Top Job Thursday

Top 10 highest paying jobs in Canada

As more companies are hiring, now is a great time to look for work that will not only make you happy, but provide you with a good lifestyle as well. For workers in Canada's highest paying occupations, a six-figure salary isn't just a pipe dream — it's an average salary.

The following 10 occupations pay average salaries of over $100,000, making them Canada's highest paying jobs:

10. Banking, credit and investment managers
Average employment income: $101,845
Duties: These managers oversee operations at investment banks, commercial banks, retail banks and credit institutions. Duties include administering loans, investing client funds, preparing credit reports, and buying and selling securities.
Education and training: A bachelor's degree in business administration, plus extensive experience is usually required for this job, though many employers prefer candidates with an MBA.

9. Engineering manager
Average annual income: $113,403
Duties: Engineering managers oversee the research, design and production efforts of teams at engineering firms, manufacturing corporations, scientific research companies, architecture firms and more.
Education and training: A bachelor's degree in engineering is required. Most employers require engineers to register with a professional engineering organization in their respective province.

8. Lawyers
Average annual income: $123,632
Duties: Lawyers provide legal counsel and advice to individuals and companies. They may also represent clients in front of a judge or jury in court.
Education: Lawyers average seven years of higher education — four years at an undergraduate institution, and three years of law school.

7. Senior managers of trade, broadcasting and other services
Average annual income and training: $124,080
Duties: Senior managers in this category work in industries like radio broadcasting, food wholesaling, department stores and travel agencies.
Education and training: A bachelor's degree plus extensive work experience are minimum requirements.

6. Dentists
Average annual income: $131,552
Duties: Dentists treat, prevent and provide care for patient's teeth, mouth and gums.
Education and training: In addition to obtaining an undergraduate degree, dentists must also attend dental school, which averages four years. In all provinces except for Quebec, dentists must be licensed by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada.

5. General practitioners and family physicians
Average annual income: $132,615
Duties: Usually serving as primary care physicians, general practitioners treat a wide range of illnesses and conditions, and provide preventative care and assessments.
Education and training: Like specialist physicians, general practitioners must attend medical school and complete residencies. The only difference is that general practitioners often choose residencies in broader fields, such as internal or family medicine.

4. Senior managers of goods production, utilities, transportation and construction
Average annual income: $160,947
Duties: Senior managers in this category direct operations at mining, petroleum, manufacturing, railway, trucking and logging companies.
Education and training: A bachelor's degree (or equivalent work experience), plus at least five years on the job.

3. Senior managers of financial, communications and other business services
Average annual income: $162,376
Duties: Senior managers are charged with overseeing their respective departments at large corporations and small businesses alike. Sample job titles in this category include director of marketing, chief executive officer, chief financial officer and vice-president of human resources.
Education and training: A bachelor's degree, plus extensive work experience are minimum requirements.

2. Judges
Average annual income: $178,053
Duties: Judges preside over court cases and have the final say in hearings and trials.
Education and training: All judges start out as lawyers, so therefore must attend law school. Judges usually have a minimum of 10 years' experience before being considered for a judiciary position and must be appointed by a committee.

1. Specialist physicians
Average annual income: $179,514
Duties: Includes physicians in specialized practice areas like dermatology, anesthesiology, oncology and cardiology.
Education and training: Specialist physicians are highly educated. Besides obtaining a bachelor's degree and attending medical school, which takes an average of eight years, specialists must also complete a residency and/or fellowship in their chosen field, which can take an additional two to six years.
* Salary data provided by Statistics Canada.
** Job titles, education and training information provided by National Occupational Classification.

To view original article CLICK HERE

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Position Type: Immediate Full-time
Job Title: Policy Development and Research Manager
Job Location: Ottawa - Headquarters
Employment Category: Research - Non-scientific/Policy Analysis

Job Description:

Under the direction of the National Manager Policy and Program Development, the Policy Development and Research Manager develops, plans, organizes and evaluates Directorate Military Family Services (DMFS)/Military Family Service Program (MFSP) programs, policies, and procedures. He/She conducts research and advanced literature searches, and provides advice on program and policy issues. The Policy Development and Research Manager conducts research, surveys, and analysis, identifies options and solutions, and prepares briefing notes, reports, and position papers with recommendations. She/He also researches and presents on leading research and innovative developments in areas such as family life related issues, not-for-profit governance, community-based social programs.

Job Requirements:

Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Family Studies, Sociology, Social Work or a related field AND some years experience in social research, program and community development or a related field
OR
- Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies, Sociology, Social Work or a related field AND several years experience in social research, program and community development or a related field

Language requirement: Bilingual Mandatory – Level 323/323
Non bilingual candidates may apply but will only be considered if the bilingual mandatory staffing process is unsuccessful. In that event, the successful non-bilingual candidate will be required to undertake second language training.

The proficiency levels which can be assigned to each skill are: 1(basic), 2(functional), 3(advanced), 4(professional)

Knowledge Requirements
- Of family support/family resource model of social services delivery
- Of policy research and development
- Of community-based social programs
- Of community development
- Of the principles of policy research and development
- Of applied research designs and methodologies
- Of standards and exemplary practices in family life related issues, such as parenting and child development
- Of adult education and training
- Of Governance and Board development in the not-for-profit sector, an asset
- Of theory related to family supports
- Of determinants of health and well being for individuals and families

Experience Requirements
- In researching, drafting, interpreting, and editing policies and procedures
- In policy and program development
- In the development of research designs and methodologies
- In social policy analysis
- In research data collection
- In planning, organizing and managing research data collection
- In statistical analysis
- In facilitation and delivery of workshops and briefing sessions
- In project management
- In planning and conducting presentations
- In using software for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, e-mail, and Internet browsing

Targeted Programs:

Targeted Clusters

Targeted Programs

Salary: $ 69,530 - $ 81,840 per annum

Application Procedure: Employer Email

If by email, send to: recruiting@cfpsa.com

If by Website, go to: www.cfpsa.com

Application Material Required: Résumé

Additional Application Information:

Successful candidate will be prepared to commence employment as soon as possible.
NPF employees must demonstrate the following core characteristics: team player, customer focus, positive attitude, excellence, and competence.
NPF is committed to Employment Equity and Diversity and invites applications from Women, Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and Visible Minorities.
To receive this job poster in an alternative format, please contact the NPF Human Resources Manager.
Eligible candidates should submit a resume clearly outlining their ability to fulfill all position requirements by mail to: Human Resources Manager (HQ), 4210 Labelle Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0K2, by e-mail at recruiting@cfpsa.com, or online at www.cfpsa.com. Applications must be received before 1600 hrs on 04 June 2012.
Please note that only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. If you have special needs and require accommodation measures for the selection process, please notify the NPF Human Resources Manager at that time.

