September always feels like the real new year, doesn’t it? The summer haze clears, kids go back to school, routines kick back in, and suddenly everyone’s thinking: “Okay… what’s next?”
If you’ve been in Canada for a while—or you just landed—this month might also be the moment you decide it’s time for a career shift. Maybe by choice, maybe by necessity. Either way, it’s not easy. But it doesn’t have to feel like starting from scratch either.
This week, we’re kicking off September with:
✨ 5 practical ways to nail your career transition in 2025
☕ The underrated networking hack Canadians swear by
📚 A few click-worthy resources for your career + housing journey
🙏 Plus, a fun look at how religion sneaks into the workplace
Let’s jump in.
🚀 5 Tips for a Successful Career Transition in Canada
Moving to a new country almost always means moving into a new career lane; sometimes by choice, sometimes because, well, you’ve got to. Career transitions bring with them an entirely new outlook; sometimes, they are exciting changes. Other times, they can and will be terrifying.
But here’s the truth: they don’t have to feel like starting from scratch. With the right strategy, you can flip your foreign experience into a real advantage in Canada.
Think of this as your starter pack for navigating a new career here:
1. Find your “toolbox skills.”
No matter your background (banking, teaching, law, customer service), you’re sitting on a toolbox of transferable skills, more than you realize. Project management, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and data smarts; they’re all hot in 2025, and are precisely what Canadian employers actually screen for.
2. Know where the jobs live.
Tech in Toronto, energy in Alberta, healthcare everywhere. Don’t waste time shooting in the dark; aim where the demand is.
For instance, if you’ve been in oil & gas back home, Edmonton and Calgary may be better bets than Toronto. If you’re into sustainability, Vancouver will welcome you faster than Saskatoon.
3. Add a little Canadian shine.
A short certification or local course = instant credibility boost. Especially if you’re in law, engineering, or healthcare.
4. Network like it’s your side hustle.
In Canada, jobs often come through people before postings. So: coffee chats, LinkedIn DMs, industry meetups. Yes, it feels awkward. Yes, it works.
5. Get help when you need it.
Recruiters and coaches can speed things up. Sometimes the most brilliant move is not DIY-ing everything.
👉 Takeaway: Career transition isn’t about starting over. It’s about remixing what you already have and plugging it into Canada’s system.
☕ The Informational Interview (aka networking without being weird)
Here’s a Canadian secret you may not know of: people here actually like informational interviews. It’s basically a “teach me about your world” coffee chat, and it works so well that it’s probably your best shot at a job that’ll change everything for you.
Why? For one thing, it gives you insider info no job board will ever tell you. It’s also a great way to grow your network organically, and all that leads to opportunities you’d never see posted online.
How to nail it:
Find one contact in your target industry. This could be someone you admire on LinkedIn, a speaker at an event, or even a “friend of a friend.”
Ask for 15 minutes over coffee/Zoom. (Pro tip: Canadians rarely say no to coffee ☕).
Come with smart questions, not a hidden “hire me” agenda. 3–4 thoughtful questions should do the trick. For example:
“What skills make someone stand out in your team?”
“What do you wish you’d known when you started in Canada?”
Always ask: “Who else would you recommend I speak with?” (that’s usually where the magic happens).
Follow up like a pro: thank them, stay in touch, send updates.
It sounds way too simple, but truly, one coffee chat could snowball into a whole web of opportunities. Give it a shot!
Will you be giving the coffee chat a try?
📚 CLICKWORTHY
Here’s your curated scroll-break:
🏡 Want to buy a home in Canada? Here’s what the 2025 down payment rules really mean for immigrants.
💻 Should you still learn to code in 2025—or is it a waste of time? This guide breaks it down.
⚙️ Not a coder? No problem. 15 career tips for non-coding tech roles (and 13 more here).
🙏 Workplace faith check. 7 people spill how religion shaped their office culture.
🎯 Final Word
September is a fresh page. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to rethink your career path in Canada, this is it. Start small; reach out to one new contact, enroll in one course, apply for one role that excites you.
Here’s to making September the month your career shift starts to click.
Thanks for reading The New Local.
You can always reach us at [email protected].
Want to collaborate? See our media kit →
If someone forwarded this email to you, join our mailing list here.
Cheers,
— Dami from New Local