Showing posts with label #ingino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #ingino. Show all posts
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Apply Fundamental Relationship-Building Psychology
Apply Fundamental
Relationship-Building Psychology
to Your Job Search
By Nick Kossovan
An effective way to shorten your job search is to leverage the fundamental psychological principle—a game-changing lifehack—that most people overlook when trying to form a relationship, whether during job hunting, aspiring to climb the corporate ladder, seeking new friends, networking, or looking for that "special someone": If you want someone (read: an employer) to be interested in you, first be interested in them. Showing interest in someone is a massive gesture that makes you stand out; this is particularly true during interviews, where the goal is to establish a connection with your interviewer.
When expressing interest in someone—an employer—a key consideration is focusing your communication on how you can contribute to their success. This approach will make you memorable, which is what you should strive for, as it contrasts with most job seekers whose sense of entitlement has them primarily focused on their wants. Job seekers who are "what's in it for me" focused tend to struggle with their job search.
Focus on "What Can I Do for You?"
A hiring manager's primary concern is how the candidate can help the business. Therefore, distinguishing yourself from competitors, who are likely "me" focused, is as simple as demonstrating to employers the quantitative results you've achieved in your previous roles and how you intend to attain similar results. In 2025, your entire job search should focus on showcasing your past achievements that demonstrate your ability to either generate revenue or solve problems that hinder revenue. Can you answer the question savvy interviewers ask: "Tell me how you brought value to your most recent position."?
· "I led a software implementation project that was completed on time and under budget by $35,000."
· "By calling dormant accounts that hadn't made a purchase in over two years with a one-time offer, I resurrected over 200 accounts, generating $850,000 in revenue."
· "My hunger to achieve my monthly sales quota motivated me to make at least 40% of my calls before or after traditional business hours when decision-makers were most likely to answer their phones. This calling strategy resulted in a significantly higher connection rate, enabling me to exceed my monthly sales quota for 34 consecutive months."
Being different is better than "being better."
Stop trying to be "the best-qualified candidate." Remember, you're striving to be memorable. Solely highlighting your qualifications and experience, especially without numerical evidence, is a surefire way to blend in with every other candidate.
American psychologist Dr. Robert Cialdini asserts, "To be persuasive, you need to be unique." Determine ways to present yourself to employers that will make you stand out. Often, just doing the basics that few job seekers do, such as creating a results-oriented resume and LinkedIn profile, including a compelling cover letter that sells as the ideal candidate for the position (not including a cover letter is lazy), and sending a post-interview thank you note to reinforce why you're the 'must-have' candidate, really well will make your stand out from those you're competing against.
Job seekers, now more than ever, need to bring a fresh perspective to their applications.
Social proof helps establish trust.
Catherine Sanderson, Professor of Psychology at Amherst College, notes, "People are influenced by what others think. Social proof can be a powerful motivator."
Your interviewer is a stranger; best-case scenario, you're a referral, thereby sharing a "we know the same person" connection. Unsurprisingly, since they're hiring strangers, hiring managers ask themselves: "Can I trust this person?"
The foundation of any successful relationship is trust. A crucial step in establishing trust is demonstrating credibility. Today, the most effective way to establish credibility is by taking advantage of social media platforms—LinkedIn being the most obvious—to provide social proof. Post screenshots of your successes include recommendations from previous bosses and share client success stories. Establish your credibility! If you've worked with well-known companies and brands, mention them to foster a reputation for trustworthiness and competence. Employers are more likely to trust you when they see that a reputable company has hired (read: trusted) you.
Fear of missing out (FOMO) motivates.
We all want what others have. A job search tactic I've successfully used several times is to create a perception of scarcity—that I'm in high demand. The perception that you have other options makes recruiters and hiring managers move faster. Being interested in you is good, but being concerned about losing you to a competitor is even better.
If you're in contact with several companies, even if you haven't reached the interview stage, mention it subtly. "I'm excited about several opportunities right now" conveys value without being overly boastful. Using this tactic frequently (no guarantee) encourages the employer to act quickly to hire you.
Reciprocity is powerful.
"There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life - reciprocity." - Confucius. The act of giving fosters social connections while positioning you as a valuable resource, thus enhancing your visibility and desirability. Do what most job seekers don't do: share industry insights, write informative posts, or comment thoughtfully on hiring managers' posts. The more you give, the more people will remember you, which, in turn, facilitates striving to be a memorable candidate.
So Many Questions
So Many Questions
By Theresa Grant Real Estate columnist
A while back I was having dinner with a friend when her son came home with his girlfriend. They are in their twenties and recent graduates of university. With their careers on track, their next step according to them is to plan for buying a house and planning their future together.
As many people do, they have amassed a lot of information, but it was apparent after just a few minutes of conversation that much of the information they were equipped with was flat out wrong.
So began an evening of answering many questions and dispelling many myths regarding purchasing a home. It was very impromptu but welcome at the same time as I hate to see people wondering around ill-informed when it comes to buying a home. Misinformation in this area can literally alter the trajectory of someone’s life. If a person is not aware of their options, they often make decisions that they would not have otherwise made, but they weren’t aware of what was available to them.
One of the first questions they had was regarding income. In an effort to bump up their income, they were not only working but they had put together a little side business. Their business was viable and generated income. The problem was that they were just taking the income as it came in and putting it in the bank. They thought that if they just put the money in the bank and told the bank officer where it had come from that all would be well, and it could be considered part of their overall income. I told them that if they wanted it to count
as income that would be recognized by the bank when it came time to get a mortgage that they would have to structure that income as being received through their small business and that they would have to open a business account and show that to the bank officer. One thing about income that hasn’t changed too much over the years is that banks want to see stable sources of income, and they want to see proper documentation. A good rule of thumb is that to have part-time income included you should have that part-time job for 2 years. That is the same for self-employed people.
Another question they had pertained to downpayment. All of the examples they had seen referred to a 20% downpayment. So, naturally they thought that they needed to come up with 20% down as a minimum. That is not accurate. 5% is the requirement. The reason 20% is always thrown out there is because when you put 20% down you do not have to obtain mortgage insurance through CMHC. There is a minimal cost for the insurance and that is factored into your payments. While the more you can put down, the better it is for you, you can get into the market at 5% down. Never hesitate to ask questions. 
OSHAWA COUNCILLORS TURN A ‘SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING’ INTO A SATIRICAL ‘COMEDY OF ERRORS’
This Is Not Discipline It’s Political Punishment
This Is Not Discipline It’s Political Punishment
By Councillor Lisa Robinson
On Monday, Pickering Council will vote - again - to take away my income. If they approve the Integrity Commissioner’s recommendation, I will have officially worked an entire year without pay. A single mother, elected by the people to represent them, will be punished for doing just that - representing the people.
Let’s be absolutely clear: I submitted a full rebuttal to the Integrity Commissioner’s Preliminary Findings on June 6, 2025 - two separate emails outlining my response in detail. That submission addressed every allegation with facts and evidence. But the final report - the one being used to justify this punishment - falsely claims that I didn’t respond at all.
That is a lie. And when I asked that the item be removed from the agenda so this glaring error could be corrected, they refused.
Not only is this a blatant violation of procedural fairness, it exposes the political agenda at play. While the full contents of my response may not have been reviewed, Council, the Clerk, the Mayor, and the Solicitor are fully aware that I responded - and they’re choosing to move forward anyway.
This isn’t about conduct. It’s about control.
Let’s talk about the source of these complaints. Aside from the first two sanctions - one brought by Councillor’s Brenner, Cook, and Nagy, and the second, which I strongly suspect also involved a member of Council - every single complaint since then has come directly from the CAO or the Mayor, the two highest-ranking powerholders in the corporation. In fact, there are additional complaints from the CAO that were submitted even before she submitted this current one, but the Integrity Commissioner is deliberately holding them back - waiting to bring them forward after Monday’s vote, so they can hit me with yet another 90-day suspension. That’s not accountability. That’s strategic punishment - carefully staggered to keep me under continuous attack and financially crippled.
And what kicked it all off? A simple, honest statement I made months ago:
“If I were Mayor, I would remove the CAO, the City Solicitor, and several Directors - because corruption starts at the top. I’d tear down city hall, rebuild it from the ground up, and give it back to the people.”
That’s the truth - and it shook them. Because if I win the mayoral seat in October 2026, the CAO could lose her $250,000-a-year job. That’s over $4,500 a week. So ask yourself: are these complaints really about Code violations - or are they about protecting power, position, and
paycheques?
And let’s not pretend this is a fair process. The report actually says it’s “unfortunate” that Council can’t bar me from attending meetings, as if my very presence on the floor is something they’d eliminate if they had the legal authority. They use words like “sentencing” and
“deterrence,” as though this were a criminal courtroom and I were some repeat offender, not a duly elected official fulfilling her mandate, by being the voice of the people who voted for me, and even those who didn’t.
Even the Mayor himself has said, on the record, “She hasn’t learned her lesson” - like I’m a
disobedient child who needs to be punished into submission. That tells you everything you need to know about the mindset behind these votes. They don’t want accountability.
They want obedience.
Let me be clear: Council does not have to accept the recommendation of the Integrity Commissioner. The Municipal Act allows for alternatives: training, education, even community service. But they’ve never once considered a single other option. It’s always straight to the most extreme measure: take her pay. Why? Because that’s what hurts most.
And if Council votes in favour of this - knowing the report is flawed, knowing my response exists, knowing the bias behind these complaints - then every councillor who votes yes is complicit. It will say everything about their character, their cowardice, and their willingness to follow orders instead of doing what’s right.
This should concern every person in Pickering. If this council can financially destroy an elected official simply for telling the truth, what will they do to you when you speak up?
This is not democracy. This is dictatorship by majority vote. This is not discipline.
This is targeted political punishment.
I was elected to stand for the people. And no matter how many times they try to crush me, I will not back down.
Councillor Lisa Robinson “The People’s Councillor”
“Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head On And Rise Above It” - 2023 
SOME FIESTA OSHAWA’S SILENT FIESTAS
SOME FIESTA
OSHAWA’S SILENT FIESTAS
B.A. Psychology
Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers
ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000
Published Columns in Canada and The United States
Have we not learned anything from Albert Einstein quote, “"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results,". Well, it appears not.
The City of Oshawa has great potentials but unfortunately it has become Southern Ontario’s best kept secret.
From the political in- fighting to the petty committees that have to vote on who will be turning the lights off or on. They lack direction, conviction and leadership as most of them have no clue what they are doing and the fact that they sit in a committee, it swells most of their heads to a new level of importance and along the way they loose the purpose of their role and become politicized. I have been in Oshawa for over 30 years and it has not changed and if anything it has got worst. The quality of life has deteriorated to the point that we have people living on our streets, crime and drug use at an all time high.
Events such as fiesta, cars on main and the peony festival... all great events that could bring millions to the city. Unfortunately, flop after flop. Year after year.
Do organizers not get it. Some have the gul to actually call flops a success as at times not only the local dignitaries and elected wanna be’s show up but the odd homeless, hooker and drug dealer may show up... and they claim this an overwhelming crowd.
If I had won the Mayors seat. I would have turned the City of Oshawa in to a major marketing machine. Each event including, “Fiesta”. I would have found corporate sponsors and investors. I would have created programs where competition was judged by celebrity judges. I would have had a strong presentation across all media platforms including radio, newsprint and television not to mention social media. Social media in my expert opinion is becoming a media relic.
Social media if for people that have little or no budget as it is cheap and anyone can get on social media. More elaborate professionally targeted social media is costly and out of range for many small businesses and most of these volunteer committees.
Then what is the secret to Oshawa success. Create, using the current IT at the city a top notch media team. Releasing all kinds of promotional interest to all interested across the planet. Across all media. I would get rid of the corporate discrimination and corporate bias... I would eliminate patronage favoritism that is widely practiced at the city of Oshawa. Not one ad from the City to promote CANADA DAY. The most important day of the year next to Christmas. And these hypocrites are the same people that push down our throats Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.... These are the same people that cry publicly ‘That they care about local small businesses’. I say Malarkey. If they did then why is the City of Oshawa loosing businesses right left and center?
Why is the quality of life in Oshawa at an all time low? There is no inclusion in Oshawa. They openly practice corporate discrimination and favoritism and EXCLUDE anyone that does not brown nose. Oshawa has to be the most discriminatory City in Durham. Look at their own City hall meetings. In-fighting. Petty arguments and no sign of corporate leadership or concern for the taxpayer. This is wrong. Let’s stop voting in the same old incumbents and expect change.
Remember Einsteins observation and use common sense.
Canada and the G7 meeting
Canada and the G7 meeting
by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC
FEC, CET, P.Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
Canada hosted the recent meeting of the G7 most industrialized countries in a fast evolving geopolitical convolution. The G7 meeting was marked by the recent war between Israel and Iran, which started just days before the G7 meeting hosted and chaired by Canada.
This year's summit took place against the backdrop of a new war between Israel and Iran, which pushed U.S. President Donald Trump to leave the summit a day early.
