Read Trisha (Hyunjung) Kim’s YES Success Story—From Newcomer to Dream Job Success

Discover how perseverance, confidence-building, and the right support helped Trisha navigate the Montreal job market and land the role she truly wanted. Her journey reflects the courage many newcomers experience—stepping into a new country, a new culture, and a new professional world while staying committed to their long-term goals.

When did you start your employment journey, and what were some of your goals when you started?

Right after I relocated to Montreal in August 2024 with an open work permit, I took several workshops and attended an in-person networking event at YES. At that time, although I had over seven years of experience in global event and project management in South Korea, I had no Canadian work experience. So I first worked at a retail store and then at a small local company for four months to build a foundation.

With that experience, I started my “real” Canadian employment journey by retaking workshops at YES, where I was introduced to my wonderful counselor, Ellen. To be honest, my initial goal was simply to find a full-time office job—no matter the role or industry—and start building my career in Montreal, as “Montreal work experience” and French felt like major hurdles to me. However, with Ellen’s encouragement and reassurance that my resume was competitive in the Montreal job market, I reset my goal and focused on finding a job that I truly wanted to pursue.

What stage are you at now? What have been your greatest achievements?

As of January 19, 2026, I started my dream job, leveraging my previous experience in global marketing. I’m working as a Marketing and Communications Coordinator, where my main role is planning and managing the company’s yearly global marketing activities.

As the company continues to expand its presence across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, I’m more than excited to play a key role and contribute to accelerating global initiatives through hands-on involvement, including content marketing, client-facing events, communications, campaigns, web technologies, and more.

What were/are your biggest struggles?

As a global B2B tech marketer, there is a lot to learn—not only tools and workflows, but also technologies, industry terms, products, and fast-paced market trends. It’s quite challenging, but I feel so grateful to have this wonderful opportunity with an amazing boss and colleagues who encourage and respect me, allowing me the time to adapt gradually to my new role and company. This support makes me even more motivated to learn proactively and contribute to the company while achieving consistent growth together.

What was the problem you were experiencing before you came into YES?

I had many doubts about myself as I was almost new to the Montreal job market and had limited French. During my four-month job-hunting process, my biggest struggles were a lack of confidence and adapting to a new employment culture. Though I tried different approaches—not just employment platforms, but also networking, volunteering, job fairs, and more—I felt stuck.

Additionally, as a newcomer adjusting to life in a completely different country, the interview and job search process felt very different from what I was used to. This often led me to overprepare, which made me feel unnatural during interviews. I also struggled with the advice to “be yourself,” because I didn’t fully understand what that meant in this context at that time. Even though I had more than seven years of professional experience in my home country, I worried that my experience might not be competitive in Montreal and felt that I had to rebuild my career from scratch. That’s when I realized I needed external support, so I remembered YES and started taking employment workshops again.

What did you find as a result of using our services? What was the best thing about it?

Over four months, I secured nine interviews and ultimately received a full-time job offer at a technology company recognized as one of Canada’s top growing companies in 2024.

Meeting my counselor, Ellen, was truly life-changing. She consistently encouraged me and reassured me that my CV was strong and that, with a strategic approach, I would eventually land my dream job with the right title. From mid-August to early December, she supported me throughout my entire job-hunting journey with practical resources and clear guidance that helped me stand out as a candidate.

During the interview process, I shared updates, concerns, and questions as needed, and she was always there with thoughtful advice and genuine encouragement. Even when I experienced burnout, she connected me with free mental health resources, which helped me regain my strength and keep going.

Thanks to her incredible support, I eventually landed the full-time position in January 2026. Seeing how excited Ellen was about my new job made me really happy.

Overall, this whole experience made me view the journey itself as a success—the interviews, practice, learning, trying, and growth—not just the final offer. It also reminded me that I’m creating my life in alignment with my motto: “Become someone who can fall in love with their own life.”

How do you feel about the service you have received from YES?

One of my wishes was to share my story with YES alongside a meaningful achievement, and I’m beyond happy that I was able to make that happen. Not only Ellen, but also YES Employment’s coaching courses were extremely helpful, and all the staff were truly supportive. I’m deeply thankful to everyone who played a critical role in my entire employment journey!

Do you have any other thoughts you would like to share?

All I want to say is: you don’t need to rush, you don’t need to be perfect. You can slow down—just keep going, step by step. There were times during my job-hunting process when I lost all my confidence, especially after hearing people say that it was almost impossible to get an English “dream job” in Montreal. There was also a period when I became overly intense and obsessed with job searching, and I forgot to enjoy other parts of my life.

Be kind to yourself, believe in yourself, be grateful for what you already have, and seek help from others—your family, friends, or anyone you trust. There are also many free centers that provide mental health support and are willing to listen.

Being proactive is very important. Although it was not mandatory, I brought a one-page idea paper on the company’s global marketing strategy to my in-person interview, based on my own research. While that may not have been the only reason I was hired, I truly believe that small differences can lead to bigger outcomes. YES Employment will always be there to support you—but making the most of those resources is up to you.

Last but not least, please don’t forget that you are perfect just as you are, so don’t underestimate your full potential. You already have all the answers within yourself. Your time and opportunity are coming. Fingers crossed!

Feeling inspired?

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