Canadian Immigrant

Focus on soft skills
Naeem “Nick” Noorani


I was invited last month to speak at the University of Ottawa on the topic of leveraging immigrant talent. There I met Dr. Linda Manning, who has done an incredible job in creating a free, interactive, computer-based training program for small and medium-sized enterprises called Leveraging Immigrant Talent to Strengthen Canadian Business.

The training modules are designed to help managers better understand their own talent management practices, recognize high-potential employees — in particular their immigrant employees, and create a pool of qualified management candidates. (Check out her website leadershipdiversity.ca for more.)

I also sat in on Dr. Lionel Laroche’s workshop presentation, which discussed one part of my favourite career-related subjects — soft skills for immigrants. Laroche explained so well that immigrants come to Canada with an abundance of technical skills — almost 90 per cent versus 10 per cent of soft skills, whilst the average Canadian worker has 60 per cent soft skills and 40 per cent technical. This latter ratio tends to mirror what most Canadian employers actually seek!

Yet so many immigrants do not recognize their lack of soft skills. And because they keep hearing “no Canadian experience” at interviews, they heap on more technical skills on top of their existing ones, but don’t account more for soft skills such as:


time management
interpersonal skills
presentation skills
written skills
public speaking
listening skills
conflict resolution
anger management
business etiquette

The importance of each of these soft skills obviously depends on the job function. Someone in sales would need more interpersonal and presentation skills than someone in IT, for example. But it’s generally understood among hiring managers that while you can train someone to upgrade their technical skills, it’s very difficult to change someone’s demeanour.

While many readers may insist they have these skills and have used them in their home country, the fact is that there may be a huge difference in the way those skills are applied in Canada!

I continue to be amazed by immigrants who send me emails that make no sense. One person wrote: “I immigrate want but father problem. Please help.” Another was an email from a highly qualified immigrant who wrote to me asking for a job in ALL CAPS! I receive many emails with no body text but resumés attached. I feel for them. They are using the styles they were accustomed to in their home country where a person would look for their technical skills and overlook the way they present those skills.

Many immigrants feel insulted and get defensive when told they lack soft skills and respond by talking of their technical aptitude. Of course, unconsciously, over a few years, they do develop them. But how much easier would their journey be if they worked on developing these skills earlier on! Many immigrants don’t learn them at all and stay in jobs that are far below their skill-set and bemoan the unfairness of it all!

My suggestion — recognize the need for these soft skills and start working on them and you will see how your career will take off!

Let me tell you about a bright young lady who walked up to me at an event and introduced herself. She has been in Canada for five years and has been an avid reader of Canadian Immigrant, having read every single issue. She stated that she wanted to connect with networking groups and with other immigrants! Additionally, she volunteers with a leadership mentoring program that has helped her grow! This is where she’s going to nurture her soft skills and learn to adapt to the Canadian workplace environment. Most important perhaps is the positive way in which she’s approaching her journey.

Technical skills may help you get the job, but it is the soft skills and attitude that will help you retain the job and grow!