Stafflink Solutions Blogger

We've Moved!

2011-09-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Our blog has moved!
That brings up way more questions than it answers. So here are the answers to the most obvious questions. :-) Like, where we moved the blog and why. And what will happen to all of our past articles. So here's the lowdown:

Where?
The new address for our blog is blog.stafflink.ca

Why?
My dream for over a year has been to combine our corporate website www.stafflink.ca and this Blogger blog in to one website on the WordPress platform. Blogger is great, but it's better if people don't have to leave our website to read our articles. So now our blog is living in a sub domain of our main website called blog.stafflink.ca.

Why else?
I'm obsessed with WordPress. I chronicled my obsession in a couple past articles: 10 Reasons I Jumped on the WordPress Bandwagon and WordPress Theme Smackdown.

What happens with our past articles?
Our past articles will stay right here at stafflink.blogspot.com. But all or our new articles will be published at our new location blog.stafflink.ca.

Please come an check out our new blog!
Here's a list of the articles we've publish this past week:

Please let me know what you think of the new blog website!!!

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

Website: http://stafflink.ca/
e-Resume: http://www.lauraupcott.com/
Email: laurau@stafflink.ca

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott

LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

What it takes to be an IT Recruiter

2011-08-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

Do you have what it takes to be an IT recruiter?

First you might be wondering what the heck an IT recruiter does?

Sourcing, recruiting, interviewing, references, background checks, contract negotiations, client/candidate account management, social media outreach, presentations/meetings...

That doesn't sound so bad. It might even sound fun (because it is fun!) But let me tell you, it's not always fun and sometimes it's downright heart-breaking. Somedays it can be a non-stop rollercoaster ride.

One minute you're presenting a job offer to a great candidate who's thrilled to get the job. The next your trying to find out and explain to a client why a great candidate failed to show up for an interview.

Sometimes you call people who forget that they posted their resume and they treat you like you're calling them in the middle of dinner to sell windows. Then the next person you call treats you like you're calling to inform them that they just won the lottery (and they make up for the not so great calls!).

That's just the candidates. Clients are a whole different ball game.

As a Hiring Manager, it can sometimes be forgotten that the "perfect" candidate may have two or three other job offers. This is when you have to be creative and use your negotiation skills!

It's not only people that make the job challenging. The job is inherently difficult because it is our job to fill the "hard" job orders (but nothing is impossible!). Easy jobs are the jobs that companies can easily fill themselves. We get the challenging job orders for people with niche skills sets and specialized experience.

Day in, day out, we are looking for people that are difficult to find because the few people who do meet the job requirements are happily employed or not easily found. That's when you have to think outside the box and do some serious headhunting (which is my favourite part - you get to be a candidate detective!) You have to search high and low to find the right candidate for an opportunity that also meets their needs/career aspirations - and you have to find them before your competition finds them (I like to think it's similar to "The Amazing Race")

So do you have what it takes to handle the rollercoaster ride? There are up's and down's but trust me the hills are the best part!

Do you thrive on challenge?

Are you willing to work whenever you have to connect with people to fill the job?

Do you love to help people hire the right people and find the jobs that will make them happy?

Do you love to learn?

Do you love to hunt?

Do you love to solve difficult problems?

Do you love to network?

Do you love, love, love technology!!!

Then you just might love being an IT recruiter as much as I do :-)

About the Author

Michelle De Rubeis
Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

Best Office Staff Party Photo Contest Winner!

2011-08-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

The winner in our Best Office Staff Party Photo Contest has been announced! A great big congratulations to Mr. Slava whose entry, Get into the Pool, just won him a Sony laptop!

The Winning Office Party Photo
Mr Slava's winning photo of his boss getting tossed into the pool by a group of his rowdy employees won for being the most memorable of all the best office party photo entries.

According to one of the judges, "You can just picture what happens next with this one. The expression of the guy by the pool is a classic and tells us exactly what we all want to see, but are left to envision in our own imagination."

Thank you all who entered!
Congrats again to our winner, Mr. Slava, and a great big thank you to everyone who submitted entries, and voted for their favourite photos. Special thanks to Rob Campbell and the Lenzr team for helping us put together this contest.

On a side note, I'm pretty sure the winning photo has dissuaded me from ever throwing a pool party for our own summer staff party, just incase any of our employees get any funny ideas...

Related Articles

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The Inside Scoop on IT Jobs in Toronto

2011-07-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

According to Stats Canada, over the month of June 2011, there were 28,000 new jobs created in Canada versus 18,000 new jobs created in the United States. In a recent quarterly survey, the Bank of Canada reported that 57% of Canadian companies surveyed are looking to hire over the next year. These stats are great news for the Canadian workforce, and particularly exciting if you are involved in the IT sector of Silicon Valley North, a.k.a. the tech hub of downtown Toronto.

Tech startups in Toronto experiencing fast growth
As an IT staffing agency in Toronto, we have the pleasure of seeing many startups reaching lift-off status, first-hand. Many of our clients recently ranked on Deloitte's radar, and one company was recently acquired by a prominent game manufacturer:

Nexj Systems: placed fourth on Deloitte's 2010 Canadian Technology Fast 50 Ranking. Out of the 50 companies on this list, 11 were from Toronto.
Polar Mobile: was awarded Deloitte's 2010 Companies-to-Watch award. Out of the list of 10 companies, 4 were from Toronto.
Five Mobile: a mobile development company from Toronto, was recently purchased by Zynga, a social game development company, for an undisclosed amount. They are now known as 'Zynga Toronto.'

Access to refunds and tax credits make Toronto attractive to tech start ups
Part of the reason tech business is booming in Toronto is due to a government initiative called the Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) program. SR&ED provides millions of dollars in cash refunds and/or tax credits for small business expenditures on research and development work done in Canada. Companies such as Polar Mobile are happy to take advantage of these credits rather than outsource work to India or China, creating job opportunities for local technology professionals.

Lucrative tech careers at the moment
It's great to see companies investing in local talent, and it's great to see that IT professionals have more options today. Many developers and programmers we've placed are reluctant to take contract positions for less than three months as they know their services are in high demand at the moment, and they're right for thinking this way. It's a profitable time to be in an IT profession.

To give you a range of salaries for hot tech jobs in Toronto at the moment:

Mobile App Developers: We're seeing people with J2ME skills, Objective C, and Android developer skills that have been placed at companies for an average salary of 60k+ starting salary as a Jr. Developer, and upwards of 80+ with about 5 years experience. These developer skills are in high demand at the moment.
M-commerce or Mobile Commerce: Experience with this as a developer will easily net 70k+. Leading companies in this field include PayPal, Square (started by Twitter Founder, Jack Dorsey), and local Toronto company, EnStream.
Object Oriented Programming Skills in Banking or Software (OO): These skills almost guarantee you are going to get a job in Toronto right now. With 5-7 years experience, you could earn an average of 60-75k a year.
Banking Skills in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Business Analyst Derivatives, or Derivatives Programming: This area of IT is experiencing a lot of growth right now. You can net about 80k+ with less than 5 years experience at the moment.
Regulation Processes (Sarbanes Oxley & Basel I, II, III): This is another growing market. This is quite an advanced field in Canada at the moment, so if you go into this profession, it's not unusual that you would be asked to travel all over the world.

If you're in college or university at the moment, and you want to make money quickly out of school, one of the jobs mentioned above might be just what you're looking for. Whether you're just entering the workforce as an IT professional, you've built a startup, or you're part of an established company, this is an exciting time to be part of Silicon Valley North.

Related Articles

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The Future of IT

2011-07-15T08:02:00.001-07:00

My daughter is 6 months old. When I was her age, my favourite toy was a stuffed Bert from Sesame Street. Not my daughter, though. She was born with a passion for technology. The first time she crawled, it was to get to my iPad 2. Forget about toys, she wants to play with cellphones, iPads and any kind of digital gadget she can get her tiny hands on.

I recently read a tweet from CEO of Polar Mobile, Kunal Gupta, who mentioned, "your children are in two states...sleeping or online," and I couldn't agree more. Born into a culture of technology, it's no wonder our kids are so tech-savvy.

Growing up, my first computer was a Commodore 64, and I dreamed of colour graphics and not needing 9 floppy disks to run a program. Computers today run on terabyte hard drives and are much more advanced, allowing kids access to technology, information and opportunities to learn that in my time simply didn't exist.

One such opportunity is an elite camp known as Shad Valley, a summer enrichment program for students currently enrolled in or finishing high school. Open to both Canadian and international students, Shad takes a passion for technology and fuels it into a prominent and driven career path. Students spend a month living on campus at one of the host university campuses across Canada, studying business, science, math, engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship. Some of the top young CEO's and founders of technology companies have attended this camp.

In his book, Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell speaks of the rule of 10 thousand hours. He believes after 10 thousand hours of practice or study on a particular topic, you become an expert. Imagine the potential our children will have if they become experts in technology while they are still in high school. By university, they'll be ahead of the curve, and by the time they reach the job market, they'll have a competitive advantage, a vision, and no ceiling on where they can go, and what they can accomplish.

Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North

IT Job Market 2011: Who's Hot?
Fastest Growing Web Company in History
7 Segment Changers and Predictions for Tech in 2011

Written By:

Ryan Ayres
Technology Recruiter
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: ryan@stafflink.ca
LinkedIN: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ryandayres
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ryandavidayres

Win a Sony Laptop in Our Best Office Staff Party Photo Contest

2011-07-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and that means office parties, company barbecues and team building events are in full swing. In the spirit of the summer party season, Stafflink Solutions has partnered with Lenzr.com, a serial photo contest site, to bring you the Best Office Staff Party photo contest. If you have a great picture from your latest office party or work retreat, submit it and you could win a Sony laptop!

We want to see your office in action, unwinding and relaxing. If you've got a photo of the sales and marketing teams, mingling with the IT staff of web developers, IT programmers and business analysts, submit it with a creative caption.

To enter, visit Lenzr.com, submit your photo and get your co-workers, friends and family to vote for your picture. Get you photo submitted as soon as possible. Voting starts July 15th and closes on July 25th. On July 25th, the photos with the most votes will move into the top ten, where the final winning photo will be decided by the Lenzr judges. The winner will be chosen based on the photo quality as well as the most imaginative description provided. The contest closes August 1st, so get your photo posted soon!

We've already had a number of great submissions. Click here to check them out.

Golf A Little, Get A Lot

2011-06-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

It’s 7:15am on a beautiful Thursday morning in June. On any given Thursday, I would normally be getting ready to start recruiting Toronto’s top talent; however, today isn’t just any Thursday – it is the day I will play my first round of golf! Not to mention, I will be playing it with the extremely athletic (and golf saavy) Stafflink team! Luckily, I have a new golf outfit, so at least I look the part.

Although the Stafflink team is a rather adventurous group, today’s golf adventure means much more than trying out a new sport or showing off some superb skills. Today we are participating in Bereaved Families of York Region’s 17^th Annual Forget-Me-Not Golf Tournament.

www.bfoyr.com is an organization that is very close to my heart. I became involved in the organization back in 2007 when they hired me as a summer student, while I was completing my degree. The organization’s mission is to provide volunteer bereavement support services to families and individuals grieving the death of a loved one. Their services are offered free of charge and they receive no federal or municipal funding. The majority of their funding comes from individual contributions and fundraising events, such as their golf tournament. They are an organization who runs on the generous hearts and hard-work of a very strong and compassionate community.

After telling the Stafflink team about my involvement with BFOYR and the upcoming tournament - it took absolutely no convincing, our amazing founder, Tim Collins, had already signed us up.

So how did my first round go? I may not be Michelle Wei but I hit a few good drives and I learned how to “chip”. I also discovered that Tim is a phenomenal golfer, Ryan can hit a ball farther than anyone I’ve ever seen, and Neil is a mini-putt champion. Most importantly, our day was filled with a tremendous amount of laughs, wonderful company and an opportunity for our staff to support a great cause while participating in a phenomenal team building exercise. Thanks BFOYR!

About the Author

Michelle De Rubeis ,Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

10 Tips to Capture Hot Candidates

2011-06-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

Can your company improve the recruiting and hiring process? As the marketplace shifts to a candidate’s marketplace, companies are challenged to constantly analyze and improve their talent acquisition processes.

If a candidate has three offers, are you confident that they will take your offer?

Smart employers are beginning to realize that they must be willing to be innovative and move quickly to capture these hot candidates. Some successful techniques that we have seen employers use to capture star candidates include:

All interviews same day. Don’t force a candidate to come back twice if you can complete the evaluation in one day. Efficient hiring processes demonstrate to a candidate that you are an agile, efficient company. That you respect and value their time. This gives the candidate a preview of what the processes throughout the company will be like.
Extend offers within days of the interview. How long do you really need to think about itJ
Signing bonuses. A good alternative to raising the salary above a set salary band.
Free Tablets. It’s pretty cool to give the candidate an iPad when they sign up. Cost low – impact high.
Working from Home privileges. A great way to demonstrate your commitment to work-life balance.
Flex Hours. Many companies have core hours when employees must be in the office but are flexible outside of the core hours.
Free beer. If you fill an open engineering position at Hipster, a startup in Silicon Valley, they will reward you with $10,000 in cash and a year's supply of beer. http://bit.ly/ispZf3
Have your stars interview star candidates. You need to bring out the top talent to capture the top talent
Know what the market rates are. Don’t try and lowball. If you know market rates it shows the candidate that you've done your research and you are willing to pay them what they are worth.
Gym Membership. A healthy employee is a happy, productive employee. Less sick daysJ

Empower the people doing the interviews to capture the top talent. Make sure they have the training and coaching to interview and sell star candidates on the opportunity to work for your business. Employers that can adapt and capture the best candidates will be more successful in the long run.

Related Articles

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

IT Job Market 2011: Who's Hot?

2011-06-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

We’ve noticed a change in the kind of person our clients want to hire. It’s not enough to have the technical skills anymore. Our clients are looking for triple threats: IT experts with 5+ experience in a specific business vertical plus excellent people skills.

It’s not just about coding in a cubicle anymore. Now employers are looking for technology experts with client-facing skills, adaptable people who can move from one team to another. But people like this are in short supply. Here are the top skills in demand in the Toronto GTA job market right now:

Mobile Programmers – J2ME, Objective C and Android – anybody with hands on experience can write their own ticket. If you are a college or university and you want to increase your placement rates, then teach these courses and give the power to the graduates.
Programmers with client facing skills – Consulting companies are hiring again. If you have OO skills and have experience working with a consulting company, you know you are in demand because you get calls all the time. If you have these skills and are looking for work call us at 416 364 2300 and we'll give you multiple opportunities J
Derivatives and technology – A deadly combination that makes you very much in demand. As a candidate with a few years experience, these skills you will get 70K.
Solutions and Enterprise Architect – Being able to see the big picture allows these candidates to have the power. SOA consultants have the ability to design the fundamental 'architecture' of an application. The Enterprise Architect is especially sought after since they are able to architect applications that are compatible with many different divisions of an enterprise.
Government Experience – As much as the government says they will consider people without government experience, if you have this experience you can write your ticket.
Business Intelligence – So much data is being tracked throught social media that people with the skills to analyze and help clients use this data are, and will continue to be, in huge demand.

These are the most in demand skills that we see presently. Everybody is trying to capture these candidates. In my next article I will reveal strategies that some companies are using to capture these candidates. Stay Tuned…

Related Articles

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

IT Job Market 2011: Is This a Candidate’s Job Market?

2011-06-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

Who has the most power in the marketplace these days? Is it the candidate or the employer?

According to Statistics Canada our jobless rate is at 7.4% (http://reut.rs/jzgrHv ). This is at our lowest rate since June 2009, which was the beginning of the recession.

As the jobless rate decreases the power grows for technology job candidates. If you are in the manufacturing industry there are still struggles ahead. My expertise is around the technology world, and we are starting to see evidence of an emerging candidate's market.

What are some of the signs of a candidate's market?

Competition for candidates. Now it's normal for us to see candidates with multiple offers, but this didn't happen a year ago.
Empowered Candidates. Candidates are actually turning down reasonable job offers. One year ago candidates would jump at the first offer.
Employers are looking to fill teams. Some of our clients are winning projects and need to fill teams of 5 to 10 people or more. A year ago many of our clients were cancelling projects.
Less outsourcing. Fewer clients are outsourcing projects overseas which means more competition for candidates. Businesses have become very selective about what they outsource abroad. This means more jobs locally. Recently we had a client that did a cost comparison between outsourcing a team of three from India and hiring three local contractors. After considering the costs and the importance of delivery deadlines, they chose to hire local contractors because it was less expensive to do the work locally.
Small businesses are hiring. One of the main causes for the decrease in the jobless rate is the increase of self-employment and the success of small businesses. Over 30% of our job orders are now coming from small and medium sized businesses that are growing.

