Locating a permanent residence in Toronto
In July of 2022, I made my way to Toronto. I was thinking about two things. Finding a place to live and a job were the first two steps. Before I moved here, I didn’t know where I would work. I was making a risky bet. Let me come here to see how I do in the job market because I knew what I could do and what I was good at.
I checked Airbnb to begin my search for a place to stay, but the prices were skyrocketing right in front of my eyes. I decided that this was not my path. Then I connected with a family who let me use a bedroom in their house through a website called Homestays. I didn’t have to walk more than five minutes to get to public transportation, which made the location ideal.
It has been good living with them still today. The family is extremely friendly and considerate of my privacy. During the week, since everyone works, we all leave for work early. We cook together on Saturdays and Sundays. At that point, we catch up and inquire about everyone’s week.
I took time off during my first two months in Toronto and didn’t look for work. Instead, I went around the city and learned things. Even camping with a college friend who was already settled here was fun. I also had some good connections because I knew two other Indians who were now living in Canada. Moving to Canada was not particularly difficult for me, but it was difficult for me professionally to find work.
Learning about the Employment Market in Canada
I had to determine what Canadian employers are looking for in a candidate because this was a brand-new job market. I was surprised to learn that I needed certifications because there aren’t many of them in India, where I come from.
I’ve worked in every one of the many small areas of digital marketing. In this area, there is a generalist and a specialist position available in Canada. Because I’m a generalist, I had to get certified in all areas to show that I was an expert. That was one of my greatest difficulties. Based on my experience in India, where employers only cared about your previous work, this surprised me. However, in a way, I am aware that I will be moving to a new nation and will need to demonstrate my capabilities.
I was assisted in figuring out my options and integrating into the Canadian job market by an organization called ACCES Employment. I gained an understanding of the Canadian job market, workplace culture, and workplace ethics through their six-week certification course, which was jointly offered by Humber College and them.
My job focus narrowed, which opened doors.
My search for a job took about three months, and it was very difficult at first. I applied for positions, but I never received any initial invitations to connect with HR. But after a few months, I realized that even though I was a generalist, my resume needed to be more specific. I was unable to attempt to be everything. When I described what I was looking for, I had to be more specific. My resume had to be tailored solely to the position. Therefore, that was a turning point in my life.
I was able to connect with people in the industry and get a lot of interviews thanks to this change. In addition, ACCES invited me to a virtual speed mentoring event where I had the opportunity to speak with mentors from a variety of businesses for ten minutes each. I inquired about the industry and ways to enhance my marketing. My strategy for looking for a job was incomplete without their assistance.
LinkedIn was also a resource for me. In my search, it was an important tool. One great feature is that you can send a connection request and start a conversation right away when you see someone is hiring.
Finding employment in my field required full-time effort for three months. I received a job offer in my field, and that is where I am now, even though it took me some time to figure things out.
Learning about Canadian culture
It’s not easy to move between countries, especially from a developing country to a developed one. It’s a completely different scale. I find that everything Canadians think is good or bad is good to me! To get to work in India, it would take me 40 to 60 minutes to cover two kilometers. Therefore, I think, you haven’t seen anything when I hear people here complain about traffic! Understanding all of the differences between developed and developing nations may take some time. However, I am making an effort to gain a greater understanding of Canadian culture.
Additionally, I’m still adjusting to the food here. I miss my home town, which has a lot of spicy food. The spices here don’t seem to work the same way for me. When I go grocery shopping, I’m still getting used to the prices of food. I don’t know how much it will cost until I check out. You can simply flip the package at home, and the price, including tax, will be displayed. That was a big shock to me because you don’t know what the sales tax will be here.
I place more importance on learning about Canadian culture than staying within my own cultural community. I’ve already learned about Indian culture, so my goal in Canada is to meet people from other communities. I play board games every Saturday at an event-hosted bubble tea and cocktail lounge in downtown Toronto. I’ve met very nice people everywhere I’ve been, including at my new home. There hasn’t been a problem adjusting. Smiles from everyone.
