next september/october 11

BY NOA GLOUBERMAN

Job fairs (a.k.a. career or hiring expos) are a great way for you

to explore various employment op-tions and meet with multiple em-ployers in one day at a single lo-cation.

“A job fair is an event for em-ployers, recruiters and schools to meet with prospective job seekers,” explains Kathleen Alexis, case manager and marketing and events co-ordinator at Douglas College’s Cave Employment Resource Cen-tre, which hosts its next Retail Hir-ing Fair on September 17 at Metro-town Centre in Burnaby.

“These events let companies and organizations showcase their busi-ness and collect resumés for cur-rent and future job openings.”

While “most employers will take a few minutes with a job seeker to ask and answer questions,” there are often hundreds – if not thou-sands – of candidates at any given job fair. That’s why it’s important to do what you can to ensure you don’t get lost in the crowd.

The first thing you need to know: what kind of event you’re at-tending. Universities, colleges and sometimes even high schools host job fairs for their students; some of these, but not all, are open to

LEARN MORE ➧ GET THE JOB


Waii C. asks: “Any job-hunting advice for new IT grads?” 6

Career opps in supply-chain management 3

Law job success stories 5

Train to improve your customer service skills 9

Female entrepreneurs aid economic growth 10

Calculating the cost of pro development 13

the public. Public events include profes-

sional and community fairs geared to a variety of professions, from ac-counting to engineering to sales. Specialty fairs focus on jobs in one industry, like tourism, hospitality or dentistry. Community job fairs include a range of positions at dif-ferent levels, from entry to manage-ment to professional, at a variety of companies.

“You can learn about upcoming job fairs in a career centre, news-paper classifieds, company websites or social media sites like Facebook and Twitter,” says Mitzi Penno, office administrator at the YWCA One Stop Career Shop in North Vancouver.

Adds Alexis: “You can also search online by typing “job fairs in B.C.” into any search engine.”

Yet another type of job fair is a

Job fair awareHow to prepare for and succeed at a career fair

expert advice

INSIDE

Call today: 604-580-2772 · www.stenbergcollege.comOver 94% of our grads are employed in their fi eld of study within 6 months of graduation.

It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is. – Hermann HesseIn partnership with PHS Community Services Society and the Lookout Emergency Aid Society, this unique curriculum has been prepared to support individuals with mental heath challenges and addictions. Based on the input received from these industry partners, this program has been speci� cally designed to prepare students – philosophically, mentally/intellectually, emotionally, and experientially – for a successful career with longevity and the potential for advancement.

Community Mental Health and Addictions Worker diploma program

In partnership with:

Apply for a full tuition scholarship Change your life today!

Fair game: a job fair is an event for employers, recruiters and schools to meet with prospective job seekers. You can learn about upcoming job fairs by visiting a career centre, reading newspaper classified ads or doing an Internet searchsee Hire, 2

“You should come to a job

fair dressed for the position

you are applying for”

– Joan Murray,human resources lead,

Sears on Robson

Pr

og

re

ss

ive

in

te

rc

ult

ur

al

co

mm

un

ity

se

rv

ice

s (

Pic

s)

so

cie

ty

, va

nc

ou

ve

r

September/OctOber 2011learn mOre ➧ Get tHe JOb

seasonal hiring fair hosted by a single employer, which features positions available at that company at that time. Sears Canada, for one, holds these kinds of job fairs in the months leading up to the busy holiday season.

“Job fairs are arranged by each store, usually in Sep-tember for Christmas help,” explains Joan Murray, hu-man resources lead at Sears on Robson. “Each store hosts the job fair in their own store or mall entrance. We’ll ask that you fill out an applica-tion and we do mini inter-views. We contact applicants later for a more formal inter-view if we’re interested in hir-ing them.”

While most employers at job fairs represent com-panies who are hiring, they usually aren’t looking to do so right then and there. As Murray describes, they’re at the fair to meet and screen candidates, only the best of whom are contacted by the company’s hiring manager at a later date.

“With the growing trend of companies accepting on-line applications, hiring fairs have become more about net-working and making a per-sonal connection,” explains Penno. “Employers rarely hire on the spot but, rather, collect resumés for review and to keep track of appli-cants that have made an im-pression.”

To do this, employers at a fair must assess a maximum number of candidates with-in a short period of time, making it critical for you to present your skills – and ex-plain why you’re the best per-son for the job – as efficiently and effectively as possible.

“Usually a ‘screening interview’ is conducted, which only lasts three or four minutes and gives the recruit-er an initial impression that helps them decide whether that candidate will proceed to the next step,” explains Kim-berly Burkett, recruitment and team events co-ordinator with EV Logistics Glouces-ter, which holds job fairs throughout the year.

“Employers will often ask preliminary interview ques-tions to determine if the can-didate should be invited to a full interview,” Penno con-firms.

As you can see, it’s critic-al to come to a job fair pre-pared.

“Come with a brief, 20-to-30-second introduction about who you are and why you’d like to work for the company

Hire ground: Some job fairs feature hundreds of employersfrom Job, 1 or in that specific type of pos-

ition,” Alexis urges. “Also, research the companies that you’d like to work for before-hand. This should make you feel more comfortable when talking to the employer, and they’ll appreciate that you took the time to get to know more about their organiza-tion.”

To find out what employ-ers will be at a job fair, check out the website of the organ-izer or look for press releas-es or advertisements that di-vulge more information.

The Progressive Inter-cultural Community Ser-vices (PICS) Society website (www.pics.bc.ca), for example, includes information about the seventh annual Connec-tions to Employment job fair being held on September 21 at Vancouver Public Library’s downtown central branch.

“This year we have the City of New Westminster new to our group of 28 exhib-itors, including WorkSafe-BC, Sears, Staples, Canada Safeway, Home Depot, Lon-don Drugs, Dairy Queen/Orange Julius, Coast Plaza Hotel, Edgewater Casino, T & T Supermarket, Natural Factors, UPS Canada, Spec-tra Energy, JW Research, TD Canada Trust, Bank of Montreal, Nurse Next Door – among many others,” reads the site.

An invitation to down-load a poster of the event re-veals even more useful infor-mation that can help you to prepare for the job fair.

“You should definite-ly spend some time before the job fair researching the employers that will be at-tending,” agrees Burkett. “Also, prepare some resumés in advance, targeting those companies that you are inter-ested in, and write out a few questions to ask.”

Some good things to ask employers at a job fair, says Penno, include: ■ W hat is your com-p a n y l o o k i n g f o r ? ■ How does your organ-ization def ine success? ■ What are the next steps? ■ When will you be con-tacting me?

“A great concluding ques-tion to ask is, ‘What do I need to do to obtain a second inter-view with your firm?’” she adds.

Before you can ask that question, however, you’ll have to talk to the employers who have taken booths at the fair. While this can be nerve-rack-ing, being prepared with your research and questions can help, as can the following tips

from our experts.“Offer a firm handshake,

a smile and show enthusi-asm,” Burkett advises. “Give your 30-second intro, talk-ing about your strengths and goals that pertain to the company, and ask intelligent questions.”

While it’s nice to think others will evaluate us based on our merits alone, the fact is that appearances do count. If you dress sloppily or inappro-priately, you may be disquali-fied as a potential candidate for a job – and that’s the last thing you want to have hap-pen at a job fair.

“Consider the job fair as your first interview,” Alexis suggests. “Always dress pro-fessionally, as you would if you were going to an inter-view. Black pants or skirt are always a safe bet. Try not to wear jeans.”

“You should come to a job fair dressed for the position you are applying for,” Murray adds. “At the very least, busi-ness casual is always safe.”

In terms of what to bring to a job fair, resumés are a must. Be sure to bring at least one copy for each employer you plan to speak to.

“It’s always better to bring more copies than to not have enough,” hints Alexis.

“Bring business or net-working cards if you have them,” she adds. “Also, al-ways take a notepad and pen to fill out applications and to write down important de-tails about particular organ-izations. Take a few minutes after you leave each table to jot down these notes.”

Alexis also stresses the importance of “asking for and taking business cards from each of the employers that you talk to at the hiring fair. You can use these to send thank you notes to the organ-izations that you are most in-terested in.”

Our experts all agree: just like preparing ahead of time, following up is paramount to job fair success.

“Before you leave, return to any booths that you had interest in and thank the re-cruiter again for their time,” says Burkett. “Let them know you’ll be in touch and that you look forward to speaking with them again.”

Adds Penno: “Immediate-ly after attending, write down any important information you received from speaking with any of the employers, so you don’t forget. Then, follow up with the people you spoke with at the fair – send a thank you note.” • [email protected]

An apple a day may bring a JOB your way...

Come hear from speakers who have

built careers in the Health field and learn what

worked for them.

www.ywcajobseeker.org/careerzone

Attendance is free, but seating is limited.

Pre-registerwith the Career Zone at

604.605.4666 or by visiting us at

1260 Granville Street

The YWCA Career Zone presents

Health Industry Panel

When: Wednesday, September 21st, 1-4pmWhere: YWCA Career Zone

1260 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC

Funded through the Canada - BC Labour Market Development

Agreement

connecting immigrant job seekers with employers

the 7th Annual

Connections to Employment

Job Fair10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Opening Ceremony10:00 a.m.

Learn about opportunities in a broad range of sectors.

Some employers attending include:

••

•••

•

For more information about this event, contact ISSofBC at 604-684-2504

Vancouver Public LibraryCentral Library350 West Georgia StVancouver, BCAdmission is Free

Bank of MontrealNurse Next DoorNatural FactorsLondon DrugsJW ResearchTD Canada Trust

Sponsors

PROGRESSIVE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY

Funder

Bring your resume and be prepared for on-site interviews.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

••

•••

•

SafewayStaplesSearsHome DepotUPS CanadaWorkSafeBC

••

•••

Coast Plaza Hotel & SuitesDairy Queen / Orange JuliusCity of New WestminsterEdgewater CasinoT & T Supermarket… and others

Free Admission - For more information, Please call: 604-233-7031 / 604-233-6413 / 604-244-9262

City of Richmond; Sears; Adecco; Starbucks; Banana Republic; Commissionaires BC; Concord Security; Donald’s Fine Foods;

FedEx Ground; Garden Protein International; HMS Host; Pizza Hut; Professional Warehouse Demonstration; Safeway;

University Canada West; UPS Canada; WorkSafe BC, and more

Some attending employers include:

Explore employment opportunities and career options in different sectors of the economy

Richmond Career Centre604-233-7031

Employment Resource CentresRichmond 604-244-9262

South Delta 604-0324

Richmond Job FairThursday, Sept. 15, 2011 (1-5pm)

Richmond Brighouse (Main) Library100-7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond

September/OctOber 2011 learn mOre ➧ Get tHe JOb2

Supply-chain manage-ment is the process of

strategically managing flows of goods, services, finance and knowledge, plus rela-tionships within and among organizations, to support and achieve enterprise ob-jectives.

