This Wednesday is Canada Day and this past Sunday was National Multi Cultural Day. I am not sure that when Canada was born as a country, it would be duly noted as a cultural melting pot in our educational system. However, that is what our country stands for today; opportunity for people of all cultures and ethnic origins.
There are unfortunately stigmas surrounding all nationalities and types of people, and I wish that we would learn to forgo our differences and work together as a nation, for the good of all.
What Multi Cultural Day and Canada Day stand for in my mind is the wonderful world of acceptance of others. We need to appreciate all of our differences, as people, rather than races. We need to work together to understand where others have come from, and what they bring to our community.
Fresh ideas, family values, history and geography, education, and thoughtfulness are brought into a community that accepts cultural diversity. Immigrants have fought so much harder to be here then those of us lucky enough to have been born here. We need to accept other cultures into our own, and on Canada Day and today, celebrate what greatness comes of merging differences.
A melting pot consists of a variety of flavours, so celebrate men, women, and children of all ages, races, religions, beliefs, cultures, origins, and ethnicity, because we are all Canadian!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Hope you all had a great Father's day weekend!
As parents we work hard to teach our kids to be good people, to work hard, and be honest and considerate. Dads get up and go to work to pay the bills and feed the family, and never really think about what the kids might learn from dad’s work ethic. My husband and I have raised 3 sons, all working in careers now, so I asked them what they have learned from their dad about work.
Christopher said a father plays arguably the most important role in developing the man that his son will become. He said, “above all, my dad taught me and my brothers the valueof a strong work ethic, and the importance of being a gentleman to the women in your life. My dad has taught me that anything in life that is worthwhile does not come easy and is not handed to you; you have to work for it. And that the sense of pride and self worth attained from doing so is priceless. My dad has taught me humour, kindness, and love. My dad is a man that I am proud to count as my friend.”
Tyler said, “one of the greatest lessons I have learned from my dad is the true value of a dollar that you earn. Rather than being handed over money for the new toy that I wanted, my dad taught me how to actually earn it. That in turn gave me a greater appreciation for what I have attained through actual work and effort. In my eyes, that gift is far superior to any amount of dollars he could have given me. Any successes my dad sees in my life, I hope he can in large part, pat himself on the back as well.”
Garrett said, “I work with my dad every day, and I would not have it any other way. I work in a trade, and respect is hard to come by, but because I work with my dad, we have an unspoken bond. Sometimes working together can be tough, because we have the same tendencies, and the same things ignite us. Sometimes we butt heads but we know how each of us work and what we think, which makes us a strong team. Not everyone is blessed to have that connection. I am very grateful.”
Christopher said a father plays arguably the most important role in developing the man that his son will become. He said, “above all, my dad taught me and my brothers the valueof a strong work ethic, and the importance of being a gentleman to the women in your life. My dad has taught me that anything in life that is worthwhile does not come easy and is not handed to you; you have to work for it. And that the sense of pride and self worth attained from doing so is priceless. My dad has taught me humour, kindness, and love. My dad is a man that I am proud to count as my friend.”
Tyler said, “one of the greatest lessons I have learned from my dad is the true value of a dollar that you earn. Rather than being handed over money for the new toy that I wanted, my dad taught me how to actually earn it. That in turn gave me a greater appreciation for what I have attained through actual work and effort. In my eyes, that gift is far superior to any amount of dollars he could have given me. Any successes my dad sees in my life, I hope he can in large part, pat himself on the back as well.”
Garrett said, “I work with my dad every day, and I would not have it any other way. I work in a trade, and respect is hard to come by, but because I work with my dad, we have an unspoken bond. Sometimes working together can be tough, because we have the same tendencies, and the same things ignite us. Sometimes we butt heads but we know how each of us work and what we think, which makes us a strong team. Not everyone is blessed to have that connection. I am very grateful.”
Thursday, June 18, 2009
It's competitive out there!
