I was talking to a lady yesterday who’s husband is a qualified and experienced vet from Pakistan. They migrated to Canada a couple years ago on the point system. Upon arrival, he started preparing to find a job in his field, wasn’t able to clear TOEFL, so instead of enrolling in ESL classes, some community members advised him to start driving a cab and throw his career on the side as being a Pakistani, he would never get a job there . Sheesh.
I was shocked to hear that now this gentleman is stuck in driving a cab although he could have been a very successful veterinarian with just a bit of planning and consistent effort.
I told her how Pakistanis have very successful careers and there isn’t any discrimination if you are skilled in your field. Most importantly, she needs to filter out who she’s getting her advise from. Those people who advised her husband are not only heavily in debt but have this “thaki hui” mentality to never strive toward a better future.
There are many other cases like that.
I don’t know if this thread belongs here, ASK99, so please feel to move it if needed. I just want to open a discussion on how we as well settled immigrants can help other newcomers in securing proper careers and directing them? Looks like we as a community pay a greater role than organized agencies.
When I landed in America , people told me that the only future is in odd jobs, flipping burgers , retail management etc. I never gave up I started looking for better jobs and Alhumdulillah I found better than ever jobs at each try and those same people started to come to me for advice as to how to find that dream job of theirs. And many were successful in changing their lives around after my coaching and training and are very productive members of society and good providers for their families , now.
Niksik - My dad once told me that there is a big difference between Money and Career.
Some people look for a a short term solution with making money and driving a cab and taxi might give you that but a fulfillment from a career is something different.
Niksik - My dad once told me that there is a big difference between Money and Career.
Some people look for a a short term solution with making money and driving a cab and taxi might give you that but a fulfillment from a career is something different.
You are absolutely right. They have a short term vision because they don't realize how it affect their self image and everything around them.
By the way, in the example I gave, this person isn't even making good money. he's in major debt, can hardly afford a normal lifestyle. I advised his wife to help him get back on track on his original plans. Don't know if it'll help now.
I am friend to a Pakistani Vet. He is very jolly and cheerful guy. Once after fajr prayer we were sitting in the mosque Dr. Arshad asked a question to Imam. Dr. Arshad was sitting a little far. So Imam sahab said " Come near to me my doctor" . I made a comment "Imam Sahib Dr. Arshad is a dangar doctor how can he be your doctor ?" Everybody started laughing including Imam sahib.
Dr. Arshad tells stories after stories of his struggle and efforts. But in the end he landed that dream job he was looking for , it takes perseverance and patience to turn your life around.
I think being a VET in North America is even better than being a doc! Every gora collegue that I have has more pets than kids. They make a decent living and maybe you can tell his wife that they would come out of debt faster if he tried again.
I counsel women "or anyone who want to listen to me" in my mosque about careers and career paths. They are more apt to do "small jobs" or "babysit". I sent one to nursing school two years ago. She is soooo happy now!
Most people need confidence that they can do it. It's hard and very expensive to go to school in US/Canada but I feel people who go through the effort find enriching careers. I am a big advocate for learning even in later years.
My uncle just completed his MBA at the age of 55. My mom went to med school in her 40s.
In the land of infinite oppurtunities - why would you avail them?
Niksik, you are quite right about it, That person should go back to his careers, Many Pakistani immigrants without proper guidance end up in odd career for life.
Like Mirch, when I landed in UK, almost everyone asked me to start a odd job, but that time i had professional masters already, i didnt gave in to this lot, soon i was able to find a very decent part time IT job that complemented well for my ongoing Masters. towards the end of studies i was on a very good job. that helped me to get a full time consultant with a top IT consultancy. since then carried on progressing in my career and moved onto senior roles. allhamdolillah worked along with top industry gurus from all major companies and made my country proud, (mostly been only Pakistani member of the team). the very same people were surprised, i didnt have to do odd jobs, didnt have to get married for the sake of visa.
So I guess setting a high bar for yourself is the key, even the first one dont have to be highest, track should be the same! with dedication and goal in sight, everything is possible!
one of my childhood friend is also a vet from Pakistan, he is working very well in his profession since he moved to Canada from Pakistan.
quick question though, for a point system, don't you have to take your TOEFL or IELTS? I guess there are 5 points or more just for the test so I am under the impression that everyone who comes as a skilled worker MUST take th test!