Supply-chain manage-ment involves the integra-tion of core areas of know-ledge (procurement, oper-ations, logistics) and sup-porting knowledge areas (marketing, finance and ac-counting, human resources, knowledge management).

Globalization, sustaina-bility, information technol-

ogy – these are just a few of the many issues that busi-nesses today wrestle with. In this dynamic environment improving supply-chain per-formance has become essen-tial for companies to remain successful. It’s a growing trend that will only inten-sify.

REWARDING CAREERSSupply-chain management professionals occupy influ-ential positions across or-ganizations. They work in senior management, con-sulting, procurement, oper-ations, logistics, transporta-tion and trade.

According to Statistics Canada data, the supply-chain sector is expanding. More than 700,000 people are employed in some aspect of supply-chain manage-ment in Canada today. An-nually, 80,000 supply-chain

Career opportunities in supply-chain managementAs many as 80,000 supply-chain management recruits will be needed for new or vacant jobs annually

Supply-chain management is the process of strategically managing flows of goods, services, finance and knowledge to support and achieve enterprise objectives

“Annually, 80,000 supply-

chain management

recruits will be needed

for new or vacant jobs”

see SCMP, 8

Visit our Campus at12160-88th Ave in Surrey

604-635-2226 • www.lovecars.ca

Start Earning What You Deserve!

In under 1 year you can be trained and working in the Automotive Industry! Grade 12 and Driver's License not required.

Most programs are eligible for

funding. Call for more information.

WORTH SWITCHING CAREERS FOR

Shift Your New Career into firSt Gear!

Program: Duration: Potential WagesAutomotive Service Technician 42 weeks $100k/yrAuto Body & Refinishing Technician 42 weeks $80k/yrAuto Body Technician 24 weeks $80k/yrAutomotive Refinishing Prep Technician 24 weeks $80k/yrBusiness Manager 2 weeks $50-$100k/yrCollision Estimator 13 weeks $36-60k/yrService Advisor 13 weeks $36-$60k/yrParts & Warehousing 6 weeks $32-$48k/yr Auto Detailing 2 weeks $15-$20/hr Sales & Leasing 1 week $36-$75k/yrDispatching and Transportation Operations 25 weeks $36-65k/yrNEW

A worksAfe PArtner

Are you:• Permanent Resident of Canada?• Unemployed and ineligible for Employment Insurance?• Currently employed but lacking • Local credentials, or • Full-time hours, or • Essential skills?

Contact: Bruce Ratcliffe Email: [email protected] Cell: 604.218.5162Office: 604.517.0884 Fax: 604.517.517.1918 Website: www.success.bc.ca/itti

Funding provided by the Industry Training Authority, through theLabour Market Agreement between the Governments of British Columbia and Canada

If your answer is “YES” to any one of these questions, this project might be for you!

Immigrant Trades Training InitiativeAssisting immigrants towards their

trade certification in B.C.

ITTIInitiativ

Find your Trade Route to a Better Future

Funding provided by the Industry Training Authority, through the Labour Market Agreement between the Governments of British Columbia and Canada

September/OctOber 2011leArn mOre ➧ Get tHe JOb 3

Monday–Friday / 9am–5pmwww.bgccs.bc.ca

Start here ...RICHMOND EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE CENTRECall 604.244.9262290-3631 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC

SOUTH DELTA EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE CENTRECall 604.946.03244899 Delta Street, Ladner, BC

Need aJob?STOP

“Funded in whole or partthrough the Canada-BritishColumbia Labour MarketDevelopment Agreement”

FREE ConvEniEnt 1/2 Day WoRkshops

604-683-2335

Adult EmploymEnt progrAm Workshop sEriEs

Personalized Employment Coaching & Job Search Support

Gordon neighbourhood house1019 Broughton St, Vancouver (West End)

Funded in whole or part through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement

• Targeted Resumes• Interview Strategies• Strategies for the Older Worker

• Cover Letter Creation • Intro to MS Word & Internet• Hidden Jobs & Labour Market Trends

Do you have a Disability or Chronic Condition? Are You Unemployed?

Looking For work?IAM CARES SOCIETY

FREE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES for people with all types of disabilities

Coquitlam 604-468-7301Surrey 604-580-2226North Shore 604-990-0800

Call IAM CARES SOCIETY [email protected] | www.iamcares.ca

Funded in part or whole through the Canada - British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement

Take the LEAPwith your business

idea and we’llhelp you GROW it.

Funding provided throughthe Canada-British Columbia

Labour Market Agreement

CanadaSuite 104 7565 132nd Street, Surrey

Please call or drop by any Thursday.

CA

REER

SER

VIC

ES

This program is part of WelcomeBC, a suite of programs

funded by the Government of Canada and the Province

of British Columbia. WelcomeBC helps newcomers settle,

integrate and find employment in their new communities.

Helping skilled immigrants launch their careers in BC

Skills Connect for Immigrants provides:

n Partial funding for qualifications upgrading and credential evaluation

n Soft skills training to help you succeed in the Canadian workplace

n Personalized one-on-one coaching with an experienced employment counsellor

n Free innovative workshops to help you take charge of your job search

Find out more:

E-MAIL: [email protected]: www.issbc.org/skillsconnectPHONE: 604-684-2561 (ext. 2123) (Vancouver, New Westminster, Coquitlam and Richmond)

604-590-4021 (Surrey)

Skills Connect for Immigrants

www.issbc.org/skillsconnect











Find out more:


604-590-4021 (Surrey)













Find out more:


604-590-4021 (Surrey)













Find out more:


604-590-4021 (Surrey)



• Pre-Screening • LD Assessment• Career Decision Making • Skills enhancement

• Resume Renewal • Job and Trades placement help

Suite 608 - 409 Granville St.(at Hastings), Vancouver

In-Depth Employment Assistance Services

Call: 604.683.5554Funded in part or whole through the

Canada - British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement

For anyone unemployed! FREE, Confidential

& One-on-One!

AIM FOR WHAT YOU WANT

Contact Open Door Group today to get started!

Do you have a disability or barrier to employment? AIM can help!

“Funded in whole or part through the Canada-British Columbia Labour

Market Development Agreement”.

Burnaby office: 210-5066 Kingsway604 434-0770

Richmond office: 415-5900 No. 3 Road604 247-0770

OPENDOORGROUP.ORG

NO COST TO ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS

• Individualized career plans• Employment counselors• Resource Centres• Community connections

• Cover letter, resume, and interview techniques

• Accommodations and supports• Job search workshops


YWCA

FOCUSAt WorkFree Job Search for Women of All Ages

Support Growth Success

Monday – Friday: 9am to 4pm

(604) [email protected]

Funded through the Canada-BC Labour Market Development AgreementC

AR

EER

SER

VIC

ES

thoroughly enjoyed the ex-citement that comes from leading a case in court – an experience she had as an as-sociate at a mid-sized, Van-couver firm.

During her first two years of practice, Kim’s firm sup-ported her in providing free legal services to dozens of tenants facing eviction from an apartment complex.

With hiring in the legal field expected to re-

main strong this year, we asked the Law Society of British Columbia to share the career success stories of two Lower Mainland law-yers with us.

LOUISE KIMWithin the short span of a few months, Louise Kim led and won a case in the B.C. Court of Appeal, got mar-ried and made the transi-tion from private practice to policy analyst with Work-SafeBC.

“My schedule at Work-SafeBC is more predictable, which means I can more

easily plan my life outside of the office,” says Kim, who fit lunch-hour pilates into dur-ing her workday prior to go-ing on maternity leave earlier this year. “As a policy ana-lyst, I get to focus on finding the best solutions to promote safe and healthy workplaces for everyone.”

While she finds in-house work very rewarding, Kim

Considering a career in law?B.C. lawyers Louise Kim and Roy Millen share their success stories in the legal field

Within the short span of a few months, Louise Kim led and won a case in

the B.C. Court of Appeal and made the transition from private practice to

policy analyst with WorkSafeBC

Roy Millen, a partner at the Vancouver office of national firm Blake,

Cassels & Graydon, enjoys the interesting and varied work that big firm life

has to offer

“We have a national plat-form that allows us to do work that just can’t be serviced on a small scale,” says Millen, who handles litigation, aboriginal law and international trade files. “There’s a collegiality at our firm, a common sense of motivation and purpose.”

He is also one of the many lawyers who volunteers at a legal clinic providing free

“As a new lawyer, pro bono work allows you to gain ex-perience in areas you may not otherwise be exposed to.”

ROY MILLENRoy Millen, a partner at the Vancouver office of national firm Blake, Cassels & Gray-don LLP, enjoys the interest-ing and varied work that big-firm life has to offer.

SUCCESS STORY

“As a new lawyer, pro

bono work allows you to

gain experience in areas

you may not otherwise

be exposed to”– Louise Kim,

policy analyst,WorkSafeBC

Law

Soc

iety

of B

C

Enroll in the PArA-LegAL PrOgrAM

today for a brighter tomorrow.

Vancouver: 604-320-3332 | Abbotsford: 604-826-3107

Face the future with

a new career!

www.metropolitancollege.ca

Enjoy 24 weeks of Para-Legal paid work experience before graduation!

Also short BC Employment Programs (BCEP) available in:Canadian Securities Course (CSC)Fraud Examination Course (FEC)

Fundamentals of Insurance (CAIB1)Medical Office Assistant (MOA)

Care-Aide & Social Service Support WorkerBuilding Service Worker (BSW)

legal advice to low-income people.

