Category: Featured Articles

1. It’s about the employer’s need, not your own.

You are there as an answer to your prospective employer’s problem or need. Therefore focus first on the employer’s need, not your own. Sometimes job candidates are so focused on the “what is in it for me” syndrome that they forget about the main interview objective. That objective is to get to the next step in the process. To be considered. If a candidate fails at the first step, salary, benefits, and flexibility, the keys to the washroom, and a lap top computer do not matter. Leave questions about compensation and benefits for later in the interview process, and only ask them after the employer has expressed some interest in offering you the position. Additionally, candidates who have the qualifications the employer needs and who can present themselves well, often can obtain a higher offer than they initially expected.

2. Dress for the occasion.

Even if you are just going into a facility to pick up an application, dress professionally. Leave the sundresses, sandals, tank top, cutoffs, and other casual attire at home. If you wear perfume or after-shave, use it sparingly. Even if the new workplace is casual, it is best to be conservatively and professionally dressed. Interviewees may find themselves talking to someone on an impromptu basis. Dressing professionally makes an individual look and feel more confident also. First impressions count. One vocational counsellor suggests that “It takes 15 seconds to make a first impression, so make a good one.” My experience as a Career Coach is that within 3 to 5 seconds, an opinion is formed.

3. Arrive early.

Arrive at least 10 minutes early for the interview and know the exact spelling and pronunciation of the interviewer’s name. You will have time to do this by asking the receptionist. Take note of the person’s title, name, address, and the location of the organization, as this will be needed to send a thank-you letter after the interview. Spell the interviewer’s name properly. Several employers I have talked to often reflect that they would be hesitant to hire someone who cannot pay enough attention to detail, to even take the time to spell their names correctly.

4. Be prepared to answer behavioral interviewing questions.

Behavioral interviewing is a technique that is becoming increasingly popular with many hiring managers. I have found that the best predictor of future behavior is one’s past behavior.

In a behavioral-based interview, the hiring manager may ask a series of questions that probe deeper into previous on-the-job experiences or actions. For example, the hiring manager may say, “Tell me about a specific situation with your last employer in which you really were bothered by the actions of a co-worker.” The manager then may follow up with another question that asks the applicant to describe the results and effects of his or her particular action.

5. Ask appropriate questions.

The interview is not only an opportunity for applicants to share information about their background, but it also is a time for them to find out about their prospective employer. Questions initially need to be focused on the employer’s needs and not, as mentioned earlier, be about salary or benefit packages. For example, the candidate may ask the employer about goals for the position in question, including immediate and long-term goals. What challenges has the department faced in the past? What opportunities are there for the future? Who held the position before this? If the predecessor received a promotion, what accomplishments led to the promotion? What personality style and cluster of characteristics would a successful person need to have to do the job well?

6. Ask for the job.

At the end of the interview, an applicant who likes the way the interview has progressed needs to ask for the job. This is one of the most important parts of the interview that so often gets omitted or forgotten. After thanking the interviewer for his or her time, the applicant must tell the interviewer clearly that he or she would like to be considered for the position. Unless you do this, the interviewer has no way of knowing that you are still interested. Not hearing that question, they may form their own conclusion that something in the interview caused you to change your mind about wanting that job.

 

Journalists can have a specialty.  In large organizations, the journalists may specialize in only one task. In small organizations, each journalist may have to do many different tasks. Here are some of the jobs journalists do:

Reporters gather information and present it in a written or spoken form in news stories, feature articles or documentaries. Reporters may work on the staff of news organizations, but may also work freelance, writing stories for whoever pays them.

General reporters cover all sorts of news stories, but some journalists specialize in certain areas such as reporting sport, politics or agriculture.

Sub-editors take reporter written stories and put them into a form which suits the special needs of their particular newspaper, magazine, bulletin or web page. Sub-editors don’t usually gather information themselves. Their job is to concentrate on how the story can best be presented to their audience. They are often called subs. The person in charge of them is called the chief sub-editor, usually shortened to chief sub.

Photojournalists use photographs to tell the new. They ether cover events with a reporter, taking photographs to illustrate the written story, or attend news events on their own, presenting both the pictures and a story or caption.

The editor is usually the person who makes the final decision about what is included in the newspaper, magazine or news bulletins. He or she is responsible for all the content and all the journalists. Editors may have deputies and assistants to help them.

The news editor is the person in charge of the news journalists. In small organizations, the news editor may make all the decisions about what stories to cover and who will do the work. In larger organizations, the news editor may have a deputy, often called the chief of staff, whose special job is to assign reporters to the stories selected.

Feature writers work for newspapers and magazines, writing longer stories which usually give background to the news. In small organizations the reporters themselves will write feature articles. The person in charge of features is usually called the features editor. Larger radio or television stations may have specialist staff producing current affairs programs – the broadcasting equivalent of the feature article. The person in charge of producing a particular current affairs program is usually called the producer and the person in charge of all the programs in that series is called the executive producer or EP.

There are many other jobs which can be done by journalists. It is a career with many opportunities.

Do you know what kind of job you want to have in the future? Do you already know exactly what you want, or are you unsure and needing help in making a decision? How can you choose? One way is to find out what employment experts think.

Consulting the experts sounds easy, but it isn’t always straightforward. Even a brief search on the Internet will reveal that almost every employment analyst has a different set of the next “hot jobs,” each based on research and analysis of employment trends. How can you know who is right?

 

Things change rapidly in the employment world, and today’s hot job might be gone tomorrow. Jobs for travel agents, for instance, are disappearing because people can now book their own trips on the Internet. Employment in careers like teaching and librarianship can also be hard to get because there are too many people for too few jobs. Experts believe that many of these jobs will open up when the Baby Boomers (people born between 1945 and about 1962) retire, but it’s very hard to predict exactly when that will happen.

 

Although the higher-paid professional jobs are scarce, some of the supporting jobs have good possibilities. Pharmacists and dental hygienists don’t have the high status (or pay) of doctors and dentists, but their work can still be rewarding. Legal or educational assistants and social media managers could also be good career choices. Skilled tradespeople such as electricians and plumbers are always necessary, although even those jobs could become overfilled if too many people choose them.

 

It might seem impossible to choose a career with so many unknown factors, but you can still learn from current trends. Have you ever considered working with the elderly? With so many people reaching retirement age soon, there will be many jobs helping care for people as they age. If you’re interested in environmental issues, you could become a specialist in sustainable technology such as wind-powered electricity. An ability to grow plants on the roofs of buildings could be useful for becoming a vertical farmer. If people have to start growing their own fruits and vegetables because of a shortage of farmland, your work could be very important.

 

Do you like working with people or numbers? Human resources managers and financial experts are always needed, and teachers in vocational schools are helpful when many people go back to school to retrain for another job. How about working as a statistician, analyzing information? Most companies and government departments collect information about the people who use their services, but not everyone knows how to understand the data. If you like numbers, you could help people know how to use them.

 

It isn’t always possible to work in the career of your choice, but it helps if you know what you want before you start looking. Keep the jobs of the future in mind while making your choice, but remember to be flexible. You don’t know what the future holds, but you can do your best to be prepared.

 

Bibliography:

 

Hayashi, Yuki. “Canada’s 10 Hottest Jobs: Skilled Trades, Pharmacist, Finance, Dental Hygienist and More.” http://www.canadianliving.com/life/work
/canadas_10_hottest_jobs_skilled_trades_pharmacist_finance_dental_hygienist_and_more.php

 

O’Brien, Katherine. “Careers With a Future.” http://www.poss.ca/en/jobhunt/education/careerswithafuture

 

Webley, Kayla. “Nine Jobs of the (Near) Future.” http://moneyland.time.com/2011/11/21/nine-jobs-of-the-near-future/#vertical-farmers

 

Let’s be honest how many of us girls grew up dreaming of being a mechanic or a welder? The answer is probably not many, and if you did you probably didn’t tell anybody because of the possibility of them thinking you were weird. When I was little I first wanted to be a marine biologist, I loved animals and wanted to work with them very badly. Then my life goal changed from a stunt car driver, to a photographer, to a mechanic and finally a welder.

One of the things I was most excited about going to high school was that I was now able to take the auto mechanics and construction classes. I took them all through high school and loved every minute of it. I learned, fixed and made things that a lot of people didn’t, how many of you can honestly say you are comfortable with changing a flat tire on your own? I can say with all honesty I am and that’s because of my awesome auto teacher. My technology teachers not only gave me the skills and knowledge about their trades but also the courage to love the trades. To not be scared of trying something totally out of my comfort zone and to not care about what people think.

I got the smart remarks in class “Girls can’t do that” and the classic “Don’t break a nail!” Taking those courses gave me the courage to pick something not many girls pick for a college program, Welding Technician. I knew two things that I wanted for sure out of what I picked for a program, I wanted to be able to get a job and I wanted to make money. I know those are not the best driving reasons for someone to pick a program, but they were honest. I had originally wanted to be a mechanic because of how much I loved my auto class but I soon realized there were a lot of mechanics and not a lot of jobs. So I had cut up an exhaust pipe about two times in auto with an old oxy-acetylene torch and I knew welding was an in demand job, so I decided on being a welder. The only knowledge I had on welding was what I learned from those two experiences using the torch, so not a whole lot.

I remember showing up for my first welding class and them telling me that I would need safety boots, safety glasses and a welding helmet for tomorrow. The first thing I thought to myself is, “What have I done?! I have gotten myself into something I can’t handle, I know nothing about welding this is a horrible idea”. Then it got worse after I got all my equipment and they asked me to actually weld something, I don’t think I have ever sweated that much for a school assignment and it wasn’t from the heat of my torch. But with practice, some really great teachers and perseverance I got the hang of it and now I am actually a good welder. I am able to weld in shielded metal arc welding in flat, horizontal and vertical positions. I can use gas metal arc and flux core arc welding machines and I am learning tungsten arc welding at the moment.

For those of you out there wondering what kind of woman I am, I would say I am not your typical looking welder, but then again isn’t that what we are trying to change? The notion of what the “typical” welder looks like? So this is what the typical welder looks like, a petite 19 year old woman, who stands at five feet and 2 inches, has a boyfriend and loves to go shopping just as much as anyone. The moral of the story is look at trades when you are deciding on college programs, any trade, believe me it’s a rewarding experience, that is challenging.

If I can do it, you can do it.

 

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” – Winston Churchill

It’s amazing how your attitude can have so much to do with how successful you are in life. It affects areas  such as  relationships,  motivation, and overall feelings of fulfillment within your personal  happiness.

When you find yourself in  situations that cause stress, anxiety,  anger, or overall lousy(ness)   you need to take a step back and re-look at the situation and see things from a different perspective. Don’t let that negative attitude affect your  life, which can lead  to a cycle of a bad situation becoming worse.

* Attitude is how we treat others

* Attitude is the way we approach life

* Attitude is contagious

* Attitude is how we respond to challenges

* Attitude affects our health

* Attitude affects our relationships

* Attitude is our personal trademark

* Attitude determines if we fly or fall

It’s difficult to recognize the importance of attitude without seeing the evidence of it in your own life.

Honestly, changing your attitude is the first step in taking control of your life. Do you  like the way you feel?  Are you  good company? Are you  productive at school?  Is your negativity  bringing other people down?

Do you want to be happy ?

A conscious decision to change your attitude starts with making changes in how you  look and feel in different situations.  Concentrate on finding solutions to bad situations moving forward. You may even recognize , things are not such a big deal. Over the first week you will begin to see changes – first small ones, then larger ones .

Here are some examples

Have you been stressed because your hair is too thick or thin ? Think of those who have lost their hair to illness and wish just to have hair.

Are you upset because you have no one to go to that party with ? Think of the person who wished they could get out of bed and go to a party.

“Never underestimate the power of your attitude. How you view things will have a direct impact on  how happy you are, and how successful you will be. You need to make sure you are constantly checking your attitude to ensure it is on track.”

A bad attitude will come back to you every time!

A good attitude is for yourself ! Enjoy! 

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

On the front line

Ambulance attendants include emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and first aid attendants. They are on the front lines of Canada’s emergency health care system. They work with police officers, fire fighters, and hospital emergency department personnel. They’re the first medical personnel on the scene when there’s an accident or other medical emergency. They provide life support care to the sick and injured at the scene of the accident and transport them to hospitals or other medical facilities.

Ambulance attendants work mainly for hospitals and ambulance services. Many industrial, construction and mining companies employ first aid attendants or paramedics to care for workers who are injured or become ill on the job.

This job is physically, mentally and psychologically demanding. Shift work is a normal part of the job. Frequently, you perform your duties under crisis conditions, often in extreme situations, where there is little room for error. In such circumstances, you are making critical life-saving decisions and have to do so quickly and accurately.

Do you have what it takes?

You use the latest medical technology to assess the extent of an injury or illness and to manage or treat the patient’s condition on their way to the hospital. You are also responsible for taking control of accident scenes in order to protect the patient and to alert other rescue personnel and public bystanders. It is essential that you communicate clearly and accurately with your co- workers, the public and the patient’s families, some of whom may be very upset.

Along with the many challenges are the rewards. Ambulance attendants are well respected in the health care system, and you have the satisfaction that comes from knowing that the medical help you provide can make a difference in saving lives.

Potential employers will be impressed with you if you are reliable and cool in a crisis. You should take pride in your work and deal well with other people, especially in conditions of extreme stress. Perhaps most importantly, you need an ability to react quickly and accurately in emergency situations. And you must have a great deal of compassion for the sick and the injured.

 

Is the workplace changing ?

Were you born between 1982 and 2000? This group, 80 million strong worldwide, which includes pre-teens to twenty-somethings, is known as Generation Y.

Before Gen Y, or Millenials as they are sometimes called, came Generation X (1965 – 1981) and Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964). As we approach 2015, more than half of the Boomers will exit the workforce leaving Gen X’ers to take their place and Gen Y’s to enter. How will this affect Canadian work environments? More importantly, how will this affect you, as a young employee just entering the workforce?

“Gen Y’s are typically very tech savvy, centred around social media, and are more concerned with worklife balance than they are with job security” said Ivana Gill, Senior Recruiter at Miles Recruitment Group in Vancouver.

“It’s important for employers to understand what matters to this generation and adjust accordingly” said Gill.

“This generational shift can sometimes be frustrating to Boomers because it can seem like Gen Y’s are demanding everyone to change to accommodate them, but in reality, they’re demanding only that the workplace reflect their values” continued Gill.

Boomers and Gen X’ers can survive in a more traditional work environment, with structured hours and consistent policies while Gen Y’s won’t fair as well under the rigidity and prefer more flexible hours and casual settings which include banishing the dress code. Gen Y’s are creative, hard workers with innovative ideas, but they’re not workaholics and more likely to change jobs more frequently.

“When I get a job I think everyone should be allowed to use their phones [at work], like when it’s not busy” said New Westminster Secondary grade 11 student, Mike Nitkovitch, 17.

Round the clock access to high tech gadgets allows Gen Y’s to work anywhere, anytime, blurring the line between work and play. In addition, Gen Y’s need to sense that they belong to the organization and prefer to work with others not for them, disregarding top-down management completely. This generation also thrives in team-based environments with lots of interaction and contact as opposed to working on their own.

Gen Y’s need for recognition for their work is among their most important values. This is not limited to monetary or material incentives or rewards such as ipods, concert tickets or gift certificates, but also includes acknowledgment amongst their peers or managers. Being obsessed with personal growth and naturally very results-oriented, Gen Y’s also need constant feedback to know “how they’re doing” at all times.

“Idealism and social issues such as family care and the environment will be one of the most important things employers will face when trying to recruit younger workers” said Gill.

This means many organizations will also have to rethink their stance on environmental issues in order for Gen Y’s to even consider working for them.

“I’m just excited about getting my first job, I’ll take what they give me, and I think it’ll be fun!” said Emily Natchev, 15, grade 10 student at New Westminster Secondary school.

Before too long, she’ll be the boss.