Tip of the Day Tuesday

Job Interview Follow-Up: Do's and Don'ts

Remember that your work is not done once you finish the interview. You can't sit back and wait for the job offer, so consider these key rules and strategies for following-up your job interviews.

- Do ask at the end of the interview when the employer expects to make the hiring decision.

- Do be proactive and consider follow-up a strategic part of your job search process. Follow-up can give you just the edge you need to get the job offer over others who interviewed for the position.

- Do use these follow-up techniques to continue to show your enthusiasm and desire for the position, but don't make it seem as though you are desperate.

- Do obtain the correct titles and names of all the people who interviewed you. (Ideally, do get each person's business card.)

- Do write individual thank you notes or letters to each person who interviewed you within two business days. Each letter can be essentially the same, but try to vary each a bit in case recipients compare notes. Don't ever fail to send a thank you, even if you are sure the job is not for you. Be sure to write thank you notes after every interview.

- Don't worry so much about hand-written versus typed thank you letters, but don't make a mistake by sending it through the wrong medium; make sure you know the best method of reaching the employer, whether by regular mail, email, or fax.

- In your thank you letter, do show appreciation for the employer's interest in you and do remind the employer about why you are the perfect person for the position.

- Don't ever have any errors (misspellings or typos) in your thank you letters.

- Do alert your references (if you have not done so already) that they may be getting a phone call from the employer.

- Don't stop job-hunting, even if you feel confident that you will get a job offer. Do continue to interview and attempt to find other opportunities.

- Do follow-up with a telephone call to the employer within a week to ten days (or sooner, if the employer had a shorter timetable) to ask about the position. And do continue to build rapport and sell your strengths during the phone call.

- Do be patient. The hiring process often takes longer than the employer expects.

- Do continue following-up, especially if the employer asks you to. Just don't go overboard and annoy or bother the employer.

- Don't place too much importance on one job or one interview; there will be other opportunities for you.

- Do use other job offers as leverage in your follow-up to get the offer you really want.

- Don't burn any bridges if you do not get a job offer. And do try and turn the situation into a positive by bringing the interviewer(s) into your network, possibly even asking them for referrals to other contacts.

QuintCareers, by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. http://www.quintcareers.com/interview_follow-up-dos-donts.html

Making It Big Monday

Compete Like a Pro in the Workplace

- Speak up. To advance and grow, no matter the job market, you will always need to sell your accomplishments, skills and ideas to your future or present employer.

- You will also have to compete with coworkers for the best job assignments, promotions, and pay raises. Move boldly and quickly but with well thought-out plans.

- Strive for excellence in everything that you do. Ask yourself if you are doing the best you can. If you are not, ask yourself why and find ways to improve. Confront your fears.

- Cultivate allies in the workplace. They can provide you with information and knowledge, introduce you to people that can help you move up, offer constructive criticism of your ideas, help you as part of a team, and, most importantly, be your friends.

- Adopt courage as a career strategy. Find yourself a Courage Mentor who will help you to receive your talents and abilities, gain enthusiasm and self-respect, and learn how to overcome the fears that are holding you back in your career.

Job Smarts, Ray Dreyfack, Ferguson Publishing Co., 2002

Fun Facts Friday

Enjoy Some Interesting and Helpful Facts About Interviews!

• The latest figures suggest that 92% of employers use interviews to select their employees.

• Interviewers typically make their minds up in the first four to five minutes of the interview – so making a positive first impression is vital.


• Most interviewers remember what happens at the beginning and the end of the interview and tend to forget what happens in the middle. This is known in occupational psychology as the primacy-recency effect.


• Different interviewers set different standards. Some ask easy questions; others deliberately try to catch you out. This isn’t particularly fair, but it is the way it is. So be on your guard.


• Interviewers tend to be more influenced by negative information than by positive. It is estimated that you need to provide four positive points to make up for one negative – thus, be very careful about admitting weaknesses, as these can be difficult to counter.


• Interviewers tend not to be good at assessing real personality. This means that a good performance can be extremely influential, especially if you appear to be a sociable and outgoing person.


Copyright © Interview Questions 2006, All rights reserved Worldwide.

Top Job Thursday

Registered Nurse

Thinking about a career as a registered nurse?
The possibilities in nursing are limitless. Nursing offers both men and women a wide range of opportunities for career challenges, travel, professional development and the personal satisfaction of working in a caring profession that helps people to get well or to stay healthy.

Where do registered nurses work?
You will find them in busy intensive care units and in small neighbourhood health clinics. They assess infant and toddler growth and development and promote healthy child rearing in the many northern, rural, urban and ethnic communities of Canada. They run health and safety programs in factories; they discuss policy in government; they work with children, teenagers, adults and the elderly. There are nurses doing research in all areas of nursing care. There are nurses teaching groups of clients and other nurses. Nurses participate in the administration of hospitals and other institutions.

