February 29, 2016 Leave a Comment

Calculate Your Salary

One of the more challenging aspects of applying for a job is responding to an employer’s request for salary expectations. This is a difficult question because no matter what salary you ask for, you might be at a disadvantage: if the salary you quote is too high, the employer might choose a more affordable candidate over you; however, if it’s too low, you might be undervaluing yourself, which can be perceived as a weakness.

So what should a job seeker do?

There are a number of considerations for job seekers when deciding what salary to ask for:

1. Calculate how much do you personally need to survive:

Calculate the minimum that you can live on. Make sure to include all the necessary factors. Figure out how flexible you could be (is it worth moving to a cheaper home, if it means more choices or opportunities?) and then calculate a reasonable number that, while not ideal, would be manageable. Calculate how much this is per hour, month and year.

2. Consider your last salary:

Using the hourly calculator, figure out how much you last salary was per hour/month/year. Remind yourself the nature of your previous benefits package. These could be useful points of reference when negotiating your salary.

3. Calculate the going salary rate in your field:

The going rate for a specific job is a difficult calculation, because there are many variables to consider, including:

The average salary in your profession
Your experience and skill level
Where you fit into the salary range in your profession: entry-level, average or senior
How salaries compare in your city to other locations

Calculating salary rates isn’t easy. You will find some sources online that will help, but be careful not to rely on them completely, because salary ranges can be wide and somewhat unpredictable.

Good sources for salary ranges include:

Reports from recruitment agencies such as Robert Half Canada’s Salary Guides
Salary sites, such as Payscale: Salary Data & Career Research Centre (Canada)
Canadian government sources, such as The Job Bank: Explore Careers by Wages and Statistics Canada’s Wages, Salaries and other Earnings reports

Probably the most useful source of salary data is from current jobs. Check in with people you know (ask them the salary range in their company), and job postings (sign up for job alerts with sites such as Indeed.ca for jobs in your field — many jobs will include salary expectations).

February 22, 2016 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Evaluating your job interview

Dear Joanna,

I just finished an intensive one hour interview with a large telecom company for the position of project manager on a large change management project. I feel that I did a fantastic job. The interviewer said he will get back to me in a week. I couldn’t be more excited on one hand; but very worried on the other.

Is there an objective way to rate myself on how I did on the interview?/span>

Signed: Rating Reviews (RR)

[Read more…]

February 8, 2016 Leave a Comment

Tips for students looking for summer work

It’s only February, and even the groundhog doesn’t seem to think that summer is coming any time soon. So who’s thinking about summer jobs?

Employers are. Google “Summer jobs” and you will find a list of jobs and programs in your community with opportunities for youth and post-secondary students. You might even be surprised to find that some of those opportunities’ deadlines have already passed and been taken by a quick early bird.

Don’t worry, though. It isn’t too late. There are still plenty good opportunities out there to find something meaningful.

Why look for summer work?

Besides the obvious reasons for working (i.e. bringing in some much needed cash), a summer job might have some unexpected benefits which are even more beneficial than money in the long term, which may include:

Add some new experience to your resume
Network and meet new people, some of whom might want to hire you permanently or hire you again next summer
Make a good impression and gain a reference
Learn some new skills that you can take to your next job or help develop new business ideas.

First: make sure your resume is up-to-date and looking good.

Have a resume ready before you start looking for work. Don’t wait until there’s a job to apply for — you don’t want to rush this process.

Here are a few basic principles for writing a good resume:

Make it no longer than 2 pages
Use a simple, sans sarif font (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica)
Write it in 1st person, but without pronouns (No “I” or “my”)
Include:
- Your name and contact info
- A Summary/Profile which includes your skills
- Work history, with dates, job titles, company names, locations
- Details of some of your key accomplishments in each job
Don’t include:
- An objective
- Your personal info such as age or citizenship
- Your references (those can be presented at the interview)
Make sure to spell check carefully
Prepare a simple, short and well written cover letter, to accompany each resume, written specifically for each job.

Here are detailed instructions and samples for student resumes from some of my favourite sites:

Second: get online, search for and bookmark relevant job sites for leads.

There are lots of good resources online for work leads. Start off with a Google search and bookmark the sites that seem to lead to good opportunities. Check out some of the sites dedicated to summer or student jobs:

Third: seek out government programs.

All levels of government, including federal, provincial and municipal, have programs to help students look for and find work. These positions fill quickly, so don’t delay:

Fourth: look and ask around — tap into your networks.

Speak to family, friends, teachers and other community members about your job needs. Tell them about your availability and skills. Have your resume available to share.

Look around, there are often opportunities right nearby:

Local stores and services might be looking for help — walk in and ask if they’re hiring students. Offer your resume and tell them them that you live nearby, within easy access. Think of your bank, doctor’s office, local mall or supermarket
Check out websites for the local parks and recreation departments, as well as for summer festivals and events
Think about local summer camps, private and public, day camps and overnights. Think of your particular skill set — is there a local tennis, chess or art club that you could work for?

Bottom line.

