Keep pushing to do what you love

Dear Editor: Recently on June 15, 2017, I attended a one-day conference at Okanagan College in Penticton, which brought local employers and immigrant newcomers together. It was put on by the South Okanagan Similkameen Local Immigration Partnership. It was billed as a forum for immigrant job seekers and regional employers.

I hope this valuable event is repeated annually.

The conference opened with a workshop about challenges, perceptions and benefits of diversity presented by Jeanne Martinson, a leadership and diversity speaker from Regina.

It was especially helpful learning about communication differences. Even when the birth country and language is the same, communication styles are imprinted through family conditioning and values, Eastern versus Western global perspective, gender communication differences (biological and culturally conditioned), generational patterns (Baby Boomers versus Generation Y) and individual personality.

Did you know that Eastern interviewing styles are different from Western ones? The Eastern view is less individualistic. It’s more important to talk about group efforts, the project, less about personal involvement. In the West employers want to hear about individual accomplishments and talents.

You can imagine what happens when a Western employer has certain expectations in an interview, but a newcomer with an Eastern or Asian background is accustomed to another process. Teaching immigrants how to interview in the West is one of the services that SOICS could implement more, if they don’t already.

After the morning workshop, we networked, employers and immigrants together. We shared a meal and our stories of coming to Canada. Employers reached out, handed out business cards, and provided advice and information during a panel discussion. Later newcomers sat on a panel and offered their perspectives.

During a break, a table-mate talked about a recent light bulb moment about differences between personal values and culturally conditioned values. This sharing evoked emotion in both of us. Our experience of Canada and life — so different yet so similar.

We, new and sometimes not-so-newcomers, made a decision to change our lives. Some followed dreams, others left bad situations in their homeland. Some wanted better lives for their family and children.

More often than not immigrants struggle with finding good and reasonably paid work. Yet we are an optimistic, hard-working and talented group.

As one of the immigrants on the panel said when asked what she would tell other newcomers – this is paraphrased, “Don’t give up hope. Keep pushing to do what you love. Even when you are desperate to pay your bills. One step at a time.” Kudos to SOSLIP and SOICS! Shawn Limbach

Penticton