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Land the perfect job with the ideal employer!<br />by Toronto Training and HR <br />March 2011<br />

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Contents<br /> 3-4 Introduction to Toronto Training and HR<br /> 5-6 Job seeking<br /> 7-15 Securing a new role<br /> 16-23 Resumes<br /> 24-25 Cover letters<br /> 26-28 Speculative approaches<br /> 29-30 Reference letters<br />31-35 Layoffs<br />36-37 Looking the part<br />38-40 Engaging with your employer<br />41-49 Interviews<br />50-54 Interview questions<br />55-56 Workability attitudes<br />57-60 Workability skills<br />61-62 Work know-how<br />63-64 Work search strategies<br />65-66 What’s next?<br />67-68 Conclusion and questions<br />Page 2<br />

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Page 3<br />Introduction<br />

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Page 4<br />Introduction to Toronto Training and HR<br />Toronto Training and HRis a specialist training and human resources consultancy headed by Timothy Holden <br />10 years in banking<br />10 years in training and human resources<br />Freelance practitioner since 2006<br />The core services provided by Toronto Training and HR are:<br /><ul><li>Training course design

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Training course delivery</li></ul>- Reducing costs<br /><ul><li>Saving time

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Improving employee engagement & morale

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Services for job seekers</li></li></ul><li>Page 5<br />Job seeking<br />

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Page 6<br />Job seeking<br />But there is one small problem: the call<br />Never comes.<br />And we are left to wait<br />And wait<br />And wait<br />While the world goes out of its way,<br />It seems,<br />To tell us how little<br />It cares<br />Whether we find work,<br />Or not.<br />

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Page 7<br />Securing a new role<br />

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Page 8<br />Securing a new role 1 of 8<br />REASONS FOR MOVING JOBS<br />For promotion within your organization <br />To move to another role of a similar level within your organization <br />To gain upward promotion to a higher level within a different organization <br />To move to a position of similar responsibility within a different organization <br />To do a different type of work<br />To be self-employed <br />To retire <br />

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Page 9<br />Securing a new role 2 of 8<br />REASONS FOR MOVING JOBS<br />To return to (full-time) study<br />To care for your children<br />To start your own business<br />To get better training and development <br />To care for other dependants<br />Because I dislike my immediate manager<br />Reduce stress<br />To get a better pension<br />To learn new things<br />Increase job satisfaction<br />

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Page 10<br />Securing a new role 3 of 8<br />REASONS FOR MOVING JOBS<br />Unhappy with leadership of senior management <br />Better pay/benefits elsewhere <br />Opportunities for promotion <br />I want to work for a more ethical/greener employer<br />Easier/shorter journey to work <br />More flexible working hours <br />Increased job security in another organization<br />

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Page 11<br />Securing a new role 4 of 8<br />REASONS FOR STAYING WITH THE CURRENT EMPLOYER<br />I trust the senior management team <br />I would find it difficult to find another job at the moment <br />I enjoy working with my colleagues <br />I have a good line manager <br />I receive good pay and benefits <br />I have a good pension <br />I receive a good bonus <br />

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Page 12<br />Securing a new role 5 of 8<br />REASONS FOR STAYING WITH THE CURRENT EMPLOYER<br />I have job satisfaction <br />I have good career development opportunities<br />I have good training and development opportunities<br />I like my customers/clients <br />My job is secure <br />I would receive a decent redundancy payment if I were made redundant <br />

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Page 13<br />Securing a new role 6 of 8<br />SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED<br />Transferable/flexible skills<br />Adaptable<br />Interpersonal skills<br />Technical/professional knowledge <br />Customer service skills<br />Appropriate qualifications<br />IT skills <br />

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Page 14<br />Securing a new role 7 of 8<br />SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED<br />Leadership/management skills<br />Innovative <br />Business acumen <br />Potential to progress <br />Language skills <br />

