Top Job Thursday

List of Canada's Top 100 employers for 2013

 

3M Canada Co., London. Manufacturing; 1,860 full-time employees. Provides a quiet room for meditation and reflection.

Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Inc. (APTN), Winnipeg. Television broadcasting; 135 employees. Offers subsidies for tuition and professional accreditation.

Accenture Plc, Toronto. Computer programming and consulting; 3,793 employees. Offers employee referral bonuses up to $6,000.

Aecon Group Inc., Toronto. Construction and infrastructure development company; 9,684 employees. Share purchase plan available to all employees.

Agriculture Financial Services Corp. (AFSC), Lacombe, Alta. Credit intermediation; 550 employees. Supports flexible work arrangements.

Agrium Inc., Calgary. Fertilizer manufacturing; 2,251 employees. Manages a popular engineer-in-training program.

Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc., Boyle, Alta. Pulp mills; 450 employees. Offers new employees up to four weeks of paid vacation.

AMEC Americas Ltd., Oakville, Ont. Engineering services; 7,200 employees. Offers referral bonuses for some positions of up to $5,000.

Bank of Canada, Ottawa. Banking; 1,176 employees. Offers a defined benefit pension plan.

Bayer Inc., Toronto. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 702 employees. Provides a subsidy up to $15,000 for in-vitro fertilization when needed.

BC Public Service, Victoria. Government support; 26,201 employees. Manages an academic scholarship program for children of employees.

Bennett Jones LLP, Calgary. Lawyers; 821 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up payments of 100 per cent of salary for one week.

Bank of Montreal, Toronto. Banking; 28,686 employees. Offers retirement planning assistance and phased-in retirement work options.

Bombardier Inc., Montreal. Aircraft manufacturing; 24,147 employees. Offers paid internship opportunities for new graduates and younger employees.

Business Development Bank of Canada, Montreal. Banking; 1,958 employees. Flexible health plan offers employees the option of purchasing additional vacation days.

Cameco Corp., Saskatoon. Uranium mining; 3,033 employees. Offers an onsite fully equipped fitness facility at head office.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Toronto. Commercial banking; 33,965 employees. Offers referral and year-end bonuses.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Ottawa. National security; 3,311 employees. Provides maternity and parental leave top-up payments for new mothers up to 93 per cent of salary for 52 weeks.

Carswell, a division of Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd., Toronto. Book publishing; 984 employees. Manages a two-year leadership program to help promote from within.

Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. Child and youth services; 581 employees. Offers the option to take unpaid full- and part-time educational leaves of absence.

Cementation Canada Inc., North Bay, Ont. Mine contracting and engineering; 1,034 employees. Added more than 50 new positions in Canada last year.

Ceridian Canada Ltd., Winnipeg. Payroll services; 1,297 employees. Offers formal mentoring, in-house and online training and career planning services.

Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, Burnaby, B.C. Professional organizations; 144 employees. Transit subsidy available for ride-share programs.

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Toronto. Professional organizations; 285 employees. Provides flexible work arrangements for new mothers returning to work.

Dalhousie University, Halifax. Colleges and universities; 3,328 employees. Offers a health benefits plan that extends into employees’ retirement years.

Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada, Richmond, B.C. Motorcycle dealer; 139 employees. Matches donations to employees’ favourite charities.

Desjardins Group, Lévis, Que. Credit unions; 37,790 employees. Provides showers and change rooms for bicycle commuters.

DIALOG, Vancouver. Architectural and engineering Services; 540 employees. Provides year-end bonuses for some employees.

Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., Yellowknife. Mining; 1,171 employees. Recognized for its aboriginal development program in partnership with SAIT Polytechnic.

Digital Extremes Ltd., London, Ont. Computer programming; 182 employees. Two full-time chefs prepare free healthy meals daily for staff.

EllisDon Corp., Mississauga, Ont. Building construction; 1,164 employees. Starts new employees with three weeks of paid vacation.

Enbridge Inc., Calgary. Natural gas distribution; 4,681 employees. Partners with the University of Calgary to provide mentoring to undergraduates.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Toronto. Hotels; 8,705 employees. Committed to environmental stewardship through its energy and water conservation policies.

General Motors of Canada Ltd., Oshawa, Ont. Motor vehicle manufacturing; 10,317 employees. Provides generous subsidies for tuition and professional accreditation.

Georgian College, Barrie, Ont. Colleges and universities; 791 employees. Recently opened a new Health and Wellness building.

Goldcorp Inc., Vancouver. Gold mining; 2,290 employees. Offers paid time off during the holiday season.

Golder Associates Ltd., Calgary. Engineering services; 2,995 employees. Manages an international employee exchange program.

Great Little Box Co. Ltd., Richmond, B.C. Box manufacturing; 213 employees. Encourages employees to save for retirement through matching RRSP contributions.

Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Hospitals; 4,529 employees. Offers in-house and online training programs.

HP Advanced Solutions Inc., Victoria. Computer system design; 403 employees. Considers previous work experience for vacation entitlements.

ISM Canada, Regina. Computer programming; 821 employees. Offers discounts on home computer equipment.

Ivanhoé Cambridge Inc., Montreal. Commercial retail spaces; 1,160 employees. Offers range of alternative work arrangements including flexible hours.

Johnson Inc., St. John’s. Insurance; 1,514 employees. Offers flexible work options including telecommuting and shortened workweek option.

Knight Piésold Ltd., Vancouver. Engineering services; 181 employees. Profit-sharing and year-end bonuses available to all employees.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Certified public accountants; 5,778 employees. Offers referral bonuses up to $1,000.

L’Oréal Canada Inc., Montreal. Cosmetics manufacturing; 1,200 employees. Recognizes exceptional performance with VIP trips to company-sponsored events.

Ledcor Group of Companies, Vancouver. Building construction; 6,988 employees. Offers formal mentoring for young workers new to the construction industry.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets; 29,725 employees. Subsidizes memberships to a fully equipped onsite fitness centre.

Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 5,980 employees. Recently appointed a northern aboriginal employee counsellor.

Manitoba Lotteries Corp., Winnipeg. Gambling; 1,307 employees. Long-serving employees receive up to six weeks of paid vacation.

Manulife Financial Corp., Toronto. Life insurance; 10,999 employees. Located amidst a beautiful seven-acre garden oasis in downtown Toronto.

