News You Can Use - Personal networks and the economic adjustment of immigrants by Derrick Thomas

In searching for explanations as to why recent immigrants are having more difficulty adjusting to the Canadian economy than did their predecessors, researchers have looked at aspects of human capital such as language ability, literacy, education and work experience. A factor that has not often been considered is the social capital of immigrants—that is, the personal networks that they are able to mobilize in their economic interests. Read more. 

Personal Branding Secrets Revealed by David Perry

Audio CD: “Personal Branding Secrets Revealed“

From David Perry - Co-author, Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0

Co-Creator, “The Guerrilla Job Search System”
- the content was designed to help job hunters but you'll benefit from the marketing concepts if you're looking for new clients, or just want to change areas of your life you're not a 100% happy with.  Here's the link to the download: http://www.gm4jh.com/free/gift-personal-branding-secrets-revealed-audio-cd/  

"Don't network. Focus on building..."

I'd like to share with you one of the messages that Alan Kearns shared in his "The Monday Morning Motivator" email. 

__________________________________________________________________ The Monday Morning Motivator | CareerJoy  Canada's Career & Leadership Coaching Company Dec 04, 2011  __________________________________________________________________

Good Monday morning, It is that time of the year, my first clue was something I saw on LinkedIn "Office Party Harassment? - Affordable 3rd party investigator available, discretion assured. Call now!" There are some unfortunate issues that can occur, when you bring together alcohol and a offsite party atmosphere. In December, companies take time to acknowledge & reward the good work of their employees, fortunately, most people handle themselves professionally at their holiday parties. There are some terrific door prizes as well at the most holiday parties. (Don't forget about our CareerJoy contest, $2600 of coaching programs. "Like" our Facebook page, to enter your name into the draw.) I was speaking with a client, we were discussing how to maximize this time of year to establish new opportunites for 2012. He was going to a number of holiday parties. It is a terrific time for him to reconnect with old colleagues & to establish new connections & raise his profile. The answer was quite simple.  WWBD? What Would Billionaires Do? Barbara Walters interviewed 4 billionaires  to determine the successful habits they have. What do they do this time of the year? How do billionaires view networking? "Don't network. Focus on building real relationships and friendships where the relationship itself is its own reward, instead of trying to get something out of the relationship to benefit your business or yourself." Barbara shared common sense wisdom. Whatever your financial status, people want to genuinely connect with others. Most people are uncomfortable with the idea of networking, as often, when they have been on the receiving end, it felt fake & full of false expectations. One of the best examples of someone that practices WWBD? is John Stanton. founder of The Running Room. You can listen to my podcast with him here. Or download on iTunes. This holiday season as you meet with others, focus on the WWBD? Be yourself, & be genuinely interested in the ideas your friends are exploring & what their hopes & goals are for 2012. That itself will be a good outcome. Trust this, good things will happen if you genuinely connect with people this holiday season. You can take that to the bank. CareerClass | Free Webinar- Get the Right Career Right Now! Invest 1 hour of your time to help identify the right work situation. Join me Thursday Dec 8, 12-1 P.M. ET. This complimentary 1-hour workshop is based on my book, The Canadian Job Search Kit. Take control of your career, all from the comfort & convenience of your own desk. Limited to 50 participants. Click to register. Looking for help with your personal brand? Who's your career coach? Need help with a professional resume, job search, and interview preparation? Invest in yourself & get the edge in this competitive job market. Take a small step and book an initial coaching session with me. Building real relationships, along the road with you! Alan  P.S. Looking to find the right career? Join our 1-1 Career Identity Program. Our certified coaching team, can provide the tools, coaching & practical experience to help you identify & land in the right career. P.P.S. Do you have CareerJoy?  Don't forget to "like" our Facebook page to enter our contest for a prize package of $2,600 worth of coaching services.     As well, if you didn't have chance yet to read this post The Ninth Quality: They are Natural Networkers, please do it now! Network and build relationships to your success!! "You will be the same person in five years from now as you are today, except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read." ~ Charlie "Tremendous" Jones.

News You Can Use - IEP Conference, Feb 10, 2012

A Unique Forum For Internationally Educated Professionals

Now in its 9th successful year, the IEP Conference is regarded as one of the most innovative and respectful events for Internationally Educated Professional newcomers seeking practical, effective career advice.

The next conference will be held on February 10th, 2012 at Lower Level of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Free online registration for this IEP Conference is now open.

 Visit http://www.iep.ca/ for details.

