Ask the Employment Specialist: How to be a Successful Mentor

Dear Joanna,

I am a long-standing and successful employee at one of the major banks, in a Director role in the Risk Management department. Our organization strongly supports helping the community through diversity initiatives such as The Mentoring Partnership, which was developed by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) to help recent immigrants overcome obstacles to establish their careers in Canada. Recently, I decided to volunteer as a Mentor in this exciting program through JVS Toronto.

I was matched with an internationally trained professional and newcomer to Canada, who arrived here a few months ago and had a successful career in his home country, in a leading bank in the same type of occupation. I have met with my new Mentee for the first time last week, when we agreed upon the goals of our mentoring relationship.  Do you have any suggestions as to how I can be the most effective Mentor with this motivated, talented and competent new immigrant to Canada and help him be as successful as possible?

Signed: How to Be an Effective Mentor
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Dear HBEM,

First of all, a big huge thank you to you for dedicating your time and expertise to help a newcomer to Canada, and for your interest and support of The Mentoring Partnership. This is definitely a worthy cause and a win-win relationship. I cannot think of a better way for you to hone your skills and experience in leadership, as well as your skills in adult education/teaching, communication, listening, networking, diversity awareness, and coaching. It’s also an opportunity for your company to tap into talent, promote good corporate social responsibility and make a difference in the community.

In the 24 hours you get to spend with your Mentee over the four months of the mentoring relationship, you can provide advice, resources, communication and relationship support, as necessary. Some goals to consider could be: understanding workplace culture, self-marketing ideas, accreditations, training opportunities, establishing professional networks, identifying employment opportunities and setting job search strategies.

Your Mentoring Partnership Coach, JVS’s Patricia Houghton, recommends the following strategies to maximize your relationship with your Mentee:

Time commitment.

In your first meeting, the Mentor and Mentee should discuss their preferred times and locations for meetings and the means of communication. They should decide, in advance, on the logistics of the relationship, to avoid lost time and momentum in the relationship. It may be useful to use tools such as Outlook to schedule your mentoring meetings, in advance; it’s a great way to organize this professional relationship. If you cannot meet in person or have to cancel, use the phone or email to communicate. It does, however, help to have as much time in-person as possible. And, if you have to cancel, try to do so in advance. Check in regularly with your Mentee; this will help them to keep motivated and engaged, as well as build trust.

Goals clarification.

At the beginning, set the goals in writing. Make sure you are both in agreement with the goals and actions. This is a business and professional relationship, and so, it should take the form of a contract. Each time you check in together, review the goals and their status. Make sure there is movement and that the Mentee understands the goals, and implements the advice and strategies that you are recommend. Is he engaged in working towards the goals and does he understand your suggestions? It’s important that you are both satisfied with the relationship. Ask questions. Houghton explains that she often works with skilled immigrants who may nod their head in agreement, whereas in fact, they do not understand and therefore cannot do the task as  instructed.

Teaching by example.

Mentees will benefit from the wisdom of experience, skills and expertise of their Mentors, whom they will approach with questions. You can help your professional colleague by sharing insights on Canadian work values and culture from your own workplace experiences, as well as information and your knowledge of industry trends.

Ask the Mentee to prepare an agenda before each meeting and send it to you in advance. Time permitting, you can take turns doing this as a way to model this action, an important task of the workplace. Sharing samples of your work, and providing feedback on resumes and interview techniques, as well as offering advice on self-marketing techniques could be very helpful. Consider giving the Mentee some independent work before or after each meeting, such as preparatory reading materials from your organization, a relevant website (e.g. BusinessBalls), or video clips from YouTube.

Coaching Resources.

There is an abundance of resources for Mentors and on topics related to coaching, advising, consulting and mentoring. All of this is available through your Mentor Coach (such as Patricia Houghton), the service agency partner (such as JVS Toronto), and the online program handbook at The Mentoring Partnership. Check in with the Coach on a regular basis, to discuss any specific relationship needs to help achieve your goals. Your Coach can help you identify and access this material and community resources to support the goals. For example, if your Mentee has business writing or pronunciation challenges, your coach can refer him to classes on these topics, as well as occupational-specific courses, such as the  Enhanced Language Training for new immigrants offered at JVS.