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Page 15<br />Securing a new role 8 of 8<br />RESEARCH<br />What does the employer or company do?<br />What is involved in the position you're applying for?<br />What qualifications do you need for the position?<br />What skills is the employer looking for?<br />Who are the customers or clients?<br />What kind of reputation does the employer have?<br />

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Page 16<br />Resumes<br />

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Page 17<br />Resumes 1 of 7<br />TYPES OF RESUME<br />Chronological<br />Functional<br />Combination<br />Targeted<br />

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Page 18<br />Resumes 2 of 7<br />ADDITIONAL TIPS<br />Use a laser printer.<br />Use high-quality stationery.<br />Print your resume on cream or ivory-coloured paper, of at least 24 pounds in weight.<br />Avoid heavy paper, which can crease and damage the print.<br />

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Page 19<br />Resumes 3 of 7<br />Keep it short. The main body of the resume should be no more than 3 pages. More than this will probably not be read. But make sure it contains sufficient detail for the reader to understand clearly what it is you have been doing.<br />Start with your personal details including contact<br />details (address and telephone number) age or date of birth, and marital status (e.g. married, two children aged 5 and 7). Details about your education should be limited to the most advanced qualifications obtained. <br />

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Page 20<br />Resumes 4 of 7<br />Details about your family, pets, pastimes should<br />appear at the end of the resume. These are generally used as discussion points in an interview.<br />You may like to summarise the sort of person you are at the top of the resume as in "A Multi-media design artist with particular expertise in Photoshop and Web Authoring" but do not make this more than two lines and avoid telling everyone how wonderful you are: it is the recruiter's job to assess your ability, not yours.<br />

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Page 21<br />Resumes 5 of 7<br />Detail your work experience in "reverse chronological order". This means putting your most recent experience first. <br />Employers are interested mainly in what you can do for them now, not what you were doing 10 years ago. You should reduce the amount of detail you provide about previous jobs as you work back through your employment history time. <br />For each position provide (in bold ) a job title, the name of the employer, and the dates you were (are) employed there. <br />

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Page 22<br />Resumes 6 of 7<br />You should then provide details of the daily tasks you performed, and any major successes or achievements which you want to draw to the reader's attention. <br />This is often best done using a succession of bullet points.<br />Avoid making your resume too complicated in layout and<br />design. Many agencies and employers feed resume<br />information into a database using scanners and<br />Optical Character Recognition programs which may<br />fail to interpret complicated formatting and small fonts.<br />

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Page 23<br />Resumes 7 of 7<br />Do not put everything in capitals. It is difficult to read<br />and can be very annoying. Always use mixed case<br />headings and text. When sending a resume, include a covering note which explains the geographical areas you are prepared to work in , the distance you can commute, details of your present salary and the sort of work you are<br />looking for. If you are looking for a particular type of work then you should also explain what this is. You should also include a day-time phone number where you can be contacted if possible. Recruiters are trained to contact candidates with a maximum of discretion.<br />

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Page 24<br />Cover letters<br />

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Page 25<br />Cover letters<br />First paragraph<br />Second paragraph<br />Third paragraph<br />Fourth paragraph<br />

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Page 26<br />Speculative approaches<br />

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Page 27<br />Speculative approaches 1 of 2<br />Named contacts<br />Networking<br />Research<br />Online<br />Email then telephone<br />

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Page 28<br />Speculative approaches 2 of 2<br />Reducing costs<br />Making money<br />Saving time<br />Improving productivity<br />Power words<br />

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Page 29<br />Reference letters<br />

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Page 30<br />Reference letters<br />NEVER TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED<br />Be punctual<br />Be factual<br />Use a resume<br />Get examples<br />Avoid discrimination data<br />Choose words carefully<br />

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Page 31<br />Layoffs<br />

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Page 32<br />Layoffs 1 of 4<br />THE END IS NIGH<br />Don’t quit first<br />Be ready to explain what happened<br />Recruiters ask the same interview questions<br />Salaries are often negotiable<br />

