“The opportunity to mentor means that I have come full circle. After realizing my dream in Canada I am happy to pay it forward to other newcomers if they are struggling to settle in this country.”
Why Canada?
My husband and I wanted to settle in Canada for better opportunities for our careers and our family. There is better work-life balance here than in the United States.
My international advantage
I bring an MBA with over ten years of human resources experience spanning India, Indonesia and the United States. The exposure to different cultures means I can adapt to any workplace.
What I learned from my mentor
I was paired with Angela Agostino, Director of Human Resources at Pitney Bowes. Angela helped me better position my international experience and encouraged me to be patient. She helped me understand the dynamics of business in Canada, although it was clear that things here were not much different from where I had worked previously. During the mentoring relationship, I did get an offer from a multinational engineering firm in the area of talent management. I am now with Deloitte in HR consulting and am happy to say my career is on track.
Why I returned to mentor
I always knew I wanted to share my experience and success strategies once I was established. I knew The Mentoring Partnership would introduce me to a motivated newcomer who might need support.
How I think I helped my mentee
My first mentee was an immigrant from India whose experience and education mirrors my own. I admire how proactive she is in her quest to establish herself. From the beginning, I have felt that my role has been to act as a sounding board for her and provide guidance along the way.
Advice for other newcomers looking for work
Two pieces of advice: Patience is critical and you must tap into all possible networks. I know this is not the norm in some cultures, but that’s what you have to do here. You have to put yourself out there.
My message to other former mentees
Mentoring is a highly positive, rewarding experience. As a mentee ,you have been through the settling experience and you’re that much closer to understanding the challenges involved.It’s worth sharing your experience and speeding up the job search process for someone if you can.
Aditi Swaminathan is a Senior Consultant in the Human Capital Consulting practice with Deloitte.