The Inside Scoop on IT Jobs in Toronto

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

• IT Job Market 2011: Who's Hot?
• IT Job Market 2011: Is This a Candidate's Job Market?
• Canada's Summer Job Market is Sizzling
• Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North
• Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

10 Tips to Capture Hot Candidates

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:

1. 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.
2. Extend offers within days of the interview. How long do you really need to think about itJ
3. Signing bonuses.  A good alternative to raising the salary above a set salary band.
4. Free Tablets. It’s pretty cool to give the candidate an iPad when they sign up.  Cost low – impact high.
5. Working from Home privileges. A great way to demonstrate your commitment to work-life balance.
6. Flex Hours. Many companies have core hours when employees must be in the office but are flexible outside of the core hours.
7. 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 
8. Have your stars interview star candidates. You need to bring out the top talent to capture the top talent
9. 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.
10. 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

• IT Job Market 2011: Who's Hot?
• IT Job Market 2011: Is This a Candidate's Job Market?
• Canada's Summer Job Market is Sizzling
• Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North
• Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

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?

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:

1. 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.
2. 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
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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

• IT Job Market 2011: Is This a Candidate's Job Market?
• 10 Tips to Capture Hot Candidates
• Canada's Summer Job Market is Sizzling
• Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North
• Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

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?

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?

1. Competition for candidates. Now it's normal for us to see candidates with multiple offers, but this didn't happen a year ago.
2. Empowered Candidates. Candidates are actually turning down reasonable job offers. One year ago candidates would jump at the first offer.
3. 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.
4. 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.  
5. 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

• IT Job Market 2011: Is This a Candidate's Job Market?
• 10 Tips to Capture Hot Candidates
• Canada's Summer Job Market is Sizzling
• Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North
• Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

Written by:

Tim Collins, President and Owner, Stafflink Solutions

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

How to Sparkle in a Room Full of Diamonds

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

Welcome to Toronto, Silicon Valley North

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?

1. 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."
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.”
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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

   

Related Articles

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

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

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.

1. Reach out to people you know who've come to Canada and landed in good jobs. Ask them how the did it.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Participate in professional networking events like camps and meetups to get to know people working in your field.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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

• 3 Resume Publishing Tools to Pump Up Your Job Market Value
• Build an e-Resume Portfolio Site with WordPress
• Canada's Summer Job Market is Sizzling!
• Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010
• The “Canadian Experience” Myth Exposed

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

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

Canada’s Summer Job Market is Sizzling

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

Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

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:

1. 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.
2. Android Developers - The Google muscle along with the rapid rise of the Adroid phone market share is creating a strong demand for Android developers.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. COBIT - security specialists
7. QA Testers with QTP and LoadRunner
8. Mobile Business Analysts
9. J2EE/Weblogic specialists
10. 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

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

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Don’t go overboard! Your resume still needs to be readable.

Read Next: Resume SEO Part Two: Keyword Resume Template

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The Hidden Job Market: How Tim Got In!

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.

Resume Tips From A Guy Who's Placed 1000 People

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

The Future's So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades

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

The “Canadian Experience” Myth Exposed

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

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?

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:

• Build an e-Resume/Portfolio Site with WordPress
• IT Resume Template: Optimize Your Resume for Job Boards and Recruiters
• How to Get a Recruiter to Open Your Resume
• 10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada
• 3 Resume Publishing Tools to Pump Up Your Job Market Value