 

Organization: Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency

Division: Canadian Forces

Tip Tuesday

These top interview tips will help you cover everything you need to know to successfully ace a job interview. From checking out the company to sending an interview thank you note, these job interview tips cover all the basics needed for interviewing success.

Check Out the Company

How much do you know about the company that just contacted you to schedule an interview? It should be plenty, and all the information you need is available online. Here are tips on how to research a company, get the inside scoop on the company culture, and use connections who can help you get an interview advantage. More Info

Use Your Contacts

Who you know at the company you are interviewing with really does matter. Here's how to use your contacts and connections to get an insider advantage so you can ace the interview and impress the interviewer. More Info

Practice Interviewing

Taking the time to review typical interview questions you will probably be asked during a job interview will help give you a framework for your responses and will help calm your frazzled nerves, because you won't be scrambling for an answer while you're in the interview hot seat. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time and it will be much easier when you're actually in a job interview. More Info

Improve Your Interview Technique

A job interview gives you a chance to shine. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to the next round of consideration for employment or knock you out of contention. More Info

Dress for Interview Success

The first impression you make on a potential employer can make a big difference. The first judgement an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That's why it's always important to dress professionally for a job interview. More Info

Handle a Group Interview

Interviewing with one person is tough enough, but it's even harder when you have to interview with a group (or panel) of interviewers. Here's how advice on how to ace a panel interview. More Info

Interview While Dining

Taking you to breakfast, lunch or dinner provides the interviewer with a chance to check out your communication and interpersonal skills, as well as your table manners, in a more casual environment than an office setting. Here's advice on how to handle an interview while dining. More Info

Prepare for a Phone Interview

While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment's notice. You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have a few minutes to talk. Review these tips for advice on how to pull off your phone interview without a hitch. More Info

Take the Time to Say Thank You

Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces your interest in the position. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview. More Info

More Job Interview Tips

More tips for phone interviews, second interviews, lunch and dinner interviews, behavioral interviews, interviewing in public, and additional advice for interview success. More Info

To view original article CLICK HERE

Making it Big Monday

Ten must-ask job interview questions

Sam Geist, a consultant based in Markham, Ont., finds that clients at his workshops praise his scorecard and questionnaire for evaluating candidates in job interviews. It has 10 must-ask questions, in which the answers are rated on seven criteria.

THE CRITERIA

Generalization

Weaker candidates have a tendency to generalize their experience, not being able to draw out specifically what they learned in a given situation, or why. Stronger candidates tend to be much more specific.

Learning experiences
Weaker candidates have difficulty explaining what they learned when the interviewer probes deeper. They tend toward extremes in their answers - either routine, expected answers or exaggerated ones. Stronger candidates are more open about their weaknesses and mistakes.

Long view

Weaker candidates have a simpler view of people and their jobs. Stronger candidates describe situations and events with more significant depth of analysis.

The why

Weaker candidates tend to focus more on "what" happened and less on "why" it occurred. They have difficulty expressing whether any learning took place after an incident and what that learning was. Stronger candidates consider the "why" more than the "what" and are not hesitant to explain what they learned and what they would do differently in future.

Focus of interest

Weaker candidates are more focused on the incidentals of the job - the chance of promotion, for example, or the fringe benefits. Stronger candidates are more interested in the content of the job and their future in it.

Ability to analyze

Weaker candidates are able to analyze failure, but they are more reluctant to acknowledge their role in it. Stronger candidates are able to analyze failure and success - and acknowledge their role in both.

Self-awareness

Weaker candidates are not accurately self-aware; they overstate strengths, are inconsistent when correcting weaknesses and they don't accurately judge their limits. Stronger candidates are more accurately aware of strengths, weaknesses and limits.

THE KEY QUESTIONS

1. What was your most challenging job? Why?

What did you learn from this job?

2. What was your least challenging job? Why?

What did you learn from this job?

3. In what situation did you find that you had to overcome major obstacles to meet your objectives? What did you do? Why? What did you learn from the experience?

4. Who do you admire most? Who do you admire least? Why?

5. In what situation did you attempt to do something, but failed?

Why did you fail? What did you learn from this situation?

6. Describe a bad experience that happened to you. What did you learn from it?

7. Describe a situation where you tried to help someone change. What strategy did you use? How did the situation end?

8. Describe a mistake you made in dealing with people. What did you learn from it?

9. What was your best learning experience? What was your worst learning experience? What did you learn from each of them?

10. Describe the last major change you made. Why did you do it? How did it work out? What did you learn?

To view original article CLICK HERE

Fun Fact Friday

50 Funniest Short Job Descriptions Ever

Over on the Dilbert Blog, Scott Adams gave his readers an assignment: “describe your own job in one sentence, preferably in a humorously derogatory way.” Here are the best replies from among the hundreds, with the top 10 at the end.