Besides that, he should have thought through it- there is no harm in doing odd jobs while you are looking for a better one in a new country but making cab driving as a career when you have a degree doesn't sound like a wise decision. I dun even understand how can he be comfortable with his new not-related-to-his-field life style? How old is he? Probably he just coudlnt bother to deal with studies later in life and decided to take an easy way out!
^ i don't think it's fair to say they took an easy way out. In any situation someone can get desparate and need to make cash and suddenly thoughts of advancing career/education get put on the back burner..and other priorties take place.. its hard.
Gemini and Sara, I'm not sure how that works, but his wife told me that he tried the TOEFL and failed, didn't bother to try again. Meanwhile, while preparing, his buddies convinced him to throw his career aside and get involved in odd jobs because he will never be able to make it. According to her, they crushed his spirits, enthusiasm and ambition. Of course you can't blame it all on them for he should have continued to strive toward his professional career while working to buy his daily bread. But he got completely sidetracked. He has no desire to get back on track but his wife is now starting to get anxious because they are getting into heavy debt and their association is not doing any good for the self image of this guy.
well getting into debt may have driven him further away from his professional life, as this debt will be the first thing on his mind and putting off anything else. i guess the cab job is also not doing good to them, i guess more he think of debt, he would try putting more hours into this odd job, hence keeping him off from his main profession, if he keep doing that he will not be able to get back to his profession at all. whats wrong with one toefl being failed, he can go for another one and another one until the required results acheived.
and thats what he can actually do while he is doing this odd job. this job must have also improved his listening and speaking skills in english too, so this time around he will be better prepared for TOEFL.
odd jobs are good to give ur self a start, to support ur self while pursuing a career. But some ppl specially pakistanis lose track due to any reason. All comes down to how much passionate and clear one is abt his career. Also one’s company matters alot as their experience, advice and opinions can work wonders or send him down the drain. good topic :k:
So I have been reading this thread with some interest because I have seen something like this with 3 doctors, all Pakistani grads. 2 are related to me and one is a cousin's buddy.
gentleman #1- keeps flunking his ecfmg or flex or whatever it is called now, he is bitter, working in a completely unrelated field in shipping. His self confidence is shot, and he has to deal with people asking him about him flunking again and again. Finally someone talked him into going to a physicians assistant training saying that atlest this way you are in your field. this is after over a decade of him just flunking and then giving up.
gentleman #2- kept flunking exams..became a monster, felt inadequate and stuff, was in everyone's business, demands were over the top. Wife was a doc who passed all her exams first go so there was some resentment there, 'friends' gave him hell that he was living off his wife's earnings. he finally got serious, got through it, is doing fantastically well.
gentleman #3- became a phlebotomist in a hospital lab, made decent money and partied while his class fellows who came over were busting their tail for exams and residencies. a few years later while he is still a phlebotomist, his pals are doing super well. is now trying to get on track.
part of this is that the dhakka pass approach in pak does not help when theya re trying to pass entrance exams here, second, the self confidence is shot, and there is even embarassment.. I mean the first 2 guys I felt for them because it was a joke that oh so and so is trying again..our community and families can be brutal as you know.
point being..as mirch also noted , first step is to counter the influence of others who are preventing them from reaching their potential, and second is to help them with confidence, stufy habits etc to really try and do it right.
^ i don't think it's fair to say they took an easy way out. In any situation someone can get desparate and need to make cash and suddenly thoughts of advancing career/education get put on the back burner..and other priorties take place.. its hard.
aray larki, I meant probably he is so old that he could care less.. I know someone who immigrated here in his late 40's and was a doc in Pakistan, couldn't bother going through the tests here and worked at the gas station.. I guess now he owns quite a few of them because of course he had that educational background but he was working 12-15 hours long shifts for almost 10 years before he could buy his stores and hire employees!!
If you are young and need to make cash instead of working on advancng career at one point in life.. I guess thats not only understandable but reasonable as well.
. Sheesh.
many were successful in changing their lives around after my coaching and training and are very productive members of society and good providers for their families , now.