It's not a candidate's market for all candidates at this point. But the candidates that have the power these days are obviously the ones that are in demand. In my next article I'll tell you exactly which candidates are wielding the most power in the technology job market.

Related Articles

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Stafflink Attends Regent Park School of Music Spring Fundraiser

2011-04-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Ryan, Tim and Neil at RPMG Fundraiser

We had the enormous honour of attending Cresendo, the annual Spring fundraiser for the Regent Park School of Music at the Steam Whistle Brewery on Wednesday.

Our relationship with RPSM began a couple years ago when I worked with the Board of Directors to recruit and hire Richard Marsella, their current Director. This isn't our normal line of business but I was thrilled to help out.

It was beautiful to see people giving back to this event in support of the children. The choir and the individual performers were extremely talented and entertaining. Jim Creegan of The Barenaked Ladies not only performed with the students but spent weeks prior to the event practicing and no doubt inspiring the kids.

RPSM Performs with Roger Waters

The choir was fresh off of a performance at the ACC with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd where they sang the chorus of the "Another Brick in The Wall". These kids were inspiring. You could see a true love of music shining through them.

The Regent Park School of Music started as a safe haven for youth after school. For the first two years they worked out of the basement of a church. Now they are operating out of a brownstone townhouse. RPMG is about to move into a new building as part of the revitalization of the area. The school has set a goal of having 3000 students enrolled within the next five years.

I am confident that they will meet that target. I've met the board members and the current Director Richard Marsella is an amazing individual who has accomplished great things with the Regent Park School of Music already. The future is very loud and vocal for this little school that is rapidly evolving into a renowned school of music.

Donate to the Regent Park School of Music

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Could AI and RIM Cure Blindness?

2011-04-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer

Imagine.
What if there was an artificial intelligence that helped us distill the collective knowledge of the Internet into a Blackberry device that enabled a blind girl to see?

Let's say that this AI could see through any firewall and had unlimited access to everything on the Internet. It claimed that its primary intention was to improve the net happiness of the world. Then it demonstrated its goodwill by comparing the results of every study and presented a cure for cancer?

Big Brother?
That AI would be immensely powerful. More powerful than any government. Would the benefits outweigh the risks? I wonder.

Wonder is the title of a novel I just read by Robert J. Sawyer. It's the third book in Sawyer's WWW series. It's a sci-fi page-turner with philosophy, politics and Canadianna. Much of the action revolves around the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics in Waterloo.

The heroine is a blind teenage girl who regains her sight with the help of an AI named Webmind, a Japanese doctor, the Perimeter Institute and a Blackberry (nice plug for RIM). Caitlin goes through some of the typical teenage things like high school dances. But her connection with Webmind puts her in front of the United Nations and at the center of a major world transition. Need I say more? You gotta read it :)

Who Really Controls the Internet?
This book makes you question the limits of technology, smartphones and who really controls the Web. I kept asking myself, should somebody or some organization control the Internet?

The Internet as a Political Force
This novel reminds me of how often social media has headlined in the news lately. Facebook recently signed a deal with the largest social networking site in China. How about President Obama's appearance at Facebook HQ for a Town Hall meeting. Many countries are attempting to limit or control information flow but people still find ways to coordinate protests online.

WWW Equals Hope
What I liked most about Wonder is how it explores the potential of the collective of the World Wide Web to make the world a better place through crowdsourcing. What would happen if the Internet woke up and became a conscious of itself? Let's hope that AI would be a synthesis of the best that Web has to offer.

Related Links

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Where are the Women? Connecting Women and Technology

2011-04-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

It has been almost a year since I began my career as an IT Recruiter at Stafflink. As my one year mark nears, I've started to reflect on my experience in the industry and all of the wonderful IT professionals I have met. However, I am still left with one recurring question… “Where are all the women?!”

It is hard to ignore the fact that a very small majority of IT professionals I have encountered are women. However, this discussion is not meant to focus simply on the lack of women in technology but rather focus on the importance of women in technology.

Did you know that… the average teenage girl sends approximately 3,330 text messages a month? How about that 77% of Groupon’s subscription base is female? And if you want to know who the average social gamer is; it’s not your thirteen year old brother… it is your 43 year old mother. (Christina Brodbeck, CEO of TheIceBreak, http://tcrn.ch/hKSqx5).

Women are clearly engaged and excited about technology so why aren’t many of us pursuing careers in technology? Educators and industry leaders are asking the same question.

The photo on the left was taken at a forum hosted by The Peel District School Board to explore careers for women in Information Technology on International Women's Day. (Students Explore Career Paths, Brampton Guardian, March 8, 2011)

I believe that the only way to encourage women to pursue technical careers is to educate women on their power in the field and nurture their love for technology. Women need to see examples of other women’s success in the field so they have role models they can look up to. Here are just a few to get the conversation started:

Limor Fried, Founder of Adafruit

Limor is a “do-it-yourself” goddess that sells DIY kits that assist people with hardware hacking. One of her most popular products is a DIY kit that disables the cellphone signals of those around to help students who are studying and crave absolute silence. adafruit.com

Kelle Santiago, President and Co-Founder of thatgamecompany

Kelle heads a small team of 12 people that have proved they can stand among the corporate gaming giants. Her company, thatgamecompany, created the game Flower which was ranked in Sony’s top ten Playstation games for 2009 and 2010. thatgamecompany.com/

Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss, Co-Founders of Rent the Runway

These Harvard graduates embraced technology when they created their highly successful website that allows women across America to rent luxury dresses and accessories instead of purchase them. The site acts as a reservation site where women rent items for special occasions for a period of 10 days and then return the item once the event is over. www.renttherunway.com

About the Author

Michelle De Rubeis ,Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

How to Ace Your Interview

2011-04-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

I created this video blog to help my candidates prepare when I send them in for an interview with one of our clients. It basically covers everything you need to know to leave a lasting positive impression with an interviewer and hopefully get a job offer:

How to get ready
What to bring
What to wear
How to make a great first impression
How to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself"
Tips for answering the tough questions
What questions to ask

Here's the video. It's less than 5 minutes long. Your comments and questions are welcome!

All the best!

About the Author:

Neil Wiseblott, Technical Recruiter
Stafflink Solutions
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: neil@stafflink.ca
LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/neilwiseblott

Design and WINNING!

2011-04-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

I’m a strong believer that a company’s website design tells a story that can make or break a business. Research backs me up. Colors, typography, logo -- these seemingly small things are actually major factors in your success. When people visit your website for the first time, the colors and design give them a subconscious feeling for your company and whether they want to deal with you.

Research backs it up

Sports companies study jersey colour and pattern to find out how these correlate with winning. Some have determined that winners wear red. This relates back to all businesses. Paul Haft is a Toronto color guru who has been helping his clients find winning color strategies for decades. He designed the immensely successful Pink ribbon logo for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Recruiter by day, design buff by night

I’m by no means an expert but I do have a passion for design and these are things I notice. I’m not saying a failing company can resurrect its self by changing its branding, but it’s definitely possible. A fresh new design has the potential to carry a company to a new level of success.

Colour matters

Technology companies often use blue with white and yellow/orange/grey accent colours. This is a great colour palette as blue has a feeling of crisp/clean and business. Depending on the tones it can be regal or soft and inviting. Whenever I walk into a white and blue Apple store, I feel compelled to buy something. Banks often have green carpet runners. We all relax when we see the sand tones at spas.

Black and white

Look at websites like RIM. Their user experience is fantastic. They have excellent design and functionality. This isn’t just because they’re a huge conglomerate company. It’s because RIM puts innovation and passion behind everything they do. The black differentiates them from the white favoured by their arch rival Apple. Black gives a feeling power and authority that's good for business.

What story does your company tell?

This leads me to BMW’s new campaign slogan, “JOY”. What does that word mean to you? Is it freedom of sitting at the cottage on a lazy Saturday afternoon? Is it the walk on a crisp autumn morning with your Golden Retriever? Is it the feeling of flying down a black diamond ski hill? Joy is the perfect word to describe the feeling of owning and driving a BMW. The point is that they’re selling a car on a feeling! And that's what design and color does for your company too.

WordPress Theme Smackdown: Free, Premium or Custom
10 Reasons I Jumped on the WordPress Bandwagon

New Logo, New Office Space, What's Next?

Written By:

Ryan Ayres
Technology Recruiter
Website:   http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email:        ryan@stafflink.ca
LinkedIN: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ryandayres
Twitter:     http://twitter.com/ryandavidayres

iPad vs. Playbook Debate Revisited

2011-03-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

Back in October, you may recall a rather avid Blackberry fan writing an article called “Comparing Apples to Berries: 4 Reasons Why I Pick the PlayBook”. Still a self-proclaimed “crackberry”, I am just as thrilled now as I was then about the arrival of Blackberry’s PlayBook.

I believe the debate needs to be revisited with the arrival of the next generation of the iPad, the infamous iPad2. I will give credit to the iPad2’s sleek new package (it is 117g lighter than the first generation model) and exclusive “limited availability” marketing (the iPad2 could not be pre-ordered before its release date, making the average consumer want it that much more). However, when it comes down to the new generation’s specs, not much has changed.

Flash

My argument for Flash still stands. The iPad2 does not support it and Playbook does. Not supporting flash will weaken video experience for iPad users and provides a space for other tablets such as the PlayBook and Android tablets to capitalize on.

Video Conferencing

In terms of video-conferencing, the iPad added an additional camera so iPad users can now use FaceTime calling software just like PlayBook users (I knew that was coming!). However, according to many online reviews the rear-facing camera on the iPad2 is of low quality and the images are rather grainy, jerky and distorted.

Battery Performance

An area where the iPad2 has improved is in the battery life and internet performance. Apparently the iPad2 has an average battery life of 10 hours, with many online reviews claiming that the battery life lasts in excess of 15 hours. The iPad2 ships with iOS 4.3, which allows users to stream music and video flawlessy using AirPlay and remotely locate devices using MobileMe.

Apps

The iPad2 doesn’t offer any particular upgrades that will not work on the original iPad – unless you are looking for video conferencing capabilities. However, I will say the growth potential of the iPad2 is tremendous if application developers jump on the bandwagon – an area where the PlayBook has been having trouble.

The Verdict

Overall, the PlayBook is enterprise focused – and the iPad2 still appears to more be consumer focused; leaving both to target different markets. My verdict? I’ll still be lining up with all the other “crackberries” to purchase my PlayBook – but I know it’s not for everyone. Evaluate your own needs and purchase what device will suit your lifestyle best.

Comparing Apples to Berries: 4 Reasons Why I Pick the PlayBook
Steve, Mark and Jim: Who's Made 2010's Nice List?
Who Do You Love? BlackBerry Torch or iPhone?
Love What You Do

Written By

WordPress Theme Smackdown: Free, Premium or Custom

2011-03-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

We're migrating our corporate website to WordPress. After a year of searching for the perfect WordPress theme to style our site I've decided to get a custom theme developed. It wasn't an easy decision. My original intention and true wish is to do the whole thing myself. Now I see that DIY could stall the project forever. It's time to reach out and get some help.

Static Version of Stafflink.ca

I created the current version of our website over a year ago. Since then I've done everything in my power to make it look and act like a dynamic WordPress site. I added Twitter widgets, a blog and hooked our site up with an RSS feed and social media. This keeps our content fresh and pushed our Google page rank up a notch. But now it's time for the real deal.

The illusion.

I believed that if I found the right WordPress theme it would just be a simple matter of plugging in our content. Then Presto! I'd have a dynamic WordPress site at my command. I wrote 10 Reasons I Jumped on the WordPress Bandwagon to share this magic solution.

Reality Check.
Turns out isn't that easy. I've dressed up our content with a series of themes. I gave Elegant themes a whirl. I tried the Thesis framework on for size. I read every roundup of theme reviews that I could find. But I now I have to face reality. I'm never going to find the perfect off-the-shelf theme for our site.

The Smackdown.
Here's the smackdown part of this article. AKA my humbling journey from free themes, to premium themes, to frameworks, to hiring a custom theme developer.

Free Themes

The BlueBubble Theme Template

The Good: They're free! They're part of the beautiful sharing opensource WordPress community. I used the free BlueBubble theme for my e-learning course Build an e-resume portfolio site with WordPress. If you want a personal blog or e-resume/portfolio site, then a free theme might be the perfect solution for you.
The Bad: It's free so you can't expect the same level of support that you would receive with a premium theme. Plus the developer may abandon the theme and stop updating it for new releases of WordPress.
The Ugly: Free themes can hide malicious code so be careful. It's best to get your free themes from the WordPress.org Free Themes Directory.

Premium Themes

The Good: You get a professionally designed template for an extremely reasonable cost. Here are a few premium theme solutions that I recommend: Elegant themes and Woo Themes. But there are hundreds of great premium theme sources.
The Bad: I'm often attracted to premium themes with beautiful photographs. But when I add my own content the theme suddenly looks plain and cookie-cutter. If you have your own beautiful photos or artwork, this won't be a problem for you.
The Ugly: If you use a popular theme then thousands of sites out there will look like yours. Unless you have enough programming and design skills to customize the theme.

Theme Frameworks

A theme framework is designed to be a flexible foundation for faster WordPress development.

Stafflink Styled with Thesis Folio

I tried the Thesis theme framework along with the Thesisfolio skin. People liked the look of our site dressed up with Thesisfolio. But when we compared the job list, the blog and landing page of our current site side by side with Thesisfolio, the consensus was that our old site was more friendly, approachable and engaging.

Someday I aspire to have our site running on a framework. But right now I need to expedite this project so it's time to hire a pro.

Custom Theme

The Promise: Experienced web developers design an original theme to showcase your business. You get a unique online identity for your business and expert support for migration and SEO.
Our Choice: We've hired a local Toronto company to develop a custom WordPress theme for us. We'll see how it works out in a month or so when the project is complete.
The Risk: Having a custom theme designed is expensive but after of year of unsuccessfully seeking a DIY solution, I think it's worth it. The biggest issue for me is that I'm not doing this development myself. But so far Will Webb, the owner of IMG, is responsive to my questions and I'm hopeful that his team will produce a beautiful site for us. And when it's all finished this baby will be mine.

Who wins the Smackdown? Free, Premium or Custom

It all depends on the purpose of your site, and your level of design and technical skills. For Stafflink, custom theme development is the winner today. But this story isn't over.

Enough about me already.
What's your take on this whole thing?
Do you think I made the right decision to hire a custom theme developer?
What WordPress themes do you recommend?
What's your favourite framework?

Related Links:
10 Reasons I Jumped on the WordPress Bandwagon
Build an e-Resume Portfolio Site with WordPress
WordPress Theme Framework Comparison
WordPress Free Themes Directory

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

Website: http://stafflink.ca/
e-Resume: http://www.lauraupcott.com/
Email: laurau@stafflink.ca

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott

LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Learnable.com: A New Destination for Affordable Technology Training

2011-03-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

Wow! My new e-learning course just went public and here I am sitting on a GoTrain in a freezing rainstorm waiting for people to sign up. I have other things to work on but this course is top-of-mind.

The journey began last October when I received a personal email from SitePoint. Yes Sitepoint! (I'm a huge fan.) It's normal for me to receive newsletters from SitePoint but this was different. Shayne Tilley had a question for me: “Would you like to create your own online course -- just like a SitePoint one?”

The Mothership Calls.
I've been fascinated with e-learning forever. Now I was being invited to create a course by one of my all-time favorite web portals. There was only one possible answer - YES!

My Favorite Courses
I've taken many Sitepoint courses and they were all excellent:

PHP and MySQL for Beginners with Kevin Yank
Practical CSS with Russ Weakly
Learn HTML5 with John Allsopp
Getting Started Blogging with Chris Garrett.

Now these courses are available on Learnable.com. And anyone can join in.

This was my chance.
But what to teach? I own an IT staffing agency and I've blogged about the benefits of having an online resume/portfolio website. That seemed a natural place to start. I immediately flipped back a pitch back to Shane: I would teach people how to create an e-resume portfolio website with WordPress.

A Big e-Learning Party and Everyone is Welcome
The best part is that my course is part of a new online training initiative called Learnable where anyone can make a course or take a course. It’s like a big e-learning party. A YouTube for online training. Everyone is welcome to participate. Check it out at learnable.com.

Try My Course for Free
Learnable priced my course at $14.95, but they’ve given me 25 free links to distribute however I like. If you’re interested in taking “Build an e-Resume Portfolio Website with WordPress”, then comment on this blog and ask me for a free link. If I have any left I will be thrilled to send you one!

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

http://stafflink.ca/
http://ww.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

CPA Ski Day: A Great Team Building Event

2011-02-28T19:57:00.000-08:00

What happens when you throw your staff into a dangerous winter sport for the benefit of the greater community? Team building, bonding, cooperation, enthusiasm, and laughter.

Every February we invite our staff and their significant others to join us at the CPA Ski Day (Canadian Paraplegic Association). It's a surprisingly popular event considering that only the owners are regular skiers.

Months before the big event we retell stories from last year's CPA Ski Day. Like the time that Ryan's wife fell on top of the boss's son while getting off a chairlift. Or when Joanne froze at the top of a blue run and got yelled at by a stranger. Or that horrible cross country trek we endured while trying to find a green run called the Northwest Passage, and Lorraine towed Ryan with her ski pole.

In spite of these past traumas, our staff was totally stoked about participating in this year's CPA 2011 Ski and Snowboard Day. Joanne and Michelle enrolled in ski lessons and gave us regular reports on their progress. We planned our outfits. We planned our après ski dinner.

Bottom line: Participating in the CPA ski day is more than a one day event. It's an event that brings us together for the entire winter. Why is it so compelling for all of us?

It feels great to support CPA Ontario with their Track 3 Ski program. It is so beautiful to see the Track 3 volunteers give people with disabilities the chance to ski. Check out these amazing pictures of the 2011 CPA Ski Day.
Skiing is dangerous, but not too dangerous. And it's super fun. That makes for lots of entertaining stories. It also gives us lots of opportunities to bond and help each other out.
Skiing is social. Even if you're not a skier, it's really fun to sit in the ski lodge, share a beer and onion rings and have some laughs.
It’s really fun to learn a new skill. Participants in the CPA Ski Day get free rentals, a lesson, lunch and delicious après ski snacks. They also get to ski at Craigleith, one of the best private ski clubs in Ontario.

I want to thank Donna Ha who encouraged us to go to our first CPA Ski Day about 5 years ago. Donna uses a wheelchair and worked for CPA Ontario before joining our staff. The first CPA Ski Day we participated in occurred during one of the worst snow storms of the season. I drove Donna up to Craigleith in whiteout conditions. When we finally arrived we were greeted by a warm buffet lunch and caring colleagues. Donna even got to ski that afternoon.

I also want to thank CPA Ontario and their key sponsor The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company for hosting this amazing event and for supporting the Track 3 Ski program.

And of course I want to thank our amazing staff for embracing this event and making it so much fun. Now we are all brainstorming ideas for a community outreach activity where our staff could volunteer weekly for a few hours.

Do you have any suggestions for a volunteer program our staff could participate in? Do you have any teambuilding events that you recommend?

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

http://stafflink.ca/
http://www.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Diversity Works: Recruiting, Integrating and Hiring Persons with Disabilities

2011-02-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

This video is an extremely condensed 5:30 minute version of a workshop that Tim Collins and Donna Ha presented to CGI last month. They've delivered versions of this training to IBM, CIBC, Microsoft and many other clients. It contains the key messages and tips that might be useful to you if your company is interested in hiring, integrating and retaining persons with disabilities.

Stafflink is an IT staffing agency. So you might wonder where our interest in accessibility comes from. Like most people, we have close relationships with with people who have physical challenges but that's not what defines them because they are also exceptionally talented in their work. One of the biggest tragedies I've seen is when someone has excellent skills and loves to work, but their career is suddenly siderailed by an illness or an accident. One of the things I love most about Stafflink is that our owner, Tim Collins, has connected many people like this with jobs.

A few years ago we hired Donna Ha, a person who uses a wheelchair. Donna taught us all about accessibility and was our Diversity Hiring Coordinator for several years. She facilitated many job connections between our clients and qualified persons with disabilities.

Donna moved on to a new job and we love to keep in touch with her as her career develops. We were thrilled when Donna agreed to come back for an afternoon and help Tim Collins deliver this diversity training workshop to CGI.

Interview Tips for Jobs: Why Should We Hire You? The Great Answer

2011-02-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a video created by one of my LinkedIn buddies, Katherine Moody. Katherine is a Job Search Consultant and Recruiter. In this video she demonstrates how to ace a job interview by answering one question: "Why should we hire you?" Katherine offers a step-by-step plan to craft a succinct and memorable positioning statement that will make you stand out from other job candidates.

About the Author
Katherine Moody is a networking guru and job search coach. For more tips on navigating the hidden job market go to Katherine Moody's website HiddenJobMarketSecrets.com. Follow Katherine on Twitter @justathought99.

Further Reading:

Fastest Growing Web Company in History

2011-01-31T16:39:00.000-08:00

They have about 1000 employees in Chicago and they’re adding sales offices around the world. Their CEO was a music major who migrated to programming. They hired 50 writers from the Chicago improv scene to write catchy sales phrases. The CEO has an ice cream freezer in his office and all are welcome to it. They recently turned down an offer from Google to purchase their company for a reported 6B.

You guessed it. According to Forbes and Wall Street Journal, Groupon is the fastest growing company in Web history. After two years they have 500M in revenue and are expected to grow exponentially. Groupon was valued at 1.35B. The only other company that achieved a Billion dollar valuation as quickly was YouTube, who is still waiting to make a profit.

Groupon is doing everything that a dot com company is supposed to do -- huge sales, big profits and a solid connection between “bricks and mortar” retailers and online consumers. Getting people into stores from online coupons is the “the holy grail” that many others have tried to do and not succeeded. One of their most popular items so far: a $25 ticket for a Chicago architectural boat tour sold for $12. In May Groupon moved 19,822 tickets in eight hours and split the $238,000 with the tour operator. These guys make money.

Vendors generally share half the revenues with Groupon. Why are vendors willing to give such a huge cut to Groupon? For one thing, Groupon makes it so fast and easy for vendors to start using their service. But probably the biggest attraction is the chance for repeat customers. If you get people through your door and they like your product, then they will probably come back. My guess is that the Chicago boat tour did not expect to sell 20,000 tickets in eight hours (those are rock star numbers). This will keep them busy for quite a while.

Groupon is now in 88 US cities and 22 countries. As more and more mobile phones are purchased and upgraded they will continue to grow. Many competitors, like Living Social, have sprung up. Google’s bid to purchase Groupon was unsuccessful. I wonder if Groupon is available at any price. Chances are that they just are not for sale. According to Wired Magazine, Google has built their own Groupon clone called Google Offers. Facebook Places could definitely give Groupon a run for their money too.

Many are speculating that Groupon will go public in 2011. They are reportedly talking to banks. What would you be willing to pay for a piece of Groupon? Do you think they will hold their value in the face of the competition? My opinion is that they will go public in 2011. They will have a valuation of over 10B and they will be oversubscribed.

Related Articles:
Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North

Steve Story - Googler 13

7 Segment Changers and Predictions for Tech in 2011

Tim Collins

President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

What Would You Do To Get a Job?

2011-01-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

I just read Steve Schimmel’s story of going from handing out resumes on the street to becoming the 13th employee of Google. His story brings up so many questions about what it takes to forge a great career. Was it luck that propelled Schimmel to meet the right people? Or was it Schimmel’s persistence and creativity that propelled him to success?

Even from his humble beginnings, Schimmel graduated Magna Cum Laude and Dean’s List from university in Business. Armed with his degree, Schimmel set out to get his first job. After searching for over a year in San Francisco and not getting anything he started to get desperate.

One day he noticed a panhandler, and a person with a giant placard that said “REPENT” looked him straight in the eye. Something clicked. The next day he put on his best thrift store suit and took the 5am bus to the financial district in San Francisco. While wearing a sandwich board asking for help with his job search, he handed out resumes on the street. This was one of the most humbling moments of his life. He says his faith in people was renewed that day and, amazingly, this lead to him getting a job as an associate equity analyst.

Schimmel eventually left that job to run his own business but ran out of money. He found himself back on the job market. He started by calling CEO’s of the companies that were advertising jobs. He eventually connected with one CEO who was so impressed with his drive, that he referred him to a little startup called Netscape. When Netscape was purchased by AOL in 1999, Schimmel and many other employees moved on.

He took a job with a little search engine company that had just been founded by two Computer Science Ph.D. candidates at Stanford. Schimmel joined them as lucky employee 13. At the time they only had a few thousand searches performed each day, mostly by academics, and no revenues. But, as you already guessed, this little company grew into Google, the world leader in search technology which now brings in billions in revenue each quarter. Steve negotiated Google’s first 100k deal and their first 1M deal. He was on the original design team for Adwords.

In his own words, people gave him a “shot” and he was able to evolve from poor kid to successful businessman to retired by 32 years old.

Schimmel talks about doing things you can be proud of. I love the motto that he and his friends live by, “Don’t be evil.” He says, “It is a philosophy of doing what’s right and letting the money follow.”

One of the lessons that I learned from Schimmel’s story is that you must be persistent, creative and willing to take risks in your job search.

My personal motto is “what goes around comes around”. I believe that if you help others, you will be helped by either the people you help, people they know or internally by the satisfaction that you receive from helping somebody else.

Have you ever used an unconventional method to land a job? What is your personal motto? Share a story about how you made yourself standout?

Related Articles:

Steve Story - Googler 13

How to Sparkle in a Room Full of Diamonds
Build and e-Resume Portfolio Site with WordPress

10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer

The Hidden Job Market: How Tim Got In

Tim Collins

President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Our Top 10 Most Visited Blogs in 2010

2011-01-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011!

I thought it might be fun to look back at 2010 and find out which articles attacted the most visitors. I was a bit surprized to see the article that came out on top. But then I remembered that the articles published later in the year didn't have as much time to collect clicks.

Here's the list of top ten most visited articles on our blog in 2010:

Thanks so much for reading our articles!

Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.

http://stafflink.ca/
http://ww.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

7 Segment Changers and Predictions for Tech in 2011

2011-01-05T07:52:00.000-08:00

Hold onto your hats (or should I say wallets) because we’re in for some big changes in 2011. Here are seven up and coming technologies that recently caught my eye:

Mobile Wallets

Smartphones are going to begin a whole new market segment called Mobile Wallets. Will our cellphone become our new credit card? Recently Google bought mobile payment startup Zetawire. The NFC chip, which will allow for mobile payments, will start to be put into all mobile phones during 2011. The newest Nexus phones come with the NFC chip. According to TechCrunch, Apple was recently looking at purchasing BOKU, another mobile payments startup. But I believe the real revenues will come in 2012 in the Mobile Wallet world.

Square

http://www.squareup.com/ – The NFC chip is big, but I think that the most exciting development on the horizon for smartphone commerce is Square.

This product was created by Twitter co- founder Jack Dorsey. I believe that Square will revolutionize the way credit card payments are made. Square is a plastic attachment for cell phones (only iPhone and Android so far) that creates a sophisticated POS (point of sale) for all businesses.

Square will allow anyone to accept credit card payments without contracts or monthly fees. According to Square, this small device is free with a 15 cent/transaction fee. Here’s a video on how Square works - http://techcrunch.com/2009/12/01/jack-dorsey-square/.

Paypal Bump

Money will be transferred between phones by bumping two phones together. Here’s an entertaining video (good British humour behind a great app) that shows this Paypal Bump and the iPhone application in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9RNJ2yywuk

Quora

Quora – http://www.quora.com/ - is hot in Silicon Valley and I believe that 2011 will be the year it will make it big outside the “Valley.” The executive team that heads things up on the technology side all come from Facebook. They know more than a thing or two about social networking. Quora gives you the ability to follow topics and questions as well as people. It defines your profile by interests, not just by people you know. While Twitter and Facebook are also trying to create this interest graph, Quora is designed from the ground up for interest graphs. Check it out to be ahead of the social curve. Here’s a 60 second social media profile on Quora - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fa0klZu68U

IPO Comeback

During the last two years we haven’t seen many successful IPO’s. This will begin to change in 2011. Recently Telsa stock has been skyrocketing. Kayak and Skype have announced that they are going public. Companies such as LinkedIn, Zygna and Groupon have intentions to go public. Everybody is speculating whether Facebook will go public. They raised 500M on a 50B valuation so Facebook may be able to wait a while before they go public. Recently there has been a lot of money on the sidelines in the technology realm. Many technology companies are profitable before going public unlike the more reckless investment model that characterized the “dotcom bubble.”

Battle for TV

The way we watch TV will continue to change in 2011. Apple has launched AppleTV that streams movies amongst other things. But competitors such as Google and start-ups Boxee, Hulu and Roku are going to throw a few punches in the battle for your TV viewing. This battle will create a giant market for apps that could rival the billion dollar smartphone app market.

Tablet Market

In 2010 we saw the arrival of the iPad that has created a new technology segment called the tablet market. The iPad is awesome. I'm sure Apple has an even more awesome iPad 2 in store for us. Can Apple's competitors come up with a credible product to compete with the iPad in 2011? Will the new version of the iPad leave the competitors in the dust? One thing is for sure, we will see many new competitors in the tablet market from Google, Dell, Samsung, and RIM to name a few.

It is going to be a very exciting year! By the end of 2011, I believe that Square, Mobile Wallets, Quora, IPO’s and the battle for TV are going to change the way we think about our technology and business.

What are your predictions for 2011? Which technologies and companies are you watching?

Related Articles:
Steve, Mark and Jim: Who Made 2010's Nice List?
Welcome to Toronto Silicon Valley North
Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Steve, Mark and Jim: Who Made 2010’s Nice List

2010-12-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us and 2010 is wrapping up. As we look back on the year, it is evident that 2010 was a big year for technology. So who were the top contenders this year? Who managed to make techies “Nice List?”

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, took the tablet market by storm, introducing the ever so powerful iPad in January 2010 and landing it on everyone’s 2010 wish list. In just four months, the iPad achieved $ 1 billion in sales. Couple that with the iPhone 4 release, generating $ 3.25 billion in sales between April and June and I think it’s safe to say Jobs belongs on the list.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, reached 500 million active users on Facebook at the same time “The Social Network”, a story based on Zuckerberg’s success, took the box office by storm. In one month, users collectively spend over 700 billion minutes on Facebook, making the 2010 social networking market at the tips of Zuckerberg’s fingers.
Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM, introduced the ever so powerful Playbook in the later half 2010, setting its release for early 2011. Consumers are oozing with anticipation for an iPad rival and developers are working hard to create competing applications, kicking 2011 off with Playbook fever.
Andrew Mason, CEO of Groupon, an increasingly popular coupon/discount site, has generated immense success in a very limited amount of time. Groupon has added approximately 30 cities a month in 35 countries, accumulating over 40 million subscribers. In addition, Mason just turned down a $6 billion dollar offer from Google making him one of the most courageous business men of 2010.
Kunal Gupta, CEO of Polar Mobile, has become one of Toronto’s newest hometown heroes. His company has created a partnership with Microsoft to launch 500 applications for the Windows Phone 7 operating system through to 2011. Over 7 million people in more than 100 countries are using applications powered by Polar Mobile’s SMART platform, making Polar a leader in the industry.
Dennis Crowley, co-founder of Foursquare, a mobile service that encourages people to explore the cities in which they live, is somebody to watch out for in 2011. In 2005, Crowley had his first mobile social service acquired by Google. His new venture, Foursquare, has a team of 16 employees but has over 760,000 users checking in – making them a small but mighty force.

How can 2011 compete with a year where the iPad and Playbook became common words in our everyday conversations and Mark Zuckerberg became a global icon? Where do we go from here? Who else do you think belongs on 2010’s “Nice List?”? Better yet, who will make 2011’s “Nice List”? Let us know your thoughts! We here at Stafflink, hope you made the “nice list” this year and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Related Articles:
Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North
Top 10 IT Skills in Demand in 2010
The Job Market Longtail

Written by: Michelle De Rubeis, Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

Ho Ho TO!

2010-12-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! StaffLink is proud to be a sponsor of HoHoTO, a Toronto fundraising event for the Daily Food Bank. HoHoTO is about getting together to decrease poverty and hunger amongst the citizens of Toronto. Not to get all glum and earnest on you but HoHoTO is about helping feed people:

In Toronto, people just like you made more than a million visits to food banks last year.
Food bank use is growing – up 15% nationally in 2010 over 2009.
More than 34% of the people relying on food banks in the GTA are children
The median monthly household income in Toronto is only $1,000.

Hunger in the GTA is caused by a lack of money not a lack of food. And that’s why HoHoTO was created — to help the Daily Bread Food Bank with desperately needed funds.

The first HoHoTO event was created two years ago through Twitter where it was conceived, organized and sold out within nine days. HoHoTO has recognized by Queen Raina of Jordan and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone in this 48 second video:

To purchase tickets or make a donation go to http://www.hohoto.ca/. Tickets will sell out quickly!

Enjoy the holidays! I'll be smiling and enjoying time with family. I wish you and your families a restful and joyous holiday season.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

How to Handle Behavioural Interview Questions

2010-11-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

Have you recently shown up to an interview feeling fully prepared to prove that you would be the best person for the job?

