newcomers immigrant canada

Winning the Job Interview

2010-03-18T20:21:00.001-07:00

Learn how to stand out from the competition

It has often been said that “your resume can get you an interview,” but in reality it’s your interview that can get you the job. In today’s challenging and competitive job market, employer’s have many candidates to choose from and therefore have become more discerning then ever before, which is why developing your interviewing skills is so important.

The person interviewing you is not only looking at your qualifications, but they are looking at what differentiates you from every other candidate. Answering the question, “what is it that you bring to this company and to this position that no one else can?” is what helps you stand out in a crowd.

As a professional interviewing coach with We Place People, this is one of the most important topics we discuss when preparing our candidates for interviews. With almost every question you answer, there must be something that you share that will make you stand out differently from everyone else and will ultimately make the company want to hire you! Remember, an interview is not just about what you have done, it’s about what you can do for that company. It’s what you can offer that your competition can not that will help make you the “candidate of choice.”

Determining who to move forward in the interviewing process is not always as cut and dry as one would think. The front line interviewers themselves are evaluated by the company on the caliber of the candidates they move forward in the process and if that person ultimately gets hired. They must ensure the candidates are qualified and they will be a “fit” for the organization, the position and the hiring decision maker. This is where you must “help” by sharing those skills, experiences, training, or qualifications that you bring to the organization that other candidates may not. It’s also the time to demonstrate your critical thinking process and how you approach and complete tasks, responsibilities, or projects. These are the same elements that you should prepare for when interviewing with the decision maker.

Here are some tips on how you can differentiate yourself:

1. Create a list of 5 interview questions that you are certain you will be asked in your interview

2. Carefully review the job description and learn about the company and position

3. When answering the interview questions and reviewing the elements of the job description you need to be able to describe:

a. What roles or responsibilities you had in your previous positions as they relate specifically to the position you are applying for and will resonate with the interviewer

b.How you specifically completed each function or responsibility

c.What the results were

d.What you have to offer that makes you stand out amongst others with similar backgrounds

In this job market, differentiating and separating yourself from others can help you standout in your next interview and get the job you want.

Layoff Secrets for Job Seekers

2009-12-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

Whether in a flourishing or downturn economy, layoffs happen. Regardless of the reason, the emotional roller coaster is the same. You can expect to experience feelings from disappointment to anger. Those types of feelings can make you react in ways that you wouldn’t when you are in an unemotional state. To avoid embarrassing moments, please keep the following points in mind.

* Twenty-five percent of individuals who are laid off are rehired by their former employers within a year. For this reason, it’s wise to remain calm and not ruffle any feathers when you are served with a pink slip. Lashing out will diminish your chances of getting called back. In a sluggish economy, you should keep all your career options open.

* During the separation meeting, you may be encouraged to apply for internal positions. Many individuals refuse because they are too upset about getting downsized. But know this: animosity will get you nowhere fast. Put aside your negative reaction to the layoff, and submit your resume for internal opportunities. There is a good chance that management has another job for you but cannot offer it outright, as doing so could open up lawsuits from displaced employees who were not offered a chance to stay. When laying off employees, management needs to consider all avenues, including doing their best to avoid grievances. So suspend a too-severe judgment and give the organization the benefit of the doubt.

* In all likelihood the management representative imparting the news is not the one who made the decision to downsize. They probably weren’t even part of the decision-making process. Therefore, lashing out at the messenger may make you feel better in the moment, but will put you in a negative light.

* Regardless of whether you were mistreated or not, do not bad-mouth management to peers. When others spread your word, your meaning morphs into something else. Save your negative thoughts for the ears of trusted individuals who do not know management personally. This will ensure that your comments remain confidential.

After a layoff, do not allow animosity to set in. Stay calm and begin to search for a job right away. Putting it off out of vengeance will only affect you in the end. Unemployment benefits do run out and you do not want to spend your last month on benefits desperate for a position. Desperation will show during interviews and impede your chances of finding a job.

How to Find a Job 65% Faster

2009-12-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

How to use Guerrilla job hunting tactics to find work 65% faster?

1. Start smart

The Coffee Cup Caper -- a paper Starbucks cup, full-color Guerrilla Resume, and a cover letter (asking to meet for coffee), shipped in a box -- gets extraordinary results. By contrast, ordinary resumes and cover letters, sent by email, get ordinary results.

2. Follow up with style

Delivering a Halloween treat with her thank-you note was correct seasonally, if not politically. Use good judgment before sending items that might be perceived as bribes by employers sensitive to such things, such as universities or public-sector organizations.

