Allan Yu, Author at Achēv

How to Succeed in Canada as a New Immigrant

Allan Yu

April 30, 2021

Moving to a new country as an immigrant or refugee is a major life change. Everything you know is thrown out the window, and you find yourself in a new country, often coming to terms with a different culture and language. It’s not always an easy process for every newcomer. At Achēv, we’re here to help you achieve your settlement goals. We’re sharing the top nine ways to succeed in Canada as a newcomer.

1. Improve Your English Language Skills

One of the biggest barriers for any immigrant or refugee is learning the language of their new country. Wrapping your head around the English language can be difficult. For newcomers seeking to improve their English or French language skills, Achēv Language Services provide language assessments and referrals to in-person or online classes that suit all schedules.

2. Explore What Canada Has to Offer

It may have been our stunning scenery or famous ice hockey teams that attracted you to Canada. In your first few months, you want to experience everything that Canada has to offer. Becoming familiar with the culture early on can make the transition easier, whether it’s learning to love maple syrup or getting used to the sight of moose statues!

3. Register for Free Newcomer Services

You’re not alone when you arrive in Ontario – there’s help and support out there for you. Our newcomer centres should be your first stop when you arrive in Canada. Achēv Newcomer Information Centres are located across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville. For newcomers who live outside of the GTA, our friendly and multilingual staff can provide you with one-on-one virtual services. Our goal is to help you achieve your settlement, employment and education goals in Canada.

4. Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

Newcomers to Canada tend to find themselves making friends with fellow immigrants from a similar background. To get the most out of your new life, you want to go outside your comfort zone and keep an open mind. The Greater Toronto Area is a multicultural region, where you’ll find people from every walk of life. Don’t limit yourself to a specific community within your new area. Canada has so much to offer you, right on your doorstep.

5. Keep a Positive Outlook

Not every day will be sunshine and rainbows. You’ll miss your family and the comfort of home. Keeping a positive outlook as a newcomer will make your journey from immigrant to citizen an easier process. You have to be resilient to the challenges you’ll face. You can take comfort from the fact that there are immigrant services out there to help you in the first few months of your time as a newcomer. Keep your eyes fixed on the future and stay positive, whether it’s dreaming of buying a home in the Greater Toronto Area or landing your dream job.

6. Start Your Job Hunt Early

Some newcomers arrive in Canada with a job already secured. If you don’t have a job lined up, it’s a good idea to get started with your job search early on. You might have savings to help you get by, but you don’t want to rely too heavily on these. You may have to take a job in another industry, such as hospitality until you can land your dream job. At Achēv, our newcomer and employment services can help you succeed in your job search as a newcomer to Canada.

7. Become Involved in Your Local Community

It’s easy to feel isolated when you first arrive as an immigrant. Your new home might look drastically different than where you grew up. You don’t need to instant throw yourself into the local community in the early days, but baby steps are important. You can take advantage of your local newcomer services or even visit the library to learn more about your local area. It’s a good idea to attend community events, like fairs and festivals, to get a taste of the local culture and to meet your new neighbours.

8. Find a Mentor

As a newcomer to Canada, you’ll be filled with hope for the future. If you’ve moved to chase your dreams professionally, finding a mentor can help you navigate the system and move up the career ladder. Most companies have a mentorship program in place for new employees or immigrants to Canada. If your company doesn’t offer such a program, you can find a mentor in a few other ways. LinkedIn and networking events can help you find fellow successful immigrants who’ll be keen to help a newcomer to find their way. At Achēv, our TRIEC Mentoring Partnership program can help you find the right mentor in your field.

9. Build a Support System

Finding your support system as an immigrant is essential. It could be made up of people from your local community, new workplace, or even newcomer advisors, like our team at Achēv. Your support system is different from a mentor – so you want to find both! The people in your support system are who you’ll turn to when you need advice, whether it’s for your personal or professional advice. They’re the people you’ll turn to when you have a bad day or are feeling homesick.

