Career and Job Search Help Blog

More Upcoming Job Fairs for 2012, including Opening Doors to Your Future

Job fairs are a great way to network, gather information, meet employers, and cast your net to hook the right employer and job for YOU.

You might be new to Canada, a new graduate, have a disability, be looking to re-enter the job market, or to change your career. Job fairs can be exciting or intimidating. The key is to be prepared! Be confident! Be self-assured!

Come and join us Thursday, March 8, 2012 for the Career and Job Fair, Opening Doors to Your Future. The library will have a booth and we hope to see you there.

Where: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge St.

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Exhibitors include: Canadian Tire, InCharge Canada, Paragon Security, VHA Home HealthCare, and many, many more!

For more information, call Terruce Lau at 416-392-4107

Bring copies of your resume, print and electronic versions, and be prepared to "knock the socks" off potential employers with your professionalism. This event is sponsored by TESS, the Toronto Employment & Social Services (North York district offices) and the Toronto Public Library.

But wait! There are MORE!

 

Study and Go Abroad Fairs

Sunday, March 4, 2012,  1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Constitution Hall, Room 105 - 106, North Building, 255 Front Street West

 

The Career Fair for People with Disabilites

Thursday, March 29, 2012,  10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Hilton Downtown Toronto, 145 Richmond Street West

 

Engineering-IT Career Fair  AND  Banking-Finance-Insurance Career Fair

Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, 222 Bremner Boulevard

 

Remember to "Dress for Success!" Be neat, tidy, and not overdressed. Whatever your age, dress appropriately--don't try to appear older or younger than you are.

Here are some hints I picked up from Do's & Don'ts, an article by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. If you want to read his article for additinal tips, click on the link.

• First impressions are important. A firm handshake and a warm smile are first steps to success.
• Dress professionally. Conservative is always a safe choice
• Bring enough copies of your resume, at least 25 for a large job fair, and different versions if looking for different types of jobs
• DON'T just drop your resume on the table and walk off--this is an opportunity to make a positive impression, show interest in the company, and stand out from the crowd. Build a rapport with the employer, but DON'T monopolize his time
• DON'T walk up to a booth and interrupt a current conversation
• Prepare to be interviewed on the spot--be able to summarize your skills and abilities in a few minutes or less
• Try and obtain a list of exhibitors. Research them beforehand so you will be prepared for such questions as, "Why do you want to work for our company?"
• Have a specific strategy for maximizing your time. Decide which employers you want to see first. You don't want to get so caught up with going to all the booths that you miss out on the ones you are really interested in
• Network with other participants--you may hear about additional job opportunities or benefit from the experiences the others had
• Follow-up after the job fair. Phone or e-mail the company representatives you met

 

                 

 

Annoying Phone Faux Pas

In this age of texting, email and the like, it's refreshing to hear someone's voice at the other end of the telephone line. The telephone can be a powerful marketing tool for you if it is used properly.

This brings to mind problems with the way some people use the telephone at work.

• Putting someone on speakerphone without asking them.
• Ignoring the customer standing right in front of you in order to deal with the caller who interrupts by phoning in.
• Working on the computer or something else while on the phone.
• Eating or chewing gum while talking on the phone.
• Speaking so quickly or mumbling when you're leaving a voice message that the recipient can't understand your name or telephone number.

So how can you remedy this?

 Before you call...

Get organized and be clear in your mind what you want to say to that person or in the voice message. Have ready any documents you may need to refer to.

Use the recipient's name and clearly state your name, company name. Don't run your last name into your first name. Then state the purpose of your call and say something positive like, "Is this a good time to discuss this?" not "Did I get you at a bad time?"

If you wish to put that person on a speakerphone, ask permission. Introduce anyone else who is in the room with you.

Don't linger on the phone. Conclude your business positively and distinctly.

If you're leaving a message...

Be succinct and articulate. Repeat your telephone number. If it's urgent that the recipient return your call within a certain time period, say so.

Wait a few days. If the person hasn't returned your phone call, then contact him again.

On your outgoing voicemail message...

If you're going to be away from the office for a length of time, indicate that; otherwise, your caller is going to wonder why you haven't returned his call and start becoming annoyed.

