Career Edge Org

Many of us have been back to work for almost two weeks now, following a few days off with loved ones or for some, a week or two of bliss someplace much warmer than here.

Now that we’re two weeks in – how are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along?

Although you may have entered 2010 fully pumped and ready to take on a long list of ambitious challenges, you may by now not even remember where you placed that list as you continue to play January “catch-up”, a game that may continue well into February. This can involve anything from catching up with work from before the holidays to catching up with people you didn’t see over the holidays.

So the last thing we need at this point is to add to our ominous and growing to-do lists, but I came upon some tips from professional blogger and journalist Anita Bruzzese that I think are very important in today’s professional work environment. Whatever you allow to fall off your radar this month, keep these targets in mind:

1. Take the High Road
2. Focus on Quality

In one of Anita’s columns for Gannett News Service (USA Today and many others), which she reposted on her blog, 45 Things (“Eat your salad first, and other career strategies” on January 4, 2010), she provides her own list of career resolutions for 2010 and we were happy to see that a few of the items corresponded with ours.

With Anita’s permission, we’d like to add the above two resolutions to our list and ask that you, our employers and partners, do the same. They are two simple concepts but they are often overlooked and underemphasized.

Focus on quality: A lot of companies like to say they’re focused on quality, and deluge employees with memos and reports on the subject. But there are ways to focus on the quality of your daily tasks that can make a real difference in how you are viewed at work. Try proofing every single e-mail before you send it, making sure you use proper grammar and spelling. When you leave your personal message for callers, stand up and smile while speaking. Your message will make you sound energetic and approachable.

Take the high road: Deciding to be a nicer person is a wonderful goal, and one many people like to put on their resolution list. But the guy in the cubicle next to yours drives you crazy by eating chili cheese dogs – with extra onions – at his desk. The receptionist puts your mail in the wrong box. Lots of little aggravations can challenge your “be nice” resolve at work, and before you know it, you’re upset with yourself after making a snide comment or getting in to an argument with a co-worker. Instead, make a commitment to pay a sincere compliment to one co-worker a day, especially to someone who is getting on your last nerve. Prompting yourself to see the good in someone can help put petty annoyances to rest.

-Excerpt by Anita Bruzzese

After the holidays, when many of us return to work in January, many of us will be asked the same question by friends, family and coworkers: What’s your New Year’s resolution? To which the average person will give the typical answers: exercise more, eat less, travel, etc.

This year, make your resolutions work for you! As you reflect on the past and set goals for the future, take the opportunity to reexamine your professional life and your goals at work. After all, over half of our waking hours are spent either at the office or commuting to and from it!

Here are some work-related targets to strive towards in 2010:

1. Adopt-a-project

2010 is the perfect time to tackle those projects you put on the backburner in ’09. They don’t even need to be your projects. Somewhere in the land of the lost and abandoned, there is a project once loved and pursued with enthusiasm that never saw the light of day. Keep your eyes peeled for something that inspires you, blow the dust of the file folders and breathe new life into an old initiative.

2. Take Risks

In 2009 you flew under the radar, played it safe and kept your opinions to yourself. You nodded along in meetings and grumbled in private about the inefficiencies of this or that process which hasn’t been changed in over a decade.

This year, speak up in meetings, challenge the status quo and show that you’re willing to be accountable and make a positive change in your organization. Stop the grumbling and put forth solutions. You might even get a pat on the back.

3. Ask for a Raise or Promotion

With talks of lay-offs, hiring freezes and unemployment soaring, many of us were just happy to have a job in 2009. You worked tirelessly to reach your targets, came in to the office early, stayed until late and gave 200% every day without asking for a thing in return.

Now, as things slowly recover, your organization or department may have you to thank (in part) for weathering the storm so well. If you’ve paid your dues and your requests are reasonable, there is nothing wrong with seeking fair compensation or recognition for your efforts.

4. Get organized!

How many hours a day do you spend looking for your stapler? What about that file that you’re sure you saved – you just can’t remember which folder you saved it in?

Many of us have mastered the art of organization at home – our DVDs are in alphabetical order and everything in the pantry is labeled – but the office is a different story. There are piles of documents to be sorted, sticky notes on everything and your virtual desktop is even worse. Before you jump back into things, take an hour to purge what you no longer need and develop a system that will work for you in 2010.

5. Reconnect – Build and Expand your Professional Network

Need an excuse to reconnect with a former colleague from work or university? The New Year – especially the turn of a decade – provides a perfect opportunity to reach out and say hello. Technology, whether through your PC or your Blackberry, makes it easier than ever. Social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook allow you to find those you used to know and get to know those who share interests with you. Sites like meetup.com can help you find common interest groups to join. You can also apply to sit on committees and boards where you can make a difference as well as meet other professionals with similar goals.

6. Attain a Work-Life-Balance

Last year, your nine-to-five was more like an eight-to-eight. There were some days in the winter you never even saw daylight – you were in before sunrise, left the office after sunset and went to the cafeteria at lunch to grab a sandwich to eat at your desk!

Besides lacking Vitamin D, your family and personal life has also taken a hit. You can’t remember the last time you went to your son’s choir practice or watched your daughter play hockey. Your friends joke that they talk to your voicemail more than they talk to you and the last movie you saw was the Titanic.

In 2010, this should be your top goal: set boundaries and maintain a balance. Some of us have adopted the philosophy of staying at work until the job is done but the truth is, your work will never be finished. There will always be more to do and at some point you have to recognize that you have done all you can for the day and a life awaits you beyond your cubicle walls.

7. Do Good Work

Given the sacrifices we make for work, one can only hope that it is for the greater good. But if you feel uncomfortable telling people about what you do and have trouble making eye contact with yourself in the mirror, you are probably not proud of your work.

Working in the not-for-profit sector has it’s pros and cons – it’s not for everyone – but there are many other ways to make a difference. There are champions in the private sector that make a difference in society either through the business they do or the way they do business.

Is your workplace diverse? Is it environmentally sustainable? Do they treat their employees well and give back to the community? Do you feel like your work has a net positive impact on the world? These are all questions you should ask yourself in 2010.

8. Build Relationships at Work

If you’ve worked at your company for ten years and still don’t know the name of “the tall guy” in the cubicle next to you, 2010 should mark a turning point for you.

What’s amazing is that sometimes a ten minute informal chat at the water cooler with an employee can bring forth solutions to problems that executives never reach after hours in a boardroom meeting behind closed doors.

Managers especially should take the time in the New Year to get to know their teams better. Those who manage large departments can sometimes get lost in the day to day shuffle. Studies show that employee engagement levels are highest when people like and get along with their coworkers, so anything you can do to facilitate team-building in the New Year should be among your top priorities.

9. Learn

They say learning is a life-long process and yet it seems like we have much of it behind us by the time we’re in our twenties.

Whether you’ve hit a ceiling in your field or think it’s time for a second career, there are more opportunities now than ever to continue your education. This can come in many different forms, whether you pursue an MBA, take evening courses to improve your technical skills, buy computer software to learn a new language or take advantage of professional development opportunities at work. Beyond workshops and conferences, your employer may even be willing to fund your post-graduate studies so keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities and be ready to take advantage of them.

10. Just Say No!

You don’t even think before you say it anymore – if someone needs a favour or offers you an assignment, you say “yes” before they can even finish the sentence.

If you feel bogged down and behind at work, you may think it’s because you’re not doing your job. But chances are, you’re doing your job and then some. Unfortunately, your accomplishments are overshadowed by your growing list of “to-dos” that are being pushed from one calendar year to the next and unless you work around the clock, you’ll probably never get around to them.

In 2010, be assertive and resolve to resist the temptation to take on more than you can handle. No one will perceive it as an effort to do less. It’s a commitment to doing what you do better.

On behalf of the team here at Career Edge Organization, we wish you a safe and Happy Holiday and all the best in the New Year!

Today, everyone here at Career Edge Organization took some time out of our daily busyness to celebrate the holidays which, as they approach, may instill feelings of anxiety (for those of us who haven’t started gift shopping), restlessness, (for those of us going on vacation), or joy (for employees who relish the holiday spirit). This is the perfect time for a celebration!

What’s great about living and working in a multi-faceted country like Canada is that many of us work in diverse, multicultural environments where the traditional North American “Christmas Party” has evolved into something much better.

For example, today’s “Multicultural Potluck” to celebrate the holidays at my workplace was a far departure from the typical turkey-and-stuffing meal that has come to be associated North American celebrations. Today we were spoiled with Samosas, Thai noodles, Latkes and other exotic dishes with roots in South American, Caribbean and Asian cultures in addition to all the staples of traditional Christmas potlucks (we have lots of leftovers if you’re hungry).

We also shared some laughs during a fun holiday-themed team-building exercise. The holidays are a perfect time for these kinds of activities. Things like “Secret Santa” or exchanging gifts anonymously help people get to know each other better and boost employee morale. I highly recommend it!

We are always looking for new, unique ideas on how to celebrate the holidays. We’d love to hear from you and find out how your workplace celebrates this time of year. Is there an evening party? A catered lunch? A day off?

Canadian organizations have seen a lot of ups and downs in the past year and we should all give ourselves a pat on the back. We should appreciate that we are working in an economy where many people are unemployed.

It doesn’t matter what your cultural background is. We all can celebrate the passing of 2009 and the opportunities that lie ahead in 2010!

Earlier this week, all of us here at Career Edge Organization received an email from our President and CEO, J. Anne Lamont. She wrote to share a message from David Pecaut which has since been blogged about, tweeted and featured in the Toronto Star, which called it a “love letter to Toronto.”

Anne Lamont said of Pecaut:

“David was one of the founders of Career Edge Organization in 1996 and has been a member of the Career Edge Organization Board of Directors since inception. Through his vision and support, David was instrumental in the launch of Career Bridge in 2003, an initiative that came out of the Toronto City Summit Alliance Report “Enough Talk” released in April 2003 following the Toronto City Summit in 2002 and the creation of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council focused on improving access to employment for skilled immigrants. David has been the Chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance for the past seven years.

Based on the successful model of Career Edge internships, Career Bridge internships provide internationally qualified professionals with important Canadian work experience to launch their careers in Canada. To date, over 1100 Career Bridge interns have participated in the program”

David’s Letter begins:

Friends and Colleagues,

As many of you know, I have been battling cancer over the past while and have been focusing in recent weeks on spending time with my family.  I am truly lucky to be blessed with an incredible wife and children.

As a consequence of my health issues, I have not had the chance to see many of you and express my appreciation for all the work we have done together.  Nor have I had the chance to share some of my thoughts on Toronto’s future.  This note gives me the opportunity to do both.

Working with you on all manner of city building activities has been one of the greatest highlights of my life.

The full letter can be read online here.

Today Career Edge Organization participated in the 2009 CACEE Regional conference, delivering a workshop on Generation Y for employers and career educators.

Ever since we launched our national Gen Y survey in September, our Vice President Donna Smith and our Director, Marketing and Communications, Janice Rudkowski, have been busy taking the groundbreaking study on the road, delivering presentations to employers at conferences, recruiting forums and even directly to our Host Organizations at their own offices.

Interested in hearing about our Gen Y study? Use our comment feature to request information and/or share your thoughts!

This afternoon, Donna and Janice spoke to a full room about What Motivates the Next Generation of Leaders – information that every employer should now.

Host Employers CIBC sponsored the workshop, which reviewed trends from the research as well as insights established by us and the Angus Reid Strategies research team. Participants were given examples of tangible responses and actions for employers who recruit Gen Y graduates.

We’re confident that attendees walked away with a better understanding of what today’s grads and future Millennials aspire to, career-wise to really get the best of what this group has to offer.

Also in attendance were Career Edge Organization friends TalentEgg, who also delivered a workshop on Gen Y. Lauren Friese, the Gen Y brain behind TalentEgg, spoke about what top students are looking for in a career and gave tips on how employers can better target their campus recruitment campaigns.

The great thing about conferences like these (aside from the insights and knowledge!) is that you never know who you’re going to run into! For a long time now we have been trying to figure out who in TD Bank was behind what we think is a brilliant initiative, “The Hunt: A five part series on finding a job.” Sure enough, a TD representative who played an instrumental role on the project was actually in attendance and Janice had the opportunity to speak to her.

“The Hunt” is an incredible resource for grads seeking work that uniquely takes an interactive approach that provides insights from four different perspectives: Students, Employers, Career Centres, and Experts.

Overall, it was a great event and we look forward to continuing to work with our friends at CACEE in the future!

About CACEE

The Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) is a national non-profit partnership of employer recruiters and career services professionals. Our mission is to provide authoritative information, advice, professional development opportunities and other services to employers, career services professionals, and students.

We all know when Boxing Day is – it’s on our calendars and it’s ingrained in our culture. However you may not be aware that December 3^rd is officially the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Promoted by the United Nations, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an annual international observance that began in 1992. Every year focuses on a different topic relating to disability such as “Arts, Culture and Independent Living” in 1992 or “E-Accessibility” in 2006. This year’s theme is “Making the MDGs Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world,” to ensure that internationally agreed upon development goals are inclusive and take into account the rights of persons with disabilities.

In Canada, nearly half (49.5%) of working age adults with disabilities are either unemployed or not in the labour force. (Click here for more stats on disability in Canada)

Career Edge Organization celebrates diversity in abilities every day by creating paid internship opportunities for recent graduates with disabilities with our host employers, and our Ability Edge program is continuing to grow and gain momentum.

How did your organization recognize this day? We want to hear from you! Share your stories with us and we will post them on our blog!

Here are a few interesting articles about how this very important day is being commemorated in different parts of the world:

Geneva: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/03/content_12578389.htm

Mysore, India: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/International-Disability-Day-observed/articleshow/5297438.cms

Sri Lanka: http://www.colombopage.com/archive_091/Dec1259853822CH.html

New York” “Stevie Wonder has hot debut as UN peace envo” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gz6eEVmGX6X7ZT4XJY2LjPPTDsigD9CC1SG80

Ghana: http://www.ghananewsagency.org/s_social/r_10033/

Australia: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/6500-youth-with-disability-in-aged-care-20091203-k74a.html

Recently one of the members of our LinkedIn group for employers and partner organizations began a discussion about the top “emerging careers,” particularly for recent graduates of Arts programs. One of the respondents raised the topic of “green jobs” and the timing couldn’t be better.

This year, the Toronto City Summit Alliance (chaired by David Pecaut, one of the founders of Career Edge) created the “Greening Canada Fund,” a voluntary carbon offset fund to help Canadian corporations reduce emissions. It is the first of its kind aimed entirely at large Canadian corporations.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the Greening Canada Fund would be launching with $13 million dollars. Career Edge Organization host employers TD Bank and Bank of Montreal are their first investors (Click here to read the full press release). The Fund aims to reach $50 million.

One of the many positive impacts of this Fund is the inevitable creation of green jobs.

This news comes shortly after the recent “Brick Works Forum” held by not-for-profit Evergreen in partnership with the federal government that gathered 100 business leaders to talk about the emerging Green Economy. Many of the participants, representing forward-thinking, innovative leaders in Canada, were also our host employers, such as GE Canada.

For many recent grads and Millennial job-seekers, companies that have gone green are attractive places to work. This group may currently face high unemployment rates but they still represent the leaders of tomorrow. It seems that going green may not only be the ethical and sustainable thing to do, it is also good for employment branding.

I stumbled upon GoodWork the other day, who call themselves “Canada’s green job site.” Employers looking to attract green talent can post here free.

Career Edge Organization would like to congratulate our Host Employers and Partners for being named among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2010!

Not surprisingly, most of the organizations on the list have worked with us in some capacity over the years, either as a host employer to our interns or as a supporting partner.

The 2009 Top Employers Summit took place yesterday and today in Toronto with Richard Florida and Mia Farrow as featured speakers.

Below are just some of our Host Employers that were recognized in the Top 100 list:

• Bank of Montreal
• Enbridge Inc.
• George Brown College
• KPMG LLP
• Loblaw Companies Limited
• MTS Allstream Inc.
• Ontario Public Service
• Procter & Gamble Inc.
• Research In Motion Limited
• Royal Bank of Canada
• Shell Canada Limited
• TD Bank Financial Group
• TELUS Corporation
• Toronto Hydro Corporation
• Toyota Canada

Every year, the “Canada’s Top 100 Employers” project recognizes employers across the nation for being one of the best places to work. It is a competitive process that looks at all aspects of work such as work atmosphere, community involvement and training and skills development.

Click here to see the full list!

I’m noticing a trend: people are using the terms “diversity” and “inclusion” interchangeably.

Remember when the conversation was about “equality” and equal opportunities? Since the 1970s the topic of workplace equality gained the attention of organizations and 1984 saw the beginnings of Employment Equity in Canada.

But over the past two decades, many organizations ditched the “traditional” language of equal opportunities in their internal and external policy statements in favour of diversity. Whereas equality emphasized non-discriminatory practices in the workplace, diversity was about recognizing the benefits of bringing together the different skills, backgrounds and viewpoints that exist in society.

We’re talking about more than just semantics here. The language an organization uses is a reflection of its values, and something as simple as one word can signal meaningful changes in its policy orientation.

Today, the word “diversity” is sort of becoming like your favourite jeans from last season. They still fit but they’re not in style anymore, and everybody else has a pair.

Organizations that want to stand out and lead the pack are now adding “inclusion” to their diversity statements – among them corporate leaders like RBC, HP and AOL. This begs the question: What is the difference?

Diversity is, quite simply, the “mix.” It means a variety of different kinds of people are at your workplace, reflecting the range of cultures, ages and other variations that exist in the workforce. Inclusion is taking that diversity to the next level.

HP defines inclusion as “a work environment where everyone has an opportunity to fully participate in creating business success and where each person is valued for his or her distinctive skills, experiences and perspectives.”

A salad, for instance, is a great example of “inclusion.”

You can lay out a variety of vegetables on a plate with dressing on the side but that does not make it a salad. It’s just vegetable diversity. In an actual salad, the lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and dressings are all mixed together. This creates synergies where all the parts are working together and the result is far more delicious and impressive than the plate of vegetables you had to start with.

Diversity is the range of differences among the organization’s people – women, people with disabilities, visible minorities, immigrants, LGBT people, blondes, redheads, tall people, short people, sports fans, foodies – you get the picture.

Inclusion is a quality of the organization itself.

Career Edge Organization embraces this shift, recognizing that the best companies are those that have integrated diversity at all levels, creating an environment that supports and leverages their employees so they can reach their full potential.

Don’t get me wrong – a variety of vegetables is better than just a boring plate of carrots. But wouldn’t you rather eat a salad?

Earlier this week, our President and CEO at Career Edge Organization, Anne Lamont attended the Toronto Forum for Global Cities, put on by the International Economic Forum of the Americas, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

This year’s theme was “restoring growth in a post bail-out era” and the speakers included CEOs and representatives from the White House, OECD, Deloitte & Touche, Toronto Hydro Corporation, World Bank Group, IBM, TD, GE Canada and Scotia Bank. On a side note, it was great to see that several of our Host Organizations were represented there.

On Monday, the OECD issued its Territorial Review of Toronto which essentially identifies what we are doing right and what we can be doing better on economic development issues such as energy, infrastructure, finance and innovation, to name a few.

First, the good news – the Report cites Toronto as one of the most diverse cities in the OECD, and the most culturally diverse urban centre in Canada, with half of the population being foreign born.

However the reality is that we (Toronto employers) could do a much better job of tapping into this valuable resource.

One of the key policy issues identified is “the under-utilization of immigrants and cultural diversity” and not surprisingly, “bridging education programmes and internships” were cited as clear solutions to “address obstacles to the recognition and appreciation of foreign skills, which are an asset for the knowledge economy.”

We are pleased to see that the OECD mentioned us as a successful “bridge to work” program, in reference to our Career Bridge program for Internationally Qualified Professionals (for those of you who have the report, you can find us on page 115). The Report goes on to say that now that the approach has been tested, bridging and internship programs could be used more widely.