A SIX STEP

GUIDE
 Contents

Chapter One: Pre-Arrival 4

Chapter Two: Skills Development 6

Chapter Three: Understanding 8

Canadian Workplaces

Chapter Four: Job Finding

11
Techniques

16
Chapter Five: Associations

17
Chapter Six: Employment

2 Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 2

 Career Pathways

Career Pathways is a 6-step guide that helps you understand how to become
certified to work as a skilled professional in Canada; all the skills upgrading and
job searching strategies that you need to succeed in the Canadian workplace.

It offers resources about major employers and best locations for your profession.
It even shows – through success stories – how other immigrants before you have
walked on the path to professional success in Canada. You will find information
that is specific and tailored to your occupation. All in one place!

Career Pathways is divided into six sections and each has a few sub-sections of
their own. Take some time to navigate the various sections and pathways.

1) Pre-Arrival (If you are about to immigrate, it is advisable to start with this one)
Working in Canada Tool
2) Skills Development
Skills Upgrading; Bridging Programs; Universities and Colleges
3) Understanding Canadian Workplaces
Volunteering; Internship; Mentoring; Job Shadowing
4) Job Finding Techniques
Immigrant Settlement Agencies; Resume Writing; Interview Techniques; Information
Interviews; Networking
5) Associations
National; Provincial; Regulatory Bodies; Immigrant Networks
6) Employment
Occupations; Credentials Recognition; Best Locations; Major Employers; Sector
Reports; Resume Database; Job Board

3 Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 3

Chapter One

Pre-Arrival
Sales and marketing is a non-regulated profession in Canada and you don’t need a
license to practice your profession. The industry is currently booming in Canada and
new companies are emerging all the time.
The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) is the only marketing association in
Canada that embraces Canada’s major business sectors and all marketing
disciplines, channels and technologies.

It's important for you to have a general overview of how your international
qualifications may be viewed in Canada and have a general sense of the Canadian
labour market and workplace culture.

There are many steps that you can take before immigrating to Canada to improve
your chances of success to practice your profession in your future country.

• Start researching and planning your move to Canada at least three months before
your arrival. You might even get a job before you arrive, if you plan successfully.

• Contact the appropriate professional

associations in Canada such as the
Canadian Marketing Association and
the Canadian Internet Marketing
Association. If you're settling in the
Greater Toronto Area, you can also
contact CAMP Networking, a
professional immigrant association,
where new and established immigrants
who have a background in
communications, advertising or
marketing meet regularly and share
experiences and knowledge. Being part
of a similar group can give you valuable
leads and connect you to successful
members and employers. You can also
browse the PINs directory to find other
immigrant networks which may not be
profession based, but may have
members who have sales or marketing
backgrounds.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 4

• Work on improving your English or French (depending on your destination province)
as you may be required to prove your language competency. Even if you’re a fluent
speaker of English or French, it’s helpful to improve your language skills and enroll
in language classes while you're in your home country and continue them after
moving to Canada. You can assess your language skills by taking an online
self-assessment test on the Canadian Language Benchmarks website.

• It's easier for you to gather and organize your official education, work and identity
documents while still in your home country. You may need these papers for
employment purposes, or if you're planning to pursue further education in Canada.

• Know the name of your job in Canada and make a list of potential employers.

• LinkedIn is a very powerful tool. Search for sales or marketing related groups on
this professional social networking site and become a member of the ones you think
are very relevant so that you get a feel of what is happening in North America in
regards to your industry. Also, get recommendations from your LinkedIn contacts.

• Bring a portfolio of your projects, documents, reference letters, testimonials and

recommendations. If you’ve won awards, make sure you show them off. It might not
be accepted in your home country, but in North America you need to speak about
your awards and achievements.

• Enquire about the procedure to get a driver’s license in Canada and apply for as
soon as you arrive, as it would be very useful when you get a job or even to get a
job.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 5

Chapter Two

Skills Development

Canadian employers put a high emphasis on soft skills, which are personal attributes
that enhance your interactions, job performance and career prospects. Unlike your
hard skills, you can apply your soft skills broadly. Soft skills, such as communication,
negotiation and sociability, are even more important for sales and marketing
professionals. That’s why identifying areas in your soft skills that need improvement is
crucial. If your hard skills get you an interview, most probably it's your soft skills that
will get you the job and enable you to keep it afterwards.

Though not a must, upgrading your education and skills through a bridging program
or other courses and workshops may be an important part of your journey to become
a successful sales and marketing professional in Canada.