Achēv’s wide range of newcomer services help new immigrants and refugees successfully settle in Ontario and integrate into Canadian society. We’re here for you from day one, with our Newcomer Information Centres located across the Greater Toronto Area.

Employment Services

10 Tips for Acing Your Next Virtual Interview

Allan Yu

April 30, 2021

The global pandemic has changed almost every aspect of our life. If you’re on the job search, you’ll feel the effects more than most. Some industries are on a hiring freeze and choosing to downsize their staff, while others are trying to reduce their overhead expenses. All is not lost. A natural consequence of the pandemic has been the shift to virtual interviews. While they take a while to get used to, they come with their advantages.

At Achēv, we offer free Employment Ontario services that help job seekers in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond achieve their employment and career goals. We’re sharing our ten tips on how you can ace your next virtual interview and land the job you want.

1. Practice FAQs

Whatever industry you’re focusing your job search on, you can guarantee there will be a few common questions. Almost everyone gets asked about their interests and career plans. These ‘soft’ questions help you relax and give your interviewer an insight into who you are as an individual. You’ll also likely be asked about your experience in previous jobs, so it’s good to have a few prepared answers ready to go.

Make out a list of possible responses, including your achievements and times you dealt with tricky situations. Employment Centres will usually have a list of FAQs for you to practice before any interview.

2. Do a Test Run

It takes a while to get used to seeing your face staring back at you on your screen. Schedule a few practice sessions to get used to talking to the camera and seeing your reflection. It’s easy to become distracted by how you look on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Call a few friends and get used to having a conversation over a video platform. Doing a test run will also help you become more familiar with video conferencing – including ‘unmuting’ yourself at crucial moments.

3. Check Your Background

Instead of sitting face-to-face with your interviewer, you’ll be talking to each other from your respective homes or offices. While you can sit in a comfortable chair and enjoy the perks of being interviewed from home, you need to consider your background. It’s a good idea to choose somewhere with a clean background. You’ll need to remove anything that might be offensive and avoid having any clutter behind in your background shot.

4. Dress for The Job

As tempting as it is to wear your pajamas or loungewear, you still need to dress professionally for your virtual interview. The emphasis will be on the top half of your outfit, including your hair and shirt. Choose a business casual button-up and make sure you’re freshly shaved. Some interviews will require a more business formal look, including a blazer. A good rule of thumb is to wear something similar to what you’d be expected to wear in the job you’re applying for. If you have long hair, tie it up into a bun to avoid being distracted by it during your interview. You want to show your potential employer that you can be professional in any environment.

5. Turn the Table and Ask Questions

With an in-person interview, you can read someone’s body language more closely and have a more one-on-one experience with them. While the conversation might not flow as naturally during a virtual interview, you want to make sure it’s still a two-way conversation. Most companies will finish their interviews by asking if you have any questions for them. Do your research and write down two to three questions that you want to ask, making them as specific to the company as possible.

6. Remove Any Distractions

When you have a face-to-face interview, there usually aren’t any distractions. With a virtual interview, you’ll be surrounded by distractions in your home. It’s a good idea to turn your phone on silent and keep it out of your direct line of sight during your interview. If you have a landline phone, disengage it until after you’re finished. Ask your family or roommates to go for a walk or grab a coffee to limit background noise.

7. Don’t Forget Eye Contact

During a virtual interview, you’ll still be judged on the same factors as an in-person interview. One factor people forget about is body language. Trying to keep eye contact with your interviewer over a laptop screen may be difficult, but it’s worth focusing on. You want to show that you’re paying attention to what they’re saying by keeping your eyes focused on the screen. It’s a good idea to sit in the centre of your screen, so you’re naturally looking into the camera.

8. Join the Call Early

You wouldn’t show up to an in-person meeting at the last minute, and the same is true with your virtual job search. You never know when the interviewer might start the call on their end, and they’ll be watching for when you appear in the waiting room. Opening the call a few minutes early can help you relax and gather your thoughts ahead of your interview.

