SOFT SKILLS

Don’t let your fingers do the talking — “easy-peasy”

is not always the best approach
& RESTOCK YOUR SKILLS
Your retail job is more than
just folding clothes.

every day, I’m

hustlin’
3
PLUS:
PAGE SPECIAL
FEATURE
THE PROBLEM WITH ABORIGINAL
EDUCATION IN CANADA

| october 2011 |
BUSINESS
DEGREES
4-YEAR DEGREES THAT
ARE BUILT FOR BUSINESS.
Accounting
e-Business Marketing
Fashion Management
Human Resources Management
International Business
Tourism Management

business.humber.ca
 www.pwcbrilliantfutures.ca

Brilliant
futures
Jessica is building a future
in PwC’s Consulting & Deals
practice.
Visit our website to discover a
career as unique and individual
as you are.

We believe in brilliant futures for our people,

our clients, our business and the community.
To find out more, visit www.pwcbrilliantfutures.ca

© 2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers
International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.
 17 who’s
hiring
Hey. Did you know that these
companies have lots of entry
level positions? Visit their
websites to see a full list of
positions available.

1 PwC
9 Department of

every day, I’m

National Defence
10 Shell
16 CGI

hustlin’
16 Federated Co-operative
19 Deloitte
21 The Source
23 NAV CANADA
23 Diversey
23 Export Development
Canada
27 TD Bank Financial Group
28 Cameco
28 Edmonton International
Airport
33 Canon
34 College Pro
Being your own boss sounds awesome, right? But before 37 The Home Depot
you go off and start your own business, be warned: self-em- OBC RMCP
ployment isn’t for everyone. Here are some things to keep in
mind before you embark on a freelancing adventure.
yay!
more school
IFC Humber, The Business
School (Undergrad)
3 Humber, The
Business School: Event
6 Success Story — Sunil Sharma highlights 35 Restock Your Skills — Working in retail can Management
the importance of diversity on your resume. teach you important, transferrable skills. 5 Humber, The Business

Image Composite: © Sonya van Heyningen, Original Images: Man on bike - © iStockphoto.com/Ryan Lane, Road - Stock.xchng)
Brought to you by Rogers Wireless. School: Global Business
38 Humber, School of
38 Edu-ma-cation — A Master’s in Project
Media Studies and
8 Career Cupid — What are you going to do Management is a trump card in any profession. Information Technology
with THAT degree?! 38 Centennial College
JobLife 39 Brock University
40 — Money, Money, Money! Some sug-
39 Niagara College
11 Start Up — Lena Fevens – entrepreneur and gestions on what to do with all that money
39 Ross University
cake designer extaordinaire! you’re making. 39 Queen’s University
39 Schulich School of
12 Interview Smarts — Michelle Gauthier of
39
Medicine and Dentistry
Sheridan College
NAV Canada offers her take on a very common IBC Humber, The Business
interview question. School

14 Soft Skills
the talking.
— Don’t let your fingers do
who else?
The Problem with Aboriginal Education 13 Wood Manufacturing
in Canada Council
29 Management Training Programs —
30 Insurance Institute
Can enrolling in one enhance your career or It’s a startling realization that more than one-third of Canada
come with a heavy price tag? 31 ACE Canada
of Aboriginal people in Canada haven’t earned a

32 Five Misconceptions About Sales
People — It’s not always about the big sell. We
separ fact versus fiction.
stuff to buy
high school diploma. In this special feature, we learn
more about the education disparity between Native
and non-Native peoples in Canada, along with the 7 Rogers Wireless
strides being taken to fix the problem.

2 october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

EVENT
MANAGEMENT
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE
From trade shows to cultural festivals;
from sporting events to fashion shows;
from conferences and meetings to weddings:
this program offers the unique skills you
need to launch your career as an:

• Event Coordinator
• Marketing Assistant
• Special Events Organizer
• Promotion Coordinator
• Account Representative
• Trade Show Planner
• Conference Coordinator
• Corporate Meeting Planner

business.humber.ca
 jobpostings
boxes, then I would make it the best darn maga- publisher
zine about cardboard boxes EVER. And I would Nathan Laurie
be happy doing that job, provided that it paid nlaurie@jobpostings.ca

well, gave me some creative control, and my co-

associate publisher
workers were talented, smart, fun people to be Mark Laurie
around. mlaurie@jobpostings.ca

This is my last editor’s note for jobpostings

editor
magazine (next issue, our web editor will be writ- Jason Rhyno
ing this note for our special “Women’s issue”). I jrhyno@jobpostings.ca
found another job, or, rather, it found me — feels
art director
good, I’m not going to lie.
Sonya van Heyningen
This magazine has come a long way. When I svanheyningen@jobpostings.ca

started, there was me, an intern, and a designer

web editor
who worked from home (and a few sales people), Simone Castello
and virtually no freelance writers. Now, we have scastello@jobpostings.ca

editor’s
a web editor, two or three interns, an in-house
art director, a product manager, and more free- contributors
Lisa Charleyboy, Katie
lance writers than you can shake a pen at.
Edmonds, Christine Fader,
I think it is safe to say that this magazine has got- Michelle Gauthier, Ross

NOTE
Harrhy, Jaclyn Law, Brandon
ten better. It has gotten better because of the
Miller, Allison Mitchell,
combined hard work of the people behind it, the Kevin Nelson, Alyssa
people who slept in their offices when on dead- Ouellette, Emma Woolley
line, the people who went outside their job de-
scription, who showed intelligence, passion, and national account managers
Sarah-Lyn Amaral,
brought sincerity and pride to their work.
Lori Blanchard,
And that’s what you should do when you start Mary Vanderpas

your career.
Be Smart. Be Passionate. Trust yourself. I figured, for my last note, I would share with you
Work Hard. some tried and tested work habits:

Did I ever tell you how I got this job? I started as an intern. I had 1. Learn how to give a presentation. Published by Passion Inc.
gone back to school after working at another magazine, to 2. Shut up. Learn to listen to your colleagues, and your boss. 25 Imperial Street, Suite 100
Toronto, ON M5P 1B9
complete a fabulous one-year post-grad program called Book 3. Don’t say “no” to opportunities to take on extra
and Magazine Publishing at Centennial College. After I fin- projects (within reason, of course). jobpostings.ca
1-877-900-5627 ext. 221
ished the program — during the recession — job boards had 4. Say “no,” but delicately. Some things are not worth
dried up and rusted. There was nothing, and what was out your time. Or the company’s.
there was quickly gobbled up by people 20 years my senior. 5. Success teaches you nothing; failure, on the other
hand, is an awesome way to learn.
I had done an internship earlier in the year, and was hesitant
6. Be sincere, be humble, and set your ego aside. Beware
to take on another one. I had rent to pay, and an internship jobpostings is published eight
of other people’s egos. times in the school year. Issue
would mean giving up shifts at the restaurant I worked at. So I
7. Trust your instincts. You’re smart, and good at dates are September, October,
did what any sane person looking for a career would do; I gave November, January, February,
what you do.
up my apartment, and went homeless — well, not exactly. I March, April, and May. Copies of
8. Trust your team, and the people around you. jobpostings are distributed to
stayed on a few of my friends comfy couches.
9. Have fun and challenge yourself. over 105 universities and colleges
I did it because I knew what I wanted in my career. For the 10. Work hard, use common sense, and make sure you care across Canada. Contents of
this publication are protected
first time in my life, I knew with 100 percent certainty that I about your work.
by copyright and may not be
wanted to be an editor. I knew what experience I was lacking, 11. Get something going in your life other than work; it’ll reprinted in whole or part without
where my soft skills needed polishing, and what I needed to help you decompress. permission of the publishers.
do make myself attractive to an employer. I didn’t care that 12. Eat a good breakfast (I’m still working on this one).
my friends were landing jobs at big name publishing houses, on the cover:
Thanks to everyone for reading and supporting us! (Oh, and Image Composite: © Sonya van
or getting awesome freelance assignments. From now on, I
my fellow Arts grads — or anyone who wants to go their own Heyningen
told myself, my success would be judged on my own terms
— not society’s or my friend’s, or my mom’s definition of suc-
way — this month’s feature is for you!)  Original Images: Man on bike -
© iStockphoto.com/Ryan Lane,
cess. If I got a job working at a magazine about cardboard ~ Jason Rhyno Road - Stock.xchng)

october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

GLOBAL
BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE
From marketing to finance;
from advertising to international trade;
this program offers the unique skills you
need to launch your career in:

• Marketing
• Finance
• Advertising
• International Trade
• Retail
• Wholesale
• Supply Chain Management

business.humber.ca
SUCCESSSTORIES
Sunil Where did you go to School? What
program did you attend?
Sharma
I went to school at Red River College in Win-
nipeg, Manitoba. I attended one of the most
popular courses offered at the college — Busi-
ness Administration.
What drew you to your current field?
Company While I was in high school, I would spend ev-
College Pro Painters ery Saturday at my fathers automotive repair
shop. As I swept the floors or threw out the
Position
garbage, I would watch my father deal with
General Manager - Eastern Ontario
his customers, and coach his employees. It was
Length of employment because of him that I got involved with College
4 years Pro. The Idea that I could be in control of my
Degree own schedule, deal with customers, and be the
Business Administration leader in my business just seemed perfect.
How did you find your current posi-
tion?
After three intense interviews and a bunch of
reference and background checks, in 2007, I
was granted my very own painting franchise
with College Pro at the age of 18. I operated my
franchise for three years. Each year brought
forth a new set of challenges and a whole new
skill set that I felt I needed to conquer. After
this last year, I ran the biggest and most prof-
itable business in central Canada, and the
biggest of my career. I talked to my GM about
further growth and he put me in contact with
the VP and president of the company. The
thing about College Pro is that when you have
grown beyond your current role, they open
their doors to new roles with a whole new
set of challenges and growth opportuni-
ties.
What is the most rewarding part
of your job?
After going to college for Business Ad-
ministration, I had second thoughts
and looked at becoming a teacher. I
wanted to impact peoples lives and
help grow their skill set. What I ended
up discovering after a few years with
College Pro was that I was doing ex-
actly that, but in a different field. I
was helping other franchisees suc-
ceed with their business, by sharing
ideas and tactics that have worked
Sponsored by
6
for me. The pride I felt when someone else’s
business took off in a positive direction was
amazing.
What skills have you learned through
your work experience?
One of the most important skills that I have
learned is priority management. It is best to
be in control of your day, and to approach it
with a well thought out battle plan. In our day
and age, its almost as if we have no time for
anything. Set aside an hour at the end of the
week to plan out the following week. Be sure
to factor in some time to yourself! Life is also
about having fun!
What do you think it takes to be suc-
cessful in this career?
Be a sponge! Soak in as much knowledge as
you can and be open to Ideas. Be an extremely
selfish learner — ask questions! It’s the best
way to learn.
Is there one accomplishment you are
most proud of to date?
I am most proud of my latest promotion. I
have just been promoted from being a fran-
chise owner in a small area in Winnipeg to be-
ing put in charge of operating Ottawa , plus
Eastern Ontario. This role is going to put me
up against a whole new set of challenges that
I just can’t wait to embrace! It’s great to see
that my hard work within the company has
been recognized.
What advice do you have for students
looking to land their first job?
Be sure to diversify your resume and differen-
tiate yourself from others. Your book smarts
aren’t everything, be sure to get some real
world experience in your portfolio. Look at each
job as one of the greatest learning and develop-
ment opportunities in your life! Best of luck!
rogers.com/careers/campuslife
 TAKE TEXTING TO
A NEW LEVEL WITH
IT’S EXCLUSIVELY FROM ROGERS AND INCLUDED AS
A STANDARD PART OF ROGERS WIRELESS SERVICE.
1

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it comes to texting with these extreme features:

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rogers.com/extremetext
1 Extreme Text Messaging service is available to Rogers wireless prepaid and postpaid customers only as part of their wireless service. Visit rogers.com/extremetext for complete user details. ™Trademarks of or used under license
from Rogers Communications Inc. or an affiliate. © 2011 Rogers Communications.
 I’m pretty sure that some
of the students I work with
think I have a magic wand.
Of course, not one that
I show just anyone who
happens to wander into my
office, but one that I can
whip out from some secret
spot for special people —
people who have a certain
confused and hopeful look
in their eyes when they
CAREER
sit on my couch and ask,
“What are my options?”
There are days that I’d love
to whip out said spar-
kly wand and magically
by Christine Fader
bestow the perfect career
CUPID
(and matching fabulous
salary) on the shoulders
What are
of the student seated with
me. I’d be the career fairy
you going
godmother and how fun
would that be to put on a
to do with
business card?!
But, alas, I haven’t received
THAT my fairy godmother desig-
nation yet.
degree?!
Students in all programs
and at all stages (first year
through to PhD) come to
see me with the “what
are my options?” ques-
tion but it is perhaps most
prevalent among students
in non-professional pro-
grams. If you’re a student
at a university or college,
in a program that has the
words “Arts” or “Science” or
“General” in the diploma
title, you are likely in a non-
professional program. That
simply means that your
program isn’t a training
program with a rigorous
plan for imparting specific
skills that lead to a spe-
cific job (e.g., nurse, social
worker or engineering tech-
nologist). This is especially
true for many university
programs but the same
also holds for some general
college programs.
Despite the “what are my
options?” conundrum,
the benefits of being in a
non-professional program
are many:
• They usually allow another question: “What
you the flexibility to try
a variety of courses that
all count towards your
ultimate degree/diploma
• The subject matter is want to figure out if they
often broad, allowing you
to learn a little about lots
of things (great, if you
get bored easily or don’t
have anything that really
“grabs” you).
• They often allow you Classification (the govern-
to remain open/undecided
about your program focus
until you get your feet wet
and have a few courses
under your belt.
• They impart skills that majority of jobs (this is not
apply to a wide range
of occupations such as
analytical skills, commu-
nication skills, information
synthesis skills…
• They appeal to stu-
dents who don’t want to
“close any doors.”
Yep, there are many great there are multiple ways
reasons for choosing and to get to the vast majority
thriving in a non-profes- of jobs.
sional program but that
Don’t believe me? Ask
doesn’t mean you won’t,
people doing interesting
at some point, be staring
jobs:
into space during class
thinking, “what are the • Is there a typical edu-
options?” And, many a stu- cational path to this job?
dent has been prompted to • Are there any other
come and visit the Career kinds of experiences (paid,
Centre after tiring of volunteer) that help people
people asking in a perhaps get this job?
well-meaning but slightly
• What are the back-
tactless way: “And, just
grounds of the people in
what are you going to do
your workplace who do
with THAT?!”
this job?
If you’re in a non-profes-
What you’ll most often
sional program, it usually
find is that many people
means that you’re learning
doing the very same job
theoretical concepts and
have backgrounds that are
abstract principles, rather
related to the key skills
than being trained. It does
in the work but are quite
NOT mean that you aren’t
different from each other.
acquiring any skills. The
So the answer to “what are
challenge is figuring out
my options?” is so full of
how to connect those skills
to career options. Students
possibilities and variety
that it quickly leads to
want THE LIST of jobs that
their program qualifies
do I WANT to do?”
them for. They want to
know which employers Now, this can be a doozy
hire out of this program to contemplate but it’s
versus that program. They one that career centres
and advisors can help you
have a hope of getting to with. And it lets us career
Job X from where they’re practitioners get one step
currently at. In other closer to completing the
words, it all comes down career fairy godmother
to: “What are my options?” training program. 
The National Occupational
ment book that tries to
keep track of job titles in
Canada) has upwards of
30,000 job titles in it. The
good news is that the vast
scientific but I think I can
accurately say 29,600+)
have many, different paths
to them. Unless you want
Christine Fader works as a
to be a plastic surgeon
career counsellor at Queen’s
(medical school definitely University and is the author
required!) or a journeyman of, “Career Cupid: Your Guide
to Landing and Loving Your
tool and die maker (ap-
Dream Job.” Visit her website
prenticeship important!), at careercupid.com
october 2011 | jobpostings.ca
“I got to choose from several career options when
I joined. I’ve always loved working with new
technology so this job was a natural fit. Here,
there’s always something new on the horizon.”
Leading Seaman PATTY LEE
FORCES.CA
« Quand je me suis enrôlée, j’ai eu à choisir parmi
plusieurs possibilités de carrière. Comme j’ai
toujours aimé travailler avec les nouvelles techno-
logies, la décision s’est prise naturellement.
Dans mon métier, il y a toujours quelque chose de
neuf à découvrir. »
Matelot de 1re classe PATTY LEE
1-800-856-8488
 CAREERS AT SHELL
LET’S BUILD A BETTER ENERGY FUTURE.

At Shell, we believe every individual has something valuable to

offer. We understand that the more diverse the workforce, the wider
the variety of ideas we bring to the table. If you’re ready to tackle
the energy challenge and make a real impact on the world, join a
company that values diversity and emphasizes the quality of life for
its employees and their families. We offer:

n Alternative work schedules n Training and development

n Work and family programs n Employee networks
n Health and wellness programs n Mentoring

To learn more and apply, visit www.shell.ca/students.