Why should I consider a career as a registered nurse today?
This is a good time to consider nursing. In Canada, we are facing a nursing shortage since many nurses will soon retire. Changes in the health care system such as increasing health care services provided to patients at home and in the community, more illness prevention and health promotion, and growth in the elderly population continues to broaden the opportunity for nurses. Registered nurses earn salaries that compare with other professionals with a similar amount of education.

What kind of education do I need?
In the Atlantic provinces, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, new graduates are required to have a baccalaureate degree in nursing as the initial program. In all other provinces and territories candidates have a choice of a diploma or a baccalaureate degree in nursing as the initial program. Professional associations encourage nurses to obtain a degree.

Where can I find information about funding?
The schools of nursing can refer you to possible contacts regarding funding, student loans, or scholarships. Degree programs are offered in universities and in some university college institutes.


Where does graduate education fit in?
Specialty areas of nursing require experienced nurses and nurses who have gone on in their studies through specialty courses or graduate school. Canada has 21 master's programs in nine provinces. Doctoral programs in nursing are available in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. Some schools are now offering graduate courses by distance.

Jobs, the real story
This is an excellent time to enter nursing as there is a shortage. At some point in their life, every Canadian will require the services of a nurse. Since many nurses will soon retire, Canada needs bright young men and women to choose nursing as a career. Changes in the health care system continue to broaden the opportunities for nurses. An especially important trend is the increasing number of services that emphasize illness prevention and health promotion programs. Many of these are planned and staffed by registered nurses.

Registered nurses earn salaries that compare with other professionals with a similar amount of education. Health care is offered 24 hours a day, so expect to work some nights and weekends, like doctors, law enforcement officers and others who provide essential services.

As in any profession, salaries vary across the country, and people make more as they gain experience and responsibility. Graduates of degree programs usually have more opportunities for advancement, and in some provinces, make more money than graduates of diploma programs. Your provincial or territorial nurses' association can provide current salary ranges.

Canadian Nurses Association, http://www.cna-nurses.ca/CNA/nursing/becoming/asacareer/default_e.aspx

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Job Posting of the Week:
Position Type:
Off-campus Summer Employment

Job Title:
Program / Clerical Aide

Job Location:
Picton

Employment Category:
Administrative (Office/Support)

Job Description:
Program/Clerical Aide required by The Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association, full-time, for up to 10 weeks, with a possible start date of mid-June. Hours are 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. To be eligible for this HRSDC-funded position, applicants must be registered full-time students during the preceding academic year who intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year. Students must be legally entitled to work in Canada and cannot have another full-time summer job. Duties will include reception; help with fundraising, programs and services.

Apply no later than Friday, June 3, 2011 with cover letter and resume to:

Debbie MacDonald Moynes, Executive Director
The Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association
The Armoury, 206 Main Street, Suite 3A
Picton, ON K0K 2T0

or by email: communitycare@on.aibn.com

We thank all who apply. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Requirements:
To be eligible for this HRSDC-funded position, applicants must be registered full-time students during the preceding academic year who intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year. Students must be legally entitled to work in Canada and cannot have another full-time summer job. Duties will include reception; help with fundraising, programs and services.

Application Procedure:
Employer Email

If by email, send to:
communitycare@on.aibn.com

Application Material Required:
Cover Letter
Resumé

Application Deadline:
June 03, 2011 05:00PM

Tip of the Day Tuesday

Make Your Resume Stand Out

It's easy to follow the herd and use word processing or resume writing templates to write a resume. When every candidate ends up using the same format, recruiters and human resources departments have a hard time finding the candidate's personality in the resume.
Be original and design a resume that reflects your personality and work style. This is your first presentation of work to a potential employer and it represents the quality and originality of the work they can expect to see in the future.
This is not an arts and crafts project. Keep it clean, crisp, and neat. Save your smiley face icons for your E-mail; do not use them for bullets. You can sparingly use lines, margins, fonts, and font effects to differentiate your resume and focus the reader's attention on the most important text on the page.
Put the most important and applicable facts at the top. The most important thing about yourself that makes you a good candidate for the position should be in the top of the page. Once you've been identified as a qualified candidate, the rest of your resume comes into play. The reality of it is, when there are many candidates to sift through, even a single page resume may not get enough time for a full read-through. In these cases, the reader will look for phrases or words that immediately stand out as positive or necessary qualities for the position in question. You have to get the reader's attention first.
Use action words that convey your participation and role in the various parts of your experience that you highlight. Speak in terms of accomplishments and achievements. Quantify results when possible. Vary font effects to call the reader's attention to the most important facts. Use bolding, italicizing, underlining, and capitalizing to highlight areas of interest, but don't overdo it. Make sure the end result is clear and organized, not busy.
When you think your resume is complete, print it out and have multiple friends read it. Ask each one what three things in your resume stuck out. Most likely, these are the first three qualities about yourself that will catch your potential employer's eye. If you've structured your resume correctly, these should be the qualities that make you the person for the job.

http://www.bestsampleresume.com/info/stand-out-resume.html

Making It Big Monday

Want to get bigger and better in the workplace?

