Did you dress properly for your interview?

For many newly arrived immigrants, how to dress properly for their job interview in Canada is a question that makes some feel uncomfortable and confused. A suitable outfit will help you succeed and leave a professional and positive impression on your potential employer.

Here are some simple and useful tips for you to follow:

Professionalism

It’s better to err on the side of professionalism when dressing for an interview. Never dress casually for any type of interview, including informational interviews, job fairs, and when applying in person. Always be formal, which means even when applying for a labour job or where you will be wearing uniform, dress formally for the interview occasion. You can always ask about the dress code before your interview to make sure you’re not over or under dressed. Remember to dress a step above what you would usually wear to work.

Keep It Simple

For women: Choose solid and neutral colours and coordinate matching blouses and professional shoes. Wear limited jewellery and sparse make-up, and avoid any perfumes. Keep a neat hairstyle; do not let the open hair cover part of your face. You need to show an open face to the employer. Make sure your nails are manicured and clean, and also your purse or briefcase is a professional style.

For men: Choose solid coloured suits, white long sleeved shirts, conservative ties as well as professional shoes with matching dark socks. Wear very limited jewellery and no perfumes. Keep a neat, professional, and nicely groomed hairstyle. Ensure to maintain clean and trimmed nails. Make sure your briefcase is a professional style.

What to Avoid

Oversized or undersized clothing

Outdated clothing

Sleeveless tops and shorts, miniskirts

Casual t-shirts and spandex

Sandals, flip flops, athletic shoes

Try to cover open tattoos and remove body piercings

If you’re unsure about your dress code for the job interview, ask your Employment Counsellor, or check the following resources:

Women – http://www.dressforsuccess.org/whatwedo.aspx

Men – http://workinggear.ca/what-we-do.html

What is the Largest Contributor to the Success of an Organization?

The success of a company or organization really begins and ends with one thing: how the employees are treated. Some may think this is a bold statement, but the employers that are willing to invest in human capital are the ones that thrive. There have been times in one’s life where many have been working at a job that just does not seem to be the right fit. It is hard to put your finger on the exact reason as to why and some may even be scratching their heads trying to come up with an answer. The writer intends to help you figure this question out.

Most organizations have a mission or value statement that the employees are required to respect; these values are usually decided and/or implemented long before you get hired by the company- but what if your values are not on the list? This is an important concept that is very often over looked. Personally, having worked in many different environments over the years I came to realize one thing: I did not need to change my personality to fit the job; I needed to find a job that was conducive to my personality. Once that concept began to resonate, I have never looked back. Whether you are a new company or one that is well established- the employees are any company’s biggest asset, so one would be wise to keep them happy (And no it is not wages that does it).

What is diversity in the workplace? Diversity includes people with different ethnic backgrounds, different life an employment experiences, different languages and that is just the beginning. Over and above what it is exactly that makes the workplace diverse, is simply all of the attitudes, experiences and personalities of everyone involved. The productivity of a workplace is based on how others treat each other. Workplace values are what make the organization unique. It is very important on every level to embrace your uniqueness. Every employee will have unique values and beliefs based on their own experiences-this does not makes them right or wrong- it just is what it is. The key is to bring everybody under the same flag by adopting an environment where everyone can embrace their uniqueness while completing their work. This is done by creating a charter or constitution that everyone can live by. Everyone has their own talents and many of them are multi-faceted and unique, so in this context-one’s success in the workplace is based on their level of collaboration and flexibility. In the humble opinion of the writer- flexibility is the greatest life skill one can posses.

As much as you can try and find out the values that an employer adopts and try to ensure that they match up to your own -that way you will not have to change who you are to fit a job- in fact you will end up getting paid to be yourself- what a great concept! Furthermore, before embarking on your job search please ensure that you are in tune with your own values and beliefs and just how much they can affect you on a daily basis because chances are, if you are working somewhere that does not match your values then it will not be the right fit.

Having workplace values that promote inclusion over exclusion will allow people to feel confident, embrace their uniqueness and will promote productivity. Micro-management, dominant leadership and autocratic leadership is counterproductive in every way, shape or form and if you are ever unfortunately put in that type of environment- run as fast as you can because it will seriously affect your mental health and the mental health of the workplace. Make no mistakehaving good mental health in the workplace will contribute to your longevity as an employee and your mental health is just as if not more important than your physical health.