Despite these new issues on the world scene, Canada lead by Prime Minister Mark Carney seemed to perform successfully. Carney held bilateral meetings with Trump and other world leaders during the two-day summit. Carney's office said Monday that the U.S. president agreed to negotiate a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S. by mid-July.
However, as Carney is surely learning by now, Trump could walk away from that deadline as easily as he walks away from G7 meetings. The U.S. president said that getting a trade deal with Canada was a priority for him when he went into this summit, until it was not.
Donald Trump’s abrupt departure from the G7 meeting on Monday night was not exactly an insult to his host Mark Carney, who, with typical Canadian courtesy, thanked the president for showing up, however briefly.
As usual, Donald Trump left behind him a collection of eyebrow-raising remarks, including some throwaway lines as he departed on Air Force One about how Canada, his host for two days, should become his country’s 51st state. There he goes again.
How Carney manages Trump will be a defining feature of his tenure as prime minister, as it was for Justin Trudeau. While these are early days, a vague shape of that relationship is starting to emerge.
For now, Trump’s reasonably positive view of Carney, amply displayed when the prime minister visited the White House earlier this year, seems to be holding. When the two men held a joint media availability, Trump allowed that they shared different views on tariffs, but he was almost deferential to Carney’s position.
“I have a tariff concept,” Trump said. “Mark has a different concept, which is something that some people like, but we’re going to see if we can get to the bottom of it today.”
Mark Carney seemed to do very well at this summit. He acted with diplomacy, maturity and showed true leadership, despite it being his first participation.
The attendance of Donald Trump, an American president whose entire second term has been paid homage to unrestrained power, made this the most bizarre gathering of the group in its half-century history. As host, Prime Minister Carney had two tactical jobs.
In the ongoing battle of systemic narratives, the first was to pre-empt any remotely credible spin portraying the G7 as dead based on a classic Trumpian catastrophe whose propaganda rollers would have blamed the guests rather than the skunk at the garden party.
As Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne said of Trump in his post-G7 piece arguing for a return to the G6, “He is fundamentally opposed to everything the G7 stands for, including the G7.”
Trump’s early departure from the summit, ostensibly to return to Washington to manage the United States response to escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, was not that catastrophe; it was the pre-emption of that catastrophe.
As some have said of Trump’s G7 exit, it could have been worse. He could have stayed. As it was, Trump’s pre-finale exit was the best possible outcome for the G7.
Prime Minister Carney’s second tactical job was securing the best possible outcome for the G7 as a political, geopolitical and existential imperative and he performed this task successfully.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who will host the G7 next year, commented that Mr. Carney fulfilled his mission as G7 host by keeping the multilateral body united.
"We shouldn't ask the Canadian presidency to resolve every issue on earth today. That would be unfair," said Macron. "But he held the group together. He did it with his characteristic elegance and determination."
Along side the summit, Prime Minister Carney invited some important world leaders who can contribute to improving the international relations of Canada for the benefit of Canadians.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social media that he had an "excellent" meeting with Prime Minister Carney. He complimented him and the Canadian government on "successfully" hosting the summit.
Canada and India agreed to name new high commissioners and restore regular diplomatic services to citizens in both countries.
Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials last fall, following news that law enforcement had linked agents of the Indian government to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens.
In conclusion, Prime Minister Mark Carney performed very well at the summit and proved he is savvy during his meetings. At a news conference closing the G7 summit, Carney said allies' attention would shift next week from addressing threats to economic security to addressing issues of global defence and security at the upcoming NATO and Canada-EU summits.
He continues his journey of putting Canada back where it belongs on the international scene by heading to Europe to attend the summits on NATO and Canada-EU relations.
The Prime Minister's Office said the leaders will work to "deepen the Canada-EU relationship across all sectors," including trade and defence.
The NATO meeting will likely focus on defence spending. NATO allies are expected to adopt a plan to hike the defence-spending target for members to five per cent of national GDP — a level Canada has not reached since the 1950s.
Prime Minister Carney announced last week that Canada would rapidly advance its military spending timeline to hit the current NATO target of two per cent of national GDP by adding $9 billion to the fiscal framework this year.
Prime Minister Carney warned that Canada depends too much on an increasingly unreliable United States for its defence and is spending too much of its rearmament budget south of the border.
He said clearly that; "We recognize that our leadership will be defined not just by the strength of our values but the values of our strength."
Hoping for the best for Canada, it seems that we are on the right track.
What do you think?
June is Men’s Mental Health Month
June is Men’s Mental Health Month
By Dale Jodoin
It’s supposed to be a time to help men and boys feel brave enough to talk. To cry if they need to. To say, “I’m not okay,” and still feel like they matter.
But most people don’t even know it exists.
And the truth is, many men are struggling—but feel like they can’t say a word.
How Many Men Are There?
In Canada, there are more than 20 million men. In the United States, there are about 168 million men. In Europe, there are around 360 million men. That’s a lot of people.
That’s millions of fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, grandpas. But when it comes time to talk about their health—especially their mental health—something happens:
They’re forgotten.
It Starts Early
In schools, most teachers are women. About 65% of all teachers in Canada are female. That number’s even higher in elementary school.
This is not an attack on women—it’s a fact.
Boys grow up without male teachers or mentors. Most of them go through years of school without one man showing them how to be strong in the right way.
They’re told to “sit still,” “calm down,” and “stop being loud.” If they run around or get too excited, they get told they have problems.
Many get put on medicine just for acting like boys.
They’re not allowed to talk about how they feel. They’re told, “Be quiet. Don’t cry. Don’t complain.” Some boys even believe something is wrong with them just because they’re boys.
Then It Gets Worse
When boys become teenagers, the confusion grows.
They’re told being “manly” is bad. That it’s wrong to be strong or competitive. They start to think that being themselves is not okay. And if they speak up about feeling sad or lost, they get laughed at or called names.
In high school and college, many boys stop trying to date. They’re scared to talk to girls. They’re scared of being accused of something. They’re scared to even be near people sometimes.
They feel like being a man is dangerous or bad.
And when some men in college try to start clubs just for men—to talk and feel safe—they get shut down. People say those groups “hate women,” even if they don’t.
So the men go quiet again.
What About Fathers?
Here’s something wild.
Father’s Day is in June.
That’s during Men’s Mental Health Month. A time meant to honour fathers.
But instead of feeling honoured, many dads feel beaten down. They get taken away from their kids in court. They get told they don’t matter as much as moms. They lose jobs and homes. And nobody checks on their hearts.
Many boys grow up watching their dads get pushed around, or pushed away.
So what do those boys learn?