You are not alone.

Volunteering as a Mentor can be isolated. Touching base with other volunteer Mentors is a great way to problem-solve and network. I am sure there are other Mentors in your organization,  with whom you can consult and learn ways to leverage your mentorship relationship. TRIEC offers professional development and networking opportunities for new mentors, and you should also contact your Mentoring Coach, who can help you with any questions, concerns or difficulties. If you are unhappy with the relationship, speak with your Coach immediately, who will problem-solve, or perhaps even find you another Mentee, if necessary. It’s a business relationship first and foremost; your Coach can also connect you with other current and past mentors in your field.

One last thought…

Remember, you are not obligated to find your Mentee a job. This relationship is about learning, coaching, and guiding for both of you. You are not the personal recruiter of the Mentee, and are not responsible for them finding a job.

Enjoy your experience and thank you for volunteering in the community.

Joanna

To submit your questions for this column IN CONFIDENCE, please email dearjoanna@jvstoronto.org.

Get Ready for Summer Jobs

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With much of the winter behind us, the month of March brings thoughts of summer. Employers, too, are beginning to plan ahead for summer and are thinking of ways of accommodating staff vacation requests for July and August. By now, the federal government has already closed the employer deadline for Canada Summer Jobs 2013, and job postings are appearing online for all levels of government and other employers in the various industries that hire for the summer.

Job seekers should keep in mind that even though summer hiring focuses on students, it could benefit anyone who is available to work, and may even provider opportunities than might turn into full-time permanent work for some.

WHO hires for summer jobs?

Hiring occurs in a range of sectors, including those obviously related to the season such as amusement parks, summer camps, resorts, and camp grounds, as well as seasonal sectors such as landscaping, tourism, and agriculture.

Government, on all three levels, municipal, provincial and federal, post jobs for students in a range of departments. In addition, many employers are seeking to hire staff to temporarily fill positions left open by vacationing staff.

WHERE and HOW do I find the jobs?

The best place to initiate any online search is always Google. Use suitable keywords such as summer, jobs, a job title (e.g. landscaper), and location (e.g. Toronto). Set up alerts for the searches that produce the best results, so that you can be notified by email every time more matches appear.

Use social media – make sure you  have a good profile on each site, and set out to locate employers.  For example, the City of Toronto has a presence on Facebook (Employment and Social Services), Twitter and LinkedIn. Search Twitter for keywords such as #summerjobs and #toronto.

Seek out specialized job boards such as JobPostings.ca and Talent Egg, which focus on advertising summer jobs.

On all levels of government, including the municipal, provincial and federal, special sites have been set up for summer recruitment:

• The City of Toronto has its Toronto Public Service Summer Employment Opportunities site, where potential employees can register and apply online. Toronto Parks & Recreation department has a hiring page for “recreation jobs”. Check for specific programs in the city that might appeal to you — for example, Centre Island hire many for summer.
• The Government of Ontario has set up a Summer Employment Opportunities site, where recruiting is occurring for the main Ontario Public Service. There are related services such as the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, the Ontario Science Centre, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Ontario Travel Information Centre and a range of Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities services such as youth and student employment opportunities in Ontario, Summer Company,Summer Jobs for Youth Program, Summer Law Student Opportunity, and the Stewardship Youth Ranger Program.
• Most of the Federal Government‘s hiring programs (Federal Student Work Experience Program — FSWEP) have completed their hiring by now, but some continue to be open; use the keyword “Summer” in main Federal Public Service search site. Jobs still can be found at Canada Post and the Bank of Canada, for example.

Check out classifieds listings such as Kijiji, who offer a Summer Job search; traditional job boards such as Workopolis have set up specific student searches. Similarly, the “vertical” job boards such as Indeed.ca have specific summer searches.

