The Career Mentorship Program (CMP) matches newcomer immigrant professionals (mentees) in the Edmonton region with established professionals and local business leaders/employers (mentors) who share a similar occupational background and create networks through real-life connections and experience.
Beatriz shares:
“When my family and I decided to move to Canada, we left a lot behind, but we embraced this new challenge to improve our lives in the long term. It was with this in mind that I started my journey.
I had a lack of information about almost everything in Canada. Everything was so new: the language, the legal aspects of my profession, the job titles, how to write a resume, etc. I had so many doubts. I wasn't sure even where to start. I began reaching out to newcomer supports where I learned: how to write a resume and cover letters; how to work within the ATS system; how to improve my job search; best practices when following up with potential job applications; how to be successful in a job interview in Canada and lastly; some specifics about my profession. Despite all of this, I still felt frustrated because my job search wasn’t resulting in interviews.
I realized that I needed to grow my “network”. In my opinion, a network is one of the most effective ways to enter the job market but is one of the things that we lack after moving to another country.
So, I decided to join ERIEC’s Career Mentorship Program and the Connector Program. It all started with ERIEC’s Connector Coordinator who connected me with a great person that worked in the same field that I was looking for. We met and talked about the employment market, my profile, and ways to improve it. That conversation led me to connect with other professionals in my area of interest and eventually resulted in an interview and a job offer!
These events took time to develop. In the meantime, I also started another program with ERIEC, the Career Mentorship Program (CMP). This started with a chat with the Mentorship Facilitator who gave me valuable feedback about my posture, and great tips that improved my resume and my attitude when talking to potential employers and professionals. There was also a great CMP orientation that showed me how to present myself in an effective manner. A little after my first meeting with my mentor, I received a job offer! Despite securing employment, my mentor and I decided to keep the mentorship going to help make my new job transition smoother.
I’m so grateful for ERIEC and its hugely effective programs! They made all the difference for me. It’s great to have an organization like ERIEC helping skilled newcomers to settle here in Edmonton.”
If you are an immigrant professional, a Permanent Resident currently living in Edmonton, and interested in ERIEC’s Mentorship or Connector Program, please contact [email protected].
If you are an established professional or business leader looking to volunteer as a mentor or establish corporate partnerships, please contact Zoila García at [email protected].