Job search advice, interview tips, resume best practices and more, we have the information you need in order to be successful at work!
For questions, comments about the blog, or to submit a question for the Ask an Employment Specialist column, email the Editor, at klewis@jvstoronto.org.
Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On June 14 2020, Rajeev Chib, Pan Asia Regional Head, Client Development and Business Management, Citibank, joined our panel of industry experts to advise job seekers on navigating the labour market, including topics like: Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On June 18 2020, Apotex joined our panel of industry experts to advise job seekers on navigating the labour market, including topics like: Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On May 21 2020, we were joined by ARES Staffing Solutions as part of our ongoing efforts to support job seekers during these unprecedented times. This webinar, "The new normal - impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian labour market" will focus on: Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On June 11 2020, Commercial Financial Service Experts from RBC shared how COVID has affected them both personally and professionally. The panel addressed questions like: Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On May 28 2020, IBM joined our panel of industry experts to advise job seekers on navigating the labour market, including topics like: Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On May 21 2020, Insight joined our panel of industry experts to talk about Recruiting for IT Sales by a recruiter from one of Fortune’s best workplaces in technology, followed by a live Q&A session. Industry Experts Talk is a weekly webinar series where job seekers can get expert insight and up-to-date information from industry-leading experts. You will learn about market trends, the skills and qualifications employers are looking, their recruitment processes, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. On May 14 2020, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) joined our panel of industry experts to advise job seekers on navigating the labour market as a newcomer in Canada, including topics like: Right now, while we are unexpectedly stuck at home, job seekers are starting to wonder what to tell future employers about what they have been doing over this time. I have tried to reassure my clients that it's unlikely that employers will ask -- most people understand that in these "unprecedented times" (as the press keeps telling us) people are dealing with a many unexpected pressures. But now that many of us have found some kind of daily routine, as stressful and unsettled as it may be, some are looking for something to do that is positive and future-oriented which might advance their careers or give them a competitive edge when they resume their job search. Considering what so many people are going through as they try to balance the role of parent, teacher, homekeeper, cook, shopper, and caregiver -- job search is understandably hardly a priority for some. Of course, self care and day to day survival should to be our first priority, and the added pressure of taking on additional responsibilities might not be the right thing to do right now. However, the option to take courses online is available for those who feel the need (and have the opportunity) to do something for their resume. Taking a course can also be a useful distraction, a way to gain a sense of control and do something for yourself. Finding online training courses that are credible and accessible isn’t an easy task. While Googling “online courses in Toronto” will give you pages and pages of results, it can be difficult to determine which of these courses are worth your time (and money). Here is a selection of quality resources to learn new skills and boost your employability. Public Libraries: Across many locations, public libraries are offering online learning opportunities to card holding members, including IT options such application software, web site development, JavaScript and Python, CISCO networking, opportunities for certification and examination preparation, as well as opportunities to learn programs such as QuickBooks and Microsoft Office. Libraries also offer access to a wide range of online courses for free, such as Find the Public libraries websites in your city for more information. You will need a library card to access these programs (If you do not have a library card, check the website of your local public library – some have temporarily introduced online registration options to access some resources. Libraries in the GTA include: Universities and Colleges: Publicly funded post-secondary schools also offer a wide range of Continuing Education opportunities both in-person and online; many of which are quite affordable. In addition, through Continuing Education departments at colleges and universities, job seekers can earn certificates in their area of study that will demonstrate their expertise when applying to jobs. Online courses are available at Ontario Learn. In recent months, universities have begun to advertise more online courses for people who don’t necessarily want to do an entire degree, under the category of Continuing Education, such as University of Toronto, Ryerson and York University Private