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Google has launched a job search feature to help users find job postings without having to leave the search engine. This function has the potential to be much more effective than using a specific website to find jobs, in that it scans for the job title throughout the internet, rather than being limited by known sources. You might even discover new, unknown sources of jobs in your field.

The best part of the function is how simple it is: just use the usual google search bar, by entering a job title and the word “job”.

Here’s how you use it:

1. Search:

Open your Google search page and enter the job title in the search. You can specify a location (e.g. “Toronto”) and/or a level (e.g. “entry level”). If you don’t specify location, it will search near your current location, within a range that you can specify. Google will searches multiple career sites such as Monster, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn and Glassdoor, as well as agency sites and others.

2. Sort through the results:

Click on the blue box to open a full page and view the search results, and sort through all the jobs. Options are available to narrow the jobs by Title, Location, Date posted, Type (e.g. full time or contract), Company type (i.e. industry) and Employer.

3. Save jobs for future reference:

Next to the job title there is an option to save a job for future reference, and return to it at a later date. You will be able to do so only if you have a Google account and are logged into it.

4. Create an Alert:

If you find that the search results are useful, you can get set up an alert system to email you whenever jobs are posted that match your criteria. (Google Alerts are useful for any topic – you may use them to be alerted whenever their own name or a subject of interest is mentioned anywhere on the internet). Alerts can be edited or cancelled as needed.

5. Apply:

Google will direct you to sites where the job posted and you can take it from there, as you would usually when you find a job online.

My clients often ask me how to connect with recruiters to help find a job, and whether it is worth the effort. There isn’t one simple answer to this question – it depends on the profession, the job seeker and on the demand for their skills in the job market. For some job seekers, recruiters can be very useful when looking for work.

What do recruiters do?

Recruiters work for the employer, not the job seeker. They help collect resumes, screen applicants, and conduct job interviews, either for one company or via an agency. Recruiters are most useful if you work in a field where there’s a large demand for your skills, experience and expertise -- often more senior staff, who might work in larger companies. Recruiters also hire temporary staff.

There are two different types of recruiters: in-house and agency. In-house recruiters are employed by a specific company to hire employees. Agency recruiters work for an employment agency, to help multiple companies find employees; they get paid when they fill a position – often a percentage of the salary paid to the candidate.

Recruiters use multiple methods to find, connect with, and monitor potential candidates, including online job boards (such as this), recruitment agency boards (such as those listed here), company websites (such as this), as well as LinkedIn.

How do agencies work?

To get a job through an agency, applicants need to register either via a posting found on a job board such as Monster.ca or Indeed.ca, or directly on the agency's site. If the agency is a reputable one, candidates who register will be contacted by a recruiter for a brief discussion about their eligibility for the position. Suitable candidates will get called into the agency to be interviewed and possibly skill-tested. References will be called. Candidates might be placed in full-time or temporary jobs, many starting on a temporary basis first before considering them for full time employment.

For candidates, it’s important to treat the recruitment agency interview as you would any job interview: be prepared to speak about yourself clearly, confidently and honestly, to build a trusting relationship with the recruiter. Remember that it is the recruiter’s job to represent you to an employer, so give them the information they need to do so effectively.

Candidates are not limited to only one agency. It is well worth registering with multiple agencies, to access a variety of jobs in your area. Recruiters won’t necessarily refer every candidate to a position, no matter how well qualified they may seem. Recruiters may have their own personal preferences which impact on their choices. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that candidates can’t apply for the job independently, according to some recruiters: “Sometimes a company will be more willing to hire you without the recruiter’s fee attached.”

