Working Abroad: How I Found my Dream Job in Tech (and How You Can Too)
"With the lack of top technical talent in Vancouver’s competitive job market, when I started recruiting for a qualified development candidate who also aligned with Unbounce’s values, I had a pretty challenging time. During the hiring process we had interviewed one applicant — Paulo Batista — who exemplified our ideal employee with one seemingly large impediment — his English was not strong. Originally from Brazil, Paulo had recently arrived in Canada and due to his weak language skills his confidence also suffered. As much as we liked him during the interview, unfortunately we felt his communication skills were too much of a burden on the team at the time. Fast forward several weeks and Paulo comes to say hello at Unbounce’s Open House. That evening reaffirmed what an excellent fit Paulo would be on our team. As I was sharing this story to one of my colleagues, he stopped me and said “I challenge you to find a way to hire him and help him transition through an extended probationary period to improve his English.” I happily accepted this challenge."
— Paige Meekison, Director of Engineering at Unbounce
My desire to grow professionally began before I left Brazil. Canada (I had heard) was full of professional and personal opportunities and I knew that’s where I wanted to be. As soon as I arrived in Vancouver, I jumped right in and began getting to know the city’s tech community — attending events and meetups, arranging coffee meetings, connecting with local developers on LinkedIn, and, most importantly, getting to know some of the best tech companies in the city. During a VanRuby meetup, I had the opportunity to meet someone from Unbounce. If you’ve never heard of Unbounce, it’s the world’s leading landing page platform, one of Vancouver’s tech darlings since 2009, and most importantly, a people-first business through and through.
After that first introduction to Unbounce, I knew this was the company I wanted to work. I started researching Unbounce’s leadership team, culture, values, dedication to social impact and diversity and to my surprise, the more I learned, the more I resonated with what Unbounce was building. But as is looking for a new job, things don’t always line up just as you’d like them to especially when you’ve just arrived in a new country with no friends, let alone a professional network.
I continued my training and knowledge process, and started attending Vancouver tech events like TechFest and TechPong which helped me gain a better understanding of the different companies and cultures in the city’s tech community. And then, I saw it — a job opening for a Software Developer at Unbounce!
After a couple of weeks, I heard back from Unbounce’s recruiter and my first phone screen was scheduled. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. Shortly after my phone screen, I got a call that I had advanced to the next phase which included a technical assessment for my skill level and then an in-person interview with the team. Fast forward to a week after my in-person interview — I received an email with some great feedback about my performance in both interviews, but ultimately they let me know that I wouldn’t be getting an offer…at least not yet. My determination and patience were suddenly kicked into full gear!
While I didn’t get a job offer from Unbounce, I did receive an offer to attend Unbounce’s Open House. They usually hold them quarterly and use them as an opportunity to meet the Vancouver tech community, and introduce people to Unbounce’s office and unique company culture. It was an experience and definitely increased my desire to be part of the Unbounce team!
A few weeks later I received the news I was waiting for — I was offered a job as a Software Developer at Unbounce. But there was a catch — I would need to improve my English skills and pass the Canadian Language Benchmark test by the end of an extended six month probation. I accepted the challenge! Unbounce helped me a great deal throughout my first 6 months with the company, from investing in my development as a software developer, paying for a 6-month English training course, and integrating me into the team and company. This experience was fundamental to me learning English, grasping Canadian humour and vocabulary, learning new technical skills and integrating into my new life in Canada.
A Day in the Life
My days at Unbounce are both dynamic and challenging. Every week I have a meeting with my Engineering Manager where we chat about strategies to keep me engaged and connected to the company and my team. I also use this time to practice my English with immediate and direct feedback and work on my professional development goals.
One of the greatest challenges I’ve had working in a professional environment is actively participating in meetings without losing the flow of conversation and the dynamics of translating in and out of my native Portuguese. My team worked with me during these tricky times by asking for my opinion (which gave me the confidence and space to speak up), by providing context and filling in the gaps that might exist for someone who is still learning English, and finally would simply ask me if I needed more information or hear something explained in a different way. Today I regularly run and present at meetings thanks to the support and patience from my team and Unbounce.
I am very grateful for the Company that believed, invested and committed to my growth, and who demonstrate their company values all the time.
I will not forget the people involved in this process, especially my team and co-workers who support me every day. It is a pride to share the workplace with such capable and dedicated professionals. Competence and humility are the best words to describe each one of them.
Seeking a tech position in Vancouver? Here’s some advice:
- Build your network (and if necessary your English skills) by attending Tech Meetups
Throughout the recruitment process, I was nervous that my English skills might be a hindrance to getting the job. I was able to make connections and build my confidence by having conversations with other developers in informal meetups. You might also benefit by becoming familiar with a range of company cultures from those who attend. - Be a continuous learner to improve workplace communication. Pair programming was key for me
There have been times when explaining something technical has been difficult so I worked with my team to find the best clear communication for both sides, sometimes using the whiteboard, examples and patience. Pair programming is the best way we have to develop a clear understanding — it’s helped me to learn technical terms and explain technical issues and thoughts and having only one person working with me in pairing sessions made it easier to keep to the pace I needed to adapt. My team is very dynamic, united and qualified with quick solutions. I needed to be able to keep up with them, and the support I had was essential in making that happen. - Keep updated, sharpen your skills
If you’re looking for a job in another country, you’ll need to be ready for a change in work culture and new technology. Learning what the differences are between your old home and your new one can prepare you. Talk to people who might have made that journey already and then focus on a few abilities you can adapt so that the changes are not too daunting.
