Ask the Employment Specialist: Tips for Collecting and Presenting References

Dear Joanna

I am an internationally trained architect who is new to Canada and am so upset, because I do not have any local references, and I don’t know the best way to present my references.

I have finished an interview today for a position as an AutoCAD technician and the employer has asked me to submit 3 references. I learned from my Job Developer that this is a good sign; but I don’t know what to do as my references are all from my professional places of work overseas!

What do you advise me to do? The employer is waiting and I don’t want to lose this opportunity!

Signed: Upset Without References (UWR)

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Dear UWR,

Congratulations on passing the job interview! You know you have successfully passed the interview stage when the employer asks for references.

Thank you for asking this question. References are a difficult challenge for job searchers, regardless of whether they are Canadian.  After checking out with my fellow frontline practitioners, and based on what I’ve learned from various employers who come to JVS Toronto to speak to our clients, I have the following suggestions for you:

1. With today’s access to the Internet, it is much easier and acceptable for you to use references from your former places of employment from your home country. Many employers have told me that they are willing to check references all over the world, using emails as the main form of communication.

2. Always double-check with the references that they are still available, and willing to provide you with a reference.

3. The Reference List should be neatly typed on a regular white sheet of paper. It should have the full name, job title, company name, address, email address, telephone and fax of each of your references. 

4. Keep in mind that the information on your Reference List is private, so DO NOT provide the list to potential employers until they have met with you in person and you are sure that you want them to contact the references.

5. Always bring the Reference List to the interview, to present to the employer. But, make sure you provide the list only if the interviewer asks for it!

6. After giving the Reference List to the potential employer, always make sure that you inform your references that you have given their name. Give them a “heads up” that they might be contacted – tell them about the nature of the job opportunity and the name of the employee who will be checking you out. If you can prepare them in advance, even better, as opposed to waiting until the last minute.

7. Always keep in touch with your references, even when you don’t have a job interview. Once again, networking is the key and you should keep doing it, even if you are working. You never know when you need the references. Sometimes, they may leave the company where you worked, so you should constantly keep in touch. Using LinkedIn is a great solution; other social media tools such as Facebook are effective, too.

8. Treat your references like gold; stay in touch, get them gifts, send them holiday cards and show appreciation and gratitude.

9. Speak to your references to discuss how they might answer the more challenging questions interviewers might ask, such as discussing your weaknesses or giving the reasons for your departure from that job.  Although this is difficult, try to ensure that they will say only positive things about you. 

10. Ask your references to contact you after they have been called by the potential employer, to provide you with feedback. Whether or not the employer called the reference and what was discussed will give you a good clue about whether they are seriously considering you for employment.

Once again, congratulations on being so close to the job offer…but remember, it’s not over yet; you still need to be checked out through your references and only when you have a hot job offer in writing (preferably) in your hands, is there a time for celebration!!!

Lots of luck in this stage of the game.

Regards,

Joanna

Job Searching During the Holidays – Should I Stay or Should I Go?

This indecision’s bugging me
If you don’t want me, set me free
~The Clash

The malls and stores have been decorated for over a month now, and you know the words to all of the new Christmas songs, since you have heard them a million times. You are waiting for a reply from a previous interview and wondering if it is time to shut down your job search, as nobody hires during the holidays.

You are partly right.

As referenced in my previous article, Tips for finding Seasonal Work – there are employment opportunities leading up to Christmas. But what about the month of December? Is it worth the effort to keep plugging away at finding a job?

While it is true that most employers will slow down or freeze hiring during December, there are still fantastic opportunities to network and put yourself in a more strategic position for the New Year. Think of it as an early New Year’s resolution.

During this time of year people are wrapping up things for year-end. Their focus is not completely on work, but on the holidays, friends and family. Moods are more positive and people are more receptive to chatting about what the next year may bring. Use this opportunity to connect with your targeted employers to gather information about the company, upcoming job opportunities and their hiring process.

Having this information before jobs are posted in the New Year gives you an edge over the rest of the job seekers. You will know what jobs are coming up, when they are accepting applications, the hiring process and who is doing the hiring. If you are lucky and resourceful, you may even have secured someone on the inside who can pass your resume on for you.

It’s also a good time to follow-up on previous interviews where a decision has not been made. Most companies will want hiring wrapped up before the end of the year so they can complete any paperwork, finish budgets and project future headcount. People have a little more time to chat and may be more open to longer discussions on the decision and potential upcoming opportunities. Don’t go into the New Year thinking “what if” and “I wonder if they will call” – find out now. You can then start with a clean slate in 2012.

To be prepared for the potential opportunity of marketing yourself to employers, try this exercise:  in seven words or less – describe what you do or what you can offer an employer. Think of this as your sales pitch, calling card or your brand. It’s a way to become more memorable. What I currently use for employers is “Helping employers land their next great employee”.  I couple that with a profile picture on LinkedIn of me holding a large fish (yes it’s real and I did catch it! released it too).

You can choose to stop your job search over the holidays or keep plugging away to secure your next job.  I’m not suggesting that you continue at 100%. Everyone needs some time off to relax, regroup and recharge. Just don’t completely stop, as you would be missing out on some great opportunities.

The benefits of job searching in December include:

• employers have more time to talk about current or upcoming hiring opportunities
• there is less competition, as some job seekers have given up their search until the New Year
• some companies could be hiring to use up $$ left in the budget
• the down time can be used to research employers and lay the groundwork for networking (using LinkedIn), as well as review your resume and adjust it, if you haven’t been getting interviews
• companies have a skeleton staff on over the holidays, so the odds of making a connection are higher
• besides, what else are you going to do??

So, use this time of year to your advantage. Don’t give up; keep plugging away. After all, this is your job search and you will get out of it what you put into it. Good luck in 2012. Don’t stop “taking care of business”.

And I’ll be…

Taking care of business every day
Taking care of business every way
I’ve been taking care of business, it’s all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out
~(Bachman-Turner Overdrive)

Ask the Employment Specialist: Explaining bad job endings to interviewers

We are excited to introduce a brand new feature: Joanna Samuels, our highly experienced Workforce Specialist Team Lead will be collecting questions from job searchers and putting them to our Employment Specialists to give you the best answers possible. Here’s our first installation in Ask an Employment Specialist. We hope you find it useful and would LOVE your feedback and questions (if you would like to ask a question, you will find our contact email at the end of this post).

Dear Employment Specialist,

I was recently fired from my job as a customer service representative/receptionist at a large wholesale supplier company.

I’m still in shock but have to jump back on the horse and overcome my fears of working in another job in my field which I love. So, I’m busy applying for work and started to have both telephone and face-to-face interviews (at least the resume is working!).

When the interviewer inquires about the reason I’m no longer at my last job, I am stumped with a suitable response which will not be used against me and exclude me from being hired! Please could you give me some suggestions.

Signed,
Furiously Fired and Fearful

Dear FFF,

This is an excellent question, which I am often asked.  Coaching job seekers on how answer difficult questions, so to help them eventually get that job offer, is part of what employment specialists do.

From experience, I have found that when answering such a challenging question, honesty is the best policy. You have to figure out an answer which you can share comfortably, and make sure you sound articulate and stay calm, confident and clear. As the old saying goes “it’s not what you say; it’s how you say it“.

We always recommend that interviewees put themselves in the interviewer’s shoes, and read between the lines of the interview questions. When an employer asks “Why did you leave your last job?”, they are probably really thinking: “Are you going to bring me headaches? Do you have trouble getting along with people? Were you fired or did you quit? Did you have difficulties in your last position which may affect your ability to do the job here?”

Considering these concerns of employers, here are some suggested scripts to respond to such questions about your past job:

One helpful suggestion came from Jeannette Mazzocato, one of our experienced JVS Employment Counsellors, who recommended this script: 

“I was at my last job for a long time. I loved the work and the team. However I had a situation and  I recognize that I did some mistakes. I took this as an invaluable opportunity to learn and grow. I acknowledge that I was wrong. The company is a great company and they do great work. I would like to move forward and find work in my field which uses my experience, skills, passions and education, and find a company where I can make a contribution, grow and continue to learn”.

I also consulted with Steffen Allen, a Senior Recruiter at Zylog Systems (Canada) Ltd., a leading IT and Engineering consulting and staffing firm. Steffen is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in corporate recruitment and consulting for Fortune 500 companies around the world.

Steffen suggests that it is important to keep positive, to “turn a negative into a positive”, and recommends the following possible scripts:

“My job description changed. I was put into a new role which I could not do. I didn’t have the skills or experience to perform the new position. The learning curve was too steep for me. So, both  I and the company parted ways on good terms. I took this as an opportunity to understand what skills I need to learn and have enrolled in a course to gain those skills for future opportunities.”

“The company was bought out and was going in another direction. There was a new management which took over. They had different goals than mine. So we parted ways on good terms.”

“The company’s goals changed and were not aligned with my goals. I parted ways on good terms with the management.”

The bottom line: if you are confronted in an interview with a difficult question about a past job, the best thing you can do is be prepared with an honest and responsible answer. Find a way to describe what happened that does not say anything negative about the former employer, and focuses instead on moving forward.

Good luck with your job search, FFF. I am sure that with some careful preparation, you will succeed in getting back onto the job market soon!

Regards,
Joanna

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References:

Fatt, J. (1999). It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it – Nonverbal communication. Communication World, June-July, 1999

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What do YOU think? We would love to hear your suggestions about how to handle such a question

Please comment below, or on our Facebook Page  .

If you have a question for our Employment Specialists, email us; your question may be the next one we answer!

Tips to finding seasonal or full-time work – winter edition

It’s mid-October and the Christmas decorations have been in the stores for a few weeks now. Soon the holiday muzak will be playing over the speakers and a gentleman in red will be making his annual appearance at a mall near you. Some find this a difficult time to be looking for any type of work (full- or part-time) but a few tips may help you get a job or at least set yourself up to be in a better position for 2012.

While it is true that many sectors slow down their hiring leading up to and including the holidays, there are several that have some great opportunities. Anything consumer related (Retail, Hospitality, Food Service, Call Centres and Travel) are good areas to check out. Consumers are buying Christmas gifts, booking vacations, holding annual Christmas parties and stocking up on edible goodies for when family members visit.

Most of these companies have career sections on their websites where you can apply online for jobs. But time is tight before the rush and many have been recruiting for these positions since September. To increase your odds of getting hired try these few tips:

• Apply in person and speak to the manager (store, hotel or restaurant). These employers are services based so meeting in person gives you a chance to showcase how you can interact with customers/clients. It can make a huge difference for a person that has little experience or a weaker resume but presents well. Going to the location also gives you an opportunity to check out the work area, products and company culture.
• If you go in person make sure you do your research. Check out the location, know the products and review the website. Consider yourself as a “secret shopper”.
• Many of these roles pay minimum wage but offer benefits like staff discounts. If this is the case where you are applying, make sure the product/service is something that you value and can utilize. It’s okay to be selfish in this case.
• Several of these “seasonal” jobs are listed as part-time or temporary. Many times though people have ended up working full-time hours especially leading up to Christmas. While it is true that many are laid off after Christmas, several employers I spoke to have stated that if a person works out to be a great asset then they will try to keep them on (permanent work could be a result)
• Don’t shy away from making connections with employers that are slowing down for the holidays. Once the holidays are over and annual budgets are set, some employers will start hiring again. Sometimes the only edge you need is someone on the inside that can pass on your resume to the hiring manager or give you the heads up when the posting is going out. LinkedIn is a great way to do this. Many job seekers take a break over the holidays so take advantage of their inaction.
• Take advantage of local job fairs. To be successful though you need to check the exhibitors list before you go to see if there are employers that you want to meet. Don’t waste your time going to an event where the employers are from a sector you aren’t interested in. Prepare before you go.

Here are a variety of website links to employers from these different sectors that may be hiring:

• Limited Brands (Victoria Secret, Bath & Body works, La Senza)
• Transat A.T. Inc (Jonview Canada, Transat, Marlin Travel)
• Sporting Life 
• Porter Airlines
• Target Canada (opening soon)
• Discount Car and Truck Rental

Here’s hoping that 2012 will be a better year for all of us.

Good luck in your job search.
Chris

Job hunting portfolios

© Sergeitelegin | Dreamstime.com

What exactly is a portfolio and why should I have one?

When we think of portfolios and who uses them, we think of people in fine arts, designers, performing arts, models, photographers and education professions. However, all types of job-seekers can make use of a portfolio.  When a client asks me whether I think they should make use of a portfolio I almost always say “yes”. They can be effective in any field.  Think of a portfolio as a very handy tool in the job hunting process and a constantly evolving record that, if kept current, will continue to be of assistance as you progress along your career path.

A complete, well thought out and structured portfolio has numerous advantages. For one, it is a strong persuasive tool in the interview process to visually demonstrate evidence of your skills and abilities to an employer. Another advantage is that all your career related documents can be found neatly in one spot. This is very handy when you want to add that letter of recommendation or new certificate, and easy to refer to if you need to access any career documentation you might need.

Your biggest time commitment will be the initial development of your portfolio, but once you’ve developed it, keeping it current and up-to-date will be fairly easy.

Having a portfolio means you can back up what you are saying in a job interview with evidence. For example, when talking about your exemplary communication skills you can back your words up with actual samples that demonstrate your writing ability. Projects you have worked on such as workshops, PowerPoint presentations and articles for the company newsletter can all be included in a portfolio.

An important point to remember is that the portfolio is a tool. It is used in job interviews to back up or illustrate a point, not to simply hand over to the interviewer(s) to have them flip through.

And so how do I start my portfolio?

A black professional three-ring binder (zipper closure optional) is a safe option. Make sure it looks professional as it will be coming with you to your job interviews. A table of contents is important and an orderly system which identifies the various sections, (e.g. mission statement, education, professional development), using tabs or dividers.

Gather and assemble all your materials that you want to include in your portfolio. Wondering what to include? Think about documents that showcase  your education and work experience by showing examples and evidence of your work, skills, education and accomplishments.

Ideas of pieces to include are:

• your branding/mission statement which sheds light on the guiding principles that drive you and give you purpose, your work ethic, organizational interests, management philosophy, etc. and listing goals can be  included (ie: where you see yourself in five years time)

• your skills, qualifications and abilities, including a list of accomplishments highlighting your achievements in your career to date, samples of your work (e.g. Powerpoint presentations, reports, workshops you’ve developed, reports, publications, brochures, news clippings etc)

• testimonials, letters of recommendations and thank you notes from clients, colleagues and supervisors are always nice to include; some people even include favourable job reviews/evaluations

• photocopies of awards, licenses, certificates, degrees and scholarships

• any professional development activities; for example, provide a listing of professional associations and conferences attended and any other professional activities

• information about volunteer jobs and community service activities, especially those that relate directly to your career, can be included

• a copy of your current resume plus a scannable/text-based resume in case one is required (I would put the scannable resume in the portfolio’s pocket if it has one)

•  a reference list should also be included with the names of 3 to 5 people (including their full names, titles, addresses, and phone/email) who are willing to speak about your strengths, abilities, and experience; at least one reference should be a former manager

Besides the traditional portfolio, you should also consider developing an online web-based portfolio. Make sure your online presence/branding corresponds to your resume and your portfolio. The information should be similar online (ie: LinkedIn and any website you use for a portfolio) and back up what is in your resume.

The career portfolio is a great job hunting tool that sets you apart from other candidates, and if prepared correctly, it may help land you the job!

RADICAL THOUGHTS, PART 1: On Finding a Decent Job in a Reasonable Amount of Time

How do you find a job when you need one?

In the old days, people had to leap out of bed with the sun so they could grab a newspaper before all the other job seekers got hold of it! It was a daily race to be the first to inquire about the advertised listings.  This was followed by ‘pounding the pavement’: going from shop to shop, office to office, making inquiries about work in person.

