In a recent project, Career Professionals of Canada’s Résumé Strategist Mastermind Group analyzed a number of barriers to employment. Here is a snapshot of their findings. Our clients may be struggling to address one or more barriers. Employment barriers might be actual concerns, those that are perceived by the employer, or those that are perceived by the candidate. No matter which situation, our role as practitioners is to help the candidate gain insight, improve self-esteem, determine viable career paths, and leverage resources to mitigate the barrier. Sometimes a real or […]

By Shannon Mack. CPC Mastermind, Shannon Mack discusses the effect of ebbs and flows with the economy on employers, employees, and job seekers. Economies ebb and flow. When the economy is flowing, life is good. It seems that things will always be this way. Job opportunities and money are abundant and no one gives much thought to “wants” versus “needs.” For some reason, ebbs in the economy take us by surprise.  Most of us have lived through downturns before and we should know that eventually all good things come to an end. But, for […]

By Adrienne Tom. Every year articles circulate on the topic of  “the year’s most overused buzzwords,” cautioning us on the most widely used keywords in resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Yet not all buzzwords are bad. Think about it – most buzzwords are born from employers’ requirements and job postings. If a company is seeking someone who is “effective, driven, or innovative” and you avoid these words in your career communications, it can be risky. Despite the urge to market yourself uniquely, you have to remember that the majority of major organizations […]

By Adrienne Tom. So you joined LinkedIn and started a profile – perfect – but then you went ahead and left your profile picture blank.  Was this strategic or did you just not want to share it? Some people fear that adding a photo will cause scrutiny or discrimination that detracts from their content – which could happen – but in all honesty, by not including a photo this same judgement is being cast. LinkedIn profiles were designed to include a photo; not including one is going against the norm. […]

By Adrienne Tom. There has been a lot of focus and discussion these past few months on Canadian employment issues, including the skills shortage / skills gap, new graduate job stress, and the temporary foreign workers program.  Suffice it to say, there are plenty of hurdles for job seekers in our country and each challenge influences job search patterns. A report by Workopolis called ‘Time’ To Work has analyzed employment histories and employer resume-review patterns to compile a “chronology of Canadian career moves”.   Some of the most noteworthy facts include: Job hopping […]

The Canadian Human Rights Commission’s 2014 Report on Equality Rights of Women finds that employment inequality still exists for Women in Canada. Acting Chief Commissioner, David Langtry says, “When compared to adult men, Canadian women are earning less across most employment sectors.” In the report, he goes on to say, “Canadian women have made important gains on the road to equality over the years. But important gaps remain.” Compared to adult men in Canada: Canadian women earn less income in most employment sectors Canadian women are more likely to be unemployed This […]