Mars Canada Inc., Bolton, Ont. Confectionery manufacturing; 474 employees. Offers reserved car parking for hybrid vehicles at head office.

McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Toronto. Lawyers; 1,467 employees. Offers extended health benefit coverage during maternity leave.

Medtronic of Canada Ltd., Brampton, Ont. Medical apparatus manufacturing; 437 employees. New LEED certified head office offers environmentally friendly features.

Molson Coors Canada, Montreal. Breweries; 2,898 employees. Provides a fitness centre and cafeteria with subsidized meals.

Monsanto Canada Inc., Winnipeg. Agricultural biotechnology; 275 employees. Encourages employee development with tuition subsidies to $10,000.

National Ballet of Canada, Toronto. Dance company; 216 employees. Features an onsite cafeteria, with healthy and special diet menus.

National Energy Board, Calgary. Oil, gas and electric utility regulation; 363 employees. Offers a paid education leave program for employees completing work-related courses at outside institutions.

Northwest Territories, Government of the, Yellowknife. Government support; 5,862 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up payments for care of a loved one to 100 per cent of salary for seven weeks.

Nuance Communications Canada Inc., Montreal. Software publishers; 522 employees. Offers a share purchase plan and profit-sharing to all employees.

OpenText Corp., Waterloo, Ont. Computer programming; 1,331 employees. Offers signing bonuses for some positions and referral bonuses.

Ottawa, City of. Legislative bodies, 12,103 employees. Offers subsidies for tuition and professional accreditation and career planning services.

PCL Constructors Inc., Edmonton. Building construction; 2,346 employees. Offers in-house apprenticeship opportunities.

Pfizer Canada Inc., Kirkland, Que. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 2,726 employees. Offers an onsite daycare centre for new mothers.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Fertilizer manufacturing; 2,765 employees. Manages an academic scholarship program for children of employees.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Toronto. Certified public accountants; 6,527 employees. Hosts a national PwC hockey tournament with office teams.

Procter & Gamble Inc., Toronto. Toiletry product manufacturing; 2,012 employees. Offers health benefits coverage into retirement, with no age limit.

Rescan Environmental Services Ltd., Vancouver. Environmental consulting; 146 employees. Partners with UBC’s Sauder School of Business in developing a management development program.

SAS Institute (Canada) Inc., Toronto. Computer programming; 269 employees. Features an onsite fully equipped fitness facility with free membership.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance, Regina. Insurance carriers; 1,902 employees. Offers an informal phased-in retirement program.

SaskTel, Regina. Telecommunications; 3,131 employees. Employees and retirees volunteer tens of thousands of hours every year to community projects.

Shaw Communications Inc., Calgary. Communications; 12,666 employees. Offers subsidies for job-related courses and professional accreditation.

Shell Canada Ltd., Calgary. Petroleum and gas extraction; 7,825 employees. Provides a meditation and reflection centre.

Shoppers Drug Mart Inc., Toronto. Drug stores;1,323 employees. Offers referral bonuses up to $3,000.

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C. Colleges and universities; 2,752 employees. Manages an onsite daycare facility.

Solvera Solutions, Regina. Computer programming; 130 employees. Offers personal paid days off.

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont. Hospitals; 2,706 employees. Outreach program directs medical personnel, supplies and equipment to countries in need.

Stryker Canada Inc., Hamilton, Ont. Surgical and medical products; 213 employees. Offers year-end performance bonuses.

Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary. Petroleum and natural gas; 12,897 employees. Offers more than 10 personal paid days off taken at the employees’ discretion.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto. Hospitals; 5,208 employees. Offers fertility drug treatments through its health benefits plan.

Toronto-Dominion Bank, Toronto. Banking; 43,850 employees. Operates an in-house rotational work program for women returning to work.

Technip Canada Ltd., St. John’s. Engineering services; 124 employees. Offers a range of alternative work arrangements.

Telus Corp., Vancouver, B.C. Telecommunications; 24,443 employees. Hosts an annual day of service to encourage employee volunteerism.

Toronto Hydro Corp., Toronto. Electric power distribution; 1,742 employees. Employees can apply for an unpaid leave of absence for up to one year.

Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto. Motion pictures; 149 employees. Offers internship opportunities and in-house training programs.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc., Cambridge, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 7,024 employees. Offers generous discounts for the lease or purchase of new vehicles.

Trican Well Service Ltd., Calgary. Support for oil and gas operations; 2,395 employees. Offers profit-sharing and a share purchase plan available to all employees.

Union Gas Ltd., Chatham-Kent, Ont. Natural gas distribution; 2,192 employees. New employees start at three weeks of paid vacation.

University of New Brunswick, Fredericton and Saint John. Colleges and universities; 1,782 employees. Offers parental leave top-up payments to new fathers or adoptive parents up to 95 per cent of salary for 17 weeks.

University of Toronto. Colleges and universities; 8,485 employees. Manages onsite daycare facilities at each campus location.

Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, Vancouver. Credit unions; 1,836 employees. Recently added a rooftop garden managed entirely by volunteer employees.

Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria. Hospitals; 8,098 employees. Offers an onsite co-operatively run fitness facility.

Vancouver, City of. Legislative bodies; 6,898 employees. Depending upon the position, offers flexible hours and an earned days-off program.

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., Vancouver. Sawmills; 4,931 employees. Offers a share purchase plan option to all employees.

WestJet Airlines Ltd., Calgary. Air transportation; 5,806 employees. Donated more than 4,790 flights to charitable initiatives last year.

Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc., Winnipeg. Airport operation; 150 employees. Provides discounts at airport restaurants and retail outlets.

Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, Halifax. Human resource programs; 382 employees. Offers retirement planning workshops.

World Vision Canada, Mississauga, Ont. Social advocacy; 442 employees. Provides employees with the opportunity to visit locations where World Vision operates.

Xerox Canada Inc., Toronto. Computer manufacturing; 3,588 employees. Encourages ongoing employee development with tuition subsidies up to $6,000.

Yellow Pages Group Co., Verdun, Que. Directory publishers; 2,761 employees. Added more than 280 new positions last year.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Witty Wednesday

20 funny (yet strangely motivational) quotations on leadership

Quotations on leadership have always been popular for people in the business world, particularly with managers and people at Director and CEO level. These types of quotes can be inspirational, insightful, motivational, moving and make you think. And if a few of them make you laugh out loud and have a little bit of a chuckle in the process then that is even better!

