Jobpostings Magazine: The women's issue (Nov. 2012, Vol. 15, Issue 3)

NOVEMBER 2012 | VOL. 15 | NO. 3

CAREERS. EDUCATION. IDEAS. ALL OF IT.

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

BUSTING THE BOYS CLUB THE SECRET BEHIND GETTING RECOGNIZED AT WORK BALANCING YOUR WORK AND YOUR LIFE THE RIGHT WAY

WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY HOW TO FIND A MENTOR AND WHY THEY MATTER

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

02

20 TRAILBLAZERS

Whether it’s in technology, politics, sports, or business, women have historically been underrepresented in a range of fields. Luckily, times are changing and women in all stages of their careers are finding new opportunities to grow into leadership positions and achieve ambitious goals. We speak with a number of standouts to get their perspectives on how women can lead by example.

TABLE OF CONTENTS TRAILBLAZERS 20 YOU’VE NEVER BEEN STUCK IN A TENT WITH A MOSQUITO

Carolyn Lawrence, president and CEO of Women of Influence, shares what traits help women rise up the corporate ladder.

Tara Hunt, author, speaker, CEO, and founder of Buyosphere.com, chats about women busting into technology.

INDUSTRY REPORTS

27 BUILD YOUR ROLODEX

38 NOT YOUR AVERAGE HACK JOB

Jackie Cook is an entrepreneur and Canadian ambassador who knows what it takes to excel young and keep up the momentum.

30 THE WORKING WOMAN AND HAVING IT ALL

JJ DiGeronimo shares her secrets for work-life balance in her book, The Working Woman’s GPS.

32 LIGHTING CANDLES

As an Olympic coach, Kaarina Dillabough shares her views on the importance of having a trusted mentor.

34 BECAUSE I’M A GIRL

Plan International says girls are the answer, and passionate young women like Saba Ghahari are showing why.

36 BUILDING UP WOMEN OF INFLUENCE JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

12 INTERVIEW SMARTS When interviewing potential employees, Lisa-Marie Winning, division director of Investors Group Financial Services Inc., is looking for a little bit of creativity in your answers.

14 START UP

Cyber liability—the next big thing in the insurance industry.

Hailey Coleman, CEO of Damn Heels, shares how she turned her dream of comfortable heels into a reality.

41 THE HYBRID EDGE

17 MONEY ZONE

Becoming an auto mechanic, especially for hybrids, can give you an edge in a growing automotive niche.

42 GET WITH THE PROGRAMMING

Software engineering is a hot career path that uses both sides of your brain.

09 CRUNCHING NUMBERS

Learn how to ensure you earn the same as your male coworkers.

18 SOFT SKILLS When asked about your strengths and weaknesses, the key to the answer is to be specific.

45 THE ME BRAND

Workplace stats are changing as more women acquire competitive career titles, but how much have they changed?

Take ownership for a job well done. As a woman, it’s important for you to take recognition for your achievements in the workplace in order to rise up the ladder.

10 SUCCESS STORIES

46 EDU-MA-CATION

Bekki Leon shares how her strength as a people-person helped land her a human resources job at Shell Canada.

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WHO’SHIRING

MASTHEAD

01 BMO Capital Markets 04 Starbucks 04 Nav Canada 15 Enterprise Rent-A-Car 19 Starbucks 22 College Pro 26 Canon 29 Messier-Bugatti-Dowty 39 SGI 39 RBC Insurance 40 Sun Life Financial 44 The Home Depot IBC CN

SCHOOLINDEX IFC

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13 29

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46 47 47 47 47 47

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Humber, The Business School (Undergrad) Humber, The Business School, Global Business Humber, The Business School, Alternative Dispute Resolution Humber, The Business School, Event Management Humber, The Business School, Fashion Management St. George’s University Humber School of Social and Community Services Humber, School of Media Studies and Information Technology Centennial College Brock University Niagara College Queen’s University Ross University American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine Sheridan College

OBC

Humber, The Business School (Postgrad)

GENERALADS 11 33

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Rogers Wireless Insurance Institute of Canada Insurance Institute of Canada

BRANDEDCONTENT 16 BMO Capital Markets: Closing the Gender Gap 35 ABB Inc.: Graduate Audrey Dakin-

Côté shares why she chose ABB 48 College Pro:

Sculpting tomorrow’s leaders

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

PUBLISHER

Nathan Laurie nlaurie@jobpostings.ca

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Mark Laurie mlaurie@jobpostings.ca

EDITOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Opportunity to be more than a employee.

to be a partner.

David Tal dtal@jobpostings.ca @DavidTalWrites

DESIGNER

Anthony Capano acapano@jobpostings.ca

WEB EDITOR

Mark Teo mteo@jobpostings.ca

DEVELOPER

starbucks.ca/careers

Mishraz Ammad Bhounr mbhounr@jobpostings.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

Amir Ahmed, Samuel Dunsiger, Michelle Hampson, Allison Mitchelle, Mary Michaela Weber

NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Mary Vanderpas

EDUCATION ACCOUNT MANAGER Shannon Tracey

INTERNS

Daniele Alcinii, Patrick Erskine, Rebecca Feigelsohn, Alex Guibord, Erika Jarvis, Autumn Ladouceur, Paul Schroeder, Rebecca Spence

Published by Passion Inc. 25 Imperial Street, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M5P 1B9 jobpostings.ca 1-877-900-5627 ext. 221

Jobpostings Magazine is published eight times in the school year. Issue dates are September, October, November, January, February, March, April, and May. Copies of Jobpostings are distributed to over 105 universities and colleges across Canada.

Contents of this publication are protected by copyright and may not be reprinted in whole or part without permission of the publishers.

“Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1.” – Warren Buffet

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EDITOR’S NOTE

06

EDITOR’S NOTE

LEADING

DAVID TAL

BY EXAMPLE Preparing this issue was tricky for me. This is my first year building Jobpostings’ annual Women’s issue, and given that I’m a guy, it’s fair to say I may never fully understand what it’s like to be a woman.

At first, I figured I’d take the angle of women as a minority in some workplaces. Over the past few months, Jobpostings has written two issues about students with disabilities; talked about students who are a part of the LGBT community; and this past October, we talked about sboriginal students entering the workforce. And as this issue’s “Crunchin’ Numbers” demonstrates, there are still some major discrepancies around women’s pay and their representation at the top levels of business.

Then, I thought back to my experience growing up and I realized that almost every supervisor or manager I’ve ever had was a woman.

My first job, at 15, was as a cashier at Rona (then Lansing). I remember fumbling through

100

87%

the entire interview, but the cash supervisor (Jess) took a chance on me. Over the next two years, she taught me the fundamentals of customer service and professionalism. I then worked as a shipper and receiver at The Bay for a few years. It was supposed to be a seasonal position, but a lady by the name of Vivianne put in a good word for me. She taught me about hard work, efficiency, and most important, how to properly stock the candy aisle.

Later on, in university, it was a college master (yes, that is an actual title) named Marie-Helen who gave me my first taste of running a magazine. She hired me as an editor to create and launch the New Beat, a campus education and lifestyle magazine. She showed me what I was capable of when given free reign to manage big projects, and it was her recommendation that later got me a job doing communications and PR for the Ontario government. Once again, there it was a lady (by the

name of Louise) who threw me into the deep end of provincial politics and public relations, giving me the communications fundamentals I’ve used ever since.

Now at Jobpostings, it’s become clear to me how much each of these women helped me grow professionally. But what’s more important was how they did so. The traits I picked up were a direct result of the level of professionalism and leadership exuded by these women, the kind that goes beyond gender.

So that’s what this issue is all about: showcasing female professionals at various stages in their careers—students through to CEOs— who can share with us not just how to be successful women, but how to be successful in every aspect of life.

Read on, friends.

Email us your thoughts on this issue of Jobpostings at: Letters@Jobpostings.ca

In 2006, Norway mandated that public companies have at least 4/10 female members on their board of directors. Should Canada follow suit?

of total health-related jobs, such as nursing, are filled by women.

75

50

Meanwhile, the fewest number of women work in trades, transport, and construction at

6.4%

25

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

Sources: statcan.gc.ca, higheredstrategy.com, edition.cnn.com, catalyst.org, international.gc.ca

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CRUNCHIN’ NUMBERS

09

CRUNCHIN’ OF

When it comes to industries in business and finance, jobs are pretty much split down the middle.

UR FORCE ...

LABO THE

AND 35.4%

OF

GEM MANA ENT PO S ALL

WOMEN MAKE UP

47.

3%

NUMBERS

Ladies in the workforce have been on the up-and-up for a while, and that trend isn’t going anywhere. But while we’re slowly closing the gap on our bro-friends (sup, fellas), there are a couple to be filled still: mostly, that women in top positions are majorly underrepresented, and there are gaps in our paycheques. | By Erika Jarvis

NS. ITIO

However, in the same industries, women make less money for the same amount of work.

100

87%

Studies show that women are team players, as they tend to be more supportive and rewarding.

of total health-related jobs, such as nursing, are filled by women.

75

50

$47,000 The average for women is

Meanwhile, the fewest number of women work in trades, transport, and construction at

6.4%

The average total income for men in Canada is

$30,100 Being a CEO was ranked as the seventh-best job for women. In 2006, Norway mandated that public companies must have at least four out of 10 female members on their board of directors. Should Canada follow suit?

25

Sources: statcan.gc.ca, higheredstrategy.com, edition.cnn.com, catalyst.org, international.gc.ca

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

SUCCESS STORIES

10

SUCCESS STORIES BEKKI LEON L C

COMPANY: SHELL | POSITION: HR GENERALIST LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT: 1 YEAR, 9 MONTHS DEGREE: BACHELOR OF COMMERCE IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

What drew you to your current field?

How did you find your current position?

As a co-op student, there were various opportunities available to me for summer internships, but Shell stood out as a top employer as I knew it had a reputation for providing meaningful internship opportunities and developing new hires.

I was offered a full-time, graduate role upon successful completion of that internship and have since completed three additional assignments in HR. I worked in compensation, policy, and then moved into a generalist role in the heavy oil business. My current role is in recruitment as a graduate recruiter and internships advisor, which is my last assignment within the graduate program.

Tell us a bit about your responsibilities.

In compensation, I focused on pay benchmarking, as well as the annual merit and bonus cycle. In policy, I took on a lot of project work, such as the integration of the various Albian Sands and Shell Canada policies. In my generalist role, my main focus was providing a wide range of day-to-day HR support to individuals and managers, as well as analytical support and coordination of various HR processes and programs. I have

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?

The most challenging aspect of my current role is keeping up with the business of the fall recruitment cycle, while also focusing on my responsibilities as an internships advisor.

Luckily, I have a very supportive team who are always there to help when I need them!

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being part of the Shell Graduate Program, I’ve had the opportunity to work in various areas of HR, all of which have provided me with valuable and rewarding learning experiences. The most rewarding part of my current role is offering candidates a job at Shell!

I’ve also had the opportunity to build many relationships, both internally and externally, and I find this a very rewarding aspect of my work.

What skills have you learned through your work experience?

I have learned so many things during my four graduate assignments with Shell. The most important thing I’ve learned is the

importance of stakeholder engagement and effective communication. Another skill I’ve developed in this role is a strong attention to detail, with the understanding that all of these details contribute to the bigger picture.

What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?

To be successful in HR, it really relies on relationship-building (both internally and externally), appreciation of the stakeholders you’re working with, and solid communication skills. I was also fortunate enough to experience a strong grounding in HR policy, which has helped with my success in my Shell career.

Is there one accomplishment you are most proud of to date?

I have successfully completed three assignments with Shell so far, and am in my final year of the graduate program. But one project that really stands out was the change management and implementation of the updated Shell Graduate Program.

What are your future career aspirations?

While experiencing HR in both the specialist and generalist areas, I do believe that my passion will drive me into a specialist area where I can become an expert on something and work with others to advise on specific topics, such as HR policy, where I feel I really made a contribution.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?

Start to build your networks and be authentic.

IN LI U S

ACCESS ACCESS

I’m a real people-person and HR provides the opportunity to work with individuals from many different backgrounds, cultures, and levels of work experience. I like the variety of different career paths you can pursue as an HR professional.

two areas of focus in my current role: the first is on graduate recruitment for all commercial disciplines here at Shell, [which is] focused on attracting top students into our commercial internship and graduate programs; I am also the internships advisor for all interns at Shell in Canada. This role keeps me busy ensuring the interns’ experience, projects, and assessments are running smoothly.

T

LIFESTYLE

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UPLOAD CONNEC CONNECT CONNE CT T B R E AT H TA K I N G S H A R E

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WIRELESS LTE We were first to launch the lightning-like speeds of LTE in Canada – the fastest wireless network technology on the planet. With LTE you can download a song or a photo in under a second.1 So buckle up; the fastest-ever mobile internet speeds are now here.

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1 Times specified are approximations only and will vary depending on size and quality of content. Copyright © 2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©2012 Rogers Communications.

INTERVIEW SMARTS

12

INTERVIEW

SMARTS

So you screwed up in the interview, huh? They asked the ol’ “What’s your greatest weakness” question and you answered with “cupcakes,” hoping to get a laugh. Awkward.

Lucky for you, we have friends on the inside—recruiting friends (the people who’ll be interviewing you). It cost us a few favours, but they finally agreed to explain why they ask what they ask, and what the best answers are. It’s a cheatsheet for interviews. Good luck!

LISA-MARIE WINNING

I’m looking for someone who approaches the answer with excitement, not someone who gives me the sense that it was a taxing experience that they are glad is over. I’m looking for an answer that indicates the candidate thrives in those situations, and that they actually get more energy and motivation from being in that type of situation. I also want to see some creativity in their answer, if they want to work for Investors Group, then they need to be dynamic and charismatic in their delivery; they need to paint a picture and engage me in the story they are telling me. Investors Group consultants spend a great deal of time with clients, and we want our clients to be excited and engaged. So if I’m bored with their answer, then it tells me a client might feel the same.

“Can you describe a position that you held where you had to work at a high-energy level for an extended period of time? How did you handle multiple key priorities and still maintain the high level of energy required?

How did you maintain your effectiveness?”

I listen carefully for a detailed response that indicates they really enjoyed the challenge of the task, were able to remain organized throughout, and worked in a manner that maintained a very high level of efficiency. Their time and resources are valuable, and I want to see that they feel that way about themselves. I want to know they are the type of person who gets a kick out of working really hard, and are inspired by the results.

FMA, FCSI, CSWP™ DIVISION DIRECTOR, INVESTORS GROUP FINANCIAL SERVICES INC.

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

WHERE WE STAND STuDyiNg DivERSE pATiENT populATioNS HElpS STuDENTS pRoDucE Top uSMlE STEp 1 fiRST-TiME pASS RATES TESTiNg WEll AND KNoWiNg THE WoRlD EvEN BETTER Will MAKE you STAND ouT

©2012 St. George’s University

US/Canada: 1 (800) 899-6337 ext. 9 1280 sgu.edu/future-students • sguenrolment@ sgu.edu

Grenada, West Indies

HEELS MADE FOR WALKIN’

14

HAILEY COLEMAN

THESE HEELS WERE MADE FOR WALKIN’ By: David Tal “It was after one really bad experience hobbling home barefoot after a night out in heels, when I asked myself, ‘Why do women always sacrifice comfort for style?’” says Hailey Coleman, 24, of how she came up with the idea for her business, Damn Heels. “We wear heels because it makes us feel sexy and confident, but once our feet start to hurt, we feel less than fabulous.”

It wasn’t long after this experience that this Ryerson business management grad came up with the idea of creating foldable flats in-

need to start it now. So those two things propelled me to actually start.”

With that decision, Coleman threw herself into her idea. She developed a detailed business plan which she entered into the Slaight Communications Business Plan Competition (BPC), run in partnership with the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and Start Me Up Ryerson. On March 31, 2009, Coleman was awarded the top prize, a $25,000 grant for her company that launched in December of that year (coincidentally, Damn Heels

ASKING YOURSELF ‘WHY,’ AND ASKING IT REGULARLY, HELPS GIVE YOU MORE VISION AND MORE DIRECTION FOR WHAT YOU’RE DOING.” spired by high-heel designs (think something like ballerina shoes, guys) that you can carry around in a purse while on a night out. Once the heels become too much of a pain, you would simply kick off the heels, slip on the flats, and carry the heels in the Damn Heels tote bag.

“I started talking to everybody about this idea,” says Coleman. “And I really mean everybody. I did an exchange in France, and I even remember sitting at a café with some Americans telling them about this idea. And for me it really got to the point where I was like, ‘Man, I’ve been talking about this so much, if I don’t do something about this, it’s going to be one of those cases [of] “what if ” when I’m older.’ And the second push was that there was a competitor that came on the market—that was the first to really enter this product category. So I thought to myself, the wave has started, if I want to catch it, I really

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

launched the same day Coleman wrote her last university exam).

Today, what started out as simple ballerina slippers has evolved into beautiful flats that you can wear every day. Coleman says that things are moving along well: outside of charitable events and celebrity functions that Damn Heels sponsors, new styles are being added to the Damn Heels’ line, and more stores are carrying the product as well. “Really, Damn Heels are perfect for anyone who’s looking for something that’s flattering and feminine on the foot, with the comfort of a flat,” says Coleman.

But no new business launches without a glitch or two. “Really, it was a fast learning curve,” Coleman admits. “The biggest mistake that always comes to mind was when I got my very first shipment of flats. I misquoted the weight of my shipment [and I ended up having] 10 boxes air freighted in, which was fine if it

wasn’t for a bill for $10,000,” Coleman says, with rueful laugh. “So yeah, that one hurt a lot. But it was all part of the learning.”

When asked if she had any advice for budding young entrepreneurs, Coleman says, “I would say just go for it. When I first started I thought, I don’t have a family that I need to support, and the money that I’m putting into this I always thought of as money that I would be putting into an MBA, so the debt that I was coming out with wasn’t astronomical for my age. Also, I learned the importance of starting with, ‘why.’ Why you do what you do? I think asking that question, and asking it regularly, helps give you more vision and more direction for what you’re doing. For example, my ‘why,’ my whole purpose with Damn Heels is to inspire women to look and feel fabulous, so that they can lead happier, more confident lives. That’s really guided the whole direction of the company.”

Follow a career path?

Or blaze your own.

Erin Marsden Talent Acquisition Manager erin.marsden@ehi.com (416) 284-4805

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR. After all, the Enterprise Management Training Program is where you’ll unleash your management potential and hone your sales abilities. You’ll learn how to run a successful business and lead a team of professionals. And, since we have locations across the country, you can build your career where you want to build it. There’s a reason why BusinessWeek magazine has repeatedly named us to their list of “Best Places To Launch A Career.”

YOUR PATH IS WAITING. GO. go.enterprise.com/canada

©2012 Enterprise Rent-A-Car. D02031.10/12

Go with a team that sets a high standard when it comes to employment equity. Go with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. We actively encourage applications from qualified men and women, including Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities.

BRANDED CONTENT

16

CLOSING THE GENDERGAP BMO CAPITAL MARKETS IS SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING—AND BUILDING ITS BUSINESS IN THE PROCESS

By Mark Teo 1992. It was the year Jian Gomeshi debuted on Canadian airwaves—but with his former band, Moxy Fruvous, not on CBC’s Q. Pepsico was aggressively trying to market its newest clear drink, Crystal Pepsi. Nirvana, a then-unknown Seattle grunge band, debuted a little song called “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” And it was the year that BMO released the Report of the Task Force on the Advancement of Women.

According to a more recent report published last summer by theFIT, a Boston-based company exploring working culture, women work harder —54 per cent go above and beyond regular working hours—tend to view their compensation as fair, and are more honest about taking sick days. Women, the study argues, are basically outperforming their male counterparts.

Yet they aren’t being paid accordingly. In Canada, according to a 2010 Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development report, men’s wages are still nearly 20 per cent higher than women. Only one in three managers, meanwhile, are women. And one in four women work part-time—men, on the other hand, found it much easier to land full-time positions, with less than 10 per cent working as part-timers.

The good news is things are changing, largely thanks to companies like BMO—who told us they’re taking major steps to reduce the gender gap. Curious as we are, Jobpostings asked BMO’s team what they’re doing to smash that glass ceiling (and making sure it stays smashed.

Way smashed). Here’s what they told us.

They’re ensuring that women are getting employed. (In awesome positions.)

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

No lie. Right now, 34 per cent of BMO’s senior leadership team are women; they told us that, by the end of 2016, they’re goal is to have that number increase to 40 per cent. It’s been an ongoing process, too; they’ve increased the amount of women in management since the 1990s. Plus, they’re training even more women to run the company: 53 per cent of BMO’s advanced leadership program are female. So, how does that benefit the company?

BMO changed the way they think about business—and how women fit in it.

And this isn’t only about women—it’s about diversity. They don’t mince words: Diversity is built into BMO’s philosophy. Embrace diversity is one of their corporate values.

“It’s not even a debate. It’s so important to establish inclusive workplaces—where talent and performance define success,” says Shannon Costigan, Senior Recruitment Partner, BMO Financial Group.

They’re getting involved with female students.

Again, BMO puts their money—literally— where their mouth is. They’ve helped fund the Heather L. Main scholarship, which gives female MBA students a $7,500 bursary and an internship in Capital Markets. They also part-

nered with Women in Capital Markets, a notfor-profit, to develop the Return to Bay Street Program Award, which helps professional women get back into capital markets after leaving the industry for a while.

Here’s what this means: BMO isn’t just talking big game about hiring women. They’re hiring women. And investing money in their success.

“It’s about creating the proper environment,” says Roslyn MacLean, Program Manager, Mentorship & Diversity. “We want to not only attract talented women, but we want to retain them and help advance their careers.”

They’ve committed to diversity.

And this is how we know that BMO’s commitment to women is genuine. They’re not trying to erase the issue of gender—something that’s apparent when we ask them what their ideal, workplace looks like. “We want to ensure all our employees feel they can turn their potential into performance,” says Deirdre Drake, Managing Director, Human Resources. “We’ve been promoting diversity for more than 20 years, and it’s an ongoing process. We will always work at it, and there is no end-of-job because we know constantly working at it enables long term success.”

SPONSORED BY BMO

MONEY ZONE

17

THE PRICE OF NICE BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING ON PAY By: Mary Michaela Weber No one who grows up as a woman today thinks they will be discriminated against when they hit the workforce. Pay equality is a complex topic. But let’s face it, being paid less because you’re a woman will hit hard when the bills come up. Then reality sets in.

Oh the rude awakening. Women today still won’t reap the rewards of their education to the extent their male counterparts will. Their education costs just as much, but the end result in cash-in-the-bank doesn’t cut it. Can you imagine if you went to a restaurant and men were charged 20 percent less for their food than women? How would that make sense? In a very broad sense, that’s what’s happening today.

Forbes magazine reports that women today earn on average 19 percent less than their male counterparts. They also state that women will choose a job for its lifestyle benefits, whereas men will dig into difficult environments more willingly. Then there’s the factor of raising children as well, but it isn’t the only piece of the puzzle. For us women, let’s look at what other pieces play a role in our career development:

1. ENVIRONMENT: Look for companies that promote the advancement of women. Many companies do have programs that support networking, mentorship, and provide that outside boost of courage for women.

2. MENTORS: Seek out mentors. Women who have gone before you have a wealth of knowledge and can guide you through pay negotiations. Be courageous, introduce yourself, and seek out formal networking opportunities. Keep your questions relevant, focused, and genuine.

Women who are very successful are often very perceptive and they want to see what you’re made of.

3. SHOW VALUE: During your annual review or other discussion involving your pay. It’s important to toot your own horn (I talk about this in detail in The ME Brand article in this issue). Be prepared to list off how you contribute to your company (especially when it comes to cost savings or new business), and how your package of skills and experiences make you a valuable asset that should be developed.

4. NEGOTIATE: Not negotiating early in your career can affect your ability to ask for raises later in your career. So don’t be afraid to negotiate for a higher raise, instead prepare for it. Read up on negotiation tactics. Know your field and how others in your position are being paid. And if your employer really can’t offer more money, then get creative: ask for more vacation days, better benefits, flexible hours, etc.

5. STANCE: When you’re asking for a raise or asserting a challenging idea, use your body language to reinforce your presence. Grab the floor with your feet, and engage your pelvic floor and derriere when you speak. You’ll find you feel stronger and more capable of commanding attention and focus.

6. EYE CONTACT: Eye contact is critical in any negotiation. Don’t be afraid to keep an even, steady gaze when it’s needed to get a point through. Men typically will assert challenges by a subtle posturing of their stance or chest, and expect a response. It’s a part of the dog-park language that exists in all of us, and be prepared to meet the boys on their own turf.

7. AFFIRM: Spend a few minutes every day reminding yourself of what you do well. There will be plenty of challenges in life, from relationships to family members passing, that’s why the good parts deserve reinforcement.

Mary Michaela Weber is one of Canada’s top communications consultants, known for using wit and a smart sense of strategy.

Her company, Voice Empowerment Inc., brings her background of over 20,000 hours of training to CEO’s and executives in Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies, Ivey League University professors, and up-and-comers across North America and the Caribbean.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE WALL

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MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE WALL ...

HOW TO ASSESS YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

By Allison Mitchell If I asked you what your strengths and weaknesses were, would you list them with relative ease? Or would the air be filled with an awkward silence while you came up with an answer that probably wasn’t truly accurate of your skill set? Answering the strengths and weaknesses questions are difficult, especially the question about your weaknesses (or areas of improvement, as I prefer to phrase it).

Making these answers up on the fly should be avoided, or you run the risk of coming up with a less than ideal response. In fact, a poor response to an interview question can set the tone for the rest of the interview. Your answers to these questions need to be thoughtful and authentic, and the only way to develop your answers is to look in the mirror and self-reflect.

You’ll be asked the strengths and weaknesses questions in one form or another during most of the interviews you have. Prepare for them now so you’re not caught off-guard during the interview. Questions like, “What are your top three best qualities?” and “Are there any specific skills that you would like to improve,” are just different ways of asking for your strengths and weaknesses. Pay attention to what the interviewer is really asking.

As a recruiter, it amazes me how many candidates aren’t prepared for the weakness question. I know the question is hard! As a candidate, you don’t want to say the wrong thing that could take you out of the running for the role. Many candidates almost seem surprised at the question. The truth is this question has been part of an interviewers list of questions for years!

When asked for your strengths and weaknesses, the key to the answer is to be specific. Give the interviewer specific skills that you’re strong at and ones that you need to improve. To really impress the interviewer, go one step further and tell them what your plan is to improve your weak skill.

Self-reflection is not only important for interview preparation, but it’s also a significant part of your skill development. After all, if you don’t know what you’re strengths and weaknesses are, then how are you supposed to improve your skills? Self-reflection is not a “once and done” exercise; rather, you should regularly assess your skill set and devise a plan for improving your skills. Your skill set will develop over your career, and the skills you need to improve will change as you gain experience and move into different roles. Your strengths and weaknesses when you graduate won’t be the same strengths and weaknesses you’ll have five years from now.

You’ll have several interviews and positions during your career. Ensuring that you self-reflect regularly will not only help you prepare for your future interviews, but it’ll also set the stage for your ongoing skill development.

Start the process now so when you’re asked for your strengths and weaknesses, you can respond with an answer that’s thoughtful and authentic!

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

START YOUR SELF-REFLECTION NOW BY FOLLOWING THESE STEPS. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF! GATHER • •

• • •

REVIEW

PLAN

REPEAT

Brainstorm your strengths and weaknesses Review past performance reviews for strengths and areas of improvement (including formal reviews, co-op reviews, and informal feedback you’ve received on the job) If you have a mentor, ask for their opinion Ask your references for their opinions Ask family and friends for input

• •

Review for similarities in compiled information Create a list of strengths and weaknesses you feel is an accurate reflection of you

• • •

Prioritize your strengths list starting with your strongest Prioritize the skills you would like to improve Plan how to continue to grow your strong skills and how you can improve one or two skills

•

Repeat this process at least once per year

IMAGES: © ISTOCK.COM

Opportunity to be more than a employee.

to be a partner.

MEET A RECRUITER Tara Brydges senior recruiter at Starbucks Coffee Canada What do you do for Starbucks?

I hire talented retail managers for our Starbucks Stores and for roles within our regional offices – like marketing, foodservice, finance, store development and design.

We hire for stores across the country plus our offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

What do you look for in potential hires?

An amazing attitude is #1 – you have to love serving people, you cannot teach people a strong customer service attitude! People who work at Starbucks all share similar values… not just on how we treat our customers but how we treat each other and our community. I look for this as it is important in preserving our culture.

@starbucksjobs @starbuckscanada

Starbucks Canada

What is the typical career path for someone who starts out part time?

reimbursement, stock options and benefits for part time employees.

There are so many Opportunities! Our Barista roles have flexible schedules which is great when you are in school but if you want to progress in our company there are retail managers and many other areas of the business to grow and learn. I know so many stories of partners who started working in our stores and once they finished school they were promoted into roles in Finance, HR, SCO or Marketing!

What do you love about working at Starbucks?

Why should a student consider working for Starbucks?

We have great training programs and our leaders take your development seriously.

Even our perks are great – we offer tuition

Starbucks Jobs

Starbucks Coffee

I just celebrated my 3 year anniversary with the company and I love it today as much as I did the day I started. I work with great people every day - the people all share a similar passion for our company and our customers – that is why it is a great place to work!

What advice would you give to students who want to work at Starbucks?

Starbucks recruiters are all online so come find us and keep in touch. With lots of opportunities across Canada right now it’s never been a better time to join our growing company!

Become a partner. starbucks.ca/careers

TENT WITH MOSQUITO

20

TENT WITH MOSQUITO

21

YOU’VE NEVER BEEN STUCK IN A TENT WITH A MOSQUITO EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TARA HUNT, DIGITAL PIONEER, AUTHOR, AND FOUNDER OF BUYOSPHERE.COM By: David Tal

“I learned that if you think you’re too small to make an impact, then you’ve never been stuck in a tent with a mosquito,” says Tara Hunt. “I really learned that people can drive change.”

It’s early in 2012, and Montreal-based Tara Hunt, a digital pioneer, early adopter of social networking, and founder of Buyosphere.com, took some time to chat with Jobpostings after her successful appearance at the New York Tech Meetup. We spoke at length about her career path and her insights about women working in the tech industry. But it’s her mosquito quote that stuck out; we kinda dug it. And as you’ll see, making an impact is what Hunt (or “Missrogue,” her online alias) is all about.

BUILD SOMETHING GREAT AND PEOPLE WILL GRAVITATE TOWARD IT. BUT A LOT OF SUCCESS ALSO COMES FROM TOOTING YOUR OWN HORN.” STARTING OUT Early childhood ambitions, Hunt says, included “anything from princess to ballerina to movie star. A pirate came up too.” But it was shortly before beginning her studies at the University of Calgary that she discovered her passion for all things digital. It was the Wild West days of the internet, 1992 to be exact. It was also a time that brought a big change to Hunt’s life. “I was pregnant with my son at the time, and somebody said, ‘Oh, you can go on these [online chat rooms]. There are people on there so that if you feel isolated, you can ask questions.’ So I got on those and really enjoyed it.”

At UofC, Hunt started coding HTML and helping friends set up websites for their various student clubs. “I ended up doing more and more of that stuff. I taught myself Flash.

It was always just really natural for me to work on the web, and I could see potential for the world of online communities.”

Although Hunt had an almost clairvoyant sense for the power of online communities since the early days (when she graduated with a degree in communications and cultural studies), she still didn’t think of the web as something she could build her career around. She was quickly proven extremely wrong.

“I ended up being hired by the CEO of a

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

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TENT WITH MOSQUITO

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Co-launched Citizen Agency, an internet consultancy, and worked with dozens of start ups

Worked at Max Petroleum doing ’90s-era web work

Began freelance web consulting

Studied at University of Calgary

Hired as Like.com’s online marketing manager

Joined the

Tuxedo Agency Started

START

ALBERTA

Rogue Strategies, and expanded it to Toronto

TORONTO

SILICON VALLEY

MONTREAL

Launched

Buyosphere,

MISS ROGUE’S CAREER PATH small oil and gas firm [Maxx Petroleum], and the reason he hired me as his junior corporate communications rep was because of my web experience. ... Here I was, thinking I was hired because I would be awesome at corporate communications, and he was just interested in the web stuff. I did some temp jobs prior to that, where I’d be hired to file and type things, and then they’d find out I could work in HTML and Java and Flash and Director, and they would get me doing other stuff. It just kept coming up.”

GETTING INTO THE AD BIZ Max Petroleum was sold a few years later, and Hunt walked away with a buyout package that gave her the freedom to explore new career paths. Drawing upon her web expertise and existing freelance work, Hunt decided to get into something officially creative: advertising. “I went into advertising because I just kept getting hired for my web knowledge,” she says. “Even though it was a side thing. Not everyone knew about this stuff back then. To me it was second nature.”

Hunt then joined an advertising company in Calgary to get her feet wet, before breaking off on her own to start her own agency.

“It was called Rogue Strategies, from my online moniker, [Missrogue]. It was an experimental marketing agency. I didn’t really think of it as revolutionary at the time, but

a social shopping start up

THE FUTURE

Started a blog about online marketing and gained a following

it was mixing online and offline and building relationships with our clients’ customers. One of our big campaigns was this online world where you had second lives—this was before Second Life—and created this avatar character, and then you went into these various [virtual] clubs. It was for Joe Stiff ’s Spiked Root Beer, which was a big product. Then you go offline and into the actual club, and order a Joe Stiff ’s Spiked Root Beer in return for a scratch card that you could redeem online to unlock dance moves and new outfits for your characters. We won an award for that, but I think it was ahead of its time. That was around 2001.”

HEADING TO THE VALLEY As Rogue Strategies took off, Hunt moved to Toronto a year and a half later to expand the business. But things changed in 2003. Hunt started a blog where she shared her ideas about how new marketing was changing, from “push to pull,” as well as the growing power of community and word of mouth— typical social media marketing principles, but years ahead of the curve. “I ended up building relationships with other bloggers who were down in the Valley,” says Hunt. “At one point one of the bloggers put up a post about one of his clients [Like.com], who was looking for an online marketing manager. I said, ‘Do you think they’d hire a Canadian?’

He said I’d be perfect for it. And there I was, down in the Valley, 10 days later.”

It wasn’t long before Hunt’s digital ideas were making waves across the Valley. “I applied all my experimental theories about community marketing,” she explains. “It’s so common now, right? It’s known as social media marketing. But at the time it was unheard of to connect computers and word of mouth. So this was in 2005. Within six months we built this huge beta sign-up list, with over 80,000 people. We had been in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired magazine, before we even launched.

“But when we did launch, there was over a million photos uploaded within 24 hours, and over 20,000 registered users. And so everybody was like, ‘How did you do that? You didn’t spend any money on advertising, not on PR, how did you do this? How did you create this big buzz?’ I was starting to be approached by other start ups, people were asking me to come speak at their conferences, and interviewing me. ... I mean, I moved to Silicon Valley as a total nobody from Toronto, a Canadian girl, wide-eyed, then this happened, and that’s when everything took off.”

Shortly after the success of the Like.com launch, Hunt decided to leave the company and partner with a well-known open source ambassador, Chris Messina. Together they

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

TENT WITH MOSQUITO

24

launched Citizen Agency, an internet consultancy. The pair found themselves in high demand very quickly, advising dozens of start ups in the Valley about how to make their online services more social, right at the time of the first social media boom, when businesses realized social wasn’t just for angsty teenagers in bedrooms anymore. “[Citizen Agency was] a little bit of marketing, but more product focused. With SlideShare, for example, it was a PowerPoint sharing application, but as far as social features went, they didn’t have many. When they first launched, you put up your PowerPoint and that was it. So we helped them a bit with how they integrated social [media] into it, in a smart way that helps them build [a] reputation.”

LAUNCHING INTO THE BUYOSPHERE After years of consulting for start ups, Hunt started feeling the itch to start her own.

Around 2007, she began thinking of a solution to an online problem that had frustrated for a while: “It was the issue of finding what you’re looking for. Because the web is wonderful—you have a ton of choice—but when you’re looking for something in particular,

it becomes a nightmare. There’s too much choice and no clear path to your choice.”

Hunt decided upon a shopping browser where you could add all your favourite stores, make them searchable, and get advice from experts and peers on different products. It’s a new approach to the social shopping realm.

Today, in an open concept office, in a rough building overlooking the Place Des Arts in Montreal, Hunt’s idea has taken form. Called “Buyosphere,” the start up consists of a small but determined team that thrives on open communication. “There’s the three of us co-founders,” says Hunt. “So myself, I focus more on marketing but also raising money is in my portfolio. Cassandra is the COO, she works on making sure we go forward at a good pace, and looks after our finances. And then Jerome is the CTO, and he manages the technical team. ... We also have a marketing director who is in New York, building relationships there.”

Asked what running a start up is like, Hunt says, bluntly, that there is no typical day. “I remember talking with a friend at her birthday and we were musing over the fact that before ... we had all this time to care about ev-

erything else that went on in the world: if we broke a nail, who’s dating who, what celebrities were doing what, that sort of thing. And then you get into your start up, you become incredibly myopic, and all you care about is getting it to the next level, whatever the next level is. It’s a feeling that keeps you up at night and always thinking.”

TAKING IT ALL IN “My dad had his own vet practice from the time I can remember,” says Hunt. “And my mom is an artist. I basically grew up with two entrepreneurs. So [entrepreneurship] didn’t seem like something crazy or that risky.

Clearly you can work for someone else, doing their bidding and reaching their goals, or you can go out and do it your own way.

“My first company was started when I had not even three years [experience]. I worked in the oil and gas industry for a year and a half, and then the ad agency for just over a year. And then I went and started Rogue Strategies.” Having to go out and find clients, make sales, and bill people was a hustle Hunt had to master both with Rogue Strategies and Citizen Agency. “That [consulting] life is

THE WORLD’S RICHEST WOMEN *As of March 2012. Figures shown represent billions of dollars owned.

IRIS FONTBONA

GEORGINA RINEHART

ALICE WALTON

LILIANE BETTENCOURT

CHRISTY WALTON Walmart

L’Oreal

Walmart

Mining

Mining

17.8 JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

18

23.3

24

25.3

Source: therichest.org/world/richest-women

TENT WITH MOSQUITO

25

so good,” Hunt says, with a laugh. “You get all this money coming in. ... But at the same time, I was working with a lot of start ups. I was watching them make a lot of money. I was watching them grow their business. It encouraged me to take a shot with Buyosphere.

“In the tech industry,” Hunt explains, “I learned that if you think you’re too small to make an impact, then you’ve never been stuck in a tent with a mosquito. I really learned that people can drive change. Corporations don’t.

Governments don’t. But people, they drive change. And we just need the tools to be able to connect with each other to do that. That was the biggest lesson I ever learned from entering the Valley. Then when I returned to Canada—I love it, it’s a wonderful country with wonderful people—but we definitely don’t rock the boat. And the U.S. is all about rocking the boat. And it’s really driven by the citizens, the people.” This drive for change, this fearlessness, is what Hunt thinks people need to really stand out and make their mark, especially young women.

WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY Of her experience in the early days of Silicon Valley, she says: “When I was working with Chris [at Citizen Agency], him and I probably had the same level of expertise. But wherever we went, people would assume he was the developer and I was just a business person. Whenever we worked on something, people would give him the credit. And I think that has to do with there being so few women developers in the Valley. But it helped me too, because a lot of conferences, a lot of publications get flack for not having enough women.

And so they put together lists of women [to feature]. Overall though, I’d like to be known not just a woman entrepreneur, but as a good entrepreneur.

“One interesting phenomena that goes on—I think Clay Shirky posted about this, in his [famous blog post] ‘A Rant About Women’— he says that women tend to undersell themselves, and men tend to oversell themselves, typically,” says Hunt. “For me, it takes a lot of courage, but I need to put myself out there and that’s gonna come up against all sorts of backlash, and rolled eyes, and people trying to talk nasty behind your back. But it really is the only way to get yourself out there. Yeah, build something great and people will gravitate toward it. But a lot of success also comes from tooting your own horn.”

+

from future

TRAILBLAZERS RACHELLE KRANENBURG | 24 YEARS OLD WOMEN’S RUGBY QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY | 2013 MASTERS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

JENNIFER K. EENSILD | 19 YEARS OLD GIRLS IN GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO | 2015 PEACE, CONFLICT AND JUSTICE STUDIES, MINOR IN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

What book would you recommend to other young women to support their careers?

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. This book helps to capture the true inner-workings and desires of young women, which in turn helps the reader to understand themselves, and who they want to be. It was once I truly understood my worth that I realized that all I wanted to do was help others be happy.

Why did you join your student group?

In high school, I was lucky to have a lot of opportunities because of my school’s great teachers and role models. Many girls aren’t as fortunate.

GiGL aims to give girls opportunities to develop their skills in many areas, and the confidence to become strong women unafraid to pursue their dreams.

JULIA BROWN | 20 YEARS OLD WOMEN EMPOWERMENT CLUB YORK UNIVERSITY | 2015 HONORS B.A. IN HUMANITIES

FATIMA ZAHRA | 19 YEARS OLD WOMEN EMPOWERMENT CLUB SCHULICH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS | 2015 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

What’s one piece of advice that has guided you in your career?

I feel that, generally, women tend to be more reserved and modest when it comes to taking the credit for a job well done. In the business world, I find that it “pays” to boast about my feats during a project.

What’s one piece of advice that has guided you in your career?

Don’t be afraid to break boundaries. Even if you feel that nothing is coming your way, do not hesitate to create your own opportunities. If there is something you’re interested in, or you have an idea, be a pioneer. You DO have the power!

VICTORIA GRANOVA | 19 YEARS OLD WOMEN EMPOWERMENT CLUB SCHULICH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS | 2015 ACCOUNTING

CLARE MILLER | 22 YEARS OLD WOMEN’S RUGBY QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY | 2013 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY

What’s one piece of advice that has guided you in your career?

Never give up on yourself. Even when a task seems to be challenging to the point of impossible, never think that you’re not good enough.

There’s something special in every person and that’s what will make you successful.

What book would you recommend to other young women to support their careers?

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. This book shows you that the way you interact with those around you, the little things you do every day, and the attitude you carry, can truly change the lives of those around you.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

Choose

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BUILD YOUR ROLODEX

27

BUILD YOUR ROLODEX

UNLESS YOUR LAST NAME IS TRUMP, MAKING THE CONTACTS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU | BY ERIKA JARVIS Budding entrepreneur and student Jackie Cook has bumped elbows with some of the world’s most powerful leaders, and learned a powerful secret for fattening the proverbial rolodex in the process.

“I think one of the most valuable lessons I learned was to make a meaningful impact on everyone you meet,” she says from her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “Maybe it’s a kind gesture, a follow-up email, but it’s amazing the opportunities that come when people remember you.”

Through her involvement with a program called Junior Team Canada (JTC), run by the Canadian nonprofit Global Vision, Cook went to the 2010 G8 and G20 summits in Toronto and Muskoka, Ontario.

had so much going on, you know, real world stuff ... so you really have to make it impactful and meaningful. I think I said something like, ‘Just know that the youth of Canada are with you on this and are committed. That there’s a younger generation that’s concerned and interested in the impact they are having.’”

Cook got involved with JTC upon her return to the University of Saskatchewan, after a year spent travelling and working in New York, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. “I signed up for the workshop because they were offering free pizza and my friend was going,” she admits.

JTC members receive a mandate from their home region in return for a financial contribution towards attendance at major geopolitical meetings, like the summits. Once there, they must try to further or accomplish their trade missions. But Cook says you usually only have a short window of time to do so, given the people attending these events are the likes of Barack Obama, Nicholas Sarkozy, and Stephen Harper.

But at the summits, Cook’s “make it memorable” technique worked: six months afterward, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the president of Global Vision selected her to be one of four Canadians representing the Invest in Canada Bureau at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit. And one year later, the CEO of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation—who remembered Cook from a lunch date at the G20—called to invite her to participate in the 2011 G20 Entrepreneurs Summit.

“We had two minutes, maybe, to engage with the leaders on an individual basis and try to give them our elevator pitch,” she says. “They

“She could tell that it wasn’t an interest in public policy and government that drove me, but rather an interest in business,” says Cook.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

BUILD YOUR ROLODEX

28

“She phoned me and said, ‘We’re putting together a delegation to go to Nice, France, and we think you’d be a great candidate to represent Saskatchewan.’”

She makes it sound easy, but at the time Cook was studying and in the thick of running her first small business: a hip, Saskatoon-centric social-networking and video platform called Thread (www.threadmedia.ca) that was inspired by a study saying Saskatoon was struggling to retain its young professionals. Along with “up to 20 hours per week” with JTC, keeping up with it all, Cook admits, was a struggle. “At times the motto was, ‘C’s and D’s get the grade,’” she says, wryly. “But you just have to balance.”

Long hours spent studying for straight A’s isn’t necessarily the most effective way to achieve your goals anyway, at least not for an up-andcoming entrepreneur. In 2011, Cook’s commitment to Thread got her selected for the Next36, Canada’s most prestigious mentorship program for young entrepreneurs.

Along with 35 other young Canadians, Cook was placed into a group of four and given one year to come up with a financially viable busi-

ness idea, closely supervised by two established Canadian business leaders. Cook’s team produced Triumf Mobile Rewards, a loyalty program for smaller and independent businesses whose loyalty programs tend to consist of a dog-eared stamp card.

“The idea was started because customer attraction isn’t the issue,” says Cook. “You have daily deals and Groupon. People are going to the businesses. But [getting] more customer loyalty, retaining those customers for long-term loyalty, [that’s when] businesses are way more profitable.”

Cook has achieved all of this before she even graduates. She hopes to finish her bachelor of communications, marketing, and international business (a double major) in 2013, but her whole life she’s known that entrepreneurship lay in her future. And having tasted success at such a young age, she knows exactly the kind of dedication it takes.

“Nothing replaces hard work,” she says. “Any success that I’ve had, it’s because I’ve pulled those all-nighters, those early mornings, the 6 a.m. training for soccer. You complain about it, but nobody cares, because everyone else is working hard as well. Just work hard and put yourself into a position where you like what you’re doing so it doesn’t seem so hard.”

INCOME BY INDUSTRY

28% of women aged 25 to 54 have a bachelor's or graduate university degree.

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

BUSINESS

SCIENCE

SOCIAL SCIENCES

EDUCATION

WOMEN MEN

MANUFACTURING

TRADES

TRANSPORTATION

75

FEMALE MPs HOLD SEATS IN THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA.

Sources: statcan.gc.ca, higheredstrategy.com, edition.cnn.com, catalyst.org, international.gc.ca

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•Learn from faculty who are certified fire service trainers and active firefighters.

Messier-Bugatti-Dowty (Safran group), is the world leader in aircraft landing and braking systems.

Admission Requirements • Ontario Secondary School Diploma with courses from College (C), University/College (M), University (U) or OSSD at or above the general level, or equivalent, or mature student status. Grade 12 English (ENG4C or ENG4U), or equivalent. Any grade 12 math, except workplace and basic levels. Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (SCH3U or SCH4U or SCH4C) and biology (SBI3C, SBI3U or SBI4U), or equivalent.

All applicants are required to attend a testing session which includes firefighter aptitude testing, including math; completion of a writing sample; a chemistry test and a biology test.

For more details, contact Ian.Sim@humber.ca or call 416.675.6622 ext. 4694.

APPLY NOW! MORE opportunities to go above and beyond!

WWW.ONTARIOCOLLEGES.CA communityservices.humber.ca

Company capabilities encompass the full life cycle of our products, from design and manufacture to in-service support, repair & overhaul. Messier-Bugatti-Dowty is a partner to 33 leading commercial, military, business & regional airframers and supports more than 22,000 aircraft making over 35,000 landings every day. The company employs 6,250 staff internationally. Our employees are people like you, qualified and resourceful professionals whose skills form our foundation, take pride in a job well done and look to the future with confidence. You have already shown what can be accomplished with talent, dedication, tenacity and sheer hard work. Now let your career take off with Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

For more information, please visit us at www.safranmbd.com

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Messier-Bugatti-Dowty

THE WORKING WOMAN

30

THE WORKING WOMAN AND HAVING IT ALL JJ DiGERONIMO SHARES HER SECRETS FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN HER BOOK, THE WORKING WOMAN’S GPS | BY MICHELLE HAMPSON

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

THE WORKING WOMAN

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Female students, prepare yourselves for the world of the modern North American woman. Today, don’t forget to walk the dog, read the newspaper, drop the kids off at school, respond to 30 emails, excel at work, do that favour for a friend you promised, squeeze in a workout, pick the kids up from daycare, make dinner, take the youngest to her evening soccer practice, spend a few minutes with the spouse, throw in a load of laundry, pick up the young all-star soccer player, and maybe, just maybe get a lucky break to read the first chapter of that book you’ve been dying to read for weeks. Oh, and don’t forget to breathe—that’s important too.

Look back at that list and see how much the modern North American woman does for herself, not to mention how much is done for others. Let’s not even get started on women in developing countries.

goals you set for yourself. So many people want to distract you and pull you off-track.”

DiGeronimo says that young women who are studying should already be starting with “the end in mind.” This means being conscious of the salary you will receive in your field, and how that money will help you to achieve your goals. “Based on what you want to do in life, do you need to have a career that pays $50,000 a year, [or] $100,000? What degrees align with that? How easy is it to get a job?”

When DiGeronimo was deciding on a degree, she focused on what jobs would be available upon graduation. For her, having a job was the most important goal. After asking different schools which degrees would land her a job, she settled on a computer science degree: communications systems management, from the University of Ohio.

people ask them to do things, whether it’s the church, the community, the school, additional projects at work, additional things around the house. Women have to closely look at what they do, and pick and choose how they spend their time.”

Cutting back on commitments was DiGeronimo’s first step toward finding a work-life balance. She changed to a higher-paying job so she could afford a regular housekeeper and hired a nanny, instead of taking the kids to daycare.

Although this means a little less money overall, DiGeronimo says she’s a lot happier now.

She wrote the book, The Working Woman’s GPS, for her daughter. “I wanted to give her permission to live the life she wants to live, and not fall into society’s expectations of what makes a successful woman. Because women are cast as so many things.”

JJ DiGERONIMO’S BOOK CONTAINS 12 SIMPLE STEPS FROM LIKING WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU’RE CAPABLE OF, TO BEING HAPPY AND CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE (WITHOUT THE IPHONES AND BLACKBERRIES).

Cherish your perfect/imperfect selves

Appreciate life’s teaching moments

Use “No”

Start the day by revving your energy

Mute the negative

Be still, sit quietly, breathe

Become contagious, i.e. smile

Stretch beyond your comfort zone

Be your own date

Focus on the positive

Refuse to judge

Invest in yourself

The fact is women do a lot for other people, and JJ DiGeronimo, author of The Working Woman’s GPS: When the Plan to Have It All Has Led You Astray, knows how much women have to balance these days. Soon after having a daughter of her own, DiGeronimo began looking at what society expects of women and became concerned. “I find that so many [women], young and old, are always overcommitted, feeling really guilty, and often creating lives where they are just exhausted,” she says.

Now she consults a number of Fortune 500 companies about their IT delivery, redefining the way they use IT to go to market. It’s a problem-solving job she finds interesting and, most important, it works for her.

It all comes down to prioritizing what you want in life and finding the time to do what you want to do. It sounds simple enough, yet women often don’t achieve this work-life balance. “I think women need to give themselves permission to say no,” says DiGeronimo. “And they need to spend time investing in themselves, because often times women get depleted.”

“I think society says, ‘Women, you have to get a degree. You have to get married. You have to have kids. You have to live in a house.

You have to drive an Escalade. You have to be skinny.’ And [society] never talks about women’s well-being and how they can be the most impactful.

At first, when DiGeronimo tried being a mother and working, she was still trying to maintain all of her commitments, “But I realized that I was up at midnight, doing things to get them ready, plus things around the house, paying the bills, and getting presentations done.”

“To do that, you really have to start with you: be honest with yourself and what you’re capable of. And then make sure you can work around those things and work toward the

But like most women, there came a time when DiGeronimo found there was too much on her plate with her IT career and responsibilities at home. The addition of a new family member meant DiGeronimo had to re-prioritize.

Faced with this new, chaotic schedule, DiGeronimo started to really assess what she was doing, and realized that to be successful you “have to use the word no.” Often women in the work life get a lot of things done. A lot of

Although it can be hard to accept sometimes, what DiGeronimo is trying to make women aware of is that there is a finite limit on their time. Therefore, they need to spend it wisely.

“Women need to make themselves a priority, first and foremost,” she says. “They need to be true to themselves about what they can do, what they’re good at, and how they think they can really make an impact. And then they need to be very specific with how they spend their time.

“I think [for] a lot of women, [the book] gives them permission to do things that they’ve wanted to do for a long time. It gives them permission to say ‘no’ to things they that they should have said ‘no’ to a long time ago.”

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

LIGHTING CANDLES FORMER OLYMPIC COACH KAARINA DILLABOUGH SPEAKS ON THE VALUE OF MENTOR RELATIONSHIPS | BY: AMIR AHMED

The year was 1984. There was big hair. There was spandex. Aerobics was a thing. And the whole world (minus the USSR) was watching the summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Kaarina Dillabough, wearing a pair of giant headphones, was looking out onto the middle of the Olympic venue gymnasium floor where Lori Fung, the Canadian competitor for rhythmic gymnastics, gripped the end of her six-metre ribbon. She raised it above her head. The ribbon rippled in the air conditioning. Photographers sat cross-legged on the floor behind her, training their cameras.

Dillabough was one of Lori’s coaches. At Seneca College’s High Performance Training Centre in Ontario, she’d coached her for years. Now Dillabough was commentating for the CBC, as another of Lori’s coaches stood nearby. Lori was about to win the gold medal for Canada.

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

LIGHTING CANDLES

33

“I’m very proud,” Dillabough says now. “I’ve got a photo of Lori that says, ‘You are a very big part of the gold medal.’”

Today, Dillabough runs her own business. No longer training elite athletes, she helps people get to where they want to go, as a professional coach and mentor.

From there, things added up: in 1976, Dillabough performed at the Olympic opening ceremonies. She graduated and opened her own gymnastics club. “I had done rhythmic gymnastics since I could walk, because my heritage is from Finland. So you breathe and you do rhythmic gymnastics.” Afterwards, while lob-

MOTIVATION IS AN INSIDE-OUT JOB. OUR JOB AS COACHES IS TO FAN THE FLAMES WITHIN OTHERS TO BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE.” The mentor-mentee (or mentor-protégé, if you want to be fancy) relationship is one of the oldest learning relationships in human history. The word itself is nearly 3,000 years old: the term comes from the name Mentor, an old man who helps Telemachus in Homer’s Odyssey. These relationships are older than dirt and nearly as universal as the relationships we have with our parents and siblings.

Often, mentor figures don’t just help you achieve your goals, but help you go even further.

After all Dillabough, a coach for Olympic goldmedalists, originally thought she’d be a phys-ed teacher. Her own mentor changed that.

“The person that I always indicate was my mentor—and he actually doesn’t even know it—was Jack Donohue,” says Dillabough.

Donohue, the former coach for the Canadian Olympic men’s basketball team, led his teams to high distinction in a country fixated on hockey. What’s more, he focused on more than making successful players. “He saw far more than just the athlete,” Dillabough says.

“He saw them as human beings who would have an impact in the world, far beyond their athletic contributions. He said, ‘You could be a great basketball player for a certain amount of time. You can be a good person for the rest of your life.’”

Watching Donohue coach athletes in sports and life, Dillabough realized she could do the same. “I believed I could make a difference.

Not just on the court or in the athletic arena, but in their lives, based on these values around being holistic human beings. My motto is that I don’t just want you to be a champion on the floor: I want you to be a champion in life; I want you to be a role model; I want you to see the potential you have for affecting other people’s lives by the message you can convey on and off the floor.”

bying for inclusion of rhythmic gymnastics as part of the Olympic Games, and training elite athletes in Seneca’s High Performance Centre (where she trained Lori Fung), everything fell together. She opened her own consultancy and began to mentor business owners and people from all walks of life, not just athletes.

Dillabough says the mentor’s role is to guide people through transitions. “One of the biggest bubbles we operate in is, ‘I don’t know what I don’t know.’ So as people are transitioning into new phases of life, they may be very unclear.”

A mentor can make those uncertain times a little bit more certain, and help someone figure out what they really want, and what they’re really like. “What the mentoring offers them is a mirror to look back at themselves, from a different perspective,” she says.

And while you’re off in dreamland thinking about all your fantastic goals, a mentor can also introduce the hard facts. “They can also be a strong taskmaster and give the person a bit of a reality check,” says Dillabough. Do you want to win a gold medal? It’s a nice idea, but you’d better train so hard you see it in your sleep.

And speaking of training: you can’t go looking for a mentor relationship without being willing to do the actual heavy lifting. Mentors can help you realize the path to your goals, but the decision to get there comes from you.

“Motivation is an inside-out job,” Dillabough says. “Our job as coaches is to fan the flames within others to be the best they can be, reach beyond their grasp. We’re there in very much a mentoring and support capacity.”