Connect with recruiters on LinkedIn:

1. Update your profile. LinkedIn reports that adding detailed work experience will result in 12x more profile views; it also makes your profile 36x more likely to be found by recruiters.
2. Signal your availability to recruiters. LinkedIn recently introduced an option for job seekers to quietly indicate their availability to recruiters, called Career Interests. This allows candidates to provide some basic information about their career goals to recruiters privately.
3. Seek them out. LinkedIn offers recruiters and job seekers an easy and effective way to connect. There are two main ways to find recruiters on this platform: Use the search bar to find people who call themselves “recruiter” – review their profile to identify whether they recruit in your field and location, conduct a job search, and look through the job postings for the name of the poster (some job postings include the name and profile of an individual poster)
4. Reach out and connect with the suitable recruiters. Include a brief introductory note, telling them about your employment goals.

Communicate with the recruiter:

1. When the recruiter accepts the connection request (and most will!), thank them for connecting with you.
2. In the next message, briefly introduce yourself and tell them what you want "I saw a position on your website" (share links to the job, if you have)  or "I am interested in a __________ position."
3. Mention if possible something you might share -- like LinkedIn contacts, location or anything else, to break the ice.
4. Tell them what you would like them to do "Can you please pass along my resume to the person responsible for hiring XXX?” or “I recently applied for XXX and I’m trying to get a status update on my application. Would you mind checking for me?”
5. Keep it short and focused.
6. Stay in touch: Thank the recruiter for their efforts on your behalf, follow their instructions regarding the opportunities they provide you. Check in regularly; update them on your job search and availability.

While recruiters can be a source of good job opportunities, don’t rely on them exclusively to find your next job. They are only one tool in a job seekers toolkit. Do what you can to reach out and be available, but keep looking for work independently.

Perhaps you have given some thought to the idea that volunteering is a good way to 'get a foot in the door' of your favourite business, but have you considered it a way to expand your network, meet other like-minded people and boost your resume?

Right now, as summer events ramp up, cities like Toronto are brimming with seasonal events that can connect you to hundreds of other people who are interested in the same causes and activities as you. Also, if you perform well, you may just be considered the next time people are hiring for paid positions.

There are a variety of events that occur throughout the city covering cultural festivals, food and drink events, and various charity fundraisers, just to name a few.

Do you have a passion for a specific cause, or a personal connection to a particular health issue? Why not consider contacting a local organization and asking to be put on their volunteer list? You can find organizations of interest by calling 211 in Toronto, or checking out Toronto 211 online.

Volunteering is also a great way to be exposed to different type of jobs that you may not have previously considered; you might even find that you enjoy doing something that you never thought you’d be interested in before.

Here are some handy do’s and don’ts for volunteering:

Volunteer for something you think you might enjoy: If you’re going to give your time to a cause, try thinking of something that will not only look good on your resume, but is also something that you are passionate about. If you’re happy and fulfilled, it can have a profound impact on how well you do and the references you can gather.

Be punctual: Take your volunteer work as seriously as you would a job. If you show up late for your shift, potential employers will remember this and it may affect your recommendation or chances to be considered in the future.

Dress appropriately: If it’s casual and you’re going to be on your feet all day, wear comfortable shoes and clothing. If it is more formal, dress the part.

Be respectful of everyone: You never know who you’re going to meet -- treat everyone as your next potential employer or colleague.

Be willing to do something you don't enjoy: You may be asked to help with something like clean-up, or perhaps something seemingly unimportant such as inflating balloons. Remember that no one likes to do these odd jobs, but they still have to be done. Your willingness to participate in the less glamorous positions will be noted. Of course, never do something that you think may be harmful to your health or that you really cannot do.

Don’t wait until the last minute to volunteer for events, the most coveted spots are typically grabbed up quickly. Don’t let that discourage you though, there are so many positions you can apply for—just keep in mind you may not get your first choice.

Perhaps the most important advice I can offer however, is that no matter which organization you choose, have fun! You’re bound to learn something new, you’ll meet new people, possibly make new friends and you’ll definitely take something positive out of your experience.

Now here are some websites that offer links to volunteer opportunities:

Volunteer With the City -- Opportunities to volunteer in City of Toronto events and programs

Volunteer Toronto -- This site offers opportunities to apply to volunteer for a wide range of activities

Spark Ontario -- Discover volunteering opportunities and connect with non-profit organizations in Ontario

CharityVillage -- Canadian nonprofit sector's largest and most popular online resource

You know you have successfully passed the interview stage when the employer finally asks for references. It's an exciting moment. And it's a little frightening, as well, because at this point you no longer have influence over the job application; you are dependent on other people being available, willing and able to talk about you convincingly.

Employers' expectations regarding references aren’t necessarily consistent (just like every other aspect of the hiring process). Sometimes, employers ask for them at the end of a good interview, sometimes they call for the reference list after the interview, and other times they don’t want them at all. Sometimes, employers ask for references up front, in the job posting.

So what is a job seeker to do?

It's often said that we spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our families. Working people don't think twice about the benefits of walking into work every day and being greeted by familiar faces, joining colleagues for lunch or a coffee break, or taking a moment for a chat as they walk by in the hallway. They also might not appreciate the value of feeling useful and needed by colleagues, customers or clients. If you find yourself unemployed -- whether by choice (such as retirement), or through job loss or illness -- you might have discovered that losing that social contact and the sense of purpose that comes with work can leave a painful gap, often becoming a barrier in and of itself toward moving forward to find another job.

With Britain's recent decision to appoint a Minister of Loneliness, there has been a lot of discussion about isolation as a public health concern. Professor John Cacioppo, a neuroscientist who studied loneliness (and who sadly died recently at age 66), described it in The Lancet as “a condition that makes a person irritable, depressed, and self-centred, and is associated with a 26% increase in the risk of premature mortality,” where, “in industrialized countries around a third of people are affected (...) with one person in 12 affected severely.”

For those who are unemployed, isolation isn't just a result of losing colleagues and a workplace. People who are not working often find themselves withdrawn from their existing social circles due to the stigma of unemployment, not being in the mood to socialize, or simply having to cut back on socializing because of increased financial pressures. In addition, job seekers often face ongoing and relentless pressure and judgments from family and financial demands to continually job search, which increases stress and reduces their willingness to engage in the kind of self-care necessary to avoid job search burn out.

Upcoming Job Fairs:

Annual York Region Job Fair, May 4. Check out the employers and the positions available.

Aaniin Community Centre Job Fair, May 10. Check out the employers and the positions available.

It’s job fair season. Employers set aside days from work, hoping to meet and talk to candidates with the goal of finding their most important asset and biggest single budget item: future employees. They will set up tables in large halls, with business cards and company information in hand, and excited hopefulness to fill specific job postings with great candidates.

So, employers are ready. Are you?

Job fairs provide job seekers with one of the very few chances job seekers get to meet employers face-to-face; a one of a kind opportunity to impress them with those valuable characteristics that your resume cannot communicate to employers: your interpersonal skills, communication skills, professionalism, and likability. Think of a job fair as a way to build a professional network -- to meet employers in your field, secure job interviews and learn as much as you can about the local labour market (including job openings, workplace culture, and the nature of sector). Sometimes, job seekers can even have an interview on the spot. Though it is unlikely that you will get an actual job offer at a job fair, you can make progress toward getting that job offer, if you do it properly.

How do you prepare?

If you have ever sought job search advice, you are familiar with the age old recommendation to “network, network, network”. Networking for work means strategically reaching out to people with the explicit intention to develop ties that can lead to employment opportunities and referrals.

The process of building a referral network is mutually beneficial for both job seekers and the employers. For employers, a thoughtful referral from a well-respected source can be very useful to help identify a standout candidate with unique skills. According to Jobvite’s survey, 74% of recruiters view referrals as the source of “higher quality” candidates; 51% of recruiters reported that they consider employee referrals the third most important hiring factor, (after previous job experience and culture fit). SilkRoad’s Sources of Hire 2017 Report revealed that employee referrals are the biggest source for hires. This is so effective that some employers have Employee Referral Programs, which offer financial incentives to employees who successfully refer a suitable candidate.

Remember this interview that went viral?