Millen works hard to strike a balance between work and spending time with his family. A competi-tive runner, he fits exercise into his daily life by cycling or running to work.

“Finding time to fit in things you enjoy outside of work is crucial.” •

Reprinted with the permis-sion of the Law Society of BC; for more information on ca-reers in law visit www.lawso-ciety.bc.ca.

“Finding time to fit in

things you enjoy outside

of work is crucial”– Roy Millen,

partner,Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Certificate valid for 3 years

Now AvAilAble iN A commuNity ceNter NeAr you!!!!

Red Cross First Aid & CPRTraining Partner

Visit our website:communitycarefirstaid.comfor more details about courses in your area

Emergency Child Care First Aid and CPROct 1, West End Centre. Register: 604-257-8333 Oct 16, Creekside Centre. Register: 604-257-3050

Emergency First Aid and CPR C + AED Oct 15, Creekside Centre. Register: 604-257-3050

Standard First Aid and CPR C + AED Oct 22-23, Strathcona Centre. Register: 604-713-1858

SepteMBeR/OCtOBeR 2011LeaRn MORe ➧ Get tHe JOB 5

To obtain information or to pre-register for a FREE INFORMATION SESSION, please call: 604-713-4500 orvisit: www.continuinged.ca

Free Information Sessions Available:Education Centre, 1580 W. Broadway

10:00am - 11:00amWednesday, September 14, 2011

Vancouver School Board

Building Service Worker DiplomaA full time program designed for those who wish to enter the building service industry. Train-ing includes all aspects of sani-tation and cleaning operation of equipment, correct application of chemicals, WHMIS, operating your own cleaning business and two weeks of on-the-job train-ing with industry professionals. Topics also include: stripping and buffing floors, waxing, wall washing, washroom and window cleaning, fire prevention, car-pet cleaning and equipment training.Next Program begins Monday, September 26, 2011

ASK AN EMPLOYMENT EXPERT

DEAN TREMAINWaii C. asks: “What are some job-hunting tips for new graduates, especially in the IT sector?”

My best advice for a new graduate looking for a

job is to be both open-minded and determined.

As much of the world faces the effects of a major reces-sion, the job market is very competitive, especially for stu-dents and graduates looking to kick-start their careers.

In particular, the IT sec-tor has always been forecast-ed to grow in the future, but if you’re looking for a job at a specific company or to gain more experience in the sector, you’ll have to work extra hard

to get noticed.Here are a few job-hunt-

ing tips to get you started. Re-member to check with your career services centre for one-on-one assistance with your resumé, interview practice or job listings.

GO ONLINESocial media is an excellent way to connect with your dream company. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs are resources that can help you conduct company research, follow leaders in the industry

and learn more about what’s happening with specific com-panies.

Accounts are easy to set up, but take the time to fill out your profiles completely. Don’t forget that your pro-file is public, so make sure all of your postings, comments, tweets and links are kept pro-fessional.

Companies, recruiting firms and human resources personnel are known to post jobs and internships through these mediums instead of on their websites.

MEET PEOPLENetworking is an art that takes practice to feel comfortable with. The best way for gradu-ates to meet people is to set up informational interviews with those who work for the com-pany they’re interested in or who have positions that they hope to be in one day.

I would suggest sending a short, professional email to these individuals and then fol-low up by email or phone to see if they have some time to meet you for coffee.

Make sure you have ques-tions ready for them regarding their work, the company, how they got there and what advice they have for a recent gradu-ate.

GET CREATIVEYou don’t have be an arts ma-jor to have a portfolio. This is a misconception many gradu-ates have about showcasing their skills and knowledge.

For example, if you’re in the IT sector, you might want to have visual samples of pro-grams that you’ve developed or projects that you’ve man-aged on your personal web-site. This shows initiative and gives employers a chance to see what you’ve done in the past.

Illustrations, written pieces, designs, video clips, program scripts, case studies and business plans are among many different types of ma-terial you can include in your portfolio to stand out from the crowd. •

Dean Tremain is the director of career and graduate servi-ces for CDI College, which has campuses in Vancouver, Bur-naby, Surrey, Richmond and Abbotsford. For more informa-tion, call 1-888-654-4181 or visit study.cdicollege.ca. Join the ca-reer conversation at facebook.com/CDICollege and twitter.com/CDICollege.

Accounting • Bookkeeping • Financial Services • Business • Home Inspection • Human Resources • Immigration • International Trade • Sales & Marketing

1190 Melville Street, Vancouver, BC Ashtoncollege.com | 604.899.0803

You will wish you had started earlier.

Learn to trade goods and services between Canada and other countries.

Apply today to graduate from a certification program in International Trade.

Ashton Education with Purpose

LEARN MORE

Coffee talk: the best way for graduates to meet people is to set up informational interviews with those who work for the company they’re interested in or who have positions that they hope to be in one day

as developed by Shakta Kaur Khalsa

Dates: •Friday Sept 16th, 2011 - 11:15am-5:15am •Saturday Sept 17th, 2011 11:15am-4:45pm - 6:45pm-9:45pm•Sunday Sept 18th, 2011 - 1pm-4:00pm•Monday Sept 19th, 2011 - 11:30am-5:00pm•Tuesday Sept 20th, 2011 - 11:30am-5:00pm

at Yoga West - 2662 West 4th AvenueVancouver - BC - V6K 1P7 - 604-732-9642

www.yogawest.ca

A CERTIFICATE TRAINING COURSE FOR TEACHERS,PARENTS, THERAPISTS AND ALL WHO WOULD LIKE TO.

GIVE CHILDREN THE GIFT OF YOGA

New Ask AN employmeNt expert for yoUr chANce towiNGot a question about your job search, resumé, interviews, employment standards, wrongful dismissal, RRSP, budgeting, career training, student loan, networking, social media, etc? We want to hear from you! Send your query to [email protected] and it could be answered by an expert in a future issue of the Next. Plus, we’ll randomly draw the winner of a $100 dinner gift certificate from all entries received by December 31, 2011.

NEXT would like to

hear from you!

$100dinner giftcertificate


604-580-2772 · www.stenbergcollege.comOver 94% of our grads are employed in their fi eld of study within 6 months of graduation.

You want a better life. Job satisfaction. Financial security. Respect. You want to help others.

Change your life todayCardiology TechnologistThe Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has granted this program its highest accreditation status, a 6 year accreditation.

Community Mental Health & Addictions WorkerIn partnership with PHS Community Services Society and the Lookout Emergency Aid Society, the unique curriculum for this program has been prepared to support individuals with mental heath challenges and addictions. Entry level wages range from $18.03 to $19.72/hr. Apply for a full tuition scholarship today.

Early Childhood Educator“The most important job in the world.” According to the 2008 ECE Registry Survey commissioned by the BC Ministry of Children & Family Development, the average wage for Early Childhood Educators in BC is $17.43/hr. Graduates may qualify for $3000 bursary though the BC Family Child Care Association.

Health Care Assistant (formerly Resident Care Attendant / Home Support)Make a difference in the lives of others! Graduates will be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry which will allow you to work in government funded health care facilities. The starting wage for Health Care Assistants is $17 - $21/hr.

Hospital Support SpecialistWork in hospital and healthcare administration as an Admitting/Registration Clerk, Health Records Clerk, Diagnostic Imaging Clerk, Hospital Switchboard Operator, Medical Secretary and much more. Entry level wages from $18.16 - $21/hr.

Medical Laboratory AssistantThis program has been reviewed and approved by British Columbia Society of Laboratory Science and exceeds their requirements in many areas. The wage range of Stenberg MLA grads working in their fi eld of study is $18.04 - $23.70 per hour.

Medical Offi ce AssistantConsider a rewarding career in healthcare administration or expand your career options as a Hospital Support Specialist (see above).

Nursing Unit ClerkNursing Unit Clerks, originally known as ward clerks and sometimes referred to as Nursing Unit Coordinators, act as the anchors of patient care departments. The average wage for Stenberg grads is $20.77/hr. plus 12.2% in lieu of benefi ts.

Practical NursingWe offer Free Biology 12!

Psychiatric NursingThere is an urgent need for more Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPN) in BC. The only program of its kind in BC, students can learn within their local communities via distance education, local and/or regional clinical placements, and some regional classroom delivery. Entry-level earnings start at $29/hr. This 23 month program is recognized by the CRPNBC.

Special Education AssistantOur program includes training and certifi cation from the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism & Related Disorders (POPARD). Two POPARD courses are offered in this program: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders & Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis. Starting wage for Special Education Assistants is approx. $22/hr. Starting wage for Special Education Assistants is approx. $22/hr.

Professional Studies for working healthcare professionals• Advanced Leadership Skills for LPNs• Immunization Skills Workshop• Phlebotomy Course

FREE College Preparatory program and ongoing ESL support.

You may be eligible for government student loans and funding.

“The teachers and staff at Stenberg were very supportive throughout my entire program … Working towards completion of this program requires a lot of hard work but because everyone in the class cooperates and encourages each other to succeed, it helped me a lot.”– Amanda P.

September/OctOber 2011learn mOre ➧ Get tHe JOb 7

management recruits will be needed for new or vacant jobs, according to the Can-adian Supply Chain Sector Council.

Approximately 150,000 positions in the supply chain are at the professional or managerial level. These pos-itions demand professionals who are both supply-chain specialists and strategic business managers.

Organizations seeking to hire skilled supply-chain management personnel in-creasingly seek individuals accredited by the Purchas-ing Management Associ-ation of Canada (PMAC) with the supply-chain management professional (SCMP) designation.

The SCMP designation is the most sought-after achievement in supply-chain management in Canada; it sets the national standard for excellence in the profes-sion. A comprehensive ac-creditation program certi-fies that the SCMP has at-tained the highest level of

SCMP: Supply-chain professional designation

from Career, 3 competency. Adherence to a code of ethics ensures the highest level of integrity.

Employers benefit from SCMPs’ unique and dis-tinctive competence. SC-MPs are recognized as stra-tegic supply-chain manage-ment professionals who pro-vide enterprises with innov-ative leadership to achieve a competitive edge in a global marketplace.

