Young businesspeople are working in the meeting room.

Thinking of a career move? Here are ten jobs that pays $30.00+ per hour

A recent coaching client of mine, wanted a job that paid no less than  $25 per hour but had no idea what she wanted More »

Two Business Man shaking hands

How to Handle Illegal Interview Questions

Canadian employment law restrict some of the questions that a potential employer can ask you during an interview. As a Certified Employment Interview Coach, I make it my business to alert my More »

Young businesspeople are working in the meeting room.

How to Silence Negative Employees

So its a new year, and you have those really negative staff members you dont know what to with? To turn a failing company into a breakout success, you’ll need to inspire positive, More »

executives

Is Freedom 55 for Canadian Baby Boomers Now A Pipedream?

Freedom 55? This notion may be an old dream for many older working Canadians as new data from Stats Canada shows that workers today who are in their More »

socialmediaimages (2)

Social media impact on recruitment

Back in 2007 I wrote a very popular article that has since been republished by diverse magazines, blogs, newspapers etc on how social media could negatively impact your job search. At the time More »

What does success mean to you?

February 04, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

I know many people grapple with that questions, what is success really, how do you know if you are truly successful? Here courtesy of Geoffrey James at Inc.com, are 10 questions to ask yourself.

1. Have I made certain that those I love feel loved?

2. Have I done something today that improved the world?

3. Have I conditioned my body to be more strong flexible and resilient?

4. Have I reviewed and honed my plans for the future?

5. Have I acted in private with the same integrity I exhibit in public?

6. Have I avoided unkind words and deeds?

7. Have I accomplished something worthwhile?

8. Have I helped someone less fortunate?

9. Have I collected some wonderful memories?

10. Have I felt grateful for the incredible gift of being alive?

Here’s the thing.  The questions you ask yourself on a daily basis determine your focus, and your focus determines your results.

These questions force you to focus on what’s really important. Take heed of them and rest of your life—especially your work—will quickly fall into place.

Read More

Canadian Unemployment Increased Slightly to 7.5% in December 2011

February 02, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

Newly released data from Statistics Canada shows that the Canadian unemployment rate increased slightly to 7.5% in December as more individuals joined the labour market. There was an increase of 43,000 part-time jobs and 26,000 fewer full-time jobs.

The growth was seen primarily in the province of British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island while Quebec showed losses. The seasonally adjusted, unemployment rates vary from 12.8% (Newfoundland and Labrador) to 4.9% (Alberta).

Unemployment rates for all the provinces were (prior months are in parenthesis):

 

  • Newfoundland and Labrador 12.8% (13.2%)
  • Prince Edward Island 11.4% (11.1%)
  • Nova Scotia 7.8% (8.6%)
  • New Brunswick 9.4% (9.8%)
  • Quebec 8.7% (8.0%)
  • Ontario 7.7% (7.9%)
  • Manitoba 5.4% (5.5%)
  • Saskatchewan 5.2% (5.1%)
  • Alberta 4.9% (5.0%)
  • British Columbia 7.0% (7.0%)
Read More

Career Savvy Tip Of The Day

February 01, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

Expect Some Rejection Before You Get Hired Expecting rejection may appear self-defeating, but nobody can land a job on the first try every time! Learn to accept from the beginning that you will encounter rejection and that it should not be taken too seriously.

Did You Know?

In a survey conducted by USA Today, a third of the respondents admitted that they sometimes took sick days at work when they were not ill but merely “sick of working” or wanted to do something else. How do you think most of these people see their work in relation to their long-term goals? How much would their behaviour change if they found more daily opportunities for making progress towards their goals

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Common Errors to Avoid in Preparing Your Resume

January 31, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

Research has shown that many job seekers are unaware or potentially do not understand what information should not be included in their resumes. The information that should not be included on a resume includes:

