Would you like to know that the work you do daily has a positive impact on the lives of Canadians? For the first time, Calgary Public Library is welcoming staff from the Public Service sector to take part in our Career Conversations event on April 20^th as part of our Accelerate Your Career event, where they will answer questions about working for both the federal and provincial government. Representatives will discuss the wide variety of jobs available, so we asked them a few questions to get the conversation started:

Jackie, the Government of Alberta features several of the benefits of working for the federal government, but we’re wondering what you see as the top “selling features?”

To start, there are such a wide variety of jobs available. So although it’s one employer, there are many opportunities. For example, someone like me moved from a front line position, then pursued further education and switched to a support position in Human Resources , and then progressed into a management role. Employees also have the ability to make a huge difference to clients through the services they provide. We also know the importance of the work we do and are in it for the long term. Lastly, we get to work in a fast paced environment with the support of having good benefits and job security.

Are there any occupations or fields that are experiencing high demand?

Currently, we have a need for Social Workers in the Child Protection areas, Occupational Health and Safety Officers, and careers in our policy areas.

Jackie, what are some of the common questions that are asked by job seekers at career events, and what advice can you offer?

Questions are usually about the hiring process, specific jobs availability, training opportunities, and locations where new hires could work. As for advice, I would recommend that individuals interested in public sector careers should:

• Look at all levels of government (e.g. www.govjobs.ca)
• Given that opportunities are vast and varied, explore areas that you are passionate about. For example, environment, education, health care
• Explore what type of work you are interested in, such as policy, direct-service delivery (aka front line), technical, etc.

Does the Public Service ever use social media to scout for talent or recruit?

Governments are looking at innovative ways (e.g. Web 2.0) to recruit individuals to the public service including:

• Facebook
• Twitter (e.g. @jobs_gc)
• Second Life (Public Service Commission did a trial run and provided information booths and interacted with potential candidates)
• LinkedIn (frequent posts from various government agencies are often posted on LinkedIn)

Get Noticed! Get Hired—Searching For Work Online

The Calgary Public Library has partnered with Alberta Human Services to host Get Noticed! Get Hired—Searching For Work Online, a program featuring a panel discussion of employers, including the City of Calgary, Telus and Devon Energy, will focus on helping job seekers understand the electronic recruitment process and how they can harness the power of social media to help them in their job search. We asked Alberta Human Services a few questions about what will be covered in the program:

What was the impetus for this particular panel program? Are you finding that job seekers are not as up to speed with online job search techniques as they should be?

The Alberta Human Services Business and Industry Team have been discussing the new wave of popularity for recruiters to use social media for active recruitment. We have been getting feedback from both employers and job seekers that these practices may be creating barriers to success in the job search.

TELUS presented a unique opportunity when it offered to do an information session to job seekers on successfully navigating their recruitment site. The Business and Industry Team decided to take a few steps further and develop the panel discussion.

The intent is to give job seekers and career counselors inside information on how to successfully navigate corporate recruitment sites and to increase the effectiveness jobseekers social media profiles.

Are employers using social media and an electronic application process more often? What practical advice would you have for job seekers if so?

A large number of employers/organizations are using electronic application processes and emails for job seekers to apply for openings in their companies. In addition, recruiters are now actively seeking candidate matches for positions through social media sites.

The best advice we would give job seekers is to manage their social media pages and make sure that the content is something they would publish in a newspaper headline.

What is your best tip for job seekers looking to create a robust social media profile?

The one tip the team gives out is to make sure your online social profile describes the type of employee a company would want to hire.

Who will be on the panel? Will the participants have the opportunity to drop off resumes or ask specific questions after the program?

The panel members are Recruitment specialists and HR Managers. As the topic of the discussion is utilizing social media, we expect that job seekers will apply online for opportunities...so no resumes please. The Panel Presentation will have a question and answer segment and we encourage the people attending to ask questions.

We hope you can join us at the Central Library on the morning of Monday, January 28 for Get Noticed! Get Hired—Searching For Work Online.
Contact us at 403-260-2782 or centralinformationservice @ calgarypubliclibrary.com for more information.

On Friday, January 18th at 11:45, the Central Library is pleased to host Where the Jobs Are, in conjunction with the Career Development Association of Alberta. Join Dan Kostka, contributor to Choices Explorer, as he highlights jobs experiencing growth and demand, and discusses some common features of those who've discovered and embraced a good career fit. We chatted with Dan to discuss his perspective:

Dan, you have profiled hundreds of careers for Bridges.com, the company that provides the Calgary Public Library and high schools with the popular career database, Choices Explorer. This company has always excelled at highlighting new and emerging occupations within Canada. What, in your opinion, are some of the careers currently experiencing the biggest demand?