The British Columbia Institute PMAC is pleased to deliver its programs through its education part-ners at Simon Fraser Uni-versity (continuing studies, management and profes-sional programs) as well as Douglas College (continu-ing studies).

The Brit ish Colum-bia Institute PMAC is also working with Simon Fraser University’s learning strat-egies group toward a pos-sible executive program. ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONThe supply-chain manage-ment profession makes a significant contribution to

Canada’s economy. PMAC members control more than $130 billion in annual spend.

The standard of living we all enjoy through time-ly, cost-effective access to a range of innovative, high-quality goods and services is directly linked to the prac-tice of supply-chain man-agement. The profession in-fluences the social and eco-nomic success of Canadians and citizens worldwide.

Organizations cannot compete solely as individ-ual firms. Increasingly, they must rely on effective sup-ply chains to win in the net-worked economy. With re-lationships extending be-yond traditional enterprise boundaries, organizations are managing business pro-cesses throughout an inte-grated value chain of mul-tiple companies – from the ultimate supplier to the ul-timate customer.

For more information about supply-chain educa-tion and training, please vis-it www.bcipmac.ca. •

BY RENEE SYLVESTRE-WILLIAMS

You’ve submitted your resumé and now you’re

in the interview. You have all your questions and an-swers ready and you know you’ll ace the interview and get your dream job.

Then, that one question comes; maybe it’s nerves, but you can’t answer. You know you have an answer but you just can’t remember it right now. You’ll remember it just as you walk out of the inter-view, but by then it will be too late.

This is why it’s a good idea to keep a running list of accomplishments – or, a “win list” – and even a list of negative events.

What’s a win list? I was chatting with an acquaint-ance about job-hunting strat-egies when she mentioned a former co-worker who kept a win list or, in his case, a win binder.

She explained that every time their boss gave her co-worker a special project or if he got a complimentary e-mail, he added it to his binder. That way, when it was time for his performance re-

view, weekly one-on-ones or applying for a promotion, he could pull out his bind-er and have all his wins at his fingertips instead of try-ing to remember them under pressure.

Here are some of the items you should include on your win list:■ special assignments or pro-jects given to you by your boss;■ any projects that have a quantifiable measurement, like sales targets or increased page views;■ emails from satisfied co-workers or clients;■ any actions taken that have benefitted your department or company, such as saving money or reducing costs; and■ any actions that have in-creased your department or company’s reputation.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Just keep track of your accom-plishments and pull them out when needed. But what about the not-so-great events?

As Ruth Jackson, a man-agement consultant, points out, interviewers never just ask about the good times, they like to know about the bad times, too.

Winning and whiningThe two lists you need to keep for job interview and salary negotiation success

Jackson suggests creating what she calls a “whine list,” where you keep track of the not-so-great events and how you handled them. This way, when the interviewer says, “Tell me about a time you had to deal with a customer service issue,” you can refer to your whine list for an event and the steps you took to re-solve the issue.

Here are some of the items that should go on your whine list (plus how you resolved each one):■ any professional conflicts;■ unforeseen work challen-ges;■ customer service or client issues; and■ unforeseen setbacks that you were instrumental in solving.

Being prepared to speak eloquently about the success and challenges of your ca-reer can be a powerful way to communicate your value in salary negotiations and job interviews. Compiling your lists as they happen can help you be prepared when the time comes. •

Originally published on the Workopolis Blog at www.blog.workopolis.com.

Cashier Training & CusTomer serviCe - $275.00 Duration 18 hours. Become confident with operating a cash register & learn customer service, policies, procedures and laws that pertain to working in this field. next classes september 12th to 14th or 26th to 28th from 9am to 3:30pm.

For more information or to register for a course please call 604-597-3448.

202 – 7380 – 137th street, surrey, BC | www.dcrs.ca

SIMPLY ACCOUNTING LEVEL 1 & 2 Duration: 30 hours per level. Fee: $380 per level or $700 when registering for both levels at the same time. Textbook and Training Software for practiceat home are provided for FREE. After completing level 1 & 2 with us,�students receive a course completion certificate,� and will also beeligible to write the Certificate in Simply Accounting for FREE. The official Certificate in Simply Accounting will be issued by Sage Software,� who developed Simply Accounting. Next Class Starts: Sep 24 for 5 Saturday sessions

For more information or to register for a course please call 604-597-3448.202 – 7380 – 137th Street, Surrey, BC | www.dcrs.ca

Warehousing Training Program - An ideal course for people wanting to start a career in the warehousing industry. Course components include: Introduction to Warehousing, Elements of a Warehouse, Warehouse Functions/Activities, Warehouse Documentation, Inventory and Inventory Control, Health and Safety and more. Duration: 3 days from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Cost: $300.00starting Date: saturday, september 24th – 3 saturday sessions.

For more information or to register for a course please call 604-597-3448.202 – 7380 – 137th street, surrey, BC | www.dcrs.ca

Start your career as aHEALTH CARE ASSISTANT this fall.

Get an education and a guaranteed job interview.Employment opportunities in BC and across Canada.

At Saint Elizabeth we know the adult learner and can support you with

ESL • Study skills • Computer skills • Flexible class scheduling

Includes: CPR/FirstAid, FoodSafe,WHMIS CertificatesPracticum training provided in Complex Care, Dementia Care,

Assisted Living, Group home, Home SupportTuition scholarships and Financial Aid may be available

SepTember/OcTOber 2011 learn mOre ➧ GeT THe JOb8

REWARDING CAREERS ARE NEVER HANDED TO YOU. AT CDI COLLEGE, WE’LL HELP YOU EARN ONE.CDI College has been helping people like you launch successful careers for more than four decades. Choose from over 50 market-driven programs in Business, Art & Design, Technology and Health Care. A new career can be in the palm of your hand. Call CDI College today!

f fa

cebo

ok.c

om/C

DIC

olle

ge

t tw

itte

r.com

/CD

ICol

lege

Y

you

tube

.com

/CD

ICar

eerC

olle

ge

Medical

Office

Assista

nt

- Just

one o

f many

progra

ms to

use iP

ads in

the cla

ssroom

Canada’s Leading Career Training Provider.

To get started today, visit study.cdicollege.ca

or call 1.888.654.4181

CDI_NEXT_Quarter Pg_runs Aug.indd 5 8/12/2011 10:45:39 AM

of the company,” says Free-man.

“They can encompass its philosophy, orientation and value proposition and present them to each cus-tomer in such a way that will make those customers return each time.”

RELIABILITYThe first component of deliv-ering outstanding customer service is reliability.

“Customers want and need a sense that the service that they receive will be con-sistently excellent,” says Free-man.

“Reliability is a corner-stone of creating long-term relationships. By acting in ac-cordance with this want, you provide the customer with a sense of security and confi-dence in you personally and in the company. This builds loyalty.”

ASSURANCEAssurance is your ability as an employee to instil con-fidence in customers and make them feel safe in their transactions with your com-pany.

“Staff members who are consistently courteous and possess the knowledge to answer questions about the company in an hon-est, straightforward man-ner give clients the assur-ance that they are going to be treated well and that all company promises are go-

BY NOA GLOUBERMAN

Commissionaires BC has developed a new corpor-

ate training course that goes beyond the basics of custom-er service.

According to David Free-man, manager of training and development for Com-missionaires BC, the Ser-vice Advantage for Custom-er Service Excellence course is about improving the ex-perience of customers so that they remain loyal to you and the company that you work for.

“Our customer service course teaches the basics and beyond,” says Freeman. Customer service is “about meeting the needs of the cus-tomer, taking ownership of the situation, building a re-lationship and going the ex-tra mile.”

This is good for your ca-reer as a customer service representative, as well as for your company’s bottom line.

“Customer service em-ployees are representatives

Improve your customer service skills with trainingCommissionaires BC is offering a one-day course that will change the way you look at customer service

ing to be kept,” says Freeman. “Having that kind of reputa-tion gives you an advantage over your competitors.”

TANGIBLES“Tangibles are all the things that customers can see and touch,” Freeman says. “They are very important in pro-viding the kind of experi-ence that will have custom-ers coming back time and again.”

EMPATHY“Just the act of closing the sale won’t build relationships or rapport with your custom-ers,” Freeman notes. “Em-pathy, trust, understanding and effective communica-tion are what make custom-ers want to do business with you.”

Empathy, he adds, entails really understanding your customers’ position and feel-ings.

“The ability to step back from your own emotions is essential for building effect-ive and constructive relation-ships with clients. This means giving customers the kind of individual, personal atten-tion that says you have their best interests at heart and understand their needs.”

RESPONSIVENESSHow quickly do you re-spond to customers’ needs? How willing are you to help? Would you go out of your way to make them happy?

Customer service employees are important representatives of the company

Key takeawaysUpon completing the Service Advantage for Customer Service Excellence course, you will be able to:• understand the components of service delivery and how to be proactive in making it outstanding;• relate to how people react on the basis of their own histor-ies, intent and norms and how these affect employee-customer interactions;• determine what factors break communication down and how language fosters successful customer service;• correct behaviours and attitudes that prevent outstanding customer service;• use the five components of outstanding customer service – reliability, assurance, tangibles,empathy and responsiveness; • use newfound human-relations skills to affect positively all work relationships, not just with customers; and• develop an action plan to implement your new knowledge into your workplace.

“The number 1 complaint from customers is lack of re-sponsiveness from the per-son they’ve asked for help: you,” says Freeman. “Keep your clients informed and give them a sense that ful-filling their requests is im-portant, that they are im-portant. Responsiveness is a valuable human-relations skill that can help improve relationships, promote cus-tomer loyalty and lead to

“Our customer service

course teaches the

basics and beyond”– David Freeman,

manager of training and development,

Commissionaires BC

BANK TELLER TRAINING PROGRAM - The Bank Teller Training Program sets the foundation to start acareer in the banking industry in Canada. By learning the basics of being a Teller, you gain the skills and knowledge necessary to enter this exciting field. The course covers customer service, productsales, security, Canadian banking procedures and policies, and application process and employment opportunities with different banks. Next class starts October 12th, 13th & 14th & for 3 consecutive days OR Oct 15th, 22nd & 29th for 3 Saturday sessions from 9am to 4pm.


business growth.” • [email protected]

The Service Advantage course can be delivered at your work-

place or at Commissionaires BC. Visit www.commission-aires.bc.ca/serviceadvan-tage. First published in How 2 magazine.

SEptEmBEr/OCtOBEr 2011lEArn mOrE ➧ GEt tHE JOB 9

BY RICHARD CHU, BIV

The number of women entrepreneurs continues

to grow in Canada, but some argue that more support and research is needed to boost the economic impact of women-owned enterprises.

A recent Taskforce for Women’s Business Growth report notes that more than a third (35%) of self-em-ployed workers in Canada are women and 16% of Can-ada’s small and medium-sized businesses are now majority-owned by women. Together, women entrepre-neurs contribute more than $117 billion in annual eco-nomic activity in Canada.

While the statistics are en-couraging, Barbara Mowat says that women entrepre-neurs remain a largely un-tapped source of economic growth.

Mowat, who is president of Impact Communica-tions and chairwoman of three chapters of the Women Presidents Organization in Vancouver, says that many women-owned business-es remain small relative to those owned by men.

An October 2010 Indus-try Canada report found that while the average busi-ness that is owned by women had steady revenue growth between 2000 and 2007, the average revenue was half of that reported by comparable businesses owned by men.

“There’s a tremendous loss when we don’t encour-age and try to look at grow-ing women-owned business-es,” says Mowat. “A 20% in-crease in the total revenue of women-owned enterprises can contribute an addition-al $2 billion per year to the Canadian economy. I think that clearly shows that we have a lot more to contrib-ute.”

Laurel Douglas, CEO of B.C.’s Women’s Enterprise Centre (WEC), says that key

challenges for women entre-preneurs include access to capital, business-skills de-velopment and workload and time management. More re-search into the challenges for women entrepreneurs and a national strategy to address these concerns were among the key recommendations from the 22-member task-force, which included both Mowat and Douglas.

Because of its ability to address access to capital and other key concerns for women business owners, the WEC has been cited as a model for other provinces and countries to replicate. Since 1995, it has helped pro-vide up to $33 million in dir-ect and indirect financing, generating more than $1 bil-lion in economic activity and 1,500 jobs in B.C.

“We’re definitely help-ing to contribute to the eco-

Female entrepreneurs remain untapped source of growth for Canada’s economyMore data, research and support needed to maximize the economic impact of enterprises owned by women

nomic fabric of the prov-ince by having this service here,” says Douglas. “If [sim-ilar economic development] organizations that support women don’t provide loans, they’re only addressing part of the problem.”

She adds that, while the number of support pro-grams for women entrepre-neurs continues to grow, encouraging female busi-ness owners to expand their businesses faster remains a challenge because business growth tends to be a lower priority for women.

“The primary driver is in-dependence. Some are look-ing for professional accom-plishment. Building strong relationships with clients and serving their market are tied in third place with financial reward as a motivator.”

As a result, Douglas esti-mates that only between 10%

and 20% are classic entre-preneurs who are focused on creating and cultivating a big business. Most are “lifestyle business owners” who focus on creating a business that provides a living for them-seleves and “a semblance of work-life balance, if you’re the lucky one.”

Jill Earthy, executive director of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE), notes that, while flexibility of time is a key rea-son for going into business many women end up work-ing more hours than they did

as an employee. The steady increase in

time and energy required to build a company con-vinced Diana Stirling and Shannon Ward of OnTrack Media to revamp their busi-ness model in 2006. Since founding the company in 2003, the two women have focused on increasing an-nual company revenue to $1 million. They had reached

their goal in three short years, but not without sacri-ficing time away from their young families.

“When I got pregnant with my son, and Diana with her second child, we got to the point where we knew we couldn’t sacrifice what we had been sacrificing anymore,” says Ward. “It just wasn’t worth it just for the money.”

After analyzing their business model and pro-cesses, they decided to focus on the most profitable area of their business: advertis-ing services. They went from a business with 13 full-time staff in a downtown Vancou-ver office to one with a single full-time employee working

from a home office. “We rebuilt it on what we

call a ‘pre-tirement’ frame-work, where we demanded more from the business than just money,” says Stirling. “We define pre-tirement as being able to live your life now and not putting things off.”

With extensive use of various cloud-computing tools, Stirling and Ward can now travel for four months of the year and still run and ex-pand their businesses.

“While we let go of 80% of our [original] clients, it didn’t affect 80% of our revenue or profitability,” says Stirling. “Today, our business is more profitable than it was before, which I think is absolutely key.”

At the same time of the re-vamp of their first company, they also started a second business called Insider Trad-ing, which now provides af-finity programs that offer discounts for members and employees for more than 60 companies and professional organizations in B.C.

Together, both companies generate more revenue and profit than the single busi-ness they started nine years ago.

“We’re no less success-ful today than when we had 13 employees,” says Stirling. “What we have been trying to teach women entrepre-neurs is that it’s not just about the revenue or staff, but about what you define as success and what’s most important to you. It comes back to de-manding more out of your business than money.” •[email protected]

OnTrack Media co-founder Diana Stirling: “it’s not just about the revenue or staff, but about what you define as success”

“There’s a tremendous

loss when we don’t

encourage and try to

look at growing women-

owned businesses”

– Barbara Mowat,chairwoman, three

Vancouver chapters,Women Presidents Organization

102 East 4th Avenue, Vancouver B.C., V5T 1G2Phone: (604) 688-8828 ➧ Fax: (604) 669-2154

E-mail: [email protected] ➧ www.employmentinvancouver.com

Publisher Cheryl Carter

Editor Noa Glouberman

Sales Manager Deborah Hamilton

Advertising Sales Kim De Wildt

Graphics & Production Soraya Romão

Accounting/Administration Angela Foster

Reach a wide variety of adults, students and job seekers interested in further learning and upgrading their skills to advance their career prospects.

Business in Vancouver Media Group, publishers of NEXT, offers post-secondary schools, career colleges, service providers a unique advertising vehicle to market full and part-time programs. Visit us at biv.com for more information.



You can help make NEXT the best carer training resource. Send your comments and suggestions to the address below:

Members

Key strategic growth questions for business owners How are you addressing changes in demand for your product or service? What’s the impact of price increases for customers? Do your customers help build your business through referrals? Do you have a marketing plan for growth? Are there new ways to distribute your product or service?

Source: Women’s Enterprise Centre

SEpTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 lEARN MORE ➧ GET THE JOB10

BY PETER HARRIS

We recently had an in-quiry from a can-

didate wondering if it was possible to obtain a refer-ence letter from an employ-er who had recently termin-ated him.

Reference letters are tricky things. Candidates sometimes like to have them as positive reviews of their work from former bosses that they can show to prospective employers. The trouble is, in many fields those future em-ployers don’t actually find them that interesting.

The fact is no one would submit a negative letter about themselves with an applica-tion – so by default all ref-erence letters are positive. Recruiters are far more in-terested in speaking directly with your former employers and asking their own ques-tions than they are in read-ing a letter that you have pre-screened.

As for requesting a refer-ence from an employer who has terminated you … well, obviously you wouldn’t do

that in a situation where you were fired for cause. You only want to solicit references from workplaces where you were successful, left on good terms and, most import-antly, where that employer would be happy to work with

Unfriendly fire?How to get a reference after you’ve been let go

you again.If for any reason that for-

mer employer wouldn’t want you back, he or she is not likely to refer you to some-one else.

The other difficulty with references is that, due to

some recent lawsuits, more and more organizations are setting up policies against giving them at all. In these cases, HR departments will only confirm the length of your employment and what your position was.

Employment lawyer M. Norman Grosman says that such references “which sim-ply confirm employment are of little utility in seeking al-ternative employment.”

He suggests that if your former employer has such a policy against personal ref-erences you should request a couple of modifications to the standard “name, rank and serial number,” which may make them more use-ful for you:■ ask if your former em-ployer can include your rea-son for leaving. Stating that your “position was elimin-ated in August 2011 due to restructuring,” can give you

an understandable “no fault” reason for being back on the job market; and■ see if your former employ-ers can make it clear that the reason they will not give more substantial, qualitative references – whether in writ-ing or not – is because they have an established policy prohibiting this. This way, prospective employers know that your former boss isn’t reluctant to refer you person-ally, but is just following es-tablished regulations.

Another way to get a ref-erence is from your manager, speaking personally and not necessarily on behalf of the company, from your team members, partners and cli-ents. Future employers want to know what you’re really like to work with, so having a selection of credible people who can speak to your work habits, accomplishments and character can go a long way to helping you get that foot in the door. •


Getting references from your manager, speaking personally and not necessarily on behalf of the company, can give future employers an idea of what you’re really like to work with

“[References] which

simply confirm

employment are of

little utility in seeking

alternative employment”

– M. Norman Grosman,employment lawyer

October 19, 2011Congratulations to our finalists

Home Based Business AwardPam Gervacio, Design 2 PrintHeather Kleim, Epic Empire DesignsDavid Marsden, Advantage English Language Services

Consulting AwardBrenda Garcia, Thrive SolutionsChris Zhang, Sager Education

High Tech AwardFabio Milano, RDS Support Inc. Jack Poniatowski, Sphere Communications

Global AwardPeter Wang, CanBright Enterprises Ltd.David Wong, DK Wong & Associates Inc.

Construction & Manufacturing AwardCharles Baverstock, Stonebridge Operations Inc.Alyson Johnson, Aly Dahl DesignsJustin Johnson, JJ’s Custom Plumbing

Service AwardSalman Bazogh, Accountech Business Services Ltd.Dave Bruce, Bruce’s Marine Repairs Inc.Terryl Plotnikoff, Canadian Mattress Recycling Inc.

Retail AwardAline Beth Marshall, Clayzone Ceramics GalleryLaramie Tan-Amit, Jeepney MartCarla Wood, The Party Monkey

Perseverance AwardKaren Gill, Friendly Explorers Child Care CentreJudy Hamilton, TerraTap Technologies Inc.Francisco Harp, Jelly Delight Desserts Inc.

