May 18, 2015 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Cultural fit and the job interview

Dear Joanna,

When I follow up with the interviewers to ask for feedback on my interview and why I have not been hired, I have heard everything including: “you are overqualified” to “under qualified” to “you need Canadian experience” to “you have too much Canadian experience” to “you are not a good fit”. I am confused because have all the experience, skills, education and qualifications required in the job description! What is wrong with me? What does “you are not be a good fit” even mean?

Signed: Fit and Ready

Dear F&R:

The JVS’ Toronto’s counsellors whom I consulted on this question emphasized the importance of understanding that each organization has its own culture. A company’s culture can make or break the hiring decision. As a job seeker and future employee, I would explore the following:

1. Study the company’s culture prior to the interview.

This will help you read between the lines of the interviewer, and better answer the questions. Each organization and company has its own culture, which includes the company’s norms, values, how they spend their money and budgets, how they hire, their interview style, right down to the design of the interior and exteriors of their offices or buildings.

2. Understand your own preferred working style.

If you thrive in workplace environments with structure and order, and you interview in one of those IT companies which are known for their creative atmospheres, which is completely opposite to your natural style, you might find it a challenging place to work. Most likely, the interviewers will pick that up.

3. Research the company on social media.

Use LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to learn about the company and connect with employees. Find out as much as you can about the culture and systems including the dress code, management style, and the history of the company. Read the company website and learn about other employees and company information on the website and LinkedIn. Follow the companies. Consider cold calling employees for an information interview on the phone or in person. Research any media coverage or newsletters on the Internet.

4. Drop in.

Visit the company office in advance. Observe the décor, the art work, the floors, the marketing materials, and brochures, if possible. See if the employees are happy? Are the phones ringing? How’s the bathroom? Is it clean? Are the offices messy? Disorganized? Is it a corporate environment? What kind of computer stations are there for the employees? Do people work from home? You can ask these questions in an information interview or through Twitter as well.

Joanna

May 11, 2015 4 Comments

Land a Survival Job and Make it Work for You

As part of career coaching clients, I am often in a position of having to try to convince them of the benefits of survival work to help carry themselves over tough financial patches in their lives. Job seekers are nervous about taking a job outside of their career path, worrying that it will take them away from their intended direction. They also tell me that they worry that survival work might be perceived by potential employers as a failure. Actually, survival jobs can be a source of new opportunities — sometimes, they’re just a chance to bring in some short-term income, other times they become opportunities to meet new people, learn new skills and maybe even move into a new career.

What are Survival Jobs?

For some people, survival (or interim) jobs are lower skill, short notice, often short-term positions which job seekers take to carry themselves over while working on another longer term goal. Some people spend their entire careers in such positions, preferring the variety and physical challenges of these positions. Others do the work because they have no choice, burdened by challenges such as low skills, a need for urgent income and problems finding work. Depending on your skills and physical abilities, there are a range of positions that you might be able to find that could be described as “interim”.

Typically, these might include:

General Warehouse — working daytime, afternoon or night shifts, requiring the ability to lift weights such as 30-60 lbs, and having safety shoes. This kind of work mostly does not expect experience or any certification and often pays minimum wage.
Cherry Picker/Forklift — working often full days, requiring a Forklift Licence and Certification in Fall Arrest Protection. Salary might be higher — about $15/hour.
AZ Drivers — loading, unloading and delivering materials or goods. These jobs require an AZ license, driving experience and often a clear driving abstract, as well as the ability to lift 50 lbs.
Bakery Production/Batch Mixers — late afternoon and night shifts, mixing ingredients and working in an assembly or production line in a commercial bakery. These jobs require attention to detail, the ability to lift some weight (40 lb), some administrative abilities (stocking, shipping and receiving) and packaging.
Metal Fabrication — working with metal in a manufacturing environment, including operating equipment that produces, cleans or processes the materials, sorting, packing, transporting materials. Requires Steel-toed boots, safety goggles and gloves, and the ability to lift a medium amount of weight (20 lbs).
Landscaping — working outdoors, doing tasks such as leveling, laying and cutting stone, planting, sodding, grading and operating equipment. These jobs are team efforts, so good teamwork and communication skills are valued, as is experience in this field.
Construction — working on construction sites, doing a range of tasks including scaffold erection, assembly and stripping of concrete forms, concrete pouring, carpentry and/or woodworking, basic plumbing and electric knowledge and many others. Experience using nails guns, power tools, saws, measuring tape, hammer, and other tools are often required. Companies often will provide some training. Jobs are often performed on weekdays, starting early in the morning (7:30 am)
Warehouse Clerk — Often shift work, these jobs will include some training, but prefer experience and knowledge of computers and scanners, as well as working with inventory and cycle counts and shipping/receiving. Forklift is often valued, in addition to strong communication skills and the ability to do some lifting.
Food Service — these jobs are shift jobs, that often into the night and over weekends. Employers are most interested in an enthusiastic and warm personality, as well as the ability to multitask well. Knowledge and a passion for food and drinks is valued. Certain certifications might be needed, such as Smart Serve for alcohol servers might be required or Food Handling Certification for those working in the kitchen.
Call Centre Representative — these jobs often require evening and weekend shifts, making outbound calls to sell a product or service, or to gather market survey information via the telephone, or deal with incoming calls from clients. Most importantly, employers value communication skills and a warm, yet professional demeanour. Sometimes, employees might work from home. Second languages are valued, especially French.