My Job Is To…

1. Read things that don’t matter, then write papers saying they do matter, for points that don’t matter, in order to get a job doing something totally unrelated: Student
2. Take numbers on pieces of paper, rearrange them and put them on different pieces of paper: Tax Accountant
3. Explain big words to sales people and then cower before customers while trying to convince them that the sales people really didn’t say what the customers understood: Customer Solutions Engineer
4. Learn laws created ages ago so that I can tell engineers why I’m smarter than they are while complaining how it’s a travesty that they get paid more: Physics major
5. Show you innovative ways to burn money in the spirit of patriotism: Fireworks Stand Manager
6. Help people lie consistently to their bosses: Business Intelligence Consultant
7. Teach your kids enough to complain but not enough to make a difference: College Teacher
8. Pass poisonous gas on command: Research Assistant in solid state ammonia storage
9. Make people who are already filthy rich somewhat richer by duping poor people into buying stuff they don’t need: Corporate Software Engineer
10. Find as many synonyms for “explosion” as possible: Novelist for Teenage Boys
11. Supervise the guys and gals who try to protect the good people from the bad, only to be hated by the good people AND the bad: Police Sergeant
12. Make corporate propaganda feel like folksy truthisms: TV Ad Director
13. Manage waste recycling, promotion & sales: Antiques Dealer
14. Arrive after the battle and bayonet all the wounded: Auditor
15. Sell gas: Energy and Telecom Business Analyst
16. Tell forty year-old men it’s okay to behave like fourteen year-old school girls: Printing Press Production Coordinator
17. Provide arcane information on a need-to-know basis: Chief Accountant
18. Shepherd clients through the process of setting their products on fire: Consumer Products Tester
19. Manage urban renewal and pest control: B-52 Bomber pilot
20. Persuade kids that it’s really fun being wet, cold and scared out of their minds: Sailing Instructor
21. Draw up plans for something that will not be built according to those plans: Civil Engineer, Transportation Design
22. Teach kids to be evil…or so they say: Video Game Creator
23. Ensure that stupid people stay in the gene pool: Lifeguard
24. Spend most of the day looking out the window: Pilot
25. Wear a tuxedo and smash metal plates into each other: Musician
26. Go to strange people’s houses and take their money: Pizza Delivery Boy
27. Sell gluttony: Cinema Concession Stand Attendant
28. Tell people that they can’t spend money they thought they had: Government Analyst
29. Take pictures of the unlucky and the stupid: X-ray Technician
30. Profit from the misfortunes of others: Cops and Courts Reporter
31. Take a simple two-way promise and turn it into several complicated one-way promises which neither side can understand or hope to fulfill: Lawyer
32. Bring a little rain into the lives of flood victims: Government Debt Collector
33. Have people spend far more than they estimated: Building Inspector
34. Make sure nothing ever happens: IT Security
35. Move things from one tube to another: Microbiologist
36. Misinterpret the universe: Astronomer
37. Be a human napkin: Stay-at-home mom of three
38. Run away and call the police: Security Guard
39. Copy and paste the Internet: Student

The Top 10

1. Help people hate each other: Divorce Lawyer (Scott Adams’ favorite)
2. Stand on a field and get yelled at for hours: Baseball Umpire
3. Talk in other people’s sleep: College Professor
4. Call people who know what they’re doing and ask them what they’re doing: Incident Manager
5. Show people how beautiful the Earth would be without them: Mountain Landscape Photographer/Climber
6. Make people feel bad about their work: Quality Assurance Tester
7. Repeatedly fix what you repeatedly break: IT Director
8. Clean up an animal that makes more money then me in a year: Assistant Horse Trainer
9. Write words that no one wants to read: Technical Writer
10. Make food that is as healthy before it goes in your body as when it comes back out: Fast Food Employee

To view original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Where the jobs will be

Economic uncertainty, the spectre of a jobless recovery and debt crises threatening the eurozone — no economy stands immune from the instability.
But there are bright spots amid the gloom.
Jobs by the tens of thousands are opening in the Canadian mining industry — one of the top five sectors expected to be hiring in 2015, trend analysts say. Canadian job forecasters also predict employment growth in oil-and-gas, health care, construction, and information and communications technology.
The trick is to match education with employment.
On formal post-secondary education, Canada ranks No. 1 in the world, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, which calculates college and university graduates as a percentage of population.
To increase the chance of landing a post, young people training for a career — or employees re-training for a transition — might want to consider an industry whose openings are almost certain to expand. Here’s a look at some of the top spots to be in by 2015.

Health Care Services:
This sector makes everybody’s Top 5 list.
“The society is aging — everybody knows that,” said professor David Livingstone of the University of Toronto’s Centre for the Study of Education and Work.
“Therefore gerontology, the care of the aged — there will be more jobs in that area, a growing need,” he said.
Health-related occupations, from nurses to technicians, were already deemed to enjoy among the lowest unemployment rates in the country in 2010, according to a recent job-trends report by analyst Roger Sauve, of People Patterns Consulting near Cornwall.
Job prospects go way beyond doctors and nurses, said Michelle Dunnill, Toronto branch manager for the job-tracking firm Manpower. Physiotherapists, medical laboratory technologists, administrative staff and non-clinical support workers of all types are bound to be in demand.
“With increased government spending, training in health care is a great choice looking to 2015,” Dunnill said. “Health care has become one of the fastest growing and in-demand career fields in the world.”

Construction and Skilled Trades: An aging population also factors in the demand for construction workers and skilled trades, said Michael Burt, head of industrial and economic trends at the Conference Board of Canada.
“Trades workers are older, on average,” he said. “There have been fewer people going into apprenticeship programs, (creating) a healthy demand.”
Prior to the 2008 recession, the construction sector saw strong wage growth and scarcity of some types of workers, Burt said. During the recession, unemployment in the sector jumped, he said, but has since dipped below the national average.
Particularly in Manitoba and Alberta, demand for construction and skilled trades workers is expected to grow, said Manpower Group’s Dunhill.
“Heavy equipment operators, industrial mechanics, industrial electricians, building trades, steel and iron workers, automotive trades, welders,” she said to name a few types in demand.
“Economists are saying the skilled trade worker shortage may affect Canada’s ability to compete on a global market,” she said.