9. Don’t Talk Over Each Other

One consequence of virtual interviews is that the lack of nonverbal communication can make it difficult to know when someone has finished speaking. Let the conversation flow naturally between you and the interviewer, but you want to avoid speaking over each other. Let your interviewer finish speaking before you start. If there’s a third person on the call, they may find your conversation more difficult to follow if you’re interrupting each other.

10. Double-Check Your Details

We’ve all been guilty of having an alias username that we use online. It may be one you’ve used since high school that incorporates your nickname or a funny phrase. You want to keep your interactions with your interviewer as professional as possible. It’s worth opening a second email address that uses your name, with as few symbols and numbers as possible. This email is what you should use for your interview-related emails. You also want to double-check the display name for your profile and make sure it’s your name. You only get one chance to make a good first impression.

Achēv’s employment centres in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and North York offer free Employment services for people of all backgrounds in Greater Toronto Area. If you need help with achieving your employment goals, contact us today!

Newcomer Services

10 Tips for Starting a Business
as a Newcomer to Canada

Allan Yu

April 20, 2021

Moving to a new country can be daunting. As a newcomer, it might take you some time to find your feet and get used to living in Canada. You might decide to open your own business to help support you and your family. With a proper plan, perseverance, and a little help, you can grow your business and become a success story. At Achēv, we’re on hand to help you with our newcomer services that will help you start your life in Ontario and build a future for you and your family. We’re sharing ten tips on how you can start a business as an immigrant to Canada.

1. Find A Niche You’re Passionate About

Being your own boss is not easy. It’ll be a lot of long hours, and it can take years for you to reap the benefits of your hard work. You want to find something you’re passionate about and believe in. It could be a service that you offer the community or an innovative product that you think fills a gap in the market. You don’t have to settle on the first business idea that comes to mind. You want something that will make you want to get out of bed in the morning and drive your ambitions to grow your business. Once you’ve found your niche, you can take the first steps to start your business.

2. Plan, Plan, Plan

Before you can call yourself a business owner, you want to develop a plan for your company. You want to add as much detail as possible while still being flexible. Consider whether you want to work independently or if you’ll need to collaborate with other companies or freelancers to create your product or service. While you should always have one eye on the future, it’s a good idea to come up with a short-term plan to see you through the first few months of your business.

3. Look for Financial Support

It’s worth checking if you’re eligible for financial support as an immigrant. Different districts and NGOs have grants and loans available for you to access as a start-up business. These programs can provide the building blocks for your business and help you get off the ground in those crucial early weeks.

4. Utilize a Digital Strategy

Don’t overlook the power of social media and a digital presence. Once you have your business established, you want to launch a website and build a social media presence. It’s the future of marketing and will help you build brand awareness and attract new customers. You can run these platforms yourself or outsource them once you’ve got enough revenue coming into your business.

5. Get Familiar with Your Paperwork

As an immigrant entrepreneur, you might not be as familiar with the paperwork involved with your taxes or general business administration. You want to do your research and become familiar with the legal side of your business as early as possible. Getting ahead with your paperwork and staying on top of it means you won’t have a frantic dash just before filing your taxes.

You can usually find this information on government websites, or an accountant will be able to talk you through everything you need to establish your business. Don’t forget that you’ll have to register your business and make sure you fill in all the tax information.

6. Draw on Your Experience

As an immigrant, you’ll have a unique point of view that can make your business stand out from the crowd. Don’t be afraid to draw on your life experience to help you make business decisions. There might be something that’s common practice in your country that we don’t do in Canada. You can bring these practices with you and create a more streamlined system.

7. Find a Mentor

One piece of advice every business owner will give you is to find a mentor. Starting your own business can be a challenge, even more so as an immigrant. You can find a mentor through online programs or communities that bring together small business owners and entrepreneurs. You might be able to find your mentor within your local community. Having someone you can turn to for advice is invaluable, especially as a newcomer. There will always be people out there who want to share their experience and knowledge with you.

