Networking Archives - Page 2 of 7 - Rostie & Associates Inc.

How Will H1B Visa Changes Impact Your Team and Talent Acquisition?

June 30, 2020/0 Comments/in Business, freelance, Networking, Security, Staff, Toronto /by admin

How Will H1B Visa Changes Impact Your Team and Talent Acquisition?

In our line of business, geopolitics doesn’t usually factor into decisions. We find you the best possible candidate for the role, and ensure that they are a great fit for your company. No more, and no less.

However, given the recent news regarding our friends to the south, and their government’s recent decision to suspend several classes of visa, most notably, the H1B, our work becomes more relevant than ever.

With companies no longer able to access a global talent pool, competition for US talent in the United States is set to increase significantly, and competition for global talent will increasingly take place within Canada, due to Canada remaining open for skilled immigration.

Using high-level boutique recruiters dramatically increases your likelihood of hiring top talent. We know exactly who fits a given role, and we are the most qualified people to advise you on how to attract and keep your talent, as well as ensuring that they continue to perform.

When competition increases, experts become more and more important.

We know the people, and we know how to ensure that you are not getting “B-list” staff.

Staffing is one of the few truly zero-sum propositions out there. If you attract the best, your competitors, well, won’t. Your business wins, and your competitors won’t be competitors for very long.

We know both Canadian and US markets and talent, which means that we are extremely well positioned to deliver in both markets. If your company is based in the US, and has Canadian operations, we can ensure that you have a top American team as well as an excellent international team.

The USA restricting access to foreign workers doesn’t need to mean that your team will take a hit, but if you don’t consult with the experts, it likely will.

See our partner, The Rostie Group’s, response here. They’re your go to for all office space and corporate headquarters needs in Toronto.

For more information about making Rostie & Associates your go-to recruiting agency, feel free to visit our website www.rostie.com or call toll-free 1-800-647-0780.

Cyber Security & Digital Transformation

June 11, 2020/0 Comments/in Business, Networking, Security /by admin

Rostie & Associates has always prided ourselves on recruiting for new and cutting edge technologies whether it’s Cloud, IoT or Digital Transformation, and we definitely have a penchant for recruiting in Cyber Security!

That’s why we are so pleased to see that in spite of these, shall we say, challenging times, Cyber Security and Digital Transformation are areas where companies are continuing to expand.

While remote work is a “must” during the pandemic, and will likely be more and more the norm, there is no doubt it increases risk for employers and cause cyber challenges for IT and cyber security teams.

Remote employees have become prime targets for hackers and, unfortunately, that is not likely to change any time soon.

Here is an article from New England College that expounds on the increased demand for cyber security experts.

TechGig also agrees that the need for cyber security resources will continue to grow.

And in terms of Digital Transformation, this article from Forbes clearly states that the only way forward for manufacturing firms is Digital Transformation.

eWeek even goes so far as to say that Digital Transformation is the only way for corporations to survive COVID-19.

We have been hearing about Digital Transformation for some time and even more so since COVID-19. So just in case you’re wondering, what exactly Digital Transformation is, here is the definition as offered by Salesforce:

“… The process of using digital technologies to create new — or modify existing — business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements. This re-imagining of business in the digital age is digital transformation.”

What does a digital transformation framework look like?

Although digital transformation will vary widely based on organization’s specific challenges and demands, there are a few constants and common themes among existing case studies and published frameworks that all business and technology leaders should consider as they embark on digital transformation.

For instance, these digital transformation elements are often cited:

Customer experience
Operational agility
Culture and leadership
Workforce enablement
Digital technology integration

While each guide has its own recommendations and varying steps or considerations, CIOs should look for those important shared themes when developing their own digital transformation strategy.

A definition from The Agile Elephant emphasizes all the ways businesses may need to adjust their existing practices: “[Digital transformation] involves a change in leadership, different thinking, the encouragement of innovation and new business models, incorporating digitization of assets and an increased use of technology to improve the experience of your organization’s employees, customers, suppliers, partners and stakeholders.”

And the Wikipedia definition, while vague, touches on how the effect of digital transformation extends beyond businesses to society as a whole. “Digital transformation is the changes associated with the application of digital technology in all aspects of human society,” it states.

If you’re in the fields of Cyber Security or Digital Transformation and looking for your next position, please contact us at Rostie & Associates to see if we can help you on your post COVID-19 journey!

Your Career Path: Making the Most of a Bad Situation

May 26, 2020/0 Comments/in Business, freelance, Networking, News, Security, video conferencing /by admin

Let’s face it times are tough with almost every sector having taken a massive hit, literally overnight.

No one would think you’re crazy for saying that there are no opportunities out there right now but, surprisingly, there are.

Many industries are hiring to either meet current demands or to prepare for changes going forward.

Realistically, for some people it may mean changing industries or learning new skills to adapt.

However, you may be fortunate enough to already be working in one of the industries currently hiring or planning to expand post Covid-19.

This article from The Muse lists 94 companies across a variety of industries that are currently looking to hire.

And here is some encouraging news from Business Wire and Forbes.

This article from Accenture provides some great insight regarding the effects of Covid-19 on the technology industry.