Information and Communications Technology: Between now and 2015, more than 120,000 jobs will have to be filled, said David Ticoll, director of the Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills.
“Half (the hires) will be to fill new positions and half will be to replace people who have left the field, due to leaving the workforce or shifting to non-ICT jobs,” he said.
Occupations waiting to be filled include designers of new technologies — cyber security and data analysis, for example — and especially management jobs that combine business and technology skills, including IT managers and chief information officers.
“The Canadian population who required computer literacy in their jobs went from around 30 per cent in the late 1980s to more than 90 per cent now,” said U of T professor Livingstone. “The interesting point is that people are more likely to say they are overqualified for the jobs available in terms of computer skills than underqualified.”
After landing a job, many Canadians face a further challenge, he said.
The next step for the overqualified is not just to adapt to the position available.
“The point would be to use whatever job you are able to get in imaginative ways,” the professor said, “to make it a richer job, a more fulfilling job in terms of your talents and, hopefully, in terms of rewards from your employer.”

Mining and Oil-and-Gas: Half the mining workforce is eligible to retire in the next 10 years, meaning that — even without growth in mining — the industry is forecast to need more than 112,000 new workers in that period.
If commodity prices rise, the mining sector would need more than 140,000 new workers in 10 years. In the oil-and-gas industry, Alberta Oil Sands expansion accounts for much of the anticipated growth.
“We expect to see (job) growth almost double the average for the economy as a whole,” Conference Board of Canada analyst Burt said this week of the mining and oil-and-gas sectors. In his analysis, the construction and health care industries fall into the same category.
Mining companies will be looking to hire for 66 key mining occupations, says the 2011 forecast by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council.
Demand is expected to be high for everybody from welders and industrial electricians, to geologists and civil engineers, to human-resources and financial managers, the report says.

To view original article CLICK HERE

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Position Type: Immediate Full-time

Job Title: Fitness Leader                                       
Job Location: CFB Borden
Employment Category: Social Service/Recreation/Health

Job Description:

Under the supervision of the Fitness Coordinator, the Fitness Leader instructs physical fitness training sessions for an apparently healthy military population. He/She assists with the delivery and administration of physical fitness programs and evaluations, and assists with the preparation and distribution of promotional physical fitness materials. The Fitness Leader assists in the organization, delivery, coaching or officiating of local CFB Borden, regional, national and international sport competitions. She/He also maintains and performs minor repairs to fitness training and sports equipment.

Job Requirements:

Qualifications:
- College diploma or certificate in Exercise Sciences or a related field AND some years of experience in physical fitness evaluation and prescription or a related field
OR
- High school diploma AND several years of experience in physical fitness evaluation and prescription or a related field
AND
- Current Certified Group Fitness Instructor qualifications
- Current CPR and Basic First Aid qualifications
- Canadian Forces EXPRES Test – Incentive Level
- Current National Lifeguard Service Certificate (NLS) qualifications, an asset

Language requirement: Bilingual Mandatory Level 222/222. Preference will be granted as follows:
-Bilingual Mandatory – Bargaining unit members
-Bilingual Mandatory – Non-Bargaining Unit candidates
-Bilingual Non-Mandatory – Bargaining unit members
-Bilingual Non-Mandatory – Non-Bargaining unit candidates
Non bilingual candidates may apply but will only be considered if the bilingual mandatory staffing process is unsuccessful. In that event, the successful non-bilingual candidate will be required to undertake second language training.

Knowledge Requirements
- Of physical fitness classes and/or programs instructional techniques
- Of fitness and sport equipment maintenance
- Of health and physical fitness theory delivery
- Of injury prevention
- Of loss prevention - In the delivery of physical fitness training sessions

Experience Requirements
- In the delivery of sport and recreational programs
- In officiating at least three sports such as such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, racquet sports, and hockey
- In using software for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, e-mail, and Internet browsing

Additional Application Information:

Successful candidate will be prepared to commence employment as soon as possible.
NPF employees must demonstrate the following core characteristics: team player, customer focus, positive attitude, excellence, and competence.
NPF is committed to Employment Equity and Diversity and invites applications from Women, Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and Visible Minorities.
To receive this job poster in an alternative format, please contact the NPF Human Resources Manager.
Eligible candidates should submit a resume clearly outlining their ability to fulfil all position requirements by mail to: Lyndsey McKinnon-Baker, Human Resources Assistant. NPF Human Resources, Bldg. S-138, Rm. 207; PO Box 1000 Station Main, Borden, Ontario L0M 1C0 or fax to 705-423-2892. Email: BordenRecruiting@cfpsa.com or apply online at www.cfpsa.com.
Please note that only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. If you have special needs and require accommodation measures for the selection process, please notify the NPF Human Resources Manager at that time.

Salary: $ 12.25/hr - $ 16.13/hr

Application Procedure: Employer Email

If by email, send to: BordenRecruiting@cfpsa.com

If by Website, go to: www.cfpsa.com

If by Fax, send to: 705-423-2892

Organization: Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency

Division: Canadian Forces                

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Jun 17, 2012 11:59PM

Tip Tuesday

How to Format a Cover Letter

How you format your cover letter, both from a content (the information you include) and a presentation (what your cover letter looks like) perspective is important. Even when applying online or via email, your cover letter needs to be properly formatted, readable, and without any mistakes.

Cover Letter Content

First of all, your cover letter needs to include your contact information (name, address, phone, email) so prospective employers can get in touch with you.

Your cover letter should include at least three paragraphs:
1. What you are applying for and where you found the job posting - First Paragraph
2. What you have to offer - Middle Paragraph(s)
3. How you will follow-up - Final Paragraph
In the first paragraph, if you are writing in response to a job posting, indicate where you learned of the position and the title of the position. More importantly, express your enthusiasm and the likely match between your credentials and the position's qualifications.

The second paragraph of your cover letter should refer specifically to the qualifications listed in the job posting and illustrate how your particular abilities and experiences relate to the position for which you are applying.

The final paragraph of your letter should reiterate your interest in the job and let the employer know how they can reach you and include your phone number and email address.

Cover Letter Format

Cover letter presentation matters as much as what you include. When writing cover letters it's important to use a basic font that is easy to read. Depending on the hiring process your cover letter may be viewed in an applicant tracking system or other online hiring system. Those systems work best reading simple text rather than fancy formatting.

It's also important for the hiring manager to be able to easily read your resume. Using a basic 12 point font will ensure that your cover letter is easy to read. Basic fonts like Arial, Verdana, and Times New Roman work well. Don't forget to leave space between paragraphs and to proof your letter before you send or upload it. Do remember that your cover letter fonts should match your resume.

To view more information CLICK HERE

Making it Big Monday

Building a Personal Business Portfolio to Help Market You!

A portfolio is an excellent way to package a product, and you are the product! It will give future or current employers proof of you, your skills and abilities (what you bring to the table). Your portfolio will be made up of a sampling of artifacts which may be included on the list below:

Mandatory Entries

·        Table of Contents/Organization scheme - this will allow you to be organized during an interview. If you need a letter of reference for your interviewer, it's easy to access and will make you look much more organized
·         Résumé and Cover Letter and a Business Card - even if you have sent your résumé and cover letter via email, always bring a spare copy along for your interviewer. You can never be too prepared and you don't know if the interviewer misplaced or couldn't print off your information

Optional Entries

·         Degrees/Diplomas/Awards
·         Letters of Recommendation/References
·         Transcripts
·         Projects
·         Professional memberships
·         Community Service/Volunteer

Showcase Guidelines
·         Include an introduction and table of contents
·        Use a professional binder/ portfolio that is clean and well maintained
·         Be creative
·         Don’t punch holes in your documents
·        Have photocopies of your documents to leave with the employer
·         Use quality paper and captions to enhance the contents
·         Create all text on computer - don’t use too many font styles
·         Tailor your portfolio so it includes only relevant information to the opportunity you are seeking

Choose samples that show you in the best light. A portfolio is always a work in progress so the more you know about how to grow and maintain your portfolio the better off you will be.

Fun Fact Friday

Job Search Blunders, Bloopers and Bungles

A client recently asked me to read over her resume for her and about half way down the page I spotted a typo. She was of course aghast and commented that it must have been there for six months! Whenever you write a resume or cover letter triple check it, then read it backwards from the bottom of the page to the top.
This can help you from making one of the classic mistakes that HR professionals and hiring managers see all the time during the recruiting process. And they love to share their favourites:

Resumes Blunders:
◦ Instrumental in ruining an entire operation for a Midwest chain operation.
(It’s amazing what one letter can do to a word? Spell checking wouldn’t catch this. Ask someone objective to read your documents. Also, this accomplishment is missing the action step, in other words, how did you achieve the result.)
◦ I’m a rabid typist.
(Not only is this a typo, but you don’t need to use ‘I’ in a resume; ‘I’ is assumed.)
◦ Develop and recommend an annual operating expense fudget.
(Kind of a fun play on words actually)
◦ Work experience: Dealing with customers’ conflicts that arouse.
(What about the ones that weren’t so stimulating?)
◦ Education: College, August 1880- May 1984.
(How old are you? Plus, you needn’t mention the months you attended school or the start year, the graduation year is sufficient)
◦ Under personal interests: Donating blood, 14 gallons so far.
(This sounds a little creepy, stick to reading, gardening, travel and volunteer work.)
◦ I was proud to win the Gregg Typting Award.
(I wonder how the losers made out)
◦ Here are my qualifications to overlook.
(Consider it done)
◦ Qualifications: I am a man filled with passion and integrity, and I can act on short notice. I’m a class act and don’t come cheap.
(The qualities in the first sentence are not congruent with one another – passion and acting on short notice should be two separate points ; I won’t dignify the second sentence with a comment.)

Cover Letter Bloopers◦ I am extremely loyal to my present firm, so please don’t let them know of my immediate availability.
(Mention your availability in the interview, not the cover letter. Oh, and look up the word ‘loyal’ in the dictionary.)
◦ I intentionally omitted my salary history. I’ve made money and lost money. I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. I prefer being rich.
(When addressing the salary issue in a cover letter, mention your salary is negotiable or that you expect the industry standard. If you feel you have to mention a figure, give a range and mention if it includes benefits in or not.)
◦ Note: Please don’t misconstrue my 14 jobs as ‘job-hopping.’ I have never quit a job.
(That’s good news, phew! Getting fired is sooo much better. It is only necessary to list jobs that go back 10-15 years maximum.)
◦ While I am open to the initial nature of an assignment, I am decidedly disposed that it be so oriented as to at least partially incorporate the experience enjoyed therefore and that it be configured so as to ultimately lead to the application of more rarefied facets of financial management as the major sphere of responsibility.
(If you wouldn’t – or couldn’t possibly – say this out loud, don’t write it on paper.)

Interview Bungles: Reasons for leaving the last job
◦ Responsibility makes me nervous.
(You might not want to mention that as a weakness either.)
◦ They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn’t work under those conditions.
(That’s inhumane! We’ll be happy to support your sleeping in, by not hiring you. If it is flex time that you need or time in lieu, present what you want, not what you don’t want.)
◦ I’ve been working for my mom and she decided to leave the company. (So, you left too? Would we also be obliged to hire your mom to get you to work here?)
◦ They didn’t allow me to surf the web as often as I’d like to. They weren’t very nice about it either.
(A company computer is a tool in which to execute ones’ work, it is not a personal toy. You have to work within the policies of your employer – or go someplace else.)
◦ The company made me a scapegoat, just like my three previous employers.
(Do not mention anything negative about a previous employer, whether or not you think they were in the wrong. Plus when you’re the ’scapegoat’ for four jobs in a row, it suggests a pattern where you might actually be the problem.)

The job search process puts you out there in front of people with the written word, voice mail or face to face in an interview. You have lots of chances to slip up along the way, so take your time, triple check your work, think before you answer questions and get other peoples’ help reviewing your work as often as you can.

