New immigrants trying to enter the job market can be very anxious about their chances—especially because they are still learning the ropes about their new country.
There are also the usual financial concerns that can be extremely worrying, which makes the need for getting a job that much more urgent.
In this article, we will outline five ways that new immigrants can enter the job market and land themselves their all-important first jobs.
1. Creative Resumes
HR managers receive a large volume of resumes, which makes it harder for new immigrants applying for jobs.
Not only are they competing against numerous other eligible candidates, but because they are new to the country, most immigrants don’t have the requisite work experience companies need.
How do you make your resume stand out when you are already at a slight disadvantage? You need to get creative with your resume.
Creative resumes are now becoming quite popular—whereas traditional resumes have generally relied on text to share information, creative resumes use visuals.
A great way to make your resume look and feel more creative—and to attract the eye of an HR manager—is to use an infographic resume template to build your resume.
Infographics channel the power of text, images, colors, charts, and icons to enhance simple messages, making for far more creative resumes than those created on Microsoft Word.
Spend some time creating a beautiful infographic resume—and learn about how to use Google fonts for optimum effect—that will share your details in a creative and memorable fashion.
However, it is always advisable to also have a simple text version as many companies use applicant tracking software to analyze resumes, and these systems can’t read creative resumes.
As a new immigrant, you need to work a little harder to get noticed, and a creative resume will help you do just that.
2. Become a Volunteer
When you first land in a new country, it can be difficult to start networking. You won’t initially know where to go or whom to meet with.
But there is one way that you can network while also getting to know your community better—volunteering.
There are numerous volunteering opportunities available in your city, town, and even in your local area.
Nonprofits generally look for volunteers to help out with their admin work, like manning the reception desk, or with their online presence, such as creating landing pages.
You may find volunteering opportunities at a local pet center, or at shelters. Some organizations may need volunteers with a certain level of training, but many are happy for any kind of help.
Volunteering will not only help you fill up your time as you search for a job, but will give you the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people, which could eventually lead to a job opportunity.
And even if you don’t get a job directly from your volunteering experience, adding it to your resume will show prospective employers that you have some experience in the country.
Plus, volunteering is a good way to boost your workplace communication skills, and for learning how to use team communication tools which may be different in your new country.
Find places to volunteer at in your vicinity and you will be better able to enter the job market.
3. Work Part-Time
Though every new immigrant’s goal is to get a full-time job with benefits so that you can stop living off your savings, it does take time to find such a job, sometimes up to a year.
But instead of spending all that time only searching for a job or volunteering, what you can do is take up a part-time job.
Part-time jobs are generally not available in your field of expertise, but they’re an excellent way to enter the workforce and add some much-needed experience to your resume.
There are part-time jobs available in the service industry or in shopping malls—businesses are always looking for waitstaff or cashiers, or helpers at stores—as well as in guest blogging.
These jobs can be mentally and physically demanding, especially if you haven’t had experience in these fields, or have only had a home business.
But they will help you meet new people and give you an understanding of the work environment in your new country.
4. Apply to Numerous Jobs
Taking off from the previous point, even when you are searching for your first full-time job, try to widen the pool of jobs you apply to.
For instance, if you are looking for a job as a subscription analyst, you could also look at analysis jobs within specific fields like social media, even if you haven’t done so before.
In the same vein, your experience may have been within the tech industry, but those same skills could be applied to the health industry, or in the entertainment fields.
Widening the kind of industries or jobs you apply to makes it easier for you to get a job in the first place.
It may not be to your skill set, but many companies include time for training in their hiring process, so don’t limit yourself.
And even if the industry you end up joining isn’t to your liking—and your first job as an immigrant generally isn’t going to be your favorite—it’s a massive step in the right direction.
Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons—it will help you land your first role and even improve your skills along the way.
5. Take a Course
The job search process can be demoralizing, even if you volunteer your time for a few hours or have a part-time job.
But one of the ways that you can feel more positive, and improve your skill set—thus boosting your chances of entering the job market—is by taking a course.
Courses do tend to require some monetary investment, which isn’t what you want to do when you have limited funds and nothing more coming in.
However, courses, webinars, or marketing conferences are a great way to meet people, many of whom will be in the same field as you, and improve your job prospects by giving you relevant skills.
If you have the wherewithal to undertake a course, it is advisable that you do it—a course from a reputable institution in your new country will look great on your resume.
Summing Up
Entering the job market as a new immigrant has a number of challenges—your lack of experience in the country and in your relevant fields being chief among them.
But there are some ways to ease your way into the job market, as we have outlined in this article:
- Make creative resumes
- Take up volunteering
- Work part-time jobs
- Apply to jobs outside your industry
- Take up a course
These methods will help you meet people, diversify your portfolio, and better your understanding of the work environment in your new country.
All of which will make entering the job market easier so you can get that coveted first job.