Immigran Friendly Employers - Part 4

How can we all create more immigrant friendly environment in our business community? Here is what we can all learn from the top 20 immigrant friendly employers.

• Advising internationally-trained jobseekers in-person at networking events
• Providing work placements to new immigrants enrolled in bridging programs at local colleges
• Mentoring immigrant professionals to help them access professional networks and develop their careers
• Promoting the issue of immigrant employment in Canada to other local employers
  
• Educating other employers about the benefits of hiring immigrant employees
• Teaching other organizations how to create mentoring programs for immigrant jobseekers or employees
• Promoting immigrant employment to other employers and government
  
• Working with community organizations to help internationally-trained professionals adjust to the Canadian hiring process and job market and find employment
• Training recruiters to hire and advise immigrant jobseekers
  

Immigran Friendly Employers - Part 3

Getting a job is one thing. But working in a culturally & socially new environment can be challenging. Here are how the 20 top employers are supporting their internationally trained employees.

• Offering paid internships to internationally-trained professionals with little or no Canadian work experience in their fields of expertise
• Helping internationally-educated professionals obtain the professional license
• Supporting the educational costs of new Canadian employees who are pursuing further training
• Providing special training and educational programs on business communication skills, English language, cross-cultural training
• Creating workplaces that accommodate employees from different cultures
• Pairing immigrant employees with a workplace 'buddy' who helps them adjust to Canadian culture
• Helping the spouses and partners of immigrant employees find work
  

Immigrants Friendly Employers - Part 2

Finding a job in a new country is not always an easy process. What are the 20 best employers for new immigrants (see Part 1) doing in a hiring process?

• Nominating a newcomer employees and supporting their permanent relocation in Canada
• Reaching out to internationally-trained professionals at special events and through community employment agencies that provide employment services to immigrants
• Evaluating international credentials in partnership with credential assessment agencies
• Participating in a unique "speed mentoring" program that allows new immigrants to meet recruiters in-person
• Expanding their recruiting practices to source new immigrant for jobs
• Using on-site skills testing to eliminate cultural barriers during the hiring process
• Recognizing international undergraduate degrees, credentials and experience during the hiring process
• Developing new online recruitment tools to attract new Canadians to their organization

Immigrants Friendly Employers - Part 1

Canada is indeed a country of immigrants. A growing number of permanent residents, temporary foreign workers and international students are coming here every year. Immigrants have been an important contributor to Canadian economy. However, the high unemployment rate among immigrants is an undeniable fact. (Unemployment rate of very recent immigrants - 10.16%; recent immigrants - 6.5%; established immigrants - 5.2%; Canadian Citizens - 4.9%, Statistics Canada 2006) "Not enough Canadian job experience," "no connections in job market" and "foreign experience or qualifications not accepted" are top reasons for job search difficulties for new immigrants.

While a high percentage of new immigrants is facing these challenges, there are companies in Canada that recognize the advantage of hiring skilled immigrants and provide ongoing support services and programs.

Each year, a blue-ribbon Academic Advisory Board selects Canada's Best 100 Employers, 20 of which are the best employers for new Canadians. The next 3 posts will introduce a summary of how these companies are committed to supporting internationally skilled new Canadians. This information is from the website: www.canadastop100.com/immigrants/

20 Best Employers for new Canadians 2008 are (Alphabetical Order):
Associated Engineering Group Ltd., Business Development Bank of Canada/BDC, CAE Inc., Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce/CIBC, Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc., Enbridge Inc., Ernst & Young LLP, i3DVR International Inc., Island Hearing, KPMG LLP, Keane Canada, Inc., MDS Nordion Inc., Manulife Financial Corporation, Providence Health Care, Replicon Inc., St. Michael's Hospital, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto Transit Commission/ TTC, University of Saskatchewan, Wardrop Engineering Inc.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

On a hot sunny day, you are sitting at a patio, reading a book. It is getting very hot. You reach down to a glass of water on the table. Then you notice it was half the glass. Now, would you see it as "half empty" or "half full"?

This is an expression used to find if you see a situation negatively or positively. What happens when we see the world as "Half empty"? No matter how much we make an effort, it is never enough and we get frustrated. During 15 years of my life in Canada, I spent so much energy to fill my glass by being like a native speaker. But my English was never good enough. My glass was always empty, only filled with frustration.

We tend to forget that we all start from "0" and walk step by step towards our goal. We just cannot wait to get "the final result". We forget to embrace how far we have come. This is one of many reasons why people give up on their goals.

Over 20 years ago, I could not speak a word of English. When I was 12, my sister took me to an English Conversation School to introduce me to her teacher. On the way to school, she told me that if he asked me "how are you?", I should say, "I am fine, thank you. And you?" We practiced. We got to the school, and I met her teacher. He then asked me the famous question with a great smile: "Oh, how are you?" Despite my 5 minutes of practice, I got so nervous and replied "How are you? " I could only hear them laughing, and I just wanted to run away.

Today, I can say more than "How are you?" People actually understand what I am talking about. Yes, my English is not perfect yet, but I have come a long way.

Instead of regretting how empty the glass is, celebrate how far you've come. What helped you fill your glass to where it is now? What steps are you going to take next to fill your glass a little bit more?

Amazing Leadership

This is a brief summary of a short documentary "Pinecrest Diaries" aired on CBC The Lens (March 18, 2008).

In Ottawa was a small town called Pinecrest with the largest concentration of refugees and immigrant, suffering from lack of funding and low resources. Its elementary school was being threatened by poor academic performances and bad behaviours. In fact, 400 students were attending the school and there were more than 500 suspensions. Students were having many personal issues and were at risk. Not understanding English was indeed one of the major issues.

