A great way to increase your visibility to Canadian employers is by registering with TalentLift. We also encourage those we support to begin an independent job search to complement our efforts.

Across your job search journey, networking is an invaluable tool. It’s about making connections and building lasting relationships that can open doors to opportunities. Whether you’re engaging in online forums or attending in-person job fairs, how you present yourself and interact with others can make all the difference. 

Thanks to a generous $50,000 grant from the KPMG Foundation, TalentLift is making resources like this accessible to youth living as refugees, helping them expand their professional networks and pursue meaningful careers. We recently welcomed Jhanele Wright, a Human Resources and Operations professional with KPMG, as a guest speaker at a virtual event, to share her expertise on networking for the Canadian (or international) job market. We are grateful to share her insights here.

Why networking matters

Building relationships takes time and effort, so it might be easy to skip networking and simply apply, apply, apply. Here are a few reasons you should invest in your professional network as a key part of your job search strategy. 

For one, networking offers access to the ‘hidden’ job market. While many available roles are advertised by employers, a substantial number of employment opportunities are instead filled through referrals, internal transfers, or word of mouth before they’re ever posted online. By building a network, you gain access to opportunities that aren’t visible on job boards.

Networking also builds your professional visibility. When someone in your network recommends you for a role, it adds credibility and trust to your application. Referrals can often fast-track you to an interview.

And, networking provides valuable industry insights. Networking helps you learn about industry trends, in-demand skills, and in cases where you’re interested in a specific opportunity, can help you understand company culture. This knowledge can make you a stronger, more informed candidate.

How to get started

Getting started with networking can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a step-by-step way to get started:

1. Start with who you know

Begin with family, friends, former colleagues, or peers. Let them know you’re looking for opportunities and ask if they can introduce you to someone in your field.

2. Build your online presence

Create or update your professional profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed. These platforms help you get your name out there and connect with professionals in your industry.

3. Engage and interact online

Follow pages for companies you’re interested in, join industry-related groups, and participate in discussions. Comment thoughtfully on posts, share relevant articles, and post updates about your own learning or projects. 

4. Join online communities

Platforms like Meetup.com can help you find groups of individuals based on interests and industries, both in your area and around the world. These can be great places to meet like-minded professionals.

5. Ask for an informational meeting

Reach out to professionals who have followed a career path that aligns with your interest. Ask for a short, 15-20 minute conversation about their role, company, or industry. Importantly, the goal of these chats is to learn, not ask for a job. This builds trust and relationships over time.

6. Attend virtual events

Look for webinars, online job fairs, and professional development events related to your field. Many are free and can be accessed from anywhere.

7. Follow-up and stay engaged

After any meeting or conversation in a professional context, send a short thank-you note. Stay in touch by sharing useful resources or congratulating contacts on their achievements.

8. Help others in your network when possible

Networking is a two-way street. Offer help when you can – whether it’s sharing an article, making an introduction, or making yourself available for feedback or discussion.

Networking tips

Do:

• Ask thoughtful, creative questions.
• Practice active listening.
• Be consistent and check in with key folks in your network periodically.
• Be professional and respectful in all communications.
• Research people and companies before reaching out.

Don’t:

• Network without a plan. Know what you hope to learn or achieve when reaching out to someone.
• Dominate conversations. Allow others to speak and share.
• Send generic connection requests. Always personalize your messages.
• Forget to follow-up. Ideally, do so within 24-48 hours while the conversation is fresh.

Using LinkedIn effectively

LinkedIn is the world’s largest online professional network and can be a powerful tool for job seekers when used well. Many of the principles shared above can be applied to LinkedIn. Here’s how:

Use your profile to put your best foot forward:

• Upload a profile picture and make sure that it’s professional. Do this by smiling, dressing appropriately, and choosing a simple background. If possible, avoid using a selfie.
• Write a clear headline and summary that highlights your skills and goals.
• Turn on the “Open to Work” feature to signal to recruiters that you’re looking for new opportunities. (Don’t do this if it might jeopardize your current employment.) 

List your experiences:

• Include your relevant work, volunteer, and community experience, even if unpaid.
• For each experience listed in your LinkedIn profile, add some bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements in each role.
• Ensure that the work experience and education dates you’ve added to your profile align with your CV.

Build your network and engage regularly:

• Seek out professional connections that are of interest to you. Send personalized connection requests, making sure to mention why you’d like to connect, or, if you already know the person, how you know them.
• Here are some examples of messages you can send when making a connection request:

Hi ___, my name is___ and ___ referred me to you. I would love to connect and learn more about your role and experience at ____.

Dear ___, we met at the ___ event yesterday. It was great hearing your advice and insights into ___ (make it specific and personal). It would be great if we can connect and stay in touch

Hi ___, I would love to connect with you about the  ___ position at ___. I believe I would be a great fit for the role and would love to speak about my qualifications with you.

• Like and comment on posts from your network, and share your own when you have a useful resource or updates about your skills, training or projects to share.
• Join LinkedIn groups related to your industry.

Follow company and organization pages you’re interested in:

• You can use LinkedIn to find new companies in your industry, or in new industries you may be interested in. From there, make sure to follow their pages so that you’ll see updates they share, including job postings for positions you may want to apply for.
• When you find an organization that you’d like to work for, look on their website to see if they have a jobs mailing list you can join where they share lists of available job openings.

Keep an eye out for professional events and job fairs:

• Many organizations will make sure to advertise on LinkedIn any job fairs, including virtual job fairs, and other events they’re hosting.

Make use of continuous learning and growth opportunities:

• Through LinkedIn, you can find and access a range of learning programs and courses for free (see here). 
• When you complete a course through LinkedIn, you can add it to your profile directly, showcasing your commitment to learning and growing professionally.

Important considerations for job seekers in refugee situations

When to mention your refugee situation:

• It’s often best to wait until you’ve established a more meaningful connection, such as during a first meeting, before discussing your displacement circumstances. Lead with your skills, experience, and professional interests first.

Using the TalentLift letter of support:

• If someone in your network asks for your CV or recommends you apply for a role in Canada, include the TalentLift letter of support with your application. This letter helps explain your situation, highlights the support that TalentLift may be able to provide you and a potential employer in navigating the immigration process, and emphasizes your openness to relocating for the position.
• You can access your letter of support through your TalentLift talent platform profile. After logging into your profile, navigate to the “Jobs” tab and select the “Looking for jobs on your own?” button on the upper right-hand side of the screen. There, you can request a personalized letter of support to be emailed to you.

Stay safe online:

• Research people and companies before connecting.
• Never send money or personal financial information.
• Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true.
• For more insights, read our blog on the top three indicators of immigration fraud here.

Landing a job offer from a Canadian employer:

• If your independent job search leads to you receiving a job offer from a Canadian employer, and you’re eligible for TalentLift services, our team can explore supporting you to pursue this job offer through an immigration application.
• Learn more about available TalentLift support for candidates who have obtained job offers through their independent job searching efforts here.

Remember …

Networking is about building relationships. It takes time, patience, and effort, but your professional relationships can help you to unlock a job opportunity.

• Start small, with people you already know.
• Be curious, kind, and consistent.
• Use LinkedIn thoughtfully to expand your reach.
• Your experiences, skills and perspective are valuable.

We know you have so much to offer, and look forward to seeing you in our professional network soon. 

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. 

Interested in a career at KPMG Canada? Check out their open roles here.