Skills Upgrading
You may have strong sales and marketing skills, but often that’s not enough to get a
job or maintain it afterward. You may need more training or skills upgrading,
especially regarding your soft skills.

Having strong skills in one or both of Canada’s official languages – English or French
– is extremely important for your future in Canada. Whether you choose to focus on
learning or improving English or French will depend on which of the two languages
most people speak in the area where you live.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 6

You may be eligible for Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
(LINC) program. Otherwise, you can find other free or affordable classes in English
as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) classes
through the school boards or settlement agencies. There are even language
courses to teach you professional terminology, such as Enhanced Language
Training (ELT) and Occupation Specific Language Training (OSLT). And if you
already fluently speak one of Canada’s two official languages, learning the other
one is a good option, as it may offer you better employment opportunities.

Bridging Programs

Bridging programs are a helpful way to transition from your international experience
and training to the Canadian workplace. While there aren’t many colleges,
universities and immigrant-serving agencies that offer sales and marketing related
bridging programs, but many do offer regular programs and continuing education
courses in sales and marketing that you can enroll in.

Alberta

Directions for Immigrants

Clear Communication for Business
Clear Communication for Business (CCB) is designed to help internationally
educated professionals prepare for and succeed at job search and job
maintenance. Improve your soft skills and learn how to develop essential
communication skills required to be successful in the workplace and gain familiarity
to Canadian workplace culture.

Ontario

ACCES Employment
Sales and Marketing Connections
The program helps internationally trained sales and marketing professionals find
employment in their field in Ontario. The program includes business
communications coaching, occupation-specific language training and
sector-specific employment services.

York University
Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs)
The program helps IEPs transition into a position that matches their education,
credentials and experience by creating an individual, customized action plan for
each IEP that is tailored to their goals and career path.

Education

Many immigrants take further education after coming to Canada. Some want to
change careers or enhance their careers with a Ph.D or MBA. Universities and
colleges across Canada offer a number of bridging programs designed to help
immigrants get Canadian certification in their field.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 7

 Chapter Three

Understanding Canadian
Workplaces
Canadian employers, who often don’t know how to
assess education and work experience from other
countries, may require or prefer you to have
experience working in Canada. Lack of local market
experience can pose a challenge for newcomers, but
there are ways to overcome some of these
challenges.When an employer tells you that you have
no “Canadian experience” often they mean that
they’re not sure if you’re going to fit into their Volunteering
workplace. They aren’t sure that you're familiar with
Canadian codes and standards of practice or that Volunteerism is an important part of
you have the communication skills, etiquette or Canadian society and lifestyle. It helps
inter-personal savvy to be an asset to their firm. you settle in faster, make friends and
Employers want friendly, assertive professionals with may even lead you to a job at the
terrific communication skills who will fit right in and organization where you're volunteering
or somewhere else. Also, volunteering
become natural leaders. experience is an important factor when
considering a candidate for a position.
You can overcome this barrier and acquire a good When a potential employer sees your
understanding of how a Canadian workplace volunteering record, they'll immediately
operates by volunteering, meeting people, having a know that you're willing to put time into
something you consider worthy and that
mentor, getting an internship or job shadowing. you're socially inclined. You might be
able to find volunteer opportunities in the
sales and marketing sector, or even paid
opportunities when you might get hired
on a temporary basis to cover for
someone who is sick or on maternity
leave. Identify 5-10 companies you wish
to work for and research them in detail.
Then approach them, explain that you're
a newcomer and that you're looking for
volunteer opportunities to get local
experience.

In addition to corporations, you should

consider volunteering for community
agencies and other non-profits in your
community, preferably in a marketing
related role, as it's an important tool that
can help you settle in faster and make
friends. When looking for volunteer
opportunities, look for work that keeps
your sales and marketing skills and
experience are current.

8 Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 8

 Internship

Internships are an excellent way to gain Canadian experience. You can find different
internship programs in Canada that can help you as well as those you can set up
through your own networking.

One of the most well-known internship programs is Career Edge, an innovative

program that allows internationally qualified professionals to apply for paid
internships at Canada’s leading private, public or non-profit sector employers. The
program offers paid internships of four, six, nine or 12 months for recent immigrants:

• with fluency in English

• with at least a Bachelor’s level education
• with a minimum of three years international work experience

The program is run by Career Edge Organization, a not-for-profit social enterprise

that has managed over 9,200 paid internships across Canada since 1996.

