July 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

Staying Motivated During Difficult Times

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Even at the best of times, it would be rare for anyone to describe a job search as “inspiring” or “fun,” all the more during the rough times we are currently facing. During the pandemic, for example, job seekers were confined to their often busy, noisy homes, facing competing demands for their time and attention from children, roommates, and pets. This made it more challenging than ever to find a quiet, focused block of time to browse the internet for jobs, network on LinkedIn, or take an online course.

But finding time is just part of the challenge—harder still is finding the motivation, focus, and self-discipline to prioritize it and get it done. The resulting guilt and sense of failure only make it even harder.

Why is Motivation Sometimes so Hard to Maintain?

Being motivated is often more easily said than done – you know you need to get something done, but it’s not happening. Somehow, you just can’t dig up that willpower to even get going on — what should be — a simple task. Many of us have this idea that we are the only ones struggling to find motivation to do seemingly easy tasks, but the truth is that everyone faces motivational challenges now and then. We just don’t talk about our struggles because we think that it’s a sign of weakness or that we are the only ones dealing with this issue.

We know that motivation is much easier to find when we enjoy a task (for example, having a meal) or when we are doing something for someone else (such as attending to a needy child). However, motivation can become difficult when we do something that’s not enjoyable, not expected by others, or not immediately rewarding.

When the goal seems difficult to achieve, it’s even harder to muster up the motivation to achieve it—think of the struggles so many people face with fitness or weight loss, for example.

Finding work can feel unattainable for job seekers- especially when times are tough. Maybe you have been looking for postings and found nothing you could apply for, or maybe you’ve sent out multiple job applications, and no one has responded. Also, constant news about layoffs and increasing unemployment makes finding a job sound nearly impossible. So, for many job searchers, as they make their way through each day, it’s challenging to find the time and motivation to look for work — and many find themselves, instead, taking of others’ needs or just sleeping in, mindlessly watching TV or just generally feeling ineffective.

Feeling like you are just not getting things done can lead to a sense of failure, regret and self-loathing, which can, in and of itself, feel paralyzing. Soon, it can feel like a rut you are stuck in, watching days go by and feeling like time is wasted.

So, What Do We Know About Motivation?

What motivates us? Human motivational drivers are as diverse as we are from each other. We are driven by obvious forces such as finances, of course, but we are also driven to feel competent and creative, have a sense of purpose, and, very importantly, feel connected to others. When choices are limited, it’s harder than ever to meet all these needs, which makes finding motivation even harder.

One interesting scientific finding is that motivation is a limited resource. We all start our day with a certain amount of willpower, which eventually gets depleted as we face our personal daily challenges. A stressful multitasking day spent attending to the needs of others doesn’t leave you with the motivational reserves to do what is needed for yourself.

We also know that motivational challenges vary between people. For some, the challenge is getting through a long to-do list, and for others, simply getting out of bed and facing the day can be hard.

Finding the Willpower to Get Things Done

Self-help experts might tell you that “it’s all in your head” and “all about attitude.” They might tell you that you must “decide to act” to overcome your resistance. The problem is that even though you might have the best intentions and a carefully laid-out plan, it can sometimes feel nearly impossible to find the willpower to get it done.

It turns out that motivation isn’t simply a switch you flip on. Getting motivated is part psychological and emotional, but it is also, in large part, physiological—and it is also impacted by your physical ability to focus and persevere. If your health is compromised because of factors such as stress, isolation, poor sleep, lack of activity, or poor nutrition, getting things done is much harder.

Sleep is an important and often neglected factor.

Many doctors report that an increasing number of their patients are experiencing sleep issues. I certainly have struggled with that myself and have heard from my job-seeking clients about getting to bed way after midnight and sleeping in until the afternoon. The fact is that poor sleep has massive impacts on our overall health, impacting our ability to manage stress, focus, and, yes, stay motivated—especially when it comes to uninspiring tasks such as job searches. If you wake up exhausted, finding the energy to do things during the day will be difficult.