We have handpicked twenty of our favourite funny leadership quotes, ranging throughout time and history and from a varied group of individuals: world leaders, comedians and even the anonymous. They vary from the weirdly unusual to those that are just downright amusing.

We hope that you enjoy them...

The list

1. "Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head." - Euripides
2. "It is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it... anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." - Douglas Adams
3. "The question, 'Who ought to be boss?', is like asking, 'Who ought to be the tenor in the quartet?' Obviously, the man who can sing tenor." - Henry Ford
4. "I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep." - Talleyrand
5. "You can build a throne with bayonets, but you can't sit on it for long." - Boris Yeltsin
6. "To lead the people, walk behind them." - Lao Tzu
7. "It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse." - Adlai Stevenson
8. "It is a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead - and find no one there." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
9. "A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune." - Anonymous
10. "Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men - the other 999 follow women." - Groucho Marx
11. "When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that person is crazy." - Dave Barry
12. "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you. If you really make them think, they'll hate you." - Don Marquis
13. "The leadership instinct you are born with is the backbone. You develop the funny bone and the wishbone that go with it." - Elaine Agather
14. "Leadership, like swimming, cannot be learned by reading about it." - Henry Mintzberg
15. "You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership." - Dwight Eisenhower
16. "A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." - Max Lucado
17. "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't!" - Margaret Thatcher
18. "A leader has to appear consistent. That doesn't mean he has to be consistent." - James Callahan
19. "Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes." - Lewis Grizzard
20. "Lead, follow or get out of the way!" - Anonymous

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Tip Tuesday

7 Tips to Becoming a Leader at Work

You want to be a leader at work but you do not carry the title. So, how do you go about positioning yourself as a leader at work?

There are many ways, but listed below are some that comes to mind. You can use these actions that will inevitably position yourself as a leader at work without being too obvious about your ambitions.

Take Responsibility
You want to be a leader at work, learn to take responsibility for anything that has your fingerprint on it. That means, as long as you participate in the project, you have a hand at the failure of the project.
Learn to take responsibility for not just the good things, but even bad ones. Admit to your mistakes because it’s okay to be wrong. You cannot learn if you have not made any mistakes.

Believe in Win-Win
A rising tide lifts all boats – always think win-win. It exists. Just because the world thinks the business world is nasty, and that you need to be manipulative and maneuvering to win, you need not participate in it.
In fact, make it your contribution not to be nasty and bullying in your ways. You want to be a leader at work, believe in your hands as leader to change the world.
The power of positive influence you have on the people around you and the power to inspire people to greater heights is in front of you.

Push the Envelope
Try new things. Take some risk. Make yourself uncomfortable. Do the things that may risk making you look foolish – what do you have to lose? Leaders take risks. They are not afraid of doing what they believe.
What do you believe in that you are willing to take some risk? To be a leader at work, you need to take even simple risks like taking on the project no one wants.

Do it, Write It
I have often said this. This world is full of people who talk too much and don’t do enough. If you want to be a leader at work, act upon something. Work that plan.
If you have any ideas that are simmering in your mind, write it down. It doesn’t matter if it is not a plan yet, just write it down.
If you don’t write it down, there is no one to present to and there is no record of the idea. How can it count? If you want to be a leader at work, you have practice writing down everything.

See Opportunities Everywhere
There is no need to create opportunities for yourself to lead. The opportunities to lead are everywhere. You need to be mindful of these opportunities.
I have just mentioned one earlier. Are there any opportunities to take on the project no one wants? If you don’t see opportunities everywhere, you are missing the point.

Be Open
Be open to criticism, otherwise you are just living off yourself. What does it mean? When you are open to feedback, you are being fed ideas from others that are free. Often times, these ideas come from people smarter than you. They will give you tips on how to improve and how to be better.
That’s what a leader needs - constant feedback. You need feedback to be a leader at work, otherwise you are “feed-own” (I just created that word to mean feeding yourself) and you will go hungry soon. With no new ideas, a leader dries up.

Give, Give, Give
That’s how you open up. Pour out all you got from inside you. Give all you have ideas, thoughts, plans. Feel the vulnerability and learn to like it. When you pour all your ideas out you will need new ones. Where do new ideas come from? From critics who want to tear you down, from well-meaning supporters and from people you least expect.

More comes back to you. You have more to input. It enriches you. That’s how you become a leader at work.

These are the seven actions to position yourself as a leader at work. You want to be a leader at work? Do not be afraid of taking risks. You have more to gain than lose when you open up.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

The Top Jobs for 2013

Struggling to find a job? If you’re an accountant, computer systems analyst or event coordinator, there's a good chance your luck will change in 2013.

These three professions are among the best jobs that require a bachelor's degree for 2013, according to a new study by CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI).
The study used EMSI’s rich labor market database, which pulls from over 90 national and state employment resources and includes detailed information on employees and self-employed workers, to find the 18 top jobs for 2013, based on the occupations with the most jobs added since 2010.

Witty Wednesday

Recruiting Firm Shares The 50 Weirdest Job Titles They've Ever Seen

Every once in awhile, you'll get a business card with such a pretentious job title, you don't even know what the person really does for a living.

And if you're a recruiter, you probably see more fancy job titles than you'd prefer.

Recruiting firm Coburg Banks shares on their blog 50 of the most ridiculous job titles they've ever come across on resumes.

Most of these titles come from marketing applicants, which "perhaps says something about people in marketing," the post says.