Mentoring

It’s important to find someone who can coach or mentor you and share information
about the sales and marketing sector in Canada. Many professional associations offer
this type of “buddy” program, where a seasoned member guides a junior one. Also,
many immigrant-serving organizations, such as CAMP Networking, have such
mentorship programs where they team up a newcomer with someone in their
professional field.

The Mentoring Partnership brings together recent skilled immigrants and established
professionals in the GTA in occupation-specific mentoring relationships. The program
is managed by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. For similar
programs in other Canadian cities, check the immigrant employment council in your
area.
You can also look for mentoring opportunities online by registering for sites such
as MentorCity.

Job Shadowing

Not exactly a mentorship or a volunteer opportunity, job shadowing is an interesting

way to get some inside information on the profession of teaching in Canada, learn
about how Canadian schools operate and possibly gain some good networking
contacts.

9 Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 9

 In job shadowing you accompany a sales and marketing professional while they do
their job. This can last anywhere from an hour to an entire day. Towards the end of an
informational interview ask if it’s possible for you to job shadow the person, of course
only if you feel that the interview has gone well.

As in volunteering, identify 5-10 companies you wish to work for and try to use your
network to approach people who work at these companies. Approach them, explain
that you're a newcomer and ask them if it’s possible to job shadow them for a week or
a few days to get familiar with the local industry and work culture.

A job shadow is a great way to find out what an hour or a day on that job is like. Job
shadowing is especially good for jobs that are highly active, such as teaching, nursing
or research.

Video
How can newcomers benefit
from mentoring?

10 Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 10

 Chapter Four

Job Finding Techniques

The Canadian job market is very competitive and
jobs are not easy to find. Also, finding a job in
Canada may be very different from in your home
country.

There are many ways through which you can search

for jobs in the sales and marketing sector:

• Join sales and marketing related job-finding or

networking clubs through the immigrant-serving
agencies.

• Attend sales and marketing related career/job fairs

and regularly check the Business and Employment
sections of your local newspaper. -Seek out a
mentor in the sales and marketing sector who
would give you valuable insight and advice and
probably introduce you to their professional Immigrant
network.
Settlement Agencies
• Have a strong and active presence on social media
channels like LinkedIn and Twitter. Join sales and
marketing related LinkedIn groups, where you can
contribute content, ask questions, build connections Most settlement agencies
and also study how sales and marketing and other
professionals are doing in Canada. immigrant-serving
organizations offer help
with finding job vacancies,
Resume Writing updating your resume,
writing cover letters,
Your sales resume must demonstrate that you have preparing for interviews,
a talent for making new contacts, closing orders and and understanding what
generating referral business through effective Canadian employers are
account management. looking for.

Click here to find

immigrant services in
your area.

11 Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 11

If you’re a sales executive, for
example, your resume should
include both account management
and new business development. You
need to show that you exceeded
goals, as well as established,
conveyed and implemented vision.
Your resume should demonstrate
that you have experience launching
new products and creating name
recognition in a highly competitive
marketplace.

Below are examples of some For example, if you work in sports

common phrases to include in your marketing, your resume should show that
resume: you can surpass competitors, aggressively
increase market share and drive profit
• Research previous customer margins to higher levels. You must
advertising to determine viable demonstrate proven success in conceiving
customers to meet sales quotas unconventional tactics that transform
and identify potential customers for consumer behaviours into high-impact
upcoming special advertising campaigns that build cutting-edge brand
sections imagery.

• Provide leadership and training to Below are examples of some common

newly hired account executives phrases to include in your resume:
and continue to facilitate creative
sales strategies • Manage all details of advertising and
direct-mail campaigns, including concept
• Manage accounts and develop development, liaison with print shop and
new business in Korea, China, media, and coordination of mailing
India, Singapore, and other services
Asia-Pacific regions, reporting to
vice president of international • Design and manage marketing programs
sales and company president including promotional strategies, brand
integrity, and marketing collateral
• Develop loyal customer base and
increased sales volume through • Oversee all aspects of marketing,
personal attention to customer including product management, segment
and strategic marketing, roadmaps,
Your marketing resume should also product definition, R&D, partnerships,
demonstrate that you’re a focused M&A valuation, business plans,
individual demonstrating excellent profitability and growth
interpersonal and communication
skills. You should also highlight your
abilities to manage multiple projects
with competing deadlines and and
establish strategies that are
competitive and effective of
long-term success.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 12

 Sales

Sales interviews are not interviews, rather sales calls. Therefore, the first rule of
interviewing for sales jobs is that you don’t go to interview. You go to sell
yourself.