In partnership with TRIEC, Achēv offers free mentoring programs for new immigrants who are looking to advance their career with the help of a mentor.

8. Tell Your Story

You’re one of the biggest selling points of your business. As an immigrant, you’ll have a story to tell your audience. You can wave it into your brand story and make it part of what your business represents. In the competitive business world, it’s inspiring stories like yours that can set you apart from the mainstream competition.

9. Invest Back into Your Business

Depending on your business, you might want to take a few training courses every year to top up your skills. If you’re opening a beauty salon, investing in these courses can help you build your portfolio and diversify your business.

Investing in your business (and yourself!) is also about making sure you have the tools you need to set you up for success. While you don’t need the latest version of an iPhone or top-of-the-range software, you want to have the technology that will enable you to run your business smoothly. For the first few months – even years – of your business, you want to focus on reinvesting your money back into your business to invest in yourself, your product, or service.

10. Network Within Your Community

As a newcomer to Canada, it’s likely that you won’t have an established network to call on to support your new business. At Achēv, our immigrant services are available to help you find your feet and get started on your new life in Canada. You never know when you might come across someone who can help your business. Believing in yourself means you can put yourself out there and interact with people who might be interested in your company.

Don’t be afraid to carry a few business cards around with you – you’ll never know when you’ll need them! Take advantage of newcomer events in your community where you can meet other immigrant entrepreneurs who are starting on their business journey.

Do you need support on launching your business as an immigrant to Ontario? Reach out to our friendly and multilingual newcomer services team at Achēv and we’ll help you achieve your career and business goals. We have five Newcomer Information Centres across the Greater Toronto Area. We also offer our services virtually for newcomers who are outside of the Greater Toronto Area. Contact us today!

Employment Services, Newcomer Services

6 Job Search Strategies for New Immigrants to Canada

Allan Yu

April 16, 2021

One of the biggest questions for newcomers to Canada is how to find a job. At Achēv, we work with many immigrants who arrive in Ontario and have questions about how to best navigate the job search process. Knowing that this is a huge need in the community, here are six job search strategies aimed at helping new immigrants in Canada.

1. Update Your Resume

Perhaps the most important document of the job search process is your resume. This is where you tell your story about past accomplishments. Resumes can look quite different in different areas of the globe. Thus, it is important to ensure that your resume follows a traditional Canadian style. Depending upon your experience, you will usually do either a chronological or functional style.

Effective resumes will also focus on telling both what you did in positions as well as how you succeeded. Highlight some positive outcomes and ways that you specifically contributed to an organization to allow yourself to stand out. Newcomers to Ontario can take advantage of Achēv’s immigrant services throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario to have their resumes reviewed.

2. Network on LinkedIn

If you don’t currently have a profile on LinkedIn, joining the social network is important for your job search. The site has over 55 million companies on it and 14 million open jobs. It is also quite popular with both job seekers and recruiters, with 87% of recruiters noting that they regularly use LinkedIn to attract talent.

When using LinkedIn, it is important to have a professional, high-quality profile. This should include a professional-looking headshot as your profile photo as well as a complete profile that provides all of your information about your education and job experience. Connect with friends and former colleagues on LinkedIn and begin networking by following companies, commenting on their posts, and even connecting with new people. When sending a connection request, it is polite to send them a message noting why you want to connect.

3. Engage in Informational Interviews

One thing that newcomers can do to help build their network and get noticed is to do some informational interviews. If there is an organization that you would like to work for, identify someone in the area you are interested in such as a potential supervisor and request to chat with them about the company. This can be done by inviting them to coffee or even virtually via video chat.

When preparing for an informational interview, you should ensure that you spend time reading news about the company and perusing their website. This will help guide the questions you ask. The point of an informational interview is to learn about a company’s culture as well as skills and experiences that will help you prepare for a role in the organization one day. It also may help you get a referral for a job in the future.