We thought these titles were pretty funny:

1. Beverage Dissemination Officer – Bartender
2. Chick Sexer – Someone who determines the sex of chickens
3. Digital Overlord – Website Manager
4. Retail Jedi – Shop Assistant
5. Wizard of Light Bulb Moments – Marketing Director
6. Chief Chatter – Call Centre Manager
7. Animal Colourist – This person dyes animals for movies and marketing campaigns
8. Problem Wrangler – Counselor
9. Twisted Brother – Balloon Artist
10. Digital Dynamo - Digital Marketing Executive
11. Direct Mail Demi-God – Direct Mail Manager
12. Dream Alchemist – Head of Creative
13. Marketing Rockstar – Marketing Executive
14. Light Bender – Someone who is responsible for the high-tech, precision job of making neon lights
15. Space Travel Agent– This is the job of Craig Curran who is an accredited travel agent for Virgin Galactic, the world’s first space tourism business.
16. Associate to the Executive Manager of Marketeer’ing and Conservation efforts –Marketing Assistant
17. Pneumatic device and machine optimizer – Factory Worker
18. Senior Kindle Evangelist’ – In charge of all things Kindle for Amazon
19. Brand Evangelist – Marketing Brand Manager
20. Chief Inspiration Officer – A ‘CIO’ is a company representative whose role is essentially to encourage ‘belief in the company’ and ‘internal evangelism of its values’
21. Part-Time Czar – Czars were Eastern European supreme rulers that haven’t been around since WWII. This person is either an assistant manager or perhaps an emperior of Russia who has been kept in a cryopreserve state since 1917 and is now ready to rejoin the job market.
22. Associate Vice President – One of a number of Vice Presidents
23. Patron Saint of Academic Studying – Unless this person was several hundred years old, I’m doubting whether this person is being totally honest about being a saint.
24. Personalized care assistant – Care Assistant is fine
25. Hair Boiler- Someone who boils animal hair until it curls (for use in a variety of products)
26. Cheese Sprayer – Someone who sprays cheese or butter by hand on popcorn
27. Oyster Floater – Someone who floats oysters in water until they are free of impurities
28. Marketing Rockstar – Simply a Marketing Manager
29. Grand master of underlings – Deputy Manager
30. Creativity analyst – Assistant Marketing Manager
31. Accounting Ninja – Financial Manager (Trying to make numbers sound sexier than they are)
32. Sales Ninja – Sales Executive
33. Conversation Architect – Digital Marketing Manager
34. Director of Fun – Director of Marketing
35. New Media Guru – Digital Marketing Manager
36. Initiative Officer – Planner
37. Social Media Trailblazer – Digital Marketing Executive
38. Corporate Magician – Trade Show Magician
39. Master Handshaker – ?????
40. Communications Ambassador – ?????
41. Happiness Advocate – ?????
42. Under Secretary to the Sub-Committee – ?????
43. Hyphenated-specialist – ??????
44. Second Tier Totalist – ??????
45. Actions and Repercussions Adviser -??????
46. Professionalist – ??????
47. International and world-wide optical and vision-focused tenured professorship –??????
48. Creator of Happiness -??????
49. Change Magician - ?????
50. Chief Biscuit Dunker- ??????

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Tip Tuesday

 20 Ways to Get the Job You Want

20 essential tips to finding that job you want

You can help make the job you want happen. The key is believing in you. Plant your feet firmly on the path to the job you desire. Take the time to free yourself of the shackles of doubt so you can see yourself in the most positive accurate way. Confidence is what allows you to see the asset you are. Dream, plan, try and stretch yourself to get that job you desire.

Read more ways to gain confidence on your job pursuit:

1. Stay Positive - Remind yourself of all the positive qualities and skills you bring to any job by making a list.

 

2. Put Your Best Qualities Forward - Keep in mind that you are a composite of all those wonderful qualities and be prepared to share them at your next possible job opportunity.

3. Inner Confident Shows - Inner confidence shines through on the outside and others are attracted to it.

4. Cheer Yourself On - Be your own cheerleader and make it clear what you have to offer.

5. No One is Perfect - Recognize everyone has short-comings and you don't have to be perfect to be an asset.

 

6. Learning is Always a Possibility - If the job requires a new skill, confidently acknowledge that you can gain that skill.

7. Eliminate Stress - Recognize new situations are likely to create stress but you can handle the stress knowing you are capable and will get through it.

8. Open Your Mind - Be open-minded and try a new path and see where it takes you.

9. It's Not All Or Nothing - Don't over value the job you are applying for.

10. No Job is Perfect - There is no such thing as the one perfect job that got away.

11. New Opportunities Await - If one job does not work out, there will be others along the way.

12. The Job Hunt is Your Job - Treat job hunting like a job and schedule specific hours to work on it.

13. Everyone Needs Personal Time S0 Take A Break - It's important to schedule in time for you to take time out to relieve stress through exercise, hobbies, or planned fun time with family or friends.

14. Look For New Hobbies- Schedule in those pleasant activities which keep you feeling good.

15. Exercise Strengthens The Mind - Schedule in time to exercise as it is good for the body and good for the head.

16. Discover Something New - Take the time to try something new and experience that sense of accomplishment.

17. Ask Friends For Help - Don't isolate from your friends as you are not the first or the last person to look for a job.

18. You Can Handle Anything Life Throws At You - Think back to all the difficult situations and problems you have tackled and believe in the confidence you have earned.

19. Keep Your Confidence - Don't let your confidence get rattled when the path gets bumpy.

20. Celebrate Small Victories - Give yourself credit for every step you take and celebrate each victory no matter how small.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Making It Big Monday

5 Ways to Get the Job You Want -- in Any Economy

With all the bleak economic news and reports of massive layoffs, it's easy to lose sight of an exciting fact of work: There have never been more opportunities and possibilities for talented people than exist today. The rate of new business formation in the United States has passed more than 1 million new companies per year. Employers everywhere are looking for bright, resourceful and committed people to help their businesses grow. The best way to help the best companies find you is to become a self-directed job searcher.

Regardless of your employment experience, your target industry or the economic climate, you can get a job -- a great job -- if you are willing to work hard and know how to work smart. Here are some of the very best ideas, strategies and methods for putting your career back on the fast track.

1. Take control of your career
The average person starting work today will have 11 full-time jobs and as many as five different careers over the course of his or her lifetime. To weather the storms of lifelong career change, you must be proactive, not reactive.
Begin by seeing yourself as self-employed. See yourself as the president of a company with one employee: you. See yourself as having one product to sell in a competitive marketplace: your personal services. You are completely responsible for research and development. No matter who signs your paycheck, you are always on your own payroll. This attitude is the starting point for getting the job you want for the rest of your career.

2. Take stock of yourself
Before you go out and look for a job, do some self-reflection. Make a list of all the things you can do for which someone would be willing to pay. What have you done especially well at your previous jobs? What sort of activities in your work and your personal life do you most enjoy? The good news is that you will always do the very best at something that makes you the happiest. To help yourself follow the right career track, describe your ideal job. The greater clarity you have about exactly what it is you want to do and how much you want to earn, the easier it is for someone to hire you.