One interesting simple tip is to try to get to bed before midnight. According to the experts, a couple of hours before midnight is a key phase of sleep—it’s when your body is replenished physically, mentally, and emotionally. Make sure your room is dark, quiet, and not too warm. If sleep is a challenge, it might be worth seeking medical help.

Keeping a routine.

Many job seekers tell me that no matter how long they have been out of work, they continue to struggle with establishing a routine. We usually draw our motivation from extrinsic factors, such as a boss expecting you at work or a child needing to be dropped off at school at a certain time, which forces us to get up and get moving at a certain time of day. When these extrinsic factors are no longer there, it becomes harder to get those things done reliably.

Build job search activities into your calendar rather than just hoping you’ll find the time. Maybe daily is too much—perhaps you can give yourself one hour a day, every second day of the week, to get online and start applying for jobs. Taking small steps might feel less overwhelming than taking an all-or-nothing approach to getting things done.

Treat yourself the way you treat others: show some care and compassion.

Your mental health matters as much as your physical health. Permit yourself to do things you enjoy without guilt or self-recrimination.

Everyone has different needs. Some people might need quiet time alone to replenish. If that’s true for you, give yourself a block of time to watch your favourite television show, play with your pet, read a book, go for a walk, or do something creative. If you miss social connections, make a point of calling a friend or family member regularly and having a coffee together.

Build self-care into your schedule. Permit yourself to do it so that you can enjoy engaging in self-care, rather than doing it with a feeling of guilt.

Get support.

There are many resources available in your community to help. Social media is full of opportunities and groups of wonderful people who offer community members time, resources, and all sorts of support. Sites such as MeetUp.com offer multiple local free opportunities to connect with like-minded people.

Job search is much more effective and enjoyable if you can tap into supports and resources like those offered by JVS Toronto — it might be a huge help to have support to motivate you through the process. Having an Employment Counsellor who can help you up your job search game with a cutting-edge resume, an impressive LinkedIn profile, and access to jobs could make all the difference. Simply feeling accountable to someone else for getting those things done might get your motivational juices flowing. Contact us at 416-787-1151, or read up on our employment support here.

Motivation rarely comes easily in difficult times. Try to forgive yourself for not meeting the goals you might have set yourself and take small steps to get going again. Unemployment throws everyone off their game. People might not like to admit it, but most of us don’t use our time how we think we should. That can change with just a few careful steps in the right direction.

July 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

How to Explain the Pandemic Employment Gap

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When the COVID pandemic first struck, we assumed it would pass quickly. Faced with a flood of newly unemployed clients, employment counsellors expressed reassurance that this was short-lived and temporary and that resume gaps would be barely noticeable. Frustratingly, the pandemic kept resurging like a never-ending hurricane, leaving in its wake an unanticipated economic crisis.

Many of my clients have described their resumes as having a “hole” in them where 2020 should have been, worrying that with increased unemployment and fewer jobs, it might be even harder to find work. Some have been forced to stay home during the pandemic, homeschooling kids and caring for vulnerable health issues in themselves and others, while others have taken survival jobs such as warehouse workers, grocery clerks, or delivery drivers.

The question that matters most is what employers think: how are they responding to this gap? It is probably fair to assume that they are very familiar with this issue and are willing to look beyond it to consider candidates, so it might not necessarily prevent you from being called to an interview. However, it is very likely that the question “What did you do during the pandemic?” will come up in interviews, and job seekers should prepare a well-thought-through answer.

When preparing an answer to the gap question, keep these strategies in mind:

1. Prepare a clear and specific explanation about what exactly happened.

Think through how you would describe what happened when you were laid off. Remember that even if you have been furloughed/temporarily laid off and are still considered an employee, an employer may still want to know about what you have been doing while at home.

Be truthful – remember that many job seekers have been out of work and that it does not necessarily reflect on your ability or value in the job market. Everyone has been through the pandemic, and we all know someone who has taken parental leave or taken off time to care for a loved one or to deal with a health problem. Explain in simple, clear terms – don’t dwell — and move on to focusing on the future or present.