F
BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Where did the idea come from for Lena’s Designer
Cakes?
The initial idea came from my best friend, who was
in need of a wedding cake. I was the friend who
would bring the goodies to our gatherings. She
asked me if I would make her wedding cake, so I said,
“sure, why not.” And that’s where it started. I made
her cake and it came out really well. I got a couple
of cake orders that night, actually, at her wedding
reception. And it has just kind of grown from there.
So you have this business idea. How did you get
started with getting it off the ground?
LENA
startup
FEVENS
and website development at Nova Scotia Community College.
ACE 2011 Student Entrepreneur, Nova Scotia champion.
jobpostings.ca | october 2011
It was sort of a slow process. I wasn’t sure if the
market was here in my local community because
we’re pretty small. So I just sort of gauged the
interest of people and based it on how many or-
ders I got. I keep track of how people contact me,
when, and if I can accept their cakes or not. And
then I did a bunch of test runs out at the local mall
with some of the smaller desserts that I do — the
cupcakes, the truffles — to see if the interest was
there and if I could get the prices that I would need
to charge. I did quite a bit of analysis as far as the
local demographic goes and the marketing oppor-
tunities that I have here.
Interviewed by Brandon Miller
29-years old, owner of Lena’s Designer Cakes
in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Studied IT
What makes Lena’s Designer Cakes unique?
In this area specifically, we are unique. There isn’t
any other business doing what we do at the mo-
ment. But I also think it comes down to quality
and customer care. I hold a lot of focus groups.
I have a lot of taste-testers. We care about what
people think instead of just shoving stuff down
people’s throats.
In your opinion, what makes for a successful entre-
preneur?
I would probably say perseverance would defi-
nitely be important. You need to be self-driven,
self-motivated. There’s nobody there motivating
you and driving you. Becoming your own boss and
having your own business, it’s not glamorous by
any stretch of the imagination. It’s hard work. You
stay up late.
Have you always been into baking?
When I was younger, probably when I was be-
tween the ages of 13 and 15, I actually used to do a
lot of cake sculpting. I like to say that I was actually
doing it before it was cool to do it. The first thing I
ever sculpted as a cake was a car. It looked terrible
but you could get the idea from it.
What has been your proudest business accom-
plishment?
So far, my proudest accomplishment has been
expanding my little cake business into a full-
scale retail bakery. We just opened up a couple of
weeks ago in a building in downtown Yarmouth. I
got funding from a bunch of different places and
they’re letting me follow my dream.
Do you have any plans to expand?
Oh, definitely. I’m hoping within the next 10 years
to have between two and three hundred of these
stores. I’m going to franchise it and turn it into a
global chain.
Do you have any advice for students that might
want to start their own business?
I guess the only advice I would give is to make sure
that you are dedicated to what you are doing be-
cause, while you might have fun while you are do-
ing it, it is a lot of work, especially while you are in
school. You need to make sure that you love what
you are doing, that you believe in it, and that you
are willing to go the distance to make your busi-
ness what you want it to be.

So you screwed up in the
interview, huh? They asked
the ol’ “What’s your greatest
weakness” question and you
responded with “cupcakes,”
hoping to get a laugh. Awkward.
Lucky for you we have friends
on the inside — recruiting
friends (the people who’ll be
interviewing you). It cost us a
few favours, but they finally
agreed to explain why they ask
what they ask, and what the
best answers are.
It’s a cheatsheet for interviews.
Good luck!
* interview
smarts
by Michelle Gauthier,
National Manager of
Candidate Selection
@ NAV CANADA
Q
Tell me what you know about
the company?
A
This question is fairly standard in an interview,
but it’s important to really understand how an
interviewer considers your response.
As an employer who is about to make a
significant investment in your professional
development, your response to this question
speaks directly to your motivation. We’re
looking for an answer that shows you made a
sincere effort to research the company, beyond
simply memorizing sentences from our website.
Simply put: if you’re not motivated to prepare
for your interview, how can I expect you to be
motivated in training or on-the-job?
Knowing NAV CANADA’s mission statement
is good, but it always strikes me as impressive
when an interviewee scratches beyond the
surface and researches our services, our
organizational values and our customers.
Doing this type of preparation should not be
underestimated. Be prepared to speak about the
company in your own words for several minutes.
Not only will this show your determination in the
interview room, it will help you respond to follow
up questions about your skills and behaviours in
the context of the company.
Finally, be ready to explain how you researched
the company ahead of your interview. If you
went to our website or Facebook page, I’ll
want to know what you learned about the
company there.
This question is often asked early on, and has
the potential to set the tone for the rest of your
interview — be ready and make a good first
impression! 
october 2011 | jobpostings.ca
Wood Employee Readiness Curriculum

WERC In Advanced
Wood Manufacturing
ENTRY-LEVEL CAREERS FOR FIRST NATIONS, METIS, INUIT, PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES AND NEW IMMIGRANTS

The WMC WERC Skills Development program

is designed to prepare individuals for entry-
level occupations in advanced wood manu-
facturing and recruits specifically from groups
including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, new
immigrants and persons with disabilities.

Participants of the program are

provided with skills upgrading in the
following areas

• Job Readiness
• Essential and Life Skills
• Introduction to Basic Wood Manufacturing
• Safety Training, Job Shadowing
and Job Placement

Successful candidates of the minimum 8

week program will be better able to seek
long term career opportunities in cabinet
making, furniture, manufactured housing
and other advanced wood sectors across
Canada.

If you are interested in participating

in the WERC program in your area or
a manufacturer looking for new entry
level woodworkers, please visit
www.wmc-cfb.ca or contact:

Wood Manufacturing Council

1016 -130 Albert Street
Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G4
Tel: 613-567-5511 * Fax: 613-567-5411
Website: www.wmc-cfb.ca

Funded by the
130 Albert Street, suite 1016 T 613-567-5511 F 613-567-5411 Government of Canada’s
Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4 www.wmc-cfb.ca Sector Council Program
DON’T LE T YO UR
FINGER S DO TH
TAL K IN G
HAVE YOU EVER
TEXTED OR EMAILED
SOMEONE WHO WAS SITTING
RIGHT BESIDE YOU? BE HON-
EST — EVERYONE HAS DONE
IT AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER.
AND LET’S FACE IT: IT’S CONVE-
NIENT AND SOMETIMES EASIER
TO DO THAN TALKING TO SOME-
ONE FACE TO FACE. BUT JUST
BECAUSE IT’S EASY, DOESN’T
MEAN THAT IT’S ALWAYS THE
BEST APPROACH TO INTERACT-
ING WITH OTHERS. COMMU-
NICATION SKILLS — WRITTEN
AND VERBAL — ARE VITALLY
IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP IN ALL
ASPECTS OF LIFE, PARTICULAR-
LY IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.

softskills

by Allison Mitchell
 R Think of people on a city bus or in a waiting room;
chances are that they will be focusing their atten-
tion on texting and very few will be talking. These
HE
are appropriate places to text, and keep your voice
down. Yet in general, it’s not enough to rely solely
on electronic devices to communicate. They are
an important part of our lives, yes, but we need to
remember how verbal communication can help us
be successful at work.
So, what’s the difference between talking to some-
one and emailing them when both methods com-
municate information?
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
Relationships are vital in the workplace. When you
join a company, you will need to work hard to build
relationships with your co-workers, and talking in
person allows the other individual to put a face to a
name (aside from your social media profile picture).
After a few conversations, you will start to build a
presence in your office. Communicating by email all
of the time means that you become a faceless email.
Putting a face to your name means that when you
walk down the hall, your co-workers won’t be whis-
pering “who’s the new person?” when you have al-
ready worked there six months. Get visible and get
involved where you can. Every time you get up from
your desk, think of it as a mini-networking adventure
and talk to people on the way to your destination.
DEVELOPING COMMUNICA-
TION SKILLS
Communication skills need to be continuously
practiced and honed. Even the best communicators
have to practice the art. Simple, daily conversations
will help to improve your communication skills and
your comfort level in talking with groups of people.
If you spend most of your time alone at your desk
,behind a computer screen, then how are you sup-
posed to develop your verbal communication skills?
You won’t! You’ll find yourself in a position where
simply talking with your co-workers could be diffi-
cult because it causes you anxiety, or because you
haven’t developed the ability to communicate clear-
ly and succinctly. Don’t get me wrong: I know that
email is a form of written communication, which is
Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstockv
an essential skill to develop, but the frequency that
we talk to each other has significantly decreased
with advances in electronic communication.
jobpostings.ca | october 2011
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Conflicts and misunderstandings happen all the
time at work and you need to be able to effectively
resolve the issues in order to move forward. Have
you ever tried to resolve a conflict or misunder-
standing through email? If you have, then you
know that it’s not an easy feat. It can be frustrating
and time consuming with a lot of back and forth
emails that often exacerbate the issue because
meaning and tone are lost in emails. It is hard to
convey tone and emotion over email, and it is
equally difficult to interpret them. You can truly
only understand the tone of a discussion by talk-
ing; emoticons just won’t cut it. When you are ex-
changing emails with someone and find yourself
in a situation where you need to resolve a conflict,
pick up the phone or go to the person’s desk and
talk it out. Think of how much time and frustration
you will save. If you need the resolution document-
ed, you can easily follow up by sending an email to
the other person with the agreed upon resolution.
Two things are certain: one, electronic communi-
cation is critical in the workplace and will be an im-
portant tool in your communication toolbox; two,
verbal communication far outweighs email ex-
changes in relationship building, improving verbal
communication and resolving conflicts. So, how do
you balance the two?
The key is to be able to identify the method of com-
munication that is most appropriate in the particu-
lar situation that you are in. Email is appropriate in
some situations; talking may be a better method
of communication in other circumstances. Build-
ing relationships, sharpening your communication
skills and polishing your ability to resolve conflict
are all fundamental competencies that are re-
quired in your career. The next time you are writ-
ing an email to someone, consider talking to them
instead — if I could have given you this message in
person, I would have 
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16 october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

