It’s no surprise that Canadian employers will have certain expectations of job seekers. As a newcomer, international student, or young professional looking for work, it can be overwhelming to keep track of all that’s expected of you and the new things you must learn.
There are expected standards and norms as you start your job search in Canada. To impress the employer and present yourself as the best possible candidate, it’s important to meet these expectations. Otherwise, this might signal to the employer that you’re not well-prepared for the job search and disorganized.
Here are 6 expectations Canadian employers will have of candidates looking for professional roles:
1. A voicemail so they can leave a phone message.
The job of your dreams.
No matter your race, or where you're from.
It’s important to setup a professional voicemail so the Recruiter knows they’ve called the right number if you miss their call.
Your voicemail greeting should confirm your name, thank the caller, and set an expectation that you will follow up. The idea of using voicemail instead of texting or emailing can dated. The reality is the company might be traditional in its Recruitment approach, or that specific Recruiter might simply prefer calling over texting. In either case, it’s advisable to be prepared for a call.
Here is how setup a professional voicemail to impress the Recruiter or Hiring Manager:
- Write a short script in advance.
- Include your name, state that you are not currently available to answer and set expectations for a timeline on a call back.
- You might also include your email address in the voicemail message.
- Thank the person for calling
2. A professional email address.
When it comes to your email, make sure to get a professional sounding address. It is fine to use a free service like gmail or iCloud. The key is to make sure that the words that you’re choosing for your address do not include any sort of personal identifiers.
For example, avoid using your year of birth, age or where you’re from in your email address. Details like this may open you up to potential bias in the job search.
You should also make sure to avoid including anything which is silly or inappropriate. When setting up your professional email try to use a variation of your name. If you must add a number, make sure it’s not an identifier like your year of birth or graduation date. The number should be arbitrary.
3. A completed LinkedIn profile.
Over 70% of Canadian employers will check social media profiles of candidates to learn more about them. This includes LinkedIn. It is common for an employer to search for you on LinkedIn to learn more about your background and qualifications before they even have you in for an interview.
As a result, you want to make sure that you’re showing up online in a professional way. You want your LinkedIn profile to work in a way that’s going to advance your candidacy.
Think about what your LinkedIn profile currently looks like. Is it selling you and adding value to your candidacy? Or is it not doing anything at all? Complete your LinkedIn profile to achieve All-Star Status.
You’ve got great opportunities on LinkedIn to showcase your work. For example, you can use functions in the feature section to upload some work files. Consider setting up a LinkedIn profile before you ever head out on a job search to really elevate your candidacy.
Canadian employers will expect professionals to have a LinkedIn profile. Showing up online can help you to build your credibility as a newcomer or international student. Especially where you are new to the area.
4. Any meeting is scheduled in advance.
Canadian employers want you to have an appointment set up before you show up at their office. As a result, it is not appropriate to drop in to leave a resume with an employer at a professional workplace.
Rather, you should follow the established online process and follow-up using proper networking techniques after the fact.
However, if you are looking for part-time work in a retail or customer-facing environment, it may be an accepted practice to drop in without an appointment. It is recommended that you call the potential employer in advance and ask if this is acceptable, to be polite.
Showing up unannounced could be seen as causing an inconvenience or acting inconsiderately. On top of this, with Covid, you want to be respectful of any protocols which are put into place.
There was a time visiting employer to deliver resumes in-person was effective. This approach is considered ‘old school’ now and might cause more harm than good.
5. You have done research before interacting with the company.
Be sure to do your research about the company before any interview (whether it be phone, video or in-person). You want to be prepared and understand what the company is all about before any conversation. A great place to start is the company website. Review it closely, learn about the company, find some sort of interesting fact that you could use as a conversation starter.
Take your research a step further than the company website. Look at the company on social media. What type of content are they posting? Find a post that you find particularly interesting and engage in a discussion with them about it.
Consider reaching out to someone you have someone in your network that works for that company. Gather any information they might be willing to share about the company and how to ace the interview process.
You should also make sure that you’ve gone an understanding of how cross-cultural communication can impact your job search in Canada.
6. You can articulate your career goals.
A Canadian employer is looking for your input on your career. They want to know that you have a clear direction in mind for yourself.
While in some cultures it would be acceptable and polite to say, ‘I’m just looking for whatever job you want to give me’, this response could be detrimental to your candidacy in Canada.
The Canadian employer is going to want to know and understand your own unique career goals and how those goals are aligned with the position you have applied for.
You should be able to communicate your individual goals to the employer throughout the process.
Conclusion
When it comes to getting a professional job in Canada, sometimes it can be the little things that matter most. As a newcomer, international student, or young professional, make sure you’ve got these 6 basics covered.
Meeting the expected standards and norms of Canadian employers will leave you feeling more prepared and confident in the job search. Plus, it is sure to have positive effects on your candidacy.