Colleges: Many private colleges offer a wide range of training opportunities, an increasing number of which are available online. The provincial government registers and oversees all these schools to ensure quality, though they do vary widely in their standards. Candidates should keep in mind that many of these schools might not necessarily approved by the certifying professional bodies (e.g. Pharmacy Assistant candidates have to refer to this list to ensure the course is approved by the CCAPP, the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy programs), so it is important to check first before registering to make sure that the course and school are approved. Fortunately, there are a growing number of opportunities to study online which allows for greater flexibility and often lower (or no) costs. Some excellent online training sources include: Also -- remember that non profit organizations such as JVS Toronto are offering a range of free expert webinars for job seekers, so check those out as well. Whatever education or training you choose to pursue, remember to add your new skills to your resume and LinkedIn profile. I would like to start by saying that I am very lucky and happy to be associated with JVS Toronto. Organizations like JVS do so much to help newcomers in taking one of the most difficult steps of their lives. I was one of these newcomers a few years back and now I am fortunate enough to be a volunteer with JVS. Here’s the story of my wonderful journey. I immigrated to Canada on December 9th, 2017 but my preparations had started about 6 months before this when I received my COPR. I was working as a Product Manager in Delhi, India at that time. When I got free from work, I spent my time on the internet, researching whatever I could find about immigrating to Canada, the life in Canada, career opportunities in my field, the weather here, interesting places to visit, etc. That is when I came across JVS Toronto and I decided to register with them. Registration was simple and in a couple days, I started working with an Employment Specialist and very soon I was assigned a mentor. My mentor was none other than Mr. Rick McCallion. I had tons of doubts and question but was confused around where to start with the mentorship program. Rick sensed my confusion and took control of the conversation. He started off with some introductions to break the ice and in no time, we were exchanging tons of information with each other. Rick read all my questions properly and gave me precise answers with sources that I could go to if I needed more details. He also made sure, that I was feeling comfortable about the move and all my doubts (around job, expenses, housing, transportation, etc.) were resolved to the best of his abilities. My interaction with him over the Canada InfoNet portal instilled a lot more confidence and predictability around my move to Canada. I was in a much better state of mind when the mentorship ended as compared to when I started. My Employment Specialist also helped and supported me by reviewing my resume and updating it according to the Canadian standards. When I came to Canada, I followed all of the advice that I received through the program and my mentor gave me and it really made a difference. Specific to job searching, since I knew December to January is generally a slow time in the job market due to the holidays, I kept my cool and kept preparing for interviews, networking with people and enhancing my knowledge. I started rigorously applying in mid-January on job portals like Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, etc. I landed a couple interviews and was lucky enough to land a job in my field of Product Management in mid-February. I feel that keeping a cool head during my job search, enhancing my knowledge and networking, were key to my success. As soon as I completed 2 years working here in Canada, I approached JVS Toronto to see if I could be a volunteer mentor with them. JVS agreed and I am now acting as a mentor for a newcomer. I am still very new to this but since I was on the mentee side fairly recently, I understand their state of mind and their queries quite well. I hope I can provide some clarity and confidence to the mentees I get associated with and help ease their transition to this great new country and a great new life. If Kanwardyal’s story inspires you to want to become a mentor with our Canada InfoNet program, please click here and register with us. During these pandemic times, the one thing that stands out to me is something that I have sometimes taken for granted - the importance of connections. In the last few weeks of self-isolation and social distancing, I look around at my friends, family and neighbours and I can see how we are all yearning for those social connections. What was so easy just a couple of months ago, now takes planning, rigour and diligence, and even then, it is never just quite the same. Fortunately, now that we have the odd beautiful day, I see how my neighbours, properly social distanced, flock to the courtyard of our condominium complex just to be able to connect with each other. Now, more than ever, the importance of these social connections is painfully evident. As we come out of National Volunteer Week, I’ve been reflecting on my 11 years a mentor in the JVS Toronto Canada InfoNet program and it’s role and impact on connections – global connections. The primary reason why I volunteer has always been to somehow make a difference in the little slice of the world that I occupy – to leave some type of a footprint behind. But why did I choose this particular volunteering opportunity where there are countless tens of thousand volunteer opportunities across Canada? Primarily, it was because Canada InfoNet mentoring program is facilitated online and it’s on a schedule convenient to me. This was a significant benefit. I’ve done the traditional volunteering in the past, but there was something about the convenience of this specific opportunity that spoke to me. I used to refer to this volunteer program as “virtual” but as I have mentored over the years, somehow I don’t think that virtual is quite the right word. Although the communication method of the mentoring program is virtual, it is really much more than that. It’s real and it’s personal. I’ve been so lucky to have maintained connections with my mentees over the years and this connection has made this program far more than “virtual”. It’s tangible and it makes a difference. Not only in the lives of my mentees (hopefully!) but in mine as well. I see the children of mentees being born in Canada, children that may not have had the same opportunities back home. To see these families grow and flourish here gives me tremendous satisfaction. And when I see mentees become Canadian citizens, and especially when I see that they too have been so impacted by the program reach out to apply to become a mentor, that fills me with pride. Not pride in myself, but rather my indescribable pride in the mentees who have taken a leap of faith in Canada, have flourished and are now trying to pay back to others wanting to relocate to Canada. Connections. I see now how important connections are to me. When restrictions are eventually lifted, when we don’t have to be so cautious about who, where, how, for how long and from what distance, when all of these are an afterthought, I’ll always try to keep in mind how precious these connections are and how important they are. If nothing else, one of the things that I’ve learned from the state of the world right now is to appreciate and value the ability that I have to connect with those that I love. Connections transcend geographic or political borders. How can we be part of a society without connections? And more importantly, how can we have a society without looking for opportunities to help others? I’m very grateful to JVS Toronto for their CanadaInfoNet mentoring program. Now more than ever, I cherish the connections that I’ve made through this program. If Rick’s story inspires you to want to become a mentor with our Canada InfoNet program, please click here and register with us. March 8th, 2020 was International Women's Day; a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls, and raising awareness of the work that needs to be done to achieve equality. Immigrant women face a range of challenges in the workforce, including the gender pay gap, and difficulties accessing executive roles in the workforce. This is made even clearer by the data -- a recent study by TRIEC shows that women only make up about 36 percent of executive roles in the Greater Toronto Area, and when those 36 percent are analyzed for immigration status and ethnicity, the number falls further -- only 2 percent of executive roles in are occupied by racialized immigrant women. To mark International Women’s Day, we asked a few of our female mentors to share their stories and challenges in finding a place in the Canadian workforce. Maral Melkonian arrived from Syria in 2016, with a background in banking. After a challenging job search, she secured a position as a Credit Analyst at TD Bank and joined the Canada InfoNet program as a mentor. Experiences dealing with immigration challenges and assistance she received from employment and mentoring programs inspired her to become a mentor. She shared the following about her experience: It is very hard for all of us to be uprooted from our land, home, friends and parents, packing all our life souvenirs in few suitcases, and decide to begin a new life in a very different country like Canada, different in culture, nature, weather and environment. Undertaking the challenge because we all believe we are going to have a better and safer life, a brilliant future for our children and us. The biggest and hardest challenge comes when we start to search for a job, related to the same profession and field (we had before immigrating). The main and most important point is to meet the correct person or organization to help and advise you, not necessarily by finding the job, but an encouraging word makes and means a lot, or lead you to dive deeper in searches in the proper sectors, companies and institutions. In addition to barriers faced by all immigrants, women have to overcome additional challenges, Maral shares: …the work schedule, the working hours and days, especially if they have families and young kids. It is so hard to manage if both parents are working and they have to accept any offer just to start and survive. For example, I have to work three different schedules a week with one day late shift, other examples some retail workers and bank branches require all weekends, noting here the kids’ drop off and pick up strict times by schools. These are some of the many