Where can Survival Jobs Be Found?

Jobs are almost always advertised through agencies and require a resume to apply. Often agencies invite candidates to call directly or to come in person to the office at certain designated times, but other times, they require resumes to be submitted online or via email.

Our employment counsellors will help you find survival jobs at any of our Employment Source locations.

The second best way to find these positions is to identify the agencies that hire in your area. Here are some agencies that I was able to find in the Toronto area:

Other sources of jobs and employers include aggregating sites such as Indeed.ca or SimplyHired.ca, where a candidate can search , using keywords (“general labour”, “Warehouse Clerk”, etc) and location, and set up an alert system that will inform them via email every time suitable jobs appear.

Finally, general labour jobs are also posted on local classified boards such as Craigslist and Kijiji.

Bottom Line:

From my experience with clients who take survival jobs, the benefits of survival work mostly outweigh the challenges. Besides earning income, people enjoy the structure and routine of working, the opportunities to meet new people, gain new skills, and sometimes opportunities for advancement in new and upcoming sectors. Interim work could also help job seekers in their job search for other work, by providing them with recent references and an easy answer to the “what are you doing right now” question often asked by interviewers.

April 6, 2015 4 Comments

Ask the Employment Specialist: No Canadian Experience

Dear Employment Specialist,

Is Canadian experience really required for getting a job in my field in Canada? I am new to Canada and am looking for work in accounting. I have been interviewed several times, and the feedback is that I do not have enough Canadian experience. My Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks and other technical skills are top-notch. These are required for the jobs.

What is going on here?

Signed: No Canadian Experience Eh? (NCEE)

Dear NCEE,

I have discussed this common complaint of our newcomer clients with my colleagues at JVS Toronto and some employers with whom I work. The general consensus from these conversations is that Canadian experience should not vital to getting a job in one’s field in Canada, other than a few cases in highly regulated fields such as engineering, medicine, law, chartered accounting and architecture.

Further, I have heard from countless hiring managers that they recognize and value international experience. First and foremost, it is critical that the client have the skills and qualifications required for the position. I can’t remember a time when I have seen job postings which require Canadian experience, although I know that fee-for-service recruiting firms in architecture and design fields sometimes do require that from their candidates.

Some employers have explained to me that the phrase “lack of Canadian experience” is often code from the interviewer that the candidate will not fit into the workplace or team culture. In addition, this feedback can also be code for “you do not have the technical or soft skills we are looking for.” Often this means that the candidate is not communicating (verbally and non-verbally) and not properly prepared to handle the interview questions, especially the behavioural interview. It is challenging to figure out the workplace culture. This applies to everyone looking for work in the job market. This is a subjective criteria for hiring a candidate, but research demonstrates that likeability is key when interviewers make hiring decisions.

Here are eight suggestions to deal with this obstacle to getting that job offer.

1. Prepare.

Make sure to do the best job possible in preparing your resume and cover letter, and getting ready for your in person and telephone interviews. Research the company, the job descriptions, and identify the employees who might be interviewing you. Learn the values, the workplace culture, and the nature of the business. Use social media resources such as LinkedIn and Twitter to do this. Prepare effective behavioural interview responses. Seek out employment services for newcomers such as those offered by JVS Toronto newcomers services. Look for sector-specific employment program for newcomers, job search workshops for new immigrants, as well as any opportunity to work with an employment counsellor and job developer who understand your profession.

2. Communicate.

Learn how to articulate your skills, experiences, projects and talents in a clear, concise and effective way for both networking and interviewing purposes. Expect to have to explain your work in clear, simple terms in the interview; pretend you are explaining your resume to someone who has never heard of your type of work.

You will need to learn the language used to express your work and why the firm should hire you. . Sometimes, words are lost in translation with some languages. Be specific. Again, it may be worth seeking out sector-specific employment programs for newcomers.

3. Look for Internship or Placements.

Some newcomer job seekers report that taking an opportunity to get Canadian experience, even if it’s nominally paid (or even unpaid) may be worth it. They able to acquire hands-on experience that is critical for their resume and LinkedIn profile, keep their skills fresh and updated, build a professional network and hopefully obtain references and sometimes even paid employment, eventually. One source of local placements for newcomers is provided by Career Edge in Toronto.

4. Secure a mentor.

Linking up with a professional in your target field can be a very effective way to make contacts and learn about the local labour market. You could seek out your own mentor, or access services through TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, in which JVS participates through our services for newcomers.

5. Consider evaluating your credentials and degrees.

Figuring out how your credentials are evaluated in Canada can help to boost your credibility and competitiveness. Information on this process can be found at Settlement.org. Once you know your equivalence, add it to your resume: “evaluated by…. as equivalent to a Canadian Masters…”

6. Build your professional network.

Since over 80 percent of the jobs in the labour market are hidden and can only be found through connections. It is critical that new immigrants (or any job seeker, for that matter) networks as much as possible through social media, associations, trade shows, conferences, career fairs and employer events, so to learn from and mingle with professionals in their field.

7. Volunteer.

Contributing some free time in the community is a fantastic way to show that you give back and build your networks. The best thing you could do is volunteer in your own field to gain experience and a reference, but even if that is not possible, spend time in a meaningful environment and meet people who might be in a position to refer you to others or to jobs. Once you come to an interview with a recommendation, your lack of local experience is less likely to be an issue.

8. Seek out Canada’s best diversity employers.

In an article in the Globe & Mail’s Ask a Recruiter column Julie Labrie suggests that newcomers do research, to identify the companies that lead the way in hiring diversely, such as the Globe & Mail’s annual list of top 100 companies that do a good job with diversity. “See if companies in your field made those lists. Explore companies that market their services to the new-to-Canada segment, too. Many industries, including the financial and telecom sectors, are serving the immigrant population as a key part of their business strategy. Also consider applying for relevant government jobs related to your past experience,” she explains.

I hope this helps you understand this complex issue better and figure out some strategies for overcoming this barrier.

Joanna

March 16, 2015 2 Comments

Ask the Employment Specialist: Tips for Success at a Job Fair

Dear Joanna,

I’m going to a JVS Toronto Job Fair next week. As a recent university graduate, I am looking for work as a customer service representative and/or sales position. It would be my first time attending a job fair. Please could you give me some suggestions as to how to prepare in advance to be successful at this event.

Signed: Job Fair First-timer (JFF)

Dear JFF,

Job fairs are a fantastic tool to build your professional network. You can meet employers in your field, secure job interviews and learn as much as you can about the local labour market (i.e. the job openings available, the workplace culture, and the 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 the job fair, you can make progress toward getting that job offer, if you do it properly.

So here’s how I would prepare for our job fair and any other career fair that you attend.

Before the Job Fair:

1. Gather information about employers.

Do a Google search and use social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook) to dig a little deeper for information on employers that you’d like to work for. Look for current job opportunities posted on their site and consider applying to the positions you are interested in. You can bring a record of the application to share with the employer at the job fair.

2. Prepare your questions.

Recruiters will remember your conversation if they feel engaged. Show that you are interested in working for their company by asking about current opportunities, the company’s work culture, and other open-ended questions. You can also request tips for getting hired with the company, or discuss some recent positive news they’ve featured. Avoid asking about salary or benefits.

3. Be prepared to market yourself.

Prepare a personal statement — also known as an elevator pitch. This short introduction is a way to express your suitability for working at the company. Have an idea of different things to emphasize with different recruiters.

4. Prepare your resume(s).

Make sure your resume is up to date, including your LinkedIn profile. Prepare a cover letter to accompany the resume. If you know which companies you are targeting specifically, you can prepare different versions of your resume (and cover letter) to emphasize different skills.