Act fast: get your resume ready, go online and ask around. Good student opportunities are out there for those who act quickly.

January 25, 2016 1 Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Tattoos and body piercings at the job interview

Dear Joanna,

I have tattoos on my arms and body piercings on my left eye brow. I’ve started my job search as a help desk or customer service representative at a telecom company. Do you think that my tattoos, and body piercings would affect the hiring? Should I hide them in the interview?

Signed: Proudly Tattooed (PT)

Dear PT

The statistics speak for themselves. Research from a survey conducted with 2700 managers and coworkers on a popular salary survey site reported that 76 percent of respondents felt that tattoos and piercings hurt an applicant’s chances of being hired during a job interview; over 39 percent of those surveyed believe employees with tattoos and piercings reflect poorly on their employers. Overall, 42 percent of those surveyed felt that any and all visible tattoos are inappropriate at work, and 55 percent felt that way about body piercings.
Age plays a significant role in how tattoos and piercings are perceived at work. Regarding your upcoming interviews, I refer you to the following four suggestions from Monster and Money:

1. Consider the industry and position you are applying to.

Generally, I would recommend covering your tattoos and removing the piercing for the first interview, especially in conservative industries such as accounting or banking. That tattoo or piercing is more likely to worry employers if you’re applying for a customer-facing position, such as a salesperson, customer service representative or a health care provider.

Even if the interviewer is fine with tattoos, they have to consider that their customers, clients and patients may not feel the same way. For more jobs in media, IT and creative industries, these employers might be more lenient.

2. Research the workplace/company culture.

You can use social media to find this out. Examine the photos and profiles of employees at the company you are pursuing. If this doesn’t work, then join some of their groups that are relevant to your career goal and ask this question. Use Twitter to follow the company and employees and again, find out what they recommend.

As a last resort, call the receptionists to ask about the dress code for the interview.

3. Disclose that you have tattoos or piercings, if you hide them for the interview.

If the tattoo is inked in a spot that would probably be exposed in day-to-day work – your arms, for example – bring this up when the interviewer asks if you have any questions. Wells suggests saying something like: “I have tattoos on my arm. What are your thoughts about needing to have those covered up, or is it OK to wear a short-sleeved shirt where they might be exposed?”

4. Don’t let tattoos or piercings distract your interviewers.

Job interviews are stressful enough, so I wouldn’t recommend doing anything to distract from your skills and value. As Gottsman says, “You want to be remembered for your skills and your value, not for what you wear or have on your body.” Wear a proper suit. Accessories like rings and watches can hide certain tattoos, but make sure they don’t shake when you move.

For another perspective, check out Kate Parkinson’s on the matter post in this blog.

Joanna

January 11, 2016 3 Comments

Ask the Employment Specialist: Expert job search tips for the new graduate

Dear Joanna,

I have recently graduated, and am now having trouble getting a job in my field of study. I have submitted my resume to hundreds of entry level positions that fit my degree, but have yet to receive a single interview. My friends reviewed my resume. I also took it to campus career centre. So, I know my resume is good. I’d really like to know if you have any advice on what I may be doing wrong.

Signed: Waiting for my first break (WFMFB)

Dear WFMFB:

Tailor, prioritize quality over quantity, and leverage your network are the keys to the advice that Mentor Coach, Luki Danukarjanto of FOCUS.inspired provided when I interviewed him recently to address your question. A former expert recruiter and business consultant with Deloitte, Luki had some excellent insights to share:

1. Tailoring.

“Part of what I look for as a recruiter is ‘did the person even try?’ Often I receive a cover letter that is a cut and paste of the job role and company into the body of a note that generically describes their qualifications.”

A resume should be specific, not a general summary. Resumes should have your responsibilities and accomplishments adjusted to reflect the role. Incorporate some of the messages you learned from your information gathering into your tailoring

2. Show how you add value.

Take some time and understand what value you would provide to the role and the company. Showcase this experience, skills and qualifications as well as education in your application, then to have that come out in your application.

3. Cover letters.

This is nothing more than a document that is worded in a way as to show that you understand the nature of the challenges facing the company, and describes how you would benefit them, if you were hired into the role.

4. Quality versus quantity.

“Some people complain that tailoring takes too much time”.

If you aren’t willing to spend that time on something you want, how effective would you be in the role for which you are applying? Make the effort to apply properly to fewer jobs, rather than applying on mass without making an effort.

5. Focus on the job you really want.

If you really want to a role as a store manager, for example, why would you apply to a project manager or other unrelated roles? Spending more time on finding the roles that fit you and your experience are better served than just randomly applying for similar roles that might not fit you.

6. Leverage your existing network.

Secure informational interviews, create a LinkedIn profile, reach out to friends, family, professors, teaching assistants, past employers, co-workers, and anyone you connected with at your school and from your past. See who they are connected with; see who and what you know. Connect.

Luki had a lot more advice when you get to the interview stage, and eventually when you start the job, but we’ll save that advice for a later time.

Good luck on your job hunt!

Joanna

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