It should not just be “getting the job” – it’s maintaining, advancing and being happy to your chosen path.

First, I apologize for the long title. Then, I apologize for apologizing because it was known that to attract good impression, do not start saying sorry. But I did. Because I want to be different.

We already know the facts of what hardships does to new immigrants when arriving to a new country. In Canada, new immigrants are faced with the question: “do you have a Canadian experience” over and over. It’s very frustrating and at some level, it’s cruel. Immigrants knows more about sacrifice, hard work, challenges and prejudice than anyone else. At some point, we felt these feelings in different situations. The other point of view that immigrants does not tackle or accept to face is their inability to accept, truly accept, “change.” We delve on “this-is-how-we-are-used-to-back home” mentality. Either we pity ourselves or seek pity because we are “immigrants,” it became an excuse. This is the reason we got stuck – from advancing, from success, from living the life we dream of when we first decided we want to immigrate first. I think the question that every immigrant needs to ask themselves when they get landed is: “now what?”

“Now what” is the question that every immigrant should ask themselves all the time? When the answer is a non-satisfying response, then this is the time you need to hire a professional coach.  It’s time to invest to speak to someone who will guide you to identify the areas in your life that hinders you to that success or fulfillment of the dreams you always wanted.  Getting landed and getting just any other job should not be your measuring stick of your success alone. Some of you may probably say, “aren’t you being greedy for seeking more than you are already been blessed with?” Most of us are probably think that we are at least still ahead of what we used to earn back home. That exchange currency is way better here being a Tim Horton’s crew (no pun intended) than an Engineer back home. Should we just stop there? I bet most of you now griping to the varied reasons that all boils down to: “it’s hard to get a new job, it’s too much money to go back to school again, blah, blah, blah. Excuses we tell ourselves over and over again until our brain accepted it as a fact so it become an acceptable truth.

Our aim must not just be getting  “a job.” Our aim is landing a job that gives you that happiness and when you do…you can now finally say: “yes, I have landed!”  Then you ask again, “now what?” When you finally answered “I’m happy” then you totally can say: “I have landed!”

For those who got a “so-so” job, ask “what now?” Some of you who have that fantastic opportunity already, you should also ask “now what?”

– Now-what on how you can stay on that golden spot.

– Now-what on how you can go further and to turn your status on becoming an inspiration to many who are just starting because you ask yourself then with “now what” and responded truthfully to that “what.”

Most of the settlement organizations, employment centres and community centres are focused in making you comfortable in your new “home.” Getting you connected to the newbies and being in the same boat as you are. But I say, you should not feel comfortable. We should not just let ourselves be in a comfortable place since we already know that this is not what we deserve. It’s nothing against these centres, in fact, they have amazing programs. But what about you who answered the “now what” and very much ready to step further among others. Those centres are not enough. You need a professional coach – to challenge you in setting goals and make you accountable to make it happen.

I think we had enough of just hearing over and over the same pre-historic excuses of: “we don’t have a Canadian experience.” If we want to be successful, we need to surround ourselves with successful people. We need to talk about success and be inspired to accelerate our lives to the level we deserve.

If you feel challenged about what I said, then it’s good. That’s what I aimed for. I hope to stir your soul and release your inner dragon. So, what are you waiting for? Ask yourself “now what,” write your answers, talk about it with others who did the same way you did. What else? Find yourself a professional coach.

If you have something to say about this article because I made you hunger for more, speak up and write me.