Youth Entrepreneur AwardJustin Gignac, Custom Creations CarpentrySanjana Khaira, Sanjana Khaira Law Corporation Amarvir Singh Rai, Amarvir Rai Law Office

Event Sponsor:

Awards will be presented Wednesday, October 19th during a ceremony at the Executive Hotels & Resorts in Coquitlam

Inspired? Start your own business. Call the Douglas College Self Employment Program at 604-777-6012 or visit us online at: www.douglascollege.ca/ selfemployment

Entrepreneur of the Year AwardTara Blokzyl, Kanaka Diamond & Gold Mike Londry, Westside Pest ControlDr. Cobi Slater, Essential Health Natural Medicine Clinic

Funded in whole or part through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement.

September/OctOber 2011learn mOre ➧ Get tHe JOb 11

BY COLLEEN CLARKE

This may be your first kick at a professional work search or

you may be on round five, six or seven. Whatever the case may be, there are certain behaviours that you might have that could be sabo-taging your success with employers or recruiters.

Common slip-ups or “don’t knows” might include the follow-ing; get your resumé and cover let-ter out and see how many of these faux pas you’re guilty of:■ Not tailoring your resumé to the job posting.■ Not including a branding state-ment that speaks to what the em-ployer needs and wants for the role you are applying to.■ Not using the same words or phrases from the posting to height-en keyword recognition.■ Using fancy fonts and formatting on your resumé and cover letter.■ Not sending a cover letter at all.■ Combining too many strengths or skills in one line with no explana-tion or example of their benefits.■ Starting a bullet point with “abil-ity to,” “successfully” or “handled, worked on or did …”■ Leaving the resumé reader to as-sume too much about your accom-plishments and/or to second guess what may have resulted from the action you took.

■ Not including mostly action/re-sult statements in your resumé. ■ Using trite, non-definitive words to describe your strengths (for ex-ample, “excellent communication skills, team player, multi-tasker; organized,” etc.).■ Regurgitating your resumé in your cover letter.■ Using “To Whom It May Con-cern” in a cover letter when it is possible to get the person’s actual

Job search no-nosThe things candidates shouldn’t be doing

name (if a name is not attainable, use “Dear Sir/Madam”).■ Leaving any (even one) typos or grammatical errors in your writ-ten material.■ Having a difficult email address to type out or one that is too informal (if that’s the case, create a new ad-dress just for your job search).■ Incorrect spelling of the name of the contact person on the posting. ■ Calling people too often to set up

meetings.■ Not leaving your phone number in your phone message.■ Not speaking clearly on voice mail; running your words togeth-er.■ Speaking too slowly or too quick-ly on voice mail and not articulat-ing your name clearly.■ Eating, smoking or chewing gum while on the phone.■ Failing to use your name in your voice mail message (“We’re not here to take your call” is totally un-professional). ■ Having a “cutesy” or “funny” message on your voice mail.■ Not checking your voice mails and emails often enough. ■ Not getting back to callers in a short time period.■ Wasting peoples’ time.■ Not doing what you said you would do.■ Filling out a job application in cas-ual clothing, improperly groomed or with your friend or parent or child in tow.■ Limp, fishy handshakes.■ No eye contact or smile; darting eyes don’t work for trustful, mean-ingful connections either.■ Not returning calls or returning calls from a noisy location, such as with children yelling in the back-ground or from a cell phone while walking down the street or doing something else.

■ Dressing inappropriately for an interview.■ Being late for a job interview.■ Bringing your children, mother or a friend to an interview.■ Not being prepared for an inter-view or meeting. ■ Bad-mouthing a former employ-er.■ Lying or fabricating the truth.■ Using slang – or the dreaded “like” or “you know” – too often; swearing.■ Taking a cell phone into an inter-view and not turning it off – or, worse, answering a call on your cell phone during an interview.■ Not doing enough research on the company you will be interviewing with.■ Not following instructions in postings as to how to send your resumé or violating the “no phone calls please” request. ■ Not sending a thank-you letter after a job interview. ■ Not saying “please” and “thank you” every step of the way (we’re Canadians after all, so be polite, eh!).

Add up how many of these “job search no-nos” you’re com-mitting and find out how well you score. •

Originally published on the Workop-olis Blog at www.blog.workopolis.com.

Bubble dumb: eating, smoking or chewing gum while on the phone with a potential employer or during an interview are all major job search no-nos

“There are certain

behaviours that you

might have that could

be sabotaging your

success with employers

or recruiters”

According to a report f rom Robert Half

International, 15% of execu-tives interviewed plan to add a number of full-time em-ployees in professional oc-cupations during the third quarter of 2011, while only 1% foresee declines.

The Robert Half Profes-

sional Employment Report is based on telephone inter-views with more than 1,000 C-level executives and other leaders from a variety of fields throughout Canada. Those interviewed are asked about their hiring plans and general level of optimism for the upcoming quarter.

Execs reveal third-quarter hiring plansManufacturing, finance, insurance and real estate sectors most optimistic about adding staff

Survey respondents in-clude more than 270 chief financial officers (CFOs); 270 chief information offi-cers (CIOs); 150 senior hu-man resources managers; 75 lawyers at law firms and 75 corporate lawyers; and 50 advertising executives and 200 marketing executives,

all of whom have hiring au-thority.

Some key findings from the report include:■ a net 14% of executives plan to add professional-level staff in the third quarter of 2011;■ a net 28% of executives in the manufacturing sector and net 27% of executives in

the finance, insurance and real estate industry antici-pate staff additions;■ 48% of respondents say it’s challenging to find skilled professionals today;■ 79% of executives are at least somewhat confident in their organizations’ ability to grow in the third quar-

ter; and■ the marketing field is ex-pected to see strong hiring activity, with a net 21% of marketing executives plan-ning to increase staff levels.

“Although some firms re-main conservative in their hiring outlook, augmenting staff levels for others is be-coming necessary when trying to meet added con-sumer demand,” says Kath-ryn Bolt, district president of Robert Half Canada. “Increased business activ-ity and economic factors are stimulating hiring in many industries, such as manu-facturing, banking and real estate.” •

Founded in 1948, Rob-ert Half International, the world’s first and largest spe-cialized staffing firm, is a recognized leader in profes-sional staffing services. Find more information at www.roberthalf.ca and on Twitter @RobertHalf_CAN.

Hiring expectations by profession Increase Decrease Net increase

Total 15% 1% 14%

Accounting and finance 11% 3% 8%

Advertising and marketing 26% 5% 21%

Human resources 9% 0% 9%

Information technology 18% 4% 14%

Legal 50% 1% 49%

Sales and business development 24% 1% 23%

SepTeMber/OcTOber 2011 learn MOre ➧ GeT THe JOb12

BY NOA GLOUBERMAN

When it comes to your career, it’s always a good time to

consider new opportunities and prospects for growth.

As you review your work his-tory, you may begin to think about making some changes. Whether you want to modify your job focus, increase your earnings or change employers, professional develop-ment can help you meet those goals by offering you the chance to maintain, increase and improve the skills ypu’ll need to remain current in your field.

But how much will it cost you?The price of professional de-

velopment ranges with the type of training you seek, the length of the program or course you take and whether your current employer of-

fers benefits or assistance in the area of continuing education or ca-reer advancement.

We spoke with several profes-sionals, all of whom have taken dif-ferent routes in their training and have used various methods of pay-ing for it.

POSTGRADUATE DEGREEAfter 20 years in communications, Terence Little, manager of corpor-ate Internet services for WorkSafe-BC, decided to further his know-ledge in the field.

“I chose to do an MA in profes-sional communications at Royal Roads University to better prepare myself for senior management,” he said in an interview in 2009.

“Getting the degree definitely changed how I approach my job. It taught me how to do research and

Seeking paybackWith the cost of professional development ranging from zero to thousands of dollars, be sure to calculate the longer-term upside of those letters after your name

think more critically. I also think doing a postgraduate degree to en-hance your area of expertise shows prospective employers you’re com-mitted to the field and have signifi-cant knowledge in that area.”

While the decision to do post-graduate work was easy, the total cost of obtaining his master’s de-gree was no small sum.

“Including tuition, books and six weeks of boarding for my resi-dency, the cost was approximately $25,000,” said Little. “But through

an assistance program at work my employer paid for the4 entire pro-gram and gave me time off for the residency requirement.”

DIPLOMAAlso back in 2009, Sonya Douang-many, a former accounts-payable supervisor at Vancouver-based Aritzia, wanted to move to a role within her field that would involve more financial reporting or analy-sis.

She realized, however, that she first needed to obtain a diploma in accounting from the University of British Columbia.

“Right now I’m limited in my capabilities within the financial in-dustry because I don’t have a formal education,” she said at the time.

“Having this diploma will help me to move on to either get my

Terence Little, manager, corporate Internet services, WorkSafeBC: “doing a postgraduate degree to enhance your area of expertise shows prospective employers you’re committed to the field and have significant knowledge in that area”

“A sound educational

background is priceless”

– Kristie Perrotte,public relations manager

Professional development comes with various costs, yet you can offset the price of enhancing your skills• Employee assistance: Many employers offer financial assistance, in whole or in part, to employees who wish to take programs and courses to advance their education or pursue professional development. Talk to your employer or human resources department to find out if such financial aid is available to you.• Financial aid from colleges and universities: Many colleges and universities offer programs, courses and workshops aimed at helping adults and working professionals enhance and add to their skills. The same schools often offer financial aid in the form of loans, scholarships and grants to students. Find out if such assistance is available at the institution you wish to attend and whether you qualify for financial aid.• Free professional development: You don’t have to break the bank on expensive courses to develop yourself professionally. Many low- and no-cost training alternatives exist:• Books, magazines, newspapers and the Internet provide opportunities for learning. Consider subscribing to your industry’s journal, where you’ll learn strategies from like-minded professionals (plus, it’s a great way to follow industry trends and developments that ,ay affect your career). The websites of industry associations can also be free sources of professional development.• Many online courses are free or low-cost. Search the Internet for courses in your area of interest.• Search calendars of local continuing education programs for free workshops and events. Or, browse the listings of courses offered by community centres and check out universities and colleges near you for free seminars or lecture series. These will help you network with colleagues and stay on top of research in your area of interest. Business papers (or the business sections of newspapers) and chamber of commerce websites also often list free business meetings and networking opportunities.• Finding a mentor in your field is a powerful way to develop your career on the cheap; the lessons learned and advice gained will be invaluable. Identify someone you’d like to get to know and ask for a meet-ing. Many experienced professionals will graciously give back by dispensing their expertise.• Volunteering lets you expand and practice your skills. Contact your local volunteer bureau and select an opportunity that helps you to use your talents in new and exciting ways, and make fresh contacts to boot.