They learn not to trust the system. They learn that being a man means being alone.
No One is Attacking Women
Let’s be clear: this is not about taking anything from girls or women.
This is about boys and men having a space too.
If a group is just for girls, people say “good for them!” But when boys want a group just for them, they’re told it’s “not fair.”
That’s not equal.
All-boy clubs, spaces, and safe places are not wrong. They are needed.
It’s not about hate. It’s about healing. Boys need room to talk with other boys. They need male role models. They need men who’ve been through pain and made it out the other side. That doesn’t take away from anyone. It just gives boys something they’ve lost.
What We Can Do
So what’s the answer? Let’s start in schools.
Bring in male mentors. Real men. Police officers. Soldiers. Firefighters. Dads. Uncles. Coaches. Let them sit with the boys. Let them say, “You’re not broken. You’re just growing.”
Let’s build new boys’ clubs. No girls or women allowed. Not because we’re mean, but because boys need space. Real space. To talk. To laugh. To cry. To heal.
That’s not against equal rights. That is equal rights—for the boys.
Let’s make a new National Boys and Men’s Association. It can follow boys from middle school to college. Help them find friends. Help them find mentors. Help them find hope.
We used to have places like that.
They were called Boy Scouts and frat houses.
Now they’re called nothing.
It’s time to change that.
If We Don’t Act
If we don’t make space for boys to grow and talk, things will keep getting worse.
More young men will give up on dating. On love. On family. More will feel afraid to speak. More will stop trying.
And the saddest thing of all? Many will think it’s their fault.
But it’s not. It’s our fault—for staying quiet.
Let’s Be Brave
Let’s not whisper about this anymore.Let’s speak loud. Let’s speak clearly. Men’s Mental Health Month is not a joke. It’s not weak. It’s not something to hide.
It is brave. It is strong. It is needed.
And it should be taught in schools. Celebrated in towns.
Respected in the media. Supported in homes.
Let’s raise boys to be proud of being boys. Let’s show them how to be good men, not silent ones.
Because every boy deserves a hero.
And every man deserves a month where he’s not invisible.
Desjardins’ $7-Million Vacation-Pay Settlement Shakes Up an Everyday HR Practice
Friday, June 13, 2025
Know Your Numbers
Know Your Numbers
By Theresa Grant Real Estate columnist
I want to tell you about a story that was relayed to me through a friend. I came to know this by way of dinner conversation with this friend when I inquired about a mutual acquaintance. I was shocked but not surprised. We both knew this couple that were looking for a house to purchase. They had an agent and were actively looking. After seeing many houses this couple found a house they really loved so they put an offer on it. What happens when someone puts an offer on a house is, the listing agent sends out a message to anyone who has viewed the house either through an open house or a personal tour. The message is to let those people know that there has been an offer registered on that property in case they may have been mulling it over. It essentially brings everyone to the table. If you had walked through and were thinking about it, now was the time to make an offer and everyone gets a chance. It’s also how agents whip up bidding wars. That is exactly what happened in the case of this couple. They ended up losing the house to someone who bid higher than they could afford to go. This actually happened not once, but a couple of times. The couple grew somewhat despondent, thinking that they may never be able to purchase a house if this was the process with every offer. The couple were drawn to this beautiful house that had absolutely everything they wanted in their new home. They put a offer on the house knowing there would probably be at least one more coming in. They had a plan. When the agent came back to them and asked if they’d like to improve their offer, they said yes. They had launching into the bidding war. The problem being that they could only afford a certain number. They were just so desperate to get the house, they kept raising their offer. Eventually the agent informed them that they had won, and that the sellers were going to work with their offer. They were thrilled. Now came the real problem. While they had been approved for a certain dollar value in terms of the mortgage, the bank ordered an appraisal of the house. That is common in most cases. The appraisal came back far below the offer price on the house. That left the couple in a real bind. They could either come up with the difference between what the bank said the house was worth and what they had offered to pay for the house or, the sellers could sue them. This is a situation that played out during Covid-19 far too often as people got caught up in desperately trying to purchase something for fear they would not have an opportunity down the road. In this case the couple was able to come up with the difference, but in most cases the situation winds up in court. The whole process of house hunting can be an emotional roller coaster but my advise to everyone is to never panic, and always know your numbers.
The Endless #OpenToWork Banner Debate is Tiring
The Endless #OpenToWork Banner Debate is Tiring
By Nick Kossovan
A straightforward belief: A person's results speak for themselves. Making excuses for being a "victim of," "not having the same advantages as," or blaming your parents, the government, and the stars not being aligned doesn't change this. A person's results are influenced by how they respond to their circumstances, their actions—playing the hand they're dealt—and the amount of effort—strategic effort—they put forth.
When it comes to job search results, such as landing interviews, your results are a testament to the effectiveness of your job search strategy.
I'm sure you've noticed that many job seekers on LinkedIn harshly and venomously critique the job search strategies of other seekers. It's no one else's business how a job seeker conducts their job search, who ultimately must live with the results their job search strategy achieves. This supposed "concern" for what other job seekers are doing is why LinkedIn has become a digital hub for juvenile debates, the most prevalent being whether to use LinkedIn's #OpenToWork banner feature, adding a green circle frame to your LinkedIn profile picture to inform LinkedIn members you're seeking a new job.
My initial take: "Care about what other people think, and you will always be their prisoner." - Lao Tzu. Why do so many people give a f*ck about what others do on social media? An incessant need "to be right" (You're right, everyone else is wrong.) hinders personal growth. What prevents us from following the harmony principle: you do you, and I will do me? Basically, mind your own business!
My second take: Before LinkedIn became the dumpster fire it is today, where job seekers congregate to bash employers, essentially biting the hands they want to feed them, and self-proclaiming "experts" offering pseudo job search advice, followed by a pitch for their overpriced, never-guaranteed service, LinkedIn was the go-to platform for announcing you were looking for a new job. Why LinkedIn? LinkedIn was where your current and former colleagues, friends, hiring managers, and recruiters hung out. These days, many managers, directors, executives and even recruiters avoid LinkedIn. They no longer see LinkedIn's value or want to spend their time wading through the victim mentality drama that dominates the platform.
Once upon a time, you could concentrate all your job search efforts on LinkedIn. Today, LinkedIn should make up only a small part of your job search activities. The #OpenToWork banner is merely one tool in your job search toolkit. It's unlikely that the banner alone will significantly influence your job search, either positively or negatively; however, every little bit helps.
