Series# 4 Immigrant Women at Work: The Courage To Belong
Series #3: Networking When You Arrive and There Are No Connections One piece of advice almost every newcomer hears in Canada is this: “You need to network.” Employment counsellors say it. Settlement agencies say it.Career coaches say it. And yet, many highly educated immigrant professionals quietly resist it. I have seen this repeatedly over the years. Women with impressive degrees, extensive experience, and beautifully crafted résumés would spend weeks refining every word on their CVs. But when it came to attending an industry event, introducing themselves to strangers, requesting an informational interview, or following up with a professional contact, they hesitated. Perhaps because many of us grew up believing that qualifications should speak for themselves. That if we worked hard enough, opportunities would naturally follow. But Canada taught me a different lesson. A résumé tells people what you have done. A conversation tells them who you are. And often, that makes all the difference. Many jobs are never publicly advertised. Many opportunities begin with a recommendation, a referral, a conversation over coffee, or a chance meeting at a professional event. That is not favouritism. It is trust. People hire people they know, people they have met, and people who have made a positive impression. As immigrant professionals, we often arrive with no professional network, no alumni connections, and no family friends working in our field. That can feel unfair....
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