Career Professionals of Canada News Feed
By Adrienne Tom. Every year articles circulate on the topic of “the year’s most overused buzzwords,” cautioning us on the most widely used keywords in resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Yet not all buzzwords are bad. Think about it – most buzzwords are born from employers’ requirements and job postings. If a company is seeking someone who is “effective, driven, or innovative” and you avoid these words in your career communications, it can be risky. Despite the urge to market yourself uniquely, you have to remember that the majority of major organizations…
As a supporter of using social media, I absolutely believe in the benefits of building one’s profile by becoming a respected Subject Matter Expert. You can do this through a “back to basics” strategy: good old organic viral word-of-mouth marketing. Self-employed professionals often use this strategy to attract the perfect client that fits their unique methodology and style. The same approach can be used by job seekers to attract the ideal employer. Here are some tips to start your viral word-of-mouth networking. Start your core network Assemble your “posse”: a…
By Sharon Graham. Now that I’ve finally recuperated from my Cannexus15 adventure, I would like to tell you about it. As a self-employed professional, I have limited funds to spend, but this conference is well worth the investment. Anyone who is self-employed knows that it’s difficult to take time away from work and home life, but for the last three years, I’ve made it a point to treat myself to this event. For me, the Cannexus conference is about making new connections, reconnecting with old friends, and getting caught up…
By Adrienne Tom. So you joined LinkedIn and started a profile – perfect – but then you went ahead and left your profile picture blank. Was this strategic or did you just not want to share it? Some people fear that adding a photo will cause scrutiny or discrimination that detracts from their content – which could happen – but in all honesty, by not including a photo this same judgement is being cast. LinkedIn profiles were designed to include a photo; not including one is going against the norm.…
By Adrienne Tom. There has been a lot of focus and discussion these past few months on Canadian employment issues, including the skills shortage / skills gap, new graduate job stress, and the temporary foreign workers program. Suffice it to say, there are plenty of hurdles for job seekers in our country and each challenge influences job search patterns. A report by Workopolis called ‘Time’ To Work has analyzed employment histories and employer resume-review patterns to compile a “chronology of Canadian career moves”. Some of the most noteworthy facts include: Job hopping…
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.” –Mark Twain Welcome to our new PROFESSIONAL Members: Cheryl Lannin Cindy Harvey Conny Lee Elaine Logie Irena Valenta Pauline Thomas Wendy Blair Thank you to our renewing PROFESSIONAL Members: Ioana Popescu Pat Shepherd Skye Berry-Burke Tara Orchard Vera Tachtaul Congratulations to our newly CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL Members: Anoma…