February 27, 2019 Leave a Comment

It’s Time to Start Looking for Summer Work

Young woman using computer on green glasses in the park. Education learning or freelance working outdoor or relaxation concept idea background.

At this time of year, when the sidewalks are covered in ice and snow, it’s hard now that summer is just around the corner and will arrive sooner than you think! Recruitment job postings has begun.

Summer are offered across various sectors, including seasonal positions for amusement parks, summer camps, resorts, campgrounds, as well as landscaping, tourism, and agriculture. Municipal, provincial and federal governments also post jobs summer jobs in a range of departments. Retailers also offer summer hiring programs.

Where to find summer jobs

Start with the obvious
Search engines like Google are the best places to start any kind of job search. Start with keywords like summer, jobs, a job title (e.g. landscaping) and location (e.g. Toronto). Set up to receive email alerts based on your searches that produce the best results. You’ll receive a notification every time a positions matches your search criteria.

Connect with companies on social media
Many companies and organizations post job opportunities on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can follow companies offering summer employment to get posts about vacancies. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date so employers can also search for candidates like you. You can conduct searches on each platform using hashtags like #summerjobs. This article talks about what employers look for in candidates on social media.

Job Boards
Look through specialized job boards, particularly if you’re a student, such as JobPostings.ca, Student Times and Talent Egg, which focus on summer jobs.

The government is hiring
Summer job postings for all three levels of government can start as early as January and promote vacancies on their website. Here’s a few to check out.

Government of Canada
Ontario Government and Ontario Public Service Careers
City of Toronto
The Municipality of York Region
Peel Region
Durham Region

Also visit the websites for each city within a region for their summer jobs. Through the Government of Canada Summer Jobs program, a range of employers, including small businesses, not-for-profit employers, and faith-based organizations, can apply for funding for summer positions. Funding priorities are listed here and will give you an idea of organizations to research.

There are also specialized government-funded programs that support youth such as:

Youth Job Connection Summer for high school students who are dealing with challenges such as poverty, homelessness, a disability or mental health issue, as well as part-time after school job opportunities
Youth Job Link for those between 15 and 29 years old, including a range of other job search supports
Self-employment/entrepreneurial opportunities through the Summer Company Program, which provides students with hands on business training, mentoring and financial awards to start and run their own summer businesses
Stewardship Youth Ranger Program, for students age 16 or 17, to work on local natural resource management projects for 8 weeks
Summer Employment Opportunities program for students over 15
Indigenous youth (15-24, or up to 29 for those with disabilities) can participate in the Indigenous Youth Work Exchange Program, an 8-week summer job for up to 3 consecutive summers, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
The First Nations Natural Resources Youth Em p loyment Program offers Indigenous youth (16-18 years old) placement opportunities for up to two summers in Northern Ontario to work on forestry and mining projects, receive workplace training and take personal development workshops
The Articling and Summer Law Student Programs offer first and second year law students opportunities with the Ontario government.

Check out classifieds listings such as Kijiji, who offer a Summer Job search. Traditional job boards such as Workopolis have summer student searches. Similarly, the vertical job boards such as Indeed.ca have specific summer searches.

Think of which employers are busiest in summer. For jobs in camps, check out Ontario Camps. local camps.

Remember that you can also create your own business and offer pet sitting, gardening, babysitting, elder care, housesitting services, for a fee, to friends and family. The provincial government offers support for summer companies, offered through JVS Toronto, through our Youth Services.

Keep in mind that temporary agencies might be ramping up their hiring to fill positions of employees away for summer. You will find a list of job boards compiled by our employment experts.

Besides an opportunity to build your resume and earn an income, summer work can have a lasting effect. Hard work and a good attitude can get you invited back for multiple summers, or turn into on-going part-time work.

February 11, 2019 Leave a Comment

Answering Unexpected Interview Questions: Lessons from a CEO

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We sometimes forget that even the highest-ranking executives have gone through job interviews. Recently, CNBC posted an interesting article with the provocative title, 15 years ago, Google’s CEO had a brilliant response to a tricky interview question – and it helped him get hired, which offered insights into the questions that leading companies such as Google sometimes ask and what they hope to hear from candidates.