We don’t need to tell you that interviewing for a new job is stressful. The experience of having to sit down in front of an employer and answering unknown questions can raise the anxiety of even the most confident job seeker. Interviewees worry about what they are expected to say, and whether they will mess up and make mistakes. For an already anxious job seeker, online video interviews brings a whole other level of unnerving challenges.

Video interviews, where employers use commonly used video applications such as Skype, dedicated job interview sites such as HireView or other applications, such VenterView, an automated interviewing technology, are becoming increasingly common. Employers use the technology to prescreen applicants or even conduct full interviews with long distance candidates.

Dear Employment Specialist,

I am an experienced bookkeeper who recently left a job that I had held for 7 years, after having a very difficult experience with my boss that lasted years. I have now begun looking for new work, but am unsure how to explain why I left the job without looking bad.

I left because I was feeling bullied by my manager, and was becoming very unhappy at work. For the first 5 years, I was perfectly happy – I enjoyed my work (and am good at it!) and I had a positive and supportive relationship with all my colleagues, including my manager. 2 years ago, the company was taken over by new management, and they replaced many of my colleagues and managers with their own staff. The atmosphere in the office completely changed. My new manager never had a good word to say to me. She wasn’t clear about what she wanted and yelled at me in front of my colleagues. I tried to not take it personally, but I was getting unhappier by the day, going home crying and hating my work.  Eventually, I had to leave, for the sake of my own mental health.

I am now looking for a new job. What do I tell interviewers when they ask what happened to the last job? What do I do about a reference? Do I tell the truth?

Signed: Bullied

We may be in the depths of winter right now, but if you are hoping to find summer employment, it's time to start planning. Employers start early to plan for summer hiring, as staff vacation requests for July and August begin coming in. Summer hiring happens everywhere, in a range of sectors, in positions obviously related to the season such as amusement parks, summer camps, resorts, and camp grounds, as well as seasonal sectors such as landscaping, tourism, and agriculture. Government post jobs for students in a range of departments, on all three levels, including municipal, provincial and federal.

It's not just students who benefit from summer hiring -- some of the jobs are open to anyone. These jobs may even provide opportunities than might turn into full-time permanent work.

Where to find summer jobs

Don't underestimate the obvious: the best place to initiate any online search is still Google. Use suitable keywords such as summer, jobs, a job title (e.g. landscaping), and location (e.g. Toronto). Set up alerts for the searches that produce the best results, so that you can be notified by email every time matches appear.

Use social media -- make sure you  have a decent profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and set out to locate employers. For example, the City of Toronto has a presence on Facebook (Employment and Social Services), Twitter and LinkedIn. Search Twitter for keywords such as #summerjobs and #toronto.

Look through specialized student job boards such as JobPostings.ca, Student Times and Talent Egg, which focus on summer jobs.

Governments have excellent summer opportunities. On all levels of government, including the municipal, provincial and federal, special sites have been set up for summer recruitment: The Government of Canada Summer Jobs program through which jobs through a range of employers, including small businesses, not-for-profit employers, public sector and faith-based organizations could start could start as early as April 23, 2018. Students can search for lists of potential employers here. Jobs also can be found on crown corporation sites such as Canada Post or Via Rail.

Provincial governments are also starting plan their hiring strategies. The Government of Ontario, for example, has updated their summer jobs website which directs candidates to various programs. These include:

• the 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 employments opportunities through the Summer Company which provides students with hands on business training, mentoring and awards of up to $3,000 to start and run their own summer businesses
• Opportunities to work for the province through the Stewardship Youth Ranger Program, for students age 16 or 17, to work on local natural resource management projects for 8 weeks
• Students over 15 can work in a variety of summer positions across the Ontario Public Service, through the Summer Employment Opportunities program
• 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 Employment 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.

The City of Toronto has its Toronto Public Service Summer Employment Opportunities site, where potential employees can register and apply online. Toronto Parks & Recreation department has a page for recreation jobs. Check for specific programs in the city that might appeal to you — for example, Toronto's Centre Island hire many students for summer.

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, who list jobs in local camps. In Toronto, some of the larger employers such as The EX  or Canada’s Wonderland are hiring. Ontario Power Generation have created a summer recruitment site, as well.

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

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

These are just some of the opportunities. There are more -- think of who else is active in the summer -- companies that deal in promotions and marketing, hotels, restaurants, car rental companies, golf courses and a range of other service sector employers. Search for the companies online, check out their websites and see if they’re hiring. Contact them directly and find out about future opportunities.

As employment professionals, many resumes come across our desks and computer screens daily. We also spend a lot of time speaking to employers and advocating for our clients. Most usefully, we get to track the impact of our clients’ job applications from submission, all the way through to when they get hired. This exposure to the hiring process gives us insights into what works and what does not. In December 2017, I conducted an informal survey of some of my colleagues, the employment professionals at JVS Toronto; I asked them to share what they considered the most common resume mistakes made by job seekers.

We know job seekers tend to forget that employers still have the ultimate decision on their resumes – the ratio of good jobs to candidates is still skewed on favour of employers, who are often swamped with many resumes. To help with the daunting task of sorting through hundreds of resume, employers use many methods, sometimes relying on computerized automated tracking systems (ATS), and other times choosing to review each resume visually, either on a screen or on paper. This makes it very difficult for job seekers to format their resumes, so that they are equally optimized to be read both by a computer and a person.

Resume Layout and Format:

The appearance of a resume is key – not just because of first impressions (which should not be discounted), but also because formatting mistakes can impact on whether the resume is readable by an ATS program.

These were the comments on layout and resume appearance:

• Style: Don't get too creative with fonts, style, images, colours, because you don’t know who is reading your resume and how they feel about taking creative risks; just keep it simple and clean so that no one is distracted by formatting. As one of my colleagues said: “this is not the time to get fancy!”
• Bullet points: Be careful with punctuation; a colleague remarked: “I receive resumes with periods at the end of their bullets -- one line might have one and then the next line will be missing it, and this is usually repeated throughout the document.” If you are want to demonstrate how you value accuracy and attention to detail, such mistakes undermines your claim.
• Spelling and punctuation: “Proof reading is important; leave it and come back, or let someone else read it. No spelling, grammar or punctuation errors are acceptable.”  Importantly: “only using Spellcheck is not really proof reading. I don’t know how many times I have found “Costumer service” but never once actually had a client who worked with costumes”
• Font size: When trying to fit more information into two pages, many job seekers reduce the font to a point at which it becomes hard to read; “you can’t expect the reader to enlarge it.”
• Margins: Resume margins should be even and consistent. Don't make margins too narrow, but “remember that you can change your margins to fit more in -- take advantage of the space available to you.”
• Alignment: Make sure that the document is aligned consistently and neatly across the page.
• Job listings: If you have held more than one job in the same company, show it by listing the company name and then the jobs at that company; "indented, so readers can realize they were all at the same company.”
• Grammar: Keep your tenses consistent: previous jobs should be described in past tense, and the current job, if you have one, in present tense.
• Automatic Tracking Systems (ATS): Computerized systems that are used to read resumes cannot read everything you write on your resume; for example, ATS doesn’t necessarily read headers and footers. So, don’t put important information, such as your contact information, in headers/footers. ATS might not read PDFs, so follow instructions carefully about whether to submit the resume in Word or PDF. The same applies to fancy designs, which might not read well in ATS.
• Format: Remember that recruiters prefer chronological resumes, rather than functional ones, so don't use functional unless you absolutely have to.