Think of which employers are busiest in summer. For jobs in camps, check out Ontario Camps, who list jobs in local camps. In the city, some of the larger employers such as The EX  or Canada’s Wonderland are hiring. Ontario Power Generation have created a summer recruitment site, as well.

Remember that you can also create your own business and offer pet sitting, gardening, baby sitting, elder care, house sitting services, for a fee, to friends and family.

Keep in mind that temp agencies might be ramping up their hiring to fill positions of employees away for summer. You’ll find a list of job boards on this blog.

Think of who else is active in the summer: companies that deal in promotions and marketing, hotels, restaurants, car rental companies, golf courses and a range of other service sector employers. Google the companies, check out their websites and see if they’re hiring. Contact them directly and find out about future opportunities.

GUEST POST (poss.ca): Newcomer-friendly Companies in Toronto

We are excited to partner with Poss.ca, a free online magazine to help Toronto job seekers find work, to share their excellent content with our readers.

An initiative of Findhelp Information Services, poss.ca is an Employment Ontario project funded in part by the Government of Canada.
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When it comes to hiring immigrants, there are “those companies who really get it and those who don’t,” says Glem Dias (once a new Canadian himself). He recently spoke at a panel discussion on internationally trained professionals and employment put on by #CdnImm, an offline and online community that shares information about Canadian immigration.

Dias is the director of strategic talent management at Pitney Bowes, a company that he says has “embedded diversity in its culture.” Pitney Bowes is one of the companies recognized as a best employer for new Canadians. The banks are also well represented on this list (for some reason, financial institutions seem “to get” the benefits of hiring newcomers — check out the newcomers or diversity pages on their websites, if you don’t believe me).

Another list, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2012, recognizes companies based on how they deal with five employee groups including members of visible minorities. (Not surprisingly, some companies show up on both lists.)

You can tell that some companies are newcomer-friendly by the awards they are given. For instance,Maxxim Analytics won the Toronto Star Award Excellence in Workplace Integration in 2011 award, given by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) for a 12-week unpaid internship program that has provided more than 400 internationally trained immigrants with Canadian work experience. Half the participants have gone on to work for the company as lab technicians and IT and human resources specialists.

At Deloitte, which won the 2010 Excellence in Workplace Integration award, “new hires are introduced to a ‘buddy,’ an initiative the firm sees as an opportunity for cross-cultural training for both participants.” Thales Canada, which won the 2010 RBC Immigrant Advantage Award, actually goes so far as to conduct interviews in candidates’ native languages. “The phrase ‘Canadian experience’ is seldom uttered, while international experience is welcomed and discussed in detail,” according to this write-up on the TRIEC site.

In the Canadian Immigrant article Are there no newcomer jobs?, Naomi Alboim, of the Maytree Foundation, an organization that advocates for integration of immigrants, points out that “larger more sophisticated companies who have HR departments” have the capacity to deal with assessing people’s experience or education if it wasn’t attained here. She also mentions that employers who are involved in importing, exporting or rely on international suppliers definitely see the benefits of diversity.
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~ This post can be found on Poss.ca, an Employment Ontario project funded in part by the Government of Canada.

Toronto Labour Market News Update — September 2012

© Mihaly Pal Fazakas | Dreamstime.com

This month, jobs are to be found in a range of sectors, from construction to retail, hospitality and transportation jobs. An interesting theme emerges, with a number of new clean energy initiatives, leading to new jobs in the “green” sector, including solar panel installation and electric vehicles.

Job searchers should also keep in mind that the retail sector is readying itself for the holiday season, and has already begun hiring for December.

The information below is drawn from the federal government’s Skills Development, Training and Employment Supports Department‘s monthly Toronto Labour Market Monitor (LMM) (which provides a summary of labour market news and events for the economic Region of Ontario, including Toronto and the municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel and York Region), combined with our own tips for job seekers to guide the process of finding the jobs and applying to them.

The recent edition of the Toronto Labour Market Monitor (LMM), included the following labour market news for September 2012:

Construction

In August 2012, new home sales totalled 1,242 in the Greater Toronto Area, which is an almost 2/3rd decrease, compared to August 2011.

