Newcomers ON FIRE!

The Power of Volunteering: Insider Secrets with Jessica Pang-Parks (NOF#17)

Jessica Pang-Parks, a renowned leader in the volunteer engagement space, shares her invaluable expertise on leveraging volunteering as a powerful tool for newcomers. From understanding the significance of volunteering in Canadian culture to finding the right opportunities and maximizing their benefits, Jessica provides practical strategies and actionable insights to help newcomers accelerate their journey to success.
 
Episode's Sponsor:
The Professional Growth Wheel: In just 5 minutes, you'll get a powerful visualization of your strengths and growth areas across 8 key dimensions like confidence, communication, and cultural assimilation. As a thank you for listening, this assessment is FREE for you. You will receive your personalized Growth Wheel and tailored recommendations to help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be in your career.
 
Full show notes: https://onfire.show/the-power-of-volunteering-insider-secrets-with-jessica-pang-parks-nof17/

From Newcomer to Mompreneur: The Journey of Creating a Healthier Baby Food Alternative with Carmen Bautista and Luis Medina (NOF#16)

Carmen and Luis, a power couple who navigated the challenges of starting over as newcomers in Canada. Carmen, a dietitian by profession, shares her story of transitioning from a regulated career to becoming a successful mompreneur. You'll learn how she identified a gap in the market for a healthy, plant-based baby food option and turned her passion into a thriving business. Alongside her supportive husband, Luis, who pursued a career in sales and marketing, this dynamic duo shares their insights on overcoming obstacles, embracing opportunities, and achieving entrepreneurial success in a new country.
 
Full show notes here: https://onfire.show/from-newcomer-to-mompreneur-the-journey-of-creating-a-healthier-baby-food-alternative-with-carmen-bautista-and-luis-medina-nof16/

Winning the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition: Secrets of Success from Sanaz Bahadori and Livia Barbosa de Oliveira (NOF#15)

Sanaz and Livia, were two newcomers who defied the odds and emerged as champions at the prestigious Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC).
Through their gripping stories, you'll discover practical strategies for conquering self-doubt, embracing a growth mindset, and mastering the art of pitching and presenting. Prepare to be motivated as these two trailblazers share their secrets to success, from harnessing the power of feedback to leveraging their unique strengths and turning challenges into opportunities.
Download this Episode's Workbook and check out our full show notes here: https://onfire.show/winning-the-ontario-colleges-marketing-competition-secrets-of-success-from-sanaz-bahadori-and-livia-barbosa-de-oliveira-nof15/

My Thick Accent is My Superpower with Gurasis Singh (NOF#14)

Gurasis Singh, moved from India to Canada to study Media Strategies and Advertising. He faced numerous struggles like finding housing, lost job opportunities, and cultural barriers related to his strong accent and appearance. However, Gurasis persevered through networking, persistence and maintaining a positive mindset. He shares his journey to overcoming immigrant challenges and eventually launching his own podcast “My Thick Accent” to showcase immigrant success stories.
 
Full show notes here: https://onfire.show/my-thick-accent-is-my-superpower-with-gurasis-singh-nof14/
 
 

Lessons from 500 No's: How to Land Your Dream Yes with Joco Amante (NOF#13)

Joco Amante shares his journey of applying to over 500 jobs before finally landing his dream role. Joco invested his life savings to study for an MBA in Canada, but after graduating, he struggled to find work. He opens up about the constant rejection taking a toll on his confidence and the stress of being on a study permit. Joco provides valuable insights on lowering your expectations as a newcomer, extending your financial runway, and the importance of networking. Listen to this episode to gain perspective and actionable tips to land your dream job.
 
Full Show Notes and Resources here: https://onfire.show/lessons-from-500-nos-how-to-land-your-dream-yes-with-joco-amante-nof13/

How to Land 4 Jobs in 3 Years as a Newcomer with Maria Becerra (NOF#12)

Maria Becerra shares the secrets behind her incredible success in landing 4 big jobs within just 3 years of arriving in Canada. If you want to fast-track your career as a newcomer, this is a must-listen!
 
