Career and Job Search Help Blog

TalentEgg: Online Recruitment for Students and New Graduates

 Transitioning from student to adult life can be quite stressful, but exciting too.Getting that dream job after you graduate may not be as easy as you thought it would be. Thats why its important to start planning for that dream job before you graduate.

Talentegg.ca is Canada's most popular job site and online resource for students and new graduates. It was created by Lauren Friese in 2008 after she realized how hard the transition was from school to work. Lauren went to grad school at the London School of economics after completing a BA in economics Queen's University. She found that the transition from school to work was a lot easier in London, due to all of the free career online resources. She based TalentEgg on the UK website Milkround after wondering why we didn't have anything like it in Canada. There was an article about TalentEgg last year in the Financial Post, Lauren said that England had a lot more online resources and job leads for:

“People with lots of education and not a lot of work experience who wanted that ‘first step’ into a career.”

This is how most students feel when they graduate - that they have all this education but no experience and most employers are looking for both experience and education. So, TalentEgg now provides meaningful Canadian summer jobs, internships, full time work, co-ops and entry level positions - perfect for students and graduates. There are thousands of jobs available daily and hundreds of active employers.TalentEgg actually has an Employer Directory which includes profiles of each company  such as:

• Proctor & Gamble
• Rexall
• Bell
• Freedom 55 Financial
• Suncor Energy
• Loblaw, and many more.

The site has a wealth of great information such as comprehensive career guides for many fields such as: accounting, aboriginal careers, Canadian armed forces, consulting, engineering, green jobs, healthcare and many more. There are also great videos on the site which cover a wide range of topics, here is a video about how continuing education can make you more employable

 

At North York Central Library, the business department will be hosting a program How to Hatch Your Career Through Networking with Cassandra Jowett who is the content manager for TalentEgg.

Cassandra Jowett, content manager from TalentEgg.ca will share how she hatched
her own career through networking while she was a student at Ryerson University,
and provide easy-to-use strategies that will help students and grads become
better networkers both online and in real life.

FREE. Call (416)395-5613 to register.

North York Central Library - Room 2/3

6:30 - 8:00pm

 

We hope to see you there! Its okay if you don't get a chancce to register and you can drop in as long as there is space available.

 

Trying to decide on a career? Maybe this list will help!

Canadian Business magazine recently shared its 2013 edition of the best jobs in Canada.  The magazine used a number of criteria to come up with this list, including looking at data supplied by Statistics Canada covering over 600 job categories, looking for the top-paying jobs that have had steady growth in both the number of people employed, and in wages, since 2006.  It also looked at how much competition there will be for these jobs in the future using data from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, which projects future labour supply and demand to 2020. 

The top 50 jobs includes a diverse list of occupations including : oil & gas drilling supervisor, head nurse & heath-care manager, petroleum engineer, electrical & telecommunications contractor, school principal & administrator, and lawyer.

The article also cites the 10 worst jobs which include mainly industrial jobs such as foundry worker, weaver/knitter, film processor and a number of jobs in the pulp and paper industry. 

Jobs where growth is predicted includes pilot, education administrators and dental hygienist.

Another great source to consult (with your TPL library card) is Career Cruising.  This database has great profiles of various careers, including salary levels, educational requirements, links to professional organizations and interviews with 2 people actually doing the particular occupation that you are looking at.  And even better - it is a resource developed in Canada and has Canadian specific information. 

The library has many resources to assist in career exploration.  A few recent titles include:

     

And remember while:

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life" - Confucius -

it never hurts to have a job that is in demand as well. 

 

Opening Doors to Your Future - 2013 Career and Job Fair

     There are two parts to this job fair!

     The main event:

     Opening Doors to Your Future

     When: Thursday, March 7, 2013

     Time: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

     Where: North York Central Library

                 5120 Yonge St.

                 2nd Floor Auditorium

     Admission: FREE   -   No registration

Network with employers and apply for a variety of jobs. Dress appropriately as interviews may happen on-site. Bring electronic and hard copies of your resume.

Employers include: Canadian Tire, CN Tower, Desjardins Securities, Paragon Security, Real Canadian Superstore, Stock Transportation, UPS, Zylog, and MORE.....

 

How do you prepare for a job fair? You can attend the

Pre-Event: Preparing for Success

When: Thursday, February 21, 2013

Time: 9 a.m.  - 1 p.m.

Where: North York Central Library

            5120 Yonge St., 2nd Floor Auditorium

Admission: FREE   -    Registration is required

REGISTER for the pre-event at the Employment Centre (EC) Portal:

toronto.ca/employmentandsocialservices

Learn about specific jobs or sectors directly from employers and industry experts and receive information about the services and supports available to help you in your career.

The job fair is sponsored by Toronto Employment & Social Services and the North York Central Library.

Contact Margaret Lockhart at 416-397-9509 for more information.

Take a Break from Job Searching - Here Are Some Funny Anecdotes!

While browsing through some jobsites, I stumbled across some anecdotes about interview candidates. Toted as horror stories, I found that they tended to be on the hilarious side! So, take a break from the serious job searching, sit down with a cup of coffee/tea and enjoy! Some other choice anecdotes are also from the interviewer's point of view.

Upcoming Job Fairs in 2013

Newsflash! Lots of job fairs are appearing on the horizon. Good to see what's out there in the job market.

On February 26, 2013, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mississauga Career Fair & Conference will take place. The brainchild of Sheridan College and TorontoJobs.ca, it is one of the most comprehensive recruitment events in the Greater Toronto Area. Represented are some of the top employers in the GTA and they have 100’s of different job openings. Admission to this job fair is free but you can pay $30 to hear the variety of speakers that they have lined up.

The City Career Expo at Scarborough Town Centre is Ontario’s largest FREE public event showcasing the most sought-after employers, schools and skills training services directly inside one of Canada’s busiest shopping centers. Employers will be represented on March 20 – 21, 2013, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Universities & Colleges will be represented on March 22 – 24, 2013, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

HireCanada.ca is also hosting a job fair on March 27, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Mississauga Convention Centre. With many on site Recruiters, free Resume Critiquing, Career Specialists  and Admissions Staff to assist you. FREE admission and open to the general public

Are You an Internationally Trained IT or ICT Professional? Free Job Assistance Program - Starts January 28, 2013

The Coaching to Career's bridging program offers Internationally Educated IT professionals an opportunity to launch their careers in Canada. The program has been developed by the Information and Communications Technology Council in partnership with JVS Toronto and One Million Acts of Innovation! The next intake begins on January 28, 2013.   On March 11th, another intake will begin.

Coaching to Career is funded by the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada and offered at no cost to eligible participants. Through this program, established ICT Specialists  will coach, guide, advise and support ICT professionals as they launch their careers in Canada.

Candidates: Ideal clients are ICT professionals in Canada, less than 3 years, who have finished education programs in Canada or job search programs sponsored by colleges, community organizations colleges. Participants must have a CLB language assessment of Level 8 or higher in 4 categories.

The following are ICT candidates who will be considered for this program:

• Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
• Information Systems Analysts and Consultants
• Electronics Engineers
• Computer Network and Web Technicians
• Graphic Designers and Illustrators
• User Support Technicians
• Web Designers and Developers
• Computer and Information System Managers
• Software Engineers
• Database Administrators

Applications:  Starting Date: January 28, 2013

Cost to Client: Free

Location of In class Portion of program:  JVS Toronto ( Dufferin and Glencairn area of Toronto; subway and bus accessible)

Online Job Searching Organizers

If I ever have to look for a job outside of the organization, I would certainly check out a couple of online job searching organizers. There are a number of them that look pretty interesting - may be useful for those who are considering searching for a new job and want to keep tabs on the jobs for which they applied. After all, there could be a long time lapse between the time you applied for a certain job and the day they call to invite you in for an interview and you don't want to mistaken one company for another!

FreshTransition is an online tool that allows users to organize all aspects of their job search. Job seekers can track their completed job applications and schedule interviews and other job search events. It's free for job seekers and available at a small cost to employers.

GetHired.com provides job seekers with updates on the status of each application that they have submitted. Applicants are alerted when an employer has shown interest in their profile, and can track their progress in the hiring process until a position is closed.

 

 

GigCart is a job application system that allows job seekers to keep track of and organize jobs they are applying for or want to apply to. Users can conveniently manage jobs in a central location adding more as you progress in the job search.

Pinterest makes it easy for people to keep track of their online favorites by pinning them to boards. Huntsy.com provides a similar tool for job seekers to keep track of job postings and to find connections at companies listing jobs. Huntsy.com helps job seekers organize their job searches, utilize their social networks to find job search help, and manage job application deadlines.

JobMango.com is a free online job search organization tool that job seekers can use to track the positions for which they apply.

Manage your career with CareerTracker feature, upload self-introduction videos and store and manage virtual resumes with CareerScribe.

A New Year - A New Career?

A new year is approaching--is it time for a new career? Have you been thinking about a new job? Or maybe a different aspect of your current job--maybe upgrading and advancing? 

Do you like your current job but feel you can't advance? Look into upgrading your skills and training.

Perhaps there aren't enough opportunities with your present employer. Speak to your boss, your Human Resources department, co-workers, and network with people in similar companies to see what you need to move ahead. You might want to move out on your own, become an entrepreneur and start your own business.

Maybe you want something completely different. If you know what you are looking for--you have always wanted to be a chef, an architect, a designer--research it. What credentials, training, education do you need? What is the job market? Do you want to specialize in a particular aspect--not just a chef but a pastry chef or specializing in Spanish cuisine; a designer of kitchens? If starting your own business, is there a demand or market for your services or products? What is the competition?

How do you know if you will like this new career? Speak to people doing it. Network. Volunteer. Try it out. I worked for some temporary agencies and got experience in banking, accounting, and other types of companies--actual work experience--and found some I enjoyed and others I didn't. You can do the same.

The library has books, databases, and programs that can help you. Check out the Careers & Training area of our Job & Career Help section of our website, as well as the Business & Personal Finance section if thinking of starting your own business.

              

 

       

 

Employment Resource Centres in Toronto

It's always been there for me - if I needed to find a legal clinic, look for a Registered Massage Therapist, or more recently, look for some employment resource centres. 211Toronto.ca is a directory of over 20,000 community, social, health and government services. I did a search for employment centres and was presented with a list of 27 centres from across the city - from Scarborough North to Etobicoke South.

How do I Prepare for that Job Interview?

My cover letter caught their attention; my resume was great. Now I have an interview! How do I prepare? I don't want to blow it!

Some things to consider:

Be prepared. Research the company ahead of time--that can give you an edge in answering their questions and also a heads up in knowing what questions to ask them. They will be impressed, knowing you were interested enough in working for them that you took the time to learn about them.

Dress to impress--appropriately to get the job you are applying for. A construction worker, artist, entertainer, business consultant, engineer, architect, actor, health care worker, accountant, teacher all have different skills and job requirements. The first impression can set the tone for the interview.

Appear confident and self-assured. This will inspire confidence in your abilities. I once made the mistake of appearing too confident and too relaxed. We all enjoyed the interview and laughed a lot, but I didn't get the job. Remember, they are not your friends, but potential employers. Even if applying for a job working for a friend, they want to know you are sincere.

Bring several copies of your resume with you. The interviewers will probably have a copy with them and may refer to it. I suggest several copies in case there are more than one interviewer and they don't each have a copy--but YOU are prepared.

BE ON TIME! Make sure you know how to get there and give yourself plenty of time. You never know what may happen on the way to the interview--you may take a wrong turn, run into traffic or delays on the TTC.

Do some practice interviews beforehand, with a friend acting as the employer. If possible, tape these. Then you can see how well you do or where you need improvement.

The library has some books, audiobooks and e-books that may help you--and with a lot more ideas than I have given you. And don't forget the library's Find Your Way to Job & Career Help. There you will find lists of databases, books, and websites to help you be successful in getting the job you want.

Check out some of these: