Behind the Scenes: Canadians Given a Chance to Job Shadow Top Professionals
Workopolis launches "Get Yourself a Guru" contest with renowned Canadians Jamie Kennedy, Rod Black and Edward Greenspon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Toronto, Ontario (May 2, 2005) Workopolis, Canada's leading provider of recruitment and job search solutions, today announced the "Get Yourself a Guru" contest in which Canadians who post their resumes on workopolis.com can win a day of job shadowing with a top Canadian professional: renowned chef Jamie Kennedy, CTV/TSN sportscaster Rod Black or The Globe and Mail's Editor-in-chief, Edward Greenspon. Job seekers will shadow their "Guru" through a day of work, get a close-up view of what they do and have a chance to talk to them one-on-one.
"While the Internet has become a central part of the recruitment process, building personal relationships through networking is still a vital part of finding a great job," said Patrick Sullivan, President of Workopolis. "Workopolis is giving job seekers valuable access and exposure to Canadian professionals in a variety of sought-after job sectors to see up close what it's like to be at the peak of a profession. It will be a great learning opportunity and a memorable day."
In addition to the day of job shadowing, the winners will also receive a corporate makeover including resume and interview coaching, a wardrobe shopping spree and a spa package.
"Personal and professional presentation is essential to success on the job search – from crafting your resume right through to the image you project during a job interview," added Sullivan. "A polished resume, appearance and manner play a central role in shaping impressions. Candidates should make sure they are well prepared, well dressed and well spoken."
Top five tips to professional presentation:
- Polish your resume. Before resumes are sent to even one potential employer, they need to be polished and professional. Each resume and cover letter needs to be customized to the specific job opportunity so the appropriate skills are emphasized, and the applicant makes it clear that they meet all the required qualifications. A resume is the first impression of a candidate's skills, ability and personality. It must be clean, clear and error free.
- Dress for success. Before the interview, the job seeker should find out the company's dress-code, and dress a level up from that. Appropriate dress can vary from "business casual" to formal business attire. Be well-groomed and clean. Keep hair, make up and accessories simple and conservative.
- Be well prepared. Take the time to research and understand the company and the person who is conducting the interview. Candidates should approach their answers from the perspective of the person who is doing the hiring. What would that person be looking for if the roles were reversed? Job seekers need to plan their responses so they cover key information about what they can bring to the job and then rehearse out loud until they feel confident. Job seekers should also ask detailed questions about the position, responsibilities, company values, and more.
- Attitude will make the difference. While employers are prepared to teach new employees a broad range of new skills, the right attitude is not one of them. Job seekers need to come through the door with a positive, energetic, "can do" attitude. Candidates should greet prospective employers with a pleasant, natural smile and a firm handshake and speak in a manner that is friendly, but not over the top.
- Leave a lasting impression. Job seekers should send a thank you note after each interview. It's an opportunity to thank the interviewer for their time, and one last chance to express interest in the position, and reinforce why you're the right person for it.
The Workopolis "Get Yourself a Guru" contest is open to legal residents of Canada over the age of 18. To enter, Canadians need to publicly post their resumes on workopolis.com between May 2, 2005 and May 31, 2005. There are a total of three prizes, each including a day of job shadowing a top Canadian personality; resume and interview coaching; a personal makeover and a $1,000 clothing shopping spree. The job shadow day will take place in mid to late June 2005. For those living outside of the greater Toronto area, travel expenses to and from Toronto and accommodation in downtown Toronto will be provided.
About Workopolis:
Workopolis is Canada's leading provider of Internet recruiting and job search solutions offering a fully bilingual suite of award-winning applications, products and services to both large and small Canadian companies:
- workopolis.com™, Canada's biggest job site—with the most jobs, visitors and employers of any Canadian job site
- workopolisCampus.com, Canada's biggest job site for students and recent graduates
- CorporateWorks™, Canada's most implemented recruitment management solution using the tools that power workopolis.com to power corporate career sites
Workopolis is a unique and complementary partnership of three Canadian media companies, The Globe and Mail division of Bell Globemedia, Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. and Gesca Ltd., the newspaper publishing subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada. Workopolis has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Guelph, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
For further information:
For Workopolis
Tina Gladstone/Olivia Yu
Environics Communications
416.969.2752/416.969.2718 |