challenges faced by women, which can lead to their career goals having to be set aside. The support Maral received from her mentor – whom she calls “a lifesaving angel” – was crucial for her to get her first job in Canada at a leading bank. She emphasizes how her mentorship experience was beneficial, not only for the technical knowledge her mentor shared, but also to keep her motivated and encouraged. For that reason, Maral later became a mentor with Canada InfoNet -- to pass on her experience and pay forward for all the support she received when she was new in Canada. Fabi Ramos, now employed as a Marketing Manager at Next Edge Capital, immigrated from Brazil in 2016. She chose to become a mentor because she saw it as “an opportunity to learn, develop leadership skills and gain a personal sense of satisfaction” from helping immigrants who are now facing the challenges that she previously faced. In regards to being a woman in the Canadian workplace, she shares: Like most women, I have also experienced challenges in the job market such as gender pay gap, career ladder opportunities, fear of becoming pregnant, appearance judgment, room temperature disparity and other gender bias. I usually say that women need to work harder to prove our worth in the work place, to win our space. Employers have an important role to play in achieving more equality in the workforce. A study by McKinsey & Company reveals the importance of the link between diversity and corporate financial out-performance; one of their findings showed is that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams were 21 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile. We still have a long way to go, but we believe that bringing awareness to the issues and giving an opportunity for women to tell their stories is one step towards finding solutions that will benefit our whole community. JVS Toronto’s Canada InfoNet mentoring program is enriched by all the support offered by our women mentors to immigrating professionals. Beyond International Women's Day, diversity should not simply be something to strive for but it should be a given that women have their place in the workforce. Despite having sent out hundreds of resumes, you still haven't received a response. You know connections are important to land a job, however you are new to the country and find it difficult to reach out to employers. Job fairs offer a rare opportunity to make a good first impression on potential employers and let them know the skills you have to offer. As virtual job fairs become more popular, we are sharing tips to help job seekers make the best of this event. Virtual job fairs are solely online and are similar to regular job fairs except communication with employers is done in writing via an instant messaging platform rather than in person. Since the job fair is not in person, it isn't necessary to wear a suit or other formal office wear, however being too comfortable can also have its pitfalls. Participating in the job fair in a comfortable environment might lead you to communicate in an informal manner. Imagine the kind of answers you might give if you were talking to employers while wearing a bathrobe, lying in bed and eating chips. Also, remember mood and attitude can be apparent in your writing so it's very important to maintain a positive attitude. To ensure you are in the right frame of mind, take yourself out of the space you are in by showering, getting dressed in presentable clothes and sitting at a table. Here are some tips to make the most of the virtual job fair experience: Employers want to know that you are interested in working for them and the job they are hiring for. Virtual job fairs can bring in hundreds of job seekers so showing genuine interest is more likely to make you stand out from the crowd and convince the employer that you might be the right fit for the position. For this reason, it’s important to research and only approach employers you are really interested in. A job fair is just like an interview, so prepare accordingly. Prepare some short and direct answers to standard questions such as “Tell me about yourself”, “Why do you want to work here?” and “What skills do you have?” It’s also very important to create an elevator pitch to introduce yourself. As this is a virtual job fair, you will be communicating in writing so make sure you chose your words carefully because once they have been sent they can't be taken back. The sidewalks may still be covered in ice and snow, but winter is ending soon. With that in mind, employers are starting to recruit for summer positions. Summer jobs come in a range of sectors, including seasonal positions for amusement parks, retail, summer camps, resorts, campgrounds, as well as landscaping, tourism, and agriculture. Municipal, provincial and federal governments also post a selection of summer jobs in many departments, giving students a huge selection of opportunities to expand their skills sets, earn some money and build a resume. Search engines like Google are a good starting 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). See which sites are posting jobs of interest, and sign up for them to send you alerts for futures positions. 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 find you and be impressed. You can conduct searches on each platform using hashtags like #summerjobs. Use the popular sites such as Indeed.ca, as well as specialized job boards such as JobPostings.ca, Student Times and Talent Egg that focus on student summer jobs. Summer job postings for all levels of government can start as early as January, and they fill very quickly. Here are a few to check out: Check out sites such as Kijiji’s Summer Job search, as well as Craigslist. For jobs in camps, check out Ontario Camps. Remember that you can also create your own business and offer pet sitting, gardening, babysitting, elder care, house-sitting services, for a fee, to friends and family. (The provincial government offers support for summer companies, offered through JVS Toronto, through our Youth Services.) Look around you – nearby Malls might be hiring students, for example. Put on a decent interview outfit, take your resume and walk into stores. Ask about summer hiring. Google companies you would like to work for, and apply online. 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 work opportunities. A few years ago, I had the privilege of speaking with Dan Ariely, author and Duke University Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Economics, at his book launch. In the book, he mentioned the challenges that people face finding love on online dating sites. It got me thinking about the parallels between the struggles finding work and finding love, and the fact that we have still not succeeded in creating particularly effective systems to connect job seekers and job openings (or people to one another). AI is smart, but not smart enough to figure out what makes people “click” with each other. While there are qualified job seekers and suitable jobs out there, somehow it is exceedingly difficult to connect the two; the question is what works? Based on my experience as an employment expert, I have concluded that there are real parallels between what works for finding work and love. To test this theory, I decided to research "how to find love", which yielded a lovely, common-sense Wikihow post that demonstrates my theory pretty well. It recommends 10 steps to help "find love", most of which can be neatly applied to job search. It divides the 10 steps into 3 main parts: Employment counsellors also typically advise job seekers to: Consider what you bring to a relationship: For job seekers, this is excellent advice: identify your assets, professional interests and weaknesses; understand them and be willing to discuss them openly (obviously, only as they relate to your ability to do the job). Identify your strengths, and practice being able to talk about them confidently. “Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, a hilarious crowd pleaser or a very kind friend, be confident about what you have to offer”. Know what you have and own it. Confidence comes from understanding what makes you a strong candidate, and being able to back that up with examples from your experience. All relationships benefit from clarity of purpose. Do you know what you are looking for in a job? Have you thought through and evaluated your priorities? Write down what you consider most important characteristics for your next job, such as salary, status, keeping busy, social connections, a chance to build your career, or learning new skills. Try to not being too specific or too superficial in your preferences; if you are too selective, you might narrow your options too much and miss out on opportunities which you might regret later. It may also be helpful to write down a list of definite “NOs.” What won’t you compromise on? “One of the best ways to do this is to start by making friends. It is always said that making friends is the surest way to finding love, and that’s because it’s true; it’s a great way to build a mutual relationship based on caring and trust.” The same can be said for job search – make sure to reach out to people. Avoid hiding behind your computer screen. You are mostly likely to find work (especially work that meets your unique needs and skills) through networking. Networking starts with meeting people. Don’t be quick to reject an opportunity based on superficial criteria – love at first sight is a rare and often unsustainable thing. Look beyond your notion of what your ideal employer might be like – avoid restricting yourself based on superficial criteria such as location, travel time, company size, brand, job title. Think about your long-term goals; consider whether this opportunity might move you in the right direction. Expect success to take time. Commit resources, effort and time to finding the right opportunity. Be patient. To find love, “accept invitations to parties, sporting events, and concerts. If you aren’t much of a joiner, ask a few people out for lunch or coffee. The point is to create a lot of situations that give you the chance to get to know people - and it’s hard to do that from home”. This applies to job search just as well: stretch yourself beyond you natural tendency for independence and self-sufficiency – reach out. Go to workshops and conferences, volunteer and do what it takes to meet new people. Let people know that you are looking for work. Send out resumes to those who might know someone. Mention it to friends and former colleagues. (Careful not to overdo it though – no one wants a desperate person.) Make sure you have an easy-to-find online presence. Sites such as LinkedIn provide good opportunities to showcase your skills. Be aware of how you appear to others, online (Google yourself!) a in terms of professional dress (no perfume – this is job search, after all.) When meeting with network contacts, practice active listening. Be attentive, make yet contact and ask curious questions. Thank people afterwards for the meeting and stay in touch. When you meet them next, or reach out again, try to follow up by recalling something he or she said and mentioning it at the beginning of the conversation. Show people you are paying attention. Be honest and genuine. Your ability to talk about your strengths and weaknesses with confidence is, as the article suggests “an act of courage, and that’s attractive”. I suppose we could describe LinkedIn, networking meetups, recruiting sites as “dating services” for job seekers and employers. Even volunteering in a place where you can meeting potential colleagues and employers might be a great place to find employment “love”. As the article states: “you might find it easier to get to know people in places that facilitate conversation.” Reach out to people who might be able to help or support you, and take up any opportunity to meet face to face and have a conversation by phone. Informational interviews can be very beneficial for both you and a potential employer. No need to make it complicated or formal. Take your contact out to coffee or meet them at their office and bring a cup (call/text before and ask: “I’m bringing coffee – what would you like?”). The format of the meeting doesn’t matter -- just focus on having a good conversation and learning something new. Making a good impression is most important. Remember that personal connections are stressful for both sides. The person you’re meeting might be concerned about your expectations from them, as well. Keep in mind that not everyone is in a position to refer you to a job, and keep expectations low key and relaxed. Talking about yourself in a genuine and self-critical way makes you more trustworthy and confident sounding. You do not have to be perfect to be interesting -- employers want an employee who is open to criticism and learning. Sometimes you are just not a good fit with a job. Sometimes a network contact just won’t want to meet. Know when to give up and move on to better opportunities. Do not let a negative experience put you off. Learn from any mistakes you might have made, dust yourself off and try again. Staying motivated through the process can be difficult. An article in the Journal of Management quotes researchers who suggest that the most important thing a job seeker can do to find work is to stay motivated and focused -- advice which could just as easily apply to those seeking love: “Just keeping motivated. You know, that's a tough one when day in and day out, doors are slamming in your face because, you know, you're not the only person applying for a particular job or you're not the only person reaching out to somebody. And, I think, trying to keep a smile on your face and staying motivated that it will happen when it's meant to happen. That's the ticket. I think that's the toughest thing when you've been out of work for a long period of time. What other rocks have you not turned over? And if you turned over every rock that you can and reached out to god knows how many people (…), and you're not getting anywhere and the train is not moving down the tracks, it is very tough to put one foot in front of the other and say, okay, tomorrow's going to be a better day. That sounds just so old-fashioned or cliched but it's true.” Whether looking for love or trying to find work, human nature requires that we do certain things in order to be successful: we need to be self-aware, clear about our goals, and to plan and implement steps to reach out and to meet others face to face. Most importantly, acknowledge that the process of meeting goals (whether it's love or work) will most probably take more time, energy and motivation than we would like. And then, just keep going. Bell Let’s Talk launched in 2010 with a focus on building awareness, acceptance and action in mental health. Since then Canadians have taken the conversation around mental health to remarkable heights, making it clear that mental health matters. Dr. Hadley Koltun, a Psychologist at JVS Toronto’s Career, Education and Psychology Services, addresses some questions regarding mental health; its symptoms, diagnosis and how those who are struggling can find help and support in the workplace. Q. What are the signs that may indicate you are struggling with mental health? Mental health challenges cover a wide variety of different moods and behaviours. Symptoms of mental health issues may include: Physical: Emotional: If you, a friend, colleague or family member are experiencing several of these symptoms, it may be an indication of a problem that requires professional care or support. Q. How is a mental health disorder diagnosed? A mental health disorder is diagnosed by a registered health professional such as a physician or psychologist. Social workers and psychotherapists are registered health professionals but are not authorized to make such a diagnosis. To diagnose a disorder, a psychologist will conduct an assessment. Typically, an assessment will involve an interview with the client and the completion of standardized checklists or surveys. It may take