Picture yourself at a job interview. You might be seated across from a hiring manager in a boardroom, or sitting with your potential new boss in their office. You’re wearing your favourite interview-appropriate outfit. You’ve prepared for the interview based on tips from recruiters. You answer the interviewer’s questions and clearly, concisely and convincingly share... Continue Reading →
Job recruiters share how to get hired
If you have a job interview coming up, you probably want to make the most of your face time with the company. Whether you’re working with a third-party recruiter or an in-house hiring manager, these nine tips from recruiters, compiled in a video by Buzzfeed, can help you prepare for your interview. Scroll down to... Continue Reading →
Free career resources from the Toronto Public Library
It's been said that "the best things in life are free.” If you have a Toronto Public Library (TPL) card, this saying is true when it comes to ways to boost your career. TPL provides access to helpful resources for searching for a job, refining your resume, and updating your skills and knowledge. Career-related workshops... Continue Reading →
9 tips for successful informational interviews
Have you ever been on an informational interview? If you haven’t heard of them before, an informational interview is a meeting with someone who’s already in an organization, field or industry that you’d like to get into, which doesn’t relate directly to a job opening. It’s an opportunity for you to learn, grow your network... Continue Reading →
Stand out with these 3 traits
A resume can get your foot in the door when you’re looking for a job. But, oftentimes hiring managers want a new hire to fulfill criteria that can’t be expressed on paper. Why? These traits will help hiring managers ensure that the candidate will benefit the organization in ways that go beyond just fulfilling their... Continue Reading →
Can a strong personal brand help you land a job?
I’ve recently posted about the importance of cultivating your personal brand. ICYMI, your personal brand is the image or impression that you can establish about yourself in the minds of others so that they can easily identify what makes you unique, and what you’re considered the go-to expert or resource on. This group includes colleagues,... Continue Reading →
When searching for a job, what’s in a name?
I recently heard about a new process in Canada’s federal government that will help reduce bias around who is contacted following a job application in an interview on Toronto’s Metro Morning. Six federal departments are piloting a blind recruitment strategy with the goal of increasing equity and diversity in its workforce. This process will remove... Continue Reading →
Should I start my career with an internship?
Last week, Bank of Canada head honcho Stephen Poloz recommended that unemployed young Canadians should take on unpaid internships to gain experience in their professional fields. The fact that top government officials accept that unpaid work is the only way to get ahead indicates that internships have become commonplace in today's economy. Further, the competition to... Continue Reading →
Setting SMART goals
I'm in the process of writing my professional goals for the next year at work. So, it's a good time to focus on some best practices for goal-setting. Rather than just shooting blindly for the stars, I'm going to set SMART goals so I can prove I've reached them during my annual review. What are SMART goals?... Continue Reading →
Workday walks are a productivity game-changer. Here’s why.
Short walks during the workday are mentally refreshing and help me focus on my work. I try to pencil one into my calendar whenever I can, so much so that my healthy habit is known among my colleagues. I often can get a colleague or two to join me on a walk, which is good for relationship-building and... Continue Reading →