At the Job Fair:

1. Dress and act professionally.

Even if there isn’t a dress code, take care with your appearance and make sure that you appear well-groomed. At the very least, dress business casual. While you may not need to be in a full suit, slacks and a button up shirt and tie (for men) can go a long way toward projecting a professional image.

Speak and act professionally! Offer a firm handshake when you meet the recruiter and make appropriate eye contact. Silence your cell phone and don’t let it interfere with your conversation with employers.

2. Schedule a follow-up appointment, if you can.

At some job fairs, companies prefer making an appointment to speak with a representative following the event. This is an opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with the employer – something that is really difficult to do at larger events!

As one of our employment counsellors warns, “… if your sole purpose in attending a large job fair is to get quality time to discuss your application with a recruiter, you will probably be disappointed!”

Find out from the job fair organizer whether appointment slots are available, and arrange to meet recruiters during or after the event.

If you are making multiple appointments, make sure you schedule adequate time between your interviews so that you are not late to a meeting.

3. Gather business cards or contact details of employers.

Follow-up is key. After each conversation or meeting with a recruiter, take notes and ask for a business card. If this is not available, get the person’s name, company, job title, and email. Ask permission to connect with the recruiter on LinkedIn and find out whether you can send a follow-up email after the event.

Following these guidelines will guarantee that you stand out at any job fair, and increase the chances of getting hired after attending one.

Good luck with the job fair!

Joanna

P.S. Check our workshop calendar for upcoming job fairs in Toronto and York Region.

February 23, 2015 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Disclosing your Disability in the Job Interview

Dear Joanna,

I am a person with a hidden disability. Due to my mental health illness, I have a few gaps in my resume and work history. I am eager to return to the working world in my field of marketing and communications.

Should I disclose my disability to an employer in my application and job interview and how should I do this?

Signed: Difficulty in Disclosure (DD)

Dear DD,

I found an excellent post based on the work of Gandolfo, Gold and Jordan on this topic. It points out that one of the most challenging aspects of dealing with an invisible disability is deciding when, or even whether, you should disclose, identifying and giving details about your disability to a stranger in a job interview. There are pros and cons of disclosing during the job interview and the authors offer some information and suggestions to help you make that decision:

1. The risks of disclosing.

Analyzing the risk factors from the employer’s point of view is critical. If you disclose, you take a chance that you may not be hired, and that you may be labelled and face discrimination. Remember that unless your disability could put you or someone else at risk on the job, it is a matter of personal choice whether you tell an employer about it. If safety is an issue, you’ll need to disclose your disability at an appropriate time. Think through these questions:

If you do decide to disclose, will this information help or hurt your chances of getting or keeping the job?
How will the interviewer react?
If you have your disability under control, is there a reason to disclose?
Do your coping strategies allow you to meet the job requirements?
If you know you can’t perform some of the duties of the job description because of your disability, would disclosure help you get the job?

2. Benefits of disclosing.

If a company is federally regulated (like the banks, telecom and transportation), they will have employment equity requirements. These firms are interested in diversity. They seek to recruit and hire candidates with disabilities. Therefore, it might be a good opportunity to disclose that you have a disability (don’t mention what it is!) in an application, cover letter and/or the interview. Sometimes employers value your openness and how you overcome your disability.

I recommend engaging in-depth research on the company and employer in advance before making a decision to disclose. Also, remember that you may benefit from the accommodations that the employer could provide once they know. Information interviews, networking and finding a mentor in your field are strategies to learn as much as you can about the company and its culture.

3. Look for employers who focus on your abilities and potential.

Make sure your skills and experience are a good match for the role and that the work meets your needs. For example, if you like to work from home sometimes, apply to companies and organizations that offer this possibility. Figure out what you need to succeed at a job.

4. You can always disclose later.

In an interview, if you don’t disclose your disability, the employer won’t know that you need accommodations. Once the job is offered, you can discuss accommodations with the employer; make sure you are clear and reasonable about the accommodations that you require to be the best employee possible.

5. Disclose during the job interview.

Be concise and prepared to explain the gaps in your resume whether or not you decide to disclose. For example, you can say something like: “for the last three years, I’ve been dealing with a medical issue, but it’s under control now and I’m ready to work.” Legally, the interviewer can only ask questions about your disability that relate directly to the requirements of the job (such as how much weight you can lift, or whether you can stand on your feet all day). However, according to Canadian and Ontario employment law, it is illegal to ask candidates about their disabilities.

Joanna

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