Stand Out and Be Found

Here is a list of suggested actions you might take to spark the attention of the people who count most in your company.

- Pinpoint a problem and recruit whatever assistance you can to help solve it.

- Zero in on a difficult task shunned by most of your coworkers and volunteer to tackle it.

- Brainstorm about a tough cumbersome job that usually causes friction of delay and figure out a way to make it simpler and more effective.

- If you can, take steps to reduce antagonism and friction between two employees or departments.

- Dream up an effective way to improve customer service.

- Recommend a well-qualified neighbor or friend for employment with your organization.

- Suggest a better, cheaper, or more effective material or tool to do a job.

- Come up with a clever way to save space.

- Suggest a time-saving idea.

- Find a way to reduce waste.

- Dream up an idea to eliminate paperwork.

- Suggest a way to improve office or plant safety and security.

- Find a way to lengthen the life of a piece of equipment or tool.

- Become conspicuously engaged in a volunteer effort on your community.

- Dream up a way to improve your organization's public image.

Job Smarts, Ray Dreyfack, Ferguson Publishing Co., 2002

Freelance Friday

Get Noticed at your Job by Doing it with Flair

How do you go about doing your job with flair? The first way to make sure you are doing your job with distinction doesn't involve much flair at all - it simply involves doing your job and doing it well. Know exactly what your responsibilities are and attend to them every day. Don't let any of the things that come under your job description fall by the wayside because you think they are unimportant. If you are unsure exactly what all of your responsibilities are, ask your boss for a meeting and discuss your job description with them. You will get noticed simply for your desire to make sure you are covering all of your bases and not letting any of your responsibilities fall by the wayside.

Another way to do your job with flair is to add to the good morale in the office. Everyone has at least one person in the office that is like a black cloud hanging in the air. Gloom, doom and pessimism don't really have a place in the office. Even if you feel like you are heading for a fall with the way a certain project is coming together or because someone on the team is not pulling their weight, look for solutions instead of standing around and complaining about it. When your attitude can help people stay on track with their work and not dread coming into the office every day, you are bound to get noticed.

If you really want to add some flair to your work performance, learn how to manage your time and avoid procrastination. Time management is one of the biggest problems all employees face, and when you don't manage your time efficiently, you are not being as productive as possible for your boss, which never wins you any fans among the management team. If you find yourself always rushing through your work at the last minute trying to meet your deadline, try keeping a journal of all of your activities at work for a few days. When you see how much time you spending doing things like talking with co-workers by the water cooler and surfing the net, you might see ways you can improve your work habits, so you can get things done well before the deadline is pressing down on you. Increasing your productivity by managing your time is a surefire way to earn some praise from the people over your head.

Another way to add flair to your work performance is by being a team player. It can be tempting to thing that to have flair you have to go out on a limb and try to do everything yourself, but that is not the case. Employers don't like to see an employee trying to hog credit for things that everyone has worked on together or trying to one up everyone else on the staff.

When you work together with the team, you show your employer that your interests are with making the company a success and not trying to advance you own personal agenda. If your employer understands that you see the bigger picture of making the company succeed, you are sure to get noticed and rewarded.

http://www.squidoo.com/characteristics-of-a-good-employee

Tip of the Day

Summer Job Search Tips

Target industries that boom in the summer
Entertainment and tourism-oriented businesses do better in the summer as people go on vacation, everyone knows that, right? Yet there are lots of other industries that boom in the summer too for less obvious reasons. Read on for ideas below.

Be the first to apply …
Many summer jobs require little to no experience. To save time and money, many employers will hire the first reputable candidates that apply.

… But you don’t have to be the first to apply
Many summer job openings are already filled by April, but with all that time until the jobs actually begin, things can come up and plans can change. Candidates may decide they prefer other jobs or not to work at all, and employers may realize they need more help than anticipated.

Treat application forms like resumes
Many summer jobs, such as at fast-food restaurants or retail stores, will want you to submit an application form instead of a resume (which many teens might not have anyway).

Spend the time to complete any forms correctly. If the form needs to be filled in by hand, take a few copies in case you make a mistake you can’t correct. Like with a resume, have someone reliable proofread your applications before you submit them.

Stay open to working multiple jobs
If you keep your eyes and ears open and stay ready, you can quickly jump to a better job or just another one if your first one ends early.