  • Using “I”, “me” or “my” statements use the third person instead and eliminate the pronoun to make your sentences more active. To illustrate instead of “I reduced cost by 20%”, write “Reduced cost by 20%”
  • Employing the words “responsible for” and “duties included” – do not use
  • Personal information such as age, health, ethnicity, marriage and family status. These items could potentially be used to discriminate against you and should not be included. For legal reasons, some employers go so far as to dismiss your resume if it has this information, as they could someday be accused of a hiring bias
  • Photographs – these should only be included only if you are a model or actor
  • Explanations for leaving your prior employers or employment gaps in your work history
  • Additional information that is not requested by employer. These includes information such as letters of recommendation, certificates or portfolios / samples of your work
  • Salary history or expected salary – never include these details unless requested
  • The inclusion of professional references
Read More

Finding Jobs in a Slow Market

January 30, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

The economy isn’t the best that it’s ever been, but it’s also not the worst. And while the job prospects make look bleak, there are ways to turn any layoff or job loss into a career change for the better.  The first principle of finding a job is to advertise your qualifications and experience. Let employers know who you are and what you can do for them. In other words, send your resume to everyone that might need someone with your profile. There is no harm in sending your resume to even those employers who are not actively looking for people. Read More 

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Video: Resume Solutions Award Winning Resumes

January 29, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

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Thinking of a career move? Here are ten jobs that pays $30.00+ per hour

January 27, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments
Young businesspeople are working in the meeting room.

A recent coaching client of mine, wanted a job that paid no less than  $25 per hour but had no idea what she wanted to do, where to do it and what skills she wants to use. This got me thinking. What are some of the jobs that pay $25 per hour and more…here is my list:

Database Administrator
Mean Hourly Wage: $33.78
Mean Salary: $65,871
Growth Rate: 37% through 2016
Database administrators manage database systems that help companies store, process, and access data effectively. Candidates need a college diploma or bachelors degree in information technology.

Registered Nurse
Mean Hourly Wage: $30.04
Mean Salary: $58,578
Growth Rate:  23% through 2016
Nursing is projected to generate more new jobs than any other profession. To leverage this new opportunity, candidates need a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) or a diploma in nursing.

Technical Writer
Median Hourly Wage: $30.18
Mean Salary: $58,851
Technical writers interpret engineering and scientific information for a non-scientific audience, producing product documentation, user manuals, project proposals, and scientific reports.
 
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Want to create a top-notch technical resume? Read this…

January 27, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

When writing a technical resume it is easy to lose sight of the overarching strategy that encompasses not only the client’s technical competencies, but also their leadership, initiative, creativity and personality attributes – the human aptitudes that will distinguish my client’s resume from the stack of other applications on an HR manager’s desk. Learning to navigate that fine line, between positioning an IT professional as an acutely technical candidate, yet one with the collaborative, energetic and sociable personality that would appeal to diverse stakeholders, team-members and clients, I feel is a true accomplishment. Over the years, I have developed a passion for writing technical resumes, as well as several winning techniques to ensure that these career documents effectively demonstrate a 360° perspective of the breadth and depth of my client’s skill. read more 

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Google’s Schmidt: Android’s not fragmented, it’s ‘differentiated’

January 11, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

Google continues its “moat strategy” with great success via CEO.COM

Schmidt started with a canned answer about how he defines ecosystem — “scalable network platforms that deliver the best customer value” — but he warmed up when the talk turned to Google’s Android operating system.

“We even have Android in refrigerators now,” Schmidt said. “By open-source we mean, ‘take it and have fun.’ And people have.”

The panel moderator, CNET’s Molly Wood, pointed out the pitfall of that strategy: hundreds of devices are running dozens of various versions of Android. But as soon as she said the word “fragmentation,” Schmidt cut her off.

“You have to be careful with that word, fragmentation,”

Read More

How to Handle Illegal Interview Questions

January 11, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments
Two Business Man shaking hands

Canadian employment law restrict some of the questions that a potential employer can ask you during an interview. As a Certified Employment Interview Coach, I make it my business to alert my clients that during an interview read more

Read More

So what are the hardest jobs to fill in 2012?