The #OpenToWork banner debate generally centres on whether the green banner makes a person seem "desperate." The banner is simply a sign that you're open (available) to opportunities, serving the same purpose as a red neon 'vacancy' sign in the window of a roadside motel, indicating to travellers that rooms are available. Is the owner of the roadside motel making it known they have rooms available "desperate"?
· If I owned a retail store, I'd display a sign that tells people what I sell.
· If I were selling my house, I would put a sign on my front lawn.
· If I were opening a new dental clinic, I would advertise on billboards.
· If I were looking for a job, I'd...
What LinkedIn's #OpenToWork doesn't do is help you establish your value proposition. It's your responsibility to demonstrate how you can contribute measurable value to an employer's bottom line. Hiring managers filter LinkedIn profiles by skills, experience, and other factors related to their search criteria. Filtering by "Open-To-Work" won't bring up LinkedIn profiles of those who possess the skills and expertise they're seeking. However, if your profile appears in an employer's or recruiter's search and you've toggled on the "Open to Work" setting, which is unrelated to the #OpenToWork photo frame and, while visible to everyone, isn't something recruiters and employers can search for, it makes sense, at least I think so, to contact you first since you're advertising that you're available and therefore are more likely to be open to discussing an opportunity than someone who's currently employed and will need to be persuaded to leave their current position.
Advertising your availability doesn't make you appear desperate; it removes ambiguity, making it easier for recruiters and employers to recognize candidates who are actively job searching. You're not pleading for a job; you're helping employers find you, which reflects a proactive mindset. I don't know any recruiter or employer who holds a candidate's proactive job search against them. However, it's crucial to recognize that being easy to find on LinkedIn and the impression a recruiter or hiring manager gets from your profile are two entirely separate influences on your job search. Unless your profile clearly states, using quantifying numbers, the value you've added to your previous employers, your #OpenToWork banner's effectiveness is almost nonexistent. One last note: if you're participating in the #OpenToWork banner debate, stop it! It's not your concern how others conduct their job search. Keep your focus on what you need to do to achieve your desired job search results, which speak for themselves.
_____________________________________________________
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
Stop the Spin: Pickering Is Not the Fastest-Growing City - And Here’s Why That Matters
THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES ** A LOOK AT A FEW OF THEIR CURRENT PRIORITIES **
THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES
** A LOOK AT A FEW OF THEIR CURRENT PRIORITIES **
THE CITY OF OSHAWA is a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and is specifically participating in FCM's Partners for Climate Protection program which helps municipalities reduce energy costs, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Oshawa has also completed a Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan as part of FCM programs. So, what exactly is the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and what are their priorities?
FCM has been the national voice of municipal government in Canada since 1901. Their members include more than 2,100 municipalities of all sizes, from Canada's cities and rural communities, to northern communities and 20 provincial and territorial municipal associations. Together, they represent more than 92 percent of all Canadians. Municipal leaders from across Canada assemble each year to set FCM policy on key issues.
Historically, Canadian municipalities came together in 1901 as the Union of Canadian Municipalities. The Dominion Conference of Mayors was established in 1935 and by 1937 the two national bodies joined as the Canadian Federation of Mayors and Municipalities – renamed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in 1976.
Now you know. As part of this educational column, I offer my readers a look at a few of the priorities upon which the FCM is currently focused:
CANADA-US RELATIONS: Trying to ensure the future prosperity of Canadian municipalities is absolutely critical amid current tensions between Canada and the United States. Cities like Oshawa are considered the engine of our country’s economic strength – driving growth, productivity and jobs. Amid the current economic climate over President Trump’s tariffs, the need to support and promote individual municipalities is paramount.
Measures need to be taken that will ensure a stronger and better Canada emerges from this crisis. That means prioritizing economic diversification, breaking down interprovincial trade barriers, prioritizing trade-enabling infrastructure, and recognizing that real economic growth is built by investing in communities, both urban and rural.
The FCM is calling on all levels of government to accelerate and increase investment in growth sustaining infrastructure, such as water systems, roads, and public transit. This may be seen as a straightforward way to create local jobs and enable the economic growth and diversification Canadians across the country deserve.
HOMELESSNESS: Canada’s homelessness crisis is reaching a breaking point, and municipalities are on the front lines. Tangible, permanent solutions are required so that local governments, including the Region of Durham, can tackle this unprecedented issue with a full list of appropriate measures. More and more Canadians are being pushed onto the streets and into encampments. Winter conditions in particular can take a harsh toll on the most vulnerable, while producing a complex human and financial burden which falls to local governments.
As shelters continue to fill up and community resources are stretched to the limit, the cracks in an underperforming federal homelessness strategy are on full display.
Local leaders throughout Canada and right here in Durham Region are working with limited resources. To ensure that municipalities are better equipped to truly address the situation, a new municipal growth framework is required, one that will provide communities with a fairer slice of existing resources.
HOUSING: Housing is the bedrock of livable and prosperous communities. Right now, the FCM is advocating for action on social and affordable housing so all Canadians have a decent place to call home. Recent polling indicates that 44% of Canadians feel housing affordability is their biggest worry.
This country is in the grip of a housing and affordability crisis. Housing is more than just a roof over one’s head, but a place to foster a sense of safety, belonging, and economic opportunity. Yet across Canada, safe and affordable housing options are dwindling.
Additionally, to ensure accessibility to the right type of housing, a coordinated effort is needed to increase the supply of non-profit housing, including co-op and non-profit rental housing for middle-income households and deeply affordable social housing for low-income Canadians. A more equitable funding model for municipalities is required to support the growth these communities have experienced over the last number of years.
Fortunately, there have been some major gains to help address gaps in housing and related infrastructure needs. A $6-billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund was announced in 2024 for housing-related infrastructure needs. The Housing Accelerator Fund, which was launched in 2023, helps municipalities access support needed to increase the right kind of housing supply for their communities. The National Housing Strategy, launched in 2017, supports municipalities in replacing, maintaining and building new social and affordable housing.
Leadership from all levels of government is required to tackle the housing affordability crisis, which shows no signs of abating.
MUNICIPAL GROWTH: Investing in infrastructure is the best way to turn Canada’s population growth into thriving communities and prevent a serious infrastructure gap. Ontario has experienced record population growth, and the question now is, how do we ensure our communities remain great places to live?
With 1.2 million new residents in the last year, municipalities are encountering a dual challenge: building enough housing to restore affordability while ensuring local infrastructure is sufficient to support a good quality of life.
PUBLIC TRANSIT: Public transit is the backbone of livable, competitive and sustainable cities. It’s no coincidence that the world’s most dynamic jurisdictions feature some of the best transit systems available. Modern and efficient public transit increases productivity, cuts commute times and reduces pollution—all while attracting top employers and skilled workers. Transit services are also disproportionately relied upon by women, students, seniors, and persons with disabilities. Quality transit creates equitable, vibrant cities.