Nominations are now open for Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2012

It's that time of year again! Canadian Immigrant Magazine, in association with RBC Royal Bank, is proud to announce the nominations for the 2012 Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Awards. Please visit our website today to nominate an immigrant you know who has motivated or inspired other people. It only takes a few minutes of your time. This national people's choice award is unique in that it allows Canadians to nominate and vote directly for individuals from all walks of life who have made a difference since their arrival in Canada. Over 400 individuals were nominated from across Canada in the 2011 awards program. So, we want to hear from you today! We believe that new Canadians are making a difference in their newly adopted country and it is important that they are recognized. Questions about the program? Please click here for FAQ's and for nominee criteria. Can't find the information you're looking for in our FAQ? Email Madelaine Gileadi at mgileadi@starmediagroup.ca for answers to all your questions regarding this program. Interested in seeing who the Top 25 of 2011 are? Click here to see last year's winners.

Gala Dinner AREC 2011 was a great success

Association of Romanian Engineers in Canada

is thanking all the members, participants and all the sponsors for their support for a successful Gala Dinner 2011

For images and testimonials visit Photo gallery AREC - Gala Dinner 2011

TheStar Strong GDP gains put to rest fears of recession

TheStar Strong GDP gains put to rest fears of recession

Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters

"Time isn't money. Time is everything." - Dr. Bernie Siegel


Want to find a job faster?

You can, if you use your time better.

You and I  each get 24 hours in a day.

How you use this precious resource largely determines your success in finding a job ... and anything else you do.

If you're unhappy with how you manage your time, why not try a different approach and manage your energy instead?

Let me explain ...

While we all get an equal amount of hours in a day, not all hours have equal value.

Some of us are morning people and perform at our peak before noon. Others are afternoon or evening people, and have more energy at those times of day.

Why not take advantage of your natural tendencies and schedule your important tasks for when you'll have the most energy?

This is like riding a horse in the direction it wants to go.

If you don't know when your hours of peak performance are, find out. Carry a small notebook or voice recorder (a smart phone has both) and record those times when you feel energized, as well as times when you feel sluggish.

Then, schedule next week's job search activities during your peak-performance times.

You will likely find that when you manage your energy effectively, the hours will take care of themselves -- you'll get more done and find work faster as a result.


Sincerely,

Kevin Donlin
Guerrilla Job Search International
http://www.gm4jh.com/
http://www.gjobsearch.com/

Learn Tony's methodology for defining success for yourself

I am a big fan of Tony Robbins. His programs "Personal Power", "Get the Edge", and his books "Unlimited Power" and "Awaken The Giant Within" are always close to my heart. I've learned so much about myself and I will recommend to anyone who wants to achieve his dreams and be happy.

In this film, Tony is sharing a step-by-step process for:

• clarifying your values
• prioritizing what matter most
• making sure that your actions are driven by a greater purpose.

Do the exercises and enjoy! Be happy!

http://robbinsmadanescoachtraining.com/?p=1089

"We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish." - Anthony Robbins

Career Guide for Newcomers

The second edition of No Canadian Experience, Eh? A Career Success Guide for New Immigrants is now available. Career Coach and Author, Daisy Wright, whose work has been published in several career books, first published the book in 2007. At the time, it was the first-of-its-kind career guide that addressed the job search plight of internationally educated professionals and new immigrants. One publisher remarked that he was “pleasantly surprised to see so much valuable information for a segment of the population that was largely ignored in regards to the job search.”

While the book addresses job search basics such as résumé and cover letter design, and how to prepare and master the interview, how to build professional networks, access the hidden job market, and engage in small talk, Wright invited 16 top career experts, (13 from Canada and 3 from the United States) to contribute their individual expertise to enhance the value of this edition. New topic areas include personal branding, social media, on-boarding, green careers, leadership, practice firms, stress management, career assessments, self-employment as a career option, consulting and time management.

For more details check http://www.nceinstitute.com/category/news-views

News You Can Use - Self Marketing Tools for Professionals event

The Canadian Colombian Professional Association would like to invite all Internationally Trained Professionals to it's next workshop and networking event "Self Marketing Tools for Professsionals".

Self Marketing is a skill that can be developed.It requires learning the tools that are available in the market and utilizing the to your benefit using a style that works for you.The key element is to be confident and to "believe" in what you are "selling" or negotiating.

Guest speaker: Dolores Montavez Rus - Trainer, Coach and Career Advisor

See more details here: Self Marketing Tools for Professionals ccpassociation.com

Do you have a career sponsor?