The best way for you to prepare for a sales job interview is to practice possible
questions that you may be asked during the interview process. Below are sample
sales interview questions:

• What do you consider the most important skills in sales?

• Is there any aspect of the sales process that you're particularly uncomfortable
with?
• Is there anyone you struggle to sell to?
• What are some examples of your sales experience?
• Describe the most difficult sales call you have made?
• Describe what your sales cycle was like in your last job?
• Describe a time you had to change your sales approach.
• How do you handle the negotiation phase?
• When do you decide that it's time to let a potential client go?
• How do you handle rejection?

As sales is a very specific career field, the above sample questions represent
only a small portion of the possible questions you may face. Research the
company’s products, its target market, and effective sales strategy so that you
devise more questions of your own and practice answering them.

Marketing

Naturally, marketing job interviews have a great deal of marketing specific

questions. When you’re called for a job interview, you’re going to be tested for
your marketing spirit, in addition to your knowledge, your visions, and your ability
to make decisions in the field.

Below are some common interview questions that you may face during your
marketing job interview:

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 13

 • Are you familiar with our target market?
• How do you generate your marketing plans?
• What do you use to find out if your marketing plan is working?
• How and when do you evaluate your marketing campaigns?
• Describe a marketing strategy that failed.
• Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision about a marketing
strategy?
• How do you feel about PPC advertising?
• Do you subscribe to a particular marketing belief or methodology?
• How important do you feel it is to communicate with the sales team?
• Describe your most successful marketing campaign?
• How would you market our products if you were put on a severely limited
budget?

The above list represents only a sample of possible marketing job interview
questions. There are thousands of other possible questions based on the types
of marketing the company you have applied depending on what it already
implements, the types that are affected by its products and its competitors, the
cost of the product and the budget available for marketing the product. Use the
information that you gathered during your research about the company to devise
possible questions you may face at your marketing job interview.

Informational Interviews

An informational interview is a brief (20–30-minute) meeting that you schedule

with a person who is currently working in your target field and geographic
location to learn more about that particular sector.

You should not try to get a job during an informational interview, but rather find
out whether or not a particular position or industry might be a good fit for your
interests and your personality. An informational interview with a contact from your
network can be an excellent source of career information because, in addition to
basic information about a particular type of industry (such as you might find on an
organization’s website), it also offers you the benefit of a professional’s first-hand
experiences and impressions.

Networking

Networking is an essential tool that may provide job leads, offer you advice and
information about a particular school or university that can strengthen your
resume, cover letter, and interview skills. It can also introduce you to others so
that you can expand your network. As many job vacancies are not advertised,
you must make connections with working sales and marketing professionals and
others within your field.

Good places to network are gatherings such as conferences, association

luncheons, and chamber mixers for their convenience in meeting people, building
relationships, and sharing information.
Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 14
 LinkedIn is another important professional tool for networking. It’s great for
reconnecting with your ex-colleagues and employers, search by company,
search for jobs, and get introductions and recommendations.

You can also mingle with people in the sales and marketing sector and join some
related professional groups such as CAMP Networking and Multicultural
Marketing Society of Canada.

Note that it’s not appropriate to ask a networking contact for a job, but if they
know of any job leads, they may share them. Remember that you have to allow
time to cultivate and grow the ties you establish through networking. Nothing will
happen overnight and therefore, you must be patient.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 15

 Chapter Five

Associations
The associations listed below provide additional information about the sales and
marketing profession in Canada and offer a variety of professional development,
education and networking opportunities.

National Activities of networks include networking events,

mentoring, information sessions, professional
Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) development opportunities such as workshops,
The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) is speaker events and training and connections to
the only marketing association in Canada that employment opportunities.
embraces Canada’s major business sectors
and all marketing disciplines, channels and
technologies. Its programs help shape the Nova Scotia
future of marketing in Canada by building
talented marketers and exceptional business IETP-NS: Association of Internationally
leaders and by demonstrating marketing’s Educated and Trained Professionals of Nova
strategic role as a key driver of business Scotia
success. IETP-NS helps newcomer professionals with
their full economic and social integration in the
Canadian Internet Marketing province of Nova Scotia.
Association (CIMA)
The Canadian Internet Marketing Association Ontario
(CIMA) was formed by a group of Internet
marketing professionals in Montreal and was CAMP Networking
officially launched in 2011. CIMA covers a CAMP (Communications, Advertising and
number of web marketing avenues, including Marketing Professionals) organizes monthly
the following areas of note: Search Engine meetings and events where members build on
Optimization (SEO), Sponsored Search, the intellectual and social capital that can help
Advertising, Social Media Marketing, Mobile them get ahead in Canada. CAMP provides a
Marketing, Email Marketing and others. forum for members to network and support each
other, explore career leads, share experiences,
Immigrant Networks pick up tips from industry leaders, volunteer
their skills and time and make a difference to a
cause they support.
Professional immigrant networks are
organized, volunteer-run member-based
associations or networks created by and for
immigrant professionals that seek to:

• create a forum to contribute to and enrich

their respective communities; and
• provide opportunities for their members to
find meaningful employment and achieve
their professional goals.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 16

Chapter Six

Employment
Finding a job in Canada may be different from your native country and you may need
help finding job vacancies, updating your resume, writing cover letters, preparing for
interviews, and understanding what Canadian employers are looking for.

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is Canada’s reference on

occupations. It provides job descriptions, occupational statistics and labour market
information.

The NOC classifies the following sales and marketing occupations in Canada:

•Account Executive
•District Sales Manager
•Sales Representative
•Sales Manager
•Director of Sales
•Account Manager
•Marketing Director
•Content Writer
•Product Marketing Manager
•Social Media Manager
•SEO Expert
•Digital Marketing Expert
•Telemarketer

Credentials Recognition

Several agencies assess international education credentials to help newcomers to

Canada access the education and employment they need.

Sales and Marketing are non-regulated professions in Canada. However, some

employers do ask for your credentials’ evaluation. Mostly, they will give you a project
to test you and review your recommendations. Before spending any money on
evaluating your education credentials, enquire with the companies you’re applying to
see if they need one.

Credentials Assessment Services

If you’re planning to enroll in a college or university program to upgrade your skills,

contact the institution in which you plan to study and find out the steps you should
take and the credential assessment agency you should use.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 17

Make sure not to discount your international education and skills. Try to build on your
existing knowledge and skills and explore university and college options thoroughly
before deciding. You might be eligible for advanced standing, transfer some of your
credits and benefit from prior learning assessment options by using your international
credentials and experience to gain credit or course exemptions. This way you’ll
complete your program more quickly without wasting money and repeating the
education you already have.

World Education Services (WES) – Ontario

International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) – Alberta
The International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) – British Columbia

To find more organizations and agencies providing credential evaluation, assessment

and qualification recognition services, click here. You can also visit the Foreign
Credentials Referral Office website for information, path-finding and referral services
on foreign credential recognition to help internationally trained workers like you
succeed and put their skills to work in Canada more quickly.

Best Locations

Most Canadian cities offer employment opportunities in the sales and marketing
sector; however, the City of Toronto offers the highest concentration of them.

Another city for you to consider in your job search is Calgary, which has a booming
advertising and marketing industry.

When looking for jobs, broaden your geographic area to include smaller cities close to
your target city. For example, if you intend to work in Toronto, you might find a job
opportunity in the nearby city of Hamilton, which is less than an hour’s drive from
there.

Research and find out where there is demand for your area of the profession in
Canada and accordingly decide where you want to settle.

Major Employers

The sales and marketing industry is growing in Canada and new companies are
emerging. However, the newer jobs and roles created within the sector are less
traditional, and more digital and data-driven, as a result of the changing media
landscape. The largest employers for sales and marketing professionals are the
telecom companies, such as Rogers, Telus and Bell, and banks, such as Scotiabank,
HSBC, RBC, CIBC and TD, which all have their own marketing departments.

You can also visit the Canada's Best Diversity Employers website. This special
designation recognizes Canada’s best employers for recent immigrants. These
employers offer interesting programs to assist new Canadians in making the transition
to a new workplace — and a new life in Canada.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 18

Another website to check is TRIEC’s Hire Immigrants Employer Success Stories,
which recognizes employer leadership and innovation in recruiting and retaining
skilled immigrants in the Greater Toronto Area.

As for salaries, if you start at an entry-level position, your salary may be about
$25,000 a year and can rise to $500,000 a year if you become the chief marketing
officer of a large Canadian company. Most marketing professionals with a few years
of experience get paid between $80,000 to $150,000 a year.

Sector Reports

The Canadian Marketing Association has a rich resource library where you can find a
number of publications, industry reports and newsletters.

Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 19

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Career Pathways > Sales and Marketing 20

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