Leave your name on your voicemail. Many people won't leave a message unless they're certain they've reached the right person. You wouldn't want to miss a message from a recruiter or a new client, right? Some people will say, "Your call is very important to me and I'll try to get back to you within 2 hours."

 Lastly...

Just say your name when you answer the phone. Don't say, "Penelope speaking." That's redundant because the caller knows you're speaking. Truly professional people will merely say their full name in an upbeat fashion.

 When you pick up the phone, smile! It will come through in your telephone voice!

Check out Toronto Public Library's books on telephone manners.

 

 

Are there any JOB FAIRS in your future?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are there any Job Fairs in your future? A new year is just around the corner and  with it, maybe a new job, a new career, maybe a new future. One place to start looking for something new and exciting is at a job fair.

You can learn about potential careers, new companies, prospective employers. It is a great place to network, not only with other students and job-seekers, but with possible employers. Shake hands, talk, get to know a bit about them, take the opportunity to make contacts--and take a step toward that job you've been looking for.

Take advantage of any special attractions such as free resume critiques, speakers, free seminars, or career/job posting zones.

 

       

 

Some tips for the fair from Hire Canada:

• be prepared for possible interviews--have answers ready to common questions, such as type of position you are looking for
• prepare questions you want answered
• get familiar with the layout of the job fair by visiting the event website
• find out what companies will be there and research those you are interested in
• make a checklist of any relevant seminars offered

 

• dress professionally, as if going for an interview
• wear comfortable shoes
• bring resumes and business cards to hand out to selected employers and ask for theirs if/when appropriate
• keep conversations with exhibitors brief--don't hoard their time
• don't grab all the pens or bags at booths--this only reduces your appeal to potential employers

 

Some upcoming Job Fairs:

Canada Job Expo

Thursday, January 5, 2012,  10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

North York Civic Centre (Member's Lounge--Lower Level), 5100 Yonge Street

 

 New Grad Career Expo

Wednesday, January 25, 2012,  10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, 255 Front Street West

 

Napp Canada Job Fair & Training Fair,  10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012,  International Centre, Mississauga, 6900 Airport Road

Wednesday, March 28, 2012,  Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street

 

Hire Canada 

Thursday, March 22, 2012,  11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Pearson Convention Centre, 2638 Steeles Avenue East

The National Job Fair & Training Expo

Wednesday-Thursday, April 4 - 5, 2012,  10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, 255 Front Street West

Need to Find Licensing Exam Books to Land that New Job?

The Toronto Reference Library (that great, 5-storey brick building, under renovation, soon to have a  cafe, occupies a city block, one of the city's hubs at Yonge and Bloor...) has a collection of licensing and exam guides to help you pass your exam.  Other study materials are available also.  One of our wonderful users, gave us a large donation anonymously, to buy books to help new Canadians find a job.  Before this donation, the library could purchase one copy only for reference use.  But now we have extra copies for you to borrow.  Many thanks indeed to our benefactor!

You can find the Circulating Careers Collection at 789 Yonge Street on the third floor.

 

                   

 

                                                                                                                                       

 

Considering an MBA? Do your homework first.

Are you thinking about applying to a business school to earn an MBA (Masters in Business Administration)?  Check out the upcoming World MBA Toronto Fair.

Where: Metro Toronto Convention Centre

When: Saturday, September 10, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

For more information on the fair and to register on-line go to topmba.com/star for a $5.00 entry fee or $10.00 on the day.

Want to do a bit of research before hearing each schools pitch?  Have a look at a few of these business magazines who do their own yearly rankings. Compare how  Canadian Business  the Financial Post, and the Financial Times, all of which do yearly rankings, rate the schools that you are considering.

Want information on applying to MBA programs?  Check out some of the resources available at the library:

             

Good luck in your hunt for a business degree!

 

WANTED Interns! Is it worth the experience without getting paid?

After graduating from university many students consider doing an internship before working in order to gain experience. It is a great idea since every employer requires experience before you begin the job, but many graduates ask them self – how can I have experience if I've been in school for the past few years? So internships do provide a great opportunity to gain experience especially if your field is competitive. Employers like to see when graduates have taken the initiative to dedicate time to gain experience in the field outside of the classroom – it is also an excellent thing to add to your resume. There are many opportunities to do internships for many fields in Toronto, all over Canada and internationally too. Actually according to a July article from the Globe and Mail's Life section, Canada and the USA are going through an “intern boom”.