3. Understand the job market
All labor, including your own, is subject to the economic law of supply and demand. The only way to ensure you get a rewarding job is by doing something important for which there is a demand in the marketplace and in which you are difficult to replace. A change in technology, consumer preferences or the economy can make a particular talent or specialty obsolete almost overnight. You must continually upgrade your knowledge and skills and adjust your efforts so that they conform to the needs of the current job market. In a free society such as ours, everybody works on commission.

4. Don't mistake unemployment for a vacation Look at your job search as a full-time job, taking 40 to 50 hours a week. Get up and get dressed each weekday morning as if you were going to work, eat a light, high-energy breakfast and then get going. Looking good and staying productive not only improves your attitude, but also impresses other people, both those inside your own house and those on the outside. Remember, you should never see yourself as unemployed. You are a fully employed person in a temporary state of transition.

5. Sow seeds everywhere Most of the jobs available are not advertised. They are hidden and waiting for you to discover them. Along with regularly surfing Internet job sites, be sure to list your qualifications and interests on every site that might attract employers seeking someone like you. Visit community job fairs and talk to exhibitors. Keep an eye out for news of new product releases and then seek out key people in the company. A business expansion represents job opportunities. Gather information about a prominent individual in an organization you would like to work for. Ask that person, by phone, by e-mail or in a letter, to grant you a 10-minute informational interview. Almost invariably, your interest, knowledge and gratitude will pay off in a job offer.

To view the original article CLICK HERE

Top Job Thursday

Canada's top 10 jobs

The following careers are in high demand and pay big salaries
If you want a good salary and recruiters fighting over you, you'd be smart to take up one of these careers.
Out of more than 600 jobs tracked by Statistics Canada, the following 10 professions had the best combination of high wages and employment growth over the past five years. For each one, we'll tell you the median salary, how high your salary can go, the training you need to get the job and more.

10. Economist

• Median Salary: $75,565
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 22%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 24%
• Economists analyze, forecast and advise on all things related to money, from finance and commodities to trade and industry.
• Money: Compensation for Canadian economists ranges from $35,000 to $150,000 and up. Those in the lucrative arena of investment banking can earn $300,000 or more—but at a price. “Some young economists get starry-eyed about the income scales in investment banking,” says Craig Alexander, chief economist of TD Bank. “But you’re going to have a sharply lower quality of life.” Public-sector economists generally get paid less than those in banks.
• Opportunity: An era of fiscal austerity in the public sector can be a boon for economics employment there, as federal and provincial departments such as Finance, Industry, Foreign Affairs and the Bank of Canada seek analysts who can work the data. In the 1990s, many companies began outsourcing economics work to the banks, so applied economics jobs in the private sphere is now mostly found in financial and insurance firms.
• Training: A BA in economics can open doors in general business, but it’s not enough to get into the economics field. For a job with Statistics Canada, for example, you need a graduate degree, and a career in academia will require a PhD.
• What it’s like: Many public-sector jobs have standard eight-hour days, while in the private sector it is common to work 10 hours or more. And in investment banking? “You start at 4:30 a.m. and take the 6:30 p.m. train home. Then, at 8 p.m. you have a conference call,” Alexander says. Successful economists are those who follow their passions, whether it be the environment or education, and use that to direct their careers.

9. Transport Manager

• Median Salary: $70,720
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 35%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 13%
• As a transport manager, you supervise the day-to-day activities of drivers—it could be trucking, buses, deliveries, taxis or public transit. Or you might be the one who controls subway trains by manning signals and operating track switches. You work for motor-transport companies or transit authorities.
• Money: Starting pay for a supervisor in 2011 was between $17.30 and $40 an hour, according to the Government of Alberta. Top earners made around $60, and 44% of employees make $50,000 a year or more. Depending on where you live, a high-earning trucking supervisor could earn as much as $120,000 a year. In Alberta, where companies compete with the oilsands for workers, wages are higher.
• Opportunity: Supervisory jobs at transport firms are plentiful in every province and territory, but there are more in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
• Training: Transport managers don’t need a degree or diploma (although 44% do have some post-secondary schooling). More important is having experience in transportation as a driver. Who gets the top jobs? “People who have great communication skills, who make decisions quickly, are the kind of people who move up to supervisor roles,” says Wayne Pederson, who runs a trucking company.
• What it’s like: “You might start at 6 a.m., and it’s definitely a 12 hour day,” says Pederson. Supervisors spend much of the day problem-solving. Challenges include rescheduling shipments and dealing with equipment breakdowns, bad weather or accidents.

8. Lawyer

• Median Salary: $79,997
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 34%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 14%
• As a lawyer, you’ll advise and represent people or organizations by interpreting Canadian law. But you’ll rack up lots of student loans first: after a four-year BA, you must invest in three years of law school, then spend a year articling before taking the bar exam. Within seven years at a firm you may be eligible for income partnership and eventually full partnership.
• Money: “Class-action lawyers can get huge numbers when they hit, but big gulfs when they don’t. Successful ones combine it with something certain, like litigation or personal injury,” says Warren Smith of recruiting firm The Counsel Network. Smith’s company found that in-house corporate counsel earned an average base salary of $146,000, about 20% more than government positions. The highest wages are in the energy sector, and in Calgary and Toronto.
• Opportunity: While some in the industry are concerned the 2009 slowdown may lead businesses to scale back on lawyers, Smith says companies will need lawyers as long as they’re going to try new things. “Clients go to a law firm because they don’t have answers. They have to get them from someone who has spent 20 years thinking about it.” Specializations in demand include mergers and acquisitions, and intellectual property.
• What it’s like: With an average retirement age of 78, this is a profession for people who love the work. “It’s an intellectual challenge,” says Emily MacKinnon, a recent UBC graduate who is set to article at the Supreme Court of Canada. “Life is fluid, and you’re trying to apply this framework to it.”

