newcomer should take irrespective of how far up in the ladder you were in your home country. It gives you a deeper insight to the Canadian Job market which I can promise is a lot different from what’s obtainable in your home country and prepares you ahead for what is to come. As they say “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success”. Jothi was very knowledgeable and willing to help. The feedbacks on the assessments were super helpful. I find myself going back to read the comments on job applications days and applying the helpful tips she was so willing to share. Thank you again Jothi.”

Francis Okonkwo, SOPA Atlantic Client

“I must acknowledge that the course is very rich in content; the practical exercises, the videos, and the job search resources I got exposed to are so excellent. With so many distractions on my side, I was bent on finishing the course, I discuss the course with my wife every time, I was even wondering why she didn’t participate in JSS. It had very involving sessions and I am really happy I took this course.

I loved the progression and I have also gathered a lot of knowledge, from the soft skills, hard skills, employability skills, marketing skills, interview skills, to general and targeted resume writing, to networking – professional social media profiling. I initially send the same resume to different companies! Now I have learnt to align my resume to the job description par each job, picking up their exact language – a very important skill I learned.

The 30-second summary is a very wonderful way to condense your education, work experience and skills, and it is a very good interview practice to get used to comfortably talking about your skills and marketing yourself. It was a wonderful learning practice and I will consider this one of the most important skills I learned.

I must say a big thank you to Crystal, Aleksandra, and Christina for their support, patience and constantly reaching out. And I will 100% recommend Job Search Strategy to anyone hoping to work in Canada. Thank you.”

Yasmeen Salah, SOPA Alberta Client

“I have nothing but praise for the SOPA team. The Job Search Strategies course was well designed.

I loved that they had put the needs of newly settled immigrants at the forefront when drawing the course outline. They cover the basics elements of the Canadian market job search, which can be different than how things are done in our respective home countries. It was highly engaging and interactive.

The best part of it all is that an actual facilitator takes the time and effort to provide feedback every step of the way (kudos to you Jothi).

You come out of it not only well prepared, but more confident in embracing the changes and challenges that lie ahead in search of a newfound Canadian career. Well done!”

If your time is limited, there is also the possibility of participating in a non-facilitated version of this course – Job Search Strategies Express. Speak to your SOPA Intake Counsellor on how you can enroll in one of our SOPA’s courses.

Learn more about how to sign up for SOPA courses today. We look forward to having you participate in SOPA Job Search Strategies! www.arriveprepared.ca

Prepared by Christina Tellez, JSS Facilitator