You thought you had it all figured out and had come prepared to tell the interviewer why you would be a perfect fit for the position.

However, when you sat down and the interviewer started asking you questions about your past work-related behaviour, it threw you off your game. You were not prepared and could not remember examples of your behaviour in past jobs. Who knew that the way you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker on your IT team several years ago would be pertinent in obtaining a new position?

Behavioural interview questions have become widely popular with interviewers. This is when an interviewer asks you a question where you are required to describe a specific example of past work-related behaviour. This technique is so popular that today it is rare to go through an entire interview without being asked at least a few of these types of questions.

The reason is that employers believe past work-related behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour. If you could convince a team to work on a project they were less than thrilled about in your last job, then you could probably be a great Team Leader today.

Here are some tips on being successful at answering behavioural interview questions:

Show You Are Competent:
There are no right or wrong answers to behavioural interview questions, although there are definitely certain competencies and skills that employers are looking for when they are analyzing the behaviours you describe in your answers.

The best way to answer successfully is to think about what types of behaviours and competencies that the employer is looking for in the specific role and then come up with examples where you have demonstrated these in your past jobs.

Be Prepared:
Go through the job posting and do your research on the company. What does the company value? If the job posting is looking for someone with proven customer service skills, then come up with an example where you successfully dealt with a difficult customer in the past. If it says they value organizational skills, then they may ask you to talk about a time where you had a lot on your plate and had to prioritize.

If you take the time to think about the role, then it will not be too difficult to pinpoint some of the questions that may be

Stay On Topic and Answer the Question:
Get to the point. Have a game plan on how to answer behavioural questions in general. First, describe the situation, then how you reacted and why, and finally, describe the result, or what your actions accomplished. Do not go off on tangents or get off topic. Make sure you answer the question that is asked and try not to be too long winded when doing so.

Prove You Can Do the Job
Behavioural interview questions are a great way to prove that you are the right person for the job. They can be prepared for easily and allow you to demonstrate that you have the reactions and competencies necessary to be successful in a role. So be prepared and embrace your chance to be direct. Be ready to prove that you have previously used and demonstrated the skills that the job requires.

Although behavioural question can be difficult to answer on the spot when unprepared, they should be easy to predict, related to the job, and an advantage for someone who has the proper qualifications.

Written By Dan Leibner
email: daniel.leibner@gmail.com
http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/dan-leibner/21/a8/9b9

http://twitter.com/#!/DLeibner

Related Articles
How to Sparkle in a Room Full of Diamonds
What Should I Wear to an Interview for a Job?
10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada
How to Land a Job in 7 Seconds
What's Your Superpower?

10 Reasons I Jumped on the Wordpress Bandwagon

2010-11-19T10:31:00.000-08:00

I’m building a new Wordpress-powered version of Stafflink.ca. Our current site is okay, but Wordpress could bring us to a whole new level. Actually it’s become a bit of an obsession for me.

The seed was planted about a year ago when my colleague Ryan Ayres told me about Wordpress. I wasn’t ready to take the plunge at the time. But since then I've been building little Wordpress sandbox sites to play with and learn.

I’m not the only one jumping on the bandwagon. According to Wordpress stats, there are over 32 million WordPress publishers as of November 2010.

The magic of Wordpress is that it enables anyone to create a dynamic corporate website very quickly and fairly easily depending on how much customization you want.

Something for everyone. It’s not just a blogging platform. It’s a full-fledged content management system. It can be a do-it-yourself web development tool for non-designers and non-coders. Or you can extend Wordpress by building your own templates, plugins and widgets. In either case your site is powered by the amazing open source PHP and MySQL based Wordpress platform.

Top ten reasons I Love Wordpress

It’s revolutionary. With Wordpress anyone who knows a little HTML and CSS can put up a dynamic business website in a few weeks (except for me apparently :-).
Open source. Its continuously improving thanks to a huge community of developers lead by Wordpress founder Matt Mullenweg.
You’re in good company. NYTimes, Ebay, Yahoo, Ford, SmashingMag, Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, Sony, Samsung, Playstation and Wired all have Wordpress sites.
Easy to install. Wordpress.org is famous for the 5-minute installation. (It took me quite a bit longer the first time).
Community support. Numerous sites like WPBeginner.com , WPTavern.com and WPRecipe.com offer tutorials, tips and reviews.
Templates. Wordpress enables you to style your website automatically with a huge selection of free and premium design templates.
Plugins. Get a free plugin for almost anything: social media , backups, caching, security, mobile integration.
Widgets. Drag and drop elements to build your sidebars and footer.
Documentation. The Wordpress Codex is fully searchable and meticulously maintained by a dedicated development community.
It’s Free! Take advantage of all of this awesomeness for free. Really. I know. It seems too good to be true.

I am so excited to launch a Wordpress powered version of Stafflink.ca. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime if you have any Wordpress tips to share you’ve got my attention. I’ll be happy to try to answer your questions too!

Written by
Laura Upcott
Stafflink Solutions Ltd.
http://stafflink.ca/
http://www.myelbowspace.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

How to Sparkle in a Room Full of Diamonds

2010-11-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Phones are ringing, calendars’ are booked and recruiters are drinking more coffee -- it can only mean one thing… job openings! The good news? The job market is turning around. The bad news? The competition is fierce.

The amount of well qualified candidates looking for new opportunities is tremendous. So how do you stand out in a group of front runners? How do you make your mark? More specifically, how do you prove to prospective employers, that you are the one worth investing in? When the competition is close and many applicants fit the position, the best thing you can do is find a way to shine.

Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to stand outside an employer’s office with a stereo above your head singing a song to the hiring team. I am simply asking you to put in that extra effort.Not sure where to start? Not a problem. I’ve started a list of some creative ideas that will help you make your mark. Test a few out and see what you can add.

1) Watch Your Manners: Reaching out for a handshake, remembering names and saying thank you can go a long way. Manners not only demonstrate your professionalism but they make employers feel valued.

2) Find Shared Interests: Look around the employer’s office – what is hanging on the walls? You can tell a lot about a person’s interest by their office environment. If you see a fishing picture, strike up a conversation about your last fishing trip. Maybe everyone can do the job but not everyone can listen to someone talk about their eight hour fishing expedition.

3) Promote Yourself: If you look through your office, chances are you have a few promotional items from various companies. Why do they do this? So you remember them! Whether it is creating your own portfolio, blog/website or handing out a personal business card – find a way to promote your personal brand.

4) Snail Mail: In today’s fast-paced environment, an email may seem like the most appropriate form of communication to send a thank you letter. It’s fast, quick and convenient. However, if you want the job – convenience should not matter. Yes, it is true that most employers will want to receive a thank you letter within 48 hours of your interview. So why not express post a hand written thank you letter? Snail mail (that isn’t a bill) always catches my attention.

5) Sizzle in Style: One of our very own Stafflink employee’s used this trick. He wore a baby pink dress shirt to stand out among the sea of black suits. Whether it’s wearing your favourite red dress or sporting that bright bold tie, find something in your closet that helps give you that extra punch. Some people might be taken back if you show up in a bright orange suit, but a bright purple tie just might make you the perfect amount of memorable.

Not every idea will suit everyone. Pick something that feels comfortable and honest. The point is to find a way to show your personality, passion and drive to prospective employers. If you are truly passionate about a position, demonstrate that passion and there will be no stopping you. As a wise philosopher once said, “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius.

Do you have any tips for standing out in the crowd while you're searching for a job? Please share your strategies in the comments.

Related Articles:
What Should I Wear to an Interview for a Job?
10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada
Build an e-Resume Portfolio Site with WordPress
How to Land a Job in 7 Seconds
What's Your Superpower?

Written by: Michelle De Rubeis, Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

IT Resume Template: Optimize Your Resume for Job Boards and Recruiters

2010-11-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

I see hundreds of resumes a week so I really appreciate a well formatted resume that enables me to quickly skim to the information I need to know. Here’s an IT resume template that is optimized for job boards and looks good to recruiters too.

Keyword Resume Template

Tips to Balance Keywords with Readability

1. Highlight your accomplishments. These differentiate you from other candidates. It’s even more impressive when your tie your accomplishments in with your job experience.

2. Keyword dumps don't work. You may be tempted to try to trick the search engines into putting your resume at the top of the list by dumping a load of keywords on the first page. When I see a keyword dump and no real experience on the first page of a resume I assume that this person is not qualified.

3. Highlight specific capabilities within your description of each job in your Employment Experience section. Describe the technical skills, communication skills, organizational skills or management abilities you demonstrated in that role.

What did I miss? Please comment and share your resume writing tips.

Related Articles:

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Independent Contractors FAQ about Retirement Savings and RESP

2010-10-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

I’ve had quite a few questions lately about retirement and education savings. If you are a self-employed independent contractor – incorporated, sole proprietor or partnership – then saving for your retirement or your children’s education can be a little more complicated.

Many employers offer a Group Savings Plan to arrange for regular income deductions that are automatically contributed to a personal RRSP or RESP. Employer group savings plans are great if you're a permanent employee for a company that offers one. But what are your options for retirement and education savings if you work for yourself?

I’m not a financial planner myself so I put your questions to Michael Collins, a financial planner who manages the group plan for our internal staff and also my personal investments. Did you notice that we share a last name? Yes, we're related. Michael Collins just happens to be my Uncle Mike. Here are Mike’s answers to some frequently asked questions from independent contractors.

As an independent contractor (incorporated, sole proprietor or partnership) how do I save for my retirement?

Independent Contractors, if they have income through earnings (not dividends) are allowed 18% per year to a maximum of $22,000.00 they could put into an RRSP. If they are behind or starting in later years of life they might qualify for another method of deposits (Individual Pension Plan) where they could put in significantly more, but must meet certain criteria to qualify.
Are Group Plans available for independent contractors?

Your Financial Planner should have all the required documents to set one up and yes I do those also.
What is the maximum I can invest in RRSP/RESP?

18% on income can be put into RRSP to a maximum of $22,000.00 for this year.
RESP is $5000.00 per child annually but only $2,500.00 each get the 20% government grant added on.
Is there any carry over if I haven't invested in the last 5 years?

RRSP's – yes, the full qualifying amount of 18%/year of earnings (in any amounts desired) which are not used can be carried on to age 71. On an RESP you can catch up the full qualifying amount also but only by using two years in any one year.
What is the tax credit for RESPs?

There is no tax credit, but they do grow tax free.
Can I invest in an RESP for someone outside of my immediate family? A cousin, nephew or niece?

Yes but the parent must sign off on it so that there isn't a doubling up of credits or government grants.
How much would my child need to invest if they are going to university in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years?

There are tables available to help with this question, but assumptions have to be made on Interest Earned and the costs associated with which University they wish to attend or the type of program they are taking, whether 4 year Arts or a 7 Year Doctorate.

If you have more questions for Michael Collins here's how to contact him:

Micheal Collins
Dundee Wealth Management
2225 Kingsway Drive, Kitchener, N2C 1A2
519-579-5477 phone
519-744-5506 fax
Click this link to watch my video

Suggestions for Further Reading:

Check out Toronto Star’s new site www.moneyville.ca which includes this nifty Retirement Age Calculator
Freedom 45: The Math behind My Retirement Plan by Tim Stobbs for the Toronto Star, Monday, October 25, 2010

Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North

2010-10-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

A tech revolution is taking off right here right now in Toronto. What does that mean for you and me? It means exciting work opportunities and fierce competition for creative technical talent.

Why are companies such as EA, Apple, Microsoft, RIM, Disney, Facebook, Twitter and Google partnering with and buying Toronto tech companies?

Excellent People – Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook says it best, "We have not once bought a company for the company. We buy companies to get excellent people."
Great Schools – Toronto has access to a wealth of talent being produced in schools like Waterloo (Masters Program in Technology Entrepreneurship), University of Toronto, Sheridan College, Queens University, and many others which have world renowned Technology and Engineering programs.
Community – Toronto has a community of young tech entrepreneurs who are building word class companies and networking at camps, informal meetings and through social media sites like Sprouter.
Government Tax Credits – SR & ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development). “SHRED” gives millions in stimulus dollars to small and medium sized businesses. CEO of Polar Mobile, Kunal Gupta, says he “briefly looked at outsourcing to India or China but between the talent and the tax credits, we realized it was cheaper to do it in Toronto.”
Extreme Labs creates an environment for developers to build companies and follow their dreams. They run a very cool training program for young entrepreneurs who are given $5000 and during a 12 week session create products that are presented to a group of VC’s and investors (Dragon’s Den Style). The three companies that were successful last year raised 1.5M.
Funding – Money is becoming more available to entrepreneurs. Companies such as Tech Capital, RBC Ventures, Blackberry Partners Fund, Extreme Venture Partners and Growthworks are investing millions in technology startups.
New Devices – This tech trend has staying power. Smart phones are selling more rapidly than PC’s. Tablets will gain market share as the price point comes down over the next 6 months. Apps are driving sales of these devices.

Let’s look at some of the recent amazing success stories of Toronto companies:

Polar Mobile – 6 million downloads of their apps – Sports Illustrated, Time, Food Networks, CNN, CBS, NCAA Sports, and 500 new apps to come for Microsoft
Five Mobile – custom apps for Rogers, Disney and Sony Pictures – one of their apps for the The Score has over 6 million downloads
Rypple – just raised 7M – their software integrates smartphones and office email
Extreme Ventures – invested in 14 tech start ups – 250 staff – one of their companies BumpTop recently sold for a rumoured 35M to Google
Sysomos – allows corporate clients to analyze Twitter and Facebook conversations – sold last summer for 35M
Endloop – fantastic app called iMockups that gives developers a template for developing apps on an iPad – all object oriented

Toronto is an exciting place to be right now if you have an entrepreneurial spirit and you’re interested in app development. We are fortunate to have a number of these companies as our clients.

Action Points

Talk to us about the possibility of working for one of these companies. Email us at cooljobs@stafflink.ca.
Join the conversation and network with entrepreneurs. Join Sprouter, a Twitter-like community for startups and entrepreneurs, and answer the question “What are you working on?”
Read more about the tech revolution in this November 2010 Toronto Life Feature Article "Download My App" posted by Kunal Gupta of Polar Mobile:

Tech Kings - Toronto Life Article

Top 10 IT Skills in Demand in 2010
Canada's Summer Job Market is Sizzling
10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada
The Job Market Longtail

Written by Tim Collins Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

What Should I Wear to an Interview for a Job?

2010-10-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Your appearance, your smile and your handshake create that all important first impression. You know what they say--people form a lasting impression within 20 seconds of meeting you. I've also read that people know in the first 20 seconds whether they would be willing to hire you. The first impression has very little to do with your words and a great deal to do with your attitude, energy and appearance. Why not tip the scales in your favour with a great outfit.

I was struggling with what to blog about this week when I stumbled upon this awesome little video from Harry Rosen. Harry Rosen caters to men but I think the principles apply to everyone. Even if the office you are interviewing at has a business casual dress code you still need to take special care with choosing what to wear to the interview.

With few exceptions you should dress more formally for an interview than you would normally dress when you go to work. The care you take with your personal appearance implies respect for the employer and interest in the job.

But please don't feel like you have to run out to Harry Rosen and spend $1000 for a new suit! You can put together a great outfit for a much lower price if you shop around a bit. You might have to invest a few dollars in tailoring and dry cleaning to make the outfit look perfect, but it will be worth it.

So here's the video for what it's worth!

Related Posts:
Five Tips to Stay Motivated During the Job Search
How to Land a Job in 7 Seconds
The Hidden Job Market: How Tim Got In!
Interview Dos and Don'ts

Written by Laura Upcott
http://stafflink.ca/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Comparing Apples to Berries: 4 Reasons Why I Pick the PlayBook

2010-10-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

As a self-proclaimed “crackberry”, I was thrilled when Mike Lazaridis announced the arrival of the Blackberry PlayBook. As a Wilfrid Laurier Alumni, I have seen the excitement that RIM has brought to the town of Waterloo, Ontario and Canadian’s in general. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t spent a few afternoons playing with Apple’s “PhotoBooth” application or playing with my friend’s iPhones. However, I’ve spent more time napping with my Blackberry, admiring the flurry of RIM buildings on Columbia St, attending career fairs at RIM Park and BBMing my friends when I spot our local celebrities Mr. Balsillie or Mr. Lazaridis out for lunch.

So why would I rather purchase a PlayBook than an iPad?

1) Flash Flash Flash
Although Steve Jobs has made a gallant effort at eliminating Flash, I think it is here to stay. Flash is a wonderful tool and Blackberry embraces it. Virtual training, tours and demos are just some of the capabilities that Flash makes easier. In addition, Adobe has integrated Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR apps on the PlayBook. This creates a large opportunity for PlayBook application development – how exciting!

2) Video Conferencing
The corporate crowd will appreciate this functionality. With iPad’s lack of camera, the PlayBook takes the cake on this one, providing users with two cameras and an HDMI hook-up. Need I say more?

3) The Specs
Some would criticize the PlayBook for its size (7 inches compared to the iPad’s 9.3 inches). I think the smaller size provides a perfect balance of convenience and readability. Plus for a small package it sure has impressive hardware. The PlayBook sports a dual-core 1GHz processor (the iPad only has a single-core) and 1GB of RAM (double what the iPad packs).

4) Local Support
Why wouldn’t I support the products that my friends and family help produce? RIM employees are my hometown heroes. RIM has provided over 26,000 jobs to Waterloo residents. Many of my classmates specifically attended school in Waterloo in hopes to score a job with RIM. As a Canadian, I feel an obligation to cheer on the efforts of a company that has completely transformed a local economy.

Whether you want to attribute my love of RIM product’s to the years I’ve spent in Waterloo, the endless job opportunities they have provided my friends or the plain fact that they make a magnificent product – I am and will always be a fan of the “Berries”.

Related Articles:
Who Do You Love? Blackberry Torch or iPhone?
Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010
Love What You Do
Why Is It So Difficult to Unplug From the World

Written by: Michelle De Rubeis, Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

Sole Proprietor vs Incorporation for Independent Contractors

2010-09-30T05:37:00.000-07:00

As a self-employed independent contractor you're an entrepreneur and a risk taker. You control your destiny by developing your skills, producing exceptional work, expanding your networks and building a personal brand. If you add excellent communication skills to your repertoire then businesses will compete to hire you and you'll have more work than you can handle.That's why some people choose entrepreneurship, because they feel that the rewards outweigh the risks.

How do you know when it's time to get incorporated? Here are some points to consider as you weigh the pros and cons of incorportating your business:

1/ Cost
One of the biggest advantages of sole proprietorship is that setting up and administering the business is comparatively easy and inexpensive. It costs $1000 or more to incorporate your business depending on who you hire to assist you with the process.

2/ Liability
One of the main advantages of incorporation is limited liability. A sole proprietor assumes all of the liability for the company. As a sole proprietor your personal assets, such as your house and car can be seized. As a shareholder in a corporation, you are not responsible for the debts of the corporation unless you have given a personal guarantee.

3/ Corporations Carry On
Unlike a sole proprietorship a corporation has an unlimited life span. The corporation will continue to exist even if the shareholders die or leave the business.

4/ Tax Credits
Income tax rates are lower for Corporations than for personal income. Using tax planning, the tax burden can be reduced by earning income through a Corporation, due to the lower corporate tax rates.

5/ Income Control and Tax Deferral
If you are incorporated, you have options to determine when you personally receive income from your corporation. Being incorporated allows you to report your income at a time when you will pay less tax. You may be able to realize tax savings if you receive your income at a time when you are in a lower tax bracket or if taxes have fallen.

6/ Income Splitting
With a Corporation, there exists the opportunity to pay shareholders salary, dividends or a combination of the two. Your spouse and/or children could be shareholders in your corporation giving you the opportunity to redistribute corporate income to family members with the lower incomes taxed at a lower rate.

7/ Perception
Some people perceive corporations as being more stable. Having Ltd., Inc., or Corp. as part of the company’s name may help you attract business.

8/ Paperwork
Incorporation brings with it extra accounting and paperwork. Corporations must maintain minute books, corporate bylaws. Other required corporate documents are register of directors, the share register and the transfer register.

9/ Non-Calendar Year Ends
Corporations have the ability to choose their year end and not be restricted to a calendar year-end as with a Sole Proprietorship. This opens up the possibility of bonus deferrals. Choosing a year-end may be better for year-end paperwork filing should your business be busy at the end of the calendar year. By incorporating you can choose to have your year-end fall during a slow period.

Conclusion
I‘ve outlined some of the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation versus sole proprietorship but what’s the bottom line? Is getting incorporated worth it or not? I recommend that you discuss your personal situation with your accountant and lawyer before deciding.

Further Reading:
Business Registration in Ontario
How to Incorporate Your Business
10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada
3 Resume Publishing Tools to Pump Up Your Job Market Value

Written by: Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Diary of a Delusional Laptop Shopper

2010-09-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you get what you pay for. At least that was true for me when I bought some new laptops for our office last week. Maybe you fall into one of these categories:

Bargain Hunter: You want a decent system for a great price.
Power Ranger: You want the fastest, most kickass system money can buy.
Empowered Consumer: You want a quality system with excellent support.
Apple Devotee: You just march into the Apple store and pick the sexiest Mac your credit card can handle.
DIY Ninja: You build your own computers from scratch with components ordered online from a secret network of suppliers.

Me? I thought I was a power ranger but a recent mistake proves that I’m more of a delusional bargain hunter.

I've purchased many Dells over the past 15 years and until recently I was an enthusiastic cheerleader for Dell. Over all our Dell computers have been quality machines that lasted many years without issue. I've rarely needed to call for technical support. But with the last two Dell laptops I purchased I've noticed a change in the quality of their customer service. On two occassions an automated solution Dell offered us was buggy and usuable with our system. So I'm ready to take a chance with another brand. Here's my story:

It’s my lucky day. It’s back to school season, computers are on sale everywhere and I need to replace some old computers at the office. I'm in Staples shopping for a geometry kit when a shiny Acer laptop catches my eye. I check out the specs: 2.2 GHz Intel processor, 4 GB memory, video cam and OMG it's only $399! It's way more computer than the Pentium IV Dells I bought 5 years ago for less than half the price I paid then. What a steal!

A sales rep approaches me at that moment. He has me at "hello." But when he mentions that Staples services their computers on site I'm really sold. Two days later I proudly present new Acer laptops to our recruiters.

Red Flag 1: One of the Acer keyboards freezes. It seems to be a "one-off" so we reboot and carry on.

Red flag 2: The other Acer freezes three times in one day. I bring the repeat offender back to Staples. The rep who originally sold me is there. I'm in and out of the store within 15 minutes carrying an identical replacement Acer. Problem solved, or so I thought.

Red Flag 3: I read Joe Stoll's blog “How a $400 PC from Future Shop for Your Business Can End Up Costing You Double.” Uh-oh.

On the weekend I notice that The Shopping Channel is offering special build of Dell Inspiron Laptops for $699. I’m mesmerized by the rainbow of glossy colours they come in. So tempting. But I decide to wait and see what happens with the Acers.

On Tuesday the replacement Acer freezes several times. Maybe I should buy those Dells from The Shopping Channel after all? My staff selects colours-I'm a bit iffy about the purple. A voice of wisdom (Tim Collins) warns me not to buy the Dells until after I return the Acers to Staples.

When I march those defective Acers back into Staples that evening, Todd Roberts, a divisional sales manager, is there to help out. He takes the Acers back without batting an eye. Then he refers me to his #1 sales guy who up-sells me (of course). You get what you pay for right?

I’m an easy mark but it feels like a win-win. After experiencing Staples' excellent customer service with the defective Acers, and knowing that they do most of their repairs onsite, I feel okay about buying HP Pavillion DV6's for $699. I’m impressed with the technology team at Staples (Dundas and Winston Churchill, Oakville). Even when they made mistakes they took responsibility for fixing them. Time will tell but so far it looks like my story has a happy ending.

This morning Todd drove all the way from Staples Oakville to our office in downtown Toronto and personally delivered two gorgeous new HP laptops to our office. So far so good. Our recruiters love their new HPs.

What’s next if my rosy relationship with Staples and HP changes for the worse? I might be forced to become a DIY Ninja and build my own computers from scratch. How hard can it be?...ya right =)

Related Post: Got any old computers lying around?

Written by Laura Upcott
http://stafflink.ca/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

7 Ways Technical Tests Sabotage the Hiring Process

2010-09-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

Do technical tests actually weed out the best candidates? Poorly designed tests can alienate candidates and cause you to reject the candidates with the greatest potential. My purpose here is to examine the common pitfalls of technical testing that may be sabotaging your hiring process.

As an IT recruiter you can't be an expert in every technology out there. How do you ensure that IT candidates really understand the technology and have what it takes to do the job? Technical skills testing, right?

Believe me, I wish it was that easy. Unfortunately technical testing for job screening is not as objective and accurate as it appears. Here are seven things to keep in mind when you use technical testing for job screening:

1) Test results don't reflect what it really takes to be successful on the job. Consider the intangible qualities that your most valuable technical employees bring. Are you looking for someone to help your team develop an innovative technical solution? Creativity, team-work, analysis and synthesis of existing solutions, out-of-the-box thinking, and dogged determination may be essential job requirements that won't be reflected in the test results.

2) Technical tests reinforce out-dated stereotypes. We all know the myth that technical people (techies, geeks, gurus) have brains that work like computers. Computers follow rules. Programmers, developers, analysts and architects figure out how to hack, collaborate, stretch and extend the rules to create new solutions. Programming is a literacy skill and an art. It takes both sides of the brain to do it well. The most in-demand technical gurus I meet are generous and driven creative problem solvers with extensive communities of peers in their field. I've yet to see a test that evaluates how a coder utilzes both sides of her brain to create new applications or extend a platform in new directions.

3) Badly worded questions. Some tests have ambiguous questions with multiple correct answers. But the anwser key only accepts one particular response. Sometimes the test taker knows more about the technology than the test writer/marker. The test taker might propose an alternative solution that the marker doesn't understand so it's marked wrong.

4) The test is out-dated. The test may not be up-to-date with the current state of the technology. Responses that were valid when the test was written a year ago may be incorrect now. A typical example of this is when a tester asks a job applicant to debug a piece of programming. A variety of solutions are possible but only one is known to the tester. So when the test taker proposes a solution that is up-to-date with current best practices his response is marked incorrect.

5) Irrelevant questions. Some tests ask people to define obsure technical terms. If you need to know the definition of a term while you're on the job, you'll just go to the knowledge base and look it up. When people develop technical solutions on the job they usually have free reign to reference any resource they need. People don't memorize manuals. Why bother when it changes every time the technology get updated?

6) The test taker might not take the test seriously. Imagine this: You're an in-demand developer who's spent years building a career in your field. You're at the tailend of a contract project you've been with for about 6 months. It's 9:40 am and you've just finished an interview for a job you don't really need. The interviewer asks you to take a technical test. Sure, no problem, but they're waiting for you back at your current project. So you flip the test off as quickly as possible and high-tail it out of there.

7) Test-taking anxiety. Before I ventured into IT staffing I was a teacher so I've seen the effects of test anxiety first hand. Many people freeze in test situations yet they are very capable of performing in normal working conditions. These people will seldom ask for accommodations but they may have excellent experience and qualifications for your role.

How do you determine when technical testing is appropriate? Consider these questions: Does this job require someone who can develop a new solution or push out the boundaries of an existing solution? Then you might want to put more emphasis on the candidate's reputation, references and experience (portfolio) when evaluating them for the job.

Does the test reflect the way people really work? Is the test up-to-date? Does the test allow for multiple solutions? Do you have a technical person who can back up the test results with a face-to-face technical interview?

I'd love to hear about your experiences with technical testing.

If you liked this article you might also be interested in reading:
Technical Interviews: A Survival Guide for Recruiters

Posted By Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

What Motivates You at Work?

2010-09-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

Does motivation come from within or can it be created with external incentives like money, recognition and career advancement? It's a key question for employers and employees. Motivated employees are happy employees which is good for business. So it's in everyone's best interest to create a work environment that motivates people to give their best.

Money is a big motivator for many people. But if you're living comfortably and can afford a few extras like beer or Callaway Woods, money loses some of it's pull. I'm motivated by money too, but I'm also motivated by helping people. That's why I write these blogs. It's the reason I enjoy staffing. I truly enjoy connecting employers with talented people who want to work for them.

Every person I place in a new job has the best intentions to make a valuable contribution. It's that adorable honeymoon stage. Everyone involved catches the fever and works a little harder. But how do you keep that energy and motivation going? Soon or later reality sets in. Maybe personalities conflict or the job becomes routine.

Does it have to be that way? I've noticed that some people maintain enthusiasm for their job long after that first blush of excitement. What does it take to motivate you to keep giving your best even after the reality of the job sets in?

Performance-based bonuses?
Flexible work hours?
Opportunity for career advancement or promotion?
Working with and for people you trust and respect?
Opportunity to learn on the job, training and skill development?
Opportunity to help others?
All of the above?

Did I miss something? If I was your employer, what could I do to help you stay motivated and committed to doing a great job?

Please share your ideas in the comments, or take a minute to respond to my poll at http://www.stafflink.ca/#pd_a_3752594.

Thanks!

Related Articles:
Love What You Do
Balance Thursdays - Does Less Stress Equal More Productivity?
What's Your Superpower?
It's Time to Spring Forward
The Future's So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades

Posted By Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada

2010-09-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

Newcomers to Canada frequently ask me how to get a job in their field. I wish I had a magic formula. You found your way to Canada. I'm sure it wasn't easy. You bring with you a treasure trove of knowledge, experience and potential. You also bring a determination to make a contribution and a fresh perspective that our economy needs.

I've seen countless people succeed in the same situation that you find yourself in now. So it is with sincere admiration that I offer these suggestions. I trust that you will find your way to the work experience you are seeking. And in the process you will enrich your community.

I talk to many newcomers who are established as highly-demanded professionals in their field. Usually I'm trying to recruit them for a job. At least 70% of our placements are people who've immigrated to Canada. How did they do it? Luck? Connections? A well written resume? Here are a few ideas you could consider in your quest to jump start the next leg of your career.

Reach out to people you know who've come to Canada and landed in good jobs. Ask them how the did it.
Informational interviews. Arrange to meet with people who are currently working in your field, not to ask for a job, but to ask for advice on how to break into the marketplace.
Participate in blogs and usergroups in your field. Make comments. Answer questions. Provide technical advice. Seek out opportunities to demonstrate your expertise and help others.
Mine LinkedIn. Complete your LinkedIn profile including a friendly photo. Network to find others on LinkedIn that you might know through a friend. Link to your personal blog/website or portfolio from your profile. Join special interest groups that are related to you field. Participate actively by starting discussions and commenting on other people's discussions. Promote others.
Participate in professional networking events like camps and meetups to get to know people working in your field.
Offer a free trial run of your services (aka volunteer work or and an internship) to entice people to give you a chance. This creates a Canadian reference for your resume. You don't need to mention on your resume that it was volunteer work.
Create a personal website to market your services. Use it as a platform to showcase your expertise and find work. Tell your story of coming to Canada - people love stories and they might be inspired to help you. Include a "Hire Me" or "Work with Me" link to tell people how to hire you. Add a jazzed up version of your resume or portfolio.
Blog about topics of interest to potential employers/clients and people in your field. Publish your articles on your personal website and broadcast links to your blogs on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and and special interest groups where people with your skillset (including potential employers) hangout.
Communication skills. It's the one requirement you see on nearly every job description. If you find that people have difficulty understanding you in conversation, check out LearnSpeakLive.ca for information about free language instruction program in the Greater Toronto Area.
Be Persistent. Creating a personal brand is hard work. As you implement the above strategies you'll be "self-employed". That entrepreneurial spirit is popular with employers these days - especially startups and technology firms. Eventually you'll connect with an employer who will be delighted to hire you.

Please share your tips for getting established in a new job market. Did I miss anything? What works for you?

See also

Posted By Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

3 Resume Publishing Tools to Pump Up Your Job Market Value

2010-08-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

We avoid printing paper resumes. It's not only about saving trees. An online resume or portfolio is so much more engaging and revealing. It's searchable, it doesn't pile up on your desk and it's easy to share. Plus, a well-designed online CV or portfolio gives us a window into your work ethic, professionalism and abilities. It's like staging a house before you put it on the market. If it's done well it increases your market value and creates demand for your work. The potential employer will be excited to meet you.

You can make your professional profile sing - literally. Show off your technical skills and work experience with photos, video and slide shows. Showcase projects you've been involved with. Best of all, you can share your resume/portfolio through email, job boards and social networks like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Here are three tools that might help you land that next job or contract:

My Resume by Elegant Themes

Nick Roach's designs are polished and elegant. He offers a cost-effective shortcut to a professionally designed personal website or online portfolio. Set up can be time consuming but it's worth it because you get access to the endless possibilities of the Wordpress platform with Nick Roach's beautiful designs. I'm amazed a the value you get for a yearly fee of $39 - a catalog of premium designs including several portfolio designs plus an online business card template. Potential employers will be impressed. http://www.elegantthemes.com/gallery/myresume/

Cons: Set up may be time consuming depending on your level of technical skills.

Difficulty: ElegantThemes works on top of Wordpress - a free, open source publishing platform available at Wordpress.org. You need to register a domain name, sign up with a web host and install Wordpress to take advantage of the ElegantThemes designs. Basic web development skills (HTML, CSS, FTP, image editing) make set up easier. FAQs and an active members forum are available if you need help.

