In today’s dynamic and fast-paced business environment, keeping up-to-date is so important. Market trends, mergers and acquisitions, new technologies – staying on top of all the activity can feel like a full-time job in itself. We have compiled a list of news resources to help keep you informed and current.
Now, more than ever, cross border employment issues are becoming increasingly complex. Do you want to become a Landed immigrant or Canadian Citizen? Would you like to become a contractor and work in the U.S.? Want to work overseas? Are you an employer looking to hire a new Canadian?
GuruLink can help you find the answers you are searching for.
Please browse our various links and articles:
Job searching is not simply about combing the papers or job-boards for positions. It requires outlining your own goals, objectives, and limitations to define the position that is right for you. It requires evaluating the companies that are a good fit for your own expectations. The following resources will help you answer the important questions for a successful job-search strategy.
An IT job seeker preparing to relocate from Dubai to North America contacted me in hopes of finding out what he should expect to pay in recruiter fees, and if working with a recruiter was in fact really the most efficient and effective way to finding his first new job in North America. Relocating is not nearly as easy as it had been in previous years.
With the IT job market tightening right across the board, conducting a job search in a new place at the same time that you are getting used to the new culture and surroundings may take a very long time and can certainly be very disheartening. On the other hand, you will be a fresh face in the local market, and that could work to your advantage, especially when relocating to a small to midsize market that may have been saturated in the specific field that you are an expert in.
The point is, you should not wait until you have moved into your new home and unpacked all your boxes to start looking for a job. The best plan is to start the hunt before you actually make the move. The longer you give yourself for your search, the better your prospects of finding an appropriate job before your savings run out. Above all, if you are lucky enough to find the new job before your move, your new employer might actually cover your relocation expenses. Do not hold your breath as company budgets are no longer as liquid as they used to be.
It is very very important that you find a reliable, and reputable recruiter in order to facilitate an effective job search when you are moving to a new market. A good recruiter will be able to share the secrets of the local area, fill you in on the best employers in the area, and help you find hidden pockets of opportunity that only seasoned locals would know about. Finding some recommendations of recruiters to talk to by contacting the local chapters of your favourite user group or professional association, or contacting the local chamber of commerce is your wisest strategy. That said, you do not want to limit yourself to working with only recruiters. Be active, and search for jobs online, keep an eye on the classifieds, network with anyone you know (including friends of friends) in the area you’re moving to, attend job fairs, and go directly to your sought after employers.
As for recruiters’ fees, you must not pay them yourself. While that was a common business practice in the past, it’s a rather antiquated business model. In today’s North American market place, the employers always pay the recruiter, on either a retainer or a contingency basis. In fact, be very cautious of any recruiter or staffing agency that asks you to pay for services. It’s important to distinguish between a career coach and counsellor who can help you make the transition to a new level in your career development on the one hand and companies that call themselves “career marketing” or “executive marketing” firms on the other. As far as the latter is concerned, candidates need to be extremely careful because those companies are sharp marketers and they will give you the impression that they can solve all your job search problems. But, more often than not they do nothing more than fill you with hope while you help them fill their bank accounts.
You must be extraordinarily CAUTIOUS as the recruiting industry is one that is unregulated and non-standardized, making it easy to be taken advantage of. If there is any time when someone in that field asks you for money up front, get in your car, hop on the bus, jump in a cab, or simply walk away. I will promise you that it will not be a good investment of your time and most importantly, your money.
You must not forget that there are many people who will try to help you. And there are many who are genuine in their efforts. However, when all is said and done, only you can get yourself hired!
It can be quite challenging to find a job during normal economic conditions. Now, with the media delivering so much negative news regarding corporate layoffs, it’s no surprise that you might lose interest in putting in the heavy effort required to find a job. You have to get over this psychological wall.
