July 25, 2024 1 Comment

Industry Experts Talk: The Future of Jobs in Banking

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:

Re-engineering the recruitment process – Supercharging the digitization of doing business
Navigating the “New Normal” in the Finance Industry
As educational institutions rethink their business models; leverage online learning

[Read more…]

July 25, 2024 Leave a Comment

The Art of Reinventing Ourselves Throughout Our Career

In today’s world, the only certainty we have about the job market and the professional world, in general, is the need for change. Throughout our careers, we will face various challenges and changes that will demand adaptability and often creativity. We reside in a fast-paced society where everything moves quickly, and there’s pressure from all directions. How can we then reinvent ourselves professionally to stand out amid competition and stay in tune with market changes? In this article, we’ll explore the importance of continuous learning and fostering a creative mindset in creating opportunities in a highly competitive job market.

THE POWER OF CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Continuous learning is the key to reinventing yourself professionally. Knowledge gives you the freedom and wisdom to lead your career, make assertive decisions and keep up with changes in a fast-paced professional world.

Learning new skills and keeping up with industry trends ensures you remain relevant and in demand. You might discover entirely new career paths or find innovative ways to apply your knowledge. The business world is full of surprises, from economic shifts to technological advancements. Continuous learning helps you adapt to these changes, making you more resilient in the face of uncertainty.

CULTIVATING A CREATIVE MINDSET

A creative mindset is about approaching problems with new perspectives and thinking outside the box.

It can be an asset in your career, regardless of your profession. Creativity can help you find innovative solutions to problems, come up with fresh ideas, and stand out in a competitive job market.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SPECIALIZATION

Specialization is another cornerstone of career development. It’s about identifying niches where your unique skills and expertise can shine. Becoming a specialist in your field is crucial for career advancement as it offers in-depth knowledge, credibility, and trustworthiness. Specialists are often highly valued in the job market, enjoying better job opportunities and higher salaries.

A PASSION FOR EMPOWERING OTHERS

For some, career fulfillment extends beyond personal success; it’s about helping others thrive. I share a deep passion for assisting individuals in developing their careers. Guiding them through their professional growth, sharing knowledge, and watching them prosper is an immensely gratifying experience. Always consider carrying out meaningful work that will have positive impacts on other people and society.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Entrepreneurship is the picture of stepping out of one’s comfort zone. It’s about taking calculated risks, pursuing innovative ventures, and driving change. Whether it’s starting a new business or launching a groundbreaking project within your organization, entrepreneurship is amazing for personal and professional growth.

In conclusion, the art of reinventing yourself throughout a career is a journey of continuous learning, adopting a creative mindset, specialization, a passion for empowering others and possibly embracing the entrepreneurial spirit. It allows us to succeed in a competitive job market. It’s about realizing that our potential is limitless, and our careers are waiting for our next steps. So, let’s embark on this journey together and reinvent ourselves daily in search of our professional growth.

Written for LinkedIn by Juliana Barros, Career Specialist | Job Developer | Learning & Development | LinkedIn Learning Champion | Workforce Specialist at JVS Toronto

July 25, 2024 Leave a Comment

New report on skilled immigrant women’s pursuit for employment in Canada

In the rich tapestry of immigrant experiences, the narratives of skilled immigrant women often stand out for their resilience, ambition, and the unique challenges they face. A recent research report conducted by JVS Toronto in 2023, titled “Breaking Barriers and Empowering Change: Unveiling the Triumphs, Challenges, and Identity Struggles of Skilled Immigrant Women in Pursuit of Employment,” delves deep into the lives of women-identified participants of JVS Toronto’s Canada InfoNet pre-arrival program, shedding light on their journeys, hurdles, and remarkable successes. The research is based on survey and focus group data, of women who participated in the program from 2020 to 2022.

Here are some of the highlights of the study:

Barriers to Employment

The study uncovers the multifaceted challenges immigrant women encounter in their quest for employment in Canada. Notably, the lack of Canadian work experience emerges as a significant barrier, with 44.9% of respondents citing it as a major hurdle. Additionally, navigating regulated professions and balancing family responsibilities pose formidable challenges. The report reveals how childcare availability affects job searches and underscores the complex interplay between motherhood and career aspirations.

Pre-Arrival Success

Despite these obstacles, skilled immigrant women who receive support from pre-arrival programs like Canada InfoNet have better employment outcomes upon arrival in Canada even though they continue to face systemic barriers when compared to other groups. An overwhelming 82% of these women found employment within six months of arrival, a testament to the efficacy of such initiatives. Their proactive approach to job searching, often commencing before setting foot in Canada, speaks volumes about their determination and preparedness.

Navigating Career Changes and Identity

For some immigrant women, the journey involves significant career transitions, either due to regulated professions or the need for reinvention in a new environment. 29.5% of respondents grapple with navigating regulated professions, while an additional 44.8% find themselves charting new career trajectories in unfamiliar industries. The report highlights the emotional toll of such changes, as many grapple with a loss of identity tied to their previous occupations. For these women, the level of job satisfaction varied with the ones reporting lower satisfaction also reporting a significant loss in self-esteem. The connection between their sense of identity and sense of self was closely tied to their occupational identity. The report also shows how making this decision before arriving in Canada as a result of one’s own choice leads to a stronger identification with their new career and are more likely to consider that a permanent change. Yet, amidst the challenges, there’s a sense of empowerment as these women forge new paths and redefine success on their own terms.

