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Toronto ad fish 🤠 I’ve spent most of my career working as a copywriter in London (6 years here, 2 years Toronto) and the market is pretty different here. I’m planning on moving back home but wondered….how do you find work in Toronto? Agencies barely post openings, is the recruiter scene strong? Is it mostly who you know?
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A problem we have in Canada is that we both genuinely mean we want to accept distinct and diverse cultures, and often default to a model of professionalism that is a direct offshoot of our colonial roots. I don’t have a great solution, though, other than to potentially identify certain behaviours as cultural rather than personal? This may not help you adapt but it’ll at least give people the opportunity to understand what it is they’re doing / saying to you.
It’s tough to expect a culture to adapt to every culture that lives with in its borders. It would be total chaos. I don’t think it’s workplace ‘colonial roots’ that is the culprit. Workplaces mirror the general culture. I know that there would be similar problems for me if I moved to an Asian country or a Latin country… or even if decided to live in Quebec as an English speaker. Honestly I find those who move super brave and are much more well rounded people so I applaud you. I think most workplaces are well intentioned but when the pressure is on we all default to the culture we know. And that’s all this industry is… pressure.
Yeah, this is fair - but that general Canadian culture is based on the dominant English / French cultures that settled in Canada… aka colonialism. I don’t actually think we’d disagreeing.
This was a good book I read when I first immigrated here
Indeed. From my own experience, you have to prove yourself more when you’re an immigrant in advertising. Work hard, prove them wrong, you’ll get there.
Thank you everyone for replying.
I came from a culture where confrontation is often avoided to keep the harmony and a lot of feeling things out/reading behind the lines through non-verbal communication.
Doing the exact opposite of that when I moved here is a big culture shock for me and something i'm trying to adapt but a hard thing to unlearn in just 2 years.
I am trying to be more assertive and asking more for what I want but it feels emotionally painful since this is not how I grew up.
Sorry everyone if i sould like i'm complaining but thank you for listening.
My spouse is from an Asian country so I understand the struggle somewhat. I’m sure it’s very disorienting. There is a lot I admire about the way Asian cultures orient around respect and self control. We definitely could use some of it here. I would honour where you come from and use that as a starting point. It’s a bit of a creative exercise. What is your unique approach to navigating being heard/understood? It’s unfortunate because it’ll be more work for you. But in the long run it might be a superpower.
Know your strengths and weaknesses. Lean on your partner for presentations if you have a hard handle on speaking fluently, until you do.
Work ethic speaks volumes. Show them what you do differently than Canadians and have them say “name” actually does it this way.
Conversation Starter
Do you have examples?
I had to learn to be more assertive and confident.
With all the diversity stuff you are still expected to be “Canadian” especially in Agency community. So learn to code switch.
Example?
I’m also an Asian creative.