Principle Charles Austin was brought to bring back its life. In 2 years, he and all the teachers and staff members reduced the suspension number to under 40. From this documentary, I found their 10 main strategies that led to its success.

1. Goal oriented
2. Provide a strong support system to the students and teachers
3. Pay attention to every student
4. Show kids at risk a role model whom they can look up to
5. Build a bridge among students, parents and school - actively involving parents
6. Time, money, energy and commitment
7. Action oriented: Do it now!
8. From head to toe: Principle himself getting involved - greeting every student every morning
9. Never blame the students but show how much they care
10. Set high expectations

These strategies and values that Charles Austin and his teachers have demonstrated are important principles that we can all follow and adopt in every aspect of our lives.

Visit the Pincrest Elementary school website to learn more about them.

Just be YOU.

There are a lot of reality TV shows with 3 judges these days. Choosing the best dancer, singer and model in the country. All the contestants put their heart and soul to impress their judges. Top contestants are absolutely beautiful. They got an amazing voice. They got stunning techniques. But the judges are not impressed. They can see if they are trying so hard to impress them, acting or trying to be someone else.

No matter what show it is, all the judges tell them: JUST BE YOU!
They want to see their passion. They want to see their true colour. They want to see who they are.

Show your own character into whatever you do because people want to see YOU.

Characteristics of Great Speakers

What kind of speakers do you enjoy listening to? What kind of speakers do you get turned off?
Geoffrey X Lane, an internationally well-known professional speaker, lists some characteristics of great speakers as the following:

• stories with solid contents which reach people’s heart and have a strong impact on other people’s lives.
• a sense of humor which eases the audience’s nerves
• a well prepared and organized speech
• approachable
• being a authentic self
• continuing to grow as a speaker as well as an individual.
• speaking with passion.

The audience is smart. If a speaker is trying to say something funny or to impress others or talk something that he or she is not interested in at all, the audience will know if it’s “genuine” or “fake”. If you try to take on some characteristics of great speakers, such as Bill Clinton, if it is not of your true character, it is very unnatural, isn’t it?

The important thing in public speaking as well as our daily communication is to nurture your own unique personality and speak with passion as who you are. Even if it is a difficult subject, your charm and uniqueness will transform through your story and give the audience a strong impact.

"Do's" and "Don'ts" of Public Speaking

Don’t

• If you want your audience to see how confident you are, never say, “I am nervous right now,” “I have never spoken in front of others,” or I didn't prepare". They will never know unless you mention it, and they don't need to know.
• Do not memorize your speech. Prepare cue cards with key points to make your speech flow and sound natural.
• Watch out for giving too much information and using too much technical words. Select and develop around what is most important. You want to keep your audience interested, not make them fall a sleep!
• If you are doing a power point presentation, do not put too much information on one page. Your audience will be spending more time reading it than listening to you. Put a picture with key words that will be more memorable. Use it as a support for your speech, not as a focal point.

Do

• Once you finish your speech, focus first on what worked. Make a list of what really went well and then find what did not work and how you can do differently next time.
• Utilize your whole body, voice and hands and a space around you as props. They will add more characters, colour and volume to your story, and support the audience’s imagination.
• Include a personal or familiar story that the audience can connect to.
  
• Focus more on how you are going to engage with your audience rather than what if you make a mistake or what if people don't like you. You don't know what will happen. If you you focus on a result you want, you are more likely to get that result!
  

Opportunities to imporve your public speaking skills

Many people are afraid of public speaking because of a "bad" experience in the past. The secret to accepting public speaking as fun is to learn and practice in supportive and fun environment.

If you would like to learn effective public speaking skills and see a significant result in short term, we recommend a public speaking workshop facilitated by a professional trainer. Even though you might invest a little bit more money than you wish, you will see a great change instantly and it will improve your confidence in other aspects of your life as well.

When you learn new skills, unless you practice all the time, you will soon forget what you've learned. It is important to keep practicing. In Vancouver, there are many great opportunities to improve your public speaking skills. The most well known organization is “Toastmasters International”, which has been active for over 80 years all over the world. Toastmasters provides an opportunity to practice your speech, improve your leadership skills, receive evaluation and give support to each other. There are 260 toastmaster clubs in British Columbia, and you are always welcome to visit as a guest.

If you get nervous joining a group full of strangers, why not create a support group with your friends or colleagues at work?

Nervous of public speaking? Start with breathing.

Public speaking is such an important aspect of the today's business world. However, a lot of people react to the two words, as if they just saw a ghost. In fact, public speaking is the number one fear that people in North America have. More than "death" and "heights"!

Like it or not, there are times that you do have to introduce yourself at a meeting or present a project. You can continue to hate it, but if you start to feel sick or get nervous, first thing you can do is to breathe in slowly through your nose into your stomach and breathe out. Repeat this process a few times, until your body feels relaxed. Take your time and focus on where you are right now, stand up straight, look around, make an eye contact with your audience, as you recognize everybody's presence. When you are relaxed and acknowledge everybody in the room, they will relax too. Again, don't forget to breathe!

If you introducing yourself, talk about something you are passionate about or you want them to remember. You don't have to try to impress them. Just be yourself. Your audience will feel your passion and enjoy your speech.

If you are giving a presentation or a speech, make sure that you are well prepared and have practiced. Winging it will make you more nervous and the audience will see it too. Presentation should not be about reading out your script. Prepare cue cards with key words. You will have more freedom to be flexible and sound more natural than robotic.

If you have a good experience, you might actually start enjoying public speaking more and more. Is it a wishful thinking? Well, you will be the judge!

Questions of the Month: June

Every month, we will post questions of the month to help you think outside of the box and start creating a small change in your life.

Questions of this month are:
On your last day, how would you like to remember your whole life?
What changes do you need to make today to live a such life?

Welcome to Coaching Corner!

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