To view original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Canada's 10 hottest jobs: skilled trades, pharmacist, finance, dental hygienist and more

From the skilled trades to college professor, check out our list of top 10 hot jobs and discover the positions that are in demand across Canada. If you're stuck in a part-time job and want a real career, are deciding what to study, or are even considering a change in work, read on! These trades and professions are booming, so if you have the training and aptitude for one of these gigs, you can expect good money, a relative amount of job security and the knowledge that companies are vying to hire you (you hot commodity, you!). And remember, the average worker changes careers -- not jobs, but careers -- three to seven times. So don't be afraid to take the plunge into something new.

1. Financial manager
Demand for money managers is increasing as the private and government sectors are looking for whizzes who know the complexities of financial management.
What to expect: An unemployment rate half that of the Canadian average.
Tip: If you have knowledge of foreign finance or are fluent in a foreign language, consider yourself doubly attractive -- and pack your bags for a potentially jet-set international career.
Getting started: Visit the international Financial Management Association's website at fma.org.

2. Skilled tradesperson
If you don't want an office job, but do want a salary that pays above the national average, this is the sector for you. Unfortunately (or fortunately for you, depending on how you look at it), the skilled trades have suffered stigmatization for a generation. As a result, a shortage of tradespeople is looming in the service (chefs, horticulturalists), construction (electricians, carpenters, plumbers), transportation (aviation technicians, automotive service technicians) and manufacturing (industrial mechanics, tool and die makers) sectors.
Tip: In the next two decades, 40 per cent of new jobs are supposed to be in the skilled trades and technologies.
Getting started: Visit careersintrades.ca for information on training (including paid apprenticeships).

3. College or vocational school teacher
The boom in skilled trades means there's also a need for instructors at community colleges, Quebec's CEGEPs, technical institutes and other vocational schools.
What to expect: The number of job openings exceeds the number of candidates, especially with retirements expected over the years to come, plus increased government funding.
Tip: If your discipline is new technology or the skilled trades, your prospects are particularly good.
Getting Started: Go to Service Canada's website, jobfutures.ca, for more info.

4. Dentist or dental hygienist
Dentistry is a field you can really sink your teeth into, whether you've got the stamina to stick it out through three years of undergrad university studies plus four to five years of dentistry school or want to get working in this field sooner by becoming a dental hygienist.To obtain a diploma in dental hygiene, you can attend a private educational institution for a minimum of 16 months, or a 2 year program at a community college, or at the University of Manitoba and Dalhousie University. Also, dental hygiene degree programs are offered at the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta. For more information on how to become a hygienist in your province, check out the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association's website at www.cdha.ca
What to expect: There are currently more job openings than there are qualified people to fill them, in both positions.
Tip: the industry will continue to grow as Canada's aging population requires more care, more Canadians enjoy dental coverage, and the booming demand for adult cosmetic dentistry continues (thank you, Hollywood!).
 Getting started: The Canadian Dental Association's website (www.cda-adc.ca) has lots of info on the profession.

5. Computer and information systems managers
The 2001 slowdown in the computer industry didn't put a dent in this field. Wage growth is still better than average, as are actual wages (almost double the national average), while the unemployment rate is well below the national average.
 Looking ahead: Overall, our reliance on computers at home and at work will continue to grow, meaning job security and continuous opportunities for training and growth.
 Fun tip: Single gals, there are more men than women in this field, so industry conferences practically guarantee your BlackBerry will be full of new e-mail addresses of eligible bachelors.
 Getting started: If you have experience as a programmer and a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, you're in the running. Visit the government's CanLearn website (www.canlearn.ca) for more info.

6. University professor
The Ivory Tower is also experiencing increased government spending on education and research, coupled with workplace demand for a highly trained and educated workforce.
What to expect: With below-average unemployment and above-average wages, plus a wave of retirements on the horizon, prospects are strong.
Getting started: Unless you've already got a Ph.D. in the closet, go online to research the post-grad university degree programs you'll need to embark upon if your heart is set on being a university professor.

7. Human resource specialist or manager
Demand for human resources specialists and managers is increasing and expected to stay strong, as companies place greater emphasis than ever before on human resources issues such as recruitment, training, employee relations and retention.
What to expect: There are more job openings than job seekers in this field, so prospects are great. Just like you always thought, being a people person does pay off.
Getting started: HR.com has lots of industry information with a North American perspective. Visit the sites of business schools for MBA programs with a special focus on human resource management.

8. Pharmacist
A growing and aging population means more prescriptions needing to be filled. From hospital pharmacists to your friendly local pharmacist, there's greater demand for them than there are qualified grads or trained immigrants to fill the positions.
What to expect: Good pay, and many pharmacists are self-employed -- they own the pharmacies they work in.
Getting started: You must attend pharmacy school at a Canadian university and hold a Bachelor of Science degree. Check out the Canadian Pharmacists Association website at pharmacists.ca for info.

9. Registered nurse
Canada's aging population means this sector's a dynamic place to be. A combination of factors will ensure a wealth of opportunity for nurses with college or university nursing degrees.
Looking ahead: You'll be in high demand: there are more jobs than registered nurses due to retirement, enrollment in nursing programs is declining and there's a strong need for nurses internationally.
Tip: It's a great job if you love the idea of working in the U.S. or farther abroad, as well-paid international opportunities abound.
Getting started: Check out the Canadian Nurses Association website at cna-nurses.ca.

10. Retail manager
OK, OK, we all remember doing a McJob. But as the retail sector continues to grow, consumer spending is holding strong, and because there are more openings than there are job seekers in this field, finding employment is still relatively easy.
What to expect: If you're not hung up on high wages (managerial positions pay only slightly above the national average) but like flexible hours and love helping people, and you have transferable skills but perhaps no post-secondary education, this is the field for you.
Bonus: Expect great employee discounts.
Getting started: Apply to stores you think you might like working at, stressing your team skills, practical computer skills and passion for retail.

To view original article CLICK HERE

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Position Type: Graduating Student Employment
Job Title: Technical Support Analyst
Job Location: Toronto, ON
Employment Category: IT - Programmer/Developer

Job Description:

COMPANY DETAILS: AME Learning (“AME”) is a leader in providing financial literacy education in corporate and academic markets. Founded in 1997, AME uses a patented and award-winning system to teach accounting and financial principles in an intuitive way. Some of AME’s corporate clients include Burger King, Hallmark, Toyota, Alliance Atlantis, Bell Canada, Purolator, Royal Bank of Canada, and Second Cup. Some of AME’s academic clients include Seneca College, Fanshawe College, Conestoga College, University of Findlay, and Humber College.

AME is a venture-backed company experiencing rapid growth throughout North America. AME is expanding its team to support new growth initiatives and customer traction. For more company information, visit our website at www.amelearning.com

JOB DESCRIPTION: AME Learning’s product development department is seeking a talented individual to coordinate the technical functions and perform programming assignments.

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
• Maintain programming documentation and record programming problems
• Provide clients support by resolving their technical issues via email and phone
• Monitor and maintain computer systems and networks
• Identify opportunities to improve the Quality, Availability and Performance of AME’s online tools and network
• Generate user feedback and modify existing programs
• Write new program code using prescribed specifications
Assist other departments as a technical support resource

Job Requirements:

Qualifications:
• Related College or University education preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Familiar with most or all of the following technologies: HTML, PHP, SQL, MySQL, Flash, basic Linux
• Data management and system administration experience preferred
• Experience with Moodle or other learning management system preferred
• Experience in developing and maintaining business applications is an asset
• Networking, Desktop environments (Windows, Microsoft Office)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented and well organized
• Work well individually and in a team environment
• Strong work ethics and interpersonal skills

Targeted Programs:

Targeted Clusters

Targeted Programs

Application Procedure: Employer Email
If by email, send to: career@amelearning.com

Organization: AME Learning
Division: Education
Job Contact First Name: Linda
Job Contact Last Name: Zhang
Contact Title: Operations Manager
Phone: (416)479-0200
Website: www.amelearning.com
Email: career@amelearning.com
Address Line One: 1200 Sheppard Ave. E
Address Line Two: Suite 303
City: Toronto
Province / State: Ontario

Application Deadline: Jun 08, 2012 11:59PM

Tip Tuesday

Ten Time Saving Tips to Speed Up Your Job Search

Is your job search off to a slow start or getting stuck? Here are some quick time-saving job search tips that will help your hunt for a new job go smoothly.

1. Be Prepared. Have a voice mail system in place and sign-up for a professional sounding email address. Put your cell phone number on your resume so you can follow up in a timely manner. This job search toolkit will help you get everything you need set for your job search.
2. Be More Than Prepared. Always have an up-to-date resume ready to send - even if you are not currently looking for work. You never know when an opportunity that is too good to pass up might come along.
3. Don't Wait. If you are laid-off, file for unemployment benefits right away. You may be able to file online or by phone. Waiting could delay your benefits check.
4. Get Help. Utilize free or inexpensive services that provide career counseling and job search assistance such as college career offices, state Department of Labor offices or your local public library.
5. Create Your Own Templates. Have copies of your resume and cover letter ready to edit. That way you can change the content to match the requirements of the job you're applying for, but, the contact information and your opening and closing paragraphs won't need to be changed.
6. Use Job Search Engines. Search the job search engines. Use the job search engine sites to search the major job banks, company sites, associations, and other sites with job postings for you.
7. Jobs by Email. Let the jobs come to you. Use job search agents to sign up and receive job listings by email. All the major job sites have search agents and some web sites specialize in sending announcements.
8. Time Savers. Strapped for time? Consider getting help writing or editing your resume.
9. References Ready. Have a list of three references including name, job title, company, phone number and email address ready to give to interviewers.
10. Use Your Network. Be cognizant of the fact that many, if not most, job openings aren't advertised. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for work. Ask if they can help.

This tip isn't a time saver, but, it will broaden your online job search resources.
Don't Stop. Don't limit your job searching to the top sites like Monster or CareerBuilder. Check the smaller niche sites that focus on a particular geographic location or career field and you will find plenty of job listings.

To view original article CLICK HERE

Making It Big Monday

9 Little-Known Ways to Advance Your Career

Setting long-term goals and creating a plan for achieving them are important for career growth, but small changes to your daily routine can have a big impact on your professional prospects, too. Following are nine simple -- yet often overlooked -- actions that can help you advance professionally.

1. Speak up.

Actively participating in office discussions demonstrates your enthusiasm and interest in the company. Before you attend meetings, review the agenda and prepare a few points of interest on the topics to be addressed. While you don't want to talk to hear yourself speak, do not hesitate to share your ideas when you have something valuable to add.

2. Sit in the 'hot seat.'
Did you know that where you sit in a meeting can determine if you get a plum assignment or not? Choosing a seat near the meeting leader signals your support and helps ensure you're seen and heard. And by placing yourself at the center of the action, you're likely to participate more.

3. Exercise your bragging rights. You may have heard the phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." But in the office, it often comes down to who knows you. Imagine the executives in your company are having a meeting to decide who will work on a high-profile project. Would anyone in the room mention your name? If not, you've got some self-promoting to do. E-mailing a weekly status report to your boss detailing major accomplishments or volunteering to present your group's milestones at a meeting are easy ways to increase your visibility.

4. Go beyond the call of duty. Another way to raise your profile is to assist colleagues with their workloads or take on tasks outside your job description. You might, for example, volunteer to serve as a trainer during new-hire orientations, lead the internship program or help organize the company's annual team-building event. These types of duties may not seem glamorous, but they're often near and dear to executives' hearts, and they force you to move out of your comfort zone.

5. Accept credit graciously.

When someone compliments you for doing a good job, how do you react? If you typically shrug it off and say, "It was nothing," you may be leaving the door open for someone else to steal your thunder. Try instead, "Thank you. I'm glad the hard work paid off," or "Thanks. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out, too." Just be careful about accepting credit that's not yours -- it's a sure-fire way to create tension and animosity among your teammates.