Today, the internet has made the job search process nearly unrecognizable.  From the comfort of our homes, we can browse listings, post resumes so that hiring employers will see them, set up ‘alerts’ so that jobs matching our criteria sail into our inboxes all by themselves, and network with friends and acquaintances using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or any one of dozens of other sites and technologies.  (No doubt our smartphones “have an app for that”!)

If you are like most people, you might log on to Workopolis or Monster Canada, or Kijiji Canada, or Craigslist Canada, or Eluta, or Job Bank, or Vicinity Jobs, or Charity Village, or Work in Culture (you’ll find more job boards on the Useful Links: Job Search menu of this blog), or if you are creative and unusual, you might just go to Google.ca and type in “Toronto food service jobs” in the search box …are you sensing a pattern here?

The widespread availability of technology has made the job search easier than ever!!

Or maybe not…  experts like Dr. Randall Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers, and Richard Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute, and the Job Hunters’ Bible website, tell us that fewer than 5% of job seekers are ultimately hired as the result of applying to advertised jobs – including internet AND newspaper ads – and that all the advertised jobs together represent no more than 15-20% of all the available jobs at any given time.

That other 75-80% of jobs are to be found in what is often called ‘the hidden job market’.  Most job-search manuals, strategy guides, and employment services focus on finding ways to navigate this market.  (Try Googling “penetrate hidden job market” and see what comes up!)  The bottom line of all such advice is basically this:  If you wish to find a decent job, in a reasonable amount of time, then applying to advertised jobs IS NOT ENOUGH.  Even ‘networking’, that Philospher’s Stone of the job hunt, so often touted as ‘the key to the hidden job market’, is NOT ENOUGH.

You need to understand the labour market, insofar as it pertains uniquely to YOU.  This requires that you conduct your own research into the labour market, and your potential place(s) within it.  It isn’t as hard as it sounds!  Stay tuned for my next “Radical Thoughts” installment on Labour Market Research.

Tips for Older Job Seekers

If you are looking for work for the first time in a long time and finding it more difficult than before, you may be tempted to blame your age. Employers tell us that age, by itself, is usually not a concern for them. However, there are several traits that may piggy-back on getting older, which can and do reduce your desirability to employers. The good news is that they CAN be addressed, and successfully doing so will improve your job prospects:

1.  Energy.

Employers do not want to hire someone who looks like they are about to fall asleep, or collapse from exhaustion. Get enough sleep before an interview. Book interviews for the time of day when you feel your best; don’t agree to 9 AM. if you are not a morning person! Walk tall. Sit up straight. Move with energy, to the best of your ability. And know that the way you take care of yourself on a daily basis – proper diet, daily exercise, sufficient rest – will show through in your energy levels.

2.  Appearance.

As we get older and the bright good looks of our youth begin to fade, we sometimes get the attitude that our appearance is not worth bothering about. It is! Make sure you don’t look unnecessarily old: have your hair styled, your teeth professionally cleaned by your dentist, consider hair colour if you don’t like your grey. Update your wardrobe and wear well-fitting clothes to your interviews. Don’t neglect your hygiene. If you like makeup, wear it. The idea is not to try disguising yourself as a 30-year-old (which probably won’t work), but rather to express by your appearance that you take care of yourself. If you look like you value yourself, employers will too!

3.   Attitude.

Those of us who have a lot of experience can sometimes start thinking that much younger people cannot possibly know what they are doing. This mindset is disastrous; it will come across in your interviews that you believe yourself to ‘know better’, and this is a big red flag. Employers do not want to bring someone on board who is set in their ways, inflexible, and will not graciously take direction. Cultivate the attitude of a ‘student of life’, and remember that we always have more we can learn from each other.

4.  Price.

If you have worked a long time, you probably come with a high price tag, which will put employers off. To compete with younger people who may have more recent educational qualifications and want much less money, you may need to reconsider how much compensation to ask for. Consider lifestyle changes that might reduce your cost of living; or ask an employment counsellor whether further education might help you to justify your salary requirements.

You know that you’ve got a lot to offer an employer. Make sure you are not letting any of the factors listed above tarnish your first impression, and your true value will be certain to shine through.