Transit solutions are needed across the country in rural and regional communities as well as in our largest cities. The Rural Transit Solutions Fund provides $250 million over five years starting in 2021, for planning and design grants, capital procurement, and construction for a wide range of transit modes.
In the 19th century, railway systems were built at great cost to link regions right across this nation, and in the 20th century Canada reached out to the world through our highways and coastal ports. Tomorrow, our public transit will shape the next generation of livable, sustainable and world-class Canadian cities and regions.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has pledged to continue advocating for municipalities to be sure their citizens' needs are reflected in federal policies and programs. Year after year, their work benefits every municipal government and taxpayer in Canada, and their programming delivers tools that help municipalities tackle local challenges.
There is strength in numbers.
Conservative Party of Canada – success and failure
Conservative Party of Canada – success and failure
by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC
FEC, CET, P.Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
As world affairs return focus to the geopolitical scene, and we have a strong minority Liberal Government for the fourth time in Canada, one may wonder why the Conservative Party was not able to form the current government. Since 2015 when PM Stephen Harper lost to the liberals, the Conservative Party has been unable to rise and form government.
We need to find the root causes of this situation and that is not so easy. However, we can analyze some factors that may go some way toward explaining this failure and suggest ways to potentially correct the situation and steer the Party towards future success.
In this last round, the Party lost a remarkable 27-point lead in opinion polls and failed to win an election for the fourth time in a row. While it gained seats and earned almost 42% of the popular vote - its highest share since the party was founded in 2003 - its leader, Pierre Poilievre, was voted out of the seat he has held for the past 20 years.
One of the main problems was the candidate selection process. Not only was it tainted by undue influences, but the Party was late in nominating candidates, thus reducing the time candidates had to get themselves known to their electorate. They had more than two years to prepare for the election before it was called. Furthermore, the Conservative Party does not seem to have been interested in choosing professionally qualified candidates. Instead, they selected candidates based on personal relationships with people close to the leader’s circle and staffers.
Much of the time, they overruled their own established rules, which was allowed by one toothless and apparently useless Conservative Party National Council. There were many cases of potential good and experienced candidates, who were denied the opportunity to be nominated. There were even situations where preferred candidates were nominated in new ridings even before a riding association was constituted.
Then came the resignation of Justin Trudeau on January 6 2025. After a short leadership contest organized by the Liberal Party Mark Carney was chosen as Leader and Prime Minister. An experienced professional with glowing qualifications, albeit non-political ones, he immediately called an election.
In the mean time, our neighbour to the South made some unfriendly gestures towards Canada, and the Conservative party leadership was slow to react. Most Canadians perceived this hesitancy in reacting to the American threats menacing our national existence as lack of courage and confidence.
The combination of all of these mistakes contributed to the sudden evaporation of the Party’s impressive lead in the polls built up over the Trudeau years, and the ultimate loss of the election.
The Conservatives have once again become the official opposition, and are stuck with a dilemma. What, if anything, should they do differently in the coming years, than they did before the election?
Do they head into the future with the same team of decision-makers who did not quite win? And, how do you answer that question when you don’t know what the future holds, given that one complaint against the current leader is that he didn’t respond effectively when the playing field changed?
As far as Pierre Poilievre is concerned, there’s nothing to decide. “We had the biggest vote count in our party’s history, the biggest increase in our party’s history, the biggest vote share since 1988 and we’re going to continue to work to get over the finish line,” he replied when asked. That argument is on offer from other Conservatives keen on moving past the vote that left them in second place once again.
Yes, Poilievre has done better than the previous leaders and Poilievre was not necessarily disliked by people; he was simply less liked than his opponent Mark Carney. In short order, Carney became the most positively viewed political leader in the country, generating positive impressions we have not seen since 2015.
In a campaign where trust and risk were key themes that made all the difference, Carney consistently outperformed Poilievre in leadership attributes such as trustworthiness, competence, and experience.
Their arrogance and inertia didn’t allow Pollievre’s, campaign staff, headed by Jenni Byrne, to see the shift of the electorate towards liberals in time to react effectively.
If they ever want to form the government, the Conservative Party needs to look at the lessons learned in the last campaign and needs to make some radical changes.
The beginning of these necessary changes starts with the Conservative Party's National Council, which is scheduled to meet on June 14 for its quarterly meeting. They will decide, among other issues, the timing and venue of the next policy convention.
So let us see if any changes are forthcoming in the Conservative party and its leader Pierre Poilievre. He appears to remain committed to key strategist and enforcer Jenni Byrne; a woman whose ability to make enemies is legendary and whose treatment of the Conservative caucus evokes thoughts of the Commissars in the soviet regime.
Indeed, whether or not Byrne keeps her job will be a telling sign of whether Poilievre’s support for change includes change on his own behalf.
In conclusion, having failed to react successfully to changed circumstances in the latest election, Conservatives need time to better prepare for the next one.
Let us hope that their leaders see the light sooner rather than later. It seems to me that a little hubris would not be out of place.
What do you think?
IN THIS MODERN AGE…
IN THIS MODERN AGE...
By Dale Jodoin
In this day and age, it’s become popular to point fingers at Boomers. You hear it everywhere—“They had it easy,” “They ruined the economy,” “They’re the problem.” But no one ever stops to ask what happens when seniors lose everything. When a lifetime of work, bills paid, children raised, and pride kept turns into nothing more than a shopping cart and a park bench. You don’t see many headlines about seniors becoming homeless. But it’s happening. Right now. Every day. Quietly. People in their 50s, 60s, even well into their 70s, are sleeping on sidewalks and shelter mats, not because they made bad choices—but because life, plain and simple, gave them the short end.
Here’s the part we don’t want to admit: the longer you work, the harder your body breaks. The wear and tear shows up in every joint. The knees swell. The hips grind. The spine stiffens. The hands curl with arthritis. And when the body gives out, the job usually goes right with it. Maybe they’re let go. Maybe they can’t physically keep up. Maybe their boss just wants someone younger. And once that paycheck stops, things fall apart fast. Rent is missed. Groceries are skipped. The car gets sold. The next thing you know, a man who spent forty years working is standing in a soup kitchen line wondering how he got here. But even then, even standing there with his life crumbling, he won’t ask for help. Because pride is the one thing he still has left.