Do you know the difference between a career sponsor and a career mentor? Do you want to advance in your career? You are the project manager of your career, and the below articles will give you the tips on how to find a sponsor and how he/she will help you accelerate your professional growth and advancement.

Read more here.

Learn more about how to empower your Project Management career - click here.

Check also this Free Management Library

To your success!

News You Can Use - Citizenship Study Guide

Discover Canada was updated on March 14, 2011. The citizenship test is based on the information in Discover Canada, but you do not need the updated version to prepare for the citizenship test. The test does not contain questions on the new material. To prepare for the citizenship test, you can study any copy of Discover Canada issued by the Government of Canada since November 12, 2009.


Study Guide - Discover Canada The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship


Free Online Canadian Citizenship Practice Test (Discover Canada)

Discover Canada: Sample study questions


2011 Canadian Citizenship Test Passing Guide

How do you value your time?

Lately, I feel that I am operating in a perpetual fire-fighting mode because I devote more time to putting out fires than preventing them. Unfortunately, I can't control what I can't control, and I try to calm down myself and get the things I can control, done. Anyway, I remembered this story I like and I thought I'll share with you here. Even if you know it, maybe you can get another meaning to its interpretation. Then, ask yourself "What is the best use of my time right now?"

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. 

What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course! Each of us has such a bank. It's name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.

It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you.

Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow”.

You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!

The clock is running.

Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a pre-mature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

And remember that time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is mystery.

Today is a gift.

That’s why it’s called the present!!

Author unknown

Source: http://starteasy.com/ggalore/time/

"Transformation happens right now, not yesterday and not tomorrow - in this very present moment, which is all you really have." - Jillian Michaels

News You Can Use - Self-Study Guide for Skilled Immigrants

Finding Talent is a training video developed by TRIEC.  It uses a storytelling approach to present the business case for hiring skilled immigrants and to demonstrate techniques which will allow companies to leverage the talents of skilled immigrants.

The Finding Talent video and self-study guide will provide you with valuable information on 

finding a job.

You will benefit from this video most if you:
- watch the whole video from beginning to end first 
- replay segments that are most interesting to you 
- talk about the video with a friend or family member
- do at least some of the optional activities included in this guide
- consult the resources to further your learning 
- seek employment-support services as you need them 
- are open to seeing things from a different point of view



Use this self-study guide to learn about the topics covered in the video. It provides an 
overview of each video scene, identifies key learning objectives, and offers optional activities for 
you to reinforce your learning.

• self-study guide for skilled immigrants who are employed or looking for work

THEY'RE DIFFERENT - AND THE SAME

Being myself a parent of two "Millennial generation" sons, I can say that it is not easy to "manage" them. But, is FUN! Now, for those of you who are really managing these young employees, I think you will find the below article helpful on how to get the most out of working and training with them.

"Twenty-somethings are better educated, more diverse in their background, less religious, more accepting
of differences, more in need of nurturing yet more optimistic and more confident than those who are
older. They're more trusting of their elders than were the baby boomers, whose mantra was not to trust
anyone over 30.

But despite these differences they're also conventional: They believe that successful marriages, good parenting
and helping others are far more important than career and financial success. Researchers have
concluded they're more comfortable with their parents' values than any previous generation was and they
have fewer spats with their parents than those parents had with theirs. More than six in ten say families
have a responsibility to take in an elderly parent.

Computers aren't “technology” to these young people. They're a way of life. Work isn't work. It's an
extension of life. Are you listening, all you managers from previous generations and especially those in
global businesses? Half the world's population is under 30. Get in step with them or get left behind." - read more here.

Putting safety first with language training

The ABCs of safety

Clear and effective communication is critical for employees in safety-sensitive jobs, says Lesley MacDonald, Manager of Diversity and Top Employer Strategy at BC Hydro. With more and more skilled talent coming from outside Canada, BC Hydro offers occupation-specific language training for employees who have identified their language skills as a barrier to communicating effectively with team members.

To make language training as successful as possible, MacDonald has the following tips:

• Provide employees with opportunities to practise what they have learned in language classes to maintain and build their new skills.
• Integrate language and cross-cultural communication training into the organization’s larger strategic context.

Learn more about BC Hydro’s language and cross-cultural communication training programs in this Success Story.

www.hireimmigrants.ca 

Top 10 Ways to Get Canadian Experience

Came across this article through a LinkedIn group post, and even if it was posted in 2007, I find it full of good advice. Check it here. As well, Start Here, and don't forget... "If you keep trying, good things will come. You can do it and you will do it." 

