August 25th, 2010
The September edition of O - The Oprah Magazine has some great job search tips for women (although the ideas certainly can apply to men too). Focusing on four different scenarios, the article “Hire Power” offers suggestions on how to go after that dream job. A few of the highlights include:
- Regrouping after a layoff - focus on metrics and accomplishments in your resume and include a summary of qualifications.
- Foot in the door - include positive quotes from references within your resume.
- Exiting the mommy track - highlight the impact of your volunteer work and include quotes from parent council colleagues.
- Switching gears - consider removing dates from a lengthy resume to avoid giving the impression that you will be very “expensive” based on length of career and experience.
Check out oprah.com/omagazine or pick up your copy today for more insights on career strategies and fashion advice for wherever you are in your job search.
Tags: employment, job search, networking
Posted in Career building tips, Economy, Employment opportunities | No Comments »
July 26th, 2010
We just had a sunny weekend and according to the Weather Network we will continue to have sunny days right into the upcoming long weekend. This is welcome news after the cool start to the summer we have had.
I am really looking forward to some downtime with my family as we go on vacation. However, if you are like me, the time leading up to vacation and the time immediately following can be really hectic. I’m hoping this time around will be different and have sourced a few tips to help with the work/vacation /work transition.
Prepare early, You mark on your calendar and start dreaming of your vacation in advance so in turn, start preparing for your work departure just as early. Notify co-workers, arrange for coverage in your absence and start compiling a list of items that need your attention before leaving. The added time to prepare relieves stress and ensures items are not missed.
Do not forget the basics. Some tasks will need to be done before every vacation such as recording your out of office voicemail and setting your out office email message. Your work may have a standard list of pre-vacation policies. If so, make sure you are aware and adhere to them.
Make a vacation preparation list. Lists in general are a great way to stay on track and with each item you check off you are that much closer to fun in the sun.
Schedule a buffer day. It is not always possibly but if you are able, you should schedule in a home day between when you get back from vacation and when you start work. On this buffer day you can adjust your sleep schedule, re-stock on groceries and other tasks. This will make sure that on your first day back at work your mind is focused and you are ready to work.
Leave yourself notes on projects that you will be continuing with when you return. This way you will be back up to speed more quickly and can hit the ground running. Also, if you have them written down at work you can put them out of your mind when on vacation.
Do you have any vacation tips? I’d love to hear them!
Tags: career resources, human resources, life balance, time management
Posted in Career building tips, Seasonal | No Comments »
July 9th, 2010
It’s that time of year in Calgary when business takes on a whole new look and feel. Business attire is replaced by western garb like jeans, belt buckles (the bigger, the better), plaid shirts, boots and of course, cowboy hats in a ranges of styles and colours. Instead of chasing deadlines and hosting meetings around the boardroom table, there are countless opportunities to connect with customers, partners, suppliers and even competitors over pancakes, barbeque beef and of course, beer!
Much has been made of how Calgary business “shuts down” over Stampede. Whether it’s true or not, Stampede is the perfect time to build your network and make new professional contacts. It can be a time of year that can help build your business or grow your career opportunities if you follow some simple advice:
- Watch your alcohol! With the fun atmosphere and back-to-back parties, it can be easy to overdue it. Remember, if you are with people you know professionally, you will have to face them again in a business environment so keep your drinking in check.
- Don’t forget your business cards! Simple as it may seem, don’t forget to slide a few cards into your jeans. You never know who you will meet in your “Stampeding” travels.
- Ask for cards. Even in a party setting, you may encounter someone who is a potential customer or contact. Ask for their card and don’t forget to follow up when Stampede rolls out of town for another year.
A lot of the advice that applies to what to do at corporate Christmas parties, also applies to Stampede. Have fun and be safe!
Yahoo!
Tags: Add new tag, job search, networking
Posted in Career building tips, Seasonal | No Comments »
June 23rd, 2010
While it may not be reality right now, there is a labour shortage looming in the oilpatch. Two different reports, one by human resources consulting firm Mercer and one by the Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada, are predicting a substantial shortfall of oilpatch employees as early as next year. It’s good news for potential employees, but not so good for oil and gas companies.
The key for employers is to be proactive today. Start to look at how to engage alternative labour pools, such as foreign workers, Aboriginals, women and disabled persons are all good alternatives that can provide skilled workers to the looming employee shortage. Employers need to look at what skills they need in order to effectively recruit and manage these potential employees NOW. Diversity training is a must and one that BOWEN can provide.
