Cracking the

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Cracking the Canadian ExperienceCode

• Shannon Jackson, Manpower Services

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Agenda

• Thank you
• What does Canadian Experience really mean?
• Planning your job search
• Your resume
• The interview
• Interview follow-up

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• Thank you for choosing Canada.

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The Canadian Experience Paradigm

• Important in occupations that are
  legislatively-specific
• I.e. Tax Accountants or legal professionals
• Otherwise, SHOULD NOT be a consideration
• Hiring authorities want to know that
• a) your experience equates to the experience
  people gain in a Canadian work environment
• b) you are able to communicate effectively in
  English
• c) you have an understanding of Canadian cultural
  norms, and will fit in to the environment
• d) you have a local understanding of industry
  trends and can contribute to the companys
  competitive knowledge.

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Your Experience Canadian Experience

• Have your education reviewed by WES (World
  Education Services)
• Highlight work experience with internationally
  recognized organizations (on your resume and
  interview)
• Focus on what you did be very specific about the
  tasks of your role

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Communicate Effectively In English

• Employers listed communication skills as the 1
  attribute that they look for in a new hire.
• If your spoken English is lacking, access
  resources such as COSTI, Skills for Change, LINC
  to improve.
• If your spoken English is strong, be sure to
  follow up all resume submissions with a phone
  call.
• Understand how expressions translate into English
• MAKE ALL WRITTEN CORRESPONDANCE ERROR-FREE!

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Canadian Cultural Norms

• Learned primarily through observation/experience
• Key to leaving interviewers with the impression
  that you will fit in to their environment
• Can be learned through temporary work
• http//www.cyborlink.com/besite/canada.htm
• http//www.dbic.com/guide/m1-1.html
• http//workabroad.monster.com/articles/canadaguide
  /
• http//canada.gc.ca/acanada/acPubHome.jsp?font0l
  angeng

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Planning Your Job Search

• Most problems that surface during the job
  search have a their beginnings in decisions you
  avoided before you started. Poor early planning
  or a lack of career focus leads to a lack-luster
  interview, and a badly managed job hunt.
• Its hard to be dynamic during an interview when
  you have only a vague idea of why youre there in
  the first place. For the same reason, its even
  harder to get a job offer
• The Only Job Hunting Guide Youll Ever Need
• Katheryn and Ross Petras

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Planning Your Search

• Research companies
• Know who you want to work for, what you want to
  do, and why
• Organize your job search
• Keep a Log Book
• Know where, when, and how you sent your resume,
  who you addressed it to, when and how you
  followed-up, to whom you spoke, their title, and
  details/instructions for moving forward
• Plan your 30-second summary

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Your Resume

• Three resume formats - functional, chronological,
  combination
• Chronological or combination resume formats
  preferred by most hiring managers
• http//jobsmart.org/tools/resume/res-chro.cfm
• DO NOT include SIN, marital status, ethnicity,
  religion, photo, physical health, references
  names/contact info, salary history or
  expectations, or reasons for leaving jobs.
• 1-2 pages best, include languages spoken
  (especially if you speak french/english)
• Have a formatted resume for an interview/e-mail
  attachment submission, have a text resume to
  enter into a database

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Your Resume

• Contact Information
• on EVERY page
• Objective
• Be specific - tailored to the position
• Personal Qualifications / Profile
• List Languages!
• Employment History
• Education
• Most impressive first
• Hobbies/Activities - Only if relevant

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Your Resume

• Be error-free
• Use keywords and/or action verbs
• Emphasize skills
• Be honest
• Sell yourself
• Stick with common headings
• Summarize information
• Choose positive language
• Have someone in same / related field review
• Avoid Dear Sir salutations

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After Youve Sent Your Resume...

• DO call to follow up
• DO be polite even if you are feeling frustrated
• DO prepare your calls purpose and objective, and
  be able to state that clearly.
• Engage the receptionist, rather than breaking
  through the gatekeeper
• Ask for their advise on how and how often theyd
  like you to follow up - then follow that advise
• Remember As you follow-up on your resume
  submission YOU ARE MAKING A SALES CALL!

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The Interview

• Be early - 15 minutes Maximum!
• Treat the receptionist well
• Be prepared
• Review the job description
• Know why you want the job
• Research the company
• Have questions and references ready
• Practice
• Dress for success
• Make all correspondence error-free
• Bring extra resumes

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Components of a Traditional Interview...