6. Shoot the breeze.
Did you know the gift of gab can lead to improved work performance? Forty percent of workers polled by Robert Half International said water cooler conversations increase productivity by providing opportunities for employee bonding. In addition to engaging in occasional chit-chat with your co-workers, be sure to partake in company gatherings, such as the annual picnic or holiday party, and team-building activities. Through these informal events, you can develop camaraderie with other employees and make valuable new contacts within the organization.

7. Eat, drink and demonstrate proper dining decorum. The business lunch is becoming increasingly common, so it's in your best interest to learn proper dining etiquette. Being rude to wait staff or arriving late, for example, may cost you; these were cited as the top business blunders a professional can make during a lunch meeting by executives surveyed by Robert Half. Ordering the rib platter (or equally messy foods), constantly checking your cell phone or broaching business matters before orders are placed can also be a recipe for disaster.

8. Make more meaningful connections.
Conferences and industry events are great opportunities to network, and there are a few tricks to help you make good first impressions. For example, wearing your name tag on the right side, near your shoulder, makes it easier for others to see and remember your name as they shake your hand. Using the back of people's business cards to write information about them, such as their interests, also will help jog your memory after the event and provide motive to follow up.

9. Give thanks.

If someone recently helped you -- perhaps your neighbor alerted you to an employment opportunity or a friend proofread your résumé -- let the person know you appreciate the support. Take a few moments to write a short, sincere thank-you note. The respect, kindness and personal touch will create an indelible mark in your recipient's mind and improve the chances he or she will help out again.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Fun Facts Friday

Hilarious Interview Bloopers!

• "She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time."

• "... asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel executive was qualified to judge the candidate."

• "Stated that, if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm."

• " A balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few minutes later, wearing a hairpiece."

• "During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate's brief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview."

• "Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions."

• "When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office."

• One candidate "... stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application."

• "At the end of the interview, while I stood there dumbstruck, went through my purse, took out a brush, brushed his hair, and left."

• "... pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me.  Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him."

• "Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much."

• "While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took out a copy of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only, stopping longest at the centerfold."

• "Candidate said he really didn't want to get a job, but the unemployment office needed proof that he was looking for one."

• "... asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on my desk.   When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now and wanted my phone number."

• "... announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office - wiping the ketchup on her sleeve"

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Top 10 Careers of 2012!

• In-Home Nurse: Nurses take care of individuals with health problems, whether they are sick, dying, or disabled. As the preference for care moves to the home, there will be more opportunities for In-Home Nurses.
• Nurse Practitioner: Nurse practitioners, provide a level of direct medical care to patients and act as a consultant to other practicing nurses in non-hospital settings.
• Programmer Analyst: Computer programmers write, test, and maintain the detailed instructions, called programs, which computers must follow. Digital technology continues to advance making this career in high demand. 
• Psychiatrist: Psychiatrists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and emotional disorders, and act as consultants for other physicians. 
• Teacher, Special Education: The greater awareness and development of educational approaches for students with special needs is leading to the expansion of this educational sector.
• Physiotherapist: Physiotherapists assess patients and plan and carry out individually designed treatment programs to improve or restore physical functioning and alleviate pain. 
• Physician and Surgeon: The expansion of both the public and private healthcare sectors leads to an increasing number of specialist areas and an ever increasing need for physicians and surgeons.
• Pharmacist: Today's pharmacists work with patients to determine what the patient's needs are and what care should be provided, called "pharmaceutical care". 
• Radiological Technician: Radiologic technologists (or x-ray technicians) explain procedures to patients, make images for physicians to interpret, and keep records of patients' treatments. 
• Registered Nurses: Changes in the healthcare system continue to broaden the opportunities for nurses. 

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Weekly Feature Wednesday

Position Type: Off-campus Summer Employment 


Job Title: Lifeguard Job Location: Ottawa Employment 


Category: Social Service/Recreation/Health 


Job Description: 
Under the supervision of Aquatic Supervisor, the Lifeguard performs lifeguard duties. He/She opens and closes the aquatic facility, ensures the safety of all participants while in the pool facility and assists in maintaining the pool office, pool deck and storage areas in a neat and tidy manner. The Lifeguard conducts facility inspections, completes checklists and advises supervisor of any concerns found. He/She also participates in meetings and in-service training, clinics and club events.


Job Requirements:

 - High school diploma AND some experience OR 

- An acceptable combination of education, training and experience will also be considered AND 
- Current National Lifeguard Service Certificate (NLS) qualifications 
- Current CPR Level C 
- Current Standard First Aid 
- Current Automated External Defibrillation 
- Current Red Cross certification Language requirement: Bilingual Mandatory 
– Level 222 / 222. Non bilingual candidates may apply but will only be considered if the bilingual mandatory staffing process is unsuccessful. 


  Knowledge Requirements Experience Requirements 
- of life guarding/safety techniques and procedures 
- of injury prevention practices 
- of health and safety practices 
- in dealing with the public
- in providing customer service 
- in performing lifeguard duties 
- in dealing with children 
- in using software for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, e-mail, and Internet browsing 


Salary: $ 10.93 /hr 


Successful candidate will be prepared to commence employment as soon as possible. NPF employees must demonstrate the following core characteristics: team player, customer focus, positive attitude, excellence, and competence. NPF is committed to Employment Equity and Diversity and invites applications from Women, Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and Visible Minorities. Additional 


Application Information: Eligible candidates should submit a resume clearly outlining their ability to fulfill all position requirements by mail to: NPF Human Resources Manager, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2, by e-mail to CFSUORecruiting@cfpsa.com or online at www.cfpsa.com. Applications must be received before 1600 hrs on 7 May 2012. Please note that only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. If you have special needs and require accommodation measures for the selection process, please notify the NPF Human Resources Manager at that time. 


Organization: Canadian 
Forces Personnel Support Agency Division: Canadian Forces 


Application Deadline: May 07, 2012 04:00PM