4. Volunteer in the Community

This may seem like an odd recommendation for job seekers. After all, wouldn’t you want to focus on sending out resumes and preparing for interviews? Certainly, you want to take the time to do that. However, networking is incredibly important for finding jobs. Immigrants typically do not have existing Canadian networks of contact in their field. However, all immigrants can begin building their personal social networks by volunteering in their communities.

This is a long-term approach. By volunteering, you will meet others including people that may have connections within your profession. This is also a good way to learn about different resources in the community. Again, this won’t land you a job quickly; however, it can be an effective strategy for beginning to make important connections. It will also simply help you meet others.

5. Attend a Workshop

One of the best ways to strengthen your job search is to attend workshops. There are a wide variety of newcomer services that focus on providing knowledge and training related to employment. For example, Achēv provides a wide array of events and workshops for immigrants to Canada. Our immigrant services are happy to help newcomers gain the job search skills needed to succeed in Ontario.

6. Browse Job Boards

There are a variety of places where you can see different current openings. For example, Job Bank provides a searchable listing of openings that can help newcomers find jobs all over Canada. Meanwhile, this job board provides information about openings specifically in the Greater Toronto Area. Job boards can be important ways to discover jobs and begin getting your foot in the door as a newcomer in Canada. Other excellent ways to find openings include LinkedIn and postings on the websites of large companies.

Final Thoughts

Immigrating to Canada brings with it a number of important tasks. One of the most critical is finding employment. It is perfectly normal for a newcomer to Canada to have many questions about how to find a job. Fortunately, organizations such as Achēv provides a wide range of immigrant services to help you achieve your employment goals. Following these six tips is a great way to start a successful job search.

If you’re a newcomer in the Greater Toronto Area and need help with your job search, please contact our Newcomer Information Centres or Employment Centres located across the Greater Toronto Area. If you’re outside of the Greater Toronto Area, please contact Newcomer Information Centre Online.

Uncategorized

6 Tips for Writing Cover Letters
That Make You Stand Out

Allan Yu

March 19, 2021

Does this sound like you? You found your dream job posting and completed an impressive targeted resume. Now you are staring at the blank screen, trying to write a cover letter. You have started with the date, who it is being sent to, and got as far as “Dear Human Resources”. Now what? If you are a job seeker who panics when writing a cover letter, Achēv is proud to provide you with six clever ideas to put you on the right track.

1. Remember the goal

A cover letter is a mandatory business document that always escorts the resume. It should be 250 to 400 words on one page and concise enough for someone to read in 10 seconds. A cover letter is a chance to describe your professional story in a conversational tone that is compelling, easy to understand and captures the attention of the employer.

2. Go beyond your resume

There is no need to repeat or summarize your resume in a cover letter. According to recent surveys, this is one of the reasons many employers disregard the cover letter. Instead, your letter is a place to provide more details and context. Focus on the employer, showcase your skills instead of your education, and present 1 or 2 examples of how your experience will support their company. In Canada, volunteer experience is just as important as employment experience, so include how you champion your community or how you are involved with professional associations.

3. Focus away from “I” and toward “them”

If every sentence of your cover letter begins with “I” or “my”, you need to change the direction of your writing. Think of your cover letter as a sales pitch. Instead of composing a letter that is about yourself and your needs and wants, consider the needs of the employer. Ask yourself why the company is hiring for this role. Try to relate to the needs of the employer and position your examples and skills as the solution.

4. Use numbers and statistics to back up your claims

Your cover letter should describe the impact you had on previous experience. Did you increase sales? Did you organize an amazing number of meetings or events in a short time period? Did you create a new workflow process 30% more efficient? These types of numbers will make your cover letter stand out.

5. Write in their voice

Your cover letter is an opportunity to show that you understand the culture and environment of the company you are targeting. Every company is different and some are casual while others are traditional. Research their website and read their social media posts before you start writing. Have a sense of the company tone, language and culture, so you can select words that connect to the employer.