That pride, the kind that built homes and raised families, becomes a curse when you’ve got nothing. It keeps seniors from reaching out. It keeps them quiet, curled up under a worn-out blanket in minus thirty weather, just trying to survive another night. Now picture this: your hips are gone, bone-on-bone. Your hands barely open. You haven’t slept right in weeks. You’re in a crowded shelter, surrounded by strangers. Some of them are angry, some violent. If you speak up, you might get beaten for it. If you say nothing, you might lose your only blanket. So you make yourself small. You find a corner. You try to disappear.
But not everyone in those shelters is cruel. Some of the young people in there—those who’ve also lost homes, jobs, families—see the older folks and step in. They give them a spot in line. They pass over a sandwich. They keep an eye out while the senior rests. These young ones don’t do it for thanks. They do it because they still understand what respect looks like, even in places where respect is usually long gone. And that matters. A lot.
Still, most seniors don’t make it to shelters. Many can’t. The beds are limited. The places are dangerous. Some have wheelchairs with dead batteries and no place to charge them. Others can’t walk the blocks to get there because their joints scream in pain. Health nurses are posted miles away, and they won’t come to the person—they expect the person to come to them. But how do you get there when you can’t even stand?
And what about money? The pensions supposed to come every month, right? But where do they send it? You don’t have an address when you’re living in a tent behind the strip mall. You don’t get phone calls when your battery’s dead and your charger got stolen. You fall through the cracks. Then you fall even further. Until you’re invisible. And most people just walk by, assuming the worst.
And even the little jobs they used to count on—like working part-time at Tim Hortons or McDonald’s—those are gone too. There was a time when an older person could stand behind a counter, move a little slower, greet customers with a smile, and still feel like they mattered. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave them purpose and dignity. Now? Those spots are filled with foreign workers brought in on contracts, paid less, expected to move faster, and told not to question it. Seniors don’t even get looked at anymore. They’re too slow, too stiff, too “in the way.” So they get nothing. Not even a chance.
But you know what? Even then, the heart still beats. I’ve seen an old man with a limp and a split lip put himself between a junkie and his girlfriend because he couldn’t stand to see her hit again. He didn’t have a home, didn’t have clean socks, but he had enough strength to take a beating for a stranger. That’s who these men and women are. They’re not a problem. They’re the people who once built this country with their hands. And now they sit in doorways holding a paper cup they can barely grip. They don’t beg. They just ask. And even then, some can’t reach out to take the coin because arthritis has locked their hands shut.
Meanwhile, we’ve got months for everything now. Black History Month. Pride Month. Heritage days. Every culture gets recognition—and rightfully so. But where’s the month for seniors? Where’s the public funding to make sure they have warm food and a safe place to sleep? Where’s the respect? Because when they were younger, they had it. We gave it. But now? Most people look away, mutter something about pensions, or worse, joke about how they should just “get with the times.”
It’s sickening, really. These are the same people who fought wars, built roads, stocked shelves, cleaned schools, raised kids, ran farms, and did every job that younger folks now scoff at. “Let someone else do it,” the new attitude says. Well, these seniors were someone else. And they did it without complaint. So now that their hands can’t lift anymore and their legs barely carry them—what, they’re supposed to just disappear?
This isn’t just a sad story. It’s a warning. Because we’re all heading there. If we’re lucky, we grow old. And if we’re really lucky, we grow old with dignity. But that dignity is vanishing. Fast. And once it’s gone, good luck getting it back. You laugh at the elderly now—until you're them. You brush them off—until it’s you on the bus with no one offering a seat. The difference is, when they were young, they had respect for their elders. Now, they are the elders, and all they get is silence.
So what can we do? Start here. Don’t look away. If you see a senior on the street, don’t assume they’re an addict or a lost cause. Look again. That could be a retired carpenter, a grandmother, a war vet. Someone who paid rent for 45 years before one bad turn knocked them over. If they hold out a hand, don’t overthink it. Just help. Not because they asked—but because they shouldn’t have to.
The seniors of today were the workers, soldiers, parents, and builders of yesterday. Their pride was earned, not given. And while it may keep them quiet, it’s still there, holding them together, even when everything else has fallen apart. They are not a burden. They are not the past. They are us—just a few years ahead. And the way we treat them now is the exact way we’ll be treated later. So maybe it’s time we stop blaming them and start honouring them—before it’s too late.
Ontario Courts to Employers: Update Your Contracts or Pay the Price
Ontario Courts to Employers: Update Your Contracts or Pay the Price
By Tahir Khorasanee, LL.M.
Senior Associate, Steinbergs LLP
Ontario employers are being put on high alert: outdated, vague, or improperly drafted employment agreements are increasingly being rejected by courts, often at great cost to the employer. A wave of recent decisions, including two in June 2025, has reaffirmed that poorly worded termination and layoff clauses can leave employers on the hook for significant severance obligations.
In one case, the Ontario Superior Court awarded 16 months' notice to an employee who had been placed on a temporary layoff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The employer assumed it had the right to lay off the employee due to the pandemic's exceptional circumstances. However, the court found that because the employment agreement did not contain a valid and enforceable layoff clause, the layoff constituted a constructive dismissal.
In another high-profile decision, the Township of Ignace was ordered to pay damages in a wrongful dismissal suit after failing to comply with contractual and statutory obligations. The employee was dismissed without sufficient cause or notice, and the municipality's failure to adhere to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) requirements proved costly.
These rulings underscore a broader legal trend in Ontario: the courts are scrutinizing employment contracts more rigorously than ever, and any clause that fails to comply with the ESA may be deemed unenforceable in its entirety.
Why Contracts Are Being Struck Down
Under the ESA, employees are entitled to minimum protections regarding termination, notice, severance, and conditions of layoff. If an employment agreement includes language that even potentially denies or undercuts those entitlements, it risks being void.
One common example is a "just cause" termination clause that defines cause more broadly than the ESA. Because the ESA has a higher threshold for when notice can be withheld, these overreaching definitions can lead to the entire termination provision being invalidated.
Similarly, layoff clauses must explicitly authorize the employer to place an employee on a temporary layoff in accordance with the ESA. If the agreement is silent or ambiguous on this right, any layoff may be interpreted as a constructive dismissal, triggering full common law notice obligations.
Key Clauses That Must Be Updated
Legal experts now urge employers to review the following clauses in all employment agreements:
Layoff Clauses: Must expressly permit layoffs under ESA terms. Without it, employers risk exposure to constructive dismissal claims.
Termination Clauses: Must clearly state that employees will receive at least ESA minimums, and must not attempt to contract out of those minimums either directly or indirectly.
Just Cause Provisions: Avoid overly broad language. Limit definitions to what the ESA recognizes.