Experiment and take risks more readily
Are there are any job search tactics you’ve been too shy to try on your long-term career job search? Give them a shot during the summer when there’s less at stake. You’ll learn what works for you and what doesn’t, and build more confidence for when you really need it.

Play up your specific qualities
If you’re a teenager or student, aim for jobs where having a flexible schedule is important, or dealing with other teenagers and students.

If you’re an adult, aim for jobs where employers will feel more comfortable by your experience, or where you’ll need to work with people who might be uncomfortable dealing with teenagers and students.

Don’t start your own business unless…
… you can clearly make money immediately, or you won’t need to.

Summer is short and if you try the wrong idea, you might waste the whole summer without any returns for your efforts.

DO start your own business during the summer if you’re not desperate for cash right way and are hoping to time things so that earnings will arrive after the summer when you’ll need them more.

Aim to return next summer
Make this your last summer job search by impressing your employer so much they’ll want you to come back next summer.

When the summer ends, ask about returning and try to get a date during the year when you can followup for confirmation.


Job Mob, http://jobmob.co.il/blog/summer-job-tips/

Working Abroad

5 Things you Should Consider Before Accepting a Job Abroad

1) Understand Your Host Country
Quite often expatriates actually have no real choice in which country they live. The majority of people who move abroad for work purposes are transferred with their jobs or respond to a job advertisement and quite often find themselves relocating to where that job takes them. Before accepting any work overseas you should thoroughly research the policies, cultural expectations, social environment and politics of the country to which you are considering relocating.

It is crucial that you are aware of what you will, and will not, be able to do in the host country and that you are fully versed in the political risks, both long term and short term, of living there as an expat.

2) Understand Yourself
Are you truly ready for a move overseas? Are your family and your spouse ready? You should never underestimate the stresses and strains that moving abroad can place on an individual and you need to be 100% sure that your family unit is strong enough to cope with these. It is imperative that you know and understand your motivations for wanting to move overseas and ensure, where relevant, that your partner shares these. If you are opportunistically looking for a move abroad as a short-term solution for solving any marital problems you have at home then you really should think again.

You also need to consider if you are personally ready for the challenges of working abroad. Do you really have the leadership and personal skills that will be needed to work successfully in a foreign environment? Do you understand the cultural challenges you will face and the variations in working styles you will be expected to embrace? If you are not entirely sure that you have the personality required to deal with the challenges overseas, seek advice and honest feedback from people who you have worked with in the past. Their input will assist you to understand yourself and raise your awareness of any areas you will need to develop in order to make your move a success.

3) Understand the Implications for Your Family and Friends
When you make the decision to accept a job overseas it is not just your own life that you are impacting, international relocation affects everyone in your family. Here are some of the things you should consider when deciding whether or not to take a job abroad:

• The age and health of your parents and other family members. Will there be someone to look after and care for them in your absence in the event of ill health?
• The impact that living abroad will have on your children and your partner. Although a move overseas may advance your own career how will it impact the long-term prospects of other family members?
•What social opportunities are available for members of your family?

4) Understand the Implications for Your Career
Going abroad is often viewed as a career opportunity and something that will be of great value to an individual’s resume. However, resist the temptation to snap the job up immediately and take some time to consider what the real long-term career implications may mean. Here’s some things you may wish to deliberate:

• The extent to which you will be able to maintain your professional network with colleagues, senior executives and company headquarters. If you work for a big corporation, will you still be provided with exposure to the people who count?
• The job security in your role overseas. How secure will your job actually be? What will happen if your job is made redundant for one reason or another, will alternative options be made available to you?
• Will you be in a position to keep abreast of developments in your home country? How easy will it be to remain connected?

5) Understand Your Contract
A major impact on whether a move abroad will be a success or not is determined by the contract that you negotiate and the terms, benefits and bonuses that will be applied.

Moving abroad really can represent a great opportunity and, despite some of the warning messages in this article, constitutes an extremely positive experience for the majority of expatriates. Providing you make the decision with the due consideration that it warrants and you are positive that the move is the right thing for your family, yourself and your career then there is every possibility that you will look back one day and say that it is the best thing that you ever did.

http://www.expatinfodesk.com/blog/2011/02/14/5-things-you-should-consider-before-accepting-a-job-abroad/

Tip of the Day

Dress for Success

Why are clothes so important?
- Most companies have dress codes and professional expectations of employees.
- If people are focused on your clothing, then they are not focused on you, and the good work that you do.
- Research shows that your physical appearance counts for 55% of your overall communication.
- Many people succeed when they dress for their desired job.

How do you decide what to wear?
- Do not dress down because others are- focus on those in leadership roles.
- When in doubt, over dress.
- Ask for the company policy.
- If you have a mentor, or someone you admire in the field, take note of how they dress.