Get the most out of your profile with some more useful LI features!

1. Share links on and watch them show up on LinkedIn Today

2. Search status updates with LinkedIn Signal

3. Keep your company's page up to date

4. Optimize your URL

5. Join groups related to your industry

6. Take advantage of Google search results

7. Make sure your profile is complete and up to date

8. Looking for a promotion? Search the next position you want and look at the skills you'll need

9. Looking to hire?

10. Need a resumé in a hurry?

 - Check this: How To Save An Hour By Building Your Resume With LinkedIn

11. How else can you manage your image?

New research shows skilled immigrants help companies grow globally and locally | CanadianBusiness.com

New research shows skilled immigrants help companies grow globally and locally | CanadianBusiness.com

7 Success Secrets for Canadian Immigrants

Nick Noorani, founding publisher of Canadian Immigrant magazine and bestselling author of Arrival Survival Canada, will be hosting a FREE SEMINAR.

Nick's message is one of positive thinking, embracing Canada as your new home, and creating opportunities through risk-taking and community participation.

His frank and humorous presentations draw on his immigrant journey and on success tories from the many newcomers he has met along the way.

Nick’s speeches have had a profound effect on his audience. Now it's your turn! Join Nick and learn the secrets to successful immigration in Canada.

Admission is free by pre-registration only. Seating is limited, so register today!

Fabricating our Future

Marie Laird, Chair, SME Toronto

There's a connection between the decline in manufacturing and the decline in the middle class. If we don't reverse the trend, we can look forward to careers in the service sector.

  

"Industry classification systems used by the government commonly divide industry into three sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, and services. The primary sector of industry is agriculture, mining and raw material extraction. The secondary sector of industry is manufacturing. The tertiary sector of industry is service production." (Wikipedia)

It's no secret that our country has progressed through the various stages of industry described above similar to most developed nations.  We started as farmers, fishermen, lumberjacks and miners - and progressed to the production of manufactured goods during the Industrial Revolution.

We have now moved into the tertiary sectors as evidenced by the fact that the service sector has grown to account for 71.3% GDP and 76% of the labour force (2009 stats). Higher commodity prices have helped revitalize certain primary industries, but manufacturing has continued to decline from a high of 29% of GDP in 1944 to only 13% of GDP and 13% of the labour force in 2010.

What do these statistics mean? Has our standard of living continually increased - in line with our progression through each of these stages?

When did Canada have the greatest sense of prosperity? When did people in Canada and people coming to Canada, on average, have the most positive outlook for themselves and their children? 

The answer is, "Not now." 

I'm not suggesting that life in Canada hasn't improved in many ways since we were primarily hewers of wood and drawers of water, or even when we were heavily focused on manufacturing.

However a high standard of living is more than just owning material goods once considered luxuries. The opportunity for all members of society to make a contribution, earn a good wage, and live a healthy life in a clean and safe environment plays a much larger role than often credited. A critical indicator of a high standard of living is a shared sense of hope for a better future.

For some people the good times continue. Unfortunately for increasing numbers, such as those formerly employed in manufacturing, the future is quite bleak and the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen as opportunities for the middle class disappear.

Our collective hope for a better future is in decline and we no longer have confidence that life, in general, will continue to improve.

I looked at some average weekly wages by industry for 2010. Mining and oil and gas extraction had the highest average -$1700 per week (no surprise with commodity prices soaring). Forestry averaged $950 and manufacturing $960.

In the service sector, public administration (government jobs) averaged $1094 per week and finance and insurance industries came in at $1049.   However, there were other service sector positions which were much lower. Those in accommodation and food services, for example, earned an average of $354 per week and those in retail earned an average of $500 per week.

I couldn't find the answer, but I'd like to know the average wage in the service sector. I would bet that as we move more and more toward a service sector economy that our average wage as a nation will decrease...and that we will be more harshly divided between the upper class and the lower class with little in between.

Historically manufacturing played a strong role in the development and maintenance of the middle class. As manufacturing has declined, so too has the middle class.  Jobs in oil and gas, finance, insurance have not filled the gap. That's not to say those industries and jobs don't have a place...it's just a question of balance.

The service sector cannot revive the middle class.

So why are we still letting manufacturing decline? 

All the best!

Marie Laird
Chair
Society of Manufacturing Engineers Toronto
e: marie.laird@smetoronto.ca
w: http://www.smetoronto.ca
Advancing Manufacturing in Ontario