January 06, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

If you are like me, you probably try to keep an eye on the labour market, what is the hot jobs, where are they and how much do they pay? Inc. has put together a list of the most challenging roles to fill in 2012, so if you are an expert in these 5 areas, you may be in luck. If you are interested in transition into any of these areas, this may be the time to put your toes in the water.

Hiring the best of the best is an absolute must if you are going to build a successful company.  You will need to be prepared to compete against big companies with deep pockets and other up-and-coming startups that also have blue chip investors and a game-changing idea.

So, what are the most competitive areas for talent these days?  Here’s a look:

Software Engineers and Web Developers

The demand for top-tier engineering talent sharply outweighs the supply in almost every market especially in San Francisco, New York, and Boston.  This is a major, major pain point and problem that almost every company is facing, regardless of the technology “stack” their engineers are working on.

Creative Design and User Experience

After engineers, the biggest challenge for companies is finding high-quality creative design and user-experience talent.  Since almost every company is trying to create a highly compelling user experience that keeps people engaged with their product, it is tough to find people who have this type of experience (especially with mobile devices including tablets) and a demonstrated track record of success.

 

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The Scary Thing That Most Employees Do When They Leave A Company

January 05, 2012   Surranna Sandy   No comments

Most of us believe that when some employees leave their organization’s to competitors or to start their own ventures, many of them take ideas or best practices from their recent employers with them. What is most shocking is the staggering % of people who admit to outright stealing from their past employers. According to businessbrief.com

 Nearly three in four (72%) of people confess to taking sensitive and confidential corporate info from previous employers. (And who’s to say the other 28% just aren’t willing to admit it?).

Even worse: They say they’ll do it again.

Nearly the same percentage of folks admit they’d have a “clear plan” for taking data if they left their current employer [translation: your organization].

Those eye-opening revelations come out of a recent survey by London company Imperva.

So what’s the best way to hold your own in this seemingly losing battle? You can turn two of the biggest findings from the survey to your company’s advantage:

Read More

Taking Charge Of Your Personal Brand

January 05, 2012   Resume Solutions   No comments

Personal branding continues to be on the forefront of career management and will continue to be so in 2012. I was thinking of New Gingrich the other day – the US Republican Presidential candidate who neglected to purchase his own domain name resulting in his brand being co-opted by the democrats. They redirect his site to various websites and articles that serves only to diminish his brand and diverse from his message. One of the key thing in building your personal brand, is controlling the messaging around your name and associated with your activities.

Google, Twitter, and Facebook have all seen enormous growth in personal branding related discussion, searches, and information. 2012 should bring more of the same. In fact, it is estimated that 70% of all new jobs are filled through networking with existing people in your social circle. To me, that signifies that there is no better time than the present to increase your social circle, network, and form meaningful relationships. But… how is that done exactly? Here are a few things you can work on in 2012 to increase your brand, your presence, and ultimately, your bottom line.

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Top 5 Most Common Networking Mistakes

January 03, 2012   Resume Solutions   No comments

Most job seekers know that networking is the key to accessing the hidden job market, but few people do it properly. Here are some tips from Inc.

Still trying to tap your network for favors before you’ve offered anything yourself? Big mistake.

Everyone tries to network, but few people do it well, often making the same basic mistakes.

Here’s what not to do when you’re trying to expand or leverage your network:

1. Try to take before you give. The goal of networking is to connect with people who can help you make a sale, get a referral, establish a contact, etc. When we network, we wantsomething.

But at first, never ask for what you want. In fact you may never ask for what you want. Forget about what you can get and focus on what you can provide. Giving is the only way to establish a real connection and relationship. Focus solely on what you can get out of the connection and you will never make meaningful, mutually beneficial connections.

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How to Silence Negative Employees

January 02, 2012   Resume Solutions   No comments
Young businesspeople are working in the meeting room.

So its a new year, and you have those really negative staff members you dont know what to with?