Severability Clauses: Although helpful, they will not save a termination provision that violates ESA minimums.
Real-World Impact
When a contract is struck down, courts do not revert to some "middle ground." Instead, they fall back on the common law, which typically awards one month of notice per year of service, and sometimes significantly more depending on the employee's age, position, and job market conditions.
For example, in the COVID-related case, the terminated employee had a relatively short tenure but was still awarded 16 months of pay because the court found the layoff unjustified and the termination clause unenforceable. This is a stark reminder that employees don’t need decades of service to be awarded lengthy notice periods.
Broader Context: Uncertain Economy, Increased Scrutiny
These decisions come at a time of economic uncertainty, where layoffs, restructurings, and cost-cutting are common. Employers that rely on outdated contract templates are particularly vulnerable.
The pandemic shifted the legal landscape. It exposed just how many employers failed to include valid layoff language in their contracts. Now courts are closing the door on those arguments.
Moreover, the courts are showing less willingness to "blue pencil" or fix flawed clauses. Instead, they are invalidating entire sections, resulting in greater liability than many employers anticipate.
Practical Tips for Employers
If you're an employer in Ontario, here are steps to reduce risk:
Audit Your Existing Agreements: Especially for long-standing employees. Even minor language issues can render termination clauses void.
Use ESA-Compliant Language: Clauses must reflect the exact language and requirements of the ESA. Courts look at technical accuracy.
Clarify Just Cause and Termination Rights: Ensure your contracts don’t appear to waive ESA rights or exaggerate your grounds to terminate without notice.
Include Layoff Provisions: If you foresee needing flexibility during economic downturns, ensure temporary layoffs are explicitly permitted.
Consult Employment Counsel: Generic templates downloaded from the internet may not be valid in Ontario. Legal review can save six-figure payouts.
The Bottom Line
In both the COVID layoff and Ignace cases, employers relied on outdated or unenforceable agreements. The result? A common law windfall for the employees and avoidable legal costs for the employers.
As more employment cases arise post-pandemic, courts are sending a clear message: contracts must be clear, compliant, and current. A few pages of well-drafted language can mean the difference between a manageable notice payout and a six-figure judgment.
For Ontario businesses, the time to act is now. Review your employment agreements, revise your contracts, and protect your business before it becomes the next cautionary tale in a courtroom.
Because in 2025, ignorance of contract law is not just costly—it’s entirely avoidable.
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Judging an Employer by Their Hiring Process is a Mistake
Judging an Employer by Their Hiring Process is a Mistake
By Nick Kossovan
"People are so quick to judge and make decisions for themselves about situations they know absolutely nothing about." - LeAnn Rimes, American singer and songwriter.
LinkedIn would be eerily quieter—I'd estimate 30% fewer rants and significantly less nonsensical drama—if job seekers stopped perpetuating the false narrative that their experiences with a company's Director of Talent Acquisition or Human Resources Manager reflect the company's culture. It's perplexing that many job seekers judge a company based on just a few interactions. This shortsightedness does not do their job search any favours.
Many job seekers like to proclaim, "A company's hiring process is a reflection of its culture." This is a limiting belief. Just because Mary in HR is having a bad day doesn't mean all her colleagues are equally miserable. Terrance, your interviewer and potential boss, ghosting you after a second interview says everything about him and nothing about the company itself.
One, two, or even five employees' behaviours—especially within a large company—don't represent the entire company. Assuming that being ghosted—as off-putting or even hurtful as the behaviour is—is indicative of the company's culture demonstrates a failure on the job seeker's part to grasp the wisdom behind the adage "Never judge a book by its cover." If I have a poor customer experience in a department store's sporting goods section, does that mean I'll face the same issues in their shoe or toy departments? Of course not! My negative experience with a specific employee isn't a reflection of the entire store.
A company is essentially a group of individuals under one umbrella. Every person approaches their job differently, influenced by their own agendas and priorities. One nuance that few job seekers understand, which they should at least try to, is that an employee's human dynamics dictate their priorities and, consequently, their behaviour. An employee aiming to become the VP of Customer Experience will engage with their role considerably differently than someone who's coasting along, which arguably is a large percentage of employees.
It's unrealistic to expect that every interaction within a large company—between employees and customers or within the company itself—will accurately reflect the company's culture. Just as you wouldn't judge a restaurant by one dish—though we all know people who do—you shouldn't judge an employer solely based on your experience with an HR employee or the hiring manager. Instead, take a more comprehensive view of the company.
Anyone who's spent time in the corporate world knows that every workplace has its share of "less than ideal," bad apples, so to speak, including some in recruitment roles. A negative interaction with an HR employee at a multinational pharmaceutical company doesn't necessarily reflect the company's overall professionalism or work ethic.
Referring back to the adage, "Never judge a book by its cover," when job searching means looking beyond the gatekeepers of the hiring process. Conduct in-depth research into the company's culture and values. This could involve speaking with current and former employees, reading the company's most recent annual report, which outlines its financial performance, operational activities, and future prospects, and even visiting the company's premises. Learn as much as you can to gain a clear understanding of what to expect as an employee.
It's worth noting that I've learned from experience that an employer can have a stellar hiring process, all nice and shiny, yet their workplace resembles a dumpster fire—again proving the wisdom behind not judging a book by its cover. Never assume!
Dismissing a potential employer based on one or two negative interactions could mean missing out on a position that may lead to significant career growth and satisfaction. The key to a rewarding career is to maintain an open mind and assess opportunities from a broad perspective.
Some of the best companies to work for have frustrating hiring processes. Throughout my career, I've landed several jobs I've enjoyed, even though I faced an aggravating hiring experience with the HR manager, who seemed determined to "test" my patience and tolerance level.
Career-minded individuals take the time to understand the companies to which they are applying. They don't allow one negative interaction to shape their entire perception of a company. Being easily influenced is lazy. Those serious about their career know that human resources personnel are known for frequently moving around, making it myopic to judge a company solely based on its hiring or interviewing practices or a person's attitude.
You don't need me to tell you that job opportunities are scarce, particularly desirable ones. As artificial intelligence and automation continue to infiltrate workplaces, providing employers with increased efficiencies and significant payroll savings, well-paying white-collar jobs are becoming scarcer.
Judging an entire company based on the behaviour of a few employees or a department is shortsighted. Don't let a single bad experience close the door on your future. Always keep in mind that recruiters and HR personnel are merely the front of the company—of course, this isn't the case when you're being interviewed by the person you'd be reporting to—hence the truism in the second century AD, the Roman author Juvenal words, "Fronti nulla fides" which translates to: "Never have faith in the front."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)