A survey of nearly one thousand Canadian employers has identified the characteristics they value most in applicants, and, intriguingly, those they value least – and the second list is surprising. Each year, the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) surveys Canadian employers to enquire about their hiring practices and intentions, including the characteristics they seek in a recruit. For the past three years, the Top 5 Characteristics have been the same. 5 Most Favoured Characteristics Communication Skills (Verbal) Teamwork Skills Analytical Skills Strong Work Ethic Problem Solving Skills These […]

By Sharon Graham. Let’s face it, there is only one reason that our clients are in career transition — they need to secure a good job. Unfortunately, many other Canadians in our market are also working for that ideal placement. So, how do we help clients stand out? As career practitioners, our objective is to help each client get the offer by delivering a unique, powerful, and consistent message. Throughout the process, we are enabling them to “sell” themselves to potential employers by imparting a “Value Proposition”. When applied, a […]

Vancouver, BC, February 4, 2014 – Canadians across the country have shown their support in preserving vital employment and skills training programs under the current federal-provincial/territorial Labour Market Agreements (LMA), now threatened by the federal Canada Job Grant. Valuable employment programs for Canada’s most vulnerable populations are at risk of being chopped as governments negotiate the new national job grant. All governments must work together to preserve the proven LMA training initiatives, alongside any new training programs like the Canada Job Grant (CJG). With a new federal budget scheduled for […]

By Sharon Graham. Outplacement noun: the provision of assistance to laid-off employees in finding new employment, either as a benefit provided by the employer directly, or through a specialist service. – Google Web Definition. Employee outplacement is the process of facilitating a terminated employee’s transition by providing company-paid assistance. Career development occurs throughout a career – not just after a job loss, however when employees are terminated, they have very specific needs. There is great value in outplacement services – but only if employers offer it and employees use it. What […]

Career Professionals of Canada’s Career Innovators Mastermind Group recently completed a comprehensive analysis and review of existing and emerging online technology. The study focused primarily on maximizing clients’ visibility through social media (online tools) and social networking (online networking). Here is a snapshot of their recommendations for Canadian Career Practitioners. Keep up with innovations in online technology In general, many Canadians are conservative about leveraging online technologies. However, we need to be open to the fact that recruiters and employers increasingly value and employ virtual tools and resources. As the […]