While a labour shortage may still feel like it is “sometime in the future”, it is actually must closer than we think. Employers who will be ahead of the curve are proactively planning for it now.
Tags: career resources, diversity, employee management, workforce planning
Posted in Economy, Employment opportunities, HR Management | No Comments »
June 16th, 2010
On Saturday, Jun 12, the Calgary Herald featured an article about BOWEN’s Bullying in the Workplace seminars.
If you haven’t had a chance to read it, check it out here:
//www.calgaryherald.com/life/Bullying+workplace+rise/3145498/story.html
Interestingly, the story resulted in some great responses from Herald readers who were happy to see that this important topic was being discussed!
Yesterday, newspapers across Canada were picking up the story based on Queen’s University’s School of Business research that shows workplace bullying can be more damaging than racial or gender harassment. Interestingly,the Province of Ontario is preparing to pass a bill that will require employers to “develop and communicate workplace violence prevention policies, assess the risks of workplace violence, and take reasonable precautions to protect workers from domestic violence in the workplace”.
(http://http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Bullying+work+worse+than+gender+racial+harassment+Report/3151623/story.html
Quebec and Saskatchewan already have similar legislation in place. Let’s hope it is not long before every province follows suits. Workplace bullying is wrong - plain and simple!
Tags: Add new tag, career resources, human resources, management
Posted in General, HR Management | No Comments »
June 7th, 2010
This week is Staffing Week in Canada, and I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the incredible team of staffing professionals at BOWEN, as well as the employers who come to us seeking assistance for a wide variety of workforce needs, and to the job seekers who ask for our help with their careers.
I recently celebrated my 26th anniversary with BOWEN and can honestly say I still love coming to work each day. This is a dynamic and challenging industry, that is also very rewarding. There is such satisfaction in helping people find a job that will carry them along their career path and balance their work / life responsibilities! At the same time, I am honoured that so many of Canada’s top companies have trusted BOWEN’s experience and expertise, and invited us to essentially become part of their human resource and business teams.
The past few years have been particularly challenging for the staffing industry, as we were so directly impacted by the economic downturn and the effects on business. However, there is a positive shift happening and I know that regardless of what the future holds, we will continue to give our best to the employers and job seekers who want our help. Congratulations to all who are part of the staffing industry and enjoy the week!
Tags: employment, human resources, recruitment support, workforce planning
Posted in Economy, General, Seasonal, Thank You | No Comments »
June 3rd, 2010
I’m on a learning curve but am excited to be venturing into the world of social media. From all I’ve been seeing and reading, it is becoming an essential part of an organization’s entire marketing approach. I know there is still much to learn but one of the things that really appeals to me about social media is the opportunity for virtual networking and dialogue in such an informal, easy way. My tweets are somewhat infrequent, but I am starting to post more regularly. If you’d like to follow me on Twitter, you can find me at http://twitter.com/sbowensmed. I’d love to hear from you and look forward to more chats in the future.
Tags: human resources, networking, social media, social network
Posted in General, HR Management | 3 Comments »
May 28th, 2010
Last week, I wrote about the real problem of bullying is in today’s workplace. What is workplace bullying? It can be defined as the mistreatment of others motivated by the bully’s personal agenda and is intended to strip down the target’s confidence to have them conform or comply with the bully’s intent. It may sound pretty formal but really, bullying is a form of manipulation and is about control. And just like with school bullying, workplace can have a long term psychological impact on the target and it involves repetitive, aggressive behavior meant to intimidate and control the victim.
It’s also something that can be difficult to talk about or address, but not doing so can cost employers more than they may realize. An article on the Canadian Women’s Health Network states A 2007 survey of bullying targets conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute in the United States found that 45% of the respondents experienced stress-related health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks, sleep problems or depression.
Prolonged exposure to stress in the workplace can lead to other serious health concerns, such as problems related to cardiovascular, neurological and immune system health. Also, targets often decide to quit their jobs and end up trading the stress of bullying for the stress of being unemployed.”
As an employer, I want to ensure that I know what signs to look for so that my employees can feel safe and remain focused on their responsibilities, while enjoying a healthy workplace. When we start to count the costs, both from a monetary and a morale perspective, it is too great to tolerate any form of bullying. We don’t accept it at school and we shouldn’t accept it in our workplace.
Check out my May 20th entry for more information on our upcoming free seminar about workplace bullying.
Tags: career resources, employee management, employee retention, human resources, management
Posted in HR Management | 1 Comment »