At an interview for a Vice President position at Google, Sundar Pichai was asked an unexpected question which he could not answer; his response provides a useful strategy for job seekers: early on in the interview process, Pichai was asked about his thoughts on a Google product that was launched earlier that day. A little confused, he answered honestly that he hadn’t yet seen it yet. Undeterred, he proceeded through multiple interviews where he was repeatedly asked that question, and continued to explain that he had not seen it yet. Eventually, at the fourth interview, the interviewer took the opportunity to demonstrate the product, which allowed Pichai — at the fifth interview — to finally share his viewpoint of the product.

Not only was Pichai hired for that position, but he went on to become Google’s CEO.

So, what did he do that was so effective?

The article goes on to highlight the impact of Pichai’s decision to be honest and direct when faced with a question about a product about which he had no knowledge. This approach kept him as a contender throughout the lengthy interview process.

Pichai’s honesty and directness in answering this seemingly impossible question was the key to his success. He remained focused and continued calmly during the interview. The article describes this as “intellectual humility” — the value of honesty and curiosity in an interview, rather than pretending to be knowledgeable and perfectly skilled. Job seekers sometimes underestimate employers’ interest in character and soft skills, such as the ability to handle an unexpected question with grace.

Employers know that employees can learn a new skill or gain new knowledge, such as the recently launched Google product in Pichai’s case, whereas honesty, willingness to learn and humility cannot be learned.

Laszlo Bock, former Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google is quoted in the article saying that,

“Successful, bright people rarely experience failure, and so they don’t learn how to learn from that failure. They instead commit the fundamental attribution error, which is if something good happens, it’s because I’m a genius. If something bad happens, it’s because someone’s an idiot or I didn’t get the resources or the market moved.”

Job seekers need to remember that during an interview, there’s no need to rush into answering every question quickly. When presented with a difficult question, take a moment to consider your reply. Ask a clarifying question that may show a willingness to learn or thoughtful analysis. Keep in mind that getting to the interview stage means the employer has read your resume and decided that you have a lot to offer. In addition to demonstrating your skills and knowledge, an interview also provides the opportunity to show personal integrity, honesty and confidence. Respectful, curious and genuine employees make much better colleagues and contribute to a positive company culture.

To impress interviewers, not only should you prepare your knowledge of the job, the company, and of yourself, make sure to rehearse honest and clear responses to questions. This will allow employers to get know you as a thoughtful, critically self-aware candidate, who is open to new learning — which are highly valued characteristics.

January 29, 2019 Leave a Comment

How to Handle Speed Job Interviews like a Pro

Large companies continue to modernize their recruiting processes to screen candidates faster. Traditionally, face-to-face and panel interviews were the standard. In recent years, telephone, online video, and group interviews have become more commonplace. Now employers are using speed interviews to sort through many qualified candidates quickly.

What is a speed interview?

Speed interviewing gives employers the ability to meet with multiple candidates briefly in an organized and controlled way. Ten to 15 candidates attend a speed interview. One person interviews each candidate individually anywhere from five to 15 minutes. This pre-screens candidates for selection for in-depth full interviews.

The article, Need to hire quickly? Try speed interviewing, describes how one startup company used speed interviewing to hire an account manager. This company publicized this hiring event on social media then reached out to qualified candidates to attend a speed interview event. During a five-minute interview, the interviewer asked four or five typical interview questions. Each candidate then moved on to three other rounds with different individuals.

After the interviews were all completed, candidates had a tour of the office. The interviewers met shortly afterwards to discuss their impressions and identify those candidates they regarded as “most promising”. The selected candidates had an in-depth second interview. This enabled the company to make a quick decision, resulting in hiring a new account manager within 48 hours of the speed-interviewing event.

This example gives you an idea of how speed interviews work. Depending on the employer and the sector, the format and character of speed interviews will vary. Small companies and startups seem to favour this technique. You may also run across speed interviewing when recruiters or retail companies, for example, need to pre-screening candidates for multiple positions. Speed interviews give employers a chance to compare candidates and watch how they perform under pressure.

