Posts Tagged ‘career planning’

Sun, Fun or Opportunity?

Monday, May 31st, 2010

With the sun beaming and air conditioners blasting, you can not deny that summer is just around the corner. And with the change in weather comes vacation season. Summer can be the optimal time to land a role that just may lead to that full time permanent dream job you long for.  It is time to put your vacation on hold and ramp up your job search.

This time of year is traditionally slow when it comes to hiring on a permanent basis as Hiring Managers gear down to go away or find themselves leaving work early to take advantage of the warm and sunny conditions or to simply avoid the cottage country traffic. The hiring process is often lengthened to accommodate the time off taken by individuals who participate in the screening, interviewing as well as those who make the final decision. Some organization use students to fill in over the summer and aim for September to step up their hiring for permanent opportunities.

On the other hand, temporary placements soar as organizations, small and large alike; try to find a solution when their core staff such as Receptionists or Customer Service Representatives are out of the office. These opportunities give candidates a chance to go in and show a potential employer exactly what they are made of. Sometimes you will complete the assignment and that will be the end of it. Other times, you may leave such a great impression that your Manager finds a way to keep you around for the long haul. Either way, you gained some experience and earned some cash while others missed out.

If you find yourself in the market for a job, don’t be quick to discount temporary placements or seasonal roles as it is here that you will find some of the greatest success stories to date. Many associates who choose to say yes to temporary assignments have gone on to exciting permanent opportunities within the same organization, often climbing the corporate ladder to management roles in their area of expertise. Or they use this experience to build their resume ultimately assisting in their journey to land a fabulous role.  And for all those who say “I am just going to take the summer off “when it comes to their job hunt, be prepared to lose out as you may be missing the boat…

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Career advice from Sandra | No Comments »

Employee loyalty = perks and benefits!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

By now everyone knows about the fall out at NBC with Conan and Jay, and we all know there are lots of lessons to be learned by corporations on the do’s and don’t’s of proper “HR/employer etiquette”, but there is a flip side to be seen for the employee side of this mess.

I’m not talking about Jay or Conan as the hard-done-by employees and what they can learn from this situation, I’m talking about the employees behind the upper executive employees.  The employees who work for and with Jay and Conan, the ones who support them in their day to day goals to produce a great show, helping solidify new ideas, writing new scripts, researching, editing, revising, etc. etc. The backbone to the success of these leaders of late night!  What about them!?

They learned the value of loyalty.  During the final negotiations with NBC, while winding down his contract, Conan did not forget the people who stood by him day after day, working with him to create a successful show each night.  Conan rewarded this loyalty by making sure that his employees were taken care of even after the show finished.  At the end of his negotiations he ensured that they received severance packages, and the opportunity to work with him again on future projects as they become available, and you know that Conan will work his magic and bring as many of those loyal employees along with him for the next ride.

This is all fine in TVland you say – not so!  This could also be you!  I’ve heard over and over again, about situations where employees have worked with someone who allowed them to learn, provided motivation and encouraged them to be part of the team and in turn, they worked hard to play a part in the development of the goals and success of the company, lead by their bosses’ initiatives.  They supported that person through thick and thin, and when that leader decided to go on to the next big project or company, their support and hard work was rewarded when they were encouraged to move on with their leader to another great company.

As you develop your career, or as you search for that next great company to continue to develop your career, watch out for those great leaders within your organization. The ones that will teach you, motivate you, inspire you and in turn, you work hard for and develop “Loyalty” -  ‘a strong feeling of support or allegiance’. You never know what great opportunities may come of it.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Career advice from Andrea | No Comments »

Temp to…. Job seeking success?

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

So, you’re looking for a job, but not just any job – THE JOB.  You’ve sent out countless resumes, possibly gone on a few interviews, and now as a lot of people are, you’re starting to feel discouraged.  Search for a job in this economy has proven to be really challenging!

A job search is never anything but a challenge for most people.  It really is like starting a new relationship, full of ups and downs, first and last dates (or interviews), full of potential, but also disappointment.  And as in dating, your friends and family may say… keep your options open, don’t limit yourself to that ’set’ idea.

As in dating, job seeking requires a bit of openness to explore all options.  What about temp?  Temp? Yes, temporary work.  As you work this around in your mind, you may think, who wants ‘temporary’ work, its not long lasting, definitely not fulfilling, and NOT permanent!  Or could it be?

Today’s workforce requires job seekers to be flexible out there.  I know this isn’t always easy but don’t discount the temporary position.  At times temporary opportunities can offer a broader range of options than perm.  Companies are still a little unsure as to what curve ball the economy may throw at them next, and although they may want to hire, they see temporary staffing as a way for them to gauge what their business can handle.

This can also be a great opportunity for you.  You may have just spent the last 5 or so years in a company you really didn’t like, working for bosses’ you may not have admired, or doing tasks that really didn’t suit your abilities.  Temporary positions can offer you a chance to ‘try on’ that new company, ‘check out’ that new boss or even ‘test out’ those new or under-used skills, without the automatic commitment of a perm position.  And best of all, even though it may be called ‘temporary’,  this isn’t always the case.

Some of the best placements we’ve had are the ones that have started out as a temporary assignments.  We often get calls later on from these ‘temp’ placements, thanking us for placing them in such great opportunities, most having grown in their careers and now in more senior roles.

So as you continue your job search, keep your options open as you never know what disguise that great opportunity might take on when presenting  itself.

Good luck!

Follow me on Twitter @andrea_duggan

Tags: , ,
Posted in Career advice from Andrea | No Comments »

Developing a career path

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

As someone who is looking to expand their career path, we know you are always interested in learning what you can do to remain relevant, and make sure that your career is taking you down a path of success.

We’re asked time and again, what can I do to further enhance my resume and my overall career path.  Here are few tips to help get you focused in the right direction:

  • Keep your software skills up to date, make sure you know the latest software which is relevant for the type of job you are seeking.
  • If your career path would benefit from a designation, or requires a final written exam after a few years of general work, make sure to look into that requirement – don’t leave it if you’re looking for growth opportunities.
  • Make sure you remain current – if your career enhancement would benefit from you knowing the latest changes in provincial or federal law (such as accounting, human resources, and many others) make sure you are up to date and aware.
  • Find a mentor – someone you know within your business, professional associates, or circle of general contacts, that you know can assist you with your personal development.  Mentors can provide great bits of information on how they have developed their own careers and help direct you on the right path.
  • Above all, don’t be stagnant!  Career development is about what you can learn to make you better!  Take on that extra bit of work, volunteer to further develop skills and confidence, read publications in your industry, or even just keep on top of current newsworthy items that will keep you in the know.

All of these small things will ensure that you are constantly developing and help to guide you down a successful career path.

Good luck!

Tags: ,
Posted in Career advice from Andrea | No Comments »