A Guide to Informational Interviews

You’re brand new to an area or field and looking to get started. What do you do? All the advice says to start networking and gathering information but how do you do that? One great way are informational interviews. An informational interview is an informal conversation where you can talk with someone working in a…

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SOPA Q&A with Miracle Edohasim

We asked Miracle Edohasim to answer some questions about SOPA and share some insight on his priorities and expectations for his arrival in Canada. Q. Can you tell us about your background? A. My name is Miracle Edohasim. I arrived in Atlantic Canada in April of 2018 from Nigeria. Q. Can you describe your employment…

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Volunteering: Why and How

One of the most significant pieces of advice people job searching get, especially if they don’t have a lot of experience in their field or are new to the area, is to volunteer. What is volunteering and why do people recommend it? Volunteering is working unpaid, usually with charities or non-profits, in a variety of…

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How To Use LinkedIn In Your Job Search

When you start your job search first thing you do is work on your resume. You think through details and make sure that it’s targeted to the job you are applying. However, employers now look beyond your resume and looking up or ask if you have a LinkedIn profile?   LinkedIn profile is not a…

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Job Ready Before Coming to Canada

The best thing about SOPA is that it offers its courses before arrival. It is, indeed, a great opportunity that newcomers can arrive prepared. It helps smooth their settlement, and fasten their job search by having Canadian resume and other job search tools ready in hand. So they will get no surprises once they arrive and can integrate earlier to the economy and to the area they settle in.

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My Dream Job in Canada

Murshed Nizam is one of our former SOPA (Settlement Online Pre-Arrival) clients. Before landing in Ontario in December, 2016 Murshed participated in the SOPA program. His career in Canada took off soon after his arrival and ever since has been progressing. Today, Murshed is working for a group of companies managing several hotels in Canada…

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Success Stories from Alberta

What is a success story? Finding job in your field soon after immigrating to Canada? Certainly, finding job after arriving in Canada is a huge success. However, at SOPA, we think that finding job, retaining your job and integrating into your new workplace are parts of your bigger success story in Canada.

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Before Boarding a Plane to Canada

“Before arriving in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on October 1st, 2016, my wife and I went through the SOPA program. We heard of the SOPA program through a SOPA client, who had recently arrived in Canada. I am so grateful to have listened to her recommendations about this program!  Because our settling in Saskatoon wasn’t difficult, as…

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Small Talk Works!

One day, shortly after arriving in Edmonton from The Philippines, Ria and her son insisted on taking the bus to a museum instead of waiting for her uncle to drive them. She wanted to be more independent in getting around the city after-all. While at the bus stop, she asked a gentleman if they were…

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Job Search Strategies = Success

Vivek and Manisha decided to move to Canada and chose British Columbia for its beauty, opportunities, and ethnic diversity. They heard about SOPA from Planning For Canada and decided to explore further by starting with the Job Search Strategies course. They discovered various methods of job search strategies from SOPA and, as their facilitator, I…

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