JobSpice Resume Builder

Easy to use, cost-effective and fast to set up. Over 30 professionally-designed styles are available to format your resume. Recommended by PCWorld, Fast Company and Mashable. Basic access is free. For $20/year you can export your resume to PDF, publish it at your own personal URL and add privacy controls. http://www.jobspice.com/

Cons: You can't include images, slide shows, video or hyperlinks so the end result looks like a nicely formatted traditional paper resume.

Difficulty: Easy - if you can use a word processing program you'll be fine.

VisualCV Online Multimedia Resume

Enables you to set up an Internet-based multimedia resume including work samples, charts, video and images. Your VisualCV will have a unique website address. It's free to set up a basic VisualCV. For $59.95 you can customize the URL and create multiple CVs plus some other features. http://www.visualcv.com/

Cons: The formatting is a bit cookie-cutter but it's customizable and the final result is impressive.

Difficulty: To quote VisualCV: "Rest assured that you don't have to be a Web guru to create and share your own VisualCV. In fact, the VisualCV editor makes it a snap to tweak text, add multimedia elements, and rearrange pieces of your VisualCV. And sharing your VisualCV is as easy as clicking a link and telling us who you want to share with."

Bottom Line

I'm a Wordpress fanatic so ElegantThemes.com is my favourite option. But ElegantThemes involves a steep learning curve unless you have web development experience. VisualCV is a great option if you want to rock your resume with multimedia elements but you're not ready to set up a Wordpress site. JobSpice is good choice if you want to get your resume up in a hurry and you don't need all the multimedia bell and whistles. A JobSpice Resume might be a good interim solution while you set up a fancier site.

Please let me know if you have another online resume publishing solution to recommend, or if you have experience with any of the options I mentioned.

Stayed tuned...a tutorial to help you get started with the ElegantThemes "My Resume" option is in the works!

Written by Laura Upcott
http://stafflink.ca/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Suggestions fo Further Reading
Build an e-Resume Portfolio Site with WordPress
IT Resume Template: Optimize Your Resume for Job Boards and Recruiters
Your Resume Isn't Only About You, It's About the Reader Too
Resume Tips From A Guy Who's Placed 1000 People
Kawasaki's “1 Page Resume” Rule Revisited

Got Any Old Computers Lying Around?

2010-08-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

We recently discovered eight old PCs lying around collecting dust in our server room. We couldn't throw them to the curb. What to do? As usual our neighbour Richard from eSubnet knew the answer. He takes his old computers and printers to reBoot Canada for recycling.

reBOOT Canada is a national charity which accepts donations of computer equipment. After refurbishing the equipment as much as possible, reBoot distributes it to non-profit organizations and individuals with limited access to technology. reBoot also provides training and technical services to their clients.

When I called reBoot to find out if they would accept our old computers I was surprised (shocked actually) to learn that they a charge a handling fee to take back the equipment. Wasn't I doing them a HUGE favour just by driving across the city and delivering our precious old computers in support of their lucrative recycling business? Actually, no. The patient woman who took my call helped me to see the error in my reasoning. The truth is that reBoot is doing me a HUGE favour by keeping those poison monitors out of landfill where they leach toxic materials into the soil and groundwater. Also, reBoot is providing access to jobs, technology and training for people who need it but can't afford it. My shock suddenly transformed into gratitude.

How much does it cost to drop off your equipment at reBoot? (reBoot has a pick up program too.)

$5 - computers, printers, scanners, fax machines & all-in-ones
$10 - servers / $15 - cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors
$30 - TVs, large printers & copiers

I paid reBoot $160 to recycle our old PCs. But that's a bargain considering everything reBoot is giving back to me and my community. And reBoot will send you a tax receipt for your donation. That's more than a fair exchange IMHO.

Before you donate those relics it's a good idea to erase your data from your equipment. Just deleting the data is not enough. Make sure to erase your hard drive so your info is really deleted. You can find a free program to do that at http://www.heidi.ie/.

For more information:
reBoot Canada: http://www.rebootcanada.ca/
How to Dispose of your old PC

Written by Laura Upcott
http://stafflink.ca/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

Who do you love? Blackberry Torch or iPhone

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Blackberry with it's fast and easy push email stole my heart about 10 years ago. I've been faithful ever since. But I have to admit that the iPhone with its good looks and two hundred thousand apps has caught my eye. Is the Blackberry Torch sexy enough enough to keep me from straying?

I recently watched April Dunford debating the merits of the Blackberry vs. the iPhone on CBC's the National. The Blackberry is technologically far superior to the iPhone according to Dunford but (and this is a big "but" :) it lacks the "cool" factor. The Blackberry's key advantages according Dunford are:

Qwerty key board makes email easy - she types 30-40 emails on a 35 minute subway ride
Real time communications with great instant messaging (BBM)
Durability - her Blackberry has survived many tumbles

Dunford adds that the vast majority of the applications on the iPhone are a bit silly. She has all the business applications she needs on the Blackberry. I agree with all of these points and would like to add that my Blackberry never drops calls.

No doubt you can do way more cool things on the iPhone if you're into music apps. The iPhone has a higher resolution screen (but not as a high as the resolution on the Motorola Android Milestone phone my wife sports), a more user-friendly operating system (although the Torch will change that), and a better camera (for now). Clearly it will impress your friends when you arrive at the party with an iPhone in hand (if your friends are designers and musicians ;). But for business communications I still think the Blackberry is untouchable.

The Torch's Blackberry 6 web browser with WebKit rendering finally makes browsing the web on a BlackBerry an enjoyable experience according to a Crackberry.com review. While the new browser is far superior to the version on previous Bla A faster processor is planned for future versions. So the Torch promises to provide the best of both worlds - a great business communication device combined with fast internet browsing.

Bottom Line: While the iPhone has revolutionized the way we use smart phones, the Torch is still the better choice for business communications. The Blackberry is more of a person to person device that excels in communications such as voice, email, text, BBM, Twitter, and IM. The Torch is pretty cool with it's awesome slide out keyboard, killer email, touchscreen, upgraded camera and the highly anticipated Blackberry 6 Operating System. But the iPhone sexier, offers slightly better internet browsing and a better camera.

It all comes down to your priorities. Do you want the coolest phone or the best phone for business communications? I agree with http://www.crackberry.com/, the Torch puts RIM back in the game for smart phones. I'm still a Blackberry lover but I've got my eye the iPhone and Motorola's Android phones are pretty awesome too.

What do you think? Should I stick with Blackberry or is it time to switch?

April Dunford debating the merits of the Blackberry vs. the iPhone:

Posted By Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

It's Official - Stafflink Has a New Address

2010-08-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today we take possession of our new space at 20 Bay Street. This is Sunday of the August long weekend so we won't actually start working there until Tuesday. But we've moved our stuff and turned in our keys so there's no turning back.

Naturally we'll miss some of our favourite things about the old office. We'll miss our next-door neighbour Richard from eSubnet who saved our butt when he patched us through to his Internet connection when Bell was down. We'll miss the fresh veggies from the St. Lawrence Market which used to be just across the street from us. But we outgrew our space at 120 Front. Its time to move forward for many little reasons and three big reasons: design, reception and location.

The Rostie Group, our new landlord, owns the 11th Floor of WaterPark Place where our new space is located. We'll have access to a beautiful shared reception area with a full-time receptionist to greet our guests. Anyone's who's interviewed with us at 120 Front knows that this is a big improvement. And imagine, a real human will answer our calls, at least during office hours. Wow!

The location is more convenient too. It's less than a 5 minute walk from Union Station. Plus we have a better view. Our new office overlooks the Air Canada Centre and you can see Lake Ontario from the reception area.

I appreciate the much needed break we're getting this August long weekend but still I can't wait to walk into our new office on Tuesday morning and say 'hi' to the receptionist. Who will be the first candidate to meet us for an interview in our new space? Maybe we'll share a glass of champagne with you (alcohol-free of course).

Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

New Logo, New Office Space...What's Next?

2010-07-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Stafflink has a new logo! We're moving to a new office space on August 1st. It just seemed like the right time to update our logo.

After 8 years at 120 Front Street we're emerging from the recession stronger and more motivated than ever. We're moving to 20 Bay Street (same phone numbers). We love the new location - a three minute walk from Union Station and across the street from Captain John in the Queens Quay.

Naturally a new address means new business cards. We hired Dave Collins who exceeded our expectations in every way. He took our tag line - We link people with opportunities - and created an iconic image with layers of meaning. At first I thought it looked a bit like a chain link. Then I noticed two people meeting, maybe at an interview. Very clever Dave. Thanks!

New logo, new office space, what's next? I think the time has come to redesign our website. I'm planning to merge our website at http://www.stafflink.ca/ with our blog stafflink.blogspot.com and move the whole thing to Wordpress. Another big move. But change is good.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” - Albert Einstein

Dave Collins designs more than business cards and logos. Here's a 2 minute video showcasing his work. You can find him at DaveCollinsDesign.com.

2010 Reel from Dave Collins on Vimeo.

Canada’s Summer Job Market is Sizzling

2010-07-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

The technology job market is hot this summer. Check out this recent headline in the Huffington Post: Need A Job? Try Canada, Where Hiring Is Booming And Home Prices Are Rising. The article mentions that with a population that’s one tenth the size of the US, Canada created 10,000 more jobs than the USA last month.

Summer is typically a slow time in the job market. Not this year. The Canadian economy created 93,000 jobs in June according to Statistics Canada. The new jobs are primarily in Ontario and Quebec. In June Ontario added 60,000 new jobs and Quebec added 30,000 new jobs

We focus primarily on IT job placements at Stafflink. The majority of new hires we were involved with in June and July came from financial services (primarily banks and insurance companies), software and mobile companies. For hard-to-find skill sets like J2ME, Derivatives or Android our candidates have been receiving multiple job offers. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve seen this level of competition for candidates.

The new jobs Stafflink has been working to fill are evenly split between permanent-fulltime and contract. Compare that to 12 months ago when 90% of the job orders we received were for short term contract opportunities.

I believe that this strong job market will continue. Why? How can we ensure our continued success?

Innovation. Our clients are developing new products and product lines with innovative research and development that is helping to drive the increase in new jobs, mostly in the technology sector.
Stable banks create a secure environment for new business development and growth.
Education. Schools need to offer the courses people need to develop the skills that the current economy demands.
Diverse workforce. Multiculturalism is our strength. Employers who value qualifications from other countries gain access to a larger talent pool. Having people with diverse backgrounds at the table brings more creativity and innovation.

Go Canada! Canada is poised for continued success and strong job creation because of our diverse, well-educated and innovative people.

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/09/need-a-job-try-canada-whe_n_640555.html
http://www.thestar.com/business/markets/article/834018--tsx-closes-up-on-jobs-data

Related Articles:

Top 10 IT Skill Sets in Demand in 2010
The Future's So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades

Its Time to Spring Forward

The Job Market Longtail

Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Why is it so difficult to unplug from the world?

2010-07-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Funny enough I sleep with my Blackberry on my pillow beside my head. Constantly bombarded by media and current events. Why do I do this? Is it the need to be “just in time” or do I truly enjoy being plugged into the rest of the world?

Recently I took a trip to Jamaica for my honey moon. I made a deal with my wife that I was only allowed to check my BB at night. The first few days I went through withdrawal. It was odd not carrying the extra weight on my hip and not constantly checking emails. I was forced to interact with the rest on the world face to face. I could not pull my BB out to check emails while waiting for lunch or in an elevator or any instance where I was not stimulated for 30 sec.

Don`t get me wrong. I truly value and love my BB and the ease and profitability it has brought me over the years....I guess my challenge is that I feel so dependant on a device that it supersedes being a convenience and a business tool and becomes a necessity/dependency. I don`t know how many times my friends have told me I would die without my BB or iPhone! What did people do before smart phones!?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that technology is a fantastic and wonderful thing that makes our lives easier and more convenient. But there has to be a balance. You need to unplug your brain from the barrage of media and social networking. Every once and a while we should leave our Palms, iPhones and Blackberrys in the safe in our hotel room, lay on a beach and watch the sunrise.

Ryan Ayres, Technical Recruiter

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

ryan@stafflink.ca

www.linkedin.com/in/ryandayres

Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

2010-07-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

The technology job market is indeed recovering. I'm happy to report that many of the companies that reduced their staff over the past 18 months are now hiring. In the last quarter we've seen a significant increase in job orders. Why? I see two major factors: the stability of Canadian banks and the rise of the mobile industry. The trend during the recession was to cut new development and merely maintain systems. But we're seeing a turn around. Opportunities with mCommerce and the mobile industry are driving new product development. This drives the demand for people with the skills to push the new technologies forward. Here are the top 10 skills we're recruiting for today:

J2ME - Mobile Developers with Java API's - Many Blackberry apps are written with J2ME. Demand for this skill set is stronger than supply. Schools are only beginning to offer it in their curriculum.
Android Developers - The Google muscle along with the rapid rise of the Adroid phone market share is creating a strong demand for Android developers.
C# programmer analysts - Many companies are adopting complete Microsoft solutions with the Visual Studio of products. This is due to the strength of Microsoft's sales team and a lower price point than most competitors.
Objective C programming language used for iPhones and iPads. Many people are developing iPhone apps in their basement but our clients want people who've developed large scale apps for major corporations.
Data Warehouse Specialists - Demand for this skill is increasing as companies learn that they can cross correlate data about customers. That's why all the stores want to put you in their database.
COBIT - security specialists
QA Testers with QTP and LoadRunner
Mobile Business Analysts
J2EE/Weblogic specialists
Project Manager/Project Coordinators

Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

More Sourcing Secrets: 3 Tips to Get More Out of Your LinkedIn SITE Searches

2010-06-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

In my last post, Sourcing Secrets: Getting the Goods out of Google with “SITE” Search, I showed how to use "SITE" searches with LinkedIn.
Now I’d like to share three very valuable Google search strings that can help you get more out your LinkedIn searches. These tips will help you expand your network and even reveal private profiles.

Tip One: Use - (minus sign) to Eliminate Unwanted Results
The - (minus sign) character acts as the command "not" which helps to focus your search results. For example, you can use the - symbol to identify specific keywords you do not want to see in the results. Perhaps you’re looking for a mid level manager but you don’t want to see senior level individuals. You could add the syntax -director to help eliminate individuals at the Director level. Also, when searching LinkedIn with Google be sure to add the syntax -inurl:dir and -inurl:directory to your searches. This eliminates directory pages from your search results. Directory pages are essentially lists of links and provide no valuable information.

Tip Two: Search Outside of Your Expanded LinkedIn Network
If you conduct an advanced search on LinkedIn and discover a candidate with a private profile, note the revealed information. Generally, they will reveal the company the individual works for and their title. Use this information to conduct a LinkedIn SITE search on Google. For example, if you come across a profile that shows the individual worked at "Company ABC" and they were a "Business Analyst", go to Google and type in the syntax site:linkedin.com "Company ABC" "Business Analyst". The search results will reveal people with public profiles on LinkedIn who have worked at "Company ABC" and were a "Business Analyst". With a little luck, you just might discover the name of the individual you are hoping to contact.

Tip Three: Join groups!
Joining groups on LinkedIn will help expand your network and give you access to valuable candidates. However, as most recruiters are aware, some groups are closed or have criteria based membership. Conducting a group search on Google can help you gain access to candidates in these exclusive groups. To reveal candidates with public profiles who are members of a group use the syntax site:linkedin.com (inurl:in OR inurl:pub) followed by the group you would like to find. For example: site:linkedin.com (inurl:in OR inurl:pub) “HRPA”.

Related Post: Sourcing Secrets: Getting the Goods out of Google with “SITE” Search

By: Michelle De Rubeis, Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

...

Sourcing Secrets: Getting the Goods out of Google with “SITE” Search

2010-06-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Most recruiters spend endless amounts of time with various search engines seeking out the perfect candidate for a specific role. Learning creative ways to find those “hidden candidates” can be very useful, especially for those hard to fill roles.

Today I was lucky enough to participate in Bill Radin’s webinar “Google Search Strings for Social Networks” led by Mark E. Berger. During this session, I learned the value of conducting “SITE” search techniques on Google, specifically for social network websites such as LinkedIn and Twitter.

What is a “SITE” search? Simply put, it is a Google search which allows you to search inside one website at a time.

How to conduct a "SITE" search?
To conduct your own “SITE” search, simply go to http://www.google.com/ and type in the syntax site: followed by the site you want to search. For example, site:linkedin.com. Once you have written this syntax you can add other specific keywords and criteria you are looking for such as site:linkedin.com “quality analyst” “greater Toronto”.

What are the benefits of a "SITE" search? You can reveal candidates that may not be accessible directly through the site’s built in search features. If you are to conduct a search on LinkedIn through the advanced search option, you are limited to profiles in your expanded network. By conducting “SITE” searches on LinkedIn through the Google search engine, you have access to all public LinkedIn profiles. Most people have public profiles therefore SITE searches on Google can substantially increase the amount of candidates you have access to, especially as a free member.

See Also: More Sourcing Secrets: 3 Tips to Get More Out of Your LinkedIn Site Searches

By: Michelle De Rubeis, Technical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions Ltd.
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis

...

Balance Thursdays: Does Less Stress Equal More Productivity?

2010-06-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

Work/life balance. We all want it but how do we acheive it? Let me tell you about a little experiment we're trying in our office this month called Balance Thursdays.

I've been commuting to Toronto from Mississauga for longer than I care to mention. On a good day I can make the commute in 25 minutes. But the good days only happen about once a month. Normally the commute takes two to three times that long. And its not just me. Several people on my team have even worse commutes. Sound familiar? Something's gotta give.

I decided to try a little experiment to lighten the load. It started with an email:

Hi Team, We're going to implement a trial flextime day on Thursdays for the next few weeks. After a month we'll meet to evaluate how it's working. The goal is to free us up from the commute for one day a week. We'll communicate via IM, telephone and email as usual but we can choose to work remotely. This will create a little more time for work-life balance. You're an excellent team. I know you'll thrive in whatever environment you work from. Keep up the great work!

How's it working out so far? It's a smashing success! So far anyways. We acheived more placements this month than we've ever acheived in a one-month period in the eight year history of our company. I'm sure that our flexday experiment is not the only reason we just had our best month ever. But the flexday hasn't hurt our productivity. I've noticed a big improvement in team morale. Having a flexday near the end of the week creates some breathing space while we still remain fully engaged in our work (ideally). Does this make us more successful? Maybe. At least it puts me in better mood.

Am I writing this blog wearing Florida Gator boxers and a full-on beard? I'll never tell.

What are your work-life balance secrets? Do you think our experiment will work over the longterm?

Tim Collins, President and Founder,
Stafflink Solutions Ltd

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

To Incorporate or Not to Incorporate, That Is the Question

2010-06-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

As an independent contractor is it worth the $1000 or more that it costs to incorporate your business? To help you decide here's a comparison of the two most common types of businesses adopted by our contractors: Sole Proprietorship and Incorporation. Before you make your final decision about getting incorporated it's very important to discuss your options with an accountant.

Tip: You can change the legal structure of your business as it grows. Many small businesses start out as a sole proprietors or partnerships and become incorporated as the business grows.

1/ Liability
One of the main advantages of incorporation is limited liability. A sole proprietor assumes all of the liability for the company. As a sole proprietor your personal assets such as your house and car can be seized. As a shareholder in a corporation, you are not responsible for the debts of the corporation unless you have given a personal guarantee.

2/ Corporations Carry On
Unlike a sole proprietorship a corporation has an unlimited life span. The corporation will continue to exist even if the shareholders die or leave the business.

3/ Tax Credits
Income tax rates are lower for Corporations than for personal income. Using tax planning, the tax burden can be reduced by earning income through a Corporation, due to the lower corporate tax rates.

4/ Income Control and Tax Deferral
If you are incorporated, you have options to determine when you personally receive income from your corporation. Being incorporated allows you to report your income at a time when you will pay less tax. You may be able to realize tax savings if you receive your income at a time when you are in a lower tax bracket or if taxes have fallen.

5/ Income Splitting
With a Corporation, there exists the opportunity to pay shareholders salary, dividends or a combination of the two. Your spouse and/or children could be shareholders in your corporation giving you the opportunity to redistribute corporate income to family members with the lower incomes taxed at a lower rate.

6/ Perception
Some people perceive corporations as being more stable. Having Ltd., Inc., or Corp. as part of the company’s name may help you attract business.

7/ Paperwork
Incorporation brings with it extra accounting and paperwork. Corporations must maintain minute books, corporate bylaws. Other required corporate documents are register of directors, the share register and the transfer register.

8/ Non-Calendar Year Ends
Corporations have the ability to choose their year end, and not be restricted to a calendar year-end as with a Sole Proprietorship. This opens up the possibility of bonus deferrals. Choosing a year-end may also be better for year-end paperwork filing should your business be busy at the end of the calendar year. By incorporating, you can choose to have your year-end fall during a slow period.

Conclusion
I‘ve outlined some of the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation versus sole proprietorship but what’s the bottom line? Is getting incorporated worth the expense or not? Make sure to discuss your personal situation with your accountant before you decide.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Resume SEO Part 2: Keyword Resume Template

2010-05-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

A reader asked me to provide a resume template to demonstrate the tips in Resume SEO: How to Pump Up the Keywords Without Turning Off Recruiters. Here's the link to the document I created in response: Keyword Resume Template. Thanks for suggesting it!

I created this template with technology specialists in mind. We're an IT staffing company so that's what I know best. However, I think it could be adapted for other fields.

I modified an existing MS Word template and added some keyword sections headings to make the resume more readable and more SEO friendly. I inserted some tips to explain my reasoning.

Here's the result:

I hope you find this resume template helpful. Your questions, comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome!

Related Articles:

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Resume SEO Part 1: Pump Up the Keywords Without Turning Off Recruiters

2010-05-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

How do you add keywords to your resume and still make it readable? The secret is to insert keywords in places that help both recruiters and search engines to quickly skim your resume and determine if you're qualified.

What is Resume SEO? Recruiters use keyword searches to mine for resumes in job boards and resume databases. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for resumes means including enough of the right keywords in your resume so that your resume gets picked up by search engines during a keyword search.

Define keyword. Keywords are nouns, phrases and buzzwords or jargon that detail your skills and relate to the position or industry. Examples: MS (Microsoft), PM (product manager), SQL Server, HR (human resources), MBA, technical writer, data delivery, administrative assistant, developing, creating.

Keyword dumps don't work. You may be tempted to try to trick the search engines into putting your resume at the top of the list by dumping a load of keywords on the first page. When I see a keyword dump and no real experience on the first page of a resume I assume that this person is not qualified.

How to Balance Keywords with Readability

Add Keyword Summary section to your resume: It's probably best to limit this to less than 50 keywords. Section out the Keyword Summary with the same formatting that you use to define sections in the rest of your resume. This enables the recruiter to quickly skim the heading and move to the next section.
Insert a Technical Environment description (or Skills Summary list) with each job in your Employment Experience section. Use a subheading to separate this list from the list of skills and accomplishments for that job. The Technical Environment/Skills Summary helps recruiters determine what specific skills you used for each position.
Insert a Technical Skills table that shows all programs, software and technical skills you know well and the number of years of experience you have with each. IT recruiters love these tables because it helps them quickly figure out if you have the required number of years of experience.
Within your description of each position in your Employment Experience section highlight specific capabilities such as technical skills, communications skills, organizational skills or management abilities you demonstrated in that role.
Use different keywords forms. If you use “coordination” in your Skills summary, use “coordinate” in the body of your resumé. Use both full keywords and acronyms.
Don’t go overboard! Your resume still needs to be readable.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The Hidden Job Market: How Tim Got In!

2010-05-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Here's an excerpt from Katherine Moody's interview with Tim Collins:

Tim Collins is founder and President of Toronto-based Stafflink Solutions, a full service permanent and contract IT recruiting firm. I’m delighted to have had a chance to talk to Tim Collins recently about how he got 4 jobs through the hidden job market mechanism. And how networking has helped his company, Stafflink Solutions, have its best year ever! Continue...

Listen to the interview
See a transcript of the interview

About the Author
Katherine Moody is a networking guru and job search coach. For more tips on navigating the hidden job market I highly recommend Katherine Moody's blog HRJobSecrets.com. Follow Katherine on Twitter @justathought99.

Five Tips to Stay Motivated During the Job Search

2010-05-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Finding the right job in today’s economy can be a daunting task. The search can be a lengthy and discouraging process. Before you throw in the towel or land the wrong job, why not “re-motivate” yourself? Staying motivated can be the largest predictor of your searching success. As a new member of the Stafflink team, I have recently experienced the obstacles associated with “job searching”. I have also been fortunate to reap the benefits from putting in a little extra work.

Tip #1: Make a schedule. Everyday outline what you want to accomplish in your job search and how you to plan to accomplish it. Break your search into specific tasks that you can focus your energy on. You are more likely to produce high quality work if you do not rush the process. Remember, the best positions are rarely found in 15 minutes so treat the search as a full-time job.

Tip #2: Separate “the glitter from the gold”. Apply for the positions you are interested in, instead of auto-sending resumes to the masses. In order to ensure long-term success, you have to be able to envision yourself enjoying the position. Record each individual you contact, for what position and the details associated with each exchange. When an employer contacts you for an opportunity, it doesn’t fair well if you don’t remember applying for the position. By referring to the details of the job description or your last interaction with the contact you can easily start to build a positive rapport.

Tip #3: Practice, Practice, Practice. Practice your interviewing skills. The most successful candidates will know how to effectively market themselves. Find a job which interests you and write statements about how your strengths will benefit that position. If you are unsure of your strengths, ask former employers, professors or colleagues.

Tip #4: Find your “wow” factor. Every piece of work you submit to an employer showcases your abilities. Exceed the company’s expectations and you will make a lasting impression. Everyone sends in a resume and a cover letter so why not show the company you are interested by taking the time to go above and beyond? If you think the contact is busy, take the time to consolidate your profile or record your resume as a podcast. Give the employer something unique to remember you by (a sample piece of work, a link to a blog, a candidate portfolio, etc.)

Tip #5: Count your successes. Job searching can be draining. When you receive positive feedback, reward yourself. Each step in the process should be seen as a business goal. If you receive a call back, expand your network or land an interview, why not celebrate? Remember every opportunity presents a chance for learning and practice.

The impression you make on an employer will be lasting so be creative in your job search from beginning to end. Find a way to stand out from the crowd. If you can demonstrate to potential employers your strengths from the beginning, opportunities will arise.

Love What You Do

2010-05-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

Blackberry's new tagline Love What You Do reminds me of how much I love my work and my Blackberry. It also reminds me of how much I admire what Research in Motion has done for Canada. They've created jobs for over 10,000 Canadians for one thing.

Loving What You Do is the challenge we all face, whether we're washing dishes or trouble-shooting code. Is the answer to quit your job and chase a dream? Is that what the founders of RIM did? Blackberry's success has nothing to do with quitting and everything to do with commitment.

Stay True To Your Vision. Mike Lazaradis and Jim Balsille had a big dream when they started RIM. They developed and sold their vision for push email before most people were using email. Apple had not even invented the iPod.

RIM faced many challenges including a well publicized patent dispute. Even now RIM is being attacked by forecasters who question whether the Blackberry can compete with the iPhone and Android phones. But their track record proves that they have the creativity and commitment to meet the challenges no matter how enormous or expensive. Countless Canadians are counting on RIM to do whatever it is that do to keep surprizing us with awesome solutions.

Rod McQueen's Blackberry: The Inside Story of Research In Motion is essentially about having dream and sticking with it. Now RIM employees well over 12,000 people, is Canada's foremost technology leader and is a leader in the worldwide mobile communications market. Apparently loving what you do has a lot to do with commitment and persistence.

"Love What You Do" is a challenge: Enjoy your work. Do work you can be proud of. Stay true to your dream.

The more you give, the more you get is an essential marketing principle. It applies to career development, relationships, real estate, business - everything. If you can't be in the job of your dreams right now then love the job you're in.

Love what you do right now and you'll be well on your way to your dream job.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Your Resume Isn’t Only About You, It’s About the Reader Too

2010-04-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

Write your resume with the reader in mind. Put your audience first if you want to get past the gatekeepers.

Who are the gatekeepers? It depends on three things: where you’re at in your career, your professional network and whether you’re using job boards.

If your career and professional network are well-established you'll probably bypass the gatekeepers. If someone is moving from Apple to Google either they’ve been headhunted or they have a relationship with someone at Google. Their resume will not be the door opener. In fact they’ll only need a resume if someone from HR requires it as a formality.

What if you’re not at that stage in your career? Then your resume has to appeal to two gatekeepers: the resume search engine and the human recruiter who stumbles across your resume with a keyword search or when you apply directly to a job post.

Search Engine vs. the Recruiter
A search engine doesn’t care how long your resume is or how it’s formatted. It’s is only looking for keywords that match a search query. But if the search engine does match your resume to a job then readability is a crucial differentiator.

Recruiters are very concerned about readability. Use consistent fonts and formatting, engaging language, and put the most relevant information first. Recruiters only take a few minutes to figure out if you’re qualified. They depend on you to make it easy for them to skim your resume and decide whether or not to give you a call.

Hook the reader on the first page. Generate enough excitement to entice the person to turn the page instead of moving onto the next resume. Action words, your achievements and accomplishments will make the person want to keep reading. Describe an accomplishment that shows specific tangible improvements that are relevant to the job you’re applying too. For example, if you’re a QA manager describe how you achieved a 10% decrease in bugs when you successfully implemented a new bug tracking tool within budget.

Don’t Bury Your Experience. When I see a resume that lists skills or methodologies on the first page and no job experience my recruiter radar wonders whether this person has the work experience for the job.

How far back should you go? Some people say that your resume should only cover the past 10 years. I believe that a detailed description of 7-10 years of experience followed by a bulleted list of your additional experience should suffice. For example, an IT project manager who was a programmer analyst earlier in their career should have detailed descriptions of their project management experience followed by a section summarizing the analysis, design and programming they did earlier in their career. Information about complementary experience early in your career could be the differentiator that gets you the job.

Final word: It’s okay to brag when you are writing a resume, just remember that you’re not getting paid by the word.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Resume Tips From A Guy Who's Placed 1000 People

2010-04-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

With this economy it’s not unusual for a single job post to attract hundreds if not thousands of resumes. How can you make yours stand out?

I look at a 100+ resumes a day. Every time I open a resume I hope that this will be the one. Here’s what inspires me to pick up the phone and give you a call.

Resume Dos

List your work experience first. For each position include the company name, location, and months and years worked.
Include a chart that lists your skills and the number of years of experience that you have with each skill. This helps me quickly access whether you have enough experience.
List relevant keywords for each position you held. I look for a correlation between your keywords (technical environment) and the work you actually did in each job. (This improves your standing with the resume parser too.)
Make your resume readable – consistent formatting (spacing, fonts and bolding) is very important. You may have the best skills in the world but if your resume isn’t readable you won’t make it past the resume screening stage.

Resume Don’ts

Don’t make me dig deeper than a page or two to figure out if you’re qualified.
Don’t have a five sentence career objective. Your objective should be 1 -2 sentences at the most. I’m looking for proof that you’re qualified and a lengthy objective just seems like filler.
Don’t fill the entire first page with a list of skills and keywords. I need to see your actual experience with each of those keywords.
Don’t have a half page long list of achievements and activities for each position. Please be concise and list only the points that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

The person reviewing your resume is in a hurry. Make it easy for them to figure out that you’re qualified. No one is impressed that a resume is 10 pages long. But I am very impressed when I’m able to figure out that you’re qualified within the first few pages.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Kawasaki's “1 Page Resume” Rule Revisited

2010-04-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

What is the ultimate length for a resume? It depends. A one-page resume might be appropriate when you’re a junior candidate. But if you’re more experienced you’ll need several pages to show your stuff.

In my controversial blog, “Guy Kawasaki’s 1/2/3 Rules of Resume Writing,” I quoted Kawasaki’s resume rule #1:

1 page long. When some job candidates read this, they will think, "Guy is referring to the hoi polloi and unwashed masses, not me. I have ten years of experience at four different companies covering five different positions. My resume needs to be two--maybe even three--pages to adequately explain the totality of my wonderfulness. And the more I mention, the more the company might see things that they like." As a rule of thumb, if you can't pitch your company or yourself in one page, your idea is stupid and you suck respectively. (Ref.: Guy Kawasaki, Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging and Outmarketing Your Competition (Hardcover), page 327)

With great respect and admiration for Guy Kawasaki, I must admit that the last sentence in this quote is a tad harsh. The 1 page rule seems a tad unrealistic too. Well, maybe more than a tad.

When I was in my final year at Waterloo University I was advised to aim for a 1 page resume. That made sense at the beginning of my career. I landed a job with Quantum Technology Recruiting for my first post grad placement and the rest is history. But now that I’ve been in the industry for nearly 20 years would it be advantageous to squeeze my qualifications into a one page resume? Not likely.

Kawasaki was writing with Silicon Valley in mind. In my neck of the woods (Toronto, Canada) employers and recruiters expect see more detail than you can fit comfortably on one page. Still, I do prefer to read resume that doesn’t require me to dig deeper than a page or two to figure out if the person is qualified.

The power of Kawasaki one-page rule is that it reminds us that a resume is a sales document. Have respect for the reader. Be concise and focussed. Use active language and concrete examples to prove your qualifications. Put your human reader ahead of the resume parser algorithm that scans for keywords.

Maybe you can trick the parser into putting your resume at the top of the list by padding your resume with keywords. But when the recruiter sees that your entire first page consists of lists of keywords and no real experience some red flags will go up. Remember, it’s a human reader, not a computer, that decides whether the pick up the phone and give you a call.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The Future's So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades

2010-04-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Daniel Pink predicted it in a A Whole New Mind. Chris Anderson named it in The Long Tail.

Pink predicted that demand for "left-brain dominant knowledge workers" - lawyers, accountants, software engineers, MBAs - would decline. Why? Abundance, outsourcing, automation. He argues that the future belongs to "a different kind of person with a different kind of mind - designers, inventors, storytellers, teachers." And he was right. Look no further than the Apple Store for proof. Apple is about design. People will camp overnight to get a piece of that.

Chris Anderson noticed the abundance too. Any song is available for free to anyone with a computer and an Internet connection. He observed that niche products were gaining popularity while blockbusters lost marketshare. Amazon, iTunes and Ebay proved that niche products were profitable. Anderson named it The Long Tail.

What do you get when you take right brain values and add long tail availability? A world where Pink's six senses - design, story, symphony, emphathy, play and meaning - rule. You get the kind of world I want to live in.

A world where the tools of production are available to everyone, not just the elite: Wordpress, Google Docs, Squidoo, Lulu. A world where spam is ineffective. A world where people are tolerant because diversity is good for business. A world where everything is Free...or at least moving in that direction.

Phineas and Ferb get it. Phineas begins every adventure with, "Ferb, I know what we're going to do today." With the emphasis on "we". It's like we're all suddenly getting it. It's more fun to cooperate than compete.

Daniel Pink called it. Chris Anderson named it. Google, Amazon, Ebay, iTunes and opensource enable it. Seth Godin evangelizes it. Twitter, Facebook and Sprouter spread it.

Is there a new phrase we aan coin for it? Maybe "cloud consciousness"? or "opensourcity"? or "The Power of Now".

Together we can solve any problem. Maybe that's the whole point of it.

Laura Upcott
http://stafflink.ca/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

How to Land a Job in 7 Seconds

2010-03-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

What does the weather, last night's Raptors game or traffic conditions have to do with landing a job? A lot if you want to make a good impression.

It only takes about 7 seconds to decide if you like someone. If you put a handshake and sincere goodwill in those first 7 seconds, you'll probably make a good impression. Follow up with a little friendly chitchat and you've set the tone for a productive meeting of minds.

Attitude trumps skills. Translation: employers will hire a friendly motivated candidate who's willing to learn over a more qualified candidate with a questionable attitude. And that judgement is made in a snap.

Stick to safe topics. Small talk gives people something to do while they get a feel for each other. The topic isn't that important as long as its familiar to both parties and offensive to neither. The Raptors is only a good icebreaker if you know you're with a basketball fan. But most people can appreciate the challenge of bad traffic or the euphoria of the first warm days of spring.

Feelings trump words. Neither of you is likely to remember much of what was said in those first few minutes. You're both too busy reading each others expressions, body language, mood and attitude. You're making a split second judgments about the person's personality, confidence, and sincerity. You can't help it - it's automatic and mostly unconscious. But you can improve your chances of making a good impression.

Lighten up. Begin a meeting with light comment. It doesn't have to be a joke. Prepare a few opening comments before arriving then say what feels right at the time.

Harness the power of small. Be polite. Open doors. Offer sincere appreciation. Pay for the coffee. It goes a long way.

Listen. Jay Leno makes every guest the centre of his attention. This works in a job interview too. Ask questions. Give the interviewer the opportunity to tell their story to an engaged and curious audience.

Be a detective. Whenever I enter somebody's office I look for pictures, diplomas, sports equipment, clues. It helps to engage people about something they care about: a family photo, their alma mater (you can research this before a meeting), a new laptop or smart phone. Note these things in your CRM. Remember to mention how well their university is doing in the NCAA tournament during your next meeting and I guarantee the rest of your conversation will be smoother.

Small Talk is like putting. The more you practice it the better you get.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The “Canadian Experience” Myth Exposed

2010-03-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

I spoke recently with a candidate who had immigrated to Canada within the last three years. He has a PHD in software engineering from a very renowned school in China. He was nervous to apply for a position with only three years of “Canadian experience”. That hit home with me because I have personal experience with the sting of those words.

We use this ugly phrase “Canadian Experience” yet everyday I meet very skilled people who are doing unskilled work. The way I see it “Canadian Experience” is a myth that prevents highly educated and experienced Canadians from getting the work they are qualified to do.

When my wife immigrated to Canada she was high school age according our system yet she was already attending college in the Philippines. The majority of my wife’s relatives are engineers. Yet they have had an extremely difficult time finding work in their field of expertise here in Canada.

In schools in the Philippines a passing grade is 75%! Our passing grade is 50%. So if you’re comparing apples to apples who do you think has a stronger education and a deeper understanding of the theory required to be effective at their job?

We need to stop under-valuing qualifications from other countries. If a job is governed by Canadian laws and regulations, i.e. architecture or dentistry, why not set up an immigration job integration program to allow people to work in their professional fields. It’s a huge waste of talent to welcome professionals to Canada and then require “Canadian Experience” to work in their field.

Often new comers to Canada take “interim” jobs to support themselves and their families. They don’t always have the resources to evaluate and accredit their backgrounds. WES (World Education Services) is a nonprofit organization that evaluates international credentials for a reasonable fee. Their mission is to facilitate the integration of internationally educated individuals into the employment and education environment of their newly adopted country.

Back to my candidate who was concerned about his lack of “Canadian Experience”. I assured him that I recognized the value of the training and experience he'd received abroad. He’s a top caliber candidate and he needs to stand true to his knowledge and abilities. When I presented him for the opportunity our client agreed with me. He’s interviewing this week for the job: a Sr. Level opportunity with a Tier 1 organization. I think he has a good shot at getting the job.

It's Time to Spring Forward

2010-03-13T13:10:00.001-08:00

The clocks spring forward today. We'll lose an hour of sleep. But who needs sleep with spring in the air?

Do New Years Resolutions Work?

Is New Years Day really the best time to make resolutions? The dead of winter is a good time to cocoon and do the internal work, to analyze where you are and where you want to go. But mid January doesn't feel like the best time to go on a diet or start a new venture.

Now is the Time for New Beginnings

Hidden potential is coming out of hiding: trees about to blossom, bulbs ready to peak up through the dirt, playgrounds coming to life. Spring just feels like the right time to realize your hidden potential. This is your opportunity to reinvent yourself and shake things up with a new haircut or career path.

What's growing inside of you that wants to be nurtured? Is there something new that you want to learn? This is the perfect time to recommit to that resolution you dropped in February.

Small is the New Big

It doesn't have to be a big thing. If you commit yourself to something small you're more likely to succeed. These books offer inspiration:

The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference by Linda Kaplan and Robin Koval
Small is the New Big by Seth Godin

Where to Begin

If you're stuck, notice when you hear yourself say the word "should," especially if you're trying to be helpful. "You know what you should do..." Stop, turn the table and see if you're trying to get someone else to do the work you need to do. I often hear myself urging people to write a "Lens" on Squidoo. I should take my own advice.

Spring Fever and Your Career

The job market is heating up along with the temperature. We have more full-time opportunities posted right now then we've had in the past two years. May you should spring forward, tune up your resume, and make that career move you've been considering.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

What's Your Superpower?

2010-03-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Seth Godin's Linchpin . He writes:

"When you meet someone you need to have a superpower. If you don't, you're just another handshake."

Uh-oh. I take everything personally so I struggle to respond to this challenge.
I can't fly. I don't have x-ray vision. Occassionally I wish I had an invisibility cloak but I don't think that counts. Sorry. No superpowers here.

Yet Godin continues:

"If you want to be a linchpin, the power you bring to the table has to be very difficult to replace. Be bolder and think bigger. Nothing stopping you."

Godin sets the bar a bit too high. Or does he? He says there's hope for us even if we're not Aquaman, Wonder Woman or Steve Jobs. That doesn't mean it's easy. Remember the good ole days when a computer science degree was a one-way ticket to a 300,000 square feet of luxury and freedom 55. Unfortunately you can't get by on skills alone anymore. In a hyper-competitive job market saturated with highly skilled people you need to stand out from the crowd.

How DO you stand out from the crowd?

Be indispensible: tackle the tough problems, pitch in and help out even if it's not your job.
Add complimentary skills and knowledge to your current skillset.
Make other people, especially your boss and customers, look good.
Exceed expectations. Be remarkably good at what you do.
Be an artist. Design a more elegant, more beautiful and simpler solution.
Do the emotional work: Be empathetic, conscientious and considerate towards everyone who has the good fortune to cross your path.
Have fun: Bring humour and light heartedness to your work.

Your superpower comes from the heart. It's what people love about you. Proudly display your superpower like Superman busting out of a phonebooth.

Laura Upcott
http://www.stafflink.ca/
http://www.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

See also:

The Job Market Long Tail

2010-03-03T00:18:00.000-08:00

Chris Anderson's The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More describes how shifting technologies create opportunities for some businesses and ruin others. It turns out that when we have unlimited access to everything for nearly free we purchase more niche products and less blockbusters. How has the Long Tail influenced the job market?

New EmployersAmazon, Ebay, iTunes, Craigslist, Huffington Post, Netflix, Youtube: What do these companies have in common? They've created empires around new technologies and our insatiable desire for greater choice at a lower cost. Meanwhile newspapers, record labels and retailers that deny the trends and continue "business as usual" are threatened with extinction. The power has shifted along with employment opportunities.

Job Boards vs Classified AdsWhen was the last time you checked the classifieds for job postings? Job search and recruiting methods have moved online. Your professional profile consists of more than a resume: online portfolio, Twitter account, blog, postcasts, Youtube videos, Slideshare decks are all great ways to show what you've got.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing
People with virtualization and cloud computing skills are in big demand according to a recent posting on ReadWriteCloud:

The fastest growing skills are for virtualization, which is at about 2,000 ads, up 21% compared to last year. Cloud computing is showing popularity, too. Last year there were zero jobs posted.This year there are more than 300.
Large companies from a number of industries are hiring virtualization pros, showing the demand is not just from technology companies.

Flexible Work ArrangementsThe beauty of cloud computing is that it makes it easier for you to work from remote locations like a home office, the airport or Starbucks. Virtual teams and virtual companies are becoming more common thanks to Google Docs and webcams.

Entrepreneurship
Even if you work for someone else's company it pays to think like an entrepreneur. If you want to be valuable to your employer be on the lookout for ways to improve processes, products and services. Businesses stay competitive by employing creative people who are willing to think for themselves.

Personal branding

The world gave you control over the means of production. Not to master them is a sin. - Seth Godin, The Linchpin

The barriers to publishing a website, a blog or a book are crumbling fast. At the very least most people are micro-blogging via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. These platforms are a great opportunity for you to build a professional network and a community. Many people are creating strong personal brands that showcase their skills and even pay the mortgage.

How has the Long Tail affected your career?

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Must Read: Guy Kawasaki's Reality Check

2010-02-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Guy Kawasaki's Reality Check and I feel a burning desire to blog about it. It blew my mind. In a good way. This book will bring you to the next level in whatever you're doing - whether you're building a team or growing a business.

If you haven't read Reality Check run out and get it this minute. It's more than just a great read, it's literally forced me to take action. For instance, Kawasaki says: "Truly, if no one but your dog reads your blog, it's still worth doing." And here I am writing this blog like a 13 year old groupie.

Kawasaki interviews his favorite authors and summarizes their best work. He begins his chapter The Zen of Presentations, with "All hail Garr Reynolds!" Reynold recommends Kawasaki's famous 10/20/30 method for Powerpoint presentations (10 slides, 20 minutes, 30 pt+ font size). I'll give that whirl the next time I write a presentation.

If you haven't read Chip and Dan Heath's Make it Stick you probably will after you read chapter 28, The Sticking Point. Simple. Unexpected. Concrete. Credible. Emotional. Story. I'm writing some training right now and I cannot be reminded of the six principles of SUCCES too many times.

Perhaps the most helpful tip I picked up from Reality Check is the technique Kawasaki uses throughout the book: Pay it Forward aka What Goes Around Comes Around aka Give Power to Get Power. Kawasaki promotes the authors and innovators that inspire him. And I feel inspired to promote Kawasaki. Coincidence?

How to Get a Recruiter to Open Your Resume

2010-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

It's not easy to get your resume noticed in this job market. Spamming companies with unsolicited resumes doesn't work. The best way to get a recruiter to read your attached resume: Put the job title in the subject line and summarize your qualifications for that job in the body of your email.

The reality. A recruiter will not be likely to open an unsolicited resume. Recruiters are focussed on the job opportunities they are trying to fill right now.

I just posted a new job. My Blackberry buzzes every few minutes with messages from people applying to the job. This happens anytime I post a job with the word "sales" or "project manager" or "QA" in the job title.

It's a rush job order. I need to call the best applicants right away for an intial telephone screening which could lead to an interview. Every applicant has attached a resume. I wish I had time to open every resume but I don't. Here's how I decide which resumes to open first:

Don't spam. If I see a long list of email addresses in the Send To box I'll problably consider the email a spam and ignore it.
Put the job title in the subject line. If the job title appears in the subject line I'm going to read your email. If the subject line says something generic like "Resume" or "Job Application" its going to be filed our resume database.
Summarize your key qualifications. Briefly introduce yourself then write 5 or 6 bullet points to prove you are qualified for the requirements of the job. If you've convinced me that you're qualified I'm going to look at your resume.

You're one step closer to an interview. You've peaked my interest. Your resume is as impressive as your introductory email. I'm going to give you a call. Hopefully we can get the ball rolling for an interview.

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Stafflink Solutions Blogger

We've Moved!

What it takes to be an IT Recruiter

Other Posts by Michelle De Rubeis

About the Author

Best Office Staff Party Photo Contest Winner!

The Inside Scoop on IT Jobs in Toronto

The Future of IT

Related Articles

Written By:

Win a Sony Laptop in Our Best Office Staff Party Photo Contest

Golf A Little, Get A Lot

Other Posts by Michelle De Rubeis

About the Author

10 Tips to Capture Hot Candidates

IT Job Market 2011: Who's Hot?

IT Job Market 2011: Is This a Candidate’s Job Market?

Stafflink Attends Regent Park School of Music Spring Fundraiser

Could AI and RIM Cure Blindness?

Where are the Women? Connecting Women and Technology

Limor Fried, Founder of Adafruit

Kelle Santiago, President and Co-Founder of thatgamecompany

Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss, Co-Founders of Rent the Runway

Recommended Reading

About the Author

How to Ace Your Interview

Design and WINNING!

Research backs it up

Recruiter by day, design buff by night

Colour matters

Black and white

What story does your company tell?

Related Articles

Written By:

iPad vs. Playbook Debate Revisited

Flash

Video Conferencing

Battery Performance

Apps

The Verdict

Related Articles

Written By

WordPress Theme Smackdown: Free, Premium or Custom

Learnable.com: A New Destination for Affordable Technology Training

CPA Ski Day: A Great Team Building Event

Diversity Works: Recruiting, Integrating and Hiring Persons with Disabilities

Interview Tips for Jobs: Why Should We Hire You? The Great Answer

Fastest Growing Web Company in History

What Would You Do To Get a Job?

Our Top 10 Most Visited Blogs in 2010

7 Segment Changers and Predictions for Tech in 2011

Mobile Wallets

Square

Paypal Bump

Quora

IPO Comeback

Battle for TV

Tablet Market

Steve, Mark and Jim: Who Made 2010’s Nice List

Ho Ho TO!

How to Handle Behavioural Interview Questions

10 Reasons I Jumped on the Wordpress Bandwagon

Top ten reasons I Love Wordpress

How to Sparkle in a Room Full of Diamonds

IT Resume Template: Optimize Your Resume for Job Boards and Recruiters

Keyword Resume Template

Tips to Balance Keywords with Readability

Independent Contractors FAQ about Retirement Savings and RESP

Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North

Action Points

Related Articles

What Should I Wear to an Interview for a Job?

Comparing Apples to Berries: 4 Reasons Why I Pick the PlayBook

Sole Proprietor vs Incorporation for Independent Contractors

Diary of a Delusional Laptop Shopper

7 Ways Technical Tests Sabotage the Hiring Process

What Motivates You at Work?

10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada

3 Resume Publishing Tools to Pump Up Your Job Market Value

My Resume by Elegant Themes