Oil is up, the Canadian dollar is up, real estate is up, which means jobs are up! But, right now the candidate competition level is up too. For the last nine months or so there were a multitude of layoffs and hiring freezes, and the Want Ads were empty. Now, the job market is creeping up, slowly mind you, but going in the right direction at least. The candidate pool is up also, as those laid off in the past nine months are now looking for work, along with all the recent graduates.
The candidates today must be able to differentiate themselves from the stack of competitors. Finding work will take some planning and thought. Job Seekers should think like a boss, and try to determine what the employer would want in a candidate, on paper and in person.
On a resume and cover letter, an employer will want simple, error-free, and personal information. There will be a stack of resumes on the hiring manager’s desk, so they will want the important information quickly. The paperwork must be perfect; no mistakes of any kind. The information must also be truthful; employers are finding out when someone is lying. On the cover letter, personal information that is relevant to the job opportunity and the employer is crucial. This is where a candidate with the same credentials as others can stand out. If possible, include proof of what is stated on paper such as education, reference letters, or samples of work done, to make it easy for the hiring manager to see your qualifications. Do not list birth date, marital status, or social insurance information, but do put something unique which will be of benefit to the company.
If an interview is granted, the basic rules still stand, which actually does differentiate candidates. Being on time, remembering the name of the person doing the interview, and dressing appropriately for the job are all important. Smile, make good eye contact, be confident, and know what the company and job opportunity are all about. Take notes in the interview and ask some questions. Notice the environment and pay attention to the interviewer. Then, follow up in some way. Send an email, drop off a note, or make a call to thank the interviewer and remind him or her why you should be remembered. All this will help to differentiate one candidate from another. Simple, perfect, and personal!
The candidates today must be able to differentiate themselves from the stack of competitors. Finding work will take some planning and thought. Job Seekers should think like a boss, and try to determine what the employer would want in a candidate, on paper and in person.
On a resume and cover letter, an employer will want simple, error-free, and personal information. There will be a stack of resumes on the hiring manager’s desk, so they will want the important information quickly. The paperwork must be perfect; no mistakes of any kind. The information must also be truthful; employers are finding out when someone is lying. On the cover letter, personal information that is relevant to the job opportunity and the employer is crucial. This is where a candidate with the same credentials as others can stand out. If possible, include proof of what is stated on paper such as education, reference letters, or samples of work done, to make it easy for the hiring manager to see your qualifications. Do not list birth date, marital status, or social insurance information, but do put something unique which will be of benefit to the company.
If an interview is granted, the basic rules still stand, which actually does differentiate candidates. Being on time, remembering the name of the person doing the interview, and dressing appropriately for the job are all important. Smile, make good eye contact, be confident, and know what the company and job opportunity are all about. Take notes in the interview and ask some questions. Notice the environment and pay attention to the interviewer. Then, follow up in some way. Send an email, drop off a note, or make a call to thank the interviewer and remind him or her why you should be remembered. All this will help to differentiate one candidate from another. Simple, perfect, and personal!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
We are part of a community
During tough and unstable economic times, most people and companies tighten up their purse strings. I do understand that. We make different choices, buy cheaper necessities, scale back, forego luxury items we once planned to purchase. We now stay home for holidays instead of going somewhere tropical, and we pray we don’t lose our jobs if we miss a day of work.
Companies have hiring freezes, no extra cash for bonuses, or raises, or staff functions. Retention is automatic; if people leave their jobs of their own accord, they are not replaced, and companies don’t have to pay anything for retention. What a change from last June. Alberta flipped overnight.
We all recognize the switch, and how it affects each of us individually. What I would like everyone to remember is that we are part of a community. We live and work together in one city, one province, one country. We all struggle, some more or less than others, but we do all feel the discomfort of less.
We still need to think about the charities and organizations that count on our donations, regardless of how much less we are living on. We still need to keep research moving forward, and keep support networks intact no matter what the economy is doing. It is more difficult to give when we have less, but imagine those living in our community who are afflicted with a disabling disease, an abuse issue, or a life threatening ailment.