Preparing for a speed interview

If you have ever had a pre-screening interview, or answered employer questions at a job fair, then you’ve had a taste of what a speed interview has in store.

Preparing for a speed interview is similar to preparing for any other interview. The difference is being able to respond quickly and succinctly. The more prepared you are, the better you will perform.

Preparation and practice makes perfect

Prepare, then practice with a friend, or in front of a mirror.

Review the job posting and make sure you know it well, especially the requirements for and the description of the job.
Research the company. Review their website, understand their priorities and mission.
Know your resume well. Describe your work history fluently and clearly. Be ready to answer how this job fits with your career goals.
Think through why you are a good match for the job. Be prepared to market yourself as the best candidate.
Think of examples in your work history when you accomplished or performed activities that are specifically relevant to this job.
Practice your answers, especially common questions like, Tell me about yourself. Why should we hire you? What weaknesses and strengths do you bring to the job? What are your career goals?
Prepare questions to ask each interviewer.
Have your references ready.
PRACTICE again!

During the speed interview

Dress professionally but comfortably. You may be moving through various interview stations.
Bring a folder with everything you need: five copies of your resume, the job posting, your company research, your questions and answers, your reference list, paper and a pen.
Arrive early. You’ll be more relaxed if you’re not rushing.
Put your phone on silent and place it out of sight.
Bring a bottle of water and carry tissues.
Be ready to shake hands enthusiastically, make eye contact, smile, and speak clearly no matter how nervous you feel. Be prepared for a noisy interview room.
Collect business cards from each interviewer, or write down their name and email address for post-interview thank you notes.

After the interview

Write a brief thank you email to each interviewer separately after the interview.
Contact your references with the position you’ve applied for.
Be patient. Decisions take time. If you haven’t heard anything after a couple of weeks, follow up with a brief email to your main contact, asking when you can expect a decision.

Remember, this is just another type of interview. The only difference is that you need to make a great first impression quickly with each interviewer. Good preparation and organization will give you confidence and that will lead to a great first impression!

January 14, 2019 Leave a Comment

Worried about being laid-off? Here are some strategies.

Close up of a man carrying his belongs out of the office in a cardboard box.

Recently, a former client of mine anxiously called me. Her present employer of two years had begun restructuring. Some staff and a manager had already been laid-off. The company rumour mill said that her job was next. Understandably, she asked my advice on how to handle the rumours.

Unfortunately, job security is an on-going concern in today’s labour market regardless of any imminent threat. Taking these important steps will give you a plan and a sense of control in your career.

Clarify the situation.

My first suggestion to my client was to reach out to her supervisor and address the issue directly. This private conversation allows you to ask if changes are coming? How would those changes affect my position? What can I do to protect my job?

In situations like this, be prepared for vague responses. Management are often asked to keep such details confidential, or have not been provided with the details. It may be that various manager positions will also be affected. In my client’s case, her manager did not deny the rumours but did not have any details. However, my client was reassured that her performance was not an issue and was encouraged to continue to do her best.

Opening up communication with your manager will put the rumours into context and reinforce your commitment to your company. If you work in a unionized position, in addition to your manager, you can also approach your union representative about the rumours. Your goal at this stage is to understand the nature of what may be happening.

Create a back up plan.

If you find that rumours of company restructuring are true, consider this advanced notice as an advantage. While you still don’t know if your position will be affected, you can take positive action with a back up plan. I advised my client to update her resume, review and update her LinkedIn profile, and discreetly gather references. At this point, you may want to invest in upgrading any outdated skills. For example, my client discovered that her software skills are outdated and she decided to pursue a Salesforce training course in the evenings.

During times of uncertainty, and while you’re still working, take these proactive steps:

Update your resume
Review and revise your LinkedIn profile
Review and gather your references
Consider updating outdated skills

You may consider starting a job search to see how competitive the job market is. This will give you a sense of job vacancies earning potential, and what updated skills you will need to be more employable. Of course, employers prefer employed candidates, so if you feel you are at risk during a company restructuring, you can take this opportunity to look for work while you are still working. Taking action will ease your mind during uncertainty in the workplace.

Evaluate your finances.