Two broad areas that come immediately to mind are health care and technology. When it comes to health care, it's not just doctors and nurses that are in demand. There are many other positions that require less education, such as personal care aides and medical imaging technicians. These careers are also experiencing large shortages but don't receive as much attention. Many young people aren't even aware that these positions exist, and some require a certificate that can take less than a year to complete.

When I say technology, this applies to the health care field, of course, but also to any career that requires a solid grounding in the sciences. Every time I profile a technology-related career, the people I interview emphasize that in North America we're simply not producing enough graduates in the STEM fields—science, technology, engineering and math. It's simply amazing the number of doors that are open to someone with a solid grounding in the sciences. As with the health care field, technology careers don't necessarily require many years of training. For example, machinists are in great demand and in less than one year a person can get the necessary qualifications for many such positions.

What are some of the key economic and social indicators fueling this growth?

A big factor behind demand in many industries is the aging population. This affects an industry such as the health care field in two ways. First, the number of clients/patients is greatly expanding. Secondly, the practitioners themselves are aging and not enough young practitioners are entering the field to replace them all. This is also true for technology-related careers such as engineering. I recently interviewed a petroleum engineer who said it's common to refer to "The Great Crew Change" in regard to the number of senior workers in that industry who will soon be retiring.

Recent statistics point to the fact that Canadians now have an average of 8 careers in their lifetime. Do you find that people are more willing to take risks and try something new?

I think people's expectations are evolving. Young people no longer expect to stay with the same company for their entire career, or to have just one career. People in mid-career are also more likely to make a change or to have another career on the side. For example, I recently interviewed an energy trader who had a home staging business on the side. The energy trading gave her a good income, while the home staging was an outlet for her creativity (and potentially something that could evolve into a full-time source of income). I think we all want stability in our lives, but how we view it (and how to obtain it) is evolving. In the past, stability meant loyalty to a large organization that would be loyal to us and reward us in return. Now, stability is achieved by keeping our skills current, by having a large personal network, and perhaps by having more than one source of income. Achieving stability in this way requires a more proactive approach to our careers but allows us adapt to the changing marketplace.

A focused, tight resume is still key in landing that dream job. We understand that you have interviewed Martin Yate, the well-heeled author of our very popular Knock 'Em Dead Resumes, one of your favourite books. What advice really stood out for you, given his 25 years in the business?

Yate is a great example of my favourite kind of person to interview—someone who truly loves what he does. His books describe how to go after the job you want by ensuring your resume does its job effectively. But what really struck me in talking with him is how passionate he is about career advising. He used to be in a job that didn't fulfill him at all. When he discovered career advising, he threw himself into it and has become very successful as a result. I think this is inspiring for anyone who hopes to get into a career that utilizes their talents and energizes them.

Dan Kostka, B.A., J.D., is a freelance journalist and lawyer. He has profiled hundreds of careers for Bridges.com, a career exploration site subscribed to by schools across North America.

As this is the season to mix and mingle, we are featuring our popular interview from last year with local management consultant Lisa Dare about networking strategies during the holidays. Here is some of what she had to say:

Lisa, we have heard that contrary to popular belief, Christmas holidays are actually a promising time to secure a new position. Do you agree?

That’s a great question and yes, it is a myth that holidays or quieter times of business aren't a good time to be looking for work. Consider that most job seekers mistakenly assume that activity slows down in companies and therefore decrease their search efforts. By virtue of that thinking, this creates less competition and easier entry into speaking with potential employers. At the moment, the job market is pretty hot as I spoke with several HR recruiters from the oil & gas industry last week who have not seen any decrease in their workload. Also, while people may not secure a position right away at this time, it’s still a good idea to have informational interviews and gather market information on various industries as people generally tend to be in a much more receptive frame of mind around the holidays.

Is it quantity over quality during big parties? Should the goal be to connect with as many people as possible?

I would always choose quality over quantity. There is a tendency towards thinking that the higher the number the better the odds. However, from a strategic point of view, it is important to consider the best use of time and resources. Are you better off handing out your business card to 50 people whom you may not remember, or speaking with 5 or 6 people with whom you made a strong connection and then continuing to build those relationships? People will also find that by investing time in cultivating those relationships, the numbers will come—that’s the power of networking combined with strong relationship building skills.

What about party etiquette when someone is networking? For example, is it wise to stay clear of the rum and eggnog?

It’s important to remember that in these types of events you are always “on.” Be aware of what type of image and impression you are conveying to the public. It is not to say that you shouldn’t be yourself but depending on the context of your situation, it might be wise not to over imbibe as you want to be able to put your best self forward and not an altered version of yourself. There are many an office party story that has resulted in unfortunate outcomes for both staff and managers alike—you want to steer clear of becoming one of those characters.

Do you have any other networking advice over the holiday season?

While it is important to continue your efforts over the holidays, don’t forget to take time out for yourself. Ensure that you have sufficient time to attend to yourself and those around you as well as continuing with your job search. Look for different opportunities and events that are connected to what you are looking for. In addition, volunteer opportunities, community events, spousal parties and events within your network may also hold possibilities so be open to all opportunities. Most importantly—stay positive. This is the season to reflect on what we are grateful for and look forward to greater possibilities.

Lisa Dare is a management consultant, leadership & executive coach, and facilitator. She is also the incoming president of the Calgary Association of Professional Coaches and a volunteer with the Central Library’s Strategic Networking program that runs every Thursday evening at the Central Library. She can be reached at ld_assoc@telus.net

Alberta Works is sponsoring three upcoming job fairs in Calgary. For more information, visit the Alberta Human Services Alberta Job & Career Fairs site.

Greyhound Canada is recruiting Coach Operators

Does this describe you?

• Committed to excellent customer service
• Grade 12 (or equivalent) education
• 5 years driving experience (Class 5 or higher) and a good driving record
• Able to pass a police background check
• Able to pass a pre-employment health screening

Learn more about the benefits of working for Greyhound Canada, including their comprehensive driver training program.

Tuesday, August 14 at 10:00 a.m.
Radisson Alberta Works Centre
525 28 Street S.E.
Registration and information at http://grehoundinfo2.eventbrite.ca

Hospitality Jobs

Attend the next Alberta Works Job Fair and meet with employers that are hiring part-time and full-time positions in hospitality! Positions include:

Qualifications vary. Attend to learn more and apply!

For a full list of employers and jobs, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/calgaryjobsfeed.

Thursday, August 16, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Alberta Works Centre One Executive Place
1816 Crowchild Trail N.W. Calgary
Bring your updated resumé and references

Attend the next Alberta Works Job Fair!

Meet with recruiters from Manpower, Southland Transportation, Sears Logistics, Home Depot, Securitas Canada, Gordon Food Services, Cadillac Fairview and Assassin Safety & Labour Leasing Inc.

Positions available for hiring include Equipment Operators, Heavy Duty Mechanics, Field Service Technologists, Sales Associates, Bus Drivers (school, charter and specialized), Loss Prevention, Material Handlers, Forklift Operators, Security Officers, Scheduling Manager, Class 1 Driver, Carpenters, Electricians and more!

For the complete list of positions, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/calgaryjobsfeed or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/calgaryjobfeed. For a full list of career events, visit alis.alberta.ca.

Thursday, August 23, 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Alberta Works Centre
Fisher Park, 100, 6712 Fisher Street S.E.
Bring copies of your updated resumé, references, driver’s licence and school or training certifications.

Debbie MastelThe style and formatting of excellent resumes and cover letters can vary depending on geography and industry and change over time. The T-cover letter is a newer format that is tremendously popular with hiring manager and recruiters. Debbie Mastel, one of the library's Strategic Networking program volunteers, answered a few of our questions about the T-cover letter:

When should someone use a T cover letter?

DM: It doesn’t matter if you’re using transferable skills or an exact match to a posting, the T cover letter should always be used. If you don’t have a posting then you can do some research to figure out what you think the requirements for their organization would be. This can be done by getting old postings or postings from other companies. This style is also difficult when writing a cover letter in to an e-mail instead of an attachment so I recommend people have templates for the letter that can easily be used in either Word format or e-mails.

Do you prefer the format? Why?

DM: Yes, I do prefer the T cover letter format, as I believe it serves three main purposes:

1. It assists the recruiter, especially if they’re junior and working on technical roles. It allows applicants to clarify acronyms, or similar systems they may have worked on.
2. When a recruiter is using key words to score resumes. Because of volume, sometimes recruiters rely on systems to rate resumes. According to Right Management, 94% of the top 500 U.S. companies are now using computer programs to evaluate resumes. Canada is sure to follow suit.
3. When you’re using transferable skills to obtain a position. Countless times I’ve received resumes from people clearly using transferable skills but I can’t make the connection. I remember a colleague of mine once getting the resume for a fellow who groomed ski hills and had mentioned she didn’t see him fitting anywhere. Luckily it was brought to her attention that he might be a fit for a Heavy Equipment Operator position. We ended up hiring him as that but other people aren’t so lucky.