Of course we all realize these are not the “best of times”, but while conducting my own research into what types of industries are hiring and what types of positions are available, I came across dozens of articles – both USA and Canadian centric – far too many to list here.

But, it does show that if you are considering searching for a new position or perhaps changing careers, this may be the time to make that happen.

Just as of writing this article, Rostie & Associates has positions available for a Sales Director, Senior Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Account Executive, Senior System Administrator, Cyber Security Engineer, Cyber Security Manager and a Senior Systems and Network Engineer.

You can find more details on these and other positions, at www.rostie.com

Speaking with other recruiters confirms that, yes; companies are hiring and utilizing technologies such as Zoom, Skype, Webex, etc. to conduct interviews.

Many of the roles will be “work from home” until it is safe for them to re-open their offices.

These recruiters have also advised that they’re seeing an uptick in hiring for various types of roles in healthcare, eCommerce, Fintech and Cyber Security, just to name a few.

Of course, there are a great number of positions available in areas such as distribution.

If you are of an entrepreneurial nature, perhaps now is the time for you to go out on your own. This article from Forbes suggests this could be the time to make it happen.

And, if you just need some encouragement, here are some success stories from Mental Floss and Business Insider that show that adversity can be turned into advantage!

Hiring: The Landscape Has Changed, But the Song Remains the Same

April 17, 2020/0 Comments/in Business, Networking, News, Rostie Community, Security, Staff, Toronto /by admin

Well it’s officially official—the world has turned upside down.

What was white a month ago is now black, square, round, inside, outside, well, you get my drift. This is (for the foreseeable future) the new normal.

In terms of Recruitment/Hiring/ Interviewing, one is left to wonder about the vast impact on this whole process.

Let’s look at the “interview process”.

“The interview process is also changing, going from in-person to video platforms like Zoom. Face-to-face interviews don’t exist anymore, and everybody’s fine with video interviews,” says Arran Stewart, co founder and chief visionary officer for the automated job-matching site Job.com.

So you’ve ACED your Video interview! Congrats!

As much as our work habits have changed, the employer must also adapt the terms of employment offered to new employees. In addition to standard salary and benefits, they should consider adding additional provisions relevant to our current situation.

Offer a paid subscription to a new wellness app, or complimentary meal/grocery delivery services; these offerings not only make a person feel valued; they are a constant reminder that they are part of a team and a company that cares for them.

This is critical at this time as they don’t have the luxury of natural team-building that comes when people come into the office daily. These little gems when they first join the team let new employees know they are valued and appreciated and improve employee attraction and retention metrics.

You must also keep the social aspect of work alive by arranging things like virtual lunches or happy hour, where food is on the company (it’s difficult to coordinate timely delivery so allow employees to claim back on expenses). This builds a break into the workday and gives people a chance to decompress, socialize and break the monotony and isolation inherent to working at home.

You should insist that your workers take part in this to make sure they feel included and most of all, keep a routine.

Although the landscape of the interview process has vastly changed, and the added benefits that employers should consider when acquiring a new client now differ, the fact remains, hiring new top talent is going no where.

For more information about the services offered at Rostie & Associates, feel free to visit our website www.rostie.com or call us toll-free 1-800-647-0780.

We look forward to finding your your next hire!

The Value of Communication Skills

October 18, 2019/0 Comments/in Business, Cowork, meetings, Networking /by admin

There are many ways that a workplace can be disconnected, leading to inefficiency. A business that tends to overlook the importance of communication in the workplace is most likely unsuccessful. In order to maintain a stable work environment, coworkers must communicate effectively! This means that those who cannot function as a part of a team will prove detrimental. This skill is especially important nowadays where technology consumes most of our time in the office. Social skills continue to be taken for granted as we find less need for them; however, this should be enough to want to enhance this decreasingly prominent ability.

Listening

Listening skills are potentially the hardest to come by in terms of communication skills. This skill requires one to allow another to speak without interruption. Also, while they are speaking, be sure to genuinely pay attention to what they are saying. Do not think of what you are going to say when they are done. This distracts you from getting all of the information from what they said. If you’re lucky, you may be able to catch the gist of what they are saying.

Confidence

Another skill that is hard to come by is confidence when speaking. There is a fine line between confidence and condescension. You must be comfortable with who you are and project that confidence onto others. Do not brag, but do not self-deprecate. A confident person will have little to no problem communicating with others. Confidence typically comes from a lack of concern towards if others do not agree with their character. This skill is very beneficial, as you must be able to do things that make you uncomfortable if you wish to develop as an employee.

Legitimate confidence brings with it a confident tone. A confident tone is simply a means of suggesting that you are sure of yourself and you are a reliable and capable worker. Once more, avoid sounding arrogant. It is one thing to be confident in what you’re saying if you are sure you are correct. It is another thing to ensure others you are right when you are unsure. This is simply stubbornness rather than intelligence. Arrogant people are not particularly smiled upon and tend to create conflict in the workplace.

