Labour Market Information

Did you know that Labour Market Information (LMI) is useful for your job search? Although some people feel that researching this information can seem time consuming and redundant, it actually lets you see trends, forecasts, job descriptions/requirements, salary ranges and even related occupations to the occupation you are seeking (perfect for the person looking to make a career change using their transferrable skills).

In Canada we have incredible websites to use as a resource for LMI research.  We have compiled a list of our favorite websites below.

Labour Market Services: www.labourmarketservices.gov.bc.ca

Working in Canada: www.workingincanada.bc.ca

NOC – Working in Canada Tool: http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/Welcome.aspx

Work Futures:  http://www.workfutures.bc.ca/

BC Labour Market Report: http://www.labourmarketsolutions.ca/

To get the most out LMI – try using the list below to guide you in your information discovery process.

Occupation: _________________________________________

1.     Industries that employee this occupation

2.     Trends & Forecasts (by province and city)

3.     Educational Requirements

4.     Skills/Abilities required for occupation

5.     Responsibilities/Job Duties of occupation

6.     Related Occupations

7.     Salary Range

8.     Industry Outlook  

Taking the time to research occupations and labour market information may seem overwhelming, but it will pay off in the long run and you will see the light at the end of the job search tunnel! 

~Sunny & Sassy

Getting reacquainted with your Values

Sometimes when job searching , we tend to forget our values and just accept the first job that is thrown your way regardless of whether or not the company and/or the position are a good fit to us.  This can result in more stress because we are then in a position of unhappiness with our workplace.  It’s best that you take the time to interview the employer and research the company before accepting any job offers. 

Use the checklist below to get reacquainted with your values and know yourself better!  Select the items that are highly important to you.

 

□      Family

□      Friendship

□      Reliability

□      Trust

□      Harmony

□      Competitiveness

□      Self-Expression

□      Creativity

□      Loyalty

□      Freedom to do

□      Material gain

□      Open-mindedness

□      Hard work

□      Independence

□      Success

□      Perseverance

□      Commitment

□      Personal growth

□      Faith/spirituality

□      Helping others

□      Making an impact on society

□      Practicality

□      Adventure

□      Respect

□      Solitude

□      Continuous learning

□      Being challenged

□      Low-stress

Make a list of your top 5 values and keep these in mind while you are interviewing potential employers and researching companies. 

Remember: your job takes up a huge part of your day – make sure you are happy with what your doing and who you are working for!  Don’t surrender your values just because you need employment right away.

Goal Setting

Everyone has goals in some form or another but reaching your goals can at times be difficult.  This may be due to a number of factors such as not thinking of the steps to reach your goal, distractions that interfere with reaching your goal, having too many goals at once or not a clear enough goal.  You can sometimes feel overwhelmed and your goals fall out of sight.  Developing a plan can help you stay on track and reach your goals!  A useful tool when making a plan to meet your goals is the SMART system that is demonstrated below.

S        M        A        R        T

Specific – when you set specific goals you are more likely to reach them; don’t be vague, set what your aim is.  For example: “my goal is to find a job” vs. “my goal is to find an office administrator job”

Measurable – set up a system to show the progress of reaching your goal.   This will allow you to visually see the steps and the work that you have put into obtaining your goal.  For Example:  develop a tracking system to record your job search activities ie: networking events, jobs you have applied for through email, etc.

Achievable – when setting your goals, remember to think about whether or not your goal is achievable.  Record the barriers that may stop you from achieving your goal and determine whether or not you have the tools/support necessary to overcome those barriers

Realistic – ensure that your goal is realistic.  For example: If you set a goal to become a doctor, do you have the educational background to become a doctor?  If you do, do you have the funds and time to attend university to become a doctor? 

Timeframe – determine a specific timeframe that you want to achieve your goal by.  This will help you to stay on track and the steps it takes to reach your goals.

Setting goals is important in order for us to move forward in our lives.

 

It’s important to remember that if you do not achieve your goal in the timeframe that you have allotted yourself, this is not a failure.  You can be proud of the steps that you have taken to work towards your goals and extend your timeframe if you are on track.

Goals will change as people are constantly growing and changing throughout their lives.  It is ok to adjust your goals to fit you current situation and changes that may have impacted your life. 

When developing your goals, make sure that they are just that…your goals.  Sometimes influences from partners, parents, children, co-workers can affect what you see as your goals.  Spend sometime with self-reflection and really think about what You want and develop your goal list from that. 

A helpful chart to use:

I want to [insert goal] by [insert timeframe] and I will reach this goal by

Step 1______________________________

Step 2______________________________

Step 3______________________________

And so on.

Keeping your goal and your plan with you is also a good idea; this allows you to keep your plan in action at all times.  Set up alerts in your phone or calendar that remind you when you must perform a step for reaching your goal.  Create a vision board that shows you reaching your goal and post it on your refrigerator.  Do whatever helps you keep that goal fresh in your mind.

Persevere and keep on track with your job search goals by using the S.M.A.R.T. system and before you know it, you will see the light at the end of the job search tunnel!

                                                                                                                                    -Sunny & Sassy

Comment from Jenna in Seattle

“What do you suggest if someone is lost as far as which career direction to go in? I don't have a problem with the confidence part - I've succeeded in every field I've tried, so I know I have a valuable skill set. However, it's been very difficult to know which direction to send resumes out, or how to tailor them if I'm not certain what career I want” – Jenna in Seattle

Hello Jenna in Seattle:

Thank you for your comment on our blog.  It sounds like you have explored some options for your career and that you have not found your passion yet.  The career exploration process can take time; we think you are right on track with trying out different fields.  Since you have a varied skill set that can also work in your favor as you will most likely be able to work in various fields and already have transferrable skills and experience.  Its best to start by looking at your values, talents and what makes you the happiest and then work from there.  We would like to direct you to read our blog post “Exploring your career options” (the links are provided below).  There are links to various career exploration websites online (free) that can help you determine your interests and explore options.

http://jobsos.blogspot.com/2011/04/exploring-your-career-options-part-1.html

http://jobsos.blogspot.com/2011/04/exploring-your-career-options-part-2.html

This website also has some career tests/assessment links: http://www.helpguide.org/life/finding_career.htm 

Once you have determined the occupation/industry that you want, it should be easier to determine what companies to send your resumes too and how to tailor your resume to fit those companies/positions.  If you need any assistance in doing this, please feel free to contact us via email jobsearchsos@gmail.com

Good luck during your exploration; it is an amazing thing once you determine what really makes you tick and try to do it for a living!!

~Sunny & Sassy

Effective Communication Tips

Increase your Self Esteem with these 5 simple things

Spend some time with yourself – by yourself!  Take the time to spend a few minutes alone each day and reflect on the positive things about yourself and your life that you love the most. 

Experiment with your style!  This doesn’t mean going out and buying a new wardrobe.  Go through your closet and try to match different things to make a new outfit – or style your hair in a new way than you typically do.  Have a beard?  Try shaving it off and seeing what you look like!  

Make a list of your greatest Accomplishments!  Grab a notebook, a cup of tea and a cozy seat and brainstorm a list of your greatest accomplishments that are important to You.  Try to only focus on what you feel is important – leave out the things that you thought would make your spouse, children, family and friends happy and just focus on what you did that truly made You happy.

Take Stock of the People in your life!  Reflect on those who make you feel the happiest, who make you smile and laugh and give you guidance.  Remember those people when you are feeling out of esteem; call them up for a laugh.

Read an old time favorite!  Reading can relax and recharge your self-esteem by allowing your mind to be creative and take a journey into the world in the book.

Preparing to Break back into the Workforce after Raising your Children

Job Searching is difficult….job searching with limited skills/experience or outdated skills/experience is even more difficult!  Rest assured that there are a few things that you can do to prepare yourself for your job search and make yourself more employable after returning to the workforce from raising your children. 

It’s important to remember to acknowledge your feelings about returning to work and acknowledge the stress this situation may put on your and your children.   Ensuing that you are including your children in the childcare decisions and talking to your children about the upcoming separation will help both you and them cope with this change.


You will need to consider things such as whether or not you will work part-time or full-time, the type of childcare you will require and whether or not you want to work in the same industry as you previously did. 


In order to keep your skill set fresh, it’s a good idea to find a volunteer position relating to the industry that you are looking for work in.  This will allow you to expand your network and learn about new skills in your industry.  Volunteering is also a good way to ease your children into the daily routine of not having you around all the time.


Ensure you are keeping contact with your social network!  Update your status on LinkedIn to say that you are seeking employment/volunteer opportunities and connect with groups/companies using Twitter or LinkedIn to keep in tune with the employment world.


Make sure that you explain your absence from the work world in your cover letter when applying for positions; that way the employer will not jump to conclusions if they see a gap in work experience on your resume.


During the job interview; ensure the employer knows that you have childcare arrangements and back-up arrangements.  Even though it's not right, some employers will judge a working parent and may think they will have to take a lot of time off work – its best to prove to them that you have it covered!

~Sunny & Sassy