Your ability to talk about the gap with self-awareness and confidence can be impressive and can go a long way to convince employers that the gap has not affected your confidence or sense of self-worth.

2. Describe what you have been doing during the gap, focusing on what matters.

List the activities you have engaged in since the layoff, such as volunteering, homeschooling, survival work, hobbies/personal projects, online courses and job search. Focus on the activities that indicate skills employers would value, such as initiative, collaboration, and learning new skills. On the other hand, try not to exclude things such as caregiving, which might reflect on your values and resilience.

Think through everything you have done since the pandemic hit. Adaptability and innovativeness are highly valued in this new economy. How did you adapt to the changes? Did you set up a home office? Did you learn new remote job skills or job search skills? Show that you had some control during the time—talk about what you did confidently and assertively without sounding regretful or apologetic.

3. It’s not too late to get active now.

If you feel you should have more to tell employers about what you have been doing, remember that it is not too late to volunteer, work, or learn new skills/knowledge online. Check out our blog about online learning opportunities. Consider volunteering – Volunteer Canada, for example, offers a list of COVID-related volunteer opportunities and remote opportunities for those who need to stay home.

July 24, 2024 2 Comments

Back to Work After the Pandemic: What Next?

After years of working from home after “pivoting”, “adapting” and find a way of getting things done in these “exceptional times”, many remote workers are facing the prospect of returning to the office. Creating a new routine and find ways to be effective remotely was a challenge; but now that employers are summoning us back, many remote workers are starting to wonder if we truly want our old “normal” back.

Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, a third of Canadian workers found themselves unexpectedly working from home. Many of us were not ready. Workers had to adapt quickly – some had to create makeshift workspaces, setting up an old table in their bedrooms, kitchens or dining rooms, and some had to figure out how to cope with the challenges of getting work done while parenting and educating their school-age children at home. Often, more than one adult was working remotely in the home. It wasn’t easy.

Now, more than a year after the pandemic began, you’d think we would be happy to return to the familiar, focused and social environment we knew before. Nevertheless, many workers have begun to reflect on what they have gained and to wonder whether we could keep some of the benefits of this new arrangement after the “new normal” returns.

Looking back at the last year of working remotely, many employees are realizing that not all of it was bad. While working from home, we discovered that we could save money on the cost of commuting. We learned to enjoy the benefits of having access to our home facilities during the workday; it’s also been enjoyable to have access to our pets, favourite foods, and even (sometimes) our family members during the day. Not having to dress to code (at least from the waist down) has been enjoyable. The ability to focus without interruption has been a gift to those of us who struggle to fight the distractions of noisy cubicles and chatty colleagues. Some workers have enjoyed not being under the tight scrutiny of our supervisors, maybe even surprising ourselves to discover how efficient and self-directed we can be when required.

Other benefits of the shift to working from home include learning new technology skills, as well as ways of using technology to make life easier. Many employees took the opportunity to engage in online learning, and have developed a passion for ongoing professional development that they hope to continue developing into their future.

On the flip side, many workers are struggling with isolation. Some have reported feeling unstimulated and less creative. We often underestimate how much we draw on creative ideas that come from casual chatter in hallways and around water coolers. Many at-home workers report that it is hard to set boundaries between work and home, with work stretching beyond designated work hours, and home life intruding on getting work done during office hours. Some people even miss their commute, which allowed them to change hats between home and work, as it were, allowing time to process and switch off work thoughts and refocusing on tasks at home.

What do workers want?

To gauge the thoughts of employees, we posted a poll on LinkedIn that asked readers for their expectations from their workplace after reopening. The results were striking clear: we want (70%) to be able to retain some flexibility to be able to work remotely, as part of our return to our much anticipated “new normal”.