Resume Content:

• Your contact information: Remember to make sure that all your up-to-date information includes your name, location (either a street address or at least a city and province), phone number and email addresses. Make sure to use an appropriate and updated email address that sounds professional.
• LinkedIn: Add your LinkedIn URL to your resume. Once your LinkedIn profile is complete, make sure that your profile matches your resume in terms of your experience (job titles, dates, responsibilities).
• Pronouns: The use of first person pronouns (“I”/”we”) tends to make resumes sound too casual. While a resume should be in first person, don’t include the pronouns (instead of “I managed…”, say “Managed….”)
• Individualize: Make sure to tailor each resume to the job, so that employers know you read their job posting and meet their requirements:
  • prepare different resumes for different positions. Target them to each posting and profession.
  • read the job posting clearly. Follow the instructions and apply exactly as instructed.
  • don’t include all your experience in every application. Not all of it is necessarily relevant to the position you are applying for; the experience you share should add value to your application.
  • don’t leave out “basic” skills or experience, because you think people “should know” you have them. Employers want to know that you can do all the aspects of the job.
• Headers: Make sure to include your name, phone number and page number on the second page, of your resume as well (no need for your address on the second page).
• Wording: Don’t use a lot of  buzzwords – if you overuse adjectives such as “excellent” “strong”, “highly skilled”, you will sound less credible. Also, a colleague reminded job seekers: “don’t repeat verbs to describe your duties: performed accounting duties, performed AP and AR, performed journal entries....”)
• CV or Resume? Remember the difference between a CV and a resume. Resumes are two page work histories, whereas CVs are long listings of academic education and research.
• Summary/profile is where all the important information for that position should be listed.
  • keep the resume focused on one desired occupation (you will confuse employers if you say “experienced electronics technologist and network administrator” – they won’t understand why they need to know about both)
  • make sure to include all the credentials you have that are related to that particular position (“for example, for financial positions, list your Canadian Securities Course up front” – don’t expect recruiters to turn to your education list on the second page to find it.)
  • a former recruiter, remarked: “I know from recruiting that we spent more time in this area and it should be the most important information from the job seeker to the employer. We spent very little time on the rest of the resume. It’s always just a quick scan.”)
• Language: If you are translating job titles into English, make sure to choose the correct title (for example, “only registered social workers can call themselves that”)
• Dates: Some employment experts suggested only using years and not months when you are adding dates to jobs; others suggested including months -- especially if it was one of a few short contracts in one year. Either way, be consistent; don’t leave gaps unanswered if possible, in work history dates – rather explain briefly (e.g. “2010-2012 – family responsibilities”).
• Company descriptions: If you want to describe the company you worked in, don’t go into too much detail. You are promoting yourself, not your past employers.
• Job descriptions: Detail what you did in each job, but focus on quantifiable achievements – don’t just list the responsibilities; “Include accomplishments and personalize them, instead of just listing what the job description said.”
• References: There was disagreement between colleagues whether job seekers should include “references upon request”; some said that it is assumed --  “it is a given -- you have to have references”, while others suggested that it’s a good way to end a resume. Either way, make sure you actually have appropriate and relevant references available.
• Additional information: remember not to list your birth date, marital or immigration status on the resume. And no photos, either.

The bottom line from the employment specialists: Seek expert advice (like that of the JVS employment specialists), and be open to making as many recommended changes. One Employment Counsellor said “I like to ask this question -- does your resume excite you? If yes, great. If not keep on going!"

2018 is here and this is the year you want to find that next best job. Are you ready? We have prepared this list to make sure that you have all your job search tools ready to get you to that next job in the shortest possible time. We’ve also linked to our best blog posts for more detail:

In November, Statistics Canada released information from the 2016 census including the education, age, and even commute time for workers across the country; painting an interesting picture of Canadians in the workforce.

So, how does your work life compare with that of other Canadians? Here are some of the findings summed up by the CBC:

Education and Employment

The census revealed that most Canadians have a post-secondary education – 54 percent, which is the highest among industrialized nations worldwide. It also showed that in the last ten years there was a large increase in the number of women attending post secondary school – many of whom (40 percent) have at least a bachelor’s degree – higher than men. More women are also getting doctorates -- especially in social sciences, education, health, the arts and communication technology. However, men still have more doctorates – especially in architecture, mathematics, engineering, IT and life sciences. Interestingly, the percentage of men who have chosen to pursue apprenticeships has almost doubled in the last 10 years, while that of women remains unchanged. Among new immigrants, most have at least a bachelor's degree, which is higher than people born in Canada. This was even higher for doctorates, with more than double the immigrants having doctorates than those born in Canada.