And, leaving out the gift, think of the impact a hand-delivered thank-you note can have on an employer, versus standard Mail or email. Could you arrange to have your thank-you note delivered by a courier, or a friend acting as one? Of course.

3. Give employers another reason to hire you

A 30-60-90 day plan is a way of proving you can do the work -- before you’re even on the payroll -- by describing how you would learn the job, build rapport with employees/customers, and contribute to the bottom line.

4. Score style points with your delivery

Do you not see a pattern? Email should NOT be the delivery method for your career documents. Because you can’t delete a courier, and a FedEx envelope can’t get caught in a spam filter.

Bottom line: This smart Guerrilla had failed to get even one job interview in 20 weeks of job hunting with conventional tactics.

5 Most Recession-Proof Jobs

2009-03-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

1. Nursing
$35,000 to $45,000
The aging baby boomer population has increased demand for nurses. Add to that the shrinking number of people who go into the profession, and there's a real shortage.

2.Software Design and Development
$85,000 to $95,000
Software designers write the programs to meet business needs. Computer software engineers are expected to be among the fastest-growing occupations through 2016.

3.Sales Representative
$65,000 to $75,000
In tough economic times, a talented sales force is needed to get new customers and grow business opportunities.

4.Accounting Executive
Median salary: $65,000 to $75,000
These managers are in high demand; accounting continues no matter what the economy looks like. These executives manage the growing number of accounting staffers.

5. Accounting Staff
$45,000 to $55,000
Tougher accounting and auditing regulations are largely responsible for the growth of the profession. Also, in a downturn many companies turn to their accountants to figure out how they can operate more leanly.

Coping with Unemployment

2009-02-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

On a daily basis you check your email to see if your sixteen different job search agents returned that dream job. You send your resume to at least five positions a day. Heck, you even look in the Sunday newspaper! The media tells us that the economic recovery has begun. Companies are hiring. People are optimistic. Yet you are still unemployed.

If you’re out of work, particularly if you’ve been looking for a job for quite some time, it's easy to get discouraged. After all we define ourselves so much by what we do. How many minutes after you meet someone for the first time, do you ask him or her, "so what do you do for a living?"

Even those that support you, family and friends, can unintentionally create problems. How many times as a job seeker have you heard, "so, have you found anything yet?" If you’ve been unemployed a while, it’s easy to take that the wrong way.

The purpose of this article is to give ideas on how to create a great attitude that can help you cope with being unemployed and set the stage for job search success.

1.Budget
Now that may sound fairly obvious, but you need to understand what your expenses are and how you can control them. Do you really need two ISP’s? Can you really watch all those channels on premium cable? Or how about that daily double decaf soy latte down at Starbucks? You need to prioritize where you are spending your money.

There are certain expenses you may not be able to control such as rent or a house note. But for expenses like credit card debt, examine your statement to see if you ever automatically signed up for a payment protection plan. Chances are your credit card company may have enrolled you, if your balance has been over a certain amount. Take advantage of that, many of those plans will allow you to suspend payments temporarily.

The key to a budget is to put it on paper. Whether you create an Excel spreadsheet or scribble it on a note pad, having something that you can look at and change is a great help in developing a budget that will last.

2.Routine
What does being employed really do for us? Besides a paycheck, it gives us a schedule. Being unemployed should not be different. You should stick to the same pattern you had when you were working. Resist the nightly temptation to watch Leno and get plenty of sleep instead.

During the week, actually set your alarm clock. Pick a time to get up and get ready as if you were going to work. Does that mean you need to put on business professional clothes? Not necessarily, but hey, if it helps keep you focused then why not.

Being ready for work every day means that you can respond to an interview request quickly. Also, by keeping a schedule, you will have an easier time transitioning back to the work world. And you won’t scare your new co-workers by looking like a sleep-deprived zombie your first week on the job.

3.Exercise
If you’ve been unemployed for any length of time, you’ve probably become use to wearing your sweats or some other sort of casual clothes. Funny, when you go to that interview, your suit feels a little tight. Although you wish you could blame your dry cleaner for shrinking your best interview suit, you know you can’t.

You don’t have to join a gym. You can exercise by taking a walk in a nearby park or dusting off that old Richard Simmons tape. In addition to exercise, watching what you eat can help as well.

Regular exercise and consistently eating right can help make sure that interview suit fits a little better. But it’s the added bonus of staying healthy during a stressful period in your life, that’s most important.

4.Keep informed
Watching the latest Jerry Springer or keeping up with All My Children is not something that will keep you informed on the world around you. Staying up to date on current events in the real world is what keeps you connected.

Whether you read the paper, surf the Internet, or frequent your local library, challenge yourself to learn about what is going on in the world. At the very least make sure you keep current on business trends. Being unemployed means that you need to be keenly aware of factors that are affecting the marketplace, especially in your industry.

Doing research can give you ideas on what industries are growing and what companies are hiring. And you will also be able to engage in the “small talk” that often precedes an interview. Whether it’s the recent landing on Mars or discussing the 11 Oscar Nominations that Return of the King received, chitchat like that can help ease the tension when you’re meeting a recruiter or hiring manager.

5.Volunteer
When you’re working, you always say to yourself, "I think this organization or cause is worthwhile and I should really help out." Perhaps while you were working you helped with your money, now you can help with your time.

Becoming a volunteer should be a commitment that will last beyond your unemployment. So examine it seriously, before you decide to do it. Most organizations that rely on volunteer help will welcome anyone, no matter how much time he or she donates. But again, explore carefully how you can contribute during your unemployment and then what you can do after you start to work again.

Besides being a wonderful networking opportunity, it is great to have that sense of accomplishment. Try this site to help find that right volunteer opportunity: www.volunteermatch.org.

6.Support Groups
No matter how well meaning your wife, husband, parents, in-laws, or friends are, if they aren’t unemployed, they will find it hard to understand what it’s like to be out of work. That’s not to suggest that their support is not needed or welcomed, but sometimes you need to seek out others who are also unemployed.

This idea may seem overly dramatic and some folks may not need it and that’s okay. For those that do just remember to start simple. If there were other people that were laid off from your company, call them first. Check in on them. Find out how they’re doing. If you think it would be worthwhile to get together, then do it.

Some people you encounter will be negative, frustrated by their lack of success in finding work, they will likely try and infect you with their bad attitude. The long-term value outweighs the risk since this can be another networking opportunity. After all a job that might not be a fit for them, may be for you and vice-a-versa. And it is reassuring to know that there’s another person or group of people going through what you’re going through.

7.Entertainment
Yes that’s right, entertainment! You need to find a way to have fun. Whether it’s reading a book, playing a game, or watching TV, you need to work at making sure that some form of entertainment is part of your week.

You need to figure out a way to include entertainment in your budget. Even if it means clipping coupons, going to Happy Hour and eating bar appetizers at half-price, or waiting until that first-run movie hits the cheap theaters, you need give yourself permission to relax and enjoy life.

Looking for work is a full-time job. Like any job, you need to have a break. So don’t short change yourself and feel guilty about goofing off every once in a while.

Whether it’s managing your budget or planning something fun, the goal is to keep you focused. Without that focus it is easy to get discouraged.

The bottom line in keeping a positive attitude while you’re unemployed is to remember the bigger picture. People get interviews because their skills match the job requirements. People get jobs because they have great attitudes.

Smart People Need To Fail

2008-12-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

In the book "When Smart People Fail" author Carol Hyatt offers advice on how to deal with career setbacks.
In her view, one word describes what you must do when you fail at a task or lose your job. DECIDE.

You must decide to pull yourself free from the morass of blaming others.This will start you on the path that will allow you to deal with failure, which often results because of a lack of people skills.
As a first step :

# Look for a pattern.
It's natural to blame someone else when you fail but most failure follows a pattern. For example there was the man that was fired 22 times. Each time he blamed others.His boss was too young, too old or woman.But the real reason for his failure - the pattern - he couldn't accept criticism. "Once you see the pattern," says Hyatt, "You can act to correct it if you want to get out of the failure rut."

# Pick the right spot.
Many smart people fail because they're the proverbial square peg in the round hole. Sensitive people who care more about people than the bottom line do not fit many corporate environments. Their values clash with the firm's and that boosts the chance of failure.
According to Hyatt, "That person would fare better with a group that shares the same values, such as a non-profit service organization.

# Don't label yourself.
Hyatt describes two network producers fired at the same time :
"One saw himself only as a producer. When he couldn't find a similiar job, he stayed stuck in failure.
"The second dissected his title and said, 'I can write, research and put people together.' By looking at each skill, he realized he could succeed at other jobs such as an agent or headhunter."

# Develop your social I.O.
Most smart people fail because of poor interpersonal skills.
"Smart people fail because the lack sensitivity.They don't know how to listen. They have a low social IQ", says Hyatt.
"Mediocre people keep their jobs because they have a high social IQ. The smart people who fail admit they don't have the patience to listen.
Her advice is to develop your social IQ - your people skills. Learn to listen and react to the subtext of what people say.
The better your interpersonal skills, the less chance you will fail.

How to Find Freelance Administrative Work

2008-11-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

If you have good office management and computer skills, you might consider looking for freelance administrative work. As a general category, this includes word processing, data entry, calendar or appointment planning, basic billing and other administrative support tasks. If you have administrative experience, then all the better for showing prospective employers that you are knowledgeable and reliable.

Your first step to finding freelance administrative work is to craft a list of services. Write something up yourself, then research online and in newspaper classified ads to get ideas about services to add to your list or other ways to word your offerings. The goal is to present a comprehensive list of services that leaves no questions in the reader's mind.

Once you have this list, you can add your hourly fees. If you're unsure what your rates should be, call several local temp agencies to learn what they charge their clients. You can also use the salaries advertised in the newspaper as a guide -- simply divide the annual salary into an hourly rate.

You'll also need a current resume. Even if you go through temp agencies or Web sites to find work, having both a resume and a list of services will help you look professional and easily fill out all the forms and paperwork.

Where to Look for Work

There are many sources for finding work. You may want to target one source at a time, or make up lists of companies from all sources and start with a few from each. Either way, you will be making lots of phone calls and visiting lots of local businesses to make your pitch.

# Past and current employers: Talk to any previous employers and let them know you are freelancing. Contact the human resources department, since they are the ones who arrange for freelancers or temp workers. If you are working now, consider starting your freelance business on the side and working slowly toward independence. You may even be able to get freelance work from your company.

# Local businesses: Do some research at your local library, the Chamber of Commerce and through the local paper to target small businesses that might need occasional or ongoing part-time work. Small operations such as landscaping, construction, food or catering and painting are sometimes too small to pay for a full-time office helper and too busy to do the work themselves. These companies could use someone in the office for a few hours a week or a monthly billing session.

# Temp agencies: Register with local temp agencies. Even if they won't arrange to pay you by 1099, you will be getting work from companies that use temp workers, and you can ask them to keep you in mind for possible future work.

# Web-based services: There are many Web sites, including Monster and the Monster Talent Market, where you can look for work -- either office-based or remote freelance work. Just beware of anything that costs money up front, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

# Newspapers: Don't forget the traditional newspaper job search. Especially check the local newspaper, since local small businesses are more likely to advertise there for part-time help. Even if you see a part-time office-based position, don't rule it out. You may be able to persuade the company to let you work some hours at home.

No matter where you get your work, remember that your performance will impact whether a company wants to hire you again and recommend you to other people. Word-of-mouth is an important resource for getting work, so make the best of any work and networking opportunities.

Tips for Successful networking (Networking Card)

2008-10-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

Your networking card is one of the most valuable networking tools you have or I would say is the most powerful single tool--dollar for dollar--you can invest in. It's compact, energy-efficient, low-cost, low-tech, and keeps working for you hours, weeks and even years after it leaves your hands!

Some of the things your networking card does are:

+ Tell people your name and your skill.

+ It can be reused, as it passes from person to person, giving the same message to each person who comes in contact with it.

+ Provide prospects with a way to contact you.

+ Expose your portfolio/resume (if you have posted online at www.newcomers-canada.com).

We do not want to bring copy of resume everywhere we go it's too bulky and looks not as a professional way of approach to your targeting contact.

The main function to get your name out to other people with whom the first person comes in contact with via referrals. With that in mind, let's take a look at the most effective ways to use your networking cards.

Below several tips to get your card works for you.

1. Make Your Cards Accessible in Every Situation

Never leave home without them! It's a great idea to keep a small box of your cards in your glove box, just in case you find yourself in a situation where you need more than you've carried in your pocket or purse. In addition to jacket pocket, you can tuck them away in briefcase, wallet and computer bag, just to make sure you never run out.

2. Seek Situations to Pass Your Card

There are many opportunities in which you can pass on your card to prospective contact and friends as well as referral sources you wish to develop. Some are obvious; others are not. Whenever you have a one-on-one meeting with someone new or someone you haven't seen for a while, give her/him your networking card. At any occasions and social events, be sure you have plenty of cards when you go in. These are good places to extend the reach of your network.

Example of online resume: http://www.newcomers-canada.com/resume.asp?uid=526f65013275750

Free printing card : http://www.vistaprint.com

Tips for Improving Interpersonal skill

2008-08-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

If you have trouble finding work although you have strong resume. Might be you need to step back and think about whether you need to improve your interpersonal skill.

Interpersonal skill were the most important communication skill for financial professional.

Interpersonal skills mean being able to interact with people effectively while also being able to be liked by them. If you have great interpersonal skill, it does help you differentiate yourself from the rest.

Helpful tips for improving your interpersonal skills:

Smile. Few people want to be around someone who is always down in the dumps. Do your best to be friendly and upbeat with your coworkers. Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude about work and about life. Smile often. The positive energy you radiate will draw others to you.

Pay attention to others. Observe what’s going on in other people’s lives. Acknowledge their happy milestones, and express concern and sympathy for difficult situations such as an illness or death.

Practice active listening. To actively listen is to demonstrate that you intend to hear and understand another’s point of view. Your coworkers will appreciate knowing that you really do listen to what they have to say.

Communicate clearly. Pay close attention to both what you say and how you say it. A clear and effective communicator avoids misunderstandings with coworkers, collegues, and associates. If you tend to blurt out anything that comes to mind, people won’t put much weight on your words or opinions.

THREE Cover letter secrets

2008-08-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Your cover letter might write well, but you still need some kind of secret thought to stand out from your competitor.

I will point out THREE secrets to add into your cover letter, which will catch your hiring manager.

Create an eye-catching “Headline” written about your intention of the position they are looking for.

I would like to apply for [fill in job title here] and welcome for the interview opportunity.

State your qualifications.

I am a quick learner, organized, and knowledgeable about [fill in their business type].

State your enthusiasm at the end of cover letter.

I look forward to meeting you to discuss how I can contribute in your company. I fell confident I could be an asset to your company. I can be reached anytime on my cell phone: 555-123-5555.

Keep practice by using above secret keys on your cover letter and unlock an interview for the job you most desire. Good luck.

Want to improve your English skills?

2008-07-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

I have been leaving in Canada since 2001 (7 years). As most of us understand the common issue immigrant face is language barrier. We come from different part of country where we do not speak English at all, or probably we had gained little English knowledge from school.

I still recall in 2001 when I arrived and made appointment with recruiter at downtown Toronto. I was so excited that I could meet and discuss about my skill at that time. But, unfortunately they give me an advice to polish my English first. Well, that’s true and know I am really thanks to their advice because I realize that if we keep trying to improve our English pronunciation I believe it can be really help us during job interview.

I went to ESL workshop, join coop class, and make use of “Employment Resource Centre” whenever I had free time.

Find below sites that might be useful for you:

http://www.audioenglish.net/
I like the part where I can play the audio file so I can listen clearly how they pronounce the word or sentence, and the good thing is it’s FREE. But probably you got to pay for advanced services.

http://www.learnenglish.de/improvepage.htm
This site provides many options to improve our English skills such as: Learning Skills, Grammar, vocabulary, Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing

http://wordweb.info/free/
WordWeb is a one-click English thesaurus and dictionary for Windows that can look up words from in almost any program. It works off-line, but can also look up words in web references such as the Wikipedia encyclopedia.

You can download wordweb and install at your PC. It’s free and really helpful.
I have been using this s/w for years.

If you found any website that can help us to improve our communication. Please do not hesitate to post it here, or you can always contact me at : info@newcomers-canada.com.

Let’s make use of newcomer canada blogger as our practice place where we can share our experience, teach each other, and help each other to get close to his/her dream job.

Happy reading.
Ferdi

Continuing Education

2008-06-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about "Continuing Education"? (Con Ed)

It’s been a hot topic this spring and I think we need to dig out a bit more what is Con Ed and does it suitable to newcomers?

Con Ed is Courses, programs, or organized learning experiences usually taken after a degree is obtained to enhance personal or professional goals.

The length of a summer Con Ed course varies. It could be as short as 3-4 hours or as long as a month or more in class. Tuition fees also differ. Checking online is the best way to find start dates and class hours.

Con Ed courses offered in Toronto:

www.centennialcollege.ca/parttime

www.coned.georgebrown.ca

www.cecalendar.humber.ca

www.senecac.ca/partime/homepage.html

www.learnutoronto.ca/course/browse.html

www.glendon.yorku.ca/extendedlearning

www.yorku.ca/web/futurestudents/continuing

www.ce-online.ryerson.ca

Unemployment gap growing

2008-05-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Statistics Canada yesterday reported a rising tide in employment in 2007 has failed to carry recent immigrants with it. And the picture is worse in 2007 than in 2006, particularly in the GTA.

Employment among all working-age immigrants rose slightly across Canada, thanks to a boom in employment for immigrants in Quebec and Alberta and stronger results for established immigrants.

In Ontario, the unemployment rate for immigrants rose slightly to 6.8 per cent in 2007 while the rate for Canadian-born workers stayed the same at 4.4 per cent. For immigrants who have arrived in Ontario in the last five years, the rate is 11.9 per cent; in Toronto it’s 12.7.