CGA or CA accreditation in the future and be where I want to be in terms of my career.”

CONTINUING EDUCATIONWith marketing as her key profes-sional interest, Kristie Perrotte, a public relations manager for an international recruitment firm, had over the span of her career near-ly completed an associate certifi-cate in marketing management and marketing communications from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

“I started taking classes as soon as I entered the field and over the past five years I’ve almost finished the program in a part-time and occasional capacity,” she told Next two years ago.

Making up the marketing man-agement certificate are courses that include essentials of marketing, event management and media and public relations, each at a cost of about $400.

“Initially, when I was just start-ing out in entry-level positions, I paid for the courses myself,” Per-rotte said. “But over time my com-pany agreed to reimburse me for any courses I take on a part-time basis, no more than one course per semester.”

Despite having to pay for part of her professional development out of pocket, Perrotte does not regret her decision to enhance her skills and abilities in marketing.

“A sound educational back-ground is priceless,” she said. “It offers you the training and prac-tical knowledge to get ahead and teaches you the social and busi-ness skills required to function in the workplace.

“I feel my BCIT education has helped me advance my career in the past and continues to complement my professional identity as I move forward in the business world.” •[email protected]

Reprinted from Right Course 2009, published by BIV Magazines.

DO

MIN

IC S

CH

AE

FE

R

SEpTEMBEr/OCTOBEr 2011lEarn MOrE ➧ GET THE JOB 13

The following jobs recently appeared in our Twitter feed. Follow the links for more infor-mation; follow us on Twitter @employmentinvan for more local jobs.

ACCOUNTINGRandstad, on behalf of its client, seeks an accountant (Vancouver) with related education (CGA, CMA student or equivalent) and two or more years of relevant/related work experience. http://t.co/GNntZCg

Placement Group, on behalf of its client, seeks an accounts payable person (Richmond), preferably with experience in Timberline. Experience on other accounting software will be considered as long as you are technically savvy. This person will also be a backup on the reception desk, so outstanding communication skills is a must. Additional administrative tasks will be assigned to this role as they arise, so flexibility is required. This role requires excellent relationship building skills with other department and vendors. http://t.co/OWKrZSi

Accountemps, on behalf of its client, seeks a payroll administrator (Vancouver) for a one-month assignment.

The successful applicant will be responsible for full-cycle processing of payroll in a timely manner, processing time sheets and processing salary employees and union employees. http://t.co/8AL70wA

BEAUTYA private company seeks a hair stylist (Vancouver) on a part-time or full-time basis. http://t.co/mKvkj1z

CONSTRUCTIONA private company seeks a construction labourer (Vancouver) to load, unload and transport construction materials; mix, pour and spread materials; assist in framing houses, erecting walls and building roofs; assist in demolishing buildings; and remove rubble and other debris at construction sites. http://t.co/b9W2o7M

CUSTOMER SERVICEPlacement Group, on behalf of its client, seeks a customer service representative (Richmond), to process customer orders and respond to customer product inquiries; investigate and process claims for credit; process return authorizations for

customers and the sales team; field incoming phone calls and ensure that all customers and sales rep inquiries have been satisfied; ensure that all orders, returns and credits are processed according to company policy and procedure; maintain up-to-date documentation of pricing structure, product knowledge and policies; ensure that all required tasks are completed to satisfy month end requirements; and perform other duties as required. http://t.co/QnNE8GQ

DATA PROCESSINGKiki Marketing seeks a data process/analysis team lead (Richmond) to drive for results and be highly adaptable. You will also be a good coach, capable of developing and motivating your team. You will be good at solving problems and managing systems and processes and, of course, you will need to have technical and functional expertise. http://t.co/Vnya5nf

Kiki Marketing seeks a data process/analysis programmer (Richmond) to with a degree in computing sciences or the equivalent in education; programming

TWITTER JOB BOARDbackground in VB/Access and fully understanding SQL; excellent English communication skills. http://t.co/YjmlEHd

EDUCATIONIvy 100 Education seeks SAT English (or math) teachers (Vancouver) to teach SAT English or math classes; do office work (e.g., organize entrance tests for new students, answer phone calls, have conversations with parents and students, etc.). http://t.co/DKf6o0N

FINANCEWestminster Savings seeks a collections account manager (New Westminster) to manage an assigned portfolio of high-risk/ complex delinquent and non-performing commercial loan/ lease accounts. http://t.co/jWtIpae

Fraser Health Authority seeks a financial analyst, capital planning/projects (Vancouver) to provide assistance to clients through the capital planning process; provide guidance on available funding, capitalization of project costs and help clients establish appropriate priorities on capital purchases; and prepare and maintain the capital planning records and funding requests for facility and information management capital projects across Fraser Health. http://t.co/pZt7smh

CIBC Wealth Management seeks an investment adviser assistant (Vancouver) to assist in managing existing investment portfolios and developing new business by providing service directly to clients, including the provision of investment information, taking buy/sell orders and responding to account enquiries. http://t.co/xDGGQfX

Mercer Bradley, on behalf of its client, seeks a senior financial analyst (Tri-Cities) to assist with the development of budgets, and financial, business and operational plans; financial and operational reviews, forecasting, business cases preparation and business process reviews; review financial results; prepare and review entries; financial reporting and variance analysis; financial modelling and analysis; training; and ad hoc projects and analysis as required. http://t.co/RdFtGCi

HEALTH & MEDICALFraser Health Authority seeks a registered nurse, intensive care unit (Royal Columbian Hospital) to provide comprehensive care to a variety of critically ill patients as part of a dedicated and ambitious team. http://t.co/Sdgvs7F

LEGALDavid Aplin Recruiting, on behalf of its client, seeks a corporate records clerk (Vancouver) with a minimum of three years experience in preparing annual reports, annual resolutions, changes of directors, officers, etc. http://t.co/ko1nGZl

ZSA Legal Recruitment, on behalf of its client, seeks an LAA/paralegal hybrid (Vancouver) to draft court documents, correspondence and perform legal research; schedule examinations for discovery, trials and chambers hearings; co-ordinate witness schedules and arrange for travel; liaise with colleagues, clients, opposing parties and court staff; and train and mentor junior staff. http://t.co/NXEKdgB

ZSA Legal Recruitment, on behalf of its client, seeks a litigation support specialist (Vancouver) to be responsible for establishing protocol and procedures for litigation file management, overseeing proper completion of projects in accordance with the E-Discovery Reference Model, working with and training lawyers and other staff members on the use of litigation support technology, assisting with document preparation and review, preparing lists of documents and troubleshooting E-Discovery issues. You will also provide direction and training to other members of the litigation support team. http://t.co/OMOOaWe

MARINEThe Employment Solution, on behalf of its client, seeks marine piping designers, marine hull designers, marine electrical designers, marine outfitting designers, naval architects, marine engineers, planners and estimators (Vancouver) for an upcoming Canadian Marine/Naval project. http://t.co/3BnbwBe

MARKETING & SALESLululemon Athletica seeks a digital storyteller (Vancouver) to be responsible for certain aspects of the manager “80/20 checklist,” as delegated by the store manager, so that the store consistently produces a “Wow! It’s you!” guest experience. http://t.co/MeChMlo

Inteqna, on behalf of its client, seeks a new business development manager (Vancouver) to take hold of new marketing initiatives to drive product awareness and ultimately be an enormous lead generator. http://t.co/XqQkBeN

Escape from the 9 to 5...

AT CANADIANTOURISM COLLEGE!

Turn your passion for travelling into a long-lasting and exciting career. Travel, Tourism and Hospitality career training at CTC

prepares students for work in airlines, hotels, travel companies and cruise lines around the world. Explore the world with

a career in travel and tourism!

Surrey CampusP: 604.582.1122Toll Free: 1.800.668.9301

Vancouver CampusP: 604.736.8000Toll Free: 1.877.731.9810

CALL TODAY!

ALL PROGRAMS START

THIS FALL.

w w w. T O U R I S M C O L L E G E . C O M

RTUI seeks an independent sales representative (Vancouver) to be responsible for local sales in your area; provide customer service and creativity in offering advertising suggestions; and help your clients reach their business objectives with the highest return on investments in the advertising industry. http://t.co/vOHa6qJ

Shaw seeks a sales co-ordinator (Vancouver) to be accountable for selling Shaw TV television advertising along with Internet and other television media platforms. http://t.co/cUczyDf

Adecco, on behalf of its client, seeks an account executive/account manager (Langley) to be responsible for landing new accounts, managing account relationships and helping to build the brand in the Lower Mainland. http://t.co/tUtbylk

MININGDesign Group, on behalf of its client, seeks a general manager, minerals and metals (Vancouver) to manage the performance of the Eastern Canada projects to budget by complying with agreed commitments while balancing the requirement for high reimbursability in the Toronto office, among other duties. http://t.co/3seWGSL

RAILCanadian Pacific seeks a trainperson (conductor) (Port Coquitlam) to work as a member of a train crew, travelling to various locations with the train; and, as a member of the yard crew, switch cars, make or split up trains in yards or move cars between yards, sidings or tracks, among other duties. http://t.co/vdA0Xyy

[RETAILLululemon Athletica seeks an assistant store manager (Park Royal) to be responsible for the strategy and development of the content across its blog and select channels on its website. http://t.co/lUYft5m

Indigo Books & Music Inc. seeks an assistant customer experience manager (Vancouver) to ensure that Indigo’s life-enriching product lines and their story are presented to customers with passion and enthusiasm each and every time they visit its stores. http://t.co/unBq4ah

Indigo Books & Music Inc. seeks an assistant customer experience representative (Vancouver) to perform tasking duties (cycle counting and replenishment) in addition to receiving duties (processing incoming store merchandise) as required. http://t.co/x0Fd47J


BY PETER HARRIS

It sounds harsh, but it is the truth: no one is going to

give you a chance. It’s actual-ly unlikely that anyone is go-ing to give you anything.

