A leg-up in the corporate job market
“International students face some additional challenges when looking for work in Canada,” says Susanne Thorup of Career Management Services (CMS) at the John Molson School of Business (JMSB). “But the challenges are not insurmountable.”
Thorup is the CMS career advisor responsible for the International Student Programs Initiative — designed to provide international students at JMSB with career management and job search strategies.
The project is aligned with the parts of JMSB’s strategic plan aimed at elevating the student experience by “enhancing the integration of international students.”
“I hear a lot of myths circulating amongst students,” says Thorup. “Many believe that you either need Canadian work experience or ‘have to know someone’ to get a job. It’s simply not true. What students should know is that they need to begin the job search process early, and that they can really benefit from seeking out internships, building networks, and learning some French if they’re planning on staying in Quebec.”
On March 24, CMS hosted the International Student Alumni Career Panel: featuring alumni currently working in Montreal, who had been international students at JMSB. The panelists shared their stories and discussed their career paths with current international students, providing them with encouragement.
One of the panelists, Denise Zhiwen Zhang, came to Concordia from China, graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting, and is now a senior tax accountant at Ernst & Young. Zhang agreed to participate as a panelist, because of the support she received from CMS while at Concordia.
“I had a lot of help from CMS, from mock interviews to personal discussions on career planning,” she says. “The advisors really cared.”
Zishan Ding and Sam Tse, two JMSB undergraduates from China, were encouraged by what they heard from the panel. “I was impressed by the speakers,” says Ding. “They all had such positive attitudes. It made me feel motivated to go out and apply for more jobs.”
“Specialized support for international students is very important,” adds Tse. “It gives them confidence, helps them integrate into Canadian culture, and increases their career prospects.”
CMS is planning more activities to put international students in contact with JMSB alumni, and is launching two programs this fall to help international students search for jobs and internships.
The International Student Career Management Certificate Program and International Student Career Seminar will cover career management topics such as language and culture in the Canadian workplace, employer expectations, and how to engage in campus activities to maintain a competitive edge in the Canadian job market. The programs will also help students hone their networking and interview skills, and re-work their résumés, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles.
The certificate program will be a five-week program for JMSB undergraduate students, while the seminar is for graduate students and will run three weeks in length.
To learn more about these programs or to register, students should contact Susanne Thorup at Career Management Services.
Thumbnail: "Charging Bull – New York City" by Sam Valadi (Flickr Creative Commons).