Where to Shop for Work Clothes
- Thrift Stores such as Value Village
- Have a clothing exchange with friends or family
- Borrow clothes from friends of family
- Walmart, Zellers and Giant Tiger all sell dress clothes at reasonable prices
- Many stores in the mall carry business attire

Start Now!
As a student, now is the time to start building a professional wardrobe. By doing so, this will also help you prepare for placement or internship opportunities.

Mentoring Monday

How to Be A Great Mentor

Make a deal. Set up an agreement from the very first meeting that outlines your expectations of each other and how you will work together. Agree on what is acceptable to discuss and what is not, agree on appropriate behaviours, boundaries and confidentiality. Let them know when it is okay to contact you and when it is not and how they should contact you -is phoning alright or do you prefer email? Can they contact you during business hours only or after hours too? Agree on a length of time for the mentoring relationship - perhaps 6 to 12-months at the beginning. And, make a commitment to always be completely honest and expect them to do the same. Mentoring is not about making friends; it is about sharing your wisdom and experience.

Focus. If you commit to spending time with them, don't be distracted by your surroundings or mobile phone. Give your mentee your undivided attention when meeting with them.

Set homework. Set tasks or actions for your mentee to complete between meetings. Give them activities, challenges and questions to think about and complete between your mentoring sessions.

Provide examples. Your mentee will get most out of the relationship by learning from your experiences - commit to share both your good and bad experiences. Share your templates, tools and processes with them too and help them to develop their own.

Point them in the right direction. Recommend resources, books, websites or networks that your mentee might benefit from. This will help guide them in how to spend their time and money.

Make introductions. Introduce your mentee to others in your network or business - fast track their career with introductions to influential and valuable people you believe they can learn from or be exposed to for future opportunities.

Promote your mentee. Don't forget if you are in a situation where it is appropriate for you to recommend your mentee's talents or services to do so and help their career to flourish.

Keep it to yourself. Your mentee may discuss issues, challenges and concerns with you. It is important that they feel they can do this in an atmosphere of confidentiality - keep all discussions between yourself and your mentee private.


Article Source: Neen James, http://EzineArticles.com/21410

Freelance Friday

Interview Preparation

Once you have received a call about an interview, you must prepare. This cannot be emphasized enough. Many job applicants spend very little time preparing for an interview and, unsurprisingly, this often leads to poor results. Thorough preparation will increase your confidence and help you improve your performance and job prospects.

1.Know yourself – review the self-assessment work you completed when writing your CV and cover letter. Carefully consider how you want to convey this information verbally and think of specific examples from your past experiences which highlight your skills, qualifications and achievements.

2.Research – researching the industry, the employer and the position for which you are applying for, prior to an interview, is extremely important. It reflects well on your enthusiasm and the information you gain from professional organizations, business councils and relevant websites will help you prepare questions for the employer and give you a good sense of salary levels, working conditions and current market trends.

3.Practice – prepare and practice answers to possible interview questions. You can schedule an appointment for a mock interview with a career advisor or you can practice with a friend to get feedback on your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

4.Contact your references – it is a good idea to reconnect with your references during the job search process so that they know what positions you are applying for and are aware they may be contacted in the near future.

5. The day of the interview - dress for success and bring along any documents or information you may need, such as extra copies of your CV and a list of references. Arrive ten to fifteen minutes prior to the interview and be friendly, respectful and positive with everyone you meet.

6.Follow-up - once your interview is over, you can breathe more easily, but your work is not quite finished. Many candidates miss a valuable opportunity by failing to follow up with an organization after an interview. Send a thank-you note to the interviewers within a day or two to thank them for their time and indicate your continued interest in the position. Do not be afraid to follow up with the interviewers and inquire about the status of your application if you have not heard from them within the agreed time frame.

http://www.mcgill.ca/caps/students/job-search/interviewing/

Tip of the Day

Ten steps you can take to find a new job

1.Focus Your Job Search
Use the job search engines to find jobs by using keywords that match your interests and the location where you want to work. Narrowing your search criteria will help you focus your job search and will give you more relevant job listings to review and less non-relevant job listings to weed through.

2.Build Your Brand
Create profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, and VisualCV. A strong personal brand that portrays you in a professional light will provide recruiters, employers, and contacts with a strong positive impression of you.

3.Connect With Your Contacts
Now that you've created profiles on networking sites, use them. Connect with everyone you know, because you never know which contact may be able to help you with your job search or put you in touch with someone who can.

4.Use Job Search Tools
There are a variety of widgets, gadgets, and tools that will help expedite your job search and manage your career. Use them to organize your job search and save valuable job searching time.

5.Create a List of Companies
Do you have a list of companies you would like to work for? It's a good idea to research company information and create a list of companies to target in your job search. All the information you need is available on the web, and it's easy to find detailed information about potential employers online.