On the positive side, in Toronto, as part of the Hydro One‘s company’s Midtown Electricity Infrastructure Renewal Project, work has begun on an electricity cable transmission project, which includes building a 2.4 km tunnel. The project is expected to create 30 jobs, and construction to be completed by the end of 2014. 

Job seekers: For information about jobs with this project, check out Hydro One’s Career Page, specifically their Job Search page. For information about their highly developed apprenticeship program and trades program, look for Hydro One’s Skilled Trades, Tradeup.ca, which is managed together with their union, the Power Workers Union. 

In Toronto, the city has partnered with Toronto Hydro to install thousands of solar photovoltaic panels on municipal buildings throughout the city, starting with the York Mills and Mimico Arenas, as well as the Goulding Park Community Centre. The City plans to install solar panels on five more buildings. The project is expected to generate more than $16M over the next 20 years.

Job seekers: With clean energy jobs on the rise, job searchers who can gain expertise and skills in renewable energy, such as fitting solar panels, are bound to have an easier time finding work. Check out Toronto Hydro’s job page for Skilled Trades, Design Technicians, Engineering and Leadership Roles. Hiring for this project will most likely be through Hydro, though it is always worth checking out the City of Toronto’s hiring page, as well. 

Manufacturing

Mississauga is the location for one of four plants in which Cascades (part of their Norampac division, which processes folding cartons) plans to invest $22M, to install new equipment.

Job seekers: Norampac jobs are all posted on the Cascades’ jobs and internships site.

Oakville is the site for the new five-storey headquarters of Siemens Canada, to which 700 existing employees will be relocated from offices throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. There will also be space to accommodate up to another 100 staff. 

Job seekers:  Siemens recruits Project Managers & Coordinators, Technicians (Service/Field), Sales (Service/Product) and Engineers (Design/Electrical) on their careers page.

Retail trade

In Richmond Hill and Pickering, DeSerres, a new retail outlet which will sell arts and crafts supplies, opened two stores creating approximately new 50 jobs. 

Job seekers: A posting on their site advertises recruitment for a Merchandiser, Framer, Cashier/Sales Consultants and a Shipping and Receiving Clerk. They also invite candidates to apply online for a range of possible future positions.

In Toronto’s Bayview Village Shopping Centre and in Mississauga, Mastermind Toys will open new stores.

Job seekers: For information about jobs with Mastermind, check out their website. Keep in mind that, as with most retail stores, they are presently hiring for the holiday season in December.

In Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, The California-based Tesla Motors, which manufactures electric cars, will open its first Canadian retail store in November. 

Job seekers: Tesla is another example of a company which is based in alternate energy sources. For information about jobs with Tesla, check their website and consider taking your resume to the storefront.

Transportation and Warehousing

Toronto will benefit from Air Canada‘s recent announcement that it plans to hire new 60 call centre customer service agents. Over the next year, the company plans to hire, across Canada, over 900 new employees, including about 400 flight attendants and 500 airport customer service agents and baggage handlers at major airports.

Job seekers: Check Air Canada’s website for jobs information about Administrative and Professional Positions, Pilots, Flight Attendants, Customer Services (airport & call centre) Building & Facility Maintenance, Airport & Cargo Ground Services and Aircraft Maintenance.

The Pickering facility of Aspect Retail Logistics, one of the major employers in the city, completed its expansion in September. The company added a new 200,000-sq.-ft, creating approximately 200 new jobs. The company plans to add up to 50 more employees over the next year. 

Job seekers: Aspect Retail Logistics is presently hiring Order Pickers through an agency, planned as “temporary to permanent” positions, which include on-the-job training.

Real estate and rental and leasing

The Toronto Real Estate Board reported in September that in the Toronto area, existing home sales decreased by 12.4% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the average selling price of houses increased by 6.4% compared to August 2011. 

In Toronto, BBA, a Quebec based professional, scientific and technical consultancy services, opened an expertise centre. 

Job seekers: For information about hiring with BBA, check their Careers Page.

