Career and Job Search Help Blog

A Library in a Yurt? In Toronto?

Who would have thought it?  Who knew what a yurt was/is?

If there is one certainty, it is that Torontonians adore their libraries and will do whatever is necessary to protect them from attack.  Throughout history, libraries have served as hallmarks of civilized societies. This has not changed.  Libraries have changed, however, and developed, becoming electronic and portable, but this has only made them more important and relevant.  Libraries are a democratic institution and as such are part of being a Torontonian and a Canadian.  Libraries are one of our defining characteristics and belong to all citizens.  Is this why a library has become a symbol of the 'Occupy' movement, perhaps?

So too a career or a job is the right of every Torontonian.  Check your library for some ideas.

                                           

                         

    

Job Interviews--What will they ask? What should I answer?

Your resume was great and now you have the interview. What questions will they ask? What questions CAN they ask? Is that a LEGAL question? You ask yourself, "How do I prepare? How should I answer? What should I wear?"

Research the company. Find out as much as you can about it. Speak to people already working in the same field. You already did some of this when first applying for the job. The more you know, the better prepared you are.

First impressions can make or break an interview.

I heard of someone going for interview after interview and not getting the job. She couldn't understand why. She was well-prepared, had a good resume, and was "dressed for success"--or so she thought. Finally she asked someone in the same field if they could find out what she was doing wrong. It turns out she was a member of a mystery book club and wore the club pin, a skull and cross-bones, to her interviews to show her interest in books and reading. She thought it would HELP her get the job. The interviewers saw the skull and cross-bones and thought, "Hmmmm. I don't think I want this person working for us." They didn't know about that book club!

The pin might have helped her for a different job--something to do with Halloween, buccaneers, pirates, mysteries, or horror shows. It even might have helped in these interviews if she had mentioned the pin and what it stood for! Make your first impressions count--but in the right way.

The library has books, ebooks, DVDs, and recommended websites that can help you prepare for your interview. On the Toronto Public Library home-page, check out Find Your Way to Job & Career Help and click on Market Yourself. There you will find some of our newest books and helpful links such as the Guide to Interviewing Resources, from Quintessential Careers, and The Interview Game: Illegal Questions, from Career Link.

For more titles in our catalogue, you can search subjects such as Employment interviewing and Employee selection. You can narrow the search down by applying a date-range or other limiters. Some of the titles you get may be about questions the employer should ask. You can take a look at these as well, to get an idea of the answers the interviewer might be looking for.

Don't forget to practice! Get a friend to role play with you and practice being interviewed. Film it if you can. You can--then you can see how you're doing.

Here are some books you can take a look at:

                              

 

Baby Boomers and Delayed Retirement or, 80 is the new 65!

Baby boomers are starting to join the ranks of those aged 65 and over, and the 'greying' of the workforce is only just beginning. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 1995 and 2007, the number of older workers working full-time nearly doubled.

For the period 2006-2016, their data projects an 8.5 percent increase in the workforce, but when analyzed by age categories, different trends emerge. The number of workers in the youngest group, age 16-24, is projected to decline during the period, while the number of workers age 25-54 will rise only slightly. In sharp contrast, workers aged 55-64 are expected to climb by 36.5 percent. But the most dramatic growth is projected for the two oldest groups. The number of workers between the ages of 65 and 74, and those aged 75 and up, are predicted to soar by more than 80 percent!!!

Statistics Canada also reports that older workers have been increasingly delaying retirement since the mid-1990's. There are a number of reasons for this: individuals are living longer and are in good health, and there are greater opportunities for boomers since the cohort following them into the labour market is smaller. Also, rising debt levels and shrinking nest eggs may be a factor.

Recently, the executive vice-president of the Wells Fargo Insitutional Retirement & Trust, Joseph Ready was quoted as saying "80 is the new 65...people are starting to move toward understanding...what they're gong to have to do to make it in retirement."