 THINK YOU
COULD BE
YOUR OWN
BOSS?
HERE’S
WHAT YOU
NEED TO
KNOW.
Image Composite: © Sonya van Heyningen (Original Image: Stock.xchng)

by Jaclyn Law

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT CREATING

your own job? Maybe you’re a college or university stu-
dent or a recent graduate, and you’re planning to find
steady work in your field of study. But while your crisp
new credentials may be impressive, they don’t guarantee
you a job, especially with today’s economic uncertainty.

jobpostings.ca | october 2011

Or maybe you’ve found a full-time position in your
field, but instead of enjoying it, you’re daydream-
ing about busting out of the cubicle farm and es-
caping the scourge of office politics.
Before you give up on your industry, consider flying
solo. For many types of work, it’s possible to shop
your skills around for short-term work as an inde-
pendent service provider — a freelancer or
consultant. You’d be in good company:
according to Statistics Canada,
there were 2.67 million self-em-
ployed workers (about 16 per-
cent of the workforce) in this
country in 2010 — 12 per
cent more than a decade
ago. About half were sole proprietors, unincorpo-
rated and working without paid help.
Being your own boss sounds awesome, right?
Imagine it: more control over the work you do,
greater flexibility in your schedule, and no more ir-
ritating commute to the office. And, in a way, you
have more job security than you would working for
someone else — no one can fire or downsize you.
But before you declare your independence, be
warned: self-employment isn’t for everyone. Sure,
you have the freedom to make all the decisions,
but that comes with the hefty responsibility of,
well, making all the decisions. The same flexibil-
ity that makes freelancing seem liberating can be
your downfall if you’re not disciplined. And in addi-
tion to being the president, you’ll also be the book-
keeper, marketer, office manager, janitor and, from
time to time, the collection agency.
Freelancing also means giving up three things that
many aren’t willing to live without: a predictable
income, health benefits, and paid vacations. Work-
ing solo also means just that — you’ll mostly be
alone, with no one to help when you’re overloaded,
tired, sick or itching to rehash last night’s episode
of Mad Men. You can also wave goodbye to work-
place perks like expense accounts, company cars,
subsidized gym memberships, free coffee, em-
ployee discounts and an endless supply of sticky
notes. You might work irregular hours, including
evenings and weekends.
Instead of being assigned work, you’ll have to
chase down each client and project, which can be
time-consuming, frustrating and exhausting. And
for those who think freelancing means they won’t
have to answer to a boss, here’s the truth: every cli-
ent is a new boss, with attendant demands, expec-
tations and quirks to manage.
There will be leaner times, when work seems to dry
up and you wonder if you made a huge mistake by
forgoing a salaried job.
But hey, you’ve gotta dream big. Stay focused, stay
organized, do excellent work, build good relation-
ships and manage your money, and you have a
good chance of thriving.
If the idea of self-employment inspires excitement
rather than fear, read on to see how others have
made it work.
Do a reality check
Image: © iStockphoto.com/Ryan Lane
Have a frank conversation with yourself and iden-
tify weaknesses that could trip up your fledgling
freelance career. Making it past the first stages
of a business launch requires motivation, level-
headedness, discipline, a tolerance for uncertain-
ty, and persistence.
“The first year was challenging, to say the least,”
says Rodney Weis, a freelance web designer and
computer consultant in Calgary. “I went in with a
lot of preconceived notions that it would be easy to
make a website, hang out my shingle and wait for
people to break down my door. Of course, the real-
ity is that, like any business, it takes a lot of work
and a lot of groundwork. You have to really educate
yourself… It’s a great way to make a living as long
as the person is prepared to put in the legwork and
grow the business one step at a time.”
Adaptability is essential. When Weis began free-
lancing five years ago, he planned to offer a range
of computer services. When web design turned
out to be his most marketable skill, he took a
couple of extra courses and got himself on track.
He was promptly flooded with work; now, he says,
“I’m as busy as I want to be.” Three-quarters of his
jobs come from word of mouth.
Dry spells do happen; you’ll need to be prepared
emotionally and financially. “It’s kind of like work-
ing without a safety net — sometimes you sink,
sometimes you swim,” says Weis. “There have
been times I’ve had more work than I know what
to do with, and sometimes I don’t have work for a
month or more.”
“YOU DON’T SEE NIKE
TRYING TO SELL YOU
HAMBURGERS, OR
MCDONALD’S TRYING
TO SELL YOU RUNNING
SHOES.”
Get with the plan
Still think you can hack it as a freelancer? Good. The
next step is a business plan, the foundation of your
company. Before you write one, though, you need
to figure out your goals.
At first, you might be tempted to take on anything
that’s asked of you, especially if you’ve got student
debt to pay off. “If you try to be everything to every-
body, you’ll probably be nothing to nobody,” says
Paul Lima, a Toronto-based freelance writer, copy-
jobpostings.ca | october 2011
writer and business-writing trainer who leads work-
shops that help freelancers identify goals and target
their efforts. “Try marketing without a focus and
you’ll be all over the map. You don’t see Nike trying
to sell you hamburgers, or McDonald’s trying to sell
you running shoes. Whether you’re a big business or
small business, you have to focus, and that comes
from having a business vision: determining who you
are, what you do and who you should do it for.”
Your business vision will change as your interests
evolve. When an opportunity comes up, decide if
it fits your goals or is something you’d like to get
into — if not, stick to your vision. If yes, build it in
your business plan.
Depending on your type of company, your plan could
be a couple of pages or a couple dozen pages. Re-
search your industry: Who’s hiring short-term work-
ers and how much are they paying? What services
do freelancers offer and how much do they charge?
What resources are available to people in your field?
Business plan tips and templates are available
from the federal government’s Canada Business
site (canadabusiness.ca). For more help, ask a men-
tor for feedback, take a class for entrepreneurs,
or seek counsel from sources such as Atlantic
Canada’s Entrepreneurs’ Forum (entrepreneursfo-
rum.com), the Ontario government’s Small Busi-
ness Enterprise Centres (ontariocanada.com) or
BizLaunch (bizlaunch.ca).
Set up command central
Many freelancers work from home, and their
needs are minimal: desk, computer, phone, Inter-
net, a quiet workspace, and a few reference books.
If you need more space or services — or you crave
human interaction — share a rented office or join
an organization that lets you work on its premises.
For example, members of the Centre for Social
19
sTay Focused, sTay
organiZed, do ex-
cellenT Work,
build good re-
laTionsHips and
manage your mon-
ey, and you Have
a good cHance oF
THriving.

october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

 Innovation in Toronto (socialinnovation.ca) have
access to high-speed Internet, photocopy and fax
machines, meeting rooms, audio-visual equip-
ment, kitchen facilities and even mailboxes.

Christina Lauer, a graphic designer in Vancouver,

set up a home office three years ago. “I realized I
was starting to talk to strangers in the supermar-
ket! So, yeah, I was feeling isolated,” she says, add-
ing that people in creative fields benefit from a col-
laborative environment. “Now I’m sharing space in
an agency. I don’t feel lonely at all.”

Spread the word

As a freelancer, you can’t hide behind your desk
and hope that projects will find their way to your
door. You need to promote yourself, network with
confidence, and work well with clients.

Lauer has seen other designers struggle to find

work because they weren’t good at dealing with
clients. “They might be better off working in an
agency where somebody else takes care of that
part,” she says. “When you run your own business,
you have to project manage and communicate
with clients all the time.”

If interpersonal communication, marketing and

networking aren’t your strong suits, take heart —
they get easier with practice, and you might even
discover, as Lauer did, that you enjoy it. “When I
worked for an agency, I never went out and net-
worked and met people, and I’ve met some really
great people by freelancing,” she explains. “Now
I feel like I’m really part of the design community
in Vancouver.”

Cultivate contacts by telling family and friends

about your business; attending conferences and
trade shows; joining your industry’s professional
association; keeping in touch with classmates (you
never know where they’ll end up); and attending
events hosted by your town’s chamber of com-
merce. Introduce yourself to at least five people
at each event, and give them your full attention.
Don’t fret if your phone isn’t ringing the next day
— weeks or months may pass before a prospect
needs your services.

Networking isn’t just about finding clients — it’s

also about meeting colleagues who may be your
future collaborators or referral sources. Rather
than see other designers as competition, Lauer
considers them a great resource; she even lists
their web addresses on her own site. “I’ve worked
with them before, and when I’m busy and can’t
take on new clients, I’m so happy to recommend
Image: Stock.xchng

other people who I think will do a good job. For

example, somebody might have really good illus-

21

OF THE CANADIAN
WORKFORCE IS SELF-
EMPLOYED.
trative skills, which I don’t have, and if I know this
person can do a much better job… You always get
back what you give.”
Create a website for your business. Don’t get too
fancy — simple and clear is better than flashy. Look
at the sites of other people in your business, and
consider investing in the services of a web design-
er. Depending on your line of work, social media
sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn may be
helpful — just keep the personal and professional
separate. (Clients don’t need to see pictures of you
swilling margaritas on a beach.)
Business cards are convenient for passing contact
info to prospects. Whip up inexpensive ones with
Moo (moo.com) or Vistaprint (vistaprint.ca) and
carry a couple at all times — you never know when
opportunities will pop up.
If this sounds like a lot of work, you’re right, it is.
Launching a business takes serious effort, and you
might have to make dozens of elevator speeches
before you land a new prospect. It won’t always be
that way — if clients notice that you consistently
deliver the goods and are a pleasure to deal with,
you’re likely to hit the jackpot: repeat work.
“A lot of freelancers give up way too soon. They
make a few cold calls or put their website up, and
do a few things to try to promote their business,
and when they don’t get clients — or not very
good clients — they get frustrated,” says Steve
Slaunwhite, a freelance copywriter and marketing
consultant in Brampton, Ont., and co-author of The
Wealthy Freelancer. “You need to take massive ac-
tion and make a big noise, contact maybe hundreds
of clients. It takes a lot of effort, but the reward is
22
that you can create a really nice base of clients that
could be the lifeblood of your business for years.”
Set your rates
Do you know what you’re going to charge? Prepare
a range of figures and be ready to quote them, says
Slaunwhite. “I realize that, especially in creative
categories like writing and design, no two projects
are exactly alike, but you can develop a fee struc-
ture based on typical projects. That will enable you
to discuss pricing intelligently with a client right
from the get-go, and it significantly increases your
chance of landing the job if you’re able to quote a
ballpark price right away.”
The biggest mistake freelancers make? Underpric-
ing. “They’re afraid to quote their full value. But free-
lancers need to realize that they’re professionals,
offering a professional service, and should be charg-
ing professional rates,” explains Slaunwhite. “If you
get a client and your price is too low, you’ll never be
able to raise your prices with that client, ever.”
Charging higher rates does mean, however, that
you have to be willing to let lower-paying clients
get away. “Some people out there are unwilling
or unable to pay professional rates for things —
they’re cheapskates or don’t have the budget,” says
Slaunwhite. “Some won’t be able to afford you and
that’s OK — there are plenty of other clients who
can. You don’t have to accept every client’s budget.”
Take care of business
Once you land clients and become immersed in
the work, it’s easy to forget the details of running a
company — things like bookkeeping, invoicing and
taxes. Stay on top of it, and if it’s too overwhelm-
ing or complicated, hire a pro to help you manage
your finances.
There may also be more administrative work than
you’re accustomed to. “I have to email a lot now,”
laughs Lauer. “Although I really like dealing with
clients directly, it’s very time-consuming. Some
days, I have to answer 50 emails, and I wonder,
‘What did I do all day?’”
Get better at what you do
Sharpen your skills and stay on top of develop-
ments in your industry. That could mean every-
thing from networking and signing up for trade
journals and e-newsletters to taking courses.
Learning could also be informal. “Try to collaborate
with people you think are better than you. That’s
really important, especially if you work on your
own,” says Lauer. “If you don’t get input from peo-
ple who have other experiences and know more
about certain things than you, you’ll stall in your
development.”
Get a life outside of work
It can be hard to separate yourself from your com-
pany, especially if you work at home, but all work
and no play is a recipe for misery and burnout.
No doubt there will be unavoidable crunch times,
but self-employed people need to find a balance.
“This is more important than most freelancers
may think,” says Slaunwhite. “It’s very easy to get
wrapped up in your business and have it be all-
consuming, and think about it all the time. Keep
in mind when planning your business that you’re
also planning your life.”
Slaunwhite recommends establishing guidelines
— for example, which days of the week you’ll be
available. “Clients will be as demanding as they
can be, and you want to make sure you have a set
of rules to build the lifestyle you want.”
Think you’re up the challenge? Freelancing can be
a tough haul at times, but it’s also incredibly grati-
fying to know that everything you achieve, you’re
doing by yourself.
Since going freelance, Lauer has been courted by
agencies to work in-house, but she turned them
down. “I didn’t even consider it for a second. I
thought I would, if a good agency approached me,
but…I just can’t imagine going back,” she says.
“[Freelancing is] so much more rewarding, and I feel
like I learn more — in the past three years, 10 times
what I would’ve learned in an agency. And I find it
really satisfying that all my output is all just me.”
october 2011 | jobpostings.ca
 Now
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MANAGERS
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d’analyse et capacité d’interpréter des états financiers; engagement à fournir un excellent service à la clientèle; aptitude à communiquer dans les deux langues
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www.edc.ca/careers | www.edc.ca/carrieres

jobpostings.ca | october 2011 23

*
THE
PROBLEM
WITH
ABORIGINAL
EDUCATION
IN CANADA
I
by Lisa Charleyboy work in Aboriginal recruitment at a post-
secondary institution and every day I am
met with the startling facts surrounding
the state of Aboriginal education in Canada
today. More than one-third of Aboriginal people
haven’t earned a high school diploma, and there
are only eight percent of Aboriginal people aged
25 to 64 who hold university degrees, compared
to 23 percent of non-Aboriginals in the same age
group who do.
There is a serious disparity between Native and
non-Native peoples in Canada. What most Cana-
dians don’t understand is why these gaps exist
— and why they should be concerned about it.
By 2020, there is estimated to be a shortfall of one
million workers in Canada, mostly in high skilled
and knowledge-oriented occupations. The cur-
rent labour shortfall has already impacted busi-
ness operations and changed labour markets, and
will increasingly do so. If there are no measure-
ments to fill this shortfall, Canadian business and
our economy could be seriously impacted.
There has been a huge push to fill Canada’s
employment shortage with an immigrant popu-
lation but the Aboriginal youth could be a key
solution. In Canada, the Aboriginal population is
the fastest growing demographic in Canada. It’s
growing at roughly twice the annual rate of the
AND WHAT
YOU CAN DO
ABOUT IT.
general population. In the next 15 years, more
than 400,000 Aboriginal young people will reach
labour-market age. These youth need to be ready
for the job market, armed with an education
that will enable them to participate.
Unfortunately, many of these youth — particu-
larly those who are growing up on reservations
— don’t have access to standard educational
opportunities. There are three kinds of First Na-
tions education in Canada delivered to Aborigi-
nal students. Federal schools that are controlled
by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Canada (AANDC), provincial schools, and local
schools operated by First Nations communities.
Sixty-five percent of the 120,000 eligible on-re-
serve First Nations students attend the latter.
The issue with the majority of these schools is
that they are grossly under-funded. Paul Martin,
in an interview with the Toronto Star, said “that
the per capita funding for a First Nations child
going to elementary or high school is anywhere
from 20 to 40 percent lower than what non-Na-
tive kids get on a per capita basis.”
Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Many of these schools aren’t able to recruit and
retain qualified teachers to work on remote and
rural reservations, even though teachers can
teach without a Bachelors of Education (Bed). Be-
cause I work in recruitment for a university and
 *
“THe noTion THaT all FirsT
naTions sTudenTs receive
a “Free educaTion” is Far
ouTmoded and many, like myselF,
graduaTe Facing HigH sTudenT
loan debTs JusT like mosT
canadian sTudenTs.”

jobpostings.ca | october 2011


* we simply cannot allow it to happen,” (Excerpt
“MANY CORPORATE LEADERS
ARE ON BOARD. THEY REALIZE
THAT CLOSING THE NATIVE
EDUCATION GAP COULD ADD
MUCH-NEEDED FUEL TO THE
ECONOMY.”
visit many of these schools in Ontario, I have also
witnessed firsthand how few of these schools offer
the courses required for entrance into university.
These students are already forced to only be able
to be college ready, and never given the opportu-
nity to challenge themselves with these courses.
Students that study off-reserve don’t necessar-
ily fare much better than those that stay on re-
serve. According to Statistics Canada, the range
among major urban areas for Aboriginal youth
school attendance is from 50-66 percent, com-
pared to the non-Aboriginal youth who were at
60-70 percent. The main reason for dropping out
26
among Aboriginal male youth was boredom, and
for Aboriginal female youth it was pregnancy or
looking after children.
When Aboriginal youth are eligible for post-
secondary school, they are often faced with a
serious lack of funding. The notion that all First
Nations students receive a “free education” is far
outmoded and many, like myself, graduate facing
high student loan debts just like most Canadian
students. According to the Aboriginal People’s
survey, the number one reason why students
don’t finish their studies is related to finances.
Although education is a treaty right, there is
a serious lack of post secondary education
funding (PSE) from the Canadian government
to make it accessible for all Native students.
Federal funding is only increased 2 percent a
year, while tuition is increasing at 4.4 percent
a year and the number of eligible students has
increased significantly due to population demo-
graphics and Bill C3, which granted previously
ineligible youth Indian Status.
“If our students struggle through their child-
hood to get to the point where they can go on
to advanced training, advanced education,
and then find that the resources aren’t there
for them to move on, the tragedy is so painful
from National Aboriginal Achievement Founda-
tion, No Higher Priority).
There are great prospects for those that do fin-
ish their postsecondary education; in many ur-
ban areas, employment rates among Aboriginal
peoples with a university degree are even high-
er than non-Aboriginal people with the same
educational level.
But the cost of not educating First Nations peo-
ple in Canada is high. According to the Royal
Commission of Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal
poverty will cost Canada up to $11 billion per
year by 2016. This could be detrimental to the
Canadian economy, especially when there will
be an employee shortage and industries will be
struggling to look for skilled workers.
Many corporate leaders are on board. They real-
ize that closing the Native education gap could
add much-needed fuel to the economy. “The
long-term future not only of our Native peoples
but of this country is education,” said Purdy
Crawford, a prominent businessman, to the
Globe and Mail.
One solution is to bring distance education to res-
ervations, so that community members can ac-
cess education without leaving their families and
way of living. The First Nations Technical Institute
in Tyendinaga, Ontario offers a variety of diploma,
degree and certificate programs, uses various de-
livery methods to reduce barriers to PSE, and has
a 90 percent employment rate for graduates.
Resources and energy industries are also put-
ting forth great strides to bring technical train-
ing to First Nations communities so that they
can employ community members in their ini-
tiatives. In Timmins, Ont., Dumas Mining creat-
ed a partnership with Wabun Tribal Council to
prepare First Nations people with the adequate
training for mining, and they are guaranteed
jobs upon completion. This is just one of many
employment and education gap solutions cre-
ated across the country.
If you are interested in creating your own solution
and are a recent BEd graduate looking to gain ex-
perience, why not consider teaching in a First Na-
tions community? There are so many across the
country looking for eager, bright teachers that
are committed to understanding First Nations
people and interested in social justice. Many can
be found on the Education Canada website.
For those who are not on the teacher track, but
would still like to contribute, I would suggest
finding a local First Nations organization or
agency and enquire to any volunteer positions
that suit your skills. Many local Friendship Cen-
ters are the hub of First Nations communities
and are a good resource at being able to find out
what volunteer positions are available in your lo-
cal town or city.
It is clear that the state of Aboriginal education
is currently well below that of the national av-
erage. It does require that all Canadians under-
stand the complexities and see the value in in-
Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
creasing Aboriginal education because it will not
only benefit Aboriginal peoples and their fami-
lies, it will greatly contribute to Canadian society
and the economy as a whole.
october 2011 | jobpostings.ca
 Find your
perfect career
at TD.

Why work for TD?

To learn more
At TD, you’ll have the opportunity to grow throughout
about working at TD,
your career – through access to development programs, visit www.td.com/careers
networking opportunities, job coaching and mentoring.

We encourage you to get involved!

We have an active Aboriginal Employee Circle with
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal employees from across
Canada. By participating in the Circle, you’ll be able to
provide guidance and learn about the exciting work
TD is doing within Aboriginal communities across the
country. So you won’t just be an employee, you’ll be a
valued team member whose voice is respected and heard.

If you’re interested in TD, we’re interested in you.

A Passion For Opportunity

 Making a
difference
Canada’s #1
industrial employer
of Aboriginal people
Crystal Iron, Senior Environment Technician,
Cigar Lake, SK More at cameco.com

28 october 2011 | jobpostings.ca


management
TRAINING
programs It’s pretty safe to say that most university gradu-
ates don’t envision themselves working as a ca-
A CAREER shier at a fast food emporium, or as a front-line
GAMBLE OR
customer service representative at a car-rental
depot upon graduation.
YOUR BEST BET?
But what if one of those places offered you the
opportunity to move beyond the sales or cus-
tomer service role to a position in upper man-
agement within just a few months of being
by Katie Edmonds hired? Would that change your outlook?
Brent Wellman, Director, Edwards Career Ser-
vices at the University of Saskatchewan, believes
management training programs are a great op-
tion, which often go unnoticed, for students and
new grads searching for a career path.
“Management training programs provide a lot of
different opportunities in terms of the particular
organization that’s offering them,” said Wellman.
“They allow new hires to get a better understand-
ing of different aspects within the business, while
giving them a chance to find their best fit.”
According to Wellman, these programs encour-
age candidates to explore different career options
within an organization, rather than simply focus-
ing on the role they were hired into. “At the end of
jobpostings.ca | october 2011
industryinsiders
their training – whether it’s eight months or three
years — they get a better, more well rounded
background of different aspects within the com-
pany, rather than one particular field,” he said.
This is the logic used by hiring managers at com-
panies like Enterprise Rent-a-Car, McDonalds,
Scotiabank, Accenture and Staples Business
Depot, who all offer comprehensive training pro-
grams to take graduates from the ground floor to
the penthouse of their career.
“The program is like Business 101 on ten cups
of coffee,” said Erin Marsden, Talent Acquisition
Manager for Enterprise Rent-a-car in the Greater
Toronto Area, a company that welcomes both
college and university graduates into their pro-
gram. “We teach them everything to do with the
business, so our employees see the organization
from every possible level.”
Enterprise, like many other training programs,
puts their recruits through an initial orientation
and training, and then assigns each individual to
a branch office in their home area, where their
hands-on training begins. During the first year
of the program, the new recruit actively partici-
pates in everything from sales and marketing to
 “THE PROGRAM IS LIKE
BUSINESS 101 ON
TEN CUPS OF COFFEE”

customer service, to operations and finance. As This doesn’t come as news to the team at En-
they progress, they are tested and evaluated to terprise-Rent-a-Car, as they’ve experienced won-
determine their proficiency in each of these areas. derful success with their management training
program. “It’s a formula that has worked for over
“The cool thing about it is that I have been a full-
55 years at Enterprise,” said Marsden. “We truly
time employee since Day 1,” said Jessica Ruston,
believe that we have the best training program
a recent Carleton University graduate who is
and our employees learn what we consider to be
currently enrolled in the Management Consul-
the right way of doing things. We want to bring
tant Training Program at Accenture Canada,
someone in who has the core competencies, and
a global management consulting, technology
then we want to invest our time and money and
services and outsourcing company. “But instead
effort in their being successful.”
of being thrown into the fire at a job and being
expected to figure it out by myself, I have been But despite the appealing nature of job security,
trained constantly since the very beginning.” management training programs aren’t neces-
sarily the best fit for everyone. “It’s definitely an
If the new hires do well in their role, they are re-
investment,” said Wellman. “From an employer’s
warded with pay increases and a wider breadth
perspective, it’s time, it’s about mentorship, and
of opportunity for promotion. Many of the top-
it’s a buy-in from all the different areas of busi-
level executives of Enterprise, Accenture, and
ness that are part of the program.”
other companies with this type of program have
followed a similar track, as employees being Wellman also stated that it certainly takes a
hired now at these companies swear by this type unique individual to commit to a management
of career advancement. training program. “Many grads in today’s era of
work have this idea of ‘I’ll work at one place for a
“Companies that offer these training programs
couple of years, and then move on to something
are looking to move candidates into manage-
else,’” he said. “But businesses invest a lot into
ment roles,” said Wellman. “These programs are
their training programs, and it’s certainly a time
certainly not cheap either. They are strategic,
commitment. They’re giving individuals solid
and designed with a high level of learning, along
foundations of skill sets and experience to better
with exposure to areas of the business that the
them, which in turn should attract them to want
company wants new hires to grow within.”
to stay within the organization.”
The question then is: Are new graduates aware
For Ruston, the opportunity to join a manage-
of this path as a possible career option? Accord-
ment training program is exactly what she was
ing to Wellman, new grads should consider join-
looking for as she finished her degree. “I would
ing a management training program if the op-
definitely recommend it to my friends,” she said.
portunity presents itself. “I think it’s a fabulous
“I am constantly being given opportunities to
decision to make of looking at it,” he said. “It
grow and change at Accenture and if that con-
should also be a strategic plan from the business
tinues to be the case, I could see myself being
perspective of the organization to sell the idea
here for a very long time.”
to new hires.”

30 october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

Are you looking to gain hands on
experience before leaving school?
With SIFE, you will not only make a difference in your
community, but you will also gain real world experience.
Be on a dynamic team that competes in national and
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Visit www.acecanada.ca today!
SIFE is a program operated by ACE in Canada
 People may not always have very nice
things to say about sales people, but re-
ally, are all sales people the same? Can
we lump them all into the same cat-

5MISCONCEPTIONS
egory of being ruthless and only out to
sell, sell, sell? Let’s bust some common
misconceptions about sales people.

SALES PEOPLE
ABOUT
(and how to be a good one)

THE BEST
SALES PEOPLE
ARE NATURALS
John Marsh, owner of Ele-
compack Systems Inc., be-
lieves having natural sales
ability is an asset, but
there are still things you
need to learn. “The very
best sales people come by
most of the social skills
naturally. Teaching some-
one to be outgoing is not
easy,” says Marsh. “Good
sales people can deal with
large amounts of rejection
— try to teach someone
that,” he continues. How-
ever, Marsh explains that
training is still crucial,
especially when closing a
sale. “Obviously product
knowledge in relation to
your competitors is the
most important.”
SALES PEOPLE
EMBELLISH
THE FACTS
So, you think all sales
people will fib a little (or a
lot) to make a sale, leaving
you wondering how you
ever got through the day
without their better-than-
sliced-bread product?
Simply not true.
Brian Johnston, sales
trainer for Brijon and
Associates (representing
Hofstetter Business Tech-
nologies), says, “I’m here
to give you an opportuni-
ty, and if it’s not what you
are looking for, you move
on.” Johnston explains
that a good sales person
needs to be honest. “Don’t
lie and say your product
or service can do for the
customer what it can’t.”
IT’S ALL
ABOUT THE
BENJAMINS
This may be true some of
the time. Marsh, whose
company supplies medi-
cal offices with products
such as stationary,
labels, paper gowns, and
masks, says “the com-
pany tells you that you
have to hit the numbers.
And if you don’t you may
lose your job.”
But this doesn’t mean
that all sales people are
simply out for your hard
earned cash. “We aren’t
asking them for anything.
We ask them ‘Do you use
this?’ and if they do, we
send them a price list
and let it speak for itself,”
Marsh explains.
ONCE THEY’VE
MADE A SALE,
THEY’RE GONE
Sales people promise the
world to get your money
and disappear as soon as
you realize it’s not all they
said it was, right?
Wrong. Many sales people
follow up post-purchase
to see what worked out,
and what didn’t. Amanda
Fordham, CEO and presi-
dent of Canadian Home
Healthcare, says, “I do
think that sales are highly
driven, and very competi-
tive, but I’m more clinical
and focus on patient care.
So, I’m there for the long-
term. I go back and I fol-
low up. If we can’t deliver
the service that they want
then I say we can’t.”
THEY DON’T
CARE ABOUT
CLIENTS
Sales people often care
about more than just the
number of bills they have
in their wallets — they
care about the well-being
of their clients. “My em-
phasis is on fostering and
developing the relation-
ship for the long-term,”
Fordham explains. “It is
critical that clients feel
they can place reliance
on us.”
Johnston agrees. “We
put the customer first
and provide a service to
that customer,” Johnston
stresses, adding that, “In
creating a relationship,
you create a friendship.”
Image: Digital Vision./ Photodisc/Thinkstockv

industryinsiders by Alyssa Ouellette

october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

 Why work for a Fortune 500 global leader
employing more than 166,000 people with
offices across Canada?

Why experience first class training,

compensation, rewards and benefits?

Why grow with an organization as diverse as

its employees?

Why explore opportunities in imaging

including Business Solutions, Office
Equipment, Consumer, Medical and
Broadcast products?

Why enjoy a career with a technological

leader invested in social responsibility and
the environment?

Because You Count

Immediate opportunities in Calgary, Vancouver,

Toronto and across Canada.

View career opportunities: Apply now:

www.canon.ca/careers becauseyoucount@canada.canon.com
For more information:
 industryinsiders

ReSTOCK
yourSKILLS

Working in
retail can
teach you
important,
transferrable
skills. TIME MANAGEMENT ADAPTABILITY
Retail is really busy during holiday seasons, es- Static jobs are becoming rare. Korchinos says it’s
by Emma Woolley
pecially in small stores. In addition to serving extremely important for employees to be “open-
customers, you may be saddled with: restock- minded to a dynamic working environment where
Retail work gets knocked almost every- ing items, processing shipments, folding clothes, expectations can (and do) change frequently.”
where. It’s underpaid and rarely glorified, tracking inventory, cleaning, and/or more.
Today you’re a cashier, but tomorrow you could
but working in retail is educational and
The best way to deal with a long list of to-dos is be a salesperson. You might not like the pressure,
often enjoyable. I worked in retail and food
learning what Steve Korchinos, a manager at Joe but it doesn’t hurt to try out charm and persua-
service for eight years, and while some of
Fresh, calls “the art of prioritization.” Assess each sion in selling things. You might even be good at
my experiences were challenging, most
situation to determine what’s most important, it! When I worked at a LEGO outlet, part of my
were rewarding. I made enough money to
which in retail is always the customer. Messy job was running birthday parties for young kids.
finish my two degrees, and I learned a lot
racks can wait, raving customers who may hurt It wasn’t my favourite thing to do, but I learned
about people and high-pressure workplaces.
business cannot. which games were most engaging and how to
Most retail positions are available during deal with kids and their parents. Because many
You’ll also learn to multi-task more efficiently
the summer and winter holidays when professions require you to adapt to new envi-
by figuring out which things can be done at the
stores need extra people to deal with extra ronments, such as management changes and
same time. For example, organizing clothes by
Image: Stockbyte/Thinkstockv

customers, and when you need extra cash. acquiring new responsibilities, having multiple
size while answering a customer’s questions.
While the work may seem simple, there’s roles on your resume is always a plus.
Most positions will require you to manage mul-
lots of important and transferable skills to
tiple tasks, people, or projects, so it’s wise to re-
be learned from retail. Here are the top four.
ally hone this skill.

jobpostings.ca | october 2011 35

 
Coping with stress
Holiday seasons in retail are the busiest and
most stressful for everyone. With cranky cus-
tomers to deal with and a thousand other things
to do, it’s easy to get upset. You’ll eventually
learn to roll with the punches: a valuable skill
for avoiding very public meltdowns.
We all want to be successful, but don’t overdo it.
Brad, who worked at a book store to pay for his
education, says to remind yourself: “It’s a store,
not an ER.” Take care of yourself to avoid burn-
out. Going on breaks, staying well rested, and
taking on only what you can handle is integral to
getting through any stressful situation.
Even on the busiest days, try to loosen up. Wi-
ersema, who’s about to enter his 20th holiday
season, says that one learns to appreciate the
positive. “Customers are going to be frantic and
demanding, your boss is going to be freaking out,
the music is going to be irritating, you’re going
to have dozens of demands on your time — you
can’t fight any of those things and resistance
just makes it worse,” he says. “Ride it out. Savour
the moments in which you make the perfect rec-
ommendation or make a customer smile.” If you
can stay positive while everyone else falls apart,
you’ll succeed in any job — and feel a lot better.
36
Dealing with people
Unpleasant people are everywhere. While many customers are
perfectly nice, you may be shocked with how rude people will
be to you as a cashier or salesperson. Whether they’re having a
bad day or are simply cranky by nature, sometimes you just can’t
please people. “Steve Dublanca, the Waiter Rant blogger, says that
80 percent of his customers just want something to eat and the
other 20 percent are psychopaths,” says Brad.
When a customer is swearing at you because you’re out of me-
dium sizes, it’s hard to not take it personally. Don’t. “No matter
how aggressive or toxic the situation, keep calm, genuinely listen
to the customer’s concerns, and never take the situation as a per-
sonal attack,” advises Korchinos. “Remember that the attitudes
of less-than-friendly customers... are expressions of their own
stress.”
This is key in any work environment. You’ll have coworkers and
clients to deal with and some of them may behave badly. A little
patience and compassion go a long way. If someone’s lashing out
at you, never fight fire with fire. “Treat the customer as you would
like to be treated, and things often turn around,” says Wiersema.
The same strategy works for anyone else you interact with.
While some customers and coworkers are awful, others can make
your day and teach you something new. “My job gives me daily
reality checks and opens up new worlds of interaction,” Wiersema
Image: Stockbyte/Thinkstockv
says. “You really do meet the strangest, most wonderful sorts [of
people] and it colours your whole life. As a writer, it’s so valuable
for me to interact with people — readers — in the real world.”
october 2011 | jobpostings.ca
If you don’t know which paint dries faster,
but you like helping people...

then we want to talk to you.

You may not know everything when it comes to home improvement,vement, but after our
training and hands-on coaching you will. The Home Depot, one of Canada’s top
ut customers first and
100 employers, is currently hiring. You bring the desire to put
we’ll offer competitive rewards including company paid healthth & dental plans, 70+
benefits, tuition reimbursement & much more.

Many positions available including:

Cashiers • Sales Associates • Department Supervisors • Overnight Packdown Associates

Apply online at homedepotjobs.ca/2152

We are committed to diversity as an equal opportunity employer.

Oh, by the way, the paint that dries faster is the latex paint. See, you’ve already learned something.

 managing expectations What does a shuttle
Project
launch, the Olympic
Management Games and a charity
pays dividends fund-drive have in
common? Disregard
no matter your
the scale; they’re all
profession. multi-faceted proj-
ects that require a lot
of planning and re-
source management
to pull off. Increasingly, businesses are recogniz-
ing the need to train their managers to tackle
large, complex projects. There’s a measure of cal-
culation, know-how and finesse needed to keep
things running smoothly. That’s where the disci-
pline of Project Management comes into play.
Traditionally, project management was considered
the domain of civil and construction engineers
overseeing large development projects. While that
still applies, the past couple of decades have seen
the principles of project management applied to
other industries in Canada.
“I got involved in this business about 15 years ago
when large companies like Bell Canada and RBC
were starving for better ways to manage their proj-
ects,” recalls David Barrett, the Program Director of
the Centre of Excellence in Project Management at
the Schulich Executive Education Centre. Partner-
ing with various universities across Canada, the
organization offers a Masters Certificate in Proj-
ect Management that is meant to address these
needs. “We don’t focus on any one industry, nor any
one type of project,” says Barrett. “Anyone currently
making a living managing projects can benefit.”
38
edu-ma-cation
Not only is the program pan-industry, but there are dustry and academic input, as it’s taught by a top
no formal academic pre-requisites, meaning the engineering company in Canada.”
doors are open to all interested parties. “Ideally, the
In recent years the university has also added its
student should already be in the position of man-
own Project Management Certification Program
aging some kind of project or in that environment
that is a condensed version of the degree program.
so they can apply what we’re teaching them,” ex-
“There was a large number of industry people
plains Barrett. “This is adult education at it’s best
wanting to attend our course, and we couldn’t
— there’s tons of sharing, debates and discussions.
always meet the demand,” explains Ruwanpura.
What our students bring to the classroom is a ma-
Being a certificate program, there are academic re-
jor chunk of the benefit of our program.”
quirements and it’s open to people from any field.
For those looking to complement their post-sec- “We condense a 39-hour graduate course into a 12
ondary education, The University of Calgary offers hour certificate course,” he continues. “Content
a post-grad Project Management Program that is wise it’s a little less, but the quality is the same.”
jointly offered by their Schulich School of Engineer-
The common link between these programs, re-
ing and Huskayne School of Business. “Most of our
gardless of provider or focus, is that of the for-
students come from engineering and construc-
malization of management processes. “Managers
tion, but not necessarily,” says Janaka Ruwanpura,
need the skillset to understand expectations and
director, professor and Canada research chair of
to deliver the project successfully,” says Ruwanpu-
the Project Management program at the universi-
ra. “People always say, ‘on time, on cost, on quality,’
ty. “Technically, we admit students working in the
but there’s more to it than that — it’s a matter of
industry, but it’s not limited to any market, as long
[a business’] reputation. If a project runs over cost,
as they have the academic credentials.”
time or money, people jump at that.”
There are different branches of the program, each
This more studied approach to managing large proj-
of which requires varying amounts of previous
ects addresses a pressing need, regardless of indus-
industry experience. “Project Management isn’t
try. “A lot of people out there managing projects are
a field where you can pick it up right away,” ex-
winging it,” says Barrett. “When people come to our
plains Ruwanpura. “People need to see the real
program, they come with a need to understand a
world before they apply.” For those in the re-
more formal approach and understand what they’re
source industry, the program also has an added
missing from their projects. They need a process to
benefit. “We have a course called engineering
follow.” If those processes results in fewer head-
management that teaches how to deal with
aches, more efficient work patterns and the opportu-
managing electrical, instrumentation, process,
nity for risk-management, putting time into improv-
piping and mechanical aspects of a project,” says
ing your project management skills is a no-brainer.
Ruwanpura. “Specifically in this particular course,
it’s a highly interactive program that has both in- by Kevin Nelson
What
Do be
want to
You
centennialcollege.ca The Future of Learning
october 2011 | jobpostings.ca
graduate school directory
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careers. education. ideas. all of it.
39
 To begin with, if you’re fresh out of school you
most likely, though not always, have student
debts to pay back. It was okay while you looked for
that perfect job and worked at Starbucks to just
pay the minimum monthly payments, but let’s
face it, if you’re even lucky enough to be me with
a debt slightly lower than the Canadian average
student debt, you’re still going to be paying that
thing off for 15 to 20 years!

Budget accordingly and talk to the people at your

student loan office, where you can negotiate a
comfortable minimum payment that will shave
some serious years off your overall repayment
timeline and also counteract a lot of the interest

What to do with that you’d end up paying. I went one year where
by paying the bare minimum, I only paid the in-

all that money terest accruing rather than slicing off any of my
actual debt. That hurts when you get that paper

you’re making! in the mail at tax time.

Next, if you ever want to get somewhere and hov-

er out of the debt-pit; owning your own house, a
nice, new car, or take a great vacation once in a
while, you need to budget a monthly addition to
your savings.

Let’s look at the current mortgage scenario in

Canada: if you wanted to buy a house by acquir-
ing a mortgage, under current federal mortgage
rules you would need to put down at least 15
percent of the total purchase price of the home.
All other lending and repayment rules aside,
that means you would need at least $30K to
even think about a $200k home, and if you’re
For many of you, this is the beginning. It’s where like me and live in a major city like Toronto, the
you want to start, it’s the big plan, it’s where you minimum price for a decent home (though that
forked off down that road to the career that you may depend on your idea of decent) is $500k, or
think may sustain you for either the next ten years a $75k down payment. Yikes.
or perhaps the rest of your working life. You landed
Put down what you can comfortably fit into your
your first gig, your foot in the door, and it may be
budget, and consider that you may also need to
the first real full-time permanent position you’ve
dip into that money from time to time for any
ever had. Before, you spent your hard-earned
health or other emergencies — but hey, at least if
money on food, drink, and housing or transporta-
you’re making the effort you’re on your way.
tion — suddenly you’re thrust into a world where
the paycheques (though not necessarily huge) are Of course, the more you put in the more you can
bigger than anything you’ve ever cashed before… make, but as with the previous suggestions, fig-
now what are you going to do with all that dough? ure out what you’re willing to budget and get
started; most investment agencies allow you to
I’ve always been one for toys myself: stereo equip-
body else when it could be going right back to me only add a minimum between $25-50 a month
ment, big TV, nice computer, nice clothes — I even
via a mortgage. And so I had to rethink what I was — that’s one dinner out a month, or two pitchers
had a motorbike at one point, but then again, I
doing with all that extra cash I was suddenly pull- of beer that could potentially earn you hundreds
always worked so I could afford that stuff. I was
ing in. Some say having more money means more to thousands. If you’re lucky, your new employer
young, and had no responsibilities and no long-
freedom, but that freedom includes a responsibil- might also offer an RRSP incentive program that
term goals.
ity to yourself to do constructive things with it. Pe- will match your contributions or give you a certain
Now, a few years later, I’m thinking about mar- small percentage each payday. Look into what
ter Parker’s Uncle Ben was right when he told him,
riage, which technically is starting a family, but I’ve they offer because if you’re not taking part, you
“With great power comes great responsibility.” So
also got student loans I’m tired of paying, and I’m
Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstockv

what are the responsible options? are basically throwing away free money the com-
really, really tired of paying monthly rent to some- pany is willing to give you for being their bright,
fresh new responsible face.

with Ross Harrhy

40 october 2011 | jobpostings.ca

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