Arts, entertainment and recreation

Mississauga and Newmarket saw the opening of two new GoodLife Fitness Centres in September. The company also plans to open fitness centres in Markham and Scarborough later this year. 

Job seekers: For information about jobs in GoodLife, check out their corporate page, or walk into one of the locations. GoodLife offer volunteer opportunities, as well, through their JUMP! program, for those interested in helping with their on site child care. They offer volunteers discounts on memberships, child care and tanning.

Accommodation and food services

Downtown Toronto continues to experience a building boom in the hotel sector, with the recent luxurious Shangri-La Hotel, by La International Hotel Management, opening recently. Next to the hotel, the internationally renowned Momofuku Noodle Bar opened, to serve the new hotel’s guests. 

Job seekers: The Shangri-La is presently hiring via their website, looking for various positions such as Executive Chef, Lobby Lounge Manager,Server, Bellperson and various other Service Associates. Momofuko are hiring for a number of positions, from Manager to Chef, through their site. 

Toronto Labour Market News Update — May 2012

© Mihaly Pal Fazakas | Dreamstime.com

Welcome to a NEW Career Voice blog feature!

At the end of every month, I will provide an update of labour market activity in the previous month in the Toronto region, drawn from government, news reports and other resources.

Working from the federal government’s Skills Development, Training and Employment Supports Department‘s monthly Toronto Labour Market Monitor (LMM) report, I will share information about new projects and initiatives which may be sources of jobs in the city and its surrounding areas. In addition, I will add tips for job seekers, to guide the process of finding the jobs and applying to them.

The purpose of this update is to give job seekers, as well as employment professionals, an easy to read update on important labour events in the region, with a specific focus on employment. Job searchers might find this useful to help them target potential employers, as well as decide on a career goal, based on trends identified in the report.

The recent edition of the Toronto Labour Market Monitor (LMM) included the following labour market news for May 2012:

UTILITIES

Reflecting growth in the local energy generation sector, The York Energy Centre (YEC) began operating a new large electrical generation facility in May 2012, based in King Township in York Region.

Tips for job seekers:

This government-private sector partnership between Veresen Inc and the Ontario Power Authority has the potential to generate jobs in the energy sector in a range of fields such as Project Managers, Engineers and a range of associated occupations such as Accounting and IT.

• Veresen Inc, an Alberta-based company, hires directly from their website — you can check out their jobs here (there are a number in Ontario as well).

• The Ontario Power Authority hire via Workopolis’ Niche site, though much of their recruiting seems to be directly from Colleges and Universities, targeting new graduates (as this article in their February 2012 newsletter describes, Hydro One trains and recruits students from Community College Electrical Engineering courses).

CONSTRUCTION

Construction continues to create employment, with jobs coming from road and bridge-building, as well as retail projects. New home sales, though still strong, are reported by LMM as decreasing by 8.5% compared to the same period in 2011.

A $1B project to extend Highway 407, starting Fall 2012 and continuing to late 2015, which is expected to generate 900 jobs.

Tips for job seekers:

This project is a partnership between the Canadian SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. and Spanish Cintra Infraestructuras S.A.

• SNC-Lavalin Group Inc hire from their online recruiting site. They hire for a range of fields, including administration, procurement,finance, management, engineering, human resources, and information technology

• 407 ETR hire via Workpolis and their site

The Province of Ontario funded $2.4B roads and bridges projects, which may create as much as 7,500 jobs in Central Ontario.

Tips for job seekers:

Check the Ontario government’s Ministry of Transportation’s Engineering Development Program for recent Engineering University graduates, as well as the recruiting site for the Ontario government’s jobs.

In Richmond Hill, construction continues on the Oak Ridges Community Centre and Waterpark (expected completion date is 2014) by the Town of Richmond Hill. The Community Centre opened in May.

Tips for job seekers:

The Town of Richmond Hill recruits online here. Note that you can login to their site via LinkedIn or Facebook.

Retail companies are building, including Bulk Barn Foods Limited, who is relocating its headquarters and warehouse to Aurora, to be opened in 2013. Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre is adding a LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, to open in 2013.

