March 9, 2020 Leave a Comment

Are we Doing Enough to Support Immigrant Women in the Workplace?

Senior Asian woman talking to insurance agent in office

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.

Our Mentors Share Their Stories

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.

Portrait of Maral Melkonian

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.

Portrait of Fabi Ramos

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.

The Role of Employers

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.

March 5, 2020 Leave a Comment

Navigating Your Way Through Virtual Job Fairs: Tips for Job Seekers

Spring Virtual Job fair Flyer — Register to attend our Spring Virtual Job Fair, May 27, 2021.

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.

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:

Before the Job Fair

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.

Place yourself in a quiet place with no distractions
Research the employers you want to speak with
Review job descriptions for each position you plan to apply for
Have your resume ready
Prepare a very short introduction (a few sentences) targeted at each company that you will use when you first connect
Prepare 2-3 thoughtful questions to ask the employer. These questions should be about the position or the organization and not about benefits like vacation and salary.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and that it accurately describes you professionally
Check your digital footprint and make sure you look good online

During the Job Fair

Use spell checkers – try https://www.grammarly.com/
Keep it short and to the point – long blocks of text can be intimidating
Avoid redundancy – do not repeat information
Keep a professional tone – spell out all your words (for example: “You”, not “u”)
Write the same way you would speak in an in-person interview
Do not use all caps and emojis
Your enthusiasm and positive attitude must be conveyed through your writing. The best way to show enthusiasm is to research the company well and prepare reasons for wanting to work for the employer beyond just their reputation in the industry. Note: exclamation points are not an effective way to demonstrate enthusiasm in this scenario.
If you are uncertain about what is being asked, ask for clarification and/or paraphrase the question
After each conversation, be sure to thank the interviewers
Express strong interest and enthusiasm for the job but don’t overdo it. You can say something, like “I really like what I heard today and I am really interested in this position.”
Ask about next steps, if it’s okay to follow up with them and if so, when

After the Job Fair

Send a brief thank-you email to employers after the job fair, on the same day
Write down some of the questions you were asked in order to reflect and learn from them
Follow-up with employers, if appropriate, after the deadline set by the employer. Do not contact them more than once.

Register to attend JVS Toronto’s Spring Virtual Job Fair, May 27, 2021.

March 2, 2020 1 Comment

It’s Time to Apply for Summer Jobs

Asian woman civil engineer close up portrait on workplace, thinking about her project

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.

Where to find summer jobs

Start with the obvious.

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.

Connect with companies on social media.

Many companies and organizations post job opportunities on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can follow companies offering summer employment to get posts about vacancies. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date so employers can find you and be impressed. You can conduct searches on each platform using hashtags like #summerjobs.

Job Boards.

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.

The government is hiring.

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:

Federal:
- Government of Canada, and
- The Federal Public Service Student Recruitment Service
Provincial:
- Ontario Public Service Careers
- Ontario Government specialized Ontario government-funded programs that support youth such as:

Cities, such as
- City of Toronto
- The Municipality of York Region
- Peel Region
- Durham Region
- Other local cities such as Markham and Richmond Hill

Classifieds’ listings.

Check out sites such as Kijiji’s Summer Job search, as well as Craigslist.

Think of which employers are busiest in summer.

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.

February 14, 2020 2 Comments

How Finding Work is Like Finding Love

The rings in a binder in the shape of a heart — https://www.flickr.com/photos/entrospeck

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:

Know Yourself
Reach Out
Make Moves

Employment counsellors also typically advise job seekers to:

Know their strengths, weaknesses and assets, and share them in resumes, LinkedIn, and in information and job interviews.
Reach out to network contacts and potential employers.
Make moves to meet in person with potential employers and network contacts.

PART ONE: KNOW YOURSELF

1. “Understand what you have to offer.”

Consider what you bring to a relationship:

Your best qualities — what are your strengths or unique assets?
Your interests — what areas of work do you specialize in?
your weaknesses — what would you like to improve in yourself as an employee? What parts of your job make you feel uncomfortable?

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).

2. “Build confidence”

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.

3. “Know what you are looking for.”

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?

PART TWO: REACH OUT

4. “Meet people.”

“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.

5. “Present yourself as someone who is available.”

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”.

6. “Try dating services.”

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.”

PART 3: MAKE MOVES

7. “Ask people on dates”

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.

8. “Don’t be too pushy”

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.

9. “Be vulnerable.”

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.

10. “Know when to drop it and move on.”

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.”

Bottom line:

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.

January 29, 2020 Leave a Comment

Mental Health in the Workplace

Tired waitress reading notes at the end of working day

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:

Increased fatigue
Sleep issues – sleeping less or more than usual
Difficulty concentrating
Frequent colds, flu, or infections
Rapid weight loss or weight gain

Emotional:

Increased feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and/or sadness
Feeling trapped or overwhelmed
Procrastination or excessive busyness
Feeling incompetent
Isolating oneself from friends and family
Increased irritability
Excessive worry
Loss of sense of humour
Loss of enjoyment in activities you once found pleasurable

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.