Kindness-getting along with others

Many workplaces may experience some form of conflict between two or more employees. This needless rivalry will lead to an array of internal problems. This will do nothing but hinder efficiency in the workplace. Therefore, kindness is a skill that an employee must have if they wish to maintain their success as an employee, or else reap the consequences

It is important to note that remaining friendly, even on days that are not going too well, is a skill that employees must learn to have if they wish to grow. Just because your day is rough, it does not mean you can take it out on others. Think about it this way: everyone has bad days. What makes you special that you are allowed to take it out on others, while they keep it to themselves, or at least outside of the workplace? This will have people thinking about you in a negative fashion. You will be recognized as a negative person who always complains. Being isolated like this cannot lead to anything beneficial for the business.

Feedback-back and forth communication

It is important that after listening to someone, you provide your input to the conversation. For example, if someone tells you that there is something troubling them. You can either offer a solution, or at least try and come up with something else that may suffice. This way they will know that you were listening. Not only that, they will know that you genuinely care about what they are saying.

These feelings will reciprocate; therefore, they will then respect what you have to say as well. If all you offer to the conversation is “yeah” or “uh-huh”, then you will seem distracted and not actually paying attention. Contributing to the conversation shows respect and a want to better the business.

If you’re ready to test out your communication skill on a new position, take a look at our available jobs and contact us today!

The Winter Scoop is Out!

January 18, 2019/0 Comments/in Business, Events, Marketing, Meeting Rooms, Networking, social, The Scoop, Toronto /by admin

Polishing your Professional Image

January 18, 2019/0 Comments/in Business, Event Planning, Marketing, Networking, social /by Pamela Inglis

It’s a new year and a time when many of us take stock of our professional lives – home, career, finances and health.

If you’re considering taking the next step in your career whether by making a move to another company or looking for a promotion with your existing employer, it can’t hurt to freshen up your online presence and resume.

Let’s face it, like or not, the first place a potential hiring manager looks to “check you out”, is LinkedIn and you want to make sure your profile will pass muster.

Is your profile complete and does it look professional? Have you listed all of your certifications and accomplishments? Does your photo reflect the “professional you” or did you go the “selfie” route? You don’t have to pay for a professional photographer – just put on your best suit, pamper yourself with a little extra grooming time and have a friend take a nice head and shoulders shot.

We may not all be model material but we can all look professional!

Next is your resume. Whether you’re looking for a new role or not, it’s not a bad idea to update your resume every year – highlighting the previous year’s accomplishments. This is also a good morale booster – be proud of what you’ve achieved! You may also want to winnow your resume down a bit – you really don’t need a lengthy paragraph for previous roles that have no bearing on your current role and goals. And edit, edit and edit again. This is absolutely essential. You cannot rely on spell check as grammatical errors may slip through – you have to read your resume through, read it again and then have someone else read it through for you! Hiring managers can (and have) taken poor grammar as an indication of lack of attention to detail, or worse, poor communication skills.

You may decide to stay in your current role a while longer but you’ll be ready if the right opportunity – or your favourite recruiter – comes knocking!

And if you DO feel ready to take the next step in your career, why don’t you browse the available jobs here on Rostie.com? You may just find exactly what you’re looking for.

by: Pamela Inglis
Manager Recruiting/Senior Consultant
pinglis@rostie.com
416-777-0780

Annual Holiday Breakfast 2018

December 18, 2018/0 Comments/in Business, coworking, Event Space, Events, Meeting Rooms, meetings, Networking, Offices, social media /by admin

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!

Canada Day Art Installation

June 25, 2018/0 Comments/in Events, Marketing, Networking, News /by admin

To celebrate Canada Day 2018, Oxford Properties has created a beautiful Art Installation of the Canadian Flag by Artist Udo Schliemann. The 3 dimensional flag is rendered by using 1 inch wide, 5 meter long white and red ribbons. 50,000 ribbons were used to create this effect.

[envira-gallery id="10193"]

Additionally, they have taken us on a trip through Toronto’s past, celebrating our past, and making us look forward to our Future. Photos by Arthur Beales tell the story.

[envira-gallery id="10236"]

We’d like to thank Oxford Properties for continuing these events, and making it a pleasure to work and visit WaterPark Place.

The Oxford Way

March 23, 2018/0 Comments/in Business, Co Working, Cowork, coworking, Event Planning, Event Space, Events, Featured, Marketing, Meeting Rooms, meetings, Networking, News, Office Space, Offices, Proworking, social, social media, Staff, Toronto, toronto meetings, workspace /by admin

Back in September 2017, Oxford Properties conducted a customer satisfaction and loyalty survey. Many clients took the time to let Oxford know whether they were meeting or exceeding service expectations. To celebrate the fantastic results Oxford have created a visual representation of this commitment via “The Oxford Way” video:

We love being part of WaterPark Place!

Here’s some events they’ve held in the building over the past year:

[envira-gallery id=”9035″]

Click here for more information on how you can become part of the Oxford community.

How Will H1B Visa Changes Impact Your Team and Talent Acquisition?

Your Career Path: Making the Most of a Bad Situation

Hiring: The Landscape Has Changed, But the Song Remains the Same

The Value of Communication Skills

Listening

Confidence

Kindness-getting along with others

Feedback-back and forth communication

Canada Day Art Installation

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