The current job scarcity has created a need for new and innovative ways for people to make money. New social and business networking sites offer job seekers the opportunity to look beyond the walls of the traditional job search and the traditional "job." This can be a big leap for some people, especially those over 40. I still remember going to the local "Unemployment Office" to read the "job postings" that were hand printed on 3X5 recipe cards. I only needed one resume, not several, each "tailored to fit a specific job. I thought of myself as an "employee" in... Continue reading

The Canada Employment Weekly (CEW) newsletter has been around for a long time in print. But now you can access the weekly editions online at http://www.mediacorp.ca/online.html. Just come to either the Toronto Reference or North York Central Library branches to access this newsletter on our public computers. Sorry, CEW is only available inside these two branches. Canada Employment Weekly online provides access to thousands of job postings across Canada for over 80 occupations. The listings are updated every Monday at 4:30 p.m. 100% of the jobs are new each week! We'd love to hear your comments on this new online... Continue reading

York's new bridging program for Internationally Educated Professionals (IEP's) will begin on January 20, 2010. The program is intended to help IEP's get the Canadian work experience they need in order to qualify to work in their profession. York's bridging program will offer individualized assessment and action plans for each participant. Major employers such as IBM, Research in Motion, KPMG and Ernst & Young have already agreed to advise and participate in the program. For more information go to http://www.yorku.ca/makemore/ Continue reading

I came across these titles on our new book shelf this week and just had to talk about them. How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other Social Networks by Brad and Debra Schepp. - A great step-by-step introduction to social networking that covers the basics in a clear, lively style. Even the technical bits make sense thanks to the author's use of examples and personal experience stories. Career Focus Canada: A Personal Job Search Guide, 4th ed. by Helne Martucci Lamarre and Karen McClughan. - Finding good Canadian job search books is sometimes a challenge.... Continue reading

"Under the new Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, the Canadian federal, provincial and territorial governments will work together to speed up foreign credential recognition for newcomers to Canada. Foreign trained workers (FTWs), who submit applications to be licensed to work in certain fields, will now be notified within one year whether their qualifications will be recognized. And there's more... In brief, the changes to the assessment and recognition process under the new framework will: Enhance pre-arrival support by providing FTWs with information about the Canadian labour market for their profession before they arrive in Canada.... Continue reading

Research the job market to ensure that your job search is targeted on the best prospects. That's what the experts tell us. And it is good advice. But how? Most of us are not market researchers by training. Yet understanding where the jobs are has never been more important: Some industries and companies are better prospects than others. How do you find out what industries and companies are growing and, therefore, most likely to be hiring? Here are a couple of great websites to get you started: What is Labour Market Information: Do I Need It? Labour Market Information -... Continue reading

In my last post, Internationally Educated Engineers: Get Canadian Work Experience, I listed bridging programs that help internationally trained engineers (ITEs) get the Canadian work experience they need. But I kept thinking, maybe it's time to leave the virtual world for a while? So I went to a real-life expert for some down-to-earth advice on how to get Canadian job experience. Habib Ullah is the Project Co-ordinator for the ACCES Employment Engineering Connections Program. Mr. Ullah works every day to help internationally trained Engineers find meaningful work. He has very kindly agreed to share some of his considerable experience with... Continue reading

How do you get Canadian experience when you have no Canadian experience? That's the question we hear time and again, from the internationally educated Engineers who visit the Library. Things aren't perfect yet. But there is good news in the form of bridging programs that are offered by non-profit and educational institutions. These programs help internationally educated Engineers get the Canadian work experience they need. First - Some background information The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Access to the Engineering Profession in Ontario website states : Under Ontario law, you must complete four years of verifiable, acceptable engineering work experience,... Continue reading

Are you working towards becoming certified as an Engineer in Ontario? Here are some books to help you pass the Engineering exam, learn about Canadian engineering standards and codes, and discover the best job search strategies for Engineers in Canada. Here's a good title to start with: Then try any of these titles that apply to your engineering area. (Many of these books are for use in the Library only at the Toronto Reference or North York Libraries. But some are available for borrowing). Study Guides for Passing Engineering Certification Exams Civil Engineering License Review. Newnan, Donald G., c2004. Codes... Continue reading