The only this about internships is that they are usually unpaid, and if they are paid – it may be minimal. For students who have recently graduated this may not be ideal. Ross Perlin's new book Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave new Economy provides a critical analysis of unpaid internships. He explores the meaning of the word intern and discloses how many companies actually save a lot of money by hiring interns and may glamorize positions. He also discusses how in some parts of the world they are actually trying enforce legislation to protect interns.

There is no double that internships do provide an excellent experience, allow you to network, build contacts and are a great thing to add to your resume. However, it is important to make sure your experience is truly going to be advantageous to you and isn't exploiting you. Make sure you do enough research on the company you would like to intern at. Also, if you are still in university consider doing internships between semesters - your university should be able to provide you with internship postings. Below are some books and websites which may help:

Some internship websites:

Federal Public Sector Youth Internship Program

Career Bridge: Internships for Internationally Qualified Professionals

Natural Resources Canada: Science & Technology Internship Program

Good Work Canada: Green Internships

CIDA'S International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)

 

Good luck!

Do You Want to Make a Career Change?

By: Jean

Are you unhappy with your current work situation? Or were you laid off during
the recent economic downturn? Perhaps you have been raising your family and
want to re-enter the workforce after a few years at home. Or perhaps you would just like to
find a better paying job.

It is estimated that people will change careers several times during their working
lives. As the population ages, and there are less younger workers available, the number
of years people can expect to work is increasing. We may well be contemplating a career
change in our 60's or 70's!

Making a career change can be scary, especially if you are over 40. Luckily, there are many
good resources to help you through the transition. The Toronto Public Library has books on

• assessing your interests, values and skills
• identifying and researching new careers
• how to develop new skills
• researching the hidden job market
• creating targeted resumes
• mastering the interview process
• developing internet and computer proficiencies

Have a look at these books!

       


Also, check out these websites:

Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Service Canada
Job Bank
Working In Canada
How To Find a Job

Me, Myself, and I

Have you ever taken some time to reflect inwardly? Are you happy in your station in life or are you on the road of constant self-improvement?

 Here are some books that caught my attention:

       

The Power of Social Media...use it to find a job!

 

There’s no denying that the Internet can be quite intimidating, they call it the world wide web - and it is indeed wide! Sometimes when you mention social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or MySpace people cringe and think about privacy issues or scandal - have you seen The Social Network? You’ll understand why.

However, don't underestimate the power of these sites. They aren't just for meeting and chatting with friends - they can be excellent resources especially for job seekers. Networking is one of the most important parts of a job search and social media not only makes it easier to manage contacts who can potentially help you find a job - jobs are also posted on these sites.

Recently, I was checking my email and there was something from LinkedIn which is a professional social networking site which connects you to a larger network of professional contacts and allows you to post your resume. The email said to try their new tool "Job Seeker - to get the edge in your job search". When I went in to my account  I realized that you can search for jobs and internships using keywords and even your postal code! If you don't have a LinkedIn account as a job seeker you should get one.

Twitter is a social networking and microblogging tool that is used by thousands of people every day. You have 140 characters to share a message (tweet) on your profile page, and you can "follow" other users by subscribing to read their tweets. A lot of job recruiters are now posting their profiles on twitter, and often "tweet" job postings. As a job seeker you can create a professional profile which briefly outlines your skill and use twitter to find a job.  A friend of mine who works for a law firm recently tweeted a link to a job for an admin assistant at her firm. I’ll admit that before I got a Twitter account, I was wary of all these people tweeting away staring at their smartphones- now I understand and tweet too - I've even tweeted President Barack Obama! 

So, it is important to remember to protect your privacy and if you are using these social networking sites for a job search and ensure your profiles are professional. Finding a job isn't always easy. That's why they say - looking for a job is a job in itself but using social media can help you!

Here are some books which may help:

 

 

 

 

The Meek Shall Not Inherit the Earth!

In their November-December 2010 issue, Harvard Magazine featured the work of social psychologist Amy Cuddy, an assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. She investigated how people perceive and categorize others. Her work on nonverbal behaviour such as postures of power and confidence also made a lot of sense. So, how can you be the alpha dog?