Tips for job seekers:

Bulk Barn is a Richmond Hill based company, whose jobs can be found on their website. For construction positions, make sure to search through the Corporate Office rather Retail positions

Merlin Entertainments Group Limited is a multinational company which is building the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Vaughan Mills. They are presently not hiring for related positions on their website, but it may be worth watching the Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre site for positions (though those are mostly retail) and the site of the owner of Vaughan Mills, Montreal-based Ivanhoe Cambridge

RETAIL

Retail jobs continue to produce mixed results, with some areas doing better than others.  Price Chopper, a discount grocery chain owned by Sobeys Inc., has closed a store in Newmarket, relocating some of the affected 50 employees to other stores in the Sobeys network.

Rogers Communications Inc. opened a new concept retail store, in down town Toronto (Yonge and Bloor)

Tips for job seekers:

Rogers hires via their website. It is well worth targeting individual stores, as well — you should consider walking in with a resume (dressed appropriately) — you might be sent to the website to apply, but you’ll gain some tips about jobs and possibly more.  (A note of caution: this market is also affecting the large employers — in June, Rogers announced 375 job cuts.)

Linen Chest Inc., a Montreal-based home décor company, will open a new store in east Toronto (Leaside Village, on 93 Laird, near Eglinton) in the summer of 2012.

Tips for job seekers:

Linen Chest also hires via their website. It will also be worth visiting the new store with your resume in hand. Sometimes, if you visit the site where the store is being built, you might find job details posted on the entrance to the store.

Ann Taylor, a US-based clothing retailer, will open two stores in Toronto in the fall of 2012, one at the Eaton Centre and the other has been speculated as being Yorkdale mall.

Tips for job seekers:

Job postings for the new stores have been spotted the on LinkedIn.  My suggestion: get on LinkedIn (if you haven’t already), and follow ANN INC.

REAL ESTATE, RENTAL and LEASING

Sales of existing homes in Toronto continues to be very strong, with LMM describing an almost 18% increase over the year since April 2011.

Tips for job seekers:

These strong numbers presents continuing opportunities for employment in this field, such as Real Estate Sales and Rental / Leasing Agent work. Administrative jobs in these sectors with titles such as Lease Administrative Assistant, Property Manager and Bookkeepers are also advertised in various sites (for example, if you enter “leasing” and “Toronto” into Simplyhired.ca you will find a good listing of such jobs.)

HEALTH CARE and SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

LMM report that in 2012 the Government of Ontario plans to create over 900 new nursing jobs in province-wide, in a range of settings such as “home and community care, primary health care, hospitals, long-term care homes and mental health care programs in schools”.

Tips for job seekers:

Runnymede Healthcare Centre posts jobs on its website. Presently, besides the usual Nursing positions, the hospital is also hiring Physiotherapists, a Patient Care Manager, a Financial Analyst, and a Building Operator.

In May, the IMPACT 2012 Annual Conference was held by American Academy of Physician Assistants at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. LMM notes that “The event attracted nearly 4,000 physician assistants and is expected to have contributed $10M to the local economy”.

Tips for job seekers:

The hospitality and conference sector is a strong aspect of our city economy, and it does attract employment. Try searching for keywords such as “convention” and “conference” in a vertical job board such as SimplyHired.ca. You can set up a Job Alert that will notify you by email, whenever a suitable job is posted. Also, HCareers.ca is a good website for jobs in the hospitality sector.

A NOTE of CAUTION:

Readers should keep in mind that this information captures a moment in time and does not necessarily reflect ongoing trends. Sudden events or changes can impact on this data quickly.  At the end of the Labour Market Monitor report, the following caution is offered:

“Note: In preparing this document, the authors have taken care to provide clients with labour market information that is timely and accurate at the time of publication. Since labour market conditions are dynamic, some of the information presented here may have changed since this document was published. Users are encouraged to also refer to other sources for additional information on the local economy and labour market.”

‘For information on the Labour Force Survey, please visit the Statistics Canada Web site at:

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/lfss05d-eng.htm“

I hope you find this new initiative useful for your job search. Any feedback regarding whether (or how) the tips and information might have been useful in your job search would be appreciated.

Ask the Employment Specialist: Will volunteering help me get a job?

Dear Joanna,

I’m an internationally trained accountant who is new to Canada and looking to build my career here in my field. I moved to Toronto a year ago and have been looking for work since my arrival but have not had any luck.  I understand that the competition is steep and it’s hard to get my foot in the door in this competitive labour market. I do not have the Certified Accountant designation as required to work on the same level as I did in my home country.

In the meantime, I am pursuing my CGA at this time which was recommended to me by my employment counsellor at JVS. I am desperately looking for work. I’ll do anything. I’ve applying for accounting clerk positions and other entry level jobs which are closely related to my field but have not had one phone call.I would love to work in an accounting firm.

My counsellor suggested that I research and approach accounting firms and non profit organizations with accounting departments as potential places to volunteer. I have never heard of such a thing – working for free!!!! This never would happen in my home country. Please let me know what you think of this.

Signed: How Can I Work 4 Free? (HCIW4F)

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Dear HCIW4F,

I completely understand your concerns about volunteering and I don’t blame you for feeling uncomfortable about working for free! However, given our competitive labour market, especially in Toronto, as you accurately pointed out, volunteering, coop placements or internships can very useful strategies for securing employment in your field and tapping into the hidden job market. Many of the post secondary institutions, including universities, community colleges, bridging programs, and some OSELT (Occupational Specific Enhanced Language Training) courses offer unpaid coop placement programs for their participants. Volunteering in the work world is a recognized and valued initiative by employers from all industries.

In fact, that is how I got started. I volunteered for six months as a job developer because I was making a career change from sales to job development. I did not have any relevant experience on my resume. I treated my volunteering as a paid position. I learned tons of skills, built my network and volunteered as if I was working, which resulted in lots of learning and skills development relevant to the field and a couple of references. This helped me prepare my resume, the job interview presentation and I was eventually hired. I have countless stories like mine of job seekers who volunteered and then got hired at the place they volunteered.

For your professional development, volunteering is a great way to:

• gain local experience in your field
• avoid gaps in your resume and give you something to share with interviewers about what you are doing “right now”
• show that you take initiative
• keep up your computer and accounting skills and knowledge,
• foster important networking connections, and
• possibly even gain obtaining future references needed for the hiring people.

Personally, you will also find that volunteering is a great way to keep busy, meet lots of new people, build a community while helping out a worthy organization and cause. Being a part of a team, learning about the Canadian workplace, while practicing your language and communication skills are just some of the other benefits of volunteering.

Also, I cannot think of a better opportunity to learn first-hand about the internal processes, procedures, computer systems and workplace culture of the place you are volunteering. Who knows? It could lead to employment! Plus you have concrete experience on your resume to demonstrate your talents.  Saisan, Smith and Kemp (2012) best describe volunteering on their website: “The benefits of volunteering are enormous, both to you, your family, and the community. The right match can help you meet friends, reach out to the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career.”

You can also include your “volunteer work” if it is relevant to your field as “professional work” on your resume. You just write “Volunteer” in brackets next to the job title part. Also, employers like to see “Community Work” on applicants resumes demonstrating that the individual cares about others and likes to help out.

So, if you are open to this activity, which you can do until you find paid employment (or, you might find that you wish to continue helping out, even after you are working!), here are some suggested websites to find opportunities as well as organizations whose causes are dear to your heart, where you might consider volunteering.

By the way, it is not an easy process to find volunteer positions, apply and be accepted. Some organizations which help vulnerable populations require criminal reference checks and, more often than not, there is an extensive comprehensive application process and interview. Not everyone gets accepted, and there are waiting lists at some places. There are a lot of unemployed people (students, new grads, newcomers, to name a few) looking to volunteer in the community to build up their resumes and experience, so this too is competitive. But, do not be discouraged! Apply for volunteer positions and follow-up with a phone call to the volunteer manager of the agency or whoever posted the opportunity.

