Healthy Communities • Y Stories • YMCA Employment Programs
How the Y helped a doctor from Pakistan launch her Canadian career
20 September 2017 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
By Victoria Alvarez
Irum Siddiqui, a doctor from Pakistan, moved to Canada with her husband and three children hoping to find work in a medical setting. When her Whitby neighbor, a YMCA employee, introduced Irum to the YMCA’s employment services, she was intrigued by the prospect and decided to explore further.
“What appealed to me about the YMCA was the extremely helpful and engaged staff,” Irum says. “They helped me every step of the way and ensured I had a great placement into a career I enjoyed. Furthermore, the YMCA took steps to guarantee that they had chosen a good position by inquiring on my satisfaction of the job.”
The YMCA offers individuals seeking employment the opportunity to get the assistance they need, while still allowing them to take the lead role in acquiring a job. “It was very simple and uncomplicated,” Irum says. “Firstly, a resume consultant helped to check and groom my resume to the Canadian job market. Secondly, I was assigned a job consultant who recommended career placements based on my past experience and qualifications. He had also used his contacts with other agencies to expand my search and skillset based on the current job market.”
YMCA job consultants work closely with individuals seeking assistance, and they ensure satisfaction is reached. They practice patience and understanding, all in the hopes that clients reach their full potential. “My consultant took special care in sending my resume to relevant job postings,” Irum says. “He was very helpful along my journey in attaining a good career placement.”
Irum is now working as an assistant physician at a medical clinic. “The YMCA had considered my skills and preferences and found me a job that was perfectly tailored to my area of knowledge,” she says. “They did not force me into the job or give up until they found a suitable position. Instead, they reminded me that they would continuously work to find the perfect job for me.”
Irum Siddiqui, a doctor from Pakistan, moved to Canada with her husband and three children hoping to find work in a medical setting. When her Whitby neighbor, a YMCA employee, introduced Irum to the YMCA’s employment services, she was intrigued by the prospect and decided to explore further.
“What appealed to me about the YMCA was the extremely helpful and engaged staff,” Irum says. “They helped me every step of the way and ensured I had a great placement into a career I enjoyed. Furthermore, the YMCA took steps to guarantee that they had chosen a good position by inquiring on my satisfaction of the job.”
The YMCA offers individuals seeking employment the opportunity to get the assistance they need, while still allowing them to take the lead role in acquiring a job. “It was very simple and uncomplicated,” Irum says. “Firstly, a resume consultant helped to check and groom my resume to the Canadian job market. Secondly, I was assigned a job consultant who recommended career placements based on my past experience and qualifications. He had also used his contacts with other agencies to expand my search and skillset based on the current job market.”
YMCA job consultants work closely with individuals seeking assistance, and they ensure satisfaction is reached. They practice patience and understanding, all in the hopes that clients reach their full potential. “My consultant took special care in sending my resume to relevant job postings,” Irum says. “He was very helpful along my journey in attaining a good career placement.”
Irum is now working as an assistant physician at a medical clinic. “The YMCA had considered my skills and preferences and found me a job that was perfectly tailored to my area of knowledge,” she says. “They did not force me into the job or give up until they found a suitable position. Instead, they reminded me that they would continuously work to find the perfect job for me.”