I encourage everyone to choose a charity or organization to support; I support a few. And even if you have less than you’re used to, have lost your job, or are scaling back, you don’t have to donate a lot. Help to raise funds, get involved in something, volunteer your time, or give five dollars. Every hour and every dollar helps the entire community we all live in, in good times and bad.
Companies have hiring freezes, no extra cash for bonuses, or raises, or staff functions. Retention is automatic; if people leave their jobs of their own accord, they are not replaced, and companies don’t have to pay anything for retention. What a change from last June. Alberta flipped overnight.
We all recognize the switch, and how it affects each of us individually. What I would like everyone to remember is that we are part of a community. We live and work together in one city, one province, one country. We all struggle, some more or less than others, but we do all feel the discomfort of less.
We still need to think about the charities and organizations that count on our donations, regardless of how much less we are living on. We still need to keep research moving forward, and keep support networks intact no matter what the economy is doing. It is more difficult to give when we have less, but imagine those living in our community who are afflicted with a disabling disease, an abuse issue, or a life threatening ailment.
I encourage everyone to choose a charity or organization to support; I support a few. And even if you have less than you’re used to, have lost your job, or are scaling back, you don’t have to donate a lot. Help to raise funds, get involved in something, volunteer your time, or give five dollars. Every hour and every dollar helps the entire community we all live in, in good times and bad.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Celebrate staffing week!
Staffing Week for Canada 2009 is celebrated June 1 to 7 across our nation.
In 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper extended the following message to the staffing industry: “Staffing agencies fill a valuable need in an increasingly complex labour market by helping businesses quickly locate talent for short or long-term assignments, offering valuable work experience to young people, or finding new opportunities for experienced workers,” said Harper. It seems that our industry is finally being treated with the respect it deserves.
The purpose of this week is to acknowledge all those employed by an industry that finds work for over 400,000 Canadians on an annual basis. Not too many industries today can say that. Temporary workers benefit from the flexibility, training, and supplemental income temping offers. Sometimes, that foot in the door opportunity to prove yourself lands a temporary employee the permanent job they are looking for. Those opportunities may not exist for those unwilling to temp as a bridge to finding the right job.
I believe in our industry association ACSESS, and willingly promote the members. I sit on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Branch of ACSESS, and our Branch Manager in Edmonton also sits on the ACSESS Board there. We promote, support, and operate within the ethical standards of ACSESS, ensuring that our clients and candidates are protected and treated with respect.
Show your support for the Staffing Industry and staffing in general this week. Recognize a temp, contact your chosen staffing agency, or place an order with an ACSESS Member Agency. Check out the ACSESS Website today for more information at http://www.acsess.org/, or go to our website http://www.aboutstaffing.com/ and click on the ACSESS link on our home page.
In 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper extended the following message to the staffing industry: “Staffing agencies fill a valuable need in an increasingly complex labour market by helping businesses quickly locate talent for short or long-term assignments, offering valuable work experience to young people, or finding new opportunities for experienced workers,” said Harper. It seems that our industry is finally being treated with the respect it deserves.
The purpose of this week is to acknowledge all those employed by an industry that finds work for over 400,000 Canadians on an annual basis. Not too many industries today can say that. Temporary workers benefit from the flexibility, training, and supplemental income temping offers. Sometimes, that foot in the door opportunity to prove yourself lands a temporary employee the permanent job they are looking for. Those opportunities may not exist for those unwilling to temp as a bridge to finding the right job.
I believe in our industry association ACSESS, and willingly promote the members. I sit on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Branch of ACSESS, and our Branch Manager in Edmonton also sits on the ACSESS Board there. We promote, support, and operate within the ethical standards of ACSESS, ensuring that our clients and candidates are protected and treated with respect.
Show your support for the Staffing Industry and staffing in general this week. Recognize a temp, contact your chosen staffing agency, or place an order with an ACSESS Member Agency. Check out the ACSESS Website today for more information at http://www.acsess.org/, or go to our website http://www.aboutstaffing.com/ and click on the ACSESS link on our home page.
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