Examine your financial situation. Figure out whether you be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) if you were laid off, how much you might be able to collect, and whether you could live on that income. That will help you decide when to start a job search. Keep in mind that if you find a new job while you are working, even if you have received a lay-off notice, resign the job, you will not be eligible for EI or a severance package.

If you are laid off…

During a lay-off, you will be given notice, usually through a meeting and a letter, outlining your termination notice. This is outlined in the Employment Standards Act of Ontario, and for unionized positions, in the Collective Agreement between the union and the company. This will outline what you are eligible for in terms of notice, pay in lieu, vacation pay and other benefits. Your employer will issue you a Record of Employment, that will indicate the reason you left the company. You will need this to apply for Employment Insurance. This is also the time to gather reference letters from your current employer.

Importantly, work as hard as you can to end your job on positive terms. The benefits of this are especially important for your job search by informing the next employer that, despite being laid off, you have a positive relationship with your former team members.

December 31, 2018 Leave a Comment

5 New Year Resolutions to Help You Find Work in 2019

Image of 2019 with a clock and confetti. Celebrating a New Year.

If your plans for 2019 include a new job, now is a perfect time to prepare a new, carefully-planned job search strategy. While it is true that there are many job seekers out on the hunt for a new job, most of them do not conduct their job search in the best way possible, so your challenge for the new year is to conduct the best possible job search. We put together some useful advice to help improve your search and make sure you get noticed by employers.

Job Search Resolutions:

RESOLUTION #1: I will update my resume.

A resume that appears outdated or incompatible with today’s technology may give an employer the impression that you might not be ready for a new job. New Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) demand that resumes are formatted to be processed and selected by a computer before ever being read by a hiring professional. A poorly formatted resume might never be picked no matter how qualified you may be.

To help you write the best resume possible, I surveyed the highly experienced employment staff at JVS Toronto, and put together a list of the ultimate tips for writing an excellent resume. It includes tips for layout and format, such as style, bullet points, spelling and punctuation, font, margins and alignment, as well as resume content, language, and grammar.

For those who are struggling with gaps in their employment history, we also put together these tips on overcoming resume gaps.

If you would like to write a resume from scratch, or review your resume in detail, check out our free online resume writing clinic.

RESOLUTION #2: I will improve my online presence

As a job seeker, it is important to ensure that you are easily found online, where potential employers are most likely to look for you. More importantly, employers have to like what they learn about you. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and updated. Updating your skills on LinkedIn will attract the right employers. In addition to LinkedIn, consider using Twitter to gather information, networking and tips.

RESOLUTION #3: I will enhance my skills

In today’s tech-savvy world, the pressure to have up-to-date skills grows. Even if you think your skills are up to par, in 2019 your skills and experience will appear a year old (at least on your resume). Consider it a challenge to engage in an activity which will enable you to add “2019” to your resume.

It might be a course (such as updating your computer skills or CPR certification). Courses can be found at your local community centre, community college (look for the continuing education courses, for part-time options). Another possibility is to volunteer in a meaningful role. If you live in Toronto, there are many opportunities to volunteer; Canada-wide, you will find your local volunteer centre here.

Make sure to add your newly acquired skills and experience your resume and LinkedIn profile.

RESOLUTION #4: I will grow my network

This goes back to that old truth about finding work — it’s not only about what you know, but who you know. You already have a network – put the people you know to work for you and leverage your network to get job referrals. It’s a great time to reconnect with old contacts and make new ones. LinkedIn might be the best way to start the process — see who you know, and figure out who you would like to get to know by asking for an information interview.

Go out and meet with people face-to-face; ask questions, get support and guidance and make sure they know that you are looking for a new opportunity.

RESOLUTION #5: I will find new sources of job information

Many job search sites allow users to set up job alerts, which will send them emails with jobs that match their specific criteria. We have a detailed list of job boards, where you can search by keyword and location, and save an Email Alert or RSS Feed.

In 2018, Google set up a job alert system, which probably offers the broadest coverage of online job opportunities.

2019 could be the year that you secure that job you always wanted. Follow through on these 5 resolutions and watch it happen.

Happy new year from all of us at JVS Toronto!

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