January 2005

The Community Employment Resource Centre

Your Job Search Connection

January 2005

What’s inside CERC?

• Port Hope CERC is MOVING

• Some Thoughts for Job Seekers

• How Do You Apply For Jobs?

• The Insider’s Edge

· And the Winners Are …

· Quote of the Month

· Website of the Month

· About CERC: Your Job Search Connection

Port Hope CERC is MOVING

The Port Hope

CERC office will be

MOVING. Please come and see us as we settle

into a new “home” in

April 2005. More details to come.

Some Thoughts for Job Seekers

Top 10 Traits of a Successful Interview

1. Candidate reviewed the job description/requirments and made a list (and memorized) all the reasons (with examples) that they would succeed in the job.

2. Candidate projects a positive “can do/will do” attitude.

3. Candidate could answer clearly where they wanted to be in 3-5 years and how the job helps them get there.

4. Candidate understood how the company makes money and how the job relates to how the company makes money.

5. Candidate can clearly and confidently explain their strengths and weaknesses.

6. Candidate stays focused and answers the questions that are asked.

7. Candidate sends a thank you note after the interview.

8. Candidate has prepared questions to ask related to the role and the future of the company.

9. Candidate shows up on time (or calls if running late).

10. Candidate expressed interest in the job at the end of the interview (if applicable).

From: www.hcareers.ca

How Do You Apply For Jobs?

From Michelle Quilici – Hcareers Reporter

www.hcareers.ca

What method do you generally use to search and apply for jobs? The particular method you use may be indicative of a certain skill or quality you may have as a job seeker.

The Question: “Compare the quality of candidates coming through conventional versus unconventional hiring methods.”

Ask the experts …

“Based on our experience of utilizing both traditional and non-traditional forms of advertising to recruit candidates for Staples Business Depot, we have several observations when it comes to comparing the quality of candidates that come via conventional versus unconventional means.

Typically candidates that apply to our online job postings tend to be more technically inclined and computer savvy, which is important because of the reliance on computers in our daily lives. Online job hunting is a fairly new concept, gaining widespread popularity only within the last five to ten years. Generation X and the Millenium Generation are more apt to use the online or email application process versus Baby Boomers that may use the more traditional methods of fax, mail, or dropping off a resume in person.

Job seekers using the Internet to hunt for jobs have access to more information about the potential employer, which allows them to be better prepared for the interview. They can educate themselves about the job market, a company’s history, vision, & corporate culture to determine if they would fit in with that company.

One final observation is that in some cases, job seekers who post their resume on the Internet may not necessarily be looking for any particular job with any particular employer. The employer may have to work harder to convince the candidate why they should work for them. Whereas, when job seekers personally drop off or mail their resume, the employer knows that the job seeker is interested in working for their company in a particular capacity.”

Wally Beaupre

Senior Recruiter – Western Canada

Staples Business Depot

www.staples.retailjobs.hcareers.ca

The Insider’s Edge

Recently, a panel of Northumberland employers form various sectors of the workforce (Food Service, Retail, Manufacturing, Technology and Health Care) gathered together to share valuable information for job seekers. Here is what local employers told us when asked the following question.

Q: What gets a resume tossed in the trash bin?

A: Coffee stains, pen scratches (i.e., crossing out old information and writing in new information), lack of contact information such as a phone number, lack of specific job qualifications required to do the job, the number of jobs held in the last few years (may indicate unstable employment pattern).

See next month’s newsletter for more answers to your job search questions.

And the Winners are…

The winners of our wellness packages are:

Carolyn Cook and Blake Newell

of Cobourg and Jamie Lee-Ann Hall of Port Hope

Congratulations to our winners!

Next Wellness draws: January 7^th and 21^st

Quote of the Month

“Surviving means being born

over and over.”

~ Erica Jong

Website of the Month

www.hcareers.ca

What is Hcareers.com? “Think of us as the world's largest online hospitality careers newspaper. We do not "look for" jobs for job seekers. Hcareers is an employment tool for job seekers and employers to get in touch directly.

Since 1998, Hcareers has been the world’s #1 Job Board for the restaurant & hospitality industry as measured by site traffic and the number of jobs and resumes online. At any one time, Hcareers has over 62,412 jobs posted in the last 45 days and over 44,228 resumes posted in the last 90 days. Monthly site traffic is over 749,758 unique visitors (source: Netracker‘), which is five times more than any other Job Board for restaurant & hospitality traffic. It is due to having 5 times more restaurant & hospitality traffic than any other Job Board, that Hcareers claims the position of dominance in the world-wide restaurant & hospitality industry.”

About CERC: Your Job Search Connection

Hours

Monday: 9am – 6pm (every third Monday of the month the Port Hope office will close at 4:00pm due to staff development, but the Cobourg office will be open until 6:00pm)

Tuesday - Thursday: 9am –5pm

Friday: 9am – 4pm

Email

cerc@cercnorthumberland.com

Web Site

www.cercnorthumberland.com

Locations

Port Hope: 33 Walton Street (Walton and Queen) Telephone: 905-885-2372 Fax: 905-885-5706

Cobourg: 1005 Elgin Street (Fleming Building)

Telephone: 905-372-9372 Fax: 905-372-5247

Bewdley: Optimist Centre (Tuesdays 9-12noon)

Colborne: Public Library (Thursdays 2-5pm)