6. Finalize with a call to action

Cover letters are often concluded with the throwaway line of “I look forward to hearing from you”. Instead, use the last paragraph to emphasize your enthusiasm and wrap up points that you could not fit into the previous paragraphs. Be courteous by thanking the reader for their time and ask them to take action. For example, “Thank you in advance for considering my application. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more businesses have moved their workforce online and I would very much like to discuss how my remote communication expertise can support your goals.”

In summary, cover letters are part of all applications and where you can explain issues including gaps in your employment, or interest in relocating to a new city, or ability to adhere to the new health and safety regulations created by COVID-19. In a workplace where employers are inundated with applications, write a clever cover letter that grabs the attention of the reader.

Achēv’s Employment Ontario services can provide you with assistance in writing your next cover letter and resume. Every year, our Career Specialists and Staffing Specialists assist more than 25,000 job seekers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Our services are delivered virtually and in person at 6 employment centres located across Toronto, North York, Mississauga and Brampton. Contact Achēv today to learn more about cover letters and all employment preparation essentials!

This blog was written by Lisa Trudel, Career Specialist, Achēv.

Uncategorized

How to Uplift Your Job Search During COVID-19
(6-Step Checklist)

Allan Yu

March 8, 2021

Is your job search on pause? Have you traded checking emails to asking Alexa to play sad ballad music? Do you feel that you are on a job search treadmill that is taking you into unfamiliar territory? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, reading this blog is exactly where you need to be! Achēv is proud to provide the following 6-step checklist to support your ultimate aim of employment success. It’s time to get let go of 2020 and move into the new era of 2021!

1.Embrace remote communication

Remote work is here to stay in almost all areas of the workplace. Thus, it is time to be prepared for a possible combination work style of “in the physical office” and sometimes “at home”. Adapting to unexpected, changing priorities and including your expertise with remote technologies are two skills to add to your resume.

2. Review contact information

When an employer calls, you need to be found quickly. First, ensure your email address is job-ready by creating one that sounds professional and does not include your birth year. Secondly, make sure your voicemail message is clear and concise. Use your own voice for your message, especially if you are seeking a position where you will be using verbal customer service skills.

3. Improve your LinkedIn

LinkedIn can be your superpower when job searching. 98% of employers look for talent on LinkedIn so post a current photo and an impressive background banner. Rewrite your “about” section to grab the attention of the reader. Include at least two recommendations and use a title that describes where you are going, not necessarily where you have been.

4. Become comfortable networking online

Before COVID-19, networking events were in-person opportunities where you could shake hands to meet someone. In 2021, you need to join in the conversation by seeking out free virtual events, webinars, professional association groups and meet-ups. By practising on various platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, or GoToMeeting, you will be better prepared for online interviews and collect networking partners along the way.

5. Boost your skills

Nowadays, there are many opportunities to learn from home. Use this time to participate in free Micro-Credentials programs, whether fee-based or free courses. For example, have you considered completing free Health and Safety courses? Talk to an Achēv Career Specialist at one of our six employment centres in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to find out how to proceed.

6. Adjust your resume

Everyone has dealt with this global pandemic and there is no reason to shy away from it on your resume. For example, in your “summary” section, include a line such as “Adapted and incorporated Zoom meetings with clients during COVID-19 initial lockdown in March 2020 resulting in continued customer satisfaction”.

In summary, by using this 6-step job search checklist, you might start to feel uplifted and able to change your employment preparation from pause, to play, or even fast forward. Jumping away from the traditional job search plan that worked before COVID-19 can be frightening. Achēv’s Employment Ontario services can provide you with the support you need to successfully find and maintain a meaningful job. Each year, our Career and Staffing Specialists provide free and personalized job search assistance and career counselling to over 25,000 people in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Our services are delivered virtually and in-person through six employment centres located across Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and North York. Learn more about our Employment Ontario services for job seekers today!

This blog was written by Lisa Trudel, Career Specialist, Achēv.

News, Uncategorized

Centre for Education and Training is Now Achēv

Allan Yu

September 23, 2020

We are thrilled to announce that the Centre for Education & Training (TCET) has a new name and a new look. As of September 23, 2020, we will be operating, and known, as Achēv. The change is a result of a rebranding effort designed to mirror the growth and transformation of our organization.

Pronounced like the word “achieve”, our new name better reflects our goal to help all clients and businesses achieve their potential and the success they want in their lives. As our clients and business partners achieve their goals, we achieve our purpose. Our name has changed and our vision has been renewed, but our core programming, level of service and commitment to achieving results remain our highest priority. As Achēv, we will launch a new chapter that focuses on innovation and extended services into new areas that better serve our community.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. We are excited to involve you in this next evolution of our organization and cannot wait for you to see everything we have in store for our new brand. We look forward to continuing to make positive impacts on the clients we serve, the businesses we support and the communities we work with!

Uncategorized

Fight COVID Fatigue Using 3 Steps

Allan Yu

August 26, 2020

An expression trending this summer is “COVID fatigue”. We probably all know someone who is tired of being careful, or who is experiencing “angry resistance” to physical distancing.

Staying in our bubbles can be exhausting, and if you are experiencing unemployment, COVID fatigue can be amplified. Healthy behaviours deliver healthier outcomes so here are 3 steps to infuse into your job search plan to help achieve wellness instead of fatigue:

Talking:

If you ignore your feelings of fear you can lose control, so take this time to connect with a Career Specialist who helps with employment preparations essentials. They provide advice on how applicant tracking systems screen out resumes and what employers expect from candidates. Career Specialists create career plans which can include reminding you to find references, reviewing how to build networking contacts and recommending webinars to improve your ability to appear on Zoom. The odds are that your next job interview will be on a video conferencing platform so become an expert at using it to increase your chances of achieving employment.

Constructive Thinking:

You might think that it is COVID that is the cause of your depleted feelings but feelings and attitudes come from thoughts. No one can change the COVID situation but you can adjust your thinking. For example, if you get frustrated when you are out in public trying to physical distance and you see others without face-masks on who is acting as if there is no pandemic, remind yourself to control the things you can, and that you cannot control other people. Say to yourself “For every person, not face-masking, look at all the people who are.” Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can, and if you need to talk to someone to develop positive and productive thinking consider connecting with one of the free services listed at https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-mental-health-resources/

Avoid Time Travelling:

When life is uncertain, there is a tendency to spend time thinking about the future. COVID can be time to prepare. There is a difference between preparing for the future and pretending it is already here. If you catch yourself worrying about what life will look like in 2 or 5 years, readjust your thinking to the moment you are in. For example, register for a free online course, or reach out to someone in your network. Instead of letting your emotions run away with things you cannot control, slow down and pause. Contact your Career Specialist who can provide job search advice based on your goals and needs.

If you find yourself moving toward COVID fatigue, stop and consider your health. You might have to stay in your home bubble for a while longer or wear a face-mask while shopping, however, you can reframe exhaustion to replenishment. Fight COVID fatigue by putting your health and job search first.

If you want to speak with a Career Specialist about how to do this, contact us.

Achēv offers free weekly events and workshops to help you achieve your employment and career goals. Visit our Events Calendar to see all of our upcoming events.

Uncategorized

Career Ladder or Lattice?

Allan Yu

July 10, 2020

Have you heard the expression “career ladder”? Do you know what a “career lattice” is? Are you curious to learn how to boost your “career intelligence”?

The answers to these 3 questions were in a recent Ontario Labour Market Report in an article about the new workplace reality. It was a commentary that focussed on how COVID-19 has impacted countless sectors yet also highlighted occupations that are now in great demand including healthcare workers, shelter workers, face-mask makers, cleaners, floor decal designers and Acrylic Plexiglass protective barriers manufacturers.

If you cannot see yourself in any of these areas it is time to review the following 3 career expressions:

1. Career ladder:

This term was common in the Canadian workplace until the 1990s. It means a traditional career path that takes you to a higher position in one company over a certain period of time. Often because of performance evaluations that might have emphasized accomplishments of never taking a sick day or daily punctuality, employees were able to climb up the ladder in terms of salary, responsibility and title.

2. Career lattice:

This phrase became common in the 2000s. I first read about it in the 1998 book “Career Intelligence” by Canadian author Barbara Moses. It means pursuing a career path that moves laterally, horizontally, and vertically. Similar to a garden lattice, careers can be connected yet flexible and allow for ideas and recognition to flow in different directions.

3. Career intelligence:

This expression also originated with Barbara Moses. In her 2003 book “What Next?” she encouraged job seekers to think like independent agents or entrepreneurs. Career intelligence means that all job seekers need to be prepared to live in an uncertain world, where the only certainty is you and your capacity to adapt to change.

Because of COVID-19 career ladders and lattices probably will not exist in the same forms as they once did. Instead, career paths have been replaced with the need for many job seekers to reset expectations, to re-evaluate career intelligence and to craft your future at what you are already good at.

For example, if you used communication skills in your previous jobs and enjoy talking with others, you might want to consider becoming a remote worker or Live Chat Agent and interacting with others using video conferencing platforms.

If you have been a Manager or have a background in Human Resources, you might want to shift your career and become a Health and Safety Consultant. All Ontario workplaces must now adhere to new health and safety regulations. To get started, you might want to participate in the free online training that the Province of Ontario recently launched to promote safe workplaces. It is a virtual approach to safety training and includes topics such as infection control and how to conduct health and safety incident investigations.

The workplace of 2020 might not have career paths that fit neatly on a career ladder or lattice, however, everyone can still boost career intelligence by reflecting on the new expression: “agile adjacency”. This means a career path that can be redesigned by viewing accomplishments in a new way and by not limiting yourself to the work you have always done.

As Barbara Moses urged more than 20 years ago, stay curious instead of fearful when it comes to careers. COVID-19 might have changed your occupational target, yet you can still advance your career intelligence by contemplating an adjoining career that you might not have ever known was there.

If you want to speak with a Career Specialist about how to do this, contact us today!

Achēv offers free weekly events and workshops to help you achieve your employment and career goals. Visit our Events Calendar to see all of our upcoming events.

Uncategorized

I’m considering a career in the skilled trades, do you think it’s a good idea?

Allan Yu

July 7, 2020

It’s a very good idea. Now and even after the pandemic, careers in the trades will be in demand.

An Apprenticeship is absolutely the way to go if you have an interest.

What is an Apprenticeship? You take classes and learn a trade of your choice by working under the direction of experienced workers, while also earning a living. The completion of an apprenticeship can lead to job prospects with high earning power.

Interested men and women can pick from over 150 occupations within the categories of construction, service, industrial and motive power – with 55 of them being Red Seal Trades. Receiving a Red Seal means that once you complete your designated hours and pass your exam, you can work anywhere in Canada.

Where can you start? Your local community, newspaper, construction site or new build that might be close to your home – go talk to the site supervisor. Unions that represent your field of interest can also be an excellent place to look, as well as trade associations and trade journals. The official trade bodies that regulate the fields are always in touch with employers in the field. If you are affiliated with a local secondary school or college, check them out for opportunities – some administer apprenticeship sessions, pre-apprenticeship sessions, in-class sessions, including connections with employers.

3 MORE PLACES TO LOOK FOR:

Websites that specialize in the trades and apprenticeships such as www.apprenticesearch.com, www.ontario.ca and www.skillscanada.com.
Websites of companies you are interested in.
Network with friends and family members who are already working in the trades. Individuals who work in the trades often have links to other tradespeople, employers and knowledge about job opportunities.

Job Developers at our 6 employment centres are able to present and explore hiring incentives, funded through the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, to potential employers. These financial incentives help to encourage and support employers in hiring you on as an apprentice.

Achēv offers free weekly events and workshops to help you achieve your employment and career goals. Visit our Events Calendar to see all of our upcoming events.