6.Find Job Listings
Check job search engine sites, job banks, company web sites, networking sites, niche job sites, and sites listed by type of job. Consider working with a recruiter to maximize your opportunities.

7.Target Your Resume and Cover Letter
It's important to take the time to write targeted resumes and cover letters that specifically link your qualifications to the hiring criteria for the jobs you are applying for. The hiring manager will be able to see, at a glance, why, and how, you are qualified for the job. You'll have a much better chance of getting an interview than if you send a generic letter and resume.

8.Ace the Interview
Research the company before you go for the interview, dress appropriately, practice answering and asking interview questions, and make a concerted effort to impress the interviewer with your skills, experience, confidence, and expertise.

9.Follow Up
It's important to follow up after an interview by thanking everyone you met with. Also reiterate your interest in the position and remind the hiring manager why you're an excellent candidate for the job.

10.Accept (or Decline) a Job Offer
When you receive a job offer, it's important to take the time to carefully evaluate the offer so you are making an educated decision to accept, or to reject, the offer. You don't have to accept a job just because it was offered to you, but do carefully evalute it and if you decline, do so politely.

Alison Doyle, About.com Guide, http://jobsearch.about.com/od/findajob/tp/tensteps.htm

Working Abroad

Benefits of Working Abroad

For a fresh college graduate in Canada who does not want to explore the corporate world yet, working abroad is an attractive endeavor. There are opportunities to work in various countries.

The concept of travel has indeed changed. In the past, travel has been viewed solely as a leisure activity. However, travel is now associated with work and pursuing greater opportunities. Aside from the possible monetary gains, working abroad brings many benefits. Some of them are the following:

Earn and Save Money

Traveling is expensive. However, finding time to work will keep you from draining your bank account. In working, you will be able to provide for your needs while overseas and even save money. This will assure that you will not return home with an empty pocket.

Acquire New Skills

A fatter bank account is not the only thing you may gain while working abroad. It will also be a great opportunity to learn new skills. Different countries offer different jobs of all sorts, from teaching English to picking strawberries. You may find yourself trying out your luck in odd jobs and in the process learn new things.

Be Independent

Away from your families and friends, you will have no one to depend on but yourself. Being able to live and survive overseas is an achievement that will hone your independence. It is wise to expect the problems and trials you will experience along the way as you struggle in a foreign land. Look at it in a positive light, as it will make you stronger, wiser, and generally a better person.

Broaden your Horizon

Travel will expose you to a different culture, different language, and different people. In short a totally new way of living.

Improve your resume

Working abroad will give you an edge over other applicants. In this age of globalization, employers find applicants that have overseas work experience engaging.


Carmela Bignotia, http://www.workandliveabroad.com/article_item.php?articleid=396.

Tip of the Day

Ten Resume Mistakes to Avoid

It's deceivingly easy to make mistakes on your resume and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. Thus, prevention is critical, especially if you've never written one before. Here are the most common pitfalls and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors
Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect. If it isn't, employers will read between the lines and draw not-so-flattering conclusions about you, like: "This person can't write," or "This person obviously doesn't care."

2. Lack of Specifics
Employers need to understand what you've done and accomplished. For example:

A. Worked with employees in a restaurant setting.
B. Recruited, hired, trained and supervised more than 20 employees in a restaurant with $2 million in annual sales.

Both of these phrases could describe the same person, but the details and specifics in example B will more likely grab an employer's attention.

3. Attempting One Size Fits All
Whenever you try to develop a one-size-fits-all resume to send to all employers, you almost always end up with something employers will toss in the recycle bin. Employers want you to write a resume specifically for them. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization.

4. Highlighting Duties Instead of Accomplishments
It's easy to slip into a mode where you simply start listing job duties on your resume. For example:

- Attended group meetings and recorded minutes.
- Worked with children in a day-care setting.
- Updated departmental files.

Employers, however, don't care so much about what you've done as what you've accomplished in your various activities. They're looking for statements more like these:

- Used laptop computer to record weekly meeting minutes and compiled them in a Microsoft Word-based file for future organizational reference.

- Developed three daily activities for preschool-age children and prepared them for a 10-minute holiday program performance.

- Reorganized 10 years worth of unwieldy files, making them easily accessible to department members.

5. Going on Too Long or Cutting Things Too Short
Despite what you may read or hear, there are no real rules governing the length of your resume. Why? Because human beings, who have different preferences and expectations where resumes are concerned, will be reading it.

That doesn't mean you should start sending out five-page resumes, of course. Generally speaking, you usually need to limit yourself to a maximum of two pages. But don't feel you have to use two pages if one will do. Conversely, don't cut the meat out of your resume simply to make it conform to an arbitrary one-page standard.

