Vertical Bridge

Author: Sandra Reder, CPC

Being an entrepreneur myself I know the hardest thing to do is to let go and leave your “baby” behind. Who’s going to take care of things while you’re away?

This is the reality that many entrepreneurs have to deal with (myself included). Recent statistics show that one of the main reasons people take a job because the potential employer offers learning and growth opportunities to their employees. This is especially true of the Gen Y’s.

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August 19th, 2009 | COMMENTS: No Comments

Author: Sandra Reder, CPC

Lately there has been a lot of news in the media that Western Canada is seeing the first signs of economic recovery. Housing sales and starts are up, unemployment numbers in June were significantly lower than predicted and companies are starting to hire again.

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July 15th, 2009 | COMMENTS: No Comments

Author: Sandra Reder, CPC

With all the talk of retaining your top performers during these tough economic times now is a great time to look at ways to do this. With the warm, sunny weather upon us, there are a few things you can do to say thanks to those who work so hard for you all year round.

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July 8th, 2009 | COMMENTS: No Comments

Author: Sandra Reder

In these turbulent times it’s a good idea to get back to basics. We all hear over and over again that the greatest asset companies have is their people. This is something that most employers can agree upon. without great people you can’t run a great business. So with this in mind let’s talk about people and what’s important to them. With many economists saying that we’re closer to the end of this economic storm than we are the beginning, it’s time to start thinking about driving your business forward again. It will be your people that enable you to do this.

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May 28th, 2009 | COMMENTS: No Comments

Author: Anthea Maxwell

How to use this transitional phase of your career to get the job you want.

It was not very long ago that job hunting was a relatively passive pursuit in what was once a tight candidate market. Job seekers could post their resumes on a couple of job boards, sit back and wait for the calls to come flooding in. Candidates really did call the shots – salaries reached an all-time high and employee incentive programs became the norm. The more skilled the candidate, the faster this job hunting process became due to the lack of competition.

Unfortunately, as we all know too well, the rules of job hunting have changed dramatically in a very short time. Salaries have dropped, it takes longer to find employment and competition is stronger than ever. Job seekers must now enlist a strategic and direct approach in finding their next position. Here are a few tips on how to stand out from the crowd and get the position that you really want – there is no need to settle for anything less!

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March 3rd, 2009 | COMMENTS: 1 Comment

Author: Cissy Pau, BComm, CHRP

The often-skipped step of creating a job description is critical to finding the right employee for your business – the first time! A job description is your road map to determining what type of employee to look for to fill your vacancy. Being clear on the position’s duties and responsibilities and the qualifications required, at the start, will save you time when screening resumes, interviewing candidates and selecting the best candidate because you will be clear on what you’re looking for. No more spending hours reading resumes of unqualified applicants. No more using your “gut-feel” when interviewing. No more hiring the wrong employees.

The most common components of a good job description are:

* Roles and responsibilities
* Qualifications, skills & experience required
* Reporting structure

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October 1st, 2008 | COMMENTS: No Comments

Author: Cissy Pau, BComm, CHRP

The job interview is the most important aspect of finding the right employee for your organization. The purpose of a job interview is to:

• Provide an opportunity for you to verify the information on a candidate’s résumé
• Evaluate the candidate’s fit with your organization
• Confirm whether a candidate possesses the skills, qualifications and experience required for the position
• Provide the candidate with an opportunity to evaluate your organization to see if it is right for them

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September 3rd, 2008 | COMMENTS: No Comments

Author: Sandra Reder, CPC

Many employers today are asking themselves what happened? When did everything change so dramatically? How do we cope? What do we do to please everyone and retain our workforce?

Today not only are employers contending with an all time low unemployment rate and increasing challenges finding and keeping skilled workers in this hot economy, they are also facing other challenges that are rocking their corporate foundations to the core.

There are all the new “buzz” words and phrases out there… retention programs, onboarding, employer branding, … and the list goes on. Many employers are scratching their heads and wondering how the heck do we do all this and still run our business?

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August 25th, 2008 | COMMENTS: 1 Comment