Calendar of Events

To have your event listed in this section, you must first add it to the Event listings on contactpoint.ca.

 

Cannexus13

JANUARY 28-30, 2013

Ottawa, ON, CANADA

cannexus.ca

 

Theories and Models: Human Development & Life Skills Coaching

FEBRUARY 6-19, 2013

Life Strategies online course

lifestrategies.ca/store

 

Career Practitioner Institute

FEBRUARY 7-9, 2013

San Diego, CA, USA

ncda.org

 

CERIC Webinar: Remote Employment 3.0: Legitimate Opportunities to Work from Home

FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Anne-Marie Rolfe, Manager of Special Projects, Employment and Education Centre

cericwebinar4.eventbrite.com

 

National Careers Week 2013

MARCH 4-8, 2013

Everywhere in the UK

nationalcareersweek.com

 

16th Annual Career Development Conference (BCCDA)

MARCH 4-5, 2013

Vancouver, BC, CANADA

bccda.org

 

CERIC Webinar: Introduction to Positive Psychology and the PERMA Well-Being Model

MARCH 5, 2013

Louisa Jewell, MAPP and Shannon Polly, MAPP

positivematters.com/workshops-and-events.html

 

CERIC Webinar: Positive Psychology for Career Counsellors and Coaches

APRIL 2, 9, 16 & 23, 2013

Louisa Jewell, MAPP and Shannon Polly, MAPP

positivematters.com/workshops-and-events.html

 

Opening the Doors in Asia: Sharing Career Development Practices (APCDA)

APRIL 3-5, 2013

Seoul, SOUTH KOREA

asiapacificcda.org

 

Global Innovators 2013 Conference

APRIL 4-7, 2013

Doha, QATAR