Worried about going back to work? Consider these actions:

Your current employer is likely working on figuring out how to bring back staff safely. But that doesn’t mean that staff shouldn’t voice their concerns and opinions to employers in anticipation, to ensure their needs and thoughts are included in back to work planning.

Here are some of the issues that might be worth inquiring about:

Safety measures and practices

Employers are obligated to ensure that workplace health and safety guidelines are established and enforced. The government of Ontario has posted guidelines about workplace safety on its website https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-coronavirus-and-workplace-health-and-safety which details workers’ rights, as well as measures taken by the ministry to increase inspection of workplaces.

The Province clearly outlines the fact that workers have a right to be in a workplace that screens people with symptoms and supports them to self-isolate (meaning enabling people to stay home from work if necessary), as well as to set up a workspace that enables physical distancing, ensures regular disinfection practices, and reduces in-person contact (for example, where reasonable, allowing for remote meetings instead of in-person).

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, workers do that the right to refuse work that they believe is unsafe. If health and safety concerns are not resolved internally, a worker can seek enforcement by filing a complaint with the Ontario Health and Safety Contact Centre (reachable by toll-free phone at 1-877-202-0008).

Accommodations

It is reasonable for employees to expect assistance from employers to accommodate their needs regarding continued practical challenges such as family obligations and medical concerns, and for employers to set up a process for these issues to be addressed properly.

Speak out about ideas regarding reopening

Seek out an opportunity to speak to your colleagues to discuss your preferences and concerns about reopening, as well as ways to speak to your employer about them. Consult with your union if you have one. Find a way to connect with your team members (without managers around, perhaps), using a chat app, email or even video. Ask questions about how colleagues are feeling and check in on their thoughts and concerns about returning to the office.

Check this blog for tips on ways of advocating for remote work. It’s likely that if staff members present a coherent workable case for new ways of getting the job done, including options such as hybrid in-office/remote options, managers would be willing to listen. Help managers understand some of the benefits of such changes, such as reduced cost, improved service access and enhanced efficiencies.

To sum up

As challenging as it has been to shift to working from home, many remote workers have discovered the benefits of remote work flexibility and would like to keep them post-pandemic. Many also worry about the safety of returning to in-person work. Employers will likely be open to discussing and considering these concerns, and workers should speak out to make sure their concerns are heard.

July 24, 2024 1 Comment

How to Negotiate the Salary You Want

A common concern for job seekers is how to deal with the issue of salary; and because society tends to discourage conversations about our salaries, it makes sense that this is a challenging issue. As a result, job seekers often report feeling uncomfortable, even rude or selfish, when raising this issue with employers. This makes it even harder; employers don’t always want to talk about it, and candidates are unclear about how much to ask for or how to go about it.

Considering how difficult this question is, the best way to ensure you get what you need is to be as prepared as possible.

Prepare. Gather the information you need.

Let’s look at what it takes to prepare for the salary question:

1. Figure out your specific minimum acceptable income

Consider your particular financial situation and ensure you know what minimum income you need for yourself. Evaluate how much you would be willing and able to accept. Look at your budget and expenses. Consider your need for benefits such as health, vacation, and others, which might also be useful to discuss as part of the salary negotiation.

2. Gather information about what you could realistically expect

Not everyone will be paid the same for the same job. Salaries ranges will vary, depending on where you live, and given the experience and skills that you bring to the job, you will not necessarily be paid the same salary in a big city as you may in a small town, nor would you not be paid the same salary if you have ten years of experience, versus if you are entry-level.

This information is not easy to find. To get information about salaries offered by local employers, check online—look at websites that offer salary ranges, such as salary.com, and large job sites, such as indeed.ca. Another excellent source for this information is the Government of Canada’s Job Bank, which will help you see the salary ranges across the country and provide you with additional information about your field, such as labour market trends and more.

One of the most accurate ways to gain relevant, detailed information is to consult with people in your target field. Contact people (LinkedIn is a great place to do that) and tell them you are researching the field. Don’t worry: you won’t be asking for their salary, but rather a general idea of the pay range and benefits.

Other factors to consider might be whether the position is unionized, which would restrict space for negotiation. Also, the size of the company and its capacity to pay higher salaries should be considered. Other factors to be aware of are whether the position is permanent, full or part-time and permanent, contract, or temporary.

Look closely at the company to which you are applying. Check its website to see if it has indicated salaries on the hiring page. Also, do an online search; sites such as Glassdoor might offer insights into the salary ranges paid for that particular position at that company.

3. Formulate your “ask”

Next, identify the salary range that would work for you based on existing salary ranges, your skills and abilities, and how much you are willing to accept.

To negotiate effectively, it helps to be able to explain why you deserve a particular salary. For example, if you know that the company offers a range of $50-$60,000 for the job, consider how much you could ask for and why; if you think you deserve the higher end of that range, be ready to defend that request. Be prepared to tell the employer what you bring that makes it worth their while to pay you more — maybe it’s the amount of experience you have, the special expertise you might bring, or any other unique assets you think you bring to the position.

The Negotiation

Once you are clear about the salary range and your argument for your specific expectations, think of how and where you will have this discussion.

Some employers will raise the salary issue early during the hiring process, even in the job posting itself. If the employer asks for you to specify a salary in the posting, I would not necessarily recommend answering it specifically in your cover letter — it may be better to simply say in your letter that you are open to negotiating the salary at the interview; otherwise, you might be restricting your capacity to negotiate later.

Unless the employer raises it first in the interview, it’s generally a good idea to hold back raising the salary question until later. Your goal is to make such an outstanding impression on the employer that by the time the salary discussion comes up, the employer has become firmly invested in your candidacy and might be more open to negotiating. So focus on making a great impression during the interview, and as the interview ends — possibly when they ask you whether you have any questions — raise the salary issue. If the interviewer doesn’t invite you to ask questions, squeeze it in anyway… “I just have one question…”. Word your question carefully: it may be easier to start the discussion by asking, “At what point will salary be discussed?”. But be prepared for them to say, “Let’s talk about it now.”

Some candidates understandably prefer to accept the given salary and to negotiate later, perhaps a few months after starting the job. That’s a perfectly reasonable approach as well.

To sum up:

Be prepared for the salary question. If you indicate to the employer that you take this seriously, the employer will, too. Be prepared with a good suitable range and be willing to defend your particular request. Keep in mind the other factors influencing your decision — if the job is more important than the wage for you right now, perhaps you’ll accept an entry-level salary; if the wage is essential for you to be able to survive, then perhaps fight a little harder for the salary that you need.

The more confident and well-prepared you are, the better an impression you will make on the employer.

July 24, 2024 1 Comment

The Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Job Search

It’s nearly impossible these days to read the news without coming across discussions about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to make everything so easy that it will “eventually take away all our jobs.” Such scary predictions are hard to challenge when AI seems vast and confusing.

So here’s a definition: AI is a field of computer science that focuses on creating technology that can perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. It does so by gathering a large amount of data and “learning” from it. This “machine learning” trains computers to recognize patterns in the data to make predictions or decisions. As a result, it can be used to perform a range of tasks that humans usually do—only quicker and (sometimes) better.

For job seekers and employers, new AI-driven technologies bring a huge and dizzying array of tools that claim to make hiring and job search better and more efficient. It’s important to note that your job search already relies on AI in many ways.

If used thoughtfully, AI can be a helpful tool. But it is important to remember that there are still many ways in which humans are much better at job search than machines.

Let’s look at some of the ways AI is already being used, some of the tools you might want to consider, and when it’s worth relying on human skills to best navigate the job search process and stand out from the competition.

1. Optimizing Resumes and Cover Letters

When you upload your resume and cover letter to a recruiting site, ATS recruiting tools scan, sort, and select those that best match the employer’s specific job descriptions. Some AI tools (such as JobScan and Zety) can be helpful for job seekers to analyze job postings, identify the most suited keyword, and optimize resumes and cover letters. They can help highlight relevant skills and ensure compatibility with the posting, which might improve the chances of the resume and cover letter you have submitted being identified by ATS and forwarded to the employer.

