As many businesses become closed to the public, we find ourselves in an unfamiliar world. While working from home is not by any means a new concept, mandated business closures create unique challenges. Having solid strategies to deal with confidentiality, client rapport and support, effective communication and time management allows us to maintain business operations during difficult times.

What Employers Want

When applying for a job, the qualifications, skill sets, and personal attributes most sought after vary depending industry and company standards. Based on candid employer input, we have devised a list of the criteria most employers can agree on. Whether you are revising your resume, writing a cover letter, completing an online application, preparing for an interview, completing your LinkedIn profile, or conducting cold calls, these tips can help to provide structure for the information you may want to include.

During Career Week 2019, we hosted an Employer Panel comprised of The Kawartha Pineridge District School Board, The Keg Steakhouse, Foodland, Kawartha Guard Service and Comfort Keepers. These employers graciously provided us with the following strategies for success when trying to find and keep a job:

There are many options for promoting yourself to potential employers. Whether you are using a CV, chronological resume, functional/skills-based resume, portfolio, promotional video, social media platforms, personal website, or LinkedIn profile, there are many ways to highlight your qualifications and attributes.
In addition to recommending the use of keywords, there is an emerging focus on headlining accomplishment-based examples. This format allows the job seeker to portray their value, innovation, and special skills.

We are routinely asked by clients if a cover letter is necessary when applying for a job. Let’s face it, no one enjoys writing cover letters and while it may appear to be repetitive, as your relevant information is already on your resume, a cover letter is a very useful to tool to help you further highlight your ‘fit’ for both the position and the company. Being specific regarding the department or position you wish to pursue, your unique qualifications, and attributes that complement the position can help you get one step closer to obtaining the job.
When trying to determine the value of pairing a cover letter with a resume, we suggest you follow these tips.

There is something about the month of September...warmer clothes, cooler nights, leaves changing and students returning to school. While many parents and students grapple with the challenges of online and in-class learning options, it is inevitable that students of all ages will learn more about both subject material and how to navigate distance education platforms. Yet back to school is not just a term for children, youth, and young adults. Newcomers, career changers, job seekers, and the under-employed can take advantage of numerous online learning experiences as well, some of which may even be free.

Regardless of how much you may love your job, sometimes when the alarm goes off, the thought of getting out of bed can be daunting. This can be is normal response occasionally, but if it begins to become common place you may want to incorporate some strategies to help you ‘get it together’ in the morning:

At this time of year, many people are gearing down from other activities as they prepare for the holidays. “I will get back on track in the new year” is a common phrase used by many. Yet the holiday season can provide excellent opportunities for networking as we attend events where we may not have seen people for a very long time. This gives us the opportunity to have a conversation in a more relaxed setting.