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Page 33<br />Layoffs 2 of 4<br />BEFORE BEING LAID OFF<br />Leverage LinkedIn immediately<br />Establish non-work contact channels<br />Increase your external face-to-face networking<br />DO NOT job search from the office<br />Expand your online presence in a focused and professional way<br />Focus on what you want your next job to be and which employers appeal to you<br />Cut back on your spending <br />

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Page 34<br />Layoffs 3 of 4<br />AFTER BEING LAID OFF<br />Shock: I don't get it-don’t know what's really happening. <br />Denial: I can't believe this. It can't be true.<br />Anger: Why me? I don't deserve this. Why didn't it happen to someone else?<br />Bargaining: I'll work harder than ever, starting right now. Then they won't really lay me off.<br />Depression: This is real. I feel like I'm drowning. I'm sad. There's a huge weight on me. It feels like I can't wake up.<br />Acceptance: I feel some energy returning. I feel a bit more positive about my next steps.<br />

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Page 35<br />Layoffs 4 of 4<br />AFTER BEING LAID OFF<br />Dealing with stress<br />Venting<br />Keep busy<br />

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Page 36<br />Looking the part<br />

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Page 37<br />Looking the part<br />You will never get a second chance to make a first impression.<br />What not to wear.<br />

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Page 38<br />Engaging with your new employer<br />

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Page 39<br />Engaging with your new employer 1 of 2<br />Tune into and know the business your organization is in<br />Clarify expectations-theirs first, then yours<br />Bring forward solutions, not problems<br />What can you do for your boss?<br />Check your attitude of entitlement at the door<br />Stay in alignment with the mission, vision and values of the organization<br />Focus on the future<br />

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Page 40<br />Engaging with your new employer 2 of 2<br />Read what some of the gurus have to say<br />Identify the skills you can polish to make yourself more valuable <br />Be authentic <br />Be accountable for your contributions and actions. Use SMART goals <br />

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Page 41<br />Interviews<br />

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Page 42<br />Interviews 1 of 8<br />FUNCTION OF AN INTERVIEW<br />Can you do the job?<br />Will you do the job?<br />Will you fit in?<br />

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Page 43<br />Interviews 2 of 8<br />Planning<br />Interview materials<br />Interview<br />After the interview<br />

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Page 44<br />Interviews 3 of 8<br />PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW<br />Collect information about the company<br />Find out everything you can about the position<br />Prepare for the questions<br />Think about how you can create value<br />Prepare to handle questions about money<br />Prepare your references<br />Practise introductions<br />Prepare what to take to the interview<br />Prepare what you are going to wear<br />Prepare your schedule and route<br />

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Page 45<br />Interviews 4 of 8<br />DURING THE INTERVIEW<br />Make your entrance<br />Get started<br />Take notes-listen carefully<br />Keep focused on how you can add value<br />Handling objections and difficult questions<br />Ask questions<br />What about money? <br />

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Page 46<br />Interviews 5 of 8<br />AFTER THE INTERVIEW<br />Learn from the experience<br />The only thing you can control is your attitude and preparation<br />Reasons why applicants are rejected<br />

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Page 47<br />Interviews 6 of 8<br />AVOIDING THE FREEZE<br />Know your target inside out. Study the job description and person spec as well as any literature and their website. <br />Perfect your communication skills. You will be selling yourself and your skills so clear and concise communication is vital. <br />Give evidence of your skills. If you have completed a project give evidence or show the results. Better still take brochures or reports to prove your boasts. <br />Don't forget to present yourself like a winner. It makes all the difference.<br />

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Page 48<br />Interviews 7 of 8<br />WHAT YOU SAY<br />Talk<br />Work your top-sellers<br />Prove your points<br />Make it about the employer<br />Do your homework<br />Anticipate challenging questions<br />

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Page 49<br />Interviews 8 of 8<br />HOW YOU SAY IT<br />Show them you’ll bring it<br />Smile and make sure to have good eye contact<br />Don’t rush <br />Dress the part <br />Finish off with a handshake and follow-up <br />Be well prepared <br />Remember to breathe<br />Take a moment before answering <br />Don’t mention you’re nervous <br />Visualize <br />