Recommendations for Empowerment

The report also offers actionable recommendations for empowering immigrant women. It calls for gender-sensitive support systems tailored to the unique needs of female immigrants, especially those with children. Integrating settlement, employment, and childcare services could streamline their integration into the workforce. It also emphasizes the importance of mental health support, particularly in the wake of the isolation experienced by remote workers.

In the stories of skilled immigrant women, we find narratives of resilience, determination, and self-discovery. Despite facing formidable barriers, these women exhibit unwavering courage and adaptability. As we reflect on their journeys, it is imperative not only to recognize their triumphs but also to amplify their voices and provide targeted support.

By empowering immigrant women, we enrich our communities, foster diversity, and propel collective progress towards a more inclusive society.

Download the report here

July 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

JVS Toronto’s 76th Annual General Meeting

Many thanks to all of you who joined us at JVS Toronto’s 76th Annual General Meeting on September 20th, our first in-person AGM since 2019. We are grateful to everyone who joined us to celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of our clients, employers, donors, staff and volunteers over the past fiscal year. It was a pleasure to see everyone face to face again as we celebrated another year of empowering individuals to fulfill their employment potential.

The AGM featured a business portion, followed by a heartwarming award ceremony where we recognized and celebrated the achievements and contributions of our clients, employers, and volunteers. During the event, we warmly welcomed our incoming Board of Directors and our newly appointed Board Chair, Ariella Fuhrmann, who succeeds Avi Pollock. Ariella has been part of JVS Toronto’s Governance Committee since 2015 and formally joined the Board in 2020.

As we reflected on the past year, we were reminded of the broader impact of employment on our economy, society, and communities, and how it guides our commitment to positive change.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our staff, volunteers, donors, funders, employers, and community partners for their continued support. Your dedication fuels our mission and propels us forward on our journey to empower individuals and create a positive impact.

July 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

Choosing the right keywords for your job search

Ever struggled to find meaningful words that stand out and that won’t make the reader’s eyes glaze-over in boredom when writing a resume, cover letter or LinkedIn profile? If you said “yes” (and you most probably did), you are not alone, according to LinkedIn who recently reviewed the over a quarter of a million profiles on their site, to identify the ten most overused words and phrases:

Responsible

Strategic

Creative

Effective

Patient

Expert

Organizational

Driven

Innovative

Analytical

Recognise these words? As an Employment Counsellor, I do. I see them often. Truth is, I use them myself. Keep in mind, though, that “Frequently used” doesn’t mean “not important”. It just means that when employers see that you chose to use common words, they find it difficult to see how you have something special to offer them. This is not a problem unique to job seekers, either — anyone who reads job postings has noticed that employers themselves often list these terms in job postings, as they struggle to identify exactly what they are looking for in a good candidate.

Considering the importance — in the current competitive job market –– of being able to present yourself as unique among other job seekers, it is well worth the effort to find those words which stand out and are meaningful to describe your strengths and assets.

Here are some ideas to help choose your best possible words or phrases:

Start off by making your own list of work strengths. Think back to your work history: what were your biggest achievements — the ones you are most proud of, and for which you received the biggest praise? Which do you think your references would mention to describe you? Keep in mind that strengths could be hard skills (such as your ability to use a certain software or to perform a certain task) or soft skills (the skills that come naturally, such as organisational or interpersonal skills). Make a list of your top 5-10 skills in which you are most confident.

Identify the key words that are most important to employers. Check through job postings to which you would like to apply, as well as the websites of target employers to identify the catch-phrases or “buzz words” most often used. Highlight those that best match your own strengths (of course, if you can’t find a match between the skills wanted by employers and your own abilities, you might be looking for the wrong jobs. Consider re-evaluating whether you need to retrain or to refocus your efforts elsewhere).

Find ways to demonstrate your important strengths. Potential employers will be watching your behaviour, to assess your skills for themselves — they will look at how you interact with employers (conducting your job search in a way that is responsive, punctual, thoughtful, personable), as well as in the behaviours and values you showcase in your social media presence (e.g. your volunteer work, your participation in professional development, your ability to deal with feedback on Facebook or Twitter).

Be specific when describing your achievements. When a potential employer reads your cover letter and resume, or reviews your LinkedIn profile, they should be able to understand not only what your strengths and skills are, but how you used them. Share specific examples that prove that you have been, in fact, “responsible”, “strategic” or any other of the so-called overused terms (e.g. “Addressed customer complaints, to ensure that each was satisfactory resolved, resulting in frequent positive feedback from customers for the way their concerns were handled“, is much more effective than “responsible for handling customer complaints, to ensure satisfaction“).

Seek good references and LinkedIn recommendations. Make sure that you those who have agreed to speak on your behalf know what skills you have chosen and which achievements you are focusing on. Once they agree to act as references, share your resume with them and tell them what strengths you consider important. Connect with them on LinkedIn and try to get recommendations or endorsements from them.

The bottom line: choose your words carefully when searching for work. Your resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profile (as well as how you describe yourself in an interview) will be most successful if they include carefully chosen, specific, demonstrable and meaningful words.