Another use of AI is to help with language, grammar and spelling (I use Grammarly for this – its Chrome extension has a useful free option for checking basic spelling and grammar, regardless of whether you are a first-language English speaker).

Cautionary note: Some AI platforms offer to write your resume and cover letter, often for a fee. But there are some reasons to be skeptical of such offers. Firstly, there’s no reason to spend money when there are organizations such as JVS Toronto that can help with writing a better, more personalized resume for free.

Secondly, you will be required to share a lot of personal information with the app for your resume. That information then becomes the property of the platform, which should raise some privacy concerns for users.

Third, and most important to the job search, writing a resume and cover letter is very useful to prepare you for job interviews. The process allows you to think and sort through your work history and skills and figure out how to describe yourself best.

Finally, text written by AI tends to be impersonal and uninteresting. Employers are also increasingly aware that job seekers will use these tools. It’s possible that AI detectors will soon become part of ATS systems. When this happens, you don’t want to be dismissed as someone unwilling to invest the effort needed to do your job search.

2. Enhancing Job Search Experience

Many job search platforms (Indeed and LinkedIn) use intelligent algorithms to understand and match job seekers’ skills, interests, and experience with job postings in real time. They categorize and rank job listings based on relevance and create a tailored job search experience for job seekers. This is why LinkedIn can impressively recommend jobs to you that you might not have considered, simply based on your profile, contacts, and activities on the platform.

3. Interview Preparation and Practice

An increasing number of online apps and platforms offer AI-based virtual interviews that simulate real interview scenarios and offer job seekers feedback and opportunities to practice their skills.

Cautionary note: These are still in the early stages of development and are not necessarily effective. Also, job seekers should keep in mind that employers rely on job interviews to evaluate interpersonal and communication skills, and despite AI algorithms’ impressive ability to use data and identify patterns, it is not good at understanding the complexities of being human and building relationships. Humans still do that better, and a skilled employment counsellor/coach can do a much better job at helping you figure out how to impress an employer in interviews.

4. Personalized Learning and Skill Development

AI-powered learning platforms (LinkedIn Learning, for example) facilitate personalized skill development by recommending relevant courses, certifications, or workshops based on individual job seekers’ career goals and aspirations. These platforms use machine learning algorithms to analyze user behaviour, assess skill gaps, and provide tailored learning recommendations.

By leveraging AI, job seekers can continuously upskill, often at their own pace, to stay competitive and adapt to the ever-changing job market. LinkedIn Learning is free through many educational institutions and public library systems.

5. Networking and Building Connections

To help you expand your network to people who might be helpful in your career, LinkedIn’s AI-based platform analyzes information (data points) in your and others’ profiles and identifies shared interests and locations. It then suggests connections to people with similar backgrounds or shared professional goals. This can help you expand your network, strengthen relationships, and tap into hidden opportunities. It also enables automated follow-ups, reminders, and personalized messaging to nurture and build professional connections that could help you with your job search.

So, to conclude, it is important to recognize that AI will become an integral part of the job search process as technology evolves. Your challenge as a job seeker is to use the tools available with care but be aware of the risks. Using too much AI to write your resumes and cover letters and prepare for interviews can make you sound more like a machine than a person and won’t necessarily help you stand out. As we face new technology, we all must strive to find a balance between using machines and keeping the human touch — after all, employers are still (for now) human.

Navigating the various things that come with employment search, including understanding the role AI could play in this, can be an intimidating experience. JVS Toronto offers free workshops that can help ensure that you have a resume and cover letter that can beat out AI-driven templates. Not only that, but our 1-on-1 personalized employment services can also help you use AI to your advantage, overcome gaps in your experience history, and help newcomers secure their Canadian experience, among other things! Contact us today to see how we can help you in your job search.