Who has not heard that Canada is looking for Brazilian workers? Information such as this helped to create the reputation – which is true – of a nation known for being incredibly open to immigrants. Also because one of the best ways to receive foreigners is to create a favorable environment for them to find job opportunity.
“Canadians in general see in Brazilians characteristics such as ease of adaptation to the new culture, perseverance and creativity to solve problems”, says Thais Rose, co-founder of Join Us. The people management consulting firm specializes in the Information Technology market, one of the most heated in North America. In addition to career guidance and projects for companies, Join Us forwards professionals to selection processes conducted by Canadian organizations.
Among the prerequisites to qualify for an opening, candidates must have a fluent understanding of the local language, go through a competency analysis, identify with the culture of the region where they live and the culture of the company that offers the opportunity. Join Us also offers guidance and training to candidates who do not feel confident yet to enter selection processes.
Not all jobs, however, require the professional to move to a different country, and can be done remotely. “We have the case of a person who needed to spend time in Nepal and did part of the work there. She is now in Brazil and will move to London, where she will continue to work for Canadians”, says Thais.
Recommendations for anyone who wants to work in Canadian companies
As much as many news stories speak of openings for Brazilians in Canada, what local companies seek are competent professionals, regardless of nationality. Join Us has been a member of CCBC for two years and has participated in initiatives such as the Canada-Brazil Alumni Workshop, an event in which Thais explained how professionals can adequately highlight their international experience in their CVs and job interviews.
Check out some tips to succeed in selection processes for Canadian companies:
Be prepared to talk about your work: Canadian companies do not usually ask about what you like to do over the weekend, or about the details of your personal life. The conversation revolves around your qualifications.
Commitment to punctuality: it is no use calling to tell you it’s going to be a little bit late, you lose points anyway. If traffic is to blame, the candidate should have left early to avoid it. Schedule is sacred.
Be objective: Latin culture is known for storytelling, contextualizing. Canadians are more direct. Understand your interviewer’s question and answer what they ask.
Do not underestimate or overestimate your achievements: be specific to your role in a project. Were you a participant or did you lead? If you were the leader, did you lead the entire project or just a module? Giving the exact measure of your performance helps you to be hired and build lasting relationships.
Be prepared to talk to the camera: as the hirer is on the other side of the planet, selection processes usually start via webcam. If they do not yet, the candidate needs to create familiarity with this feature.