more than one visit to determine whether or not a client has a mental health disorder, which disorder it is, and what accommodations or interventions are required. Q. What are some of the symptoms people with mental heath issues experience that affect their ability to work? The symptoms listed above may be indicative of a mental health condition that could affect someone’s ability to work. Some of these symptoms can cause decreased performance or absenteeism. Q. Should I disclose my mental health issue to my employer? If so, what documentation do I need to provide? Disclosure of a mental health disorder is not necessary. However, if you are asking your employer for accommodations, you may require a letter from a health professional outlining what is required. Q. What are some typical accommodations that a person with mental health concerns can ask for from their employers? If work becomes overwhelming, employees can ask for a decrease in the volume of tasks to a manageable level, at least temporarily. Or space tasks out over a longer period of time to be worked out between the employee and their immediate supervisor. An employee may also require a quiet place to work as well as having regular breaks. However, any accommodation recommended must not bring an undue hardship, i.e. the accommodation must not place an unreasonable burden on the employer or other employees. What constitutes undue hardship will vary in each case depending on the nature of the workplace and the employee’s role within it. Q. Do I need a note from my doctor or psychologist in order to take time off work for reasons regarding mental health? According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, approximately 500,000 Canadians, in any given week, are unable to work due to mental health problems. If you have sick days available, it’s better to take them than to try and push through when you are not feeling well. If your mental health care requires more time off, the Canada Labor Congress recommends you talk to your Human Resources department and find out what sick time or short-term disability leave is available to you. You will likely need a doctor’s note if you have to take a longer time off work, but it will depend on your employer’s policies. Q. Can I claim any medications or therapy treatments on my employee benefits? That depends on your particular employer and the employee benefits plan they offer. To find out what is covered by your employee benefits, speak with your manager or Human Resources department. Q. If I am struggling with feelings of anxiety, stress or depression that are affecting my performance in the workplace, what do I do? Mental health matters. Speak with your doctor, a psychiatrist or a psychologist about your symptoms and treatment options. A physician may prescribe medication and both a physician and a psychologist can recommend counselling, psychotherapy, or accommodations at work. Don’t suffer in silence. If you have a question about mental health or the psychology services offered at JVS Toronto, contact us.Industry Experts Talk: The Future of Jobs in Banking
Industry Experts Talk: How to ace the hiring process and excel at work with Apotex
Industry Experts Talk: The New Normal with ARES Staffing Solutions
Industry Experts Talk: RBC Commercial Financial Service Experts
Industry Experts Talk: Labour Market & Recruitment with IBM
Industry Experts Talk: Careers in IT Sales with Insight Canada
Industry Experts Talk: Job Searching as a Newcomer with TRIEC
Update your skills from home — where to find low cost and free online courses
Mentee Success Story and Mentor Spotlight
Meet Kanwardyal, A Canada InfoNet Success Story
Kanwardyal Singh is a Product Owner/Manager who immigrated from India in 2017. In his preparation to come to Canada he became a program participant and mentee with Canada InfoNet where he was matched with Rick McCallion. After successfully establishing himself in the country, he wanted to pay it forward and decided to become a mentor with the program to support others like him. Here he shares his inspiring story with us.
Volunteering and Connections
Meet Rick, A Canada InfoNet Mentor
Canada InfoNet’s veteran mentor Rick McCallion, leader in IT change, who has been supporting our program for over a decade contributed to this newsletter by sharing his experience and highlighting the importance of volunteering.
Are we Doing Enough to Support Immigrant Women in the Workplace?
Our Mentors Share Their Stories
The Role of Employers
Navigating Your Way Through Virtual Job Fairs: Tips for Job Seekers
Before the Job Fair
During the Job Fair
After the Job Fair
Register to attend JVS Toronto's Virtual Job Fair, July 23, 2020.
Read MoreIt's Time to Apply for Summer Jobs
Where to find summer jobs
Start with the obvious.
Connect with companies on social media.
Job Boards.
The government is hiring.
Classifieds’ listings.
Think of which employers are busiest in summer.
How Finding Work is Like Finding Love
PART ONE: KNOW YOURSELF
1. “Understand what you have to offer.”
2. “Build confidence”
3. “Know what you are looking for."
PART TWO: REACH OUT
4. “Meet people.”
5. “Present yourself as someone who is available.”
6. “Try dating services.”
PART 3: MAKE MOVES
7. “Ask people on dates”
8. “Don’t be too pushy”
9. “Be vulnerable.”
10. “Know when to drop it and move on.”
Bottom line:
Mental Health in the Workplace