Candidates are often con-vinced that they could be great in a particular job, for which they have little or no experience, if only a potential employer would give them a chance. That may or may not be true, but we’re unlikely to find out, because employers aren’t in the business of giv-ing people chances.

In fact, giving chances is bad for business.

Employers can however, take a chance on you. Ac-tually, every time a company hires anyone, they are taking chances. It tries to mitigate the risks as much as possible by surveying resumés for the most qualified people, inter-viewing those people to find the best fit and then con-ducting background checks to check for red flags.

Still, when employers sign that contract, they’re taking a gamble. Resumés can be exag-gerated, people who are great in interviews aren’t always great on the job and back-ground screens miss things. Hiring the wrong person is

messy and expensive. So your job as a candidate

is not to get employers to give you a chance, thereby asking them to make a poor business decision as a favour to you. Your challenge is to give po-tential employers a reason to take that chance on you. You have to show that you have the skills, the passion and the willingness to work hard and be an asset to their team.

How can you do that? Take a look at the following keys to landing a job in an in-dustry where you have no ex-perience.

Demonstrate your skills and accomplishments. Take a look at everything you’ve done so far, on the job, at school and in your person-al life. List the accomplish-ments that you have made and see if you can find a way to tailor them to the industry that you’re targeting.

Think about your skills that can apply across indus-tries, such as project man-agement, communication, research and relationship-building. Are you a skilled and effective writer or public speaker? Have you led a suc-cessful team or taken a pro-ject from plan to fruition? Can you manage a budget or schedule multiple tasks for a team of people? All of these skills and experiences can be applicable across industries.

Get some more experi-ence. If you really don’t have enough skills and accom-plishments to land an inter-view, then you’re going to have to go out and get some. Look for internship opportunities, volunteer work or short-term contacts where you can pitch in on complex projects, de-velop your skills (especially the transferable ones men-

Gimme a break!The real reason no one is going to give you a chance

tioned above) and accom-plish demonstrable success. You can also use these oppor-tunities to increase your per-sonal network.

Show passion. Do what-ever you can to land an inter-view. When it comes, dress professionally and make the right impression. Use this oc-casion to demonstrate your passion for the industry, the company and the role. People like to hire those who are en-thusiastic about the particu-lars, rather than someone who’s just looking for a job. Be upbeat, positive and as charming as possible. People also want to hire someone whose company they enjoy, since once they hire you you become a part of their daily life.

Take any job, and do it well. If you’re offered any role at all – even one that is a step down from your past work or what you were hoping for – take it. It’s easier to prove your value and work your way up from the inside. Come in early, stay late. Take any op-portunity to work on projects for other departments so that you can network internally and learn as much as possible about the company. Hard work, enthusiasm and a posi-tive attitude go a long way.

Everything that you do well will convince your em-ployer that he or she made the right decision in taking a chance on you – and every connection and skill that you learn along the way makes getting your next, bigger and better chance easier. And you’ve earned it; nobody had to give you anything. •


Your job as a candidate is not to get employers to give you a chance; your challenge is to give potential employers a reason to take that chance on you

If you really don’t

have enough skills and

accomplishments to

land an interview, then

you’re going to have to

go out and get some


ACCent ReduCtion CouRSe - Join our new Accent Reduction course at DIVERSEcity and im-prove the way you speak in business, professional and personal settings. This program focuses solely on mastering pronunciation techniques that will help you sound like a native English speaker. There are many barriers to employment such as the lack of appropriate skills and knowledge, and problems with transferability and acceptance of foreign credentials. Another barrier may also be an employer’s perception of your ability to communicate with customers, staff and management. DIVERSEcity’s Accent Reduction program assists general employment seekers, entrepreneurs, medical professionals, and qualified professionals to present themselves in clear non-accented English. next class: october 17th to 28th Monday to Friday 9:30 am to 12 pm at SFu Surrey City Centre Library Cost: $300.00

Step into the career you’ve been dreaming of. Call today!bc.vccollege.ca • 1.866.573.3087

.com/VancouverCareerCollege .com/VCCollege .com/VCCollege

Train today for:• Practical Nursing• Health Care Assistant • Pharmacy Assistant • Early Childhood Education• Medical Office Assistant • Rehabilitation Assistant and more....

Most programs are 1 Year or less.

To career.From here.

The Shortest Path To A Health Care Career

We’re taking your education to the next level! Starting Sept 2011, you will receive an iPad when you begin classes at Vancouver Career College. All iPads will come with e-books and educational apps, provid-ing you with a more interactive learning experience!

Rev_VCC_NEXT_runs Aug_Quarter Pg.indd 2 8/12/2011 10:29:56 AM

Become a Personal TrainerTurn your passion for fitness into a lucrative career!In just 40 hours you can become a fully certified personal trainer.

On The Edge offers:➤ One-on-one instruction ➤ Start anytime➤ Payment plan options ➤ Flexible scheduling

On The Edge takes you from certification to paycheck.

Call 604.998.3379 or email [email protected]

SepTember/OcTOber 2011learn mOre ➧ GeT THe JOb 15

OverviewIn partnership with PHS Community Services Society and the Lookout Emergency Aid Society, this unique curriculum has been prepared to support individuals with mental heath challenges and addictions. Based on the input received from these industry partners, this program has been speci� cally designed to prepare students – philosophically, mentally/intellectually, emotionally, and experientially – for a successful career with longevity and the potential for advancement.

Typical Job Duties Community Mental Health & Addictions Workers assist individuals with mental health challenges, housing and addiction issues by encouraging and supporting them in their daily lives. � ey model, teach and support all functions of home life, daily living activities, leisure and recreation for improved quality of life for their clients. � ey provide assistance, support and skill training to adult men and women to establish and maintain a stable living situation, as independently as possible. � ey discuss, isolate and assess problems, develop a � exible plan of action, ensure basic needs are met, network clientele with needed services and provide crisis intervention as necessary. � ey also act as coordinators for volunteers.

Potential EmploymentA� er graduating from the Community Mental Health & Addictions Program, you’ll be quali� ed for employment as a: Community Support Worker; Social Service Worker; Mental Health Worker; Drop-in Worker; Outreach Worker; Community Liaison Worker; Addictions Worker; Tenant Support Worker; Shelter Resource Worker; Child & Youth Worker; Employment Resource Worker; Employment Counsellor; Volunteer Coordinator; Case Manager; Recreational Activities Leader. etc

Wages and Career OutlookBased on recent employment statistics gathered by Stenberg College, the average starting wage for students who have completed this type of program and are working in their � eld of study is $18+ per hour.

Is This Program For You? It is if you: are non-judgmental, mature and tolerant; like to support and encourage others; are interested in improving the quality of life for those with mental health challenges and addictions; are � exible and compassionate; can communicate equally well with clients, their families and healthcare professionals; have patience and can handle stress; can remain calm when others exhibit aggressive behaviour; want to have a career where you can truly make a di� erence in people’s lives.

Program Admission Requirements• 19 years of age or older or completion of Grade 12.• Passing entrance exam and formal interview• Evidence of a minimum of 12 volunteer hours (community

support / street level service experience)• A minimum of 2 years of sobriety for those with addiction issues• Acceptable criminal record check • Reference letter stating suitability to work with mental health

clients.

Duration and FinancingDuration: 60 weeks, including practicumFinancing: You could be eligible for ELMS funding, government student loans and other � nancing options; the Stenberg College Financial Aid O� cer would be happy to provide further assistance.

Additional Certifi cation(s)� e program also includes the following essential industry-related training and certi� cation: Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS; FOODSAFE Level One; Standard First Aid - CPR/HCP/AED; and Non-Violent Crisis Resolution. Responding carefully to the needs of today’s employers, a series of Personal and Professional Development Workshops have been integrated throughout the program to develop critical thinking and so� skills. Workshops include Self-Awareness & Listening Skills, Exploring Values & Beliefs, Stress Management, Giving & Receiving Feedback, Leadership, Time Management Skills and Interview Skills.

Program Courses• Orientation and Student Success Skills• Communications 100: Professional Communications in Mental

Health & Addictions• Computer Science 100: Computer Fundamentals & Applications• Occupational Health 100: Creating the Safe Environment &

Self Care: Setting Boundaries, Staying healthy & Dealing with Vicarious Trauma

• Sociology 100: Introduction to Communities & Wellbeing • Sociology 101:Social Inequality, Health & Power I, II, & III • Sociology 200: Understanding Poverty: Economics vs.

Experience, What’s the Di� erence• Public Policy 100: Comparative National Housing Strategies• Psychology 110: Human Development Across the Lifespan • Psychology 120: Mental Health & Psychosocial Rehabilitation • Sociology 220: Youth Homelessness • Psychology 200: Life Skills Mentoring• History 100: Canadian Aboriginal History, History of the

Downtown Eastside and Urban Poverty • Women’s Studies 100: Gender, Power & Poverty • Health 200: Health in the Downtown Eastside I & II • Public Policy 110: Drug Policies, Th eories of Addiction and a

History of the Four Pillars Approach • Psychology 210: Motivational Interviewing • Psychology 250: Advanced Motivational Interviewing • Psychology 220: Seeking Safety: Treatment for PTSD &

Substance Abuse • Psychology 230: Assessment & Resources • Pharmacology 100: Basic Pharmacology in Mental Health &

Substance Abuse • Psychology 240: Concurrent Disorders • Communications 200: Ethics & Case Management • Public Policy 210: Understanding Government Agencies/

Resources • Public Policy 220: Policy Recommendations • Professional Development 110: Career Search Strategies • Practicum

Community Mental Health and Addictions Worker

diploma programIt is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is. – Hermann Hesse

604-580-2772 • www.stenbergcollege.comOver 94% of our grads are working in their fi eld of study within 6 months of graduation

In partnership with:

Apply for a full tuition scholarship Change your life today!


next september/october 11

Documents

community job fairs

type of job fair

upcoming job fairs

given job fair

job fair awarehow

prospective job seekers

community fairs

future job openings