In terms of income levels, men working in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields earned 24 percent more than those with a degree in the business, humanities, health, arts, social science and education fields. This disparity was less pronounced among women.

Were graduates able to find work in the field that they studied? The data showed that those with degrees in nursing, engineering, education and information technology were more likely to work in their fields. Graduates with degrees in arts, humanities, or social sciences degree often found themselves in lower paying jobs where they were not able to use their education.

Where do people work? Over two million Canadians (the largest single group) work in the health-care and social assistance sectors, and a similar number (just a few less) work in retail. Manufacturing dropped significantly over the last 10 years, with only 9 percent of the workforce (just over 1.5 million) in that field.

More workers are working part-time and seasonally than before. 10 percent of men (a higher percentage than a decade ago) and 18 percent of women did not work at all.

Age

In terms of the age of workers, unsurprisingly (considering the economy and reduced retirement savings) the number of older Canadians working full-time has doubled in the last 10 years. Younger Canadians are working less, with only 52 percent of 15- to 24-year-olds working, down from 57 percent 10 years ago.

Traveling to Work

Most Canadians drive to work; though that number is dwindling as more and more of us opt for public transit. There is also an increase in the number of people who cycle to work, though less are walking to work than before. Workers are also travelling for longer periods of time.

It is taking us longer to get to work, and we are travelling further, with the average commute by car increasing to 26 minutes, and public transit lasting 45 minutes. The longest commutes in Canada are in Toronto (34 minutes), Oshawa (33 minutes), Barrie (31 minutes) and Montreal (30 minutes). People are also travelling farther, with the median commute now at 7 kilometres.

Over 850,000 Canadians spend more than an hour each way travelling to work in their cars. Despite this, less Canadians work from home, which is surprising considering new technologies and our increased awareness of the environment impacts of travel.

How do you compare to the average Canadian worker?  Click on this interesting infographic to learn more about where you fit in.

A while ago, a client of mine called me regarding a job she had just applied for; it was perfect! The job title was exactly what she wanted and the company was located right near her home. Unfortunately, maybe because she was so excited, or maybe because she was applying in a rush, she made mistakes in her application -- the kind of mistakes described by some online job search advice blogs as deadly sins. She had sent it before spell-checking it, which left two typos in her cover letter. She called me nearly in tears the next morning – what should she do?

If you Google “job search mistakes”, you will find a long list of articles and blog posts that use words such as avoidable, costly and even deadly or, more dramatically, killer to describe the impact of even the smallest of mistakes. While it is true that making a mistake is something to be avoided as much as possible, there are some things that can be done, some of which might make a very big difference -- even to the point of impressing a potential employer enough to reconsider your application.

Job search mistakes can happen at every level of job search including during networking, resume writing, and interviewing; many of these errors can be avoided with some knowledge and careful planning (found in many of these excellent blogs.) Interestingly, as my client pointed out, almost no attention is paid online to helping job searchers recover from these mistakes. This left her feeling that once she made a mistake, the impact was so dire that she might as well just give up.

In this economy, where many talented job searchers compete for only a few jobs, you might think that it is easy for an employer to eliminate a candidate based on small, preventable mistakes. Yet many employers claim that they struggle to find qualified candidates. Perhaps that is the reason that they might be open to reconsidering an otherwise strong candidate before rejecting them for making a small mistake. However, this can only happen if the candidate deals with the mistake quickly and properly.

Pearl Buck, winner of the 1938 Nobel Prize in Literature suggested that:

“Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied”

This principle (which is a pretty useful life lesson) can be easily applied to a job search; many mistakes can be corrected through direct action, which might include a quick (and brief) apology, taking responsibility and correcting the error.

