Working hard is fun

Working for a Living

I’m more for working, than inspirational quotes – go away with your Live, Laugh & Love – but one quote I particularly do like is sometimes attributed to Confucius; “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.“. Most definitely words to live by.

It is fair to say that we don’t all find our passion, much as we may want to. Life sometimes gets in the way and we have responsibilities and people relying on us. We do what we have to do pay the bills. Or maybe we just made a wrong turn – zigged when we should have zagged.

I have been so very fortunate in that I did find a job that I love – being a recruiter. Very fortunate indeed because it is an avenue I had never considered exploring but someone I knew and respected told me I could do it and gave me a chance.

This was a mid, work-life career change for me and I could have easily missed it – so if you don’t love your job, don’t give up, it could still happen!

I’m not saying I’m tip-toeing through the tulips every day but I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Like a lot of us in the city, I work in a large office building and I frequently over-hear people on the elevators complaining about their work, their boss, their co-workers, their hours, their commute, pretty much anything and everything to do with their job. I just feel so bad for them – just listening to it brings me down, let alone living it every day. We’ve probably all held a job or two that had us clock watching, dreading Mondays and working for the weekend. It’s just not fun. (Soul sucking comes to mind!)

However, you still have to make the most of it because spending 40 hours a week in a job you hate is simply no way to live. While there are probably a few exceptions, I would think every job has a silver lining of some sort. Maybe you have an amazing boss, work with a great team, have the opportunity to try new things, just some aspect of your workday that you enjoy.

So, if you are one of those people that are simply working for a living, do try to find something positive to get you through the day or, if there’s really nothing, maybe it’s time to make a move, find a new job or, if you’re really lucky, your new career doing something you love.

Open Mind new career

Keeping an Open Mind, and Open Inbox

Technology has made it easier than ever to contact someone. From online directories to LinkedIn messages, it’s never been easier to get a hold of someone. With that in mind, people aren’t always as receptive to being contacted and can be less than eager to start a conversation with an unknown recruiter. Even if you’ve got the perfect job, at the perfect company, with the perfect compensation, there’s nothing wrong with having a quick discussion to keep your options open.

Recruiters aren’t just for people looking to make a career shift, so being receptive to a conversation can be a big asset right now, or later down the road. Accepting that invitation to connect or hopping on a phone call can help you survey the land and see what’s out there. It allows you to find out more about hiring trends in your industry, and perhaps what is happening with your competitors. More importantly it can help you get a sense of what your worth, and what others in your line of work are getting paid. Finding out what someone with your experience and qualifications is getting for compensation is a great asset when it comes time to negotiate bonuses, pay increases or new job offers.

Similarly, career shifts aren’t always well planned and can be hard to predict. Making your next move can be a stressful process, which is why having someone in your corner can be such a great help. Taking that conversation, and building a relationship, with a recruiter now can go a long way down the road when you’re looking for your next job.

At the end of the day you never know where you’re going to be in a few years and who may be of help. Relationship building and creating connections is always an asset. The bigger your network, the more opportunities that are available to you. So next time you get approached by a recruiter, even if you’re not interested in making a career change, take the call and see where it goes.

On the other hand, if you ARE looking for your next career change, or just want to see what’s out there, take a look at our available jobs, or drop us a resume. 

resume writing perfection

How to write the Perfect Resume

Well, the title is a bit cheeky as there really is no such thing!

You can ask ten different people and get ten completely unique opinions on what sets a resume apart from the rest. Every hiring manager, recruiter and HR consultant will also have their own opinion.

That being said, there are some basics that you really do need to follow:

Resume Tip 1: Name and contact information

Your name and contact information needs to be in the header – so it shows on every page. And, yes, some people still forget to do this, leaving a hapless recruiter with a page on their desk and no clue as to who it belongs to! In this day and age your details should include your first and last name, cell number, email address and, ideally, a (working) hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile.

Or, if you want to get fancy you can add a footer to page 2 with your name and contact details.

If you write a summary – which is a good idea – make it clear and succinct. And I do mean clear and succinct!

I don’t know how many times I’ve read a summary that seemed more like a novella with every keyword under the sun and no clear insight as to what the person actually does.

Resume Tip 2:  Format (Functional, Chronological or combination of the two)

They are all valid choices and it comes down to personal taste or style – or perhaps one style fits your experience better than the other. For instance if your work is more project based you may opt for a functional (or skills based) resume. If your positions have been more conventionally focused you may opt for a chronological resume.

Personally, I find that purely functional resumes can be a bit frustrating to read. You may understand this if you consider how many resumes a recruiter or hiring manager has to read when searching to fill a position – so have mercy!

While all the projects and skill-sets are listed in great detail and frequently followed by a chronological list of employers, there is often no indication of what the candidate did while working for each employer – just a list of dates and company names.

I find it incredibly helpful when a candidate that’s used a functional format provides at least a couple of lines highlighting their role beneath each position. Otherwise it can be very difficult to know which skills are most current.

Resume Tip 3: Grammar and spelling

I cannot stress this enough – edit, edit, edit!

Remember, “spell check” cannot tell you if you have written the wrong word if it’s spelled correctly.

I think it helps tremendously to read your resume aloud, word for word, and then have someone else read it to you. (You may have to provide enticements for this – doughnuts, beer, whatever works!)

Resume Tip 4: How many pages should my resume be?

Again, there are a lot of opinions about this. Convention says that your resume should be no more than two pages. I’m actually a bit flexible but would raise an eyebrow if a resume is more than three pages.

If you’re extremely technical and have a sleeve-length list of certifications you may want to add an addendum to your resume. An additional page that only highlights your education and certifications – no sneaking work experience on to this page! If you’re work has been project based, you may want to also have an addendum providing more in-depth detail.

Resume Tip 5: Clarity, clarity, clarity!

Take your time and remember that your resume will serve as a first impression – of you. A winning resume includes all the elements listed above, but most of all, it’s a resume that hiring managers and recruiters will enjoy reading!

Now that you have your resume in better shape, why don’t you test it by checking our available jobs and applying for a few? 

Holiday Breakfast 65

Annual Holiday Breakfast 2018

We had a great time at our Annual Holiday Breakfast 2018! Chef Jordan Diniz cooked up some amazing omelettes and delicious crunchy waffles with fresh fruit.

See for yourself below by looking at our photo and video gallery!