Recruiters don’t have time to figure out where you fit, that’s your job. The t-letter cover letter makes you articulate why you are qualified for the role. This is what you’re asking for, this is what I have.

Would you suggest that any job hunter should use this format for their cover letters? Are there any instances in which you wouldn't prefer the T cover letter?

DM: The only time I can think of that this format may not work is for Academics or people that need to submit a CV instead of a resume. I’m not that familiar with this area but that’s the only example I can think of. I would welcome comments from others if they have reasons this cover letter wouldn’t work for them.

Can you give one or two anecdotal examples of people you've hired or Strategic Networking customers who have found that the T cover letter opened doors that may not have otherwise been opened?

DM: I asked some job searchers to share their feelings about the usefulness of the T-cover letter. Here is one response:

“The reason I believe the two-column T cover letter worked well for me in the past was because it was significantly different than writing three or four paragraphs as in a standard cover letter.

The T cover letter was simple to use. First, I underscored the keywords or phrases in the job description’s requirements and qualifications sections that fit my background, experiences, and skill sets. Then, I filled out the position’s key requirements in the table’s left column and aligned them with my matching skill sets or experiences in the right column.

The concisely-worded bullet points in two column format immediately captured the hiring manager’s attention without him having to read longer paragraphs. My T cover letter intrigued and interested him. I was able to zero in on the value I could provide that related to the hiring manager's and position's needs, and, consequently, the hiring manager continued with reviewing my resume. In summary, the T cover letter helped me to (1) focus my reply, (2) save time, and (3) avoid responses to inappropriate job postings.”

March 19: Debbie sent another response from someone who had great success with the T-Cover Letter:

"The T Cover letter is the most effective cover letter I did come across in my entire professional career. It was introduced to me by Debbie in one of the networking meeting I attended. From the time I heard about it, it really did strike me and I know it was the correct formula I was looking for to grab employer attention. By that time I was around just 5 weeks in Canada and everything was new to me. I was quick enough to change my formats to T letter and also customize my resume to go with that.

Within a week I got an interview at a Big Oil & a Gas Company, and another one at a IT company. I almost got the Oil & Gas job, and the Hiring manager was complimentary of my cover letter. After about 2 weeks I got an interview at DeVry University and now I am working there,.

I am glad to say I attended that networking meeting and met Debbie, where I learned all about the best secret in finding employment—the T cover letter. Thanks to it, I am now working in less than 12 weeks from moving to Canada. I think it’s a great tool and many people should start using it, it also helps you focus and identify your suitability to the job and helps you easily focus on target than be general in applying. Thanks Debbie.”

For more information about the T-cover letter:

A template of the T-cover letter: Workopolis Sample of the T-style cover letter.

Thoughts from another recruiter on the T-cover letter: The "T" Cover Letter—The Only Type Worth Sending.

Debbie Mastel volunteers with the enormously popular Strategic Networking program that runs on the Third Floor of the Central Library every Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Debbie is a Critical Talent Specialist with Devon Energy Corporation in Calgary.

We aim to please! One of the Calgary Public Library's volunteer career coaches, Saudah Chan, suggested that we purchase her favourite book on academic CVs, and it just arrived. Here's her review of a book that handles the tricky field of academic disciplines:

For the academic job search novice, The Academic Job Search Handbook, 4^th edition would prove useful as a general overview of preparation required two years before completion of one’s PhD, the hiring and application process, and interview considerations. Also useful are the newly added sections of dilemmas facing dual career couples and family planning. While the introduction indicates that its contents are geared towards American academic applicants, it would still prove useful as a generalist perspective.

The book also has delightful new additions including more CV samples, as well as sample teaching statements and non-academic resumes. For teaching dossiers, Surviving Your Academic Job Hunt by Kathryn Hume would provide more in-depth advice, and could also be considered by those in other disciplines such as physical and life sciences, including the summary of teaching evaluation samples provided.

Overall, this book is must-read for those who wish to demystify the academic job hunt, and wish to prepare early on for the next stage in their career.

Saudah enjoyed advising PhDs on the academic job search for five years at the University of Toronto Career Centre as coordinator of the Graduate Dossier Service and her presentations on How to Apply to Academic Jobs. Currently, she continues to assist PhDs with their job related inquiries.