6. A Bad Objective
Employers do read your resume's objective statement, but too often they plow through vague pufferies like, "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth." Give employers something specific and, more importantly, something that focuses on their needs as well as your own. Example: "A challenging entry-level marketing position that allows me to contribute my skills and experience in fund-raising for nonprofits."

7. No Action Verbs
Avoid using phrases like "responsible for." Instead, use action verbs: "Resolved user questions as part of an IT help desk serving 4,000 students and staff."

8. Leaving Off Important Information
You may be tempted, for example, to eliminate mention of the jobs you've taken to earn extra money for school. Typically, however, the soft skills you've gained from these experiences (e.g., work ethic, time management) are more important to employers than you might think.

9. Visually Too Busy
If your resume is wall-to-wall text featuring five different fonts, it will most likely give the employer a headache. So show your resume to several other people before sending it out. Do they find it visually attractive?

10. Incorrect Contact Information
I once worked with a student whose resume seemed incredibly strong, but he wasn't getting any bites from employers. So one day, I jokingly asked him if the phone number he'd listed on his resume was correct. It wasn't. Once he changed it, he started getting the calls he'd been expecting. Moral of the story: Double-check even the most minute, taken-for-granted details -- sooner rather than later.

Copyright 2011 -- Monster Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article first appeared at: http://career-advice.monster.ca/

Mentoring Monday

"A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could." - Unknown

Building Trust-Based Mentoring Relationships

Everyone enters mentoring relationships with varying degrees of trust in their partners. Some people trust immediately and openly, some need for trust to be earned, and some fall in the middle of the spectrum. These differences often stem from personal experiences and background.

In general, trust provides the ability to risk while relying on the experience, understanding, and guidance of another. In a mentoring relationship, you have to trust your partner in order to effectively learn, take advice, and put that advice into action in your life. If you do not view your partner as a trustworthy source of information and advice, then little progress will be made in the relationship.

A mentoring relationship rooted in trust can be a powerful and transformational experience. A positive mentoring relationship forms when each party is willing to view their partners as reliable sources of information, knowledge, and support. This makes gaining your partners’ trust, and giving them your trust in return,a critical component of any mentoring engagement. Mutual respect, admiration, appreciation, and reliance often occur as a result and can lead to swift and meaningful sharing.

We will explore three main components to build trust-based mentoring relationships: competence, integrity, and caring.


Competence
It is safe to say that most mentoring relationships revolve around competence. One party has something they want to learn, and they find partners who can help them gain the knowledge that they need. The competence of these advisors centers around the degree of proficiency they are able to demonstrate in their areas of presumed expertise. Trust emanates from those who are good at what they do and who are able to relate that experience to others. In a mentoring relationship competence is demonstrated through the ability to share experiences with others.
It is competence that supports acquiring talent, skills, or knowledge in the context of a mentoring relationship.

Integrity
Integrity speaks to the wholeness of an individual’s character. Those who do what they say they are going to do inspire trust. The same can be said of those who speak truthfully regarding their opinions, thoughts, and experiences. Integrity is evidenced by the way in which confidential boundaries are maintained, which is vital to mentoring relationships. Integrity also means aligning actions with values.

Caring
Caring is the ability to show concern and interest regarding the needs and desires of another. In mentoring relationships, care is most commonly displayed through showing regard for the expressed learning needs and aspirations of your mentoring partner. This is done through keeping discussions developmentally focused, practicing active listening, and honoring accomplishments. It is also shown by allowing room to unload burdens and process challenging situations.

Competence, integrity, caring—all three areas are critical to developing and maintaining trust. No matter how impeccable someone’s character is, if they cannot demonstrate competency, trusting them is difficult. Similarly, a competent person who shows no personal interest in your well-being is hard to trust with confidential information. Finally, without integrity, competence and caring would ring hollow. Attention must be given to the actions and conversations that support all three of these dimensions of trust in order to build successful mentoring relationships.


Randy Emelo, http://www.3creek.com/index.php?/Newsletters/building-trust-based-mentoring-relationships.html

Tip of the Day

When creating your cover letter there are many things which you want to include, and then there are some things that you need to avoid. Here are five helpful reminders of what you want to avoid putting in your cover letter.

1. Using a non specific form of address

When addressing the hiring manager you want to avoid using terms such as “to whom it may concern” and” Dear sir/madam”. Taking the extra effort to find the names of the hiring manager shows that you are interested in the position and not taking the short way out by not researching the information further.

2. Repeating what’s on your resume

You never want to repeat the information that you’ve put on your resume onto your cover letter. You can highlight points from your resume if they are directed to the job posting, but other than that leave the information on your resume. Your cover letter is a chance for you to sell yourself to the employer on knowledge, skills, and abilities that are not included in your resume.