Knowing what to expect from a mentor is the first step toward finding one. A mentor can help you realize your abilities, and, if you do some legwork, achieve more than you could have imagined. And hey, if nothing else, they make it a heck of a lot easier to win a gold medal.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

BECAUSE I’M A GIRL

ACCORDING TO PLAN INTERNATIONAL, GIRLS ARE THE ANSWER, AND PASSIONATE YOUNG WOMEN LIKE SABA GHAHARI ARE SHOWING WHY | BY ERIKA JARVIS You don’t need to wait until you’re a qualified professional to lend your voice to a cause: Saba Ghahari, 19, is a second year bio-med student at the University of Western Ontario, who, through Plan International’s Because I am a Girl program, has been speaking at workshops and events throughout Ontario for the last two years.

She has also been on two advocacy-related trips to New York—the first time she attended the Conference for the Commission Status of Women at the UN’s New York headquarters. She was 17 years old.

“All the world’s delegates and ambassadors were there, speaking about women’s issues,” she says. “We got to hold an event on the side. We joined with girls from Australia and the U.S. … did a whole presentation on Because I am a Girl, and we had a crowd. It went really well.”

The [Because I am a] Girl Speakers Bureau gives girls between the ages of 14 and 22 a deeper understanding of global women’s issues, as well as the tools to do something about them. This includes training in skills like public speaking. Now Saba speaks and runs group workshops at high schools, elementary schools, and girls’ and womens’ clubs around the province.

THE BECAUSE I AM A GIRL SPEAKERS’ BUREAU WANTS TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, NOT WHAT OTHERS HAVE TOLD YOU.

Saba began noticing subtle gender discrimination from a young age, but a trip to Iran over a summer really opened her eyes. “Girls couldn’t do the same things guys could do,” she says. “You didn’t have a choice.”

Back at home, she was much more sensitive to the subtle but pervasive gender discrimination in Canada. “I took in my world again and I realized it wasn’t as perfect as I thought it was. I started to notice things here and there. I was always aware of the self-esteem issues girls face—I know a lot of people who have been affected by eating disorders or just have been berating themselves.”

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

Saba came across Because I am a Girl while surfing online and recognized an opportunity to act. “They had just started out their Girl Speakers Bureau ... . There was an application online and my mom helped me fill it out. Since then, I’ve been involved.”

“They have made me a lot more confident with my thoughts and voicing my opinions,” she says. “The [Because I am a] Girl Speakers’ Bureau wants to hear what you have to say, not what others have told you.”

After this exposure to the world of international development, Saba now includes it in her overall career plan.

She wants to become a dentist and work for Dentists Without Borders. We asked her if she had any advice for any other girls considering getting involved with activism or volunteer work.

“There’s lot of room for more activism,” she says. “We need to educate more people on the cause. Girls’ issues are not just for girls: they are everyone’s problem. Everyone can benefit from reaching gender equality in the end.”

KEY FACTS Company homepage: www.abb.ca Workforce percentage that is female: 20% Executive level representation by women: 22% Years in business: 82 Number of employees: close to 5000 in Canada Industry: Power and automation Locations: 50 across Canada

AUDREY DAKIN-CÔTÉ Polytechnique de Montréal Bachelor in Electrical Engineering (Specializing in Power) How did you land your job at ABB?

I completed two summer internships at ABB as part of my program requirements before being offered this position.

What is your current role?

I work as a systems engineer, where I complete grounding and harmonic studies, as well as grounding grid designs.

How is ABB supporting your career development?

As a female engineer, working at ABB I feel empowered. ABB has given me the opportunity to work in different areas and job types nationally and globally.

SPONSORED BY ABB

WHO WE ARE

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB group of companies operates in some 100 countries worldwide and is present in many locations all across Canada. We are the market leader in power transmission and distribution and hold leading market positions in most key product areas.

We are committed to employing talented people and supporting them to achieve their highest possible potential. We offer a range of leadership programs to young graduates, who are keen to learn and advance their careers.

Our programs include various local and regional development opportunities, such as: the ABB mentoring program, ABB Life (a week long intensive training course in all things ABB), and an 18-24 month Global Trainee program that provides young talent an opportunity to work in different countries and to experience diverse work cultures and job assignments. For the past 10 years, ABB has also participated actively in the Institut en génie de l’énergie électrique (IGEE) and offers a number of graduate programs in partnership with utilities and other partners in the industry.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE US Innovation, passion, and diversity are the hallmarks of ABB. Our goal is to create and maintain a flexible environment that naturally attracts and retains the best talent and enables all employees to realize their full potential in the pursuit of organizational objectives. Working at ABB means you get the opportunity to gain global experience at a local level through building networks, and participating in global teams and projects, all while learning more about regional and global businesses. Our people are developing innovative technologies year after year. By working with ABB, you will help shape the world for years to come.

WHAT ABB HAS TO OFFER

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HOW TO APPLY To see how you can join the the ABB family, browse available jobs and apply online at www.abb.com/careers or email us at hr_centre@ca.abb.com.

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NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

Carolyn Lawrence is usually surrounded by the most successful women in Canada. She runs, owns, and operates Women of Influence Inc., a growing media company focused on advancing women in business by providing access to role models, staging myriad events, publishing a magazine (Women of Influence), and offering an environment for women to get a hand up (or give one, once they’re up there).

CAROLYN LAWRENCE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WOMEN OF INFLUENCE, SHARES WHAT TRAITS HELP WOMEN RISE UP THE CORPORATE LADDER | BY: ERIKA JARVIS JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

Lawrence’s career began as a marketing assistant at TD Waterhouse, moving through a couple of different roles, “figuring out what I liked and what I was good at.” But when she began training for triathlons, working

BUILDING UP WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

37

her way up to the elite-level Ironman event, something clicked.

“It opened up everything for me,” she says on a telephone call, squeezed in before another meeting. (Lawrence readily admits that she works a lot, but regarding work-life balance, she says it’s the order of priorities that makes her most happy at the moment.) “I realized how much energy I have for something that I’m passionate about. When you go through something like that, you realize you can do anything you put your mind to—but you do have to be really into it.”

With this newfound respect for her own power, it dawned on Lawrence that she wanted to

WORKFORCE

Canada is home to about 821,000 women entrepreneurs, who contribute $18 billion to it's economy every year.

‘issue’ when it comes to women: let’s just talk about how we’re advancing and how we’re going to do it. I really love that approach.”

She maintains that all of the successful women she meets through her job have this specific trait in common: “When asked what was the number-one key to their success ... [the CEOs polled by Women of Influence] said ‘confidence,’” she says. “They meant it in so many different ways: confidence in how you present yourself ... confidence in your decisions, confidence in how you present at a meeting, confidence in how you raise your hand and call someone out, confidence in your gut and what you’re doing. You really

WOMEN MEN

that’s important”), freeing her up to flex her Ironman-inspired confidence on bigger and bigger challenges. After her triathlon experience, she’s the first person to tell you the value of getting outside of your comfort zone.

“Try. New. Things,” she says, emphatically.

“Try new things, meet new people, and find your passion. Once you’ve found that, it becomes so clear how to get ahead because you’re really driving on all cylinders.”

Lawrence gave a personal example of stepping out of her comfort zone when she took up running. One can also join a Running Room in downtown Toronto, on Bay Street, where there might be “people in the groups

SELF-EMPLOYED

From 1999 to 2009, the amount of women who were self-employed increased by 13%. That trumps men, who grew by 10%.

CANADA’S

50% 50%

run her own business—something she could be as passionate about as she was for the triathlon. “Once I asked myself what it was, the answer was very clear to me,” she says. “[I knew] that I wanted to influence women, to help them reach their career goals.”

Women of Influence is now 18 years old, and has become, Lawrence says, “a place to meet like-minded peers, who are very ambitious, very intelligent, and to talk to people who are going through the same obstacles that they’re going through—it’s not an easy task for women to get to the top.”

The “glass ceiling,” or the metaphorical, invisible barrier preventing women from reaching the highest positions of power, can be an issue for the kind of women Women of Influence attracts. “Most people in major corporations, if they’re women, would say the glass ceiling still exists,” Lawrence says. “There are some new discussions lately, though, that perhaps we need to change our language, and stop calling it a ‘glass ceiling.’ Forget the term

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have to be sure of yourself and communicate that to everyone around you. And that will go so far in achieving what you want.”

After confidence, vital attributes include authenticity and self-awareness. “[Authenticity] really comes through in your delivery, and I think someone who’s not being authentic will have a very tough time being successful,” Lawrence explains. Self awareness is especially important when it comes to interviews: “Women who come in to those interviews understanding the environment they are applying to work in, what this job really requires, and how their skills can add value to their bottom line—that goes so far because there are so few people that do that.”

Today, Lawrence says she spends half her time doing “leadership and human resources” work, and the other half in business development, like bringing in sponsors or building strategic partnerships. She’s extremely grateful for her team, who help with the necessities of life (“Like making sure the lights turn on—

Sources: statcan.gc.ca, higheredstrategy.com, edition.cnn.com, catalyst.org, international.gc.ca

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that [you] want to be meeting.” She says, “It’s very important for you to cultivate a special relationship with people you might be doing business with in the future.”

Lawrence also suggests having a “professional” set of girlfriends, alongside your regular, “social set” of girlfriends. The reasoning is that the first group will have similar career goals and will be able to connect you with the right people.

Lawrence’s belief in networking and women who network has led to a flourishing organization which takes this traditional business trick out of the sometimes “boy’s club” of boardrooms. And every woman helped to success ultimately becomes part of Lawrence’s overall success story—something that Women of Influence is very much about.

Women of Influence hosts regular networking events such as lectures and luncheons across Canada. More information can be found at www.womenofinfluence.ca.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

NOT YOUR AVERAGE

HACK JOB YOUR LIFE ONLINE IS A GROWING PART OF YOUR REAL LIFE AND CYBER LIABILITY INSURANCE IS THE EMERGING FIELD MEANT TO PROTECT IT | BY AMIR AHMED

We’re going to make a crazy guess and assume you’ve heard of this new thing called “the internet.” We’re also going to guess that you have some kind of personal information on a website. That information is kind of valuable (and not just to creepers on Facebook), and when you’re part of a business that does anything online, you’re at risk.

Cyber liability is an evolving branch of the insurance industry that counters anything from a lost laptop, to hackings, to reputational risks online. The brokers, underwriters, and other insurance folks who work in this field are having an interesting time in a new field with a huge market potential in the future.

Gen Y’s are poised to significantly influence the supply and demand of cyber liability in the years to come. “I think that considering Generation Y has grown up in a social/digital/cyber world, they are likely to have a higher interest in one or more of the various aspects of cyber liability than previous generations,” says Trevor Buttrum, the Career Corrections program manager at the Insurance Institute of Canada, in an e-mail interview. As Gen Y’s move into the workforce, the supply as well as the demand for their skills are expected to increase.

“It’s going to become tomorrow’s auto insurance,” says Dina Godhino, account executive at Jones DesLauriers Insurance Management Inc. “So if anyone’s looking to get into it, now’s the perfect time.”

“When I’m doing a presentation, the last page says: who needs this?” says Michael Boire, vice president at HUB international and a specialist in cyber liability. And the answer? “Almost anyone, anyone who has any personal or confidential information.” Boire adds, “Clinics. Hospitals. Universities. Even adult sports—hockey teams or baseball leagues where they might have 15-20,000 participants with a lot of private information, it branches out beyond technology companies. It’s everywhere.”

So to tap into this field, do you need to be a tech-head? Yes and no.

While it won’t hurt to stay up-to-date with technological trends, what’s even more important is the ability to show a client how they are at risk, and how an insurance policy can protect them. It’s the fundamental skills that you’ll be using in insurance that are the most valuable, although Godhino says you can always increase your academic knowledge through courses, seminars, and training conducted by brokerages.

Cyber liability is also a great place for women, specifically. Dina Godhino notes that, while there used to be a “boy’s club” mentality in the insurance field—especially the traditionally male-dominated sector like technology—that’s quickly changing.

“It’s a great time to do it,” says Godhino. “More and more brokerages are looking for women to represent the brokerage. And it’s a great field: I encourage any woman who’s thinking about leaping into the insurance world—especially the cyber liability section of it, to jump in. It’s fantastic.”

So how do you get in on the ground floor of this rapidly ascending field?

According to Godhino, the courses at various colleges or insurance institutes are a good place to start. “There are a lot of insurers that run seminars, will send you information, and lead you to various talks as well.

If you’re currently studying, she says that it pays to speak to profs or career counsellors that know of job openings, while tweaking your résumé towards the field will help, as well as checking out sites like insuranceworks.ca. Finally, never underestimate the power of a well-made cold call to a brokerage or insurance company. “A lot of the time they even have openings for internships which is a great and fantastic place to start, because it’s a wealth of knowledge.”

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

IMAGES: © ISTOCK.COM

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THE HYBRID EDGE

BECOMING AN AUTO MECHANIC, WITH EXPERIENCE WORKING ON HYBRIDS, CAN GIVE YOU AN EDGE IN A GROWING AUTOMOTIVE NICHE | BY MICHELLE HAMPSON Cars have changed significantly since their invention over a century ago. To think how far we’ve come from those old buggies to cars with computers, electrical locking systems, built-in GPS, and now hybrid vehicles. For the modern auto mechanic, it’s not just about the standard engine anymore.

Mario Ng, who’s been an auto mechanic for 26 years, said, “You have to keep yourself updated. Technology is changing so fast.”

With more than 20 million road motor vehicles registered in Canada, you can bet there’s a steady need for mechanics to fix them, and particularly young ones that can keep up with the technology. That includes hybrid vehicles (and, in some cases, electric vehicles).

Ng knows his stuff. When hybrids came out about 15 years ago, this manager of a Toronto-based Toyota dealership took the initiative to familiarize himself with the new vehicles. There are some online pre-requisite courses you can take through the dealership, and then full courses at the dealership headquarters.

“I’ve been trained since the first hybrids came out,” said Ng. “And since then, they’ve added more courses too, as the technology advances. It’s online, so a lot of it is at your own pace. For me, it probably took over a period of six months to a year. But if somebody has more time at home and they want to do it faster, they can.”

the advantage of further hybrid understanding is that you are no longer intimidated by it.

He explained, “Because it’s different, because it’s a different propulsion source, because it’s quite dangerous, a lot of people go: ‘no, we don’t work on hybrids. We don’t touch them.’ So it creates a niche market for the people who do want to work on them, and can do so safely.”

Playter points out that this is a great way to initially attract customers, and maybe they’ll remember you the next time they need a mechanic.

Working on hybrids is something students will have to consider a little further down the road though. Some experience is necessary first. While mechanics can work on cars without a license, Ng says if two people are applying to work at a dealership and one is licensed while the other is not, the employer will probably go with the licensed mechanic. You can take courses through a school’s auto mechanic program, and then do your placement, which includes some of the requisite hours needed to become a licensed mechanic.

Ng said, “I always tell the kids I interview, ‘don’t do this because you think mechanics make good money. Do it because you love it ... .’ For me, it was always a passion. I always liked working with my hands and working with automotives.”

Because you’re dealing with high voltage, a lot of the course work involves safety training. Ng said, “If you want to fix something, you have to understand how it works. So a lot of it was education too. What is a hybrid system?

What happens when you put your foot on the gas when the engine is off ?”

Although Tim Domachowski already has about three years of experience working in an auto shop uncertified, he’s now taking in courses at the British Columbia Institute for Technology’s School of Transportation. He says it’s teaching him things he didn’t learn out in the field.

For the most part, working on hybrids is the same as working on regular cars, with the exception of the electrical component. All automotive training programs in Canada now cover basic hybrid safety material, so that mechanics at least know how to turn on the electrical component properly.

He chose this career path, “solely based on passion.” Domachowski said, “Being a mechanic, it’s something you should do if you want to be driven, if you want to be satisfied with your day.” For him, seeing the results is satisfying.

Al Playter, a professor at the School of Transportation at Centennial College, used to teach the evening course on hybrids at the college. He says

IMAGES: © ISTOCK.COM

And while he acknowledges that auto mechanics will need to know more about hybrids in the near future, who knows what the next generation of cars will involve down the road.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

GET WITH THE PROGRAMMING

42

GET WITH THE PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE ENGINEERING IS THE HOT NEW CAREER PATH THAT USES BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BRAIN | BY ERIKA JARVIS

With unemployment higher than the cast of Reincarnated—last July’s Snoop Lion documentary—creative types in Canada might be reconsidering that medieval poetry degree right about now. But what if you knew there was a highly creative career path out there, one that’s in huge demand, with a boulder-solid paycheque to boot?

Software engineering is a rapidly growing field in which creative limits are considered a mere challenge and demand is sky-high. This means you’re less likely to die of ramen-induced scurvy. Appealing, we know.

If you love to learn, are friends with math, don’t pass up difficult opportunities, and are constantly wondering “what if ?” then you just keep right on reading.

Dr. Liam Peyton is an associate professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa, the first Canadian university to offer a software engineering degree.

Peyton has 10 years of consulting experience with his own company, MirrorWorks, and says right now, everybody needs software engineers.

“They’re hiring computer scientists and computer engineers, or electrical engineers,” he says, “anyone with any experience at all with software, because we don’t have enough people.”

Digital is “eating the world,” you see. Think of that device in your pocket that calls itself a phone, but has replaced your diary, mp3 player, USB, rolodex, alarm clock, book shelf, post office, microphone, GPS, pocket phrase book, and anything else you can think of. Today, anything that can be replaced digitally—from health care records, to classroom lesson plans—will be. “It’s really changing our whole society, the whole world,” says Peyton. “And if you have a degree or career in software engineering, you’re in the middle of all that.”

Mentally, you’re picturing guys with pizza-stained shirts, coding by the glow of their computer screens in their mothers’ basements. Yeah, the computer sciences do labour under some pretty unflattering stereotypes. But one thing you don’t know about software engineering is the need for people who use both sides of the brain. That is, those who speak computer and “people-ese.” “There’s a huge, huge demand for people who can bridge the gap between that expertise [pure codewriting] and the demands of the marketplace,” professor Peyton says. “[To] be able to communicate what’s possible, what’s not possible, and be able to manage teams of 10, 20, 30 developers building a really significant software system ... . You can be nerdy, but if you have a balanced set of skills, that’s really good.”

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

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UElaWkEgT04gVVM= Emilie Lavigne is 29 and has a degree in history, but wasn’t really feeling the career path it was leading down. Today, as a fourth-year software engineering student at the University of Ottawa, she already has her dream job lined up, just in time for graduation. But she warns that to reach this kind of success, you need to be a real self-starter. “What is taught in class is mostly theoretical, and a lot of things that need to be applied, you need to learn on your own,” she says. “You need to be interested enough to go research it, to go try it out.”

Female software engineers like Lavigne are a rarity. For example, when she starts her new job next year, she’ll be the only woman on her team.

But it doesn’t faze her, nor does it bother her classmate, Sophie Jeaurond, 22, also in her fourth year of software engineering at the University of Ottawa. She agrees that women software engineers are a minority. But it all depends on your attitude: “I think it’s only a boy’s club if you make it a boy’s club,” says Jeaurond. “If you go in there and you bring fresh ideas and your personal touch, if you have the talent, they don’t have any choice but to accept it.”

For those who accept the challenge, according to Peyton, the rewards are huge. “If you have the interest and the aptitude, I cannot tell you how exciting and meaningful your career will be if you’re in software engineering.”

Where do you want your education to take you?

Sara Runnalls Broker

Here’s a career path with unlimited potential.

What are you looking for in a career? Earning potential? Security?

Having the chance to face a new and different challenge every day?

Whatever you've learned in school and in life, you’ll have the chance to use it in the insurance industry.

It’s hard to imagine a career choice where you’ll have the opportunity to use more of your skills than insurance. Why? Because insurance is already a part of everything you do. It protects homes, jobs, cars, property and the continuity of lives. And because insurance is all around us, the industry has a wide variety of careers to match your education and amazing flexibility to change directions along the way.

Broker / Agent

You’re a people person and a great communicator Insurance brokers and agents help consumers find the right coverage to protect their cars, homes, businesses, boats and belongings against loss through accident, fire or theft.

While brokers usually represent several insurance companies, agents are more likely to sell policies for just one. These are the entrepreneurs of the insurance industry with many of them working for themselves or for small independent firms.

Gavin Mascarenhas Loss Adjuster

There are more than 110,000 Canadians working in the property & casualty insurance sector. It’s an industry that reflects the face and the values of Canadian society and has a constant need for talented, creative, motivated people.

“The best advice is to specialize in law or business-related courses.”

Are you a people person? Brokers work with clients to create a strategy to protect their assets.

Gifted at math? You could thrive as an actuary.

Good at listening? As a claims professional, you’ll help people who are coping with an accident, fire or theft.

Strategic thinker? You could work as an underwriter and develop the products that keep people protected from unforeseen loss.

As your career in insurance progresses, every day can present interesting new opportunities, new challenges, and the flexibility to pursue new goals.

Loss Adjuster You’re part private investigator and part therapist The loss adjuster is responsible for ensuring that those who have suffered a loss receive the compensation and assistance they are eligible to receive. Whether employed by the insurance company or working as an independent contractor, the loss adjuster investigates the accident, arranges medical treatment if necessary and negotiates the final settlement to restore policy holders to where they were, as closely as possible, before their loss.

To find out more about where you might fit in with your post-secondary education, please visit our Web site at www.career-connections.info. You may be surprised to find that insurance isn’t what you think. It’s a whole lot more.

Your interests and your experience may add up to a great career in insurance.

“A college diploma or university degree in any subject is helpful for entry into the profession, although those who have studied finance, management, mathematics or business would have an advantage.”

Michelle Snowdon Underwriter

“For a greater advantage, and the highest placement value, I would recommend courses in law as well as successful completion of a business or insurance program.”

Underwriter You’re a relationship developer and decision-maker Underwriters accept or reject risk on behalf of insurance companies. They assess the kind of insurance required by organizations as diverse as a shopping mall, a professional sports team, a manufacturer, a city government or a construction company. Underwriters examine every facet of the organization’s operation and its request for insurance, then decide what the insurance company should cover and how much it should charge.

Successful projects start with

serious know-how.

And a warm smile.

Because working here is about more than helping customers choose the

right product. It’s about making a difference in our customers’ lives and their homes.

We call it “unleashing your inner orange” and it’s my ability to tap into my inner potential to

help them create a space worth calling home.

The first thing I do when I greet a customer

is smile. It lets them know I’m there to help, and that I’m confident in my ability to make

a difference in their projects—no matter how large or small, I know that my customers

value my product knowledge and that drives me to go above and beyond to help them

complete their projects. Through extensive training, tuition reimbursement and more, The Home Depot gives me the support I need to build a promising future.

– Ashley, Home Depot Associate

A variety of part-time and seasonal opportunities are available for college and university students.

We are committed to diversity as an equal opportunity employer.

Apply online at homedepotjobs.ca/6469.

THE ME BRAND

45

TOOTING YOUR HORN! ON THE LADDER TO SUCCESS

OWNING YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A WOMAN | BY MARY M. WEBER On the ladder to success, women seem to miss the mark on one particular hot button: making their accomplishments known to further their career development. Put simply, women don’t toot their own horns!

I had a VP in front of me not too long ago—strong, powerful, and fiercely talented. Though initially, when it came to acknowledging her accomplishments, she felt awkward doing so. Why is that?

Well, some of it comes from a learned culture. If you grow up in a Chinese family, for example, it’s likely you won’t suddenly break out into a dialect common to the Champagne region of France. We learn our speech patterns—and how to relate to the world as a woman or a man—from our parents. Some of your family’s habits may date back multiple generations, with an embedded sense of cultural order that dictates how things should be. Instinct also appears to play a role.

Physically, a man postures when he walks into a room with other men.

He is acknowledged as powerful if he challenges his opponent, rises to the occasion, and in essence, shows his dominance in the dog park. He expects to challenge and to be challenged. It’s a part of the language, the establishment, and the challenging of hierarchy.

Women approach things from a different angle. Not long ago, women were encouraged to be ‘demure’ and to avoid putting the spotlight on their abilities—to be humble. A few generations ago, women were valued for “supporting their man” and maintaining a “quiet presence” in the home. One of the most hilarious (to a modern woman) pieces from Good Housekeeping in 1955 talks about women “not making their opinions known, and that “his views were always more important.”

Accompanying this role was the expectation that rewards would arrive at Christmas, or holidays, or birthdays.

Well, it’s not 1955 anymore. So how can a woman learn to model new behaviours, and ‘toot her horn’ as some would say? There are three aspects to displaying your skills:

IMAGES: © ISTOCK.COM

FIRST – CULTIVATE A STRONG PHYSICAL PRESENCE Your confidence exists on a very physical level. The area below the collarbone, in the first few inches of the upper chest, is the area from which we express confidence. At home, practice speaking out to the sides of the room, standing with a relaxed, open upper chest. This may take time, but practice in front of a mirror may help. Ground your feet, push them into the floor, support your abdomen, and open your chest.

SECOND – IDENTIFY YOUR SKILLS A woman has to learn to acknowledge her own abilities and talents, and value them. We are often taught to be too humble, rather than to celebrate our strengths with effortless joy and renewed strength. Remind yourself of your strengths before you enter a meeting.

THIRD – FACE CHALLENGES Men communicate and reinforce value differently than women. It’s all about the posturing game. The best way to meet the male bravado is through centered strength and physical grounding. Engage your glutes and pelvic floor in a lift, with a sense of grounding. When you project your voice, lift your arches, and your pelvic floor. Your voice will have more conviction and strength.

I think Arianna Huffington is an excellent example of someone who owns their power on stage and off. She embraces her capability with assertive strength and confidence. She is the silverback, owning her domain and asserting her authority as a woman, confident in her knowledge and ability. Find your own capability and let it roar. Either in a quiet calm, or with a vivacious ferocity, or some delightful blend in between.

Mary Michaela Weber, founder of Voice Empowerment Inc., is one of Canada’s top communications consultants.

NOVEMBER 2012 | JOBPOSTINGS.CA

HAVE A TOURISM DEGREE? YOU WILL TRAVEL TOURISM PROFESSIONALS ARE NEEDED. CHOOSE ONE OF THE MANY DEGREES RELATED TO TOURISM AND CONSIDER IT YOUR TICKET TO A CAREER | BY SAMUEL DUNSIGER Tourism professionals are in high demand, according to a March 2012 report from the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC).

“Tourism activities make a significant contribution to Canada’s economy,” says Jennifer Hendry, director of research with the CTHRC. “Demand for tourism goods and services is expected to grow at an average annual compound rate of 2.2 percent, climbing to over $293 billion by 2030. This robust growth in spending will fuel strong demand for labour.”

This is good news for tourism grads, who will have a range of employment options, including “touring corporations, travel agents, [and] transportation, including airlines and bussing,” according to Frank Creasey, CEO of Fort McMurray Tourism Ltd. He also lists opportunities for local employment, such as hotels, recreational facilities, and “destination management.”

ally want to spread your wings. “As you move up, there’s an increase in expectations when you’ve got a master’s. It’s about maintaining a competitive advantage for an organization. That’s one of the critical issues in making a destination successful.”

That’s why RRU offers a master of arts program in tourism management, and uses a blended learning model which allows those working full-time to augment their education. Due to increasing demand, the school is adding a full-time component to the program in May 2013, for those coming directly out of a bachelor program.

While the industry is growing, Arlene Keis, CEO of go2, a tourism human resources association in Vancouver, says there are challenges. “It’s competitive out there for global tourism. The economy can also be a factor. Due to oil and gas prices, people aren’t travelling as much.”

Post-secondary education in tourism can come in various forms, including bachelor’s, diplomas, and master’s programs, covering topics like tourism management, hotel management, or sustainable tourism.

“Most diploma and degree programs in Canada focus on supervisory and management-level education and training,” says Dr. Brian White, director of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Royal Roads University (RRU) in Victoria, B.C.

There’s also a high turnover rate, says Dr. White.

“There are a lot of younger workers joining the field and then leaving it. Jobs are underpaid. There are long hours. There’s a labour shortage.” As Hendry says, “Like many industries, entry-level positions in tourism may pay a minimum wage. However, there are opportunities to supplement one’s income with commissions, gratuities, or other benefits, such as free or discounted accommodations.”

When hiring, Creasy looks for a range of skills in addition to a degree or diploma at the higher levels. “We’re in the people business. You have to be a people person and be sociable. You also need to have marketing skills, economic development skills, research skills, and office and budgeting skills.”

For some folks in tourism, the work is also seasonal.

“It can be hard if you work at a winter or summer resort,” Keis says. “They are not operating all year round.”

David Humphrey, who earned a bachelor of commerce in hotel and food administration from the University of Guelph’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, said it gave him “the technical skills to advance in the industry, including skills in sales, marketing, finance, and hotel real estate.”

And although a bachelor’s is great, Dr. White recommends getting a master’s degree if you re-

But this can also be one of the perks of the job.

“Flexible schedules [are] beneficial for people who attend school, are living with disabilities, or are family caregivers,” Hendry says.

There’s also the obvious bonus: travel. Humphrey, who now works as an analyst of operations and asset management at Westmont Hospitality Group, which oversees 14 hotels across Canada, says, “Every month, I see the different hotels. I get the opportunity to travel all over Canada.”

Bringing learning to life.

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JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

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JOB HUNTING ISN’T JUST A PASTIME.

IT’S AN OBSESSION. WE’RE HERE TO HELP. EVEN BEYOND OFFICE HOURS.

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SCULPTING TOMORROW'S LEADERS We'll be honest: most summer jobs suck. Whether you're bussing tables at a restaurant or folding clothes at the mall, you're in it for one reason— getting that cold, hard cash. I mean, when you're mopping floors at 1 a.m. at your local fast-food chain, waiting to punch out, are you ever thinking, "What kind of skills am I learning here?" Heck no.

But summer jobs don't need to suck. Getting involved with College Pro, for example, will get you the money you need—to pay off bills, school, or just have fun—while developing skills that'll last a lifetime. Like what, you ask? Leadership skills.

Communications skills. And the tools you'll need to run your own business.

To add, it's been around since the Bee Gees were the biggest band in the world—in other words, since 1971. They paint over 25,000 houses yearly, and have franchises all across North America. But painting isn't the point: They develop leaders and entrepreneurs, who apply the lessons learned with College Pro to all aspects of their careers. It isn't only about getting your hands dirty, either—it teaches real-world skills that its former franchisees and painters carry for a lifetime. It's the skills they don't teach in school.

If it sounds rad, it's because it is. Don't believe us, though. We asked Lesley-Anne Strachan, a College Pro franchise manager based in Aurora, Ont., to give us the dirt on spending your summer with College Pro. Read on.

JOBPOSTINGS.CA | NOVEMBER 2012

You started out as a painter. Can you tell us more about the role?

Lesley-Anne Strachan: For sure. I started working as a painter four years ago, and I enjoyed the experience so much, I decided to come back and work as a franchise manager. As a painter, you're doing residential work—you're painting houses and you're responsible for your job site. You ensure that things run smoothly and on time.

So, what's it actually like being a painter for the summer?

Well, we usually start work at 8:30 a.m. We get to a job site, determine what needs to be done, assemble supplies, and get to work. The starting pay for painters is minimum wage—$10.50 an hour, for us—but the best part about working here is the piecework pay system. We charge our customers per project, so if you're really good, you can get a 30-hour job done in 25 hours and get paid the same amount. I like to work hard, and it rewards you if you're highly motivated and have a great work ethic.

So, hard workers are who we look for. Doing exterior work can also be a laborious job—you're working outdoors, and in the heat—so people who are athletic usually do well. Some personalities don't fit in as well—like, you can't be lazy. [Laughs.]

The best part about being a painter is in the [workplace] attitude. Most of the time, you’re

COLLEGE PRO TEACHES SKILLS THAT LAST A LIFETIME

working with students and for students. Everyone wants to work hard, and everyone does, but it's a really fun environment.

You mentioned that College Pro teaches realworld skills. Can you explain those to us?

I definitely learned punctuality, and I hardened my work ethic. And as the summer goes on, you get more leadership experience—as you get more responsibility, you become in charge of whole job sites. Eventually, you're doing managerial work, where you become in charge of other painters, the quality of the work being done, and you're talking directly to the customer about their needs.

Where can you go with your College Pro experience—beyond being a painter or a franchise manager?

The skills you learn apply to so many different areas—working hard and becoming a leader is good for whichever job you choose. As a franchise manager, you gain knowledge of running your own business, and College Pro is a real business. All the money you earn runs through your bank account, but you pay expenses, buy supplies, and deal with payroll. What's left over is profit.

As a painter, you also learn sales and marketing skills, too. You cold-call when you're looking for work, so you learn strategies to make yourself more effective, you target certain areas, certain clientele, and actively learn about the market. Those skills go far.

SPONSORED BY COLLEGE PRO

Find your place CN Diversity Scholarships We know that as a woman and a professional, sometimes finding the “right” fit can be a challenge. CN can help you get on the right track with both your education and career.

About the program:

How can I apply?

CN is proud to recognize and encourage educational excellence.

Through its Diversity Scholarships, CN will offer grants to support the post-secondary education of women, military veterans and people of Aboriginal heritage in Canada.

Submit your application at jobs.cn.ca/canadianscholarships no later than November 30, 2012.

As part of this program, and to support its hiring needs, CN will sponsor these deserving, best-in-class students enrolled in programs relevant to CN’s core business. Selected students will be awarded a $3,000 scholarship, tenable for one academic year.

• Your resume • A reference letter endorsed by a community or academic leader • A copy of your most recent Academic Transcript • Your Plan of Study (details online) • Applicable proof of eligibility (details online)

Am I eligible?

The following FOUR criteria must ALL be met to be an eligible CN Diversity Scholarship applicant: • Women or Aboriginals or veterans • Who are enrolled in a technical, undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the following fields of study: - Engineering - Transportation - Sales & Marketing - Human Resources, Aboriginal Studies & Law - Accounting and Finance • Who are best-in-class (average of 80% or above over the last three semesters of studies) • Who are interested in and available for a summer internship at CN in 2013

Make sure you also include the following documents in your application:

Apply by November 30, 2012, at jobs.cn.ca/canadianscholarships.

Visit jobs.cn.ca for all career opportunities

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1O WAYS TO LAUNCH YOUR CAREER FIND YOUR NICHE WITH A POSTGRAD IN BUSINESS. business.humber.ca/postgrad