STEPS in your job search

Getting started

Permanent resident status does not guarantee you employment. It is up to you to find a job and show the employer that you are qualified. It may take months to find a job, and longer if you need to upgrade your skills, your education, your English proficiency or, in the case of regulated trades and professions, become licensed.

To work you must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card. To get one go to a Service Canada office. Show your landing document or permanent resident card.

Know the rules of the workplace: Manitoba Employment Standards are laws that set out the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in the workplace.

Research jobs

Before you start looking for work you need to find out what kinds of jobs you are qualified to do. Qualifications are skills, education, work experience, language ability and, in the case of regulated trades and professions, a certificate or licence.

Use the Working in Manitoba Tool to look up your occupation. This government website gives you a detailed report – advertised job openings, job skills and duties, licensing requirements, education and training, wages and other information including career advice from successful recent immigrants and information on bridging and communications programs for newcomers.

Find job openings

Once you know the job or jobs you may be qualified to do, you need to find an employer who needs someone with your skills.

Local opportunities for your job are shown in the Working in Manitoba Tool.

You can also look for job openings using these methods:

In Manitoba, job opportunities can be found anywhere from a Help Wanted ad placed in a store window, to ads online or in Winnipeg's major newspaper, to major employers who hire recruiters to find a new company official.

Job fairs
Employers work with Manitoba Immigration and its service partners to hold "job fairs." Immigrants are invited to meet employers at these events.

Job websites
Workopolis.com is the job website most Manitoba employers use to advertise job openings. Manitoba’s major newspaper, the Winnipeg Free Press, posts all the jobs from its Saturday Career section on workopolis.com. The site is free for job-seekers.

Job Bank is the large Government of Canada site used by very many employers. New job opportunities are added daily.

Recruiters
Some companies – particularly those with IT, office or accounting needs – hire a staffing agency to find employees. These agencies advertise positions or seek out people whose skills meet the needs of employers. You should contact these employment agencies and have them add your name and work experience to their database. They CANNOT charge you any fee.

'Hidden' job market
It is said that most Canadian employers do not advertise when they have job openings. That is why we refer to the "hidden" job market. To find opportunities you must “network.” That means doing things such as talking to people you know to find out who is hiring, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs and contacting groups involved in your field of work.

'Networking'
Networking means making social contacts. This way you can hear about unadvertised jobs, and employers can hear about you. Here are some methods:

• Get to know people in your neighbourhood and in your industry or profession. Talk to employment and professional counsellors, employers, and colleagues.
• By talking to people you will also come to understand your industry and what businesses look when hiring new employees.
• Join professional associations. Subscribe to their newsletters. Attend professional events and meetings.
• Attend public meetings and community events.
• Give and collect business cards.
• Contact Manitoba employers directly. Use the free Manitoba Companies Directory. This site lists all businesses in the province, what they do and their contact information.

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Apply for a job

To get a job you must convince employers that it would be to their advantage to hire you. You will need to explain how you are qualified for the job by writing a resumé that explains your education and work experience, or by filling in an application form the employer provides. When you respond to a job advertisement follow the instructions in the ad.

Before you write a resumé you need to know the kind of information Canadian employers are looking for. Resumés here are often different than in other countries. You need to include a "cover letter." It introduces you and indicates the position for which you're applying.

Find samples of "Canadian style" resumés and cover letters on websites such as workopolis and Service Canada's Job Bank.

Canadian employers expect to see references. This usually means people you have worked for in the past who can speak for you. If you have no Canadian work experience this can be difficult. This is why it is important to network – get to know people – so that an employer has someone to phone and ask about your experience and character.

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Job interview

The employer reviews paper applications. The next step is to call candidates in for an interview. This could happen quickly or it make take a company weeks to decide who to interview.

Employers usually invite only the most qualified applicants for an interview. An interview could be an informal conversation or it could be a structured format with pre-determined questions in front of a panel of interviewers. You will be expected to discuss, in English, how your qualifications and experience relate to job requirements.

• workopolis interview resources

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Learn more

You can learn job search skills including resumé writing and how to conduct yourself in an interview by participating in one of the free workshops or longer programs offered by the organizations that Manitoba funds to provide employment services to newcomers.

There are programs for young people, professionals and skilled workers and entry-level workers, addressing the needs of people with a range of English skills.

These free services have extended programs as well as one-day "workshops." Participating in these services is also an excellent way to find out about job opportunities and career fairs.

These programs cover topics such as:

• identifying your personal and transferable skills
• job search skills
• learning or upgrading skills such as using computers
• the rules and customs of the Canadian workplace
• improving your English for work
• Some programs provide job placements or introduce participants to employers.

Find immigrant employment services using the Manitoba Immigration Contacts Directory

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