Category: Featured Articles

Trips to the movie theatre are journeys to another world. We get lost in stories of romance and adventure that can make us laugh and cry. The magic of film only happens because of a team effort. Actors, directors, and screenwriters all play critical roles. But there are many more people involved in this magic act. Behind the scenes, there are individuals working hard to prepare the scenes written in the screenplay and performed on by the actors. These people are the grips and set-up workers who make it all possible.

Grips and set-up workers are the ones who build, maintain, and work on equipment and cameras used by filmmakers. They have a long and arduous to-do list of various tasks, such as having to assist electricians with the lighting on the set or handling carpentry needs for tables and other furniture. Grips and set-up workers carry out their jobs by working with the Director, Camera Operator, and Director of Photography. They get to experience the euphoria of bringing art to life and stories to the big screen. It is the perfect job for someone who loves working in a team and with their hands. However, the career also necessitates a great deal of physical strength and a willingness to work long 16-hour days. It is not for everyone, but it is extremely rewarding.

Support occupations in film and scenic constructors make a median hourly wage of $22.15 in Canada. This can range from $14 all the way up to $32. Although there is not a heavy demand for these workers, the pay can often be on the higher end of that range as they are often union jobs. There is also no formal education necessary to pursue this career path. Most individuals are expected to have completed secondary school and can learn what is needed on the job under the guidance of senior workers. Completing college courses in broadcasting or theatre arts can help give you an advantage over your competition in finding your first jobs in this industry.

The industry can be extremely competitive, but you can start by gaining all the hands-on experience you can find. This may be volunteer work or as part of a college program. Looking ahead, many people who pursue this path are able to find opportunities to climb the career ladder into other positions. You can move into a supervisor role or into a more specialized trade. By working on different films and sets, you can meet many people and grow your network. This will help you find even more jobs and climb your way up the career ladder.

Working as a motion picture grip or set-up worker is not a laid-back career choice. You will need to be ready for long hours, immense physical work, and an irregular schedule. But this is all part of the hard work that occurs behind the scenes to bring us the magic we experience in the theatre. If you are passionate about film and feel this is the career path for you, start by learning all you can about what happens behind the camera. Practice carpentry and other skills used on sets, and volunteer wherever you can for film and theatre productions. With a lot of hard work and a positive attitude, you can be a part of the magic that is the movies.

Sources:

Creative Skillset. “Grip.” http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/3789_grip

Job Bank. “Scenic Constructor.” https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/5623/22437

If you loved going to recreational facilities like camps or parks this past summer, then chances are, you’ve encountered a recreation worker. You’ve probably even asked one of them to take a picture of you and your friends to capture happy moments.

Recreation Workers – What You Need to Know

The recreation workers’ main task is to provide customers like you with a seamless customer experience in the facility you’ve gone to—whether it is space for sports, fitness, or any leisure activities.  They always work closely with individuals or families to ensure a safe recreational space. Most of the time, recreation workers are also asked to work with staff members or supervisors to plan and schedule activities tailored to the customers, as well as assist in supervising those activities. For example, at a co-ed soccer camp, they are responsible for facilitating enjoyable activities that caters to both boys and girls.

No matter what the facility they are employed at, recreation workers are often tasked to do a hands-on approach to activities, and it’s a must that they be passionate about physical fitness and have an outgoing nature.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, a recreation worker can earn between $30,059 up to $65,615 per year with potential for overtime pay. Recreation workers can potentially be a manager or director where they will have the final decisions on every item involving the facility, not just the building itself, but also roads, streetlights, trees, playgrounds, plantings, and sports spaces.

Skills

If you feel a recreation worker is the career for you, the first step is to earn a high school diploma or the equivalent and get on-the-job training. However, earning an associate’s degree or higher in a field related to physical education can be a big plus. Other degrees to look into are social science, social work, education, and exercise science. A part-time or volunteer experience at recreational facilities can help you gain the practical experience you need.

To succeed in this field, you have to have finely tuned communication skills as you are often working with a big group of individuals, at times of different cultural backgrounds and personalities. You should be able to provide clear instructions to participants and motivate them as necessary by taking on an effective interpersonal communication style and implementing exceptional relationship-building tactics.

