From international student to coach: Ritika Saraswat’s tips for career success in Canada

Ritika Saraswat arrived in Canada at the age of 17 to pursue higher studies, become a doctor and build her immigrant success story in Canada. Fate, however, seemed to have other plans for Ritika, who is loving her current job in financial services.

“Like most South Asian parents, mine told me that if I wanted to create an impact, I could do so by becoming a doctor, and to do that, a prerequisite was to do a kinesiology degree. I wanted to eventually become a cardiologist. However, during my second year of university, I realized that that impact is not necessarily limited to a certain profession; I began getting experience in the business side of things and especially found myself falling in love with consulting and strategy,” shares Ritika.

“My initial experience was unpaid, especially with startups and not-for-profits. After I developed relevant skills, I offered myself as a freelance consultant and eventually ended up landing a job at four different consulting firms, from which I chose Deloitte as the one to work with,” she adds.

In 2022, Ritika founded Re-Defined, drawing on her own experiences in Canada to create awareness of the challenges that international students and economic migrants are likely to face when they come here. “I wanted to create awareness of the realities of being a student, or being a newcomer, in Canada, the things one should prep for, and to give people the tools, resources and skill sets. A big reason for that was my own experiences, because I have also been in positions where I’ve been told I don’t have Canadian experience, or I don’t have the relevant skills. International students need to be able to advocate for themselves and their capabilities in the job market…that’s the end goal!”

A major focus of Re-Defined, shares Ritika, is on upskilling through programs, courses and workshops, as well as honing students’ soft skills – teaching things around LinkedIn, personal branding, networking, confidence building, leadership, and public speaking.

Read on for a candid Q&A where Ritika reflects on her journey in Canada and shares advice for others who wish to make this country their home.

Before working as a business consultant, you worked as a pizza server for a couple of years. How did that experience shape you?

Well, you can choose to look at your job as just a job, or you can choose to look at it as an experience that gives you lessons that you are incorporating into your life. I think such experiences make you much more grateful, much smarter, and much kinder. They also make you more financially independent, and that is a big part of a person becoming mature.

Customers may not always be the sweetest to you, some may be rude, and that teaches you the realities of life…The experiences during those two years were some of my biggest teachers, and I am so grateful to have had them.  

There is this sort of mindset, especially among middle-class immigrants who come here, that doing a service job is beneath them. I think it is a cultural mentality because if I were to focus my attention on South Asian communities, for example, which are more collectivist, what you notice is that children don’t work until the age of about 23 or 24, once they have finished their degrees. 

Even back home, I would not work at a café, I would not take public transport, but when you move and take up such jobs, even the parents change their mindsets. Sometimes, even students themselves are uncomfortable taking on such roles, because back home, it is seen as something in which only people in a low social or economic class are involved. But once you come here, you understand that this is normal, and that motivates students to get involved.

So many people come to Canada in search of their immigrant success story. What reality of living here do you wish to share with incoming immigrants and international students? 

People get excited thinking that they will earn a lot more when they come here because of the differences in currencies back home, but what I think they fail to realize is how expensive Canada is. Remember, you may earn more, but you will also spend more. 

To those planning to invest in education to build their immigrant success story in Canada, I’d say don’t view education as just a way to get into Canada. If you are spending so much money to get here, choose your course/program wisely to align it as best as possible with in-demand roles for a two or three-fold return. When you enroll at a university, check if they have co-op programs and post-education support to help their students find employment. 

Networking is big in Canada. Could you highlight its importance in a newcomer’s professional journey?

Networking is a way of life in Canada…it is the essence of anything you do, whether it is starting a job or opening a business, whatever your industry is. In today’s competitive job market, employers look beyond just the candidates’ technical skills or academic degrees. As a newcomer, the network and brand you build for yourself can immensely help you in showcasing your value, getting that first job and growing professionally from there on.

Are there any additional insights you would like to share to guide or motivate newcomers?

When I moved to a new country, along with the cultural shock, there were too many things going on that can cloud one’s thinking. When you feel low or experience self-doubt or imposter syndrome, remind yourself of your goals and why you chose to move to Canada. 

Secondly, have patience! It can be very easy to get lost in the moment when you aren’t getting a job or any recognition. But when the right opportunity comes your way, you will realize it. And then you will be grateful that previous things did not happen because if those had happened, you would not be in the right place today. 

Also read: Boris Remes’s recipe for success for international students in Canada