Hello all

Read a lot about the "networking" thing in Canada and that 80% of vancancies are filled by referrals. Only remaining the 20% actually get advertised.

This is all new to me as in the UK most of the employers advertise and/or recruit via agencies.

The Canadian method does surprise me because it means that Canadian firms may not be able to attract the best talent out there due to this internal referal thing.

But following the "while in rome..." policy, I was wondering how does some one new to Canada (BC to be exact and with no contacts) make a start in "networking".

Thank you for all your suggestions and advice.

Bec

Bars. Drink. Smoke weed. Put it about.

Volunteering in your community

All the above, plus there is more information in the wiki ... http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Networking-Canada

The whole thing seems horribly contrived and self-serving to the average Brit. However, we have been doing it unconsciously all our lives. Family, current friends, older friends from school or university we still keep in contact with, colleagues and ex-colleagues, acquaintances from sports and social clubs and so on. People we can turn to when we need a hand, and people who we hope will turn to us when they need helping out.

Our network gives us a sense of place in our society, of belonging. I believe that it is our sudden removal from this network that is the main cause of the homesickness that many posters experience.

So we have a challenge. Given time we will naturally develop a network just as we did in the UK. However, most newcomers do not have the luxury of time so we have to make things happen. We have to go about it in a more clinical and methodical manner. There are lots of suggestions in the wiki article of where to get started. Yes, join appropriate professional associations, yes to attending trade conferences (and talking to people while you are there), definitely yes to arranging informational meetings with target employers. However, the three that worked best for me were:

1) Back to school. Even if you don't have to re-qualify this is a great way to Canadianize some of your knowledge, and you will meet lots of people in a similar situation as yourself. Even if they can't provide immediate leads to job opportunities the bonds you can form are very real in a "we're all in this together" sort of way. I keep in contact with a number of fellow students, two became life-long friends. And yes, we have been very useful for each other.

2) Get your kids into sports programs. They don't need to be talented. There are as many recreational leagues as there are representative ones. Hockey can be a bit pricy (I think we spent $500 a year on fees and about the same on equipment) but soccer is generally cheap. You'll get to know the parents of team members quickly and you'll meet parents of opposition teams and officials. In short, an easy way to meet lots of people in a short space of time. It is also an opportunity to volunteer and, you never know, your kids might have some fun and make some friends as well.

3) Volunteer. [edit: as Cookie has already said] Canadians (at least around here) are big into volunteering. It is another way to meet lots of people quickly and it will do you no harm at all in the eyes of potential employers.

Another list. My tips for getting the best out of networking:

1) Networking is about life as well as just finding work. The more people you meet the more likely you are to find people you enjoy hanging out with, and the more likely you are to find friends.

2) Good networks are two way things. There are about finding people you can help just as much as finding people who can help you. This is particularly hard at first because what can you give? Well, people are investing their time in you so thanks at the very least.

3) Be positive. Don’t complain or whinge. Never, ever, ever badmouth a previous employer. However down in the dumps you feel always have good things to say about why you came to Canada, what you like about the country, and how you are going to make a success of your lives here.

4) Never ask people for something they cannot give you.

5) Relax and enjoy the opportunity to meet lots of new and different people. You are unlikely to get many referrals if people perceive you to be overly focused and self-centred. (Even though at this stage of you job hunt you necessarily will be!)

Really useful post. Thank you. I agree that it's getting to have a network of people around you that makes you feel at home. Still working on that one...

I believe the 80% of jobs not being advertised thing is a myth of similar proportions to that of taxicabs in Canada being exclusively driven by foreign qualified doctors who can't get a proper job. The jobs I have applied for and obtained have always been advertised, as have those positions that I have recruited to join my team.

That being said the network or referral is useful, nay essential, in often securing the job - the good word from a referee or someone in your, and the recruiters, network being important.

I agree that the percentage is likely just guesswork, and that no one should discount adverts or recruiters. I got my first job in Canada as a result of replying to an ad in the classified section of the Vancouver Sun. I also think that with the growth of free classified sites like Craig's list and Kiijiji (or however it is spelled) more employers are more likely to advertise vacancies.

However, pretty much the first thing my clients will do if they need to recruit someone in the accounting departments is to ask me if I know of anyone looking for work. I have been able to match up some good people with some good employers. And sometimes say that there is not a good fit.

Another thing about networking when you are looking for a job is that it keeps you active.

You look through the classified adverts in the paper and send off some applications. Ditto with Workopolis. You send your resume to your preferred employers. Then you sit and wait for the phone to ring. It doesn't. Next week you do the same and also send your resume to less preferred, but still possible, employers. You wait for the phone to ring. It doesn't. It can get very dispiriting very quickly.

Rather than sitting at home looking at the four walls get out and do some networking. AKA looking for a job without looking for a job. The more you learn about the ways of doing things in Canada, how your business works in Canada and about the personalities and players within your business, the more employable you are making yourself.

Networking keeps you involved and helps you to keep a positive outlook on life. Being positive is a key character trait in business that will go a long way to getting you hired.

Thanks all for your amazing input.

Mrs. and I are contacting companies and recruiters while still in the UK. We are hoping to have atleast some interviews lined up instead of just jumping across without anything in hand.

But who knows what future holds in store. We are ready to throw ourselves into the Canadian way of doing things. And if one of those things is networking, then we're all game.

Happy New Year to all of you.