 7. Construction Manager

• Median Salary: $70,179
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 38%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 17%
• Construction managers are responsible for soup-to-nuts planning, estimating, negotiating and overseeing building projects. Anyone can start as a home renovator, but the fastest way to get ahead is an engineering degree, says Calvin Hollings, a project manager in Edmonton. His background spans carpentry, engineer training and ongoing leadership courses. “You first learn building, then you learn how to talk with consultants and architects. It’s understanding how to get the work done,” he says.
• Money: Salaries start around $33,000, but experienced managers with engineering degrees or certificates can see up to $95,000 in base pay, with the higher ranges found in the west and Ontario. Managers on major projects with large-scale engineering can earn more in completion bonuses, stock options and remote-site premiums.
• Opportunity: Some of the fire has come out of residential building, but industrial construction is still lucrative. Almost every province will need people overseeing big projects—potash and mining in Saskatchewan, petroleum in Alberta and B.C., and hydro dams in Manitoba and Quebec—with job demand for most of these projects peaking around 2015.
• What it’s like: You should be analytical, organized and good at math. Days on the job cycle between the job sites and the office, where you might be co-ordinating with foremen on more than 30 projects. Days are 10 hours or more and revolve around managing relationships with sub-trades, clients, suppliers and bureaucrats.

 6. Health Policy Consultant

• Median Salary: $65,229
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 65%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 16%
• As a health policy consultant or researcher you investigate health-care trends, and design policies and programs to help with issues such as medical record sharing. The field employs 63,000, most of whom work for clinics, drug companies or Health Canada. Degrees in management or health informatics, plus an MBA or CMA with a health focus help. Karen Born, a researcher at a Toronto hospital who began with a master’s in international health policy, says some of her colleagues even have backgrounds in criminology and the arts.
• Money: While pay in the field starts low—research assistants with BAs make less than $35,000—those with graduate degrees can earn over $80,000, and senior advisers crack six figures. Those with specialized skills, such as experience with informatics software, can exceed $150,000.
• Opportunity: An aging population, the need for integration among health providers and rapid technological development has fuelled the need for health policy specialists. In a belt-tightening era, the job calls for skills in data analysis and management science are particularly in demand.
• What it’s like: Karen Born finds a lot of flexibility in her role as a researcher and academic. While specialists at think-tanks or associations can travel a lot, nine-to-five work is the norm for those at government agencies. The field encompasses everything from data analysis to outreach and project management. 

5. Chemistry Specialist

• Median Salary: $67,330
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 53%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 22%
• Chemists research how chemicals interact with each other. The end goal can be anything from developing more efficient pain killers, to seeking out new sources of energy. If you get a chemical engineering degree, you’ll focus on the chemical processes and equipment used in the manufacturing of everything from plastics to fertilizers.
• Money: Salaries tend to vary by industry, but a new chemical engineer can expect to start around $50,000 (one study found that among the major cities, Edmonton is the most lucrative and Montreal the least for newcomers). The oil and gas, and metals and mining sectors pay chemical engineers the highest, but they employ only about 7% of the profession. A chemist with a B.Sc. is looking at $40,000 to start. In academia and pure research, salaries range from $100,000 to well above $200,000.
• Opportunity: The majority—about 70%—of chemical engineers work in manufacturing and so-called scientific services, which include waste management, pharmaceuticals and food. For chemists, there’s growing demand in the environment and water arena, and workplace safety and health.
• What it’s like: Chemistry covers a lot of subjects. “The economy is dependent on new materials—from active molecules for drug development to agricultural products—all these things lead to chemistry,” says Sergey Krylov, a York University chemistry professor. He believes curiosity and perseverance are chemists’ most important assets, since they may work on complex projects for decades. “I compare it to running a marathon” says Krylov.

 4. Data Analyst

• Median Salary: $66,040
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 64%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 22%
• As a data analyst, you collect and crunch data, and design systems to help your employer or client forecast trends and monitor performance. You may work at a tech consultancy or in the IT department of a large organization. You need a computer science or math degree (or at least a diploma), and programming experience is a major asset. If you want to do corporate strategic planning, consider an MBA.
• Money: Salaries range from $62,00 to $76,000 in Canada, StatsCan reports, but can reach over US$115,660 in the U.S. Financial, HR and other service companies tend to be the most lucrative employers. Experienced data analysts have growing consulting and freelance opportunities.
• Opportunity: “Big data” is the buzzword driving demand in this field. It refers to files so large they’re difficult to store and analyze, and they bedevil sectors from finance to meteorology. In the U.S., where the profession is among the fastest growing, the federal government is investing billions in crunching gluts of data. Employers are particularly keen on staff who get social media and analyze Internet data.
• What it’s like: The demands vary widely. Bridget Warner used to work for a Calgary investment bank, pulling 80-hour weeks. Now, she consults for a non-profit. The hours are better, but the job takes more than number-crunching skills. “You paint a picture for executives.” Interpretive skills are also required to figure out what data clients need.

3. Electrical Contractor

• Median Salary: $69,160
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 67%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 21%
• As a senior electrician or cable technician, you oversee crews of installers and repairmen, or technicians working on power and telecommunications lines. To get certified, you must complete an apprenticeship (typically four years, but you earn while you learn) and several weeks of in-class training.
• Money: Almost half this group is self-employed, which gives you more control over your income. Top-level power-line and cable workers can make $74,000 a year (more if they own their own business). The challenge for an independent is bill-collecting. “The average homeowner will pay you as soon as they can, but some small businesses never pay,” says Jeff Small, a master electrician in Kingston, Ont.
• Opportunity: While demand for construction trades isn’t expected to reach pre-recession peaks for some time, lots of work remains. Small, for one, is hiring, but is having little luck finding certified electricians. Ottawa projects shortages of qualified workers by 2020, especially those with experience: almost 40% of the workforce is expected to be recent graduates.
• What it’s like: You need to be good at reading blueprints, and you’ll need to keep up with changes to electrical standards. You should also be fit, because a lot of the work is done standing or in cramped spaces. And be prepared for long days. Small gets up at 4 a.m. to do invoicing and estimates, then meets up with his crew at 7:30 a.m. At the end of the day, there is more paperwork that often takes until 9 p.m. On the plus side, there are many avenues for expansion. Small is getting into street light installation, and solar may be his next niche.

2. Nursing Supervisor

• Median Salary: $74,880
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 46%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 24%
• As a supervisor, you manage the nursing staff at a hospital, clinic or nursing home. A four-year nursing degree is the price of entry into the sector, and you must register with the provincial body. Rising to supervisor requires both clinical experience (at least five years) and management training—part-time courses used to be enough, but increasingly you need an MBA or master’s in health administration.
• Money: These managers can make more than $90,000 in base pay, with premiums for post-graduate education or working evenings and weekends. To reach top earning levels, it helps to volunteer on hospital committees, says Stephanie Laivenieks, a clinical manager at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. “You’ll meet other leaders and gain a perspective on how the organization works.”
• Opportunity: Ottawa projects a 30% shortage of RNs and nurse supervisors by 2020. Filling the gap in management may require newcomers. “Few [of my staff] seem interested in getting into leadership,” says Laivenieks.
• What it’s like: You must balance the need for quality care with the operational side of running an efficient hospital. You’re also managing a budget. And the hours can be tough: 12-hour shifts, sometimes through the night.

1. Petroleum Engineer

• Median Salary: $90,002
• 5-Yr Growth in Employees: 85%
• 5-Yr Salary Growth: 13%
• As a petroleum engineer, you plan and oversee energy exploration and drilling, including testing and refurbishing wells. Most are employed by energy multinationals, but many also work for industry suppliers and government agencies, or as independent consultants. It can be dirty work, but it requires brains: you need an engineering degree (typically with a petroleum specialty), and the professional P.Eng. licence (which takes two to four years of experience and a written exam). Additionally, you may need certification in safety protocols like blowout prevention and well control. However, oil companies tend to value hands-on over textbook learning, so a co-op program (which usually adds a year to a four-year degree) may provide the best launch pad.
• Money: Petro engineers start at about $60,000 (more in Alberta) and senior specialists get as much as $300,000. There's a premium for work in dangerous or remote places, like an offshore rig or in Africa. You also earn more in the U.S.: the median salary there is US$120,000. But while the quickest path to high wages is foreign experience, soaring domestic demand makes that no longer necessary.
• Opportunity: In a word, huge. Even during the recession, 71% of oilpatch employers were seeking petro engineers. With Canada's oil production expected to jump from 2.8 to 4.2 million barrels a day by 2020, the industry will be a jobs gusher, both in the West and Newfoundland. For drilling supervisors alone, Ottawa predicts there will be less than half the people needed to fill almost 13,000 openings over the next decade. Still, beware the vagaries of the market: if energy prices fall, companies may put projects on hold.
• What it's like: The job requires a mechanical aptitude and an ability to quickly resolve problems. Even the smallest hiccup in well operation can mean big costs. "Every hole is different," says Dean Lynn, an independent drilling supervisor with 25 years of experience. "I'll get calls at 2 a.m. You need to keep people safe and make million-dollar decisions in a heartbeat."
• For Jerry Kennedy-Bissah, a stint working for an oil company in Libya led to other foreign opportunities. He's now on a five-year contract overseeing the development of a refinery in Saudi Arabia, returning home to Brampton, Ont., every few months. He finds the biggest challenge is navigating the dangers on site. "There are lots of gasses in confined spaces. You always have to be educating your construction and contractor teams."

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Witty Wednesday

100 Funny Business Quotes

In all seriousness, business can be pretty funny. From rickety leadership to entropic working styles, the business world, like real life, is shaded with chuckles. Here are 100 funny business quotes and sayings* that hold a grain of truth in their humor.

1. If you see a bandwagon, it’s too late. James Goldsmith
2. Early to bed and early to rise probably indicates unskilled labor. John Ciardi
3. Why join the navy if you can be a pirate? Steve Jobs
4. The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat. Lilly Tomlin
5. He’s taking this company to hell, and we’re riding shotgun. 
6. She got kicked upstairs. (She was promoted to a higher position that’s less appealing than her current one. This is business jargon.)
7. Don’t piss on my back and tell me it’s raining. Old West quote
8. Run your idea up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it.
9. We have paralysis by analysis.
10. Get the right people on the bus and in the right seat. Jim Collins
11. The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Vidal Sassoon
12. When you’re up to your armpits in alligators, it’s hard to remember to drain the swamp. Ronald Reagan
13. Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them. Communications axim
14. When you assume, you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me.”
15. Don’t beat a dead horse.
16. Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig. George Bernard Shaw
17. Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them more. Oscar Wilde
18. Don’t corner something meaner than you. Old West saying
19. Failure is not an option—it comes bundled with the software.
20. A picture is worth 1,000 words, but it uses up 3,000 times the memory.
21. The successful man is the one who finds out what is the matter with his business before his competitors do. Roy L. Smith
22. Eagles soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.
23. Every employee rises to the level of his own incompetence. The Peter Principle
24. Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Cyril Northcote Parkinson/Parkinson’s Law.
25. The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.
26. There’s an idiot somewhere deprived of a village.
27. A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. David Brinkley
28. A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost.
29. She works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.
30. She should go far. The sooner she starts, the better.
31. The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind. Joseph Stilwell
32. They slipped into the gene pool when the lifeguard wasn’t looking.
33. He has hit rock bottom and started to dig.
34. Success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid leaders. Sloan Wilson
35. The wheels are turning, but the hamsters are all dead.
36. Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot.
37. I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig, you get dirty; and besides, the pig likes it. George Bernard Shaw
38. If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you’ll get change.
39. Nothing is illegal if a hundred businessmen decide to do it. Andrew Young
40. There’s no secret about success. Did you ever know a successful man who didn’t tell you about it? Kin Hubbard
41. There’s no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting. David Letterman
42. Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats. Howard Aiken
43. If it’s stupid but works, it isn’t stupid.
44. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?
45. There’s an enormous number of managers who have retired on the job. Peter Drucker
46. By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day. Robert Frost
47. Accomplishing the impossible means only the boss will add it to your regular duties. Doug Larson 
48. Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. Winston Churchill
49. A budget tells us what we can’t afford, but it doesn’t keep us from buying it. William Feather
50. If you can count your money, you don’t have a billion dollars. J. Paul Getty
51. The worst part of success is to try to find someone who is happy for you. Bette Midler
52. A company is known by the people it keeps. 
53. At some time in the lifecycle of every organization, its ability to succeed in spite of itself runs out.
54. Money can’t buy friends, but you can get a better class of enemy. Spike Milligan
55. Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things. TS Eliot
56. If you would like to know the value of money, try to borrow some. Benjamin Franklin
57. Don’t stay in bed, unless you can make money in bed. George Burns
58. If not controlled, work will flow to the competent man until he submerges. 
59. If you don’t know what to do with many of the papers piled on your desk, stick a dozen colleagues initials on them and pass them along. When in doubt, route. Malcolm S. Forbes quotes
60. It is better to spend money like there’s no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there’s no money. PJ O’Rourke
61. Never invest in anything that eats or needs repairing. Billy Rose
62. If at first you don’t succeed; you are running about average. MH Alderson
63. The most popular labor-saving device is still money. Phyllis George
64. Nothing recedes like success. Walter Winchell
65. Find a job you like and you add five days to every week. H. Jackson Brown
66. It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse. Adlai Stevenson
67. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool about it. WC Fields
68. Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
69. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
70. If at first you don’t succeed, failure may be your style. Quentin Crisp
71. Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.  
72. A clean desk is a sign of a cluttered desk drawer.
73. All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. Mark Twain
74. If at first you don’t succeed, try management.  
75. Indecision is the key to flexibility.
76. If at first you don’t succeed, take the tax loss. Kirk Kirkpatrick
77. Aim low, reach your goals, and avoid disappointment. Scott Adams/Dilbert
78. Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.Lewis Grizzard
79. The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one. Oscar Wilde
80. All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. Aristotle
81. In the early days all I hoped was to make a living out of what I did best. But, since there’s no real market for masturbation I had to fall back on my bass playing abilities. Les Claypool
82. Beware of any enterprise requiring new clothes. Henry Thoreau
83. Do not underestimate your abilities. That is your boss’s job.
84. Right now, this is a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career. And if this were my career, I’d have to throw myself in front of a train. Jim Halpert/The Office
85. Every man has a right to be conceited until he is successful. Benjamin Disraeli
86. You never become a howling success by just howling. Bob Harrington
87. Success means only doing what you do well, letting someone else do the rest. Goldstein S. Truism
88. Success and failure are both difficult to endure. Along with success come drugs, divorce, fornication, bullying, travel, meditation, medication, depression, neurosis and suicide. With failure comes failure. Joseph Heller
89. Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake. Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower
90. Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure. Earl Wilson
91. Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Napoleon Bonaparte
92. One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness. Josh Billings
93. There’s nothing so improves the mood of the Party as the imminent execution of a senior colleague. Alan Clark
94. I’m not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues. Franklin D. Roosevelt
95. Make sure you have a vice president in charge of your revolution, to engender ferment among your more conventional colleagues. David Ogilvy
96. A consultant is someone who takes the watch off your wrist and tells you the time.
97. An expert is someone called in at the last minute to share the blame.
98. Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.
99. For maximum attention, nothing beats a good mistake.
100. One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important. Bertrand Russell

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Tip Tuesday

How to Deal With Favoritism at Work

 

Favoritism at work, whether real or perceived, can throw a wrench in team development and damage team and company morale. In most instances, favoritism results from poor management skills, such as the inability to relate to employees or a lack of interaction with all team members. Learning how to deal with favoritism in the workplace can help you deal with adversity and meet challenges head-on along your career path.

Instructions

1 - Take note of the situation. Consider if the favoritism is perceived or real. For instance, some workers may appear to receive preferential treatment at work; however, those in charge may simply see them as weak in certain areas and in need of additional help or guidance.

 

2 - Try to relate to the parties involved in the favoritism. If possible, get close to the situation, observe the relationship and find a way to connect to those involved. This will help reduce any feelings related to being on the outside of the relationship and will also help bring your skills and talents to management's attention.

3 - Build relationships with a diverse group of people, including employees and supervisors in other departments. Take part in company outings and attend company-sponsored trainings and team-building programs. Making your work and dedication known to others within the organization is the goal of branching out and networking within the company.

4 - Strive for excellence. Set your own goals and consistently challenge yourself to meet, or even exceed, them. Keep working toward your goals and eliminate the need to rely on your supervisor's friendship. Let your behavior, actions and habits related to your job performance speak for themselves and help propel you forward in the organization.

5 - Speak with human resources or a trusted manager when blatant favoritism occurs. Voice your concerns and provide any information relevant to the situation, such as a personal account of specific events. When voicing a complaint or concern, keep the conversation focused on specific examples and refrain from attacking anyone. Ask for advice on handling the situation while human resources personnel or management investigate the claims.

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Making It Big Monday

How Does Favoritism in the Workplace Affect Other Employees?

Employees might be professional, qualified and experienced, but they're still human and still susceptible to emotions better left outside the workplace. Jealousy, anger, fear, sullenness and worry can occur in business environments at any time, but these negative emotions are exacerbated when favoritism takes place. Before indulging in workplace favoritism, consider how your actions might affect other workers.       

   

Favoritism

Favoritism in the workplace means giving preferential treatment to one or more employees. Preferential treatment can be intentional; for example, an employer could assign the choicest responsibilities to the most veteran worker or hotshot upstart by explaining that his abilities justify the extra attention and tasks. Preferential treatment can also be subconscious; for example, employees might notice that an older male supervisor seems to treat young female workers with friendly smiles and encouragement while benignly ignoring male workers in the hallways.

 Resentment
One of the primary effects of workplace favoritism on employees is resentment. Workers feel that, no matter how hard they work, it won't matter because preferred employees will always get better benefits, more attention and greater opportunities. Employees often resent the special worker, treating her with unkindness and gossiping about reasons for preferential treatment. Workers also resent their employer, becoming less willing to participate actively in the company mission.

Lower Motivation
If employees feel that they're being passed over for new responsibilities or promotions because all goodies are funneled toward favorite workers, lower motivation results. Employees slack off, taking less care with assigned duties and being more reluctant to volunteer for additional tasks. This results in lower productivity, missed deadlines and lower overall morale.

Litigation
Employees sometimes take legal action against employers who engage in egregious favoritism, citing preferential treatment based on gender or ethnicity. If workplace favoritism is widespread, for example, an employer offers preferential treatment to workers based on sexual favors, employees could cite a hostile work environment. This can lead to serious repercussions, including court fees, restitution awards and loss of professional reputation.

Steps
If you're an employer engaging in preferential treatment of employees, it's time to stop. Signs that you're promoting favoritism include spending extra time with preferred workers, overlooking mistakes made by favorite employees and assigning perks to employees because you like them. If you're an employee working in an environment where a boss is practicing favoritism, double-check your impressions by looking for specific examples of preferred treatment. Once you've confirmed that this is a problem in your workplace, visit the personnel department with your examples. Explaining the situation in a concise, professional way gives you more credibility; be careful not to make rash accusations.

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