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Page 50<br />Interview questions<br />

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Page 51<br />Interview questions 1 of 4<br />TYPICAL QUESTIONS<br />Tell me a little about yourself.<br />This is not an open question to go into every little detail about your life. You need to keep your answer to this open-ended question very professional. You will want to give a 1 to 2 minute summary of your professional life.<br />Describe a typical workday for you.<br />This is where you will want to highlight the skills that you use in your current job that will be beneficial to the job that you are applying. You want to make your day sound interesting and full of challenges that you meet and solve.<br />

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Page 52<br />Interview questions 2 of 4<br />TYPICAL QUESTIONS<br />Why are you leaving your job?<br />This can be a tricky question for many job hunters. If you are changing careers, you may want to highlight some of the reasons that you are changing industries.<br />Answers that will work for many interviews is that you are looking to work closer to home and that you are looking for a company that you can grow with. One of the answers that you do not want to use is that you are looking for more money.<br />

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Page 53<br />Interview questions 3 of 4<br />TYPICAL QUESTIONS<br />What is your best and what is your worse attribute?<br />Answering the first part of this question is often easy for most people in an interview. It is the second part that gives people trouble.<br />You need to say that something about you is bad, but you do not want the interviewer to see you in a bad light.<br />One of the best answers to the worse attribute is that you are a perfectionist and that you will keep working on a project until you get every little detail right.<br />

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Page 54<br />Interview questions 4 of 4<br />TYPICAL QUESTIONS<br />What interests you about the job?<br />This is where some of your research will come in handy. You can point out how some of the responsibilities that the employer listed in their want ad are items that you have wanted to work with. You can also point out that the company is at the cutting edge of your profession and that you want to grow with an industry leader.<br />

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Page 55<br />Workability attitudes<br />

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Page 56<br />What is an attitude?<br />Dependability<br />Positive attitude<br />Integrity/honesty<br />Concern for quality<br />Independence and initiative<br />Commitment to an employer and work<br />Adaptability<br />Managing risks<br />Courtesy<br />Positive attitude to learning<br />Workability attitudes<br />

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Page 57<br />Workability skills<br />

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Page 58<br />What is a skill?<br />Listening skills<br />Verbal communication skills<br />Non-verbal communication skills<br />Written communication skills<br />Reading skills<br />Using documents to communicate<br />Problem-solving and decision-making skills<br />Numeracy skills<br />Money management skills<br />Working with others and collaboration skills<br />Workability skills 1 of 3<br />

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Page 59<br />Skills for working safely<br />IT and information management skills<br />Time management and work-life balance skills<br />Stress management skills<br />Appearance and dress skills<br />Negotiation skills<br />Skills in accepting feedback<br />Skills for dealing with addictions<br />Skills for dealing with unfairness<br />Relationship building skills<br />Value management skills<br />Workability skills 2 of 3<br />

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Page 60<br />BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF COGNITIVE LEVELSRemembering<br />Understanding<br />Applying<br />Analyzing<br />Evaluating<br />Creating<br />Workability skills 3 of 3<br />

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Page 61<br />Work know-how<br />

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Page 62<br />Work know-how<br />Work-specific skills<br />Gaining experience<br />Understanding organizational operations<br />

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Page 63<br />Work search strategies<br />

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Page 64<br />Work search strategies<br />Developing personal strengths<br />Building a vision<br />Understanding the work role<br />Understanding and preparing materials to market yourself<br />Work interview skills<br />

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Page 65<br />What’s next?<br />

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Page 66<br />What’s next?<br />Decide which workability attitudes and skills you want to improve<br />Find ways to learn and practice<br />Notice how others use workability attitudes and skills<br />Ask someone to observe you<br />

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Page 67<br />Conclusion & Questions<br />

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Page 68<br />Conclusion<br />Summary<br />Questions<br />