To turn a failing company into a breakout success, you’ll need to inspire positive, creative thinking from your team.

Read More

Women are still struggling globally to gain parity with men in the workplace

November 28, 2011   Resume Solutions   No comments

Though women have made signicant progress in workplace over the last half century, there is still a very long road to travel. According to The Economist

SINCE 1970 the proportion of women in the workforce across the rich world has increased from 48% to 64%, a sharp rise but one which nevertheless leaves women in rich countries underemployed compared with women in China. There are large variations from country to country, but the broad trend in most places is still slightly upwards. Yet while women have made big strides in all kinds of careers they find it harder than men to bag the most senior jobs. Just 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. And despite sheaves of equal-pay legislation, women still get paid less than men for comparable work. This week’s special report explores the reasons why progress seems to have stalled and what can be done about it.

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Tips on how to get a pay raise

November 22, 2011   Resume Solutions   No comments

Resume Solutions President Surranna Sandy was recently interviewed in the Globe and Mail for an article on negotiating a salary increase

The first thing you want to dispel is the notion that anyone is entitled to a raise simply for doing his or her job. “I tell my clients, ‘Don’t be [just] competent’,” says Surranna Sandy, president of Resume Solutions in Toronto. Ms. Sandy says it’s important to emphasize what you have added to the company: Have you brought in a big client, introduced an effective cost-cutting measure, increased readership?

 

and

Even if you are a huge asset to you company there is still a chance that you won’t get a raise, in which case remember that the ball is still in play. “If there is no money, you can ask about other forms of compensation like paid vacation time, one day a week working from home, or maybe your company will consider paying for training that will make you more suitable for promotion,” Ms. Sandy says. Post-rejection, it is also important to remain professional and positive. Say something along the lines of, “Thank you for considering my request. I appreciate that you can’t give me a raise right now. What can I do so that you would be willing to reconsider in three months?” This will let your boss know that you mean business, and establish a time frame. Follow up immediately with an e-mail.

 

more 

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6 Personal Traits Will Accelerate Your Influence at Work

November 22, 2011   Resume Solutions   No comments

Today’s employee wants to engage in a more meaningful and purposeful way.  They want to throw titles and corporate speak out the door.  They want a more genuine environment where people can share their concerns about the business, their personal struggles and ways to collectively solve problems.   Workplace silos, the politics of leadership and the fight for recognition make it difficult for these employees to be productive.

We all experience similar challenges in the workplace, just in different forms. Everyone is hurting, but most are scared to share it because they believe this will disrupt any momentum they have.     The trick is to connect with your colleagues in ways that promote transparency and unity.  People must learn how to feel comfortable about sharing more about themselves; their personal selves.  More

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The Rise Of The Female CEO And The Folly Of Men Who Just Don’t Get It

November 21, 2011   Resume Solutions   No comments

This is an interesting article on the perception of women corporate world.

The next point is that men are incapable of taking women seriously in the office and are only focused on women’s appearance. I find this to be an insult to the many serious, professional men I have worked with over the last 23 years. Not that I am naïve to human nature and a bit of normal banter (and by the way women occasionally notice men’s hot or not-so-hot appearance) but I do believe we’ve been mostly past this for years. And to the extent it is present, we should treat this behavior as an unacceptable aberration not to be accepted.

The corollary to this point, which the author makes later, is that “men can also get away with more stupidity.”  Note to any men reading this…NOT. Check in with several recently former Fortune 500 CEOs to verify. More

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How your gender affects your networking skills

November 20, 2011   Resume Solutions   No comments

Interesting article that explores the different ways men and women network and the strategies that both genders could use to make right impression – both offline and online – and get the connection.

“Men tended to be very transactional in their networking and women tend to be a bit more relational,” he told me. “Women said it’s better to focus on the relationship. But when it came to the question whether it’s better to focus on business and build the relationship later, men really felt is was better to focus on the business first.” Women show more interest in their person they’re speaking to than in closing a deal, and this approach works: more women than men said that networking had helped their business. More

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