The writer firmly believes and is a huge advocate for the following statement: The sole purpose of work is to finance your life! This concept is of vital importance, but one that is all to foreign to most people. So what does it mean exactly to have a “healthy work life balance?” Look at your life in terms of a wheel and the balance of that wheel is purely based on the proportion of time that you spend at work or at home, would your wheel roll straight or would it curve to the right or left, or is it just plain flat? I have never met anyone that reads this blog in person, but I can almost tell you for sure that the majority of you do not have a healthy work-life balance and the reason for that is…….taking your work home between the ears is unhealthy, in fact the physical work that you take home (marking tests, grading papers etc) absolutely pails in comparison. The majority of the people that I have met in my tenure as an Employment Counsellor (myself included) have at one point in time taken their work home mentally. That is why I have to constantly remind myself and my client’s of the simple concept that the sole purpose of work is to finance my life. Work is simply their so that you can live, so that you can provide shelter, clothing, food and entertainment. Now let’s be honest, money makes the world go around, but why do some of the happiest people in the world come home smelling to high heaven? It is because they have an acute awareness of what really matters to them. So I will ask you this: what really matters to you?

Humans learn through experience and more often than not it are those experiences that help you understand what really matters. Having been homeless, desperate, lonely and bewildered will help you understand quite quickly what is really important. Does it really matter that a customer yelled at you? Does it really matter that you don’t like your boss? Does it really matter that you don’t get along with a fellow employee? In the grand scheme of life it is inconsequential, because it is what really matters that we take for granted. Finding a way to conduct self care outside of work will help you in the long run. Exercise, join a club, play sports, read, the point is to do something to help yourself decompress after work because when you walk in the door after work it is family time.

If you are to take one thing from this message it is this: your life will not be measured by what you achieve, but what you overcome and having faced adversity in any way shape or form, will help you understand what really matters in life because who you are is not what you do. Rememebr that when you decide what career path that you choose to endeavor and make sure that you take into account the amount of time that you will have to spend with your family and if it is disproportionate then you may want to reconsider because money clearly isn’t everything.

Are you one of those individuals that can easily “obtain” employment, but have a hard time “maintaining” the employment?  If that category encapsulates you, don’t worry, you are not alone. In working with youth, accountability seems to be a major problem in their lives, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Accountability much like everything that humans do is a learned behavior and once a learned behavior becomes entrenched into your life, it is habitual. The older that you get, the harder it is to actually change a habit because it causes you to first, unlearn the negative behavior and re-learn a new one: and yes, in the writer’s humble opinion, lack of accountability is a negative behavior.

The essence of accountability is to “answer for one’s conduct and obligations” , this is  very important because more often than not your performance at work will be evaluated on the above philosophy. Are you the type of person that accepts responsibility for your actions no matter what, or are you looking to run somebody up a flag pole and assign blame when something goes wrong? People that are accountable for their actions will always succeed because fish swim, birds fly and humans make mistakes! It commands a level of respect when you can admit your shortcomings and make changes through your actions. People just as much as employers respect introspection and accountability.  When you are going to be late, make sure you phone. When you are sick, make sure you phone. When you make a mistake, own up to it. These are the simple yet effective things that you can implement into your life that will help you succeed.  This is why in an interview one of the best things that you can say about yourself is that you are a “solution based person” this is exceptional because it tells the employer that you always look for a solution to a problem, because talking about the problem will do nothing, working forward to a solution, now that’s golden (pardon the Olympic reference).

Lack of accountability skills and not taking responsibility for your actions is fear based. If it is a forgone conclusion that humans make mistakes then why are you so scared to admit them? You have to remember that victory lies in the admission of defeat and when you need help: ask. Despite what many people think or what we have been taught in certain cultures, asking for help is not in any way, shape or form  a sign of weakness. In my experience with some youth they seem very content with  not asking for help, messing up what they are doing and when they have no choice but to ask for help, it is too late. If you use a trades based environment for example, if the plumber makes a mistake laying the pipe and does not tell anyone, then the drywall will be put on and within 5 years the house will have to be completely renovated which will end up costing double, what could have saved all of that: admitting your mistake and fixing it therefore, being accountable.

In conclusion, so many youth make capricious decisions that have an adverse affect on their lives. At the time they may feel that their behavior in innocuous, but having poor accountability skills will permeate every area of your life and will cause more stress in the long run. My suggestion is to start by being accountable to yourself, if you  say that you are going to do something make sure that you follow through, it will be the foundation of trust because despite what you may think, many employers are a very sagacious judge of character and your accountability skills will be your best friend or your worst enemy in the fight against unemployment.

When you find a job that you love, that  is the day that you stop working.  So what does workplace “culture” mean exactly? The operational definition of workplace culture is simply ” a philosophy to guide organizational strategy, workforce behavior and management attitudes.” But why is it so important: if you find a workplace culture that is conducive to you, then you will have absolute job satisfaction and you will not dread getting out of bed in the morning.

Before we talk about the appropriate workplace culture for you, let’s discover what constitutes the right “FIT” because there are a lot of variables in play.

1. Travel and Location-The location of your workplace as it relates to where you live is essential. Do you drive to work or do you take public transit? Do you walk or ride a bike? If you live in a rural area and you have to drive to a metropolitan area, then you need to factor in the travel time, parking and gas. If you decide to field a job offer that causes you to spend numerous hours in traffic and more money on gas then you can afford, then it probably is not the right fit. Now granted, we would all love to make 6 figures in a job right across the street from our house, but it just is not going to happen. If you take public transit, first of all you need to make sure that your place of employment is accessible by transit. Also, do you have to transfer to multiple buses or do you need to take the train? On the flip side of that, some people enjoy a long bus or train ride because it allows for them to decompress before they get home and if you love to read, the train or bus is perfect for you.  If you are spending too much time in traffic and even more time traveling in general at what expense does it come? If your family is very important to you and you want to spend a lot of time with them, then traveling too much for a job is not for you. If you disagree, just ask someone that leaves the house at 6am and arrives home at 8pm, there just is not any family time.

2. Diversity- I had a client a few years back tell me that he could no longer work at his warehouse job because his fellow employees spoke in Punjabi, which meant that on his break time and lunches he had no choice but to read the paper. Now, the people that you work with are never your friends however, playing nice in the sandbox and having someone to speak to on a daily basis will allow for some fluidity and will make for a more productive work environment. Furthermore, if you work in an environment where you do not speak the language how could you ever feel like you belong? The working culture, especially in Vancouver is very diverse which is a good thing, but in terms of finding the right fit for you, these are things that you have to factor in.

3. Values and Beliefs- The writer has cited on numerous occasions that, who we are is not what we do, that is definitely true, however, it is our personal beliefs and values will facilitate our career choice. Values and beliefs are what drive us on a daily basis without us even knowing. Most employers will have a “Value or Mission Statement” and in that the employer will usually dictate why they are doing what they do. The mission statement is more often than not the “essence” of the workplace culture. The main reason that these value systems are so important is because your employer may put you in what is referred to as an “ethical dilemma”. This is a tough spot to be in depending on what sector of employment that you are in. For example, if you work in finance, do you feel comfortable approving a small family for a line of credit at a massive interest rate knowing that they can never pay it back? I don’t. Do you want to work in a medical system or for an insurance company where your sole purpose is to not approve people for medical insurance because they have a “pre-exiting condition” and knowing that the insurance company looks at paying medical expenses as a  loss?” I can’t. Having a clear and concise picture of your workplace beliefs and values will always help in the road to seeking a career.

Workplace Culture- The type of personality that you have is the determining factor in your workplace culture. Do you want to wear jeans or a suit? Can you use your sense of humor on a daily basis or is the workplace too conservative? All of these values and beliefs  are different depending on what sector that you work in. Finance will be different then Construction. Social Services will be different then Hospitality. The point is , make  sure you investigate these matters before you start working there, because if you find out that your beliefs are different then the employers after the fact, then will not find satisfaction in your day to day dealings and interactions with others. Trust me, you do not want to be the quintessential working man that puts on a brave and stoic face at work and then kicks the dog as soon as he walks in the door.  The way to find this stuff out is to conduct Informational Interviews……………………………stay tuned for that.

Posted by: Tyler McAuley

The all mighty job interview is not as arduous of a task as one may think because just like any other skill in life, job interviewing is learned….and what comes with learning a new skill: mistakes. Now I am not saying that having multiple job interviews per year is a good thing or a good way to practice because unfortunately the interviews themselves do not pay the bills however, one does not have to approach the interview with trepidation or apprehension. When you blow the smoke off of the whole thing, a job interview boils down to one thing: Confidence. When you are applying for a job the writer is under the assumption that you are actually qualified for the job because otherwise, you would not have applied. So now that we have determined that you are qualified for the position, what is the one thing that will set you apart from the other candidates? Intangibles is the the word of the day. Education, credentials and your previous work history are all tangible items that you can fall back on, but the “intangibles” are what will get you the job. Intangibles are the things like: Communication Skills, working well in a team environment, a sense of humor (yes it is completely acceptable to have fun at work) and humility. The intangibles are not things that you can learn at school or read in a book they are attributes that come naturally. I always tell my clients that if you put a gorilla in front of a computer and he/she will eventually learn how to use it, try and teach a gorilla to communicate or get along with people or that they need to be accountable: you can’t. The same analogy can be applicable to any candidate for employment. If someone does not have a sense of humor, is not punctual in any way shape or form or just can not get along with people, then it does not matter what their credentials or skills set, no employer will hire them. These are the things that you want to highlight in an interview. The writer firmly believes that it can be a slippery slope to climb when you identify “who you are” with what you “do” however, a lot of who we are dictates what we do. If a lot of who you are and your personal beliefs dictate the work that you do, then confidence should not be a problem. Confidence is the key, people respect confidence and admire introspection. When the writer goes on a job interview and the employer asks the question “Why should I hire you?” I simply turn it around and say “why shouldn’t you hire me?” But you have to be confident in order to say that, in fact you have to actually believe it.

The job interview begins as soon as you walk through the door. Here are some tips on how to shine with confidence when going to a job interview.

1)You have to remember that a first impression is the lasting one. When you are at home, look in the mirror and conduct some “self affirmations” Tell yourself what you are good at because we can all dissect ourselves as well as our inadequacies if we choose, so try telling yourself the positives. It is inevitable that it will help build self esteem.
2)When you physically show up for the interview be gregarious, have a smile and exude confidence. Confidence is always shown through body language. What would you think if you met someone that was moping around, looking at the ground and has a very feeble handshake?
3)During the interview do not tell the employer that you “think” you can do the job, they want someone that “knows” they can do the job. Remember, they gave you the interview based on your merit so they already know that you can do the job, telling the employer that you think you can do the job will highlight confidence issue, not a technical ability.
4)Finally, be yourself!! Why would you try to be something that you are not, that would make you fake. Usually when people try to be something that they are not is because they are missing something in their lives and do not have a sense of congruency with how they are as a person. If you are yourself it will exude a quality that people will admire and respect because nobody likes to be beguiled especially in a job interview.

In conclusion, there is one more thing that I would like to stress. Many employers in this day and age will ask you the cliche interview question: What are your weaknesses? There is a simple and practical answer for that and that is: I have many weaknesses, I am a human being and make mistakes everyday, but I learn from them and become wise because it is true that an intelligent man learns from his mistakes, but a wise man learns from other peoples mistakes. Furthermore, you have to remember that everybody gets nervous in a job interview, in fact if you did not I would be worried. I will now share with you a quote that I have written on my wall and that I try to aspire too…………..

“Only those who attempt the absurd, can achieve the impossible”- Albert Einstein

Posted by: Tyler McAuley

You always have to remember to be nice to everybody on your way up the career ladder because chances are you will run into all of them on your way down. I have dealt with numerous youth that do not have appropriate references from previous employers because they let their emotions or lack of emotional intelligence take over when walking out the door. It is very common in this day and age for people to have multiple jobs before they find their career (if in fact they ever do) and with changing jobs sometimes annually, it is in your best interest to walk out the door with your head held high. It does not matter what type of employment that you are seeking or what type of career that you choose, if you cannot obtain a positive reference, then all your hard work is down the drain. People say that “a first impression is a lasting one” well the same case can be made for your “lasting” impression.  Depending on what sector of employment that you are working in there is always a sense of community and leaving on bad terms or “saying what you have always wanted to say” this  will be counter-productive because not only do you not have a reference from your previous employer, but now all of the employers in the small community will know what happened when you left. These  people are pragmatic to a fault and that is why many youth approach job interviews with trepidation because they want to avoid that ominous question: “So why did you leave your last employer” ?

Here are some tips on how to conduct yourself when leaving your employer, no matter what the terms and no matter what the circumstances:

DO- thank the company, the last impression is every bit as crucial as the initial impression that got you hired in the first place.

DO- send a thank you letter or card as soon as you leave (email will work too) It documents your appreciation and clarifies any key points you discussed.

Do Not- trash the company in any way shape or form. Although what you have to say may in fact be true, this is a perfect way to burn a bridge that you may need to cross in the future.

Do Not- blast your boss or fellow employees when leaving. This negativity will follow you to your next job and may hinder your chances of getting the job.

Do Not- forget that the company still has a piece of your financial future. So it is in your best interest to leave in a proactive and productive manner.

At the end of the day throwing dirt on your employer when you leave the door makes you look bad, not them. This simple yet effective way of thinking will allow for a healthy and productive career no matter where you end up!

Posted by: Tyler McAuley

Have you ever been watching professional sports and wondered to yourself: How do they get there? Let’s use soccer players as an example. Everytime that I watch a professional soccer match I don’t see them doing cart wheels and back flips, but what I see them doing the simple fundamental things perfect. You should try and apply that mentality when making your resume. In my experience, people take the resume a little to seriously. What I mean by that is that they take way to much time making sure that it is perfect and has everything that they need, but they seem to forget that the sole purpose of a resume is simply to get the interview. Reflecting on my tenure in this industry and the hundreds of people that I have met and the thousands of resumes that I have done, I have concluded that there are a number of factors that come into play.

The first must of making a resume is the ability to use a computer. Simply put, your resume needs to be done on computer therefore, if you do not have the fundamental basics in terms of computer skills, then I would suggest soliciting help from a professional. To find a local ERC in your area, log on to www.lmer.ca.

People have many different ways to construct a resume depending on your computer skills and an even simpler way is to use the Microsoft Templates. These are very simple and easy to use and they should have everything that you are looking for. For those of you that are ready to go, let’s get down to business.

Resume Dont’s!!!!!!!!

• Spelling mistakes!!! This is the easiest thing to avoid seeing as the computers all have a spell check. Handing a resume to an employer filled with spelling mistakes is the easiest way to have it thrown in the garbage.
• Grammar errors- if your grammar is poor, I would suggest having someone proff read your resume to insure that the grammar is proper.
• Any personal information- your resume is employment related only. The purpose of your resume is to get a job interview, so the writer feels that putting your hobbies is irrelevant and it is irrelevant simply because it reflects your personal life, not your professional one.
• Specific personal information- do not under any circumstances put the following on your resume: your photo, SIN, marital status, sexual orientation, age and anything else that would be of a specific personal nature.
• Previous employer’s contact information: many of the resumes that I have seen dictate the previous employer’s address, phone number and manager’s name. This is inviting people to contact them. The employer that you are applying with can only contact your references and previous employers with your consent, so always keep that in mind.
• References- don’t put your references on your resume, save those for the interview.

In summation, please remember that when you are sending out your resume, you are sending it someone that you do not know. Hence, you are emailing or faxing your personal information and being aware of that should help you to avoid disclosing personal information.

Resume Do’s

• Skills- make sure that when you are constructing your resume that you put down as many skills as you can. You are going to get hired on your experience not your education most of the time. Furthermore, most employers are not interested in what you know more so on what you can do.
• Employment related only- as mentioned above keep your resume to employment related only
• One or two pages- the writer personally feels that any resume can be done on one page. If you have years of experience and a professional designation, the two pages should suffice, but for youth no more than one page.

Hopefully, these simple yet effective techniques can help you along the way. Happy job hunting!

(P.S. did you notice the spelling mistakes that were purposely put in the blog?)

Posted by: Tyler McAuley

There are so many resources that are available for people, the problem is that nobody know where to look. We have condensed some resources for you so that you ultimately get what you are looking for, whether you have access to the internet or use the phone, the resources that are provided below, should help you with your endeavors, depending on what specific are you are looking for.

In order to access this Government funded employment program, you must be referred by a Service Canada case manager (the programs are now funded whole or in part by the British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement) so how do you find one and what is the role of a Case Manager?

http:www/labourmarketservices.gov.bc.ca Once you have arrived at the site, click on “job seeker”, then click on “Employment Assistance Service” to find a Case Manager in your area.

For those of you that have applied or inquired about our program only to find that we are full,  do not be dismayed, there are many other programs such as ours throughout the Lower Mainland. To find these services go to Lower Mainland Employment Resources (http://www.lmer.ca) Once you have arrived at our site, then find the programs for youth or Federal Government Programs.

Have you been dealing with a Government agency and felt like you are getting nowhere? No need to bang your head against the wall…….below is a list of advocacy groups that will be able to help you along the way

Community Legal Assistance Society (604.685.3425) This is for any issues regarding disability issues, WCB, EI and Income Assistance

TRAC -Tenancy Resource and Advisory Centre (604.255.0546) They will help you with any thing that you need to know about your rights and responsibilites as a tenant

Vancouver Food Bank Distribution Centers (604.876.3601) The depots are on different days and in different areas so make sure that you call and find out how to access the depot in your area

Access Central Detox (1.866.658.1221) This is one central number for the detoxes and Vancouver, you will more than likely be on a wait list, but be patient, it will be worth the wait.

These should help you along the way.

Posted by: Tyler McAuley

The Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) website states that in terms of post-secondary education that they are “Positioning Canada to compete and succeed in the global economy” the only problem with that statement is that there is no guarantee of employment after graduation. Having been an Employment Counsellor for a few days now, I have met all too many people that have invested thousands of dollars to obtain their education and having no results. There is a simple reason for that, for there  is more than education that is required in obtaining and having a fruitful career. Education is a small piece to the puzzle depending on what sector that you would like to pursue. Through the grapevine I heard that the main pre-requisite of being a waiter in Vancouver is to have a Social Sciences Degree. As facetious as that may seem, there is more than a grain of truth to it.  A rhetorical question  that the writer will ask is this: why are there no Employment Counsellors or practitioners on site at the campus? The reason is simple, the goal of a school is not to help you to gain employment but to learn. Why do people ultimately go to school, because they want to succeed in finding a career. So why would you go to school and obtain a degree without the possibility of gainful employment relevant to your training afterwords? We have not even discussed yet how much money that the school will cost you and that most Canadians will be shackled with debt before they are done. If you want to borrow money or spend your savings on something that is not a sure thing or guaranteed why don’t you go to the Casino and play blackjack? It almost seems like that would be better for you, at least there is the possibility of a return. Some colleagues and friends of the writer have disclosed that they are 10, 20 or even 30 thousand dollars in debt due to their education, and of course because they did no research the employment prospects and with the interest piling up, they are forced to wait tables or have some source of revenue. To pay back a 30 thousand dollar student loan and making anything less than 50-60, 000 per year, will take you a life time to pay back, but for someone making 15 dollars and hour, it truly becomes a life sentence.

Being a solution based person, let’s move forward. My humble suggestion is that before you enter any endeavor, especially education you have to do your diligence and research the future. What are the employment prospects after I am completed my education? If you can not find the answer to this, then avoid the schooling.  Take your time and gain some experience and hopefully from that you will have more of an awareness of what the future holds. Many employers will tell you that experience will almost always win over education. Do you want someone that has read how to fix your car or do you want someone that has done it since they were a child? The answer is simple, for the youth….you have to remember that experience and wisdom can only come with age, so be patient. Just remember borrowing money to go to school can put you behind before you even start. The first lady in the USA Michelle Obama disclosed in a documentary that one of the reasons that Barack Obama ran for President is because they had just recently paid back their student loans, so that should give you an indication as to how much a law degree will cost you.

Posted by: Tyler McAuley

The easiest and most efficient job search tool has become the internet. For many youth that do not have the confidence to go and network with employers, it is a very “impersonal” way of obtaining employment. The writer has cited on many different occasions that the internet is the best way to find work if you have the following: An outstanding resume, the most experience and the most education. For the majority of job seekers that do not meet those criteria, I would strongly suggest that you go and meet employers face to face, but for those of you that feel you must use the internet, then here are some easy tips, do’s and dont’s.

There are a many number of different websites and it is hard to navigate through all of them to condense your job search. Four websites can meet all of your needs.

Do’s!!!!!

1. http://www.indeed.ca This website is the “Google” of job search sites. Indeed will sift through all of the various job search sites that are on the internet to find what you are looking for. Click on the advanced search to look for more specific items.
2. http://www.simplyhired.ca This website has the same function as Indeed, it is just another point of reference for job seekers.
3. http://www.eluta.ca This website will search positings from “companies” websites as apposed to the “job search” websites. Just search the title and or  company that you want to work for and they will be available for you.
4. http://www.civicjobs.ca Civic Jobs is a website that advertises for the local municipalities all across Canada. If you have ever wanted to work for the city, then this is the website for you. On the left hand side, you can search by Province and by municipality.

Dont’s!!!!

The only don’t that the writer would emphasize is to avoid conducting your job search on “Craigslist” This website is great if you need to buy a used IPOD or some office furniture, but not good in seeking employment. It does not seem to be good due to the fact that the “employer” will rarely tell you who they are.

Customer Service / Design Rep. (Delta)

When working in the Hospitality/Tourism Sector:
A Quick Wit, not Education is the soup de jour!

One time I had lunch at a bistro in Vancouver and as we pleasantly sat down waiting to order, the waitress finally came to our table to ask us how we were doing and what we would like. I made an anecdotal comment that seemed funny, but the waitress did not seem to think so. Almost embarrassed, I kindly asked her what the “soup de jour” was and she politely answered, “The soup of the day”. After almost bursting out into laughter, it struck me that I don’t always necessarily eat at a restaurant for the food, but for the service. Up to that point, I did not realize the importance of a funny and quick-witted server. That experience led me to believe that the Hospitality and Tourism sectors are the perfect medium for youth trying to break into the labour market, without having to worry about an education. Now I am not saying that education lacks importance, having an education whether it is school-based or street based, allows the individual to form an opinion, thus feeling empowered. Being an Employment Counsellor in today’s recession provides a very practical and lucid knowledge of how hard people have been affected; especially the youth.

Reading job descriptions for the hospitality and tourism sectors almost on a daily basis, I have yet to see one that is dominated by education; in fact most of them omit any educational requirement. Now do not start thinking “would you like fries with that” because we are speaking in terms of those positions that could and will facilitate a career if so desired. Fast food or to be politically correct “good food quick” restaurants are the perfect place for someone to have their first ever job but will they really learn from it? I don’t think so, because having worked at one of these chain restaurants myself when I was 15, my work ethic was purely based on the amount of girls working that night, if they were cute and available I worked harder to show off, if the shift was all boys and no girls, you do not want to know! Trust Me!

My knowledge of these sectors tells me that there is an enormous amount of turnover, which means that people are always coming and going. If it was not the nature of the business, then I would question the quality of the employer. So if you are loyal, hard working, quick on your feet and a good communicator what an opportunity to shine. Because there are so many people coming and going, there is ample opportunity to be rewarded by the employer just for sticking around. You will find then that the natural evolution of learning will intervene and you will gain experience, knowledge, great people skills and an honest feeling of fulfillment that you go to a job everyday that you love. And all of the above mentioned attributes do not come from education they come from you. Why not pick a career that is conducive to your personality? If going to school is a difficult task for you….then don’t go! The great thing about post-secondary education is that it is optional. Not like elementary and high school where you do not have a choice, you will soon realize that learning is a life-long endeavor and if anyone tells you otherwise, they are wrong. And being the author of your own life, if you want to attend and graduate from the school of Hard Knox, then so be it.

A sense of humor seems to be the lubricant for all society. No matter what the occasion, no matter what the environment, people that can find time to laugh will always be liked, will always succeed and will always be able to meet new people, so why not do it while you are making a living. The essence of hospitality and tourism is to make people feel welcome, to leave people with a lasting impression. When I go to a restaurant or stay at a hotel, my experience is solely based upon the people I meet. I do not think that at anytime soon, I will be staying at a hotel or eating at a restaurant where the walls are made of gold and there is a Kandinsky hanging above my toilet, so what else would make me or any customer come back……I hope after reading this that the answer is obvious.

Posted by:Tyler McAuley