“The great law of culture is: Let each become all that he was created capable of being” -Thomas Carlyle, 1827

AN ACTIVE, EVEN PROACTIVE JOB SEARCH

The Essentials in Simple Terms

As one fervently thinks of becoming employed, securing an income, maintaining professional insight, and contributing to the society, the computer screen at hand becomes, with every minute, that one good friend always needed, always there, and always dependable.

Inspired job seekers identify:

Their:

• Sets of skills
• Values
• Interests

then they select:

• the kind of job(s) they want (e.g. bank teller, entry-level professional, senior executive)
• the industry (e.g. banking, retail, healthcare)
• the local employers that they like best. Once they determine the target employers, they focus most of their job search efforts on those specific organizations.

and, last but not least, they:

• Learn to their best ability about the target employer
• Learn about the employer’s process to fill job openings
• Find an “inside” contact who can eventually guide them in their application process
• Maintain relationships with the internal contact (potential supervisor, hiring manager, HR department).

This entire panel of strategies promises the expected outcome. But time goes by and in most situations the reality seems to hardly meet expectations. And time does go by, and it does so fast.

There seems to be a small percentage of jobseekers who are actively adding the final touch to the strategy panel. Going out there and seizing the momentum, or in simple language, conducting cold calling, proves to be, in numerous situations, “the candy on top of the cake” when it comes to reaching the desired goal of finding suitable employment. Clearly, you can make the most by reaching the employer, by trying to connect over the phone, or by visiting the premises of the company of your choice.

For better results, just try implementing the simple steps above, one by one and please allow some time to observe results. Last, but not least, contact your counsellor for a brief discussion and analysis. I am convinced that by then you will also be talking of the job you recently secured!

Lost in Translation

Canada opens its door to more than 100,000 immigrants every year with various types of categories, these categories include: Parents, Grandparents, Students, Visitors, Work permits, Refugee and High skilled immigrants. Moving from a different country and starting a new life is always a transition process. However, for many, the major hurdles they have to face are the expensive exams and credential evaluations.

In watching the news for the week of November 14 – 18^th (Global TV BC) focused on the topic lost in translation. The series showed how highly skilled immigrants come to Canada and work survival jobs to produce income for their family. Many of them are doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses and other professional occupations. The series also discussed the different expenses (i.e.) Exams, licensing, upgrading that an immigrant has to go through in order to practice the same occupation in Canada.

The situation might be challenging, but not impossible to overcome. Being an Immigrant myself, I have seen both the sides of the coin and have been through the transition period, but did not give-up. The dream of having a better life brings new immigrants to this country and determination is what allows them to achieve their goals and persistence is the key.

To seek help with the transition process, the Government of BC introduced the Skills Connect Program for newly landed Immigrants. This employment support program can help immigrants seek counsel and guidance during the transition period. Part of the Skills Connect program is helping immigrant job seekers acquire current labour market information and the different licensing procedure that some of the occupations have to go through (Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Teachers etc.)

Skills Connect provides immigrants with the resources, support, and expertise they require to attain their career goal in BC. Skills Connect assists immigrants to access employment opportunities in all industry sectors in BC.

In the past, we had many clients successfully find communesrate employment in their field. Skills Connect has guided people with different licensing process and other information in a timely manner. A perfect example includes a dentist from Nicaragua that to date has been successful in finding job in a Dental Lab as a Lab assistant. What significantly increased her chances was volunteering in a local dentist’s office when she came across this position. She mentioned that working as a volunteer really helped her in the current job that she is in as she gained Canadian work experience. I often recommend volunteering to clients as it can provide you with a Canadian reference and also learn the different work culture in Canada.

The aforementioned example is one that should provide levity as this is only one small example of someone that has found work within 2 months of immigrating to Canada. To date, the client is still in the process of being a Dentist in Canada, but she has found aligned work in her field so she can have some hands on experience before she can write her challenge exams.

Kindly contact your nearest Skills Connect office for more information and help. Or visit www.govolunteer.ca if you are looking for volunteer opportunities in your field of work.

Our Workforce Demographic is changing- Be Ready!

To succeed in the future, Canadian businesses will need to hire immigrants to meet their workforce needs. Companies that can increase the diversity of their workforce today will be prepared as our country begins to rely on immigrants to fuel both population and workforce growth.

 An Aging Population

• The Canadian government estimates that, by 2015, approximately 48% of the working population will be between the ages of 45 and 64, compared to 35% in 2004.
• 46% of baby boomers – those born between 1946 and 1966, are close to their retirement or pre-retirement years.
• Aging baby boomers are moving toward retirement.
• Lower birth rates are leading to fewer young people entering the workforce.
• Demand is increasing for more highly educated and skilled workers.
• Attracting and retaining skilled workers is more difficult than in the past.
• Job vacancies take longer to fill.
• The traditional methods for attracting skilled employees are no longer working.

Challenges with recruiting new immigrants:

Recruiters are hired by employers to find the best person for the job. They look for both technical skills and soft skills. Although it depends on the industry and the position they are recruiting for, generally soft skills are considered as equally important in finding the best candidate.

The Recruiter must also determine who is the most job ready candidate who can “hit the ground running” when it comes to immediately bringing value to the organization with the minimal amount of training.

So we have a seeming contradiction here, on the one hand Recruiters tend to hire people who are immediately capable to fill the position, and on the other hand we have a labor shortage looming that requires a company to prepare for integrating immigrants who may not be as immediately ready.

Although some responsibility may rest with the employer to accommodate immigrants into their organizations, given the reality of the workplace, most of the responsibility it appears still lies with the individual job seeker.

This means individuals, and not just employers, need to recognize the changes that are coming and to prepare for them accordingly.

How can immigrants best do this?

We would suggest by taking full advantage of programs such as Skills Connect for Immigrants Program and preparing a career plan that includes getting into the industry of choice in perhaps an entry level position to begin with while at the same time upgrading their technical and soft skills to meet the demands of the intermediate and senior positions they aspire to. This way, when the demand for more workers comes, the new immigrant will be ready.

Skills Connect is a program that can help Immigrants to develop such a plan inclusive of both short and long term goals. In the short term, we help clients find employment, and for the long term we help them learn about their industry of choice and begin to make contact with people in the industry.

Understandably, there may be much frustration initially, but making the extra effort now can make a big difference in the future.

Don’t forget the Thank You!

Within 2 business days after an interview, you should be sending a Thank You Letter/Email/Card to the individual(s) who interviewed you to express your appreciation for the opportunity.

Purpose: 

1. The purpose for sending this message to the interviewer is to express your interest in the role and to thank them for their time. It also acts as a reminder for the interviewer to remember who you are. Choosing the method of delivering this message (i.e. email, letter or card) is completely your choice, BUT it is important to remind the interviewer that you are still interested in the role.
2. Often when individuals reflect on their performance after an interview, we may notice that we have forgotten to mention something important (i.e. skill, strength, experience etc.) that could potentially assist you in securing the role. Thus the second purpose for sending a Thank You is to address any gaps or information you may have missed telling the interviewer during the interview.

 Structure:

• If you are writing a letter, ensure that it is in business format
• If you are writing a card, ensure you have enough space to express your thoughts without overcrowding the card. Try using a card that is blank on the inside and possibly just a “thank you” or scenic picture on the outside.
• If you are writing an email, ensure that you are using formal language and a correct business email format

 What to include:

• Mention the position you were interviewed for, along with the date and by whom
• Mention something that stood out to you during the interview, whether it was something they mentioned or something you noticed about their work environment.
• If you missed on stating an important fact, take some space to mention it now, however do not let this overpower your message
• Say thank you for the opportunity
• Express your interest in the role and working for their company

 Tips:

• If you were interviewed by more than one individual, send an individualized response to each
• Make sure it is error-free and proofread by another individual before sending it
• Do not send a thank you immediately after the interview,take some time to reflect on the interview before sending a thank you message
• Be creative and include information that makes the letter personal to your experience and not generic
• If you are having difficulties with creating a Thank You message, please consult your Employment Counsellor for guidance

 

Steve Jobs says, “You’ve got to find what you love”

Dear Readers,

We wanted to share with you a speech that the late Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios) gave to college students from Stanford University in 2005.  I think this speech enables us to see through his eyes how he continually found motivation to push ahead and make his imaginations become realty when most of us would probably dare not explore.  I hope it motivates you to stay hungry and continue to push ahead in good and tough times.

“I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down – that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now.

This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope it’s the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much”

Steve Jobs

Please note that this article was taken from the Stanford University News website:

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

“Retail, the Accidental Profession for Some, a Gateway to Opportunities for Me”

You may have heard that retail is the “accidental profession”.  Some have entered the retail workforce by accident, literally stumbling into a retail cashier or customer service job.  Many people enter it part-time to earn “pocket money, to get out of the house, to relieve the boredom.”  Others have used jobs in retail to fund their university educations or support their families.  I consider retail my “gateway job”.  Gateway to what you may wonder.  For me, retail was the gateway to a world of new skills, experiences and learning opportunities.  Allow me to explain.

Immediately following my sales and marketing training, I started work for a leader in the confectionary industry as a sales representative where I called on wholesale and retail outlets.  It was a little hard to fathom at first that the candy business is a multi-million dollar business.  As I called upon the major retail chains and independent businesses, I learned many aspects of their business.  Several years later and after several jobs in different industries, I found myself working for a large BC retailer.  This was when my career accelerated because I gained many new skills and experiences that have cumulatively guided my career and has enabled me to pursue several other jobs in the retail sector and careers in other industries.

My retail store level sales and management jobs taught me:

• how to provide customer service, develop conflict resolution skills and allowed me to perfect my interpersonal and communication skills.  I learned to solve problems for customers.
• how to manage inventory management, customer preferences, business operating procedures, health and safety
• how to lead and work as an integral member of diverse team with common goals
• how to manage a multi-million retail business with sales, inventory, and payroll targets
• how to recruit, train and coach staff to achieve business objectives personal goals
• how to implement head office directives and how to manage projects

My head office experiences as a purchaser, ERP systems tester/trainer, policy analyst jobs taught me:

• how to negotiate large purchases to meet the strategic product plans that helped the company maintain it’s leadership role in the sector
• how to build a brand, market products, services and the company
• how to manage millions of dollars of inventory for multiple business units
• how to analyze information to solve problems and  make sound business decisions
• how to test software, document problems and work with cross functional teams from all aspects of the business
• how to make connections with colleagues from all departments including logistics, accounting, HR, loss prevention, IT and all levels of management and staff

Regardless of where you plan a career in the retail and supporting sectors, or stumble upon it accidentally, there are a host of skills and experiences that can be gained.  Many of these skills are directly transferable in many other professions and sectors and desired by employers.  If you desire any of these skills for your targeted career, the retail sector may be the perfect place to get them.

For me, retail is not an accidental profession.  It is my gateway to most of the skills I’ve been able to acquire and practice that has helped me attain subsequent career opportunities.  The learning and contributions to my cumulative experiences are deliberate and expectant.  What career opportunities will be open to you if you go through your “retail gateway?

Retail Sector Career Resources

http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/skillsplus/docs/Critical_Skills_Retail.pdf

http://www.bcjobs.ca/re/career-advice/industry-advice/retail/retail-career-labour-market-trends-http://www.shelfspace.ca

Create a Sense of Urgency in your Job Search

Some job seekers will wait until their savings have nearly run out and then they begin to look for work, even when they have been out of work for a long period of time.  It is human nature to think that we have plenty of time to do a job search and therefore procrastinate or delay the job search process. Why? Because for most people job search is an uncomfortable process that is not easily embraced.

Many job seekers will listen to friends and family on how to do a job search, but in the end will eventually go to an employment counselor looking for advice as time is running out and their savings are rapidly depleting because of the monthly bills that need to be paid.  Time cannot be wasted when you are unemployed.

Keep yourself motivated and focused on your goal by participating in job search programs to learn tips and techniques on how to look for employment. When your job search program is finished, your job search doesn’t end there. Take what you have learned and put it into action.

It’s at this point that job seekers need to create a sense of urgency in order to move themselves forward.  To be successful, the job seeker must use a variety of job search methods; plan and prepare daily, weekly and monthly activities for yourself to achieve your goal. Update your resume, assess your English skills, target companies you are interested in, contact regulatory bodies and associations, be active and network, create a sense of urgency to your search.

Organizing and prioritizing your job search as well as managing your time effectively, will increase your chances for success.  Below are some tips to create a sense of urgency for yourself:

1. Don’t give yourself any excuses not to continue, do not create obstacles for yourself.
2. Recognize your employment needs and act on them.
3. Attitude is important, always be positive and create a win-win situation for yourself.
4. Find courage to act quickly, make a decision, do not hesitate and get to the point.
5. Once you have started, keep the job search moving along and maintain the momentum.
6. Eliminate anything that is not relevant to your job search.  Evaluate what is working and what is not working, then change accordingly.
7. Don’t get trapped in your comfort zone, take action.

The more you do, the more you will stay motivated and doing so will build your confidence one step at a time.  Keep track of your successes, no matter how small as this will help you believe in yourself and remind you that you are capable of succeeding.  Change is constant as nothing stays the same forever, and being unemployed will be temporary, it too will change.

5 tricky interview questions and how to tackle them with confidence!

A job interview is a very important step to get your foot into the door that can lead you to your dream career. It is a process in which the potential employer assesses your knowledge, skills and abilities to ensure that you are the appropriate candidate both for the position and the organization. Experts say that you typically have 10 – 15 minutes to sell yourself to your potential employer. It is therefore pivotal that you prepare well in advance and practice as much as possible so that you can give it your best shot and shine at your interview.

Preparation for job interview can be very intensive process and it is vital that you go prepared to tackle some of the common, tricky questions which can be difficult to answer. Whether you are a new immigrant looking to establish your career in another country or an experienced professional, you might have experienced moments of nervousness at the interview when suddenly darkness surrounds and you feel the blood going down your spine. It has happens to the best of us, so don’t worry because you are not alone!

Handling tough interview questions is both a science and an art. It is generally helpful if you prepare few solid, candid answers to these questions and rehearse them well so that you can defend them succinctly and effortlessly. In the following section, we have provided some tips, which you might find useful to understand and answer them in a comfortable and relaxed manner.

Tell me something about yourself?

This question is usually an ice breaker to start a conversation although some of you might feel that the interviewer is not informed and hasn’t read the details provided in your resume.

Science

Do’s

• Understand what the employer wants to know about you. In other words, you are being asked to summarize what you can bring to their organization.
• Use the WASP principle – Work, Attributes, Skills and Personal traits.
• Provide a brief summary in 4-5 sentences about your educational, professional background, relevant work experience, typically within 45 seconds.
• Know what to say and what not to say. Employers generally select based on your knowledge, behaviour, skills, abilities and select personal attributes.
• Do not talk too much. Understand that this is just the first question and you will get more opportunity to talk about your skills and abilities later.
• See this as an opportunity to present yourself to your potential employer and be a good ‘sales person’.
• Carry a copy of your latest resume just in case. It reinforces that you are well organized.
• Be calm and a smile on the face won’t hurt.
• Don’t get anxious to oversell your talents. Know that too much of anything is bad!
• Make good eye contact with the interviewer.
• Keep your hands on your lap and sit straight on your chair.

Don’ts

• Know what to say and what not to say. Employers generally select based on your knowledge, behaviour, skills, abilities and select personal attributes.
• Do not talk too much. Understand that this is just the first question and you will get more opportunity to talk about your skills and abilities later.

Art

• See this as an opportunity to present yourself to your potential employer and be a good ‘sales person’.
• Carry a copy of your latest resume just in case. It reinforces that you are well organized.
• Be calm and a smile on the face won’t hurt.
• Don’t get anxious to oversell your talents. Know that too much of anything is bad!
• Make good eye contact with the interviewer.
• Keep your hands on your lap and sit straight on your chair.

What are your goals for next 3 -5 years and how are they aligned with this job?

Science

Do’s

• Assuming you have already figured what you want to do career wise, provide your short term and perhaps a long term career goal in a sentence or two.
• Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely). For instance, “I aim to secure an executive position in the Sales department by improving sales figures and overall customer satisfaction”.
• Provide cues on how the specific position aligns with your goal(s).
• Some of us may have entrepreneurial instincts and may like to have their own firm in 3-5 years. Although you may get carried away and share such dreams, most employers would see this as a potential risk. So, please be careful.
• Employers want to know specific goals you may have set for yourself (if any) and are not inclined to listen to stories about your dreams and aspirations. If you cannot describe your goal in a sentence, it is an indication that perhaps you need to re-think your answer.
• Employers want to understand if you know what you want to do with your career because if you are not clear what you want to do with yourself, it may be risky to offer you a responsible position. Make sense? Keep this in mind while answering.
• Employers ideally like to hire candidates who would like to stay long term with their company – it is quite expensive to train new hires and often challenging to do a proper knowledge transfer when employees leave. Make sure you have this in the back of your mind.

Don’ts

• Some of us may have entrepreneurial instincts and may like to have their own firm in 3-5 years. Although you may get carried away and share such dreams, most employers would see this as a potential risk. So, please be careful.
• Employers want to know specific goals you may have set for yourself (if any) and are not inclined to listen to stories about your dreams and aspirations. If you cannot describe your goal in a sentence, it is an indication that perhaps you need to re-think your answer.

Art

• Employers want to understand if you know what you want to do with your career because if you are not clear what you want to do with yourself, it may be risky to offer you a responsible position. Make sense? Keep this in mind while answering.
• Employers ideally like to hire candidates who would like to stay long term with their company – it is quite expensive to train new hires and often challenging to do a proper knowledge transfer when employees leave. Make sure you have this in the back of your mind.

What is your greatest weakness?

Science

Do’s

• When asked about your greatest weakness, try to turn a negative into positive. For instance, “I tend to work long hours and find it difficult to maintain a good work-life balance. My goal is to try and maintain the balance moving forward”.
• Do not describe your family problems and personal issues.
• Avoid mentioning a weakness if you are unable to do anything about.
• If you have a serious weakness which could negatively affect your ability to perform at the workplace, mention it politely to the employer. For instance, “My typing speed is slower than that mentioned in job description. However, I am willing to take typing classes to meet this requirement if I were selected”.

Don’ts

• Do not describe your family problems and personal issues.
• Avoid mentioning a weakness if you are unable to do anything about.
• If you have a serious weakness which could negatively affect your ability to perform at the workplace, mention it politely to the employer. For instance, “My typing speed is slower than that mentioned in job description. However, I am willing to take typing classes to meet this requirement if I were selected”.

Art

• Nobody is born perfect – we are all human beings and have weaknesses. Know that it’s not bad to have a weakness.
• Employers are not necessarily looking for a super-human person. All they want to know is you acknowledge your weakness and are doing something about it so that it does not hamper your ability to perform.

What is your salary expectation?

Science

Do’s

• Provide a salary range only if you have done your homework well. Website like workfuture.com and jobfuture.com provide information about the market rate for certain job categories.
• If you are not sure about the market rate or the job description is non-standard, then you are not obligated to provide any numbers. Generally you can answer by saying that “I would like a salary that reflects the responsibility of this position and my ability to fulfill them”.
• If this is your first job or you are trying to get a ‘foot into the door’, salary should not be your main focus. You can say like “Salary is not my primary focus at this time and I am looking for an opportunity to learn and grow within your company”.

Don’ts

• Don’t feel obligated to provide an hourly rate or expected salary.

Art

• Although employers are generally willing to pay the right salary to the right candidate, they would like to ensure that you are going to stay with the company and that money is not your only consideration.
• Don’t let money come in your way especially if you are a ‘new bee’ and looking for work experience. On the contrary, do not accept a pay cut unless specifically asked and you are comfortable with it.
• Maintain your calm and don’t show your eagerness to talk about ‘money’ and negotiate. Discussing salary expectation does not necessarily mean you have secured the job.

Do you have any questions for us?

Science

Do’s

• Be as knowledgeable about the job and company as possible.
• Do your homework and show it well – Prepare a list of questions based on your research about the company, job description and ask for information that interests you.
• Asking intelligent questions about the organization, role, culture, and team dynamics gives an impression that you are curious to learn and know more about the company. For instance, “How would you describe the responsibilities for this position?”
• It is perfectly fine to ask questions to the interviewer about his/her own experiences and advancement in the company. This information will be valuable to understand the management style and career prospects within the company.

Don’ts

• Employers like candidates who have done their homework and taken the time to research the company.
• Having no questions to ask given an impression that you do not have your own opinion or independent thought process.
• Do not ask for information that is easily available on the company website as you will be wasting both your and employer’s time. For instance “What does this company do?”
• Don’t ask about salary and benefits unless specifically asked.
• Don’t ask logistical questions like flexible timings, vacation, etc. as they can be discussed later when you are offered the job.
• Don’t be impatient! Do not ask questions like “Am I selected?” or “When can I start?”

Art

• Listen attentively to the interviewer and ask questions if they haven’t been answered already in the conversation or if you require some clarification.
• Use your time judiciously and don’t get carried away by this opportunity to ask for elaborate details that are not necessary in the initial phase of interview.
• Act like a lawyer and try to get the pulse of the company. By asking good questions, you will have good idea about the professional environment, working style and get valuable insight on what to expect if you were to work there.