I would highly recommend identifying a non-profit organization or company which has a volunteer department and checking out if they have any volunteer opportunities in the accounting department or at least a related department. Legally, you cannot work for an employer for free unless you are part of a volunteer or coop placement program. Some OSELT courses offer coops to employers; as do some bridging programs. I would also recommend researching an organization, which may be in a position to hire, i.e. where you see job postings on their website and job boards. Then you might have a chance at employment.

Here are some suggested websites with volunteer opportunities (keep in mind that you can also research non-profit organizations and for-profit companies which you are interested in and look on their websites to see if they have a volunteer department or diversity department):

Suggested websites for volunteering:

• CharityVillage 
• Volunteer Toronto
• 211 Toronto (for a comprehensive list of non profits in Toronto) 
• Settlement.org

All the best with your job search, HCIW4F! Please stay in touch and tell me how it’s going.

Regards,

Joanna

 

References: Saisan, J., Smith, M. & Kemp, G. (2012). Volunteering and its surprise benefit. Retrieved on March 2, 2012 from http://helpguide.org/life/volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm

Volunteering in the City

Perhaps you have given some thought to the idea of volunteering as a way “in” to your favourite business, but have you considered it a way to expand your network, meet other like-minded people and boost your resume?

As many of you may know, summer is often a slow period for hiring, but Toronto is brimming with spring and summer events that can connect you to hundreds of other people who are interested in the same causes and activities as you. Also, if you perform well, you may just be considered the next time people are hiring for paid positions.

Volunteering can make you feel good

There are a variety of events that occur throughout the city and they cover multi-cultural festivals, food and drink, cinema and various charities to name a few.

Is a certain medical condition meaningful to you? Why not consider contacting a local organization and asking to be put on their volunteer list? You can find organizations of interest by calling 211 in Toronto, or checking out Toronto 211 online.

Volunteering is also a great way to be exposed to different type of jobs that you may not have previously considered. And who knows, you may find that you enjoy doing something that you never thought you’d be interested in before.

The same rule applies to the various places or organizations that you can volunteer for. Have you always wanted to know what the Caribbean culture is like? Why not volunteer for Caribana? Or perhaps you love Italian food? Consider Taste of Little Italy.

Here are some handy do’s and don’ts for volunteering:

Volunteer for something you think you might enjoy: If you’re going to give your time to a cause, try thinking of something that will not only look good on your resume, but perhaps something that you are passionate about. If you’re happy, it will show!

Don’t be late: If you show up late for your shift, potential employers will remember this and it may affect your recommendation or chances to be considered in the future.

Dress appropriately for the event: If it’s casual and you’re going to be on your feet all day, wear comfortable shoes and clothing. You’ll often be given a Volunteer t-shirt to wear so that you can be easily recognized by others.

Be respectful of everyone: You never know who you’re meeting—that burly gentleman who wants to sit at the front could be the hiring manager at your next place of work. Or perhaps the grumpy lady at reception is also the receptionist at your new potential place of work.

Be willing to do something you hate: You may be asked to help with something like clean-up or perhaps inflating balloons. Remember that no one likes to do these odd jobs, but they still have to be done. Your willingness to participate in the less glamourous positions will be noted. Of course, never do something that you think may be harmful to your health or that you really cannot do (so, if you have a bad back, don’t offer to carry heavy weights).

Don’t wait until the last minute to volunteer for events, the most coveted spots are typically grabbed up quickly. Don’t let that discourage you though, there are so many positions you can apply for—just keep in mind you may not get your first choice.

Perhaps the most important advice I can offer however, is that no matter which organization you choose, have fun! You’re bound to learn something new, you’ll meet new people, possibly make new friends and you’ll definitely take something positive out of your experience.

Now here are some volunteer resources and websites that I recommend you take a look at when considering your volunteer opportunities.

City of Toronto Special Events

JVS Toronto volunteering opportunities

Toronto Fringe Festival

Volunteer Toronto website

[Note from the Editor]:  Here’s a recent video about volunteering in the Toronto Jewish community, featuring one of JVS Toronto’s Board members: