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Archive for the ‘Economy’ Category

Job Search 101 – Hot tips to help land that job

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Summer has not been kind to many young people looking for work to help pay for school, get some pocket money or gain valuable work experience. According to Calgary Herald, the unemployment rate for Alberta youth, ages 15 - 24, is 13.2 per cent, nearly double the provincial jobless rate of 6.8 per cent.

There is no doubt that it is tough going right now, and finding a job can take a lot of work - and patience. Thankfully, there are resources to tap into and our BOWEN recruiters offer the following job search tips:

Network with family and friends. They can provide introduction and let you know of opportunities. Let everyone you know that you are looking for work.
Do your research. There are lots of web sites with job postings, but you have to look around a lot.
Be patient and keep the perspective that this is a short-term blip in a long-term career of employment.
Be willing to take a more junior job right now in order to get some experience and earn some money.
Be flexible and consider taking a couple of part time jobs.
Try volunteering to gain related experience or simply to keep yourself busy and motivated!
Take some classes to help further develop your skill set.

Check back for our tips on how to have a memorable interview. Remember, this is part of a cycle that will eventually move to an upswing. Continue to have a positive attitude that things will get better!

Posted in Career building tips, Economy, Employment opportunities | No Comments »

Boosting Morale After Downsizing

Friday, July 17th, 2009

In a struggling economy, downsizing is inevitable as some companies are under pressure to just keep afloat. But amongst the layoffs and salary freezes, it’s tough for employees to stay motivated, and loyal, according to poll results revealed by Ipsos Reid on July 14, 2009. It’s no surprise as to why. When an organization goes through layoffs, many of the remaining employees live in fear, wondering if they will be the next to go.

Unfortunately, not downsizing isn’t an option for many businesses. So how can a business watch its costs and do its best to keep their valued employees happy?

It comes down to involvement.

Take BOWEN for example. Like so many other companies, we have had to make some tough decisions on where to cut back. Involve your staff in the decision making process. Information leads to empowerment. In BOWEN’s case, our staff opted for job sharing over layoffs, which resulted in cost savings that rivaled, or even exceeded, layoffs and severance packages. Our costs are dropping, and our employees feel satisfied, valued and engaged.

Small steps can often result in big attitude changes. Consider some of these tips:

Ask employees for their input on what can be done to improve on your business (this can even be done in confidence if employees would prefer not to openly meet about it).
Help employees focus on what they can control. A positive focus brings positive results.
Communicate, communicate, communicate - be open, even when it’s bad news! You are creating a culture of trust.
Focus on things you haven’t had time for - build your team!

And just remember, these times won’t last forever. It is better to find a way to retain skilled staff, than to scramble to find them again once things recover.

Posted in Economy, HR Management | No Comments »

Recessionista

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Budgets can be tight during a recession - and those usual “must-haves” start turning into “must-waits” as we watch our wallets and learn to say no to those non-necessities (as much as it pains us to turn our heads as we pass by those used-to-be-must-have killer red pumps at Towne Shoes). But how can we, as fashion-forward males and females, still look great at work- without breaking the bank?

The answer is to step into the shoes of the modern-day recessionista - who, according to the MacMillian Dictionary online, is “a person who is able to dress in a fashionable way even though they do not have a lot of money to spend on clothes.” Instead of splurging on those $200 shoes, a recessionista spent $20 on fixing up a pair from a couple seasons ago.
Try some of these cost-saving ideas:

Actually spend some time with your closet to see what’s there – letting inspiration strike! New ways to mix and match or layer clothes can create endless wardrobe possibilities.
Host a clothes-exchange party! Gather some friends (and a couple bottles of wine) and swap used clothes. Be sure to gather the leftover pieces and donate them to a local charity such as Women In Need (they will even pick up your gently-used clothing).
When you do shop, be a bargain-hunter. Check out outlet or consignment shops to pay a fraction of the price, or scope out some hot deals online. Sites like BeyondtheRack.com scout great sales from various designers and post them on their website.

Remember – just because we’re in a recession, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. Get creative, and your wardrobe will remain wow-worthy!

Posted in Economy, General | No Comments »

A New Kind of Stampede

Monday, July 6th, 2009

One of the things that I am very passionate about is giving back to our community. It’s been an honour for me to be personally involved with the United Way of Calgary and Area for many years. I am also very proud of our team at BOWEN, who are so committed to giving of their time and resources to many worthy charities in our community.

This year, an event that is near and dear to my heart, the Scott Smed Golf Invitational, is partnering with the United Way to help women and children in our community and around the world.

Calgary is a great place to live, work and play, and we need to make sure it’s a great city for everyone. There are many outstanding organizations, like the United Way, that are making a difference in our city and helping those who need it most.

This past year has highlighted just how great the divide can be between those of us who have much, and those who have little. The faltering economy has had a huge impact on many in our community and the agencies who help those in need have been stretched to the limit.

As always, Calgarians are a generous bunch, and companies and individuals are stepping up to help. Like many organizations, BOWEN will not be hosting a Stampede event this year. Spending priorities change and we’ve had to make some tough choices. We are not alone. There are many companies who are either eliminating or scaling back their Stampede festivities, or finding a way to use that money for the community.

Several weeks ago, law firm Burnet, Duckworth&Palmer LLP cancelled its annual party, electing to donate $150,000 to the Calgary Food Bank instead. For those companies that are going ahead with their party plans, many also have a strong charitable component.

Stampede may be a little quieter this year, but it’s also a time for Calgarians to shine by showing how we care about those in our community and will come together to make a difference. That’s something that deserves a big “Yahoo”!

Posted in Community giving, Economy | No Comments »

A SUMMER OF FUNEMPLOYMENT?

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

Going into the summer months can be a challenging time to look for work. Even if you aren’t on vacation, it can seem like many are in “vacation mode”. Given the recent numbers from Statistics Canada and the government of Alberta, there are more people looking for work than we’ve seen since 1996. Both the Alberta and Calgary unemployment rates are pegged at 6.6 per cent for May 2009, up from 3.6 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively in May 2008 (http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Jobless%2Brate%2Bdoubles/1668680/story.html).

Some of the candidates who have recently been to the BOWEN office have told me that they don’t really expect to find work until September, when business returns to a more normal routine. So…what to do in the meantime?

For those who have the luxury of financial stability- be it from another source of household income, a buy-out package, savings or whatever - summer can be a time to partake in a little “funemployment” - a hot new buzz word.

The blog Recessionwire (www.recessionwire.com) defines “funemployment as “a period of joblessness that you actually enjoy - maybe you get to lay out, sleep in, work out, read up. It helps to have savings, severance or an unemployment check to help pay the bills.”

A recent article in the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-funemployment4-2009jun04,0,7581684.story) profiles people who are making the most of their new-found free time and who have a “funemployment” attitude towards their out of work status.

So, if you are unemployed, how do you turn this time off into a time of “funemployment”? Here are a few tips:

Know that this too shall pass. There are several preliminary indications and expert reports that suggest the world economies are starting to strengthen and that we are slowing moving out of this recession. As history shows us, things do turn around and there will be new opportunities in the future.

Enjoy this time as much as you can. You may not have another opportunity to spend time with your family and friends.

Take a non-career job if you must make ends meet, and again, have the perspective that it is a means to an end.

Look for volunteer opportunities that may help you build your career experience, or simply because it is a cause you are passionate about.

Capitalize on this time for professional and personal development, reading books, magazines and perusing online web sites of interest.

Do you have ideas on how to turn unemployment into “funemployment”? I’d love to hear from you.

Posted in Economy, General | No Comments »

HERE WE GO…Welcome to the BOWEN BLOG

Monday, June 15th, 2009

There is a lot of talk these days about Calgary’s job market and our ever-changing economy. Given the highs and lows of the past 12 months, it’s hard to keep things in perspective. If you’ve experienced a job loss, you have to figure out “what’s next”. If you’re a manager or business owner, you may be faced with making tough choices relating to your workforce.

BOWEN has provided workforce solutions to Calgary businesses for 35 years and in this time, we have seen some high peaks (think spring 2008) and very low valleys (think the National Energy Program in the early 80s). We may not have seen it all, but we’ve seen a lot!

I am so excited to be launching the BOWEN blog as a new way to have a dialogue with you on a wide range of issues relating to employment, careers, workforce management and more. Whether you are a job seeker or an employer, please check back often. I’ll be posting new entries two or three times a week, and will also welcome guest bloggers to the site. I look forward to your comments and hope you will find the content helpful, no matter what side of the desk you are sitting on.

Posted in Career building tips, Community giving, Economy, Employment opportunities, General, HR Management | 2 Comments »