• Introductions
• Small Talk
• Review of Background/Interests
• Be able to capture in one sentence WHY you want
  this job
• Behavioral Questions
• tell me about a specific time when you
• Your Questions
• Conclusion
• Next Step

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Common Interview Challenges for IEPs

• The receptionist
• Rapport-building small talk
• Work samples

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Behavioral Based Questions

• Based on the premise that the best predictor of
  future performance is past performance
• Asks for SPECIFIC examples of when youve used
  certain skills or competencies in your previous
  roles
• Asks questions starting with tell me about a
  time when, Describe a situation when, Give me
  an example of a time

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Behavioral Interview

• Two Most Common Mistakes
• Not Specific Enough
• Fail to use one example
• Fail to speak of what THEY did
• Talking too much - not on topic
• Lose the point of the answer

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Behavioral Interview

• Best answer to a behavioral question
• Four Sentences
• One sentence overview of the situation
• One sentence about what YOU did
• One sentence detailing the result
• One sentence about the benefit to the new
  company

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Your Questions - And You Need to Have Them

• Some Questions To Ask
• Is this a new position?
• To whom would I report?
• What type of training is offered?
• What are the growth opportunities?
• If I am your successful candidate, what are the
  top three things you would want to see me
  accomplish in my first 6 months / year?

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Skill Assessments - A Valuable Tool for IEPs

• Enable you to prove your skills thus leveling
  the playing field
• Should be relevant to the position
• Dont refuse to do them
• Do ask the recruiter to discuss your scores with
  you
• If you have not been as successful as you would
  have liked, ask if you can re-test after a period
  of time

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Reference Etiquette

• Confirm with your references the use of their
  name/contact information BEFORE providing it to
  the company
• Provide accurate reference contact information
  only at the interview do not include it on your
  resume - if references are international, offer
  e-mail address, mailing address, full phone
  number (including country exchange), and time
  zone details.
• Furnish your references with an up-to-date copy
  of your resume, and with the job posting (where
  possible), so that they can speak competently
  about your skills as they relate to the position
  youre seeking

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Closing/Follow-Up

• Show positive appreciation
• Ask for the next step
• Smile and a firm handshake
• Take notes after the interview
• Thank you card

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Thank you, and Good Luck in Your Search!

• Be sure to check out
• www.manpower.ca
• www.manpowerprofessional.ca
• Questions? e-mail me at
• shannon.jackson_at_na.manpower.com

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Resources for Finding Job Leads

• A Quick Reference Guide for Finding Jobs

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Finding Job Leads...

• Networking
• Job Fairs
• The Internet
• Newspapers
• Staffing Services

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Networking

• Job searching, the word networking seems
  overused but it is for a reason IT WORKS!
• Create a contact list (anyone you know with a
  job!)
• Make networking/briefing calls
• Contact people from your list let them know you
  are looking ask them if they have any
  referrals/suggestions of where to go.
• Follow-up
• Be sure to contact the person after youve been
  referred, and send a thank you to the person
  who referred you.
• Tell EVERYONE you are looking for work
• I have hired people I have met in the laundry
  room, the elevator, the grocery store line-up
• Any time you engage in a conversation with
  someone new, let them know you are looking for
  work - Who knows? They may be hiring!

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Job Fairs

• Bring several resumes
• Expect to see 50 or more companies have enough
  resumes for everyone.
• Prepare a 30-second and a 3-minute pitch
• Be able to describe in 30 seconds Your name,
  your experience, and what you are looking for.
• Be able to elaborate with a recruiter who seems
  interested prepare 1 - 3 minute presentation of
  yourself
• Gather information
• Ask for information about their company then
  read it!! It will be helpful for your follow-up
  and interview.
• Dress the part
• Go to the job fair dressed for work. It will
  help the recruiter envision you in a working
  role.
• Follow-up
• Get a phone number from each Recruiter you meet.
  Call them within one week of the event to
  follow-up.

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Top Job Sites

• www.workopolis.com
• www.hotjobs.ca
• www.monster.ca
• www.canjobs.com
• www.careerclick.com(for tech positions)
• www.charityvillage.ca
• www.manpower.ca
• www.manpowerprofessional.ca
• Industry association sites

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Newspapers - Career Pages

• Toronto Star - Tues/Thurs/Sat
• Great for office / customer service / management
  level jobs
• Toronto Sun - Wed/Sun
• Great for industrial/manufacturing/skilled trades
  jobs
• Globe and Mail -
• Executive Positions
• Hospital/Social Services
• NOW Magazine
• Non-profit organizations

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Staffing Services, I.e. Manpower

• Way to make job contacts
• Temporary work focuses more on skills than fit
  it can be a great way to get into a company, and
  show them what you can do!
• Can lead to permanent work
• Approximately 35 of Manpower temporaries are
  hired by the companies Manpower sends them to.
• Gets you into the companies you want to work for
• Manpower hires for 94 of Fortune 500 companies
  in North America
• Great opportunity to explore the job market,
  without damaging your resume
• You get to try companies before making a
  permanent commitment to them.
• Skill Assessments can level the playing field
• validated assessments show what you can do
  minimizing the Canadian Experience issue.

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Advantages of Working of Manpower

• Foot-in-the-door
• Free skills assessment
• Free training - Global Learning Centre
• Great clients - 94 of Fortune 500!
• Benefits
• Flexible Hours
• Annual Win-A-Prize Campaigns
• Referral Bonuses
• No Fees!