While planning and organizational skills are a must too, you should also be able to adapt flexibility when the situation calls for it. For example, if you plan outdoor activities and it begins to rain, there must be a contingency plan so participants can still have a worthwhile time.

Pros and Cons

A career in the recreational industry can be physically demanding, but if you’re a health & fitness buff, this is something you’ll welcome as it’s one job that always keeps you on your toes and will motivate you to work harder on your utmost health and physical well-being. Lead by example is truly important in this job, and you will reap the rewards if you stay true to that adage.

Being a recreation worker can be challenging though when you would have to deal with participants who are not motivated to participate at all. During this time, you’ll need a lot of patience and leadership techniques to get them going.

SOURCES:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Recreation_Coordinator/Hourly_Rate

https://collegegrad.com/careers/recreation-workers#become

https://lifehacker.com/career-spotlight-what-i-do-as-a-parks-and-recreation-d-1781080026

Have you ever wondered how new products are launched into the market? Sure, through TV shows like “Dragon’s Den” (or its US counterpart “Shark Tank”), we have obtained a general idea about product designers or service operators seeking finance to bring their product or service into life. However, there are actually professionals who analyze whether these products or services have market viability before the product or service can step into the market.

These individuals are referred to as market research analysts, and they gather much-needed data to determine whether there is a need or not for a new product or service and who will the target market be. Their ultimate goal is to help their respective company’s profits grow, and thus they have to have expertise in the consumer’s market to know whether a product or service will be successful enough to generate income for the company.

If you’re targeting a career as a market research analyst, you can read on for more information.

Market Research Analysts – What You Need to Know

Market research analysts accumulate marketing and sales data and trends to measure the market potential of a product or service. Once they obtain the necessary data, they must analyze in order to prepare reports and forecasts based on their findings. Often, they must use a variety of methods to conduct their research and analyze customer preferences, such as doing surveys or focus group discussions. They also have to research on other factors to determine marketability such as geographical location and competitors.

Depending on the industry they are employed at, whether at a product development company or a marketing firm, they are often asked to join the meetings or brainstorming sessions so they can help in devising marketing strategies based on their market research. To be able to do that effectively, they have to have brand awareness and be well-versed in brand marketing strategies and best practices.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, a market research analyst can earn an average of $38,583 to $69,591 a year with potential for profit sharing.

Skills

Having exceptional research and analytical skills is definitely a must for any market research analyst. A plus is possessing a sharp business acumen to be able to hone in on opportunities and capitalize on chances for sales growth.

Having a bachelor’s degree in marketing is typically common for market research analysts. However, since they deal with a large amount of data and relevant statistics, it does pay to have further studies in math, computer science, business, or other fields. In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, they can obtain certification from the Market Research Association.

Pros and Cons

A career in market research analysis can prove to be exciting experience as you would work with different types of projects according to the requirements of the product or service for market launch. As they are tasked to deduce whether a product or service will prove to be a success in the market or not, they are constantly in touch with the consumers and are well-aware of consumer behavior. Most of the time, the work of a market research analyst is not done once a product or service is launched. They also have to keep track of the sales to redefine future marketing efforts.

Being a market research analyst though can be extremely demanding in terms of work schedule when there is a deadline to beat as per the client’s demands. At times, data gathering can be an excruciating process especially when you have limited resources or the requested parties are not providing you with the necessary information. Eventually, if you don’t have enough data to analyze and you have insufficient variables to prepare a comprehensive report, you may not be able to arrive at an conclusion regarding the saleability potential of a product or service.

SOURCES:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Market_Research_Analyst/Salary

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/10/24/18-steps-to-take-before-you-launch-a-product-or-service/#43ac04b219cf

Paralegal is probably one of the professions one often hears about but doesn’t fully understand. To have an idea, we can take a look at what the prefix “para” means. “Para” could refer to numerous definitions such as resembling or abnormal. However, in the context of paralegal, “para” means alongside. To simplify it, paralegals are those who are trained to work alongside a lawyer.

Legal Secretaries, Paralegals, and Legal Assistants – What You Need to Know

Paralegals are an integral part of law offices, legal departments of corporations, and courts. They perform research duties related to legal, regulatory, and business for lawyers, providing them with assistance in filing materials such as motions, memoranda, pleadings, and briefs in various court systems. At times, they accompany lawyers during client meetings or court sessions.

Apart from that, paralegals also review pleadings, technical papers, briefs, and other documents and ensure to gather facts relevant to the cases their lawyers are assigned to. Paralegals can also further provide assistance in organizations by interviewing clients in person or via phone prior to referring them to lawyers to take on their cases. In some cases, they are granted authority to reject or accept clients based on their initial assessment. They can also conduct one-on-one sessions with clients prior to the lawyers taking on the case or during case proceedings.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, legal secretaries, paralegals, and legal assistants earn an average of C$32,021 – C$71,226 a year with potential for profit sharing and commission.

Skills

Having exceptional skills in legal research and analysis is a must for anyone aspiring for a career as a legal secretary, paralegal, or legal assistant. A comprehensive understanding in law fundamentals is of course necessary. It also pays to have good organization and time management skills as they have to work according to the lawyers’ schedules. Being a good communicator and being able to have expertise in customer service and client relationship-building are also key factors for excelling in this field.

An associate’s degree or certificate in paralegal studies is required for this role, although a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field can be a substitute in lieu of that. It’s also a big boost for paralegals to consistently work on expanding their knowledge in legal terminology and principles and keep themselves posted on current cases similar to what they are working on. Once they have sufficient experience and knowledge, they can consider earning additional degrees or certifications to be fully qualified as a lawyer and therefore perform duties and responsibilities as a full-pledged lawyer.

Pros and Cons

A career as a legal secretary, paralegal, and legal assistant can prove to be a rewarding experience as one is working alongside lawyers who are directly providing clients legal services that would help break or make their cases.

However, the role can be extremely demanding in terms of work schedule especially when there are a load of documents to review and go through to be able to gather enough data such as statutes, decisions, legal articles, codes, and documents.

SOURCES:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Paralegal/Salary

https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/paralegal-voice/2018/04/paralegal-leadership-skills/

The television shows, movies, and videos we watch come to life thanks to a team effort. One of the parts of that team is the camera operator. These are the people who have their eyes glued to the camera to make sure they record what is happening on set. You might not see them, but they oversee everything you watch. It is a challenging and exciting career that allows you to bring something to life that people will view and enjoy for years to come.

Working with a digital or film camera, operators must record television shows, movies, documentaries, and live events. Before filming starts, they have to set up the equipment that will be used, and then take it apart and put it away after shooting is finished. The three types of camera operators are studio operators, cinematographers, and videographers.

A studio operator works on a set and in broadcasting. Cinematographers might be working in a variety of locations depending on where the movie takes place. Videographers film special events such as weddings or documentaries for big companies. This work requires long hours and carrying heavy equipment. It can be very stressful and demanding. It also offers great variety and the reward of being part of a team putting together a big production that will be seen by many people.

Camera operators can expect to start out making a salary of about $31,000 per year. This can go up to over $97,000, with the median amount being $48,821. The hourly wage can range from $15.75 to over $37 depending on location and experience. A lot of competition for job positions is expected in the coming years. From 2015 to 2024, there will be about 5,900 job openings and 8,900 people looking for positions. Luckily, there are a lot of different projects that a camera operator can do.

Operators are expected to complete a college program in film or broadcasting, and may need experience as an assistant camera operator before finding a job as a camera operator. As you gain experience, you can build a portfolio and experience to help you find more jobs. Operators often start out working for private companies filming projects such as commercials. They can eventually find work in television, where they will have more regular hours. The movie industry is another option, which can involve working in studios, outdoors, and lots of travel. Some jobs are more stable, while others are short-term projects. You will have to find another project when the one you are working on comes to an end.

The world of television, movies, special events, and more are filled with excitement and wonder. Being a camera operator lets you meet numerous types of people and work on many different types of projects. It is the perfect line of work for someone who loves cinema and shows, and wants a flexible job with the freedom to do different projects. If this sounds like the perfect career for you, start practicing with the camera in your pocket by pulling out your phone. From there, keep finding all the opportunities you can to be behind a camera. You love watching shows, movies, and videos. Start making them yourself!

Sources:

Job Bank. “Film and Video Camera Operators.” https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/report-eng.do?area=9219&lang=eng&noc=5222&action=final&ln=n&s=3#report_tabs_container2

PayScale. “Camera Operator, Television, Video, or Motion Picture Salary.” https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Camera_Operator%2C_Television%2C_Video%2C_or_Motion_Picture/Salary

At first glance, today’s technological advances with automated teller machines may have decreased the need for bank tellers. However, for most people, when their banking transactions are more than run-of-the-mill ones, they still prefer to work with a live person and interact with them, making tellers an important job that is still a necessity. In essence, a bank maintains its brand and customer loyalty not merely for keeping their services in line with the modern times such as check deposits via a mobile app but also for providing their client base with top-of-the-line customer service staff, including the tellers.

Quality customer interaction is something that tellers can offer, plus a lot more, putting them in an advantage over ATMs or phone calls. Let us take a comprehensive look at this still popular career.

Tellers – What You Need to Know

Tellers are primarily responsible for completing account transactions such as deposits and withdrawals for customers on location. This also involves overseeing precise monetary balances down to the last cent for both the customers and the bank. In most cases, they also attend to customer inquiries and make recommendations as necessary, ensuring that the customers are provided with accurate and comprehensive information on the products and services. Most branches, if not all, do more than traditional banking services these days apart from accounting and finance and credit card but also offer wealth management and insurance services, so tellers should also be knowledgeable in these too.

Tellers are under the authority of branch managers who may ask them to perform responsibilities such as answering phones and attending periodic meetings to discuss new policies or changes.

To fulfill such responsibilities, bank tellers will need to be well-versed in the use of banking software or applications and be highly adept in critical thinking and analysis to be able to quickly deduce whether something is amiss with a transaction or not such as fraud or identity theft. They have to be skilled in organization and time management. A high school degree or equivalent is required, and to have a solid background experience in customer service or any frontline position is an asset. Advancement is extremely likely in a bank environment, and it helps to have a degree in a related field like business administration.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, a teller can earn as much as $23,682 up to $37,731 a year, and the salary is dependent on the size of the bank or financial institution.

Skills

If you are looking at a career as a teller, you would have to complete a high school degree or equivalent. I you want to move forward to high-level positions, it is extremely helpful to earn a diploma or degree in related fields such as business administration. Accounting skills are helpful, but not necessary as you perform transactions via software or applications, but adroitness in computer technology is a must.

Pros and Cons

As with any frontline staff, bank tellers have the benefit of customer interaction and thus they get to speak to people of all backgrounds and cultures. Most bank organizations have well-rounded benefit packages for employees, so this is another pro. In some cases, apart from comprehensive in-house training, bank companies also support education prospects for employees.

A disadvantage is that it can involve working long hours and being available for weekends as some branches now offer weekend banking hours. It can also be a demanding profession during certain times of the week or month when there is a surge of clients coming in such as on pay days.

SOURCES:

https://www.job-applications.ca/td-bank-application/

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Teller/Hourly_Rate

https://www.academicinvest.com/business-careers/business-administration-careers/how-to-become-a-bank-teller

Reading – whether for leisure or educational purposes – has and will always be a part of our lives. While there is undeniably a proliferation of digital materials like e-books and e-newspapers, there remains to be a need for experts to ensure every reading material, whether print or electronic, are organized and correctly catalogued for efficiency and convenience purposes.

While most people tend to think that librarians’ primary place of employment are academic institutions, they actually have more opportunities than we all think. Some government agencies, private institutions, museums, and nonprofit organizations maintain libraries to ensure their documents are stored and filed properly and related literature are available for their employees, and thus there is a need for librarians. So, if you’re looking at a career as a librarian, there is certainly more to look forward to than working at a school or university.

Librarians – What You Need to Know

Libraians are primarily responsible for classifying any type of reading material and making sure they are easily and readily accessible to those who need it, whether they are students or employees. It’s an asset to be knowledgeable in the traditional system of item organization using card catalogues, but most libraries now rely on computerized databases to keep an inventory of all reading materials, so it pays more to have skills in computer systems.

Librarians also have to maintain the orderliness and cleanliness of all materials in a library, so they have to be readily available to collect stray items and ensure these are placed back to where they belong to.

Apart from these tasks, librarians are recommended to be customer-focused as they are expected to attend to visitors, making sure their requests or inquiries are completed or answered. While it is an extremely customer-centric job, librarians also need to be a pillar of authority as some library visitors can get rowdy and impolite and would need to be reminded of the library rules and etiquette (most public libraries now employ their own security personnel to maintain safety within the premises). They have to remind visitors about check-out processes and should be making sure that items are checked out and returned properly.

To thrive in this profession, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree in library sciences or any related field. Being computer savvy is definitely an asset as you would have to be knowledgeable in operating the library database. Of course, skills in organization and time management are a must as well, but more importantly skills in customer service.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, a librarian can earn an average of $30,867 – $78,037 a year, with more experienced workers tending to have an increase down the line.

Skills

A bachelor’s degree in library sciences is preferred but not necessary in order to become a librarian. Some institutions also offer specializations now such as studies in digital libraries, archives and records management, rare manuscripts, and others. You will also need to have a passion for helping people and customer orientation. In some cases, librarians do more than inventory. They also work with kids to promote literacy programs and with adults in job search-related causes. With these tasks, the job of a librarian is all the more rewarding.

Pros and Cons

As with any staff that deals with people face to face, librarians enjoy the advantage of being in touch with people from all walks of life. As they deal with different people all the time, librarians can look forward to different encounters on a daily basis, which means no day is the same.

A disadvantage is that it can involve working long hours and being available for weekends as some branches now offer weekend hours. Some libraries also hold events such as author talks, and the librarians are often a part of the organization committee which can have them performing double duties—attending to regular visitors and event visitors. For some, this can be ultimately rewarding as they are front and center for these events.

SOURCES:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Librarian/Salary

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/life-at-work/i-want-to-be-a-librarian-what-will-my-salary-be/article18989560/

https://www.mastersportal.eu/study-options/269353019/library-science-canada.html

If you’re someone with a knack for creativity and design, your best bet for a career is as a graphic designer. This profession involves being in charge of the visuals, whether it is a logo or packaging for products or layout for magazines or websites.

With a lot of emphasis placed on digital media these days, the role of graphic designers is more important than ever. For a graphic designer to truly succeed in the industry, it pays to have knowledge in both traditional and digital media since most companies still have not completely abandoned paper in favour of electronic. For instance, newspaper companies, though they offer electronic subscriptions now, still distribute the newsies in the traditional format. In this regard, they are still very much dependent on graphic designers for layout and design.

Graphic designers also work in marketing or advertising agencies, most of which now offer services encompassing all formats, including customary ones such as brochures, catalogues, flyers, and posters in paper. Whatever medium you choose to work with, you will definitely find a niche, so read on for more information about this exciting profession.

Graphic Designers – What You Need to Know

Graphic designers’ main responsibility is to come up with the concept or design that is in line with their clients’ needs, whether it is for marketing or advertising purposes, like a poster, or for information purposes, like a pamphlet. To complete a presentation that is both visually appealing and easily understood means they not only make use of their creativity but also ensure that the elements for the overall design blend well together for consistency and cohesiveness. These elements include colour, font, illustrations, photos, animation, and layout.

They work under the direction of a production manager or an art director if they are working full-time or in-house in a printing press company or advertising or marketing agency. Some, however, work on their own as independent contractors and are thus on a per-project basis, which is common for website designers.

Some work with design software like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, while others work manually at a drafting table.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, a graphic designer can make $41,559.00- $58,715.00 (on average) year.

Skills

Having a good sense of design aesthetics is a requirement for graphic designers, as well as creativity and resourcefulness. There is no strict requirement of a particular degree in this profession, however, it is truly an asset to have a degree from a design or art school or any other undergraduate institution. They should be well-versed in the use of colour, typography, and composition and must know how to use these elements to meet a visual target. Most graphic designers these days work with computer applications to accomplish their design tasks, so it’s an advantage to be proficient in software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Flash, Quark XPress, InDesign, and Dreamweaver.

Pros and Cons

Graphic design is one of the few professions which allow for creativity, so you can expect a flexible environment where you are given license to translate verbal messages into a visual representation based on your ideas and sense of aesthetics. Though you often will work as part of a team and under the supervision of an art director or production manager, you have the potential to bring your ideas to the forefront.

A disadvantage is that you do sometimes have to compromise in situations when clients are not 100% on board with your design, so you do have to learn how to negotiate and meet halfway. In some cases, graphic designers will be asked to work long hours and even on weekends to meet particular deadlines for a client.

SOURCES:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Graphic_Designer/Salary

https://www.academicinvest.com/arts-careers/graphic-design-careers/how-to-become-a-graphic-designer

http://www.cnmag.ca/careers-would-you-like-to-be-a-graphic-designer/

If you get to attend events with your parents or your older siblings like birthdays or wedding anniversary parties, you might notice that staging a successful one involves a variety of elements. Not many of you may notice, but a principal part of these events are floral arrangements, especially when it’s a debutante’s party, an engagement party, or a wedding.

To create intricate floral arrangements that compliment the occasion or in line with the theme takes a great amount of art and expertise. If you are thinking of a career as a floral designer, read on for essential information that can help you get on the on the track.

Floral Designers – What You Need to Know

Floral designers or florists as most people refer to them are responsible for doing flower arrangements, performing tasks that include cutting live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery. Most people think that floral designers only work in flower shops and are therefore occupied only when there are national holidays or special occasions. However, floral designers are mostly busy throughout the year as they also work hand in hand with event managers or event management companies for a wide variety of large-scale functions.

For these events, they conceptualize the floral designs according to the client’s needs, timelines, and budgets. They must ensure that their floral displays meet the style or sentiment of their clients. In most cases of weddings and engagement parties, the clients themselves already have the types of floral displays in mind so there is no need for floral designers to envision a design, unless requested.

However, bringing to life what the clients have visualized is for sure a challenging task. It is therefore a must for the floral designers to ensure it’s realized. To do this, they will often have to scout for the flowers themselves and it can prove to be difficult if the flowers requested are native to a particular area or region. For example, suppose a bride requests a Toronto-based floral designer Red Columbine to be part of an intricate centrepiece for their reception venue. It is now up to the floral designers to contact growers or suppliers where this flower is available (British Columbia) and make the shipping arrangements. They also have to purchase the necessary embellishments.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, florists can earn as much as $24,106 -$40,435 a year. In some cases, they are also entitled to bonuses.

Skills

To be a floral designer, you have to have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the specifics through private floral schools, vocational schools, and community colleges. You can also expand your skills and knowledge in different aspects of the business.

Completing a degree in Fine Arts can enhance your sense of aesthetics and design, while a degree in Botany can arm you with knowledge related to ensuring the proper growth of flowers and plants. If you are looking into owning your own floral shops or being a self-employed florist, you can complete a degree in business which can help provide you with marketing and management skills.

Pros and Cons

The biggest advantage of being a floral designer is being one of the main contributors to staging successful events or functions. You get to meet with different types of clients and you can always look forward to something different everyday. Even when you are working solely at a floral shop, every customer has their own needs and requests, so there is a promise of excitement at every new task.

For some, it can be incredibly tedious to meet with various types of clients all the time. As they have varying needs, when it comes to challenges and demands, they have varying degrees as well. It will be up to you then to ensure you remain committed to meeting their requests and ensuring that your floral designs meet their expectations.

SOURCES:

http://www.npsbc.ca/photogallery9.html

https://www.truity.com/career-profile/floral-designer

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Floral_Designer/Hourly_Rate