After discussing her options, my client decided to reapply to the job. She corrected the errors in the cover letter, updated the date on it, and re-sent it to the employer with the following note in the email:

Dear Ms X,

I am hereby re-submitting my application for the xxxx position, after having already submitted an application for this position yesterday. This morning, after reviewing my application, I regretfully noticed two errors in my cover letter. While inexcusable (and not something that happens often, my references would assure you), I am reapplying with a corrected document in hopes that you may still consider me for this position, for which I believe, I am highly suited.

While I do hope you will reconsider me for this position, I will understand if you chose to consider another applicant.

I look forward to the opportunity to prove my worth to you in an interview.

Sincerely
XXX XXXXXX

The employer response was remarkable: not only did she invite my client for an interview, but she remarked that she was so impressed by my client’s ability to responsibly address a mistake, that she prioritized her application above the others.

The principles of such an artful and effective apology are neatly outlined in this excellent article, where the author quotes an employer who says that “The secret to my success as a leader in my business has been my ability to offer well-timed and heartfelt apologies after mucking things up.”

Here is what he recommends, as tips for “Constructing an Appropriate, Effective Apology”:

A well-constructed apology is:
1. Timely - As close to the transgression as possible.
2. Specific - By describing what you did wrong and why it was wrong, you are showing your command of yourself and your awareness of the impact you have on people and on the workplace.
3. Behavioural - Try: Here’s what I intended and why…here’s what I did…and I understand that my approach failed to communicate what I intended.
4. Genuine - Say what you mean and mean what you say.
5. Brief - No one wants you to draw it out. Don’t make excuses for your behaviour and don’t try and describe the twenty things that happened that day that added up to your bad moment.

Such an apology is bound to impress the potential employer and convey your ability to be a responsible employee who might add value to the position.

Bottom line: As John Powell stated:

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.

If you catch yourself in a small error, set out to quickly, briefly and simply resolve it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You may even make an even better impression than you intended.

In October 2017, Ontario government passed the Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Act, raising the general minimum wage in the province to $14 per hour on January 1st 2018, and to $15 per hour, a year later on January 1st 2019. After that, the general wage will be increased annually at the rate of inflation. Other provisions of the act include:

• mandating equal pay for workers who are doing the same job, regardless of whether they are working on a full time, part time, temporary, casual or seasonal basis
• job protection for up to 17 weeks of time off, if a worker or their child has experienced domestic or sexual violence
• requiring employers to provide at least three weeks of vacation for employees after five years with the company
• requiring employers to make employee scheduling fairer, including paying for three hours of work, if a shift is cancelled within 48 hours of its scheduled start time

The public discussion about the Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Act has focused on the $15 minimum wage raise, invoking both a sense of optimism, as well as some concern from both employers and workers. On one hand, minimum wage earners (there are an estimated 1.5 million workers in Ontario who earn below $15 an hour) have expressed enthusiasm at the possibility of earning more per hour and coming closer to affording the cost of living in an expensive city such as Toronto. On the other hand, many fear this may result in job losses if employers are not able to afford the increase.

While employers worry that they will have to lay off staff to survive, it’s hard to predict the impact of minimum wage increases. Research findings are mixed; many describe job loss, while some analysts report that even though jobs might be lost in the short term, there might be a net job gain later (12 months or so after the increase). Other reviews into this issue concluded that "The employment effect of minimum wage is one of the most studied topics in all of economics... The weight of evidence points to little or no employment response to modest increases in the minimum wage."

The impact it will have on minimum wage earners is harder to figure out. Employees who survive the potential layoffs will most likely be better off, earning almost $600 more per month or $7,500 annually for full time employees. Considering that a full time minimum wage earner presently earns barely enough to cover the cost of the average monthly rent in Toronto (which is estimated at approximately $2,000), this could make a major difference to the quality of life for low income earners and their families.

It is possible that some employees might lose their jobs, or have their hours reduced. The provincial government is hoping that the stronger economy in Ontario will ensure that workers will be able to find other jobs, and is relying on social support networks such as social assistance, retraining support through OSAP and Second Career, and employment services such as JVS Toronto will help them transition to new, better careers.