 

 

The 10 Fastest Growing Industries in Canada

Not to be the bearer of only bad news, I decided to check out the 10 fastest growing industries of the future. According to IBISWorld, here are the exciting finds:

VOIP: The industry is growing phenomenally, especially with the advent of 4G. Some sample jobs are engineer, software developer, systems analyst, telephony architect, and installation technicians.

Wind Power: The demand for wind power generation (already in full force in countries like Germany and The Netherlands) will increase in the next five years.

E-Commerce & Online Auctions: Consumers are now much more comfortable buying things online. Booming jobs: buyer, sales, web developer, marketing, application architect, solution architect.

Environmental Consulting: Still new; but, growing because more and more companies want to reduce their carbon footprints by adopting environmentally friendly practices. Sample jobs: engineer, biologist, wetland scientist, aquatic scientist, geologist, hydrogeologist, geophysical technician, compliance analyst, research climatologist.

Biotechnology: Since we'd like to live, the demand for new medicines and treatments will spur growth in the biotechnology industry.

Video Games: Gaming is big business - remember the lineups for the release of Call of Duty Black Ops, which sold seven million copies in the first 24 hours of its release. Canada is a red hot market for video game design. More than 14,000 people are directly employed at more than 240 video game firms across the country. The world's two largest game development studios are in Montreal and Vancouver. The number of users are slated to increase, especially as technology grows. Sample jobs: designer, programmer, software developer, animator, audio engineer, writer, tech support, tester, market research analyst, and dimensional model artist.

Solar Power: The technology is still expensive but should drop in price much like other technology (I'm thinking Blu-Rays, etc.) Sample jobs: solar design engineer, electrical engineer, chemical engineer, electrician, installer, environmental biologist.

Correctional Facilities: Because people will always commit crimes. 'Nuf said. Sample jobs: correctional officer, correctional healthcare specialist, nurse, psychologist.

Internet Publishing and Broadcasting: Web publishing of every possible form is soaring. Many tv programs and movies are being streamed online. Sample jobs: writer, editor, videographer, product manager, webmaster, graphic designer, web marketing manager, multimedia journalist.

Third-Party Administrators & Insurance Claims Adjusters: IBISWorld says that insurance policy volumes will rise, particularly within the business-oriented sector, spurring the need for claims adjustment services. There will also be a rise in advisory and risk management services as businesses, insurers and individuals use these services to mitigate risks and hedge liabilities. Sample jobs: catastrophe modeling analyst, health and benefits consultant, researcher, actuary consultant, claim analysis specialist.

 Some books for the career-minded:

    

And a website: Queendom - the Land of Tests

 

 

 

Some Doomed Industries

Elevator operators, copy boys, pinsetters (aka pingirls, pinboys), switchboard operators, typists in a typing pool - all these jobs have fallen by the wayside - made obsolete by technology! I found an interesting online article about other jobs that are doomed or at least expected to experience a decline. If you're considering a career change/opening a small business in any of these following, think twice.

Newspaper publishing: have you noticed that your daily newspaper is getting pretty skinny lately? How about those phone calls from your dailies, encouraging you to subscribe to the print version? Mobile and Internet versions are proving to be the death knell of the printed newspaper. In the past decade, newspapers have suffered a 36% decline in revenue. and in the next 5 years, another 20% drop is expected.

Apparel Manufacturing: When was the last time you found/purchased an article of clothing that WASN'T made in China? Although there is some manufacturing at the domestic level, it's slim pickin's. Labour overseas is cheap, and consumers expectation of low prices isn't helping at all. Decline in revenue in the last decade - a whopping 77%! In 5 years, another 12% drop.

Video Rental: I haven't rented a video in 15 years! I either bought or borrowed the dvd or ordered it on my tv or the Internet through free streaming sites. Decline in the last decade - 34% and another 20% in the next 5 years.

Photo Finishing: Remember when you had to take your rolls of film to be "developed?" Now you don't have to do that, thanks to digital cameras - SLRs and point 'n shoots! Decline in revenue in the last decade - are you ready - 70% and in the next 5 years, it'll be 40%.

Some books on career changes: