WorkShoppers Online

$18 million to help disabled

A total of $18 million in contracts has been awarded to three organizations to help disabled workers find jobs through the new Employment Program for Persons with Disabilities, provincial Employment Minister Claude Richmond announced Monday. Source.

Workers allowed to semi-retire and still contribute to pension

The Harper government laid out plans yesterday to help more seniors achieve semi-retirement, moves that should also help Canadian businesses hang on to much-needed experienced workers.  The two key steps are part of the Conservatives' broader effort to quell the anger among many seniors hurt by the government's decision in October to tax income trusts, a popular investment vehicle.  In one of the new measures, the government said it will begin allowing employers to pay a partial pension to an employee while that same worker is also contributing to the pension plan. This will make it easier for retired individuals to return to the work force part time.  It should help Canada's efforts to combat its skills shortage, which is expected to become an increasing problem as the work force ages. The change, expected to carry a small price tag for the government, is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.  Source.

The Work Place

Useful sites that offer quality information on many aspects of creating and finding opportunities for employment. We have assembled this one stop resource for quickly finding some effective tools you will need to make your search for work successful. 

Lifelong Learning Plan

The Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) allows individuals to withdraw funds from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to finance training or education for themselves or their spouse or common-law partner.  Source.

Are you "market ready"?

I use the term "market ready" because when you try and make a career move, you are usually in competition with others, or a decision maker needs to say yes in order for you to successfully make your move. In order to win that job, get that promotion, or successfully make a career change, you need to market yourself. And that means connecting the dots between what you have to offer and what your target is looking for.

So, how do you know when you are truly prepared? How do you know when you have the Ready, Aim parts nailed?

You are ready when you have covered these 8 Steps
1. You have captured your starting position and defined your next career step
2. You have a deep understanding of your professional background, including your accomplishments, your strengths, skills and abilities
3. You understand in which kinds of jobs, teams and organizations you fit
4. You have then defined the specific kinds of position and organization you are targeting
5. You have prepared persuasive reasons, backed up with concrete proof why you make an excellent candidate for your target(s)
6. You have created an effective, focused, compelling, proof-based resume that shows the reader "why you?"
7. You have prepared for networking conversations, and have mastered interviews, including the ability to prove your candidacy when faced with behavioural-based interview questions
8. And, you have carefully defined your criteria for making a decision when the time comes.

Source.

Personal branding

Personal Branding - It's the Real Thing

What comes to mind when you think of Coca Cola? Likely, it has less to do with sugar, caffeine and cost, and more to do with friends, refreshment and satisfaction. Savvy marketers know that if they "connect" their brands emotionally and logically with their consumers, then they'll get the sale.

This same concept is useful for managing your career. Each person has a personal "brand", but often it is confused, difused - or worse, unrecognized. Your personal brand isn't skin deep - it needs to permeate - and be congruent.

If you're not sure what your "current" personal brand is, ask a few of your friends and workmates how they would describe you to their friends - this will give you some clues. Then look at your performance appraisals to fill in a few more blanks.

Your personal brand is conveyed in three ways: What others see, What you do, and What you represent. It is What others see and What you do that defines What you Represent. Here are some examples:

What others see: your clothing, your speaking style, your "warm-ness", your business cards, the formatting of your resume and cover letter.

What you do: your college/university grades, your work experience, your punctuality, your promise-keeping, your business knowledge, your community involvement.

What you represent: Your underlying personal attributes, such as honesty, strong work ethic, analytical and logical, creative thinker, sales dynamo, etc.

This week's action item: Is your personal brand congruent and focused? Are you firing your cylinders all in the same direction? Most people know that at least one area that can be improved. Which one is yours? Once you know, work on making a lasting improvement. Companies look for people whose brand synchronizes with their own; these are the people who get hired - and then promoted.  Source.

Companies turn to online videos to recruit employees

Businessman Austin Hill needs a top programmer for his start-up but can't disclose the details of the company.  He knew that a job posting on a newspaper or job website would evince yawns from the best in the field. So he made a goofy video of himself and his partner and put it on YouTube.  "It will give people something to talk about," said Hill, a serial entrepreneur now working on a social networking project that he said will "change the world."  More here.

Get advice before signing employment contracts

Here is some advice for employers seeking to enter into binding employment contracts. 

Reaching the gatekeeper to the decider

Most of us have experienced challenges getting past gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are their supervisor's designated agents charged with limiting unnecessary, potentially wasteful and unexpected interruptions that may negatively affect the executive's productivity.  Most are, however, anxious to help superiors identify cost-saving opportunities, new products and services, or creative employees that could add value to their organizations.  How do you connect with the decision maker?  Here are some tips.

Unemployment slips to 6.1%

Thanks to the addition of 14,000 new jobs in February, Canada’s unemployment rate dipped to 6.1 per cent, down from 6.2 the month before, Statistics Canada reported on Friday.  Employment has been on the rise since August 2006 with average monthly gains of 42,000.

A quick look at February unemployment (previous month in brackets):

Unemployment rate: 6.1 per cent (6.2)
Number unemployed: 1,084,000 (1,096,500)
Number working: 16,743,500 (16,729,300)
Youth (15-24 years) unemployment: 11.0 per cent (11.7)
Men (25 plus) unemployment: 5.3 per cent (5.3)
Women (25 plus) unemployment: 4.9 per cent (4.9)

Here's what happened provincially (previous month in brackets):

- Newfoundland 14.3 (15.4)
- Prince Edward Island 10.1 (10.7)
- Nova Scotia 7.4 (7.8)
- New Brunswick 6.9 (8.1)
- Quebec 7.8 (7.7)
- Ontario 6.3 (6.4)
- Manitoba 4.3 (4.6)
- Saskatchewan 4.0 (4.1)
- Alberta 3.5 (3.3)
- British Columbia 4.0 (4.3)

Full article here.