plus 3, Government of Canada Helps Cobourg Youth Prepare for Jobs - Newsblaze.com

Government of Canada Helps Cobourg Youth Prepare for Jobs - Newsblaze.com
Fighting Job Doldrums in the Downturn: How to Get an Executive Career Unstuck - msnbc.com
Jobs available at Dolphins camp - Jupiter Courier
Getting Your Dream Job Means Working for It - Wall Street Journal

Government of Canada Helps Cobourg Youth Prepare for Jobs - Newsblaze.com

Posted: 26 Jul 2010 07:29 AM PDT

Published: July 26, 2010

COBOURG, ONTARIO - (Marketwire - July 26, 2010) - Local youth who face barriers to employment will get job preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Rick Norlock, Member of Parliament for Northumberland-Quinte West, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

"In today's environment, it is more important than ever that youth develop the skills they need to participate and succeed in the job market," said MP Norlock. "By supporting this project, we are helping Northumberland youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential."

The Community Training and Development Centre will receive $187,829 in federal Skills Link funding to support its youth employment project, which will help 28 youth facing employment barriers develop life and job skills to ease their transition to work or return to school.

"Young people today often have a difficult time accessing the local labour market," said Ms. Madelaine Currelly, Community Education Officer, The Community Training and Development Centre. "This project helps local youth explore careers and acquire networking skills, while connecting them to the creative economy."

The federal government is working with the provinces and territories, community organizations and other stakeholders to provide Canadians with the training, skills and opportunities they need to get jobs and contribute to their communities.

Through the 2010 "Jobs and Growth Budget," the Government of Canada committed an additional $60 million to the Skills Link and Career Focus programs. This additional one-time investment will enable more young Canadians to gain the experience and skills they need to successfully participate in the labour market while the economy recovers.

Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada's strategy to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada's Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

The Skills Link program is delivered by Service Canada, which provides one-stop personalized services for Government of Canada programs, services and benefits. For more information about this program, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca, call 1 800 O-Canada or drop by your local Service Canada Centre.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

BACKGROUNDER

The Community Training and Development Centre has a mandate to provide specialized training and programs that positively influence individuals and community growth. During this project, the Centre will provide youth with life and employability skills to help them reach their goals. The participants will also attend workshops that focus on topics such as problem solving, teamwork, resume writing and job preparation skills.

As part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy, the Skills Link program is one of three programs that help young Canadians, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs and stay employed. The other two programs are Summer Work Experience and Career Focus.

Skills Link focuses on helping youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, Aboriginal youth, young persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, youth living in rural and remote areas, and youth who have dropped out of high school. It offers a client-centred approach based on assessing an individual's specific needs. The program supports youth in developing basic and advanced employment skills. Eligible participants between 15 and 30 years of age-who are not receiving Employment Insurance benefits-are assisted through a coordinated approach, offering longer-term supports and services that can help them find and keep a job.

819-994-5559

Tags: ,Government,State,POLITICS

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Fighting Job Doldrums in the Downturn: How to Get an Executive Career Unstuck - msnbc.com

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 05:40 AM PDT

NEW YORK, NY — The economic downturn has slowed career progress for managers at most companies, and many aspiring executives feel their careers have stalled -- even though they're delivering consistent results and getting positive performance reviews.

Yet, there is a pathway to being "first off the bench" for new, career-developing assignments and positions, according to John Beeson, succession planning and organizational development consultant and author of the forthcoming The Unwritten Rules: The Six Skills You Need to Get Promoted to the Executive Level (Jossey-Bass, fall 2010).

"Getting unstuck isn't easy, but focusing on a set of imperatives for advancements can help you move yourself to the next level. Those imperatives are: eliciting feedback that really counts; increasing your visibility inside the company; broadening your perspective on the organization; generating positive change in your area; and initiating constructive career discussions with the right people," says Mr. Beeson, principal of Beeson Consulting.

Mr. Beeson is available to discuss the career doldrums dilemma -- and elaborate on the five imperatives for being "first off the bench":

Get feedback that counts -- and it's usually not what's said in performance reviews. Candid, unvarnished feedback about where one stands vis-a-vis an organization's "unwritten rules of advancement" isn't as easy to come by as one might think. Managers have a number of inhibitions about providing it: There's the human aversion to giving people bad news, plus the concern about de-motivating an otherwise strong performer. "The problem is that if there are things that are holding you back, you need to know about them. Do people see you as more tactical than strategic? Do chronic relationship issues with peers present a stumbling block? Are you seen as resistant to change? To 'tease out' this kind of feedback, initiate mature conversations with your boss and other more senior people you've worked with. Be non-defensive, listen carefully and attempt to 'listen between the lines' to ferret out underlying concerns. At the end of a session, you can even ask, 'What one or two things -- above all others -- would be most helpful to me in getting ahead with my career?" Mr. Beeson says.

Be more visible in the company -- and broaden your perspective on the business while you're at it. "To borrow an ancient phrase, 'Don't hide your light under a bushel.' If you want to move into a new job, increase your exposure to other managers in the company. Most organizations create task forces and cross-functional project teams to deal with key issues: Look for opportunities to join those teams. This will also help you broaden your perspective on the business and the organization," Mr. Beeson says.

Show you can drive "change." "One of the problems of staying in a job for a long time is the tendency to get stale and rely on old approaches. When executives look for someone new to bring onto their teams, they want people who can re-invent how things are done and make quantum leaps in performance. They don't want maintainers and administrators. So you should evaluate practices in your area and introduce innovative approaches. Success at doing that can generate positive buzz in the organization and make you attractive for jobs in other areas," he says.

Start career conversations with the right people. "Over a period of time, schedule meetings with your boss and others in senior positions. Beyond asking them about your reputation as a leader, get their input on the kind of job experiences that could round out your skills and help advance your career. Convey, in a professional way, your career goals and let people know the kind of experiences you're interested in. Often they'll recall the conversation later -- and put your name in for consideration when a relevant assignment comes up," he said.

"These strategies take time and patience. But if you work hard on demonstrating the core elements of leadership, and do it based on candid feedback you elicit, the doors to career advancement will begin to open," said Mr. Beeson.

To schedule a conversation with John Beeson or for more information, please contact Frank Lentini of Sommerfield Communications at 212-255-8386 or lentini@sommerfield.com.

About Beeson Consulting
Founded in 1998, Beeson Consulting provides management consulting services to some of the largest, most respected companies in the world. Services include succession planning, top-talent development, executive assessment, organization design and executive coaching. For each client, the firm brings to bear best-practice expertise; practical, action-oriented solutions; and a consultative, customized approach. All Beeson consultants have a combination of corporate and consulting experience.

To learn more about Beeson Consulting, please visit www.beesonconsultinginc.com.

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Jobs available at Dolphins camp - Jupiter Courier

Posted: 29 Jul 2010 10:49 PM PDT

Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, center, walks among offensive linemen during a previous training camp in Davie. Sparano was an offensive line coach in Dallas prior to becoming Miami's head coach in 2008.

The Miami Dolphins finally have the go-to receiver they've long sought. They're set at quarterback with second-year starter Chad Henne, and Jake Long returns to anchor the offensive line.

But plenty of other starting positions are up for grabs as training camp begins Friday.

There's a void at free safety, three cornerbacks will battle for two jobs, and the defensive front seven is being revamped following the departures of Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. The offensive line faces a makeover, competition at the receiver spot opposite newcomer Brandon Marshall will be fierce, and even injury-prone Ronnie Brown faces a challenge for playing time at running back.

"There are going to be some hard decisions all over the football field to be made," coach Tony Sparano said. "That's when you know your team is getting where it needs to be."

Where the Dolphins want to be is the Super Bowl, and they've fallen short the past 25 seasons. Owner Stephen Ross has said he expects his team to play in the NFL title game this season, while most prognosticators figure a .500 season more likely.

Miami slipped to 7-9 in 2009, the second year of the Bill Parcells regime. It became a season of transition at quarterback, and Henne showed promise starting the final 13 games, but he threw only six touchdown passes to wide receivers.

To upgrade a lackluster pass-catching group, the Dolphins made Marshall their biggest offseason acquisition. The 6-foot-4 Pro Bowl wideout underwent hip surgery in May and was limited in offseason work, but he's expected to be close to 100 percent at the start of camp and figures he has plenty of time to get comfortable with Henne.

"We have a lot of practices starting in August," Marshall said. "We'll be fine. We will get a rhythm, and we will get a chance to get on the same page — not just with me, but the whole offense."

For the first time, Henne goes into camp as the No. 1 quarterback.

"It's a little bit different when you're walking into the huddle and you know that the eyes are all on you," Sparano said. "Chad now knows that's his huddle out there. So there's a little bit different swagger to him."

Brown's expected to be ready for the start of camp after missing the final seven games last year with a right foot injury. Ricky Williams replaced Brown and finished with 1,121 yards rushing, his highest total since 2003. He's 33 but could challenge for the starting job.

The offensive line is set only at tackle, with Long and Vernon Carey. Competing for playing time at receiver will be Greg Camarillo, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess. And there will be jockeying for the backup quarterback job, with Chad Pennington returning from a right shoulder injury to compete with Pat White and Tyler Thigpen.

Even more unsettled is the defense, where an offseason shakeup started with the hiring of coordinator Mike Nolan to replace Paul Pasqualoni. Topping Nolan's to-do list in training camp will be to fill all of the roles in his aggressive 3-4 scheme.

Sparano liked the defensive changes he saw during spring minicamp.

"There's an attitude here and a philosophy from a defensive standpoint of creating turnovers, of scoring with the football," Sparano said. "Those things, from a defensive-philosophy standpoint, I can see differently. Our kids are buying into it."

Randy Starks must learn a new position, switching to nose tackle, with top draft pick Jared Odrick likely to replace him at end. Newly acquired veteran Karlos Dansby, rookie Koa Misi and pass-rushing specialist Cameron Wake are being counted on as part of a revamped linebacking group that lost 16 sacks when Taylor and Porter departed.

At cornerback, veteran Will Allen returns from a left knee injury to compete with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, who started as rookies last year.

"We're just going to figure out who the best two guys are going to be," Sparano said. "I've asked this team to understand that right now we're at 80 players, and we're going to compete, and you're going to have plenty of opportunities. But when we get this thing down, people are going to have roles, and whatever those roles are, know that this team comes first."

ALL DRAFT PICKS SIGNED

The Dolphins' eight draft picks will all be under contract when training camp starts Friday.

First-round choice Jared Odrick and second-round selection Koa Misi agreed to terms Thursday, their agents said. Odrick is a defensive end from Penn State, and Misi is an outside linebacker from Utah. They were Miami's top two choices and the last unsigned picks.

Odrick agreed to a five-year deal worth $7.13 million guaranteed, and the package could be worth up to $13 million, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Odrick is the front-runner for a starting job as a replacement for veteran defensive end Phillip Merling, who hurt his Achilles' tendon this month and will miss the entire season.

Misi agreed to a four-year deal, agent Kenny Zuckerman said. He declined to disclose financial terms, but the deal was believed to be for about $4.5 million, with about $2.6 million guaranteed.

Misi, the 40th player taken in the draft, played mostly defensive end as a three-year starter at Utah. Reporting on time will aid his transition to linebacker, where he'll help fill a void created by the departures of Joey Porter and Jason Taylor.

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Getting Your Dream Job Means Working for It - Wall Street Journal

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 06:30 AM PDT

If you can dream it, you can live it.

How often do we hear that? How often are we told that we can't live our dream unless we first visualize it in our head?

It's no doubt true. But I also can tell you that visualizing your dream isn't enough. You have to work at making dreams real. You have to sweat.

In my last column two weeks ago, I told the story of leaving The Wall Street Journal, my home for 17 years, in order to find a new job that better meshed with my family's needs and my wants.

Lots of people, of course, dream of chucking their current job for something else. But dreaming is all they do. They then wait for the fates to hand them the perfect job.

It won't work, though, because they aren't out shaking the trees. In fact, they're not even in the orchard. They're effectively waiting for the fruit to fall on its own—and for a brisk wind to blow the fruit across the fields and over the fence and to place it gently in their lap.

Good luck.

As my grandmother told me when I was growing up: You've got to work for what you want, because nobody's outside your door waiting to give it to you.

So this is the story of how I took my grandmother's advice. It is the story of how I finally, after many years, decided to work for what I really wanted. It is the story of how I sweated.

* * *

Here's my passion: international investing. Yes, it's geeky, but I love the idea of investing directly in markets overseas. I've been doing it since 1995, and I've written a book about it. I've always thought working in that world would be the perfect way for me to make a living.

I would occasionally ask people in the field of international investing about opportunities, but nothing ever popped up.

Then again, I wasn't trying. My heart was never really into a job search, because I was content with what I was doing. I always felt fortunate to be making good money at a job I loved, for a paper I respected, in the city—Baton Rouge, La.—where I wanted to live.

That changed earlier this year for reasons I noted in my last column: mainly that I saw no opportunities to advance my career without moving back to the East Coast—a move that I felt would hurt my family, both emotionally and financially.

So my mind-set changed. I began to seriously think about combining my talent for reporting and writing with my passion for international investing. I never laid out a precise job description, because I didn't want to restrict my search. Since I had no idea what kinds of jobs might exist, I wanted to hear about anything that could interest me in any way.

And then I started shaking the trees.

* * *

The way I figure it, the best jobs are the word-of-mouth jobs, the ones that often exist only in a manager's head, the "wouldn't-it-be-nice-if-we-had-someone-to-do-X-if-only-we-could-find-the-right-person" job.

The trick is making sure those managers know you, to get your name into their heads alongside their imaginary jobs.

That's where the sweat comes in. I began by contacting anybody I could think of, emailing and calling friends and acquaintances all over the globe. I talked to public-relations executives and headhunters, portfolio managers and ex-journalists. I talked to sources I hadn't spoken to in more than a decade.

It often seemed like an enormous waste of time. Nobody knew of any current openings—not surprising, given the vagueness of my job description. And there were many moments when I felt like I didn't have the time or energy to make yet another call, write yet another email.

But I knew that I needed to make sure that as many people as possible knew I was looking.

And then one morning an email popped up from a source I had talked to several months earlier about my wishes. He told me to expect a phone call.

At an investment conference he had just attended, an executive of a newsletter company mentioned to him that his firm was looking to add a writer who understood overseas markets. My source gave him my name.

And with that began a very quick courtship. I flew to Miami to meet the executive, who brought his boss —the publisher—into the interview. The boss felt I had more to offer the firm than just writing about international markets. She sketched out my job duties.

I would become a senior editor, working on a newsletter about international investing. I would help mentor younger writers. I would travel whenever and wherever I wanted, and take on some of her duties meeting with banking executives around the globe. I would be eligible for bonuses, a perk I never had in newspaper journalism.

It sounded ideal. It wasn't a job I ever knew existed. And it probably never had, except in the boss's head.

The next morning the offer arrived—and I couldn't say no. It offered me everything I could want in a job, and I could do it from Baton Rouge. The funny thing is, two days later an investment firm called to offer me a communications job, a new position they thought I would be perfect for.

And that's my point: When looking for a new job, if you define your career interests broadly and then shake every tree you can find, the fruit will start falling.

You just have to be there with a big net to catch the ones that look interesting.

—Jeff Opdyke

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