3. Using standard language

You do not want to use one cover letter for every job you apply for. Cover letters should be made specific for each job that you apply for, even if they are similar. Read the job posting carefully, be sure to add any knowledge, skills, or abilities that you acquire in order to let them know that you have what they are looking for.

4. Using weak or inactive language

Skip phrases such as “I believe” and “I feel” and replace them with phrases such as “I am”. This is a much stronger form of writing and shows the hiring manager that you know that you have these skills rather than thinking you might have them.

5. Failing to check for errors

Avoid obvious and not so obvious spelling and grammar errors throughout your cover letter. This will be the first form on written communication that the employer will see from you and will be able to see the level of clear written communication you have. With errors it could show that you have either poor communication skills, that you do not pay attention to detail, as well as that you did not take the time to proof read the letter for any errors.

Working Abroad

Returning to Canada

Leaving a foreign country

Transport companies, such as air, rail, and bus services, are required to ensure that all passengers travelling to Canada can produce valid, universally accepted travel documents. This includes Canadian citizens returning to Canada from abroad. Transport companies, especially international airlines, may be fined if they carry improperly documented (pdf) travellers and are often liable to return those passengers to their point of origin.

A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship is not a travel document. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document available to Canadians for the purpose of international travel. Canadian citizens returning to Canada who present other documents, such as a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, birth certificate, provincial driver’s license, or foreign passport, instead of a Canadian passport, may face delays or be denied boarding by transport companies.

Re-entering Canada

Returning to Canada means a stop at a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) check point. Be sure to declare everything acquired abroad, whether purchases for yourself or gifts, as well as goods bought at a Canadian or foreign duty-free store. Keep original receipts. The booklet I Declare describes what you can and cannot bring back to Canada if you have been away for less than a year.

If you are planning to bring back gifts or other consumer products into Canada, make sure that they comply with Canadian regulations. Some products can have safety requirements and may be prohibited in Canada. For more information, please consult Health Canada’s Information for Canadians Travelling Outside of Canada.

Permanent residents (immigrants living in Canada who are not yet Canadian citizens) travelling outside Canada need a valid permanent resident card to return to Canada. Travellers are reminded to check the expiry date on their card. For more information on permanent resident card processing time, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/abroad_a-letranger/return-canada-retour-eng.asp

Tip of the Day

Top ten tips for acing your interview

Many people are nervous and anxious gearing up to the big interview that they might have. Here are ten helpful hints to set you as ease and remember for acing your interview:

1. Always be polite and friendly to anyone you meet throughout the interview. This also includes the receptionist who greets you.

2. Enter and leave the interview with a firm handshake.

3. Make eye contact throughout the interview. If it is a panel interview, be sure to engage every panel member.

4. Remember to smile. Smiling will show that you are out going and will be a friendly member to join their team. Smile and nod your head to emphasize points and to finish answers.

5. If you are offered a drink, take it. It will help you to have a drink of water in case it you are nervous, and also helps when you need to take a moment to pause and think about the question and your answer.

6. Sit up straight and try not to fidget. This shows that you are interested in the interview, and not giving off bad body language.

7. Speak up, but never interrupt the interviewer. Be enthusiastic, without being pushy.

8. Laugh and relax, most employers are looking to hire someone with a good personality. Laughing at appropriate times shows that you are able to have a good laugh during the appropriate timing.

9. Breathe. Being aware of your breathing focuses your mind and calms you down.

10. Thank them for their time and meeting with you.


How to Prepare for an Interview - The Career Centre Loyalist College Kente Building Room 2H3

Mentoring Monday

How to implement a new Mentoring Program

When new employees join an organization it is always helpful for them to have someone that they are able to go to ask questions about their new job and also find new resources. By starting a mentoring program within your workplace allows current employees to develop new working relationships with newer employees and help put them in the right direction relating to the company.

Sit down and define the goals of the mentorship program within the workplace and set out how you will be able to track the program’s success. Setting goals helps identify what you want to gain from the mentorship program and how you will achieve these set out goals.

Create an identity for the mentorship program. Decide on a name in order to identify the program easily with employees, stakeholders, colleagues and potential employees. Also, a logo can be made to be able to easily identify the program visually.

Decide how you will place mentors with mentees. Will they be places with one another based on skill or experience level, personal interests or job function within the company, then match the pair.

Create an event, or schedule a meeting with employees of the company to introduce the new program and educate them on the functions of it. Without educating them, they will not be aware of the new program that is very beneficial for everyone within the organization. To add excitement trying serving refreshments, and have giveaways. It is possible that you might be able to offer some sort of bonus for employees that sign up for the new mentorship program to as extra incentive for joining.

Once you have employees sign up for the mentorship program, you then must place the mentor with the mentee. Having the first meeting in order for both mentor and mentee to meet and discuss their desired outcomes from the program.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6543079_start-mentor-program-workplace.html