During these trying times, looking for a job means you have to go above and beyond what it would normally take to find one. This is going to become more than a full time job in itself. But, don’t be discouraged. With hard work comes bountiful rewards. You have to go outside the box in your approach to looking for work. So, what does this actually mean? Essentially, your attitude is going to be the make or break factor in how successful you are going to be in finding a job. If you take on a passive approach with the sense of malaise, you will not be very successful. That would normally not equate to success during great times. So, be realistic and assess what your attitude is like now!
Making calls to contacts that intimidate you will be the first step, and brewing the nerves to do so is a must. To do this, you must instil a sense of confidence in yourself by believing that you really have NOTHING to lose. You have to understand and believe just how true this is. The following are just a few guidelines to help get you motivated in your job search:
Our economy is recovering. This is a fact. As of May 28th, 2002 analysts have found that Canada has been creating jobs and hiring at the fastest pace of the G7. Know that there are jobs being created. But, you also must realize how competitive it is out there. Unfortunately, or fortunately for you, most people become lethargic and easily discouraged in the job search process because of the fact that it is so competitive. That attitude will destroy you. Be prepared to invest some time and energy, and you are certain to prevail much sooner over those who are sleeping in until 10AM every day. Hit the pavement, and hit it in a hard and unique way!
In the highly competitive job market of today, simply getting to the interview stage can be a struggle. Now that you’ve made it, there are countless questions to ask yourself. How do I describe my experience in a way that is interesting and engaging? How do telephone or video-conference interviews differ from in-person? How do I carry myself physically?
We have included the following articles of note to help you answer pertinent questions such as these, and present yourself professionally and confidently.
Interviewing can be a stressful experience. We at GuruLink want to give you the upper hand. We have compiled a list of traditional generic questions that may have slipped your mind in preparing for your next interview.
Be ready for these!
Most recruiters or employers are normally quite friendly and congenial as they try to learn more about you and your background during an interview. In all likelihood you will leave the meeting feeling that you have met someone with whom you would like to work, and could see yourself working, with. Then there are the interviewers who go out of their way to be abrasive and adversarial.
By provoking you, they hope to measure and assess your composure in order to determine how you react when you are frustrated, angry or under pressure. You must be prepared for these interview games.
The following interview situations are some that you might very well encounter. Following them are guidelines on how to handle them.
Who Are You?
The recruiter or employer opens the meeting with: “Tell me about yourself.”
This statement should not trip you up. It gives you a great opportunity to explain why you are the best person for the job. Your answer should come from the prepared statements you have relating to how you can benefit the company, not on such autobiographical elements as where you grew up, your marital status or your hobbies and interests. Give a nice brief summary of your professional experience, then conclude with a strong statement outlining your most important strengths and accomplishments as they relate to the sought after role. Recruiters or employers who open a meeting with “Tell me about yourself” are handing you a golden opportunity to go through your qualifications and wrap up an offer. Instead of dreading these opening remarks, prepare for recruiters or employers who begin this way.
Promoting Yourself
The interviewer begins the conversation by bluntly asking, “Why should I hire you?”
Many people trip over this question when asked and make a terrible first impression. Again, you could not ask for a more beautiful opportunity to lay out your qualifications on the table. Try being just as blunt as the interviewer when describing your most salient strengths and accomplishments. Give a nice brief summary of your professional experience, then conclude with a strong statement outlining your most important strengths and accomplishments as they relate to the sought after role.
Profitable Silence
Some recruiters and employers will not say anything after you have answered a question. They just stare at you. In response, most of you get anxious and either laugh or grope for things to say, and your remarks more often than not backfire. A short period of silence is easy to manage. You have given your answer to the recruiter’s or employer’s question, and now it’s up to them to continue the flow of the conversation. Simply gaze back while slowly and silently counting to 20. If these 20 seconds seem like an unbearable amount of time and you feel pressured to break the silence, ask the recruiter or employer a question about the position or company. Your question will be brilliant if it uncovers details about the available job. Instead of dreading difficult interview situations, prepare yourself to handle them effectively. While your competition will make a poor impression and lose points with interviewers, you can cast yourself in a favorable light and be well on your way to winning an offer by simply having prepared yourself!