Episode Highlights:
Overcoming Language Barriers: We dive into Maria’s journey of overcoming self-doubt and fear of judgment to find her voice.
The Power of Networking: Learn how Maria leveraged volunteering and networking to expand her connections.
Standing Out on LinkedIn: Get tips on optimizing your LinkedIn profile and consistency strategies to build authority.
Getting Recruiters to Notice You: Discover Maria’s unique approach to proactively reaching out to hiring managers about open roles.
Acing the Interview: We share step-by-step techniques to thoroughly prepare for critical job interviews.
Key Takeaways:
Volunteer at non-profits to gain confidence and connections. It’s a launch pad!
Build an inventory of professional stories using the STAR method to showcase your skills.
Reach out directly to recruiters and hiring managers to get on their radar.
Overprepare for interviews by practicing responses and doing mock interviews.
Conclusion: Maria’s story exemplifies that with courage, dedication and self-belief, your biggest career goals as a newcomer are achievable one step at a time. Stay positive and persistent. Your breakthrough moment awaits!
More info HERE

Speak Up to Rise Up: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Nazia Iqbal (NOF#11)

Nazia Iqbal moved alone from Pakistan to Canada as a student. Despite facing tremendous cultural obstacles, she powered through initial struggles to climb from retail banking to impressive corporate roles, breaking barriers for immigrant women along the way. Gain an uplifting blueprint and mindset-shifting insights to overcome your career struggles as a newcomer.
 
Episode Highlights:
Arriving in a New Country and Culture
Dealing with the shock of doing everything solo for the first time
Facing bitter Canadian winters and health challenges
Launching a Career from Scratch
Convincing the bank to take a chance on her
Learning sales skills on the fly with zero training
Managing intense pressure, quotas and customer demands
Corporate Culture and Communication Barriers
Cracking norms that prefer silence from women and immigrants
Battling imposter syndrome to gain confidence in sharing opinions
Unexpectedly Building a Network of Advocates
Relationships with casual lunch buddies paying off with key referrals
Winning promotions due to good performance instead of connections
Key Takeaways:
Stick it out in tough entry-level jobs to gain experience and work toward career goals.
Speak up and be assertive instead of waiting for permission or a formal invitation.
Don’t assume people will think less of you for needing help – proactively ask for help.
Cultivate genuine work relationships – you never know where they may lead.
Develop transferable skills everywhere possible to increase options down the road.
Conclusion: Let Nazia’s perseverance inspire you to rise above the labels, challenges and preconceptions that hold far too many newcomers back. Remember, every small win and connection opens more doors over time. Stay patient yet assertive and know your career is what you make of it, despite external perceptions.
Where to find Nazia
Nazia’s LinkedIn Profile
Where to find Miguel
Miguel’s LinkedIn Profile
Referenced
Book: Peace of Mind: Becoming Fully Present by Thich Nhat Hanh
Elevate your 2.0 Podcast experience with Fountain.FM App

Coffee Chats: Secret Weapon for Career Growth with Luki Danukarjanto (NOF#10)

I chat with Luki about whether informational interviews (also known as “coffee chats”) are essential or overhyped. We share our experiences using them to build connections and get job promotions. We also give best practices for improving your coffee chat skills.
Episode Highlights:
A Conversation that Started on LinkedIn
I posted that “informational interviews are underrated”. Luki countered saying they can be overrated and should be rebranded as “curiosity conversations.”
This online debate inspired us to share our differing experiences and come up with advice.
A Tool that Got Me Six Promotions
I attribute coffee chats for my biggest career moves – they helped me land six promotions. But I learned the hard way how to have good ones!
How to Request a Meeting
Share your situation and specific question you have for them. Suggest a short meeting like 15-20 minutes. Provide a calendar link to make scheduling easy.
Best Practices for the Conversation
Prepare questions ahead of time, but keep it a flowing chat rather than an interrogation.
Set and respect the time expectation. Mention when time is almost up.
End with next steps like another meeting or you providing value in the future.
Key Takeaways:
Coffee chats can be valuable, but focus on learning about the person instead of direct career help. Mutual value matters most.
Framing meetings as “curiosity conversations” sets a collaborative tone from the start.
Practice coffee chat skills whenever you can. Use reflections and tools to keep improving.
Conclusion: Overall, we agree coffee meetings are great ways to build meaningful connections, though the approach matters. Try our tips to get better at networking through information conversations!
 
Full ShowNotes HERE
Newcomers ON FIRE! Featured by Feedspot 20 Best Canadian Career Podcast