Difficult Personalities
If recruiter or employer is determined to make things tough for you, the only thing you can do is be ready for it and handle it appropriately. The recruiter or employer might try to frequently point out your weaknesses, constantly interrupt you, intimidate you with their knowledge of the field, or continually disagree with your comments. These methods of intimidation are especially effective if you are being interviewed by a group of people at once. Most of you often become so flustered or worked up that you fall apart and blurt things out that you later regret. Forgetting to mention important information is also quite common in these circumstances. Your best ammunition against this is to play along. The secret weapon is to recognize that the recruiter’s or employer’s antagonism is nothing more than a game. It is a game aimed at determining if you can keep your cool. By acting politely, calmly and evenly, no matter how rudely the recruiter or employer behaves, you will be demonstrating your confidence and maturity. Granted, the interview can become quite challenging. Some circumstances may arise that are so extreme, you have to realize that they are acting this badly to learn how aggressive or assertive you can be. Research. Any and all information you can get in advance about the person(s) you will be meeting, as well as the personal characteristics the company is looking for, will help you know how to behave.
There are other more simple yet subtle ways to arouse you during an interview. These include seating you in a wobbly or squeaky chair, next to a hot radiator, beside a breezy open window or with the sun in your eyes. You do not want to be interviewed like this. So, explain to the interviewer what’s annoying you, and then continue the conversation while moving your chair to a different location or sitting in a different place. Do not bear it and compromise your chances. Stand up, speak up in a polite yet assertive manner and correct the discomforting situation. You can only be respected for this. No one cares much for a passively quiet teammate.
What made you want to leave your job?
This is one of the first questions you will be asked by an employer or recruiter in your initial interview, be it over the phone or in person. So, why you are interested in leaving your current job or why have you left your most recent job?
The last thing you want to do is to take this opportunity to go off about how much you despise your old boss or your peers from your old company. Saying bad things about an employer in an interview setting reflects more negatively on you than the employer.
Always speak positively, or at least refrain from making any negative comments when asked this question. No employer will hire someone who appears to have a bad attitude or cannot seem to get along with peers, reports, or superiors.
As a job seeker, your resume IS the storefront of your business. Understanding how to write a concise and powerful resume that is compelling for potential employers is the crucial first step in landing the job that is right for you. We have compiled a list of articles of note and have included some of our own examples to help you write that winning resume.
Gurulink is committed to helping you present yourself in the best and clearest way. We want you to find the right positions. An effective layout and presentation can greatly improve your chances of getting the job! Take a few moments to review the sample documents below:
Through trial and error we have learned to identify the most effective methods of defining one’s objective section. The following will help clarify what an objective section is, and how you should tailor it to your needs based on your experience and aspirations. The run-on sentence will be the demise of your objective section. A typical BAD example is found below:
OBJECTIVE: To utilize my professional experience in the technology sector. Contributing to the best of my knowledge and fostering positive people relations using my skills with a preference to jobs with responsibility and a variety of tasks, while continuing to learn and experience new challenges, which will promote growth in any field for which I am qualified.
A properly written objective is concise, to the point, and crisp. Below are some GOOD examples:
OBJECTIVE: To secure a challenging position in an IT-based company with opportunity for professional and intellectual growth.
OBJECTIVE: A positive and energetic professional seeking a position in project management and management.
OBJECTIVE: Seeking a Network Administration position where my hands on experience, self management, and communication can be effectively utilized to improve operations and contribute to your organizations further growth and increased profits.
Keeping your objective to the point will effectively stop you from over-extending yourself as in the statement below:
OBJECTIVE: To take up a suitable assignment in Toronto for two years in a field other than my profession in consistence with the purpose of my life to serve humanity.
At GuruLink, we understand that career development is an endless process. GuruLink provides you with current information on employment concerns such as salary surveys, interviewing, and resume tips. Please browse our selection of professional development resources and contact us to find out how a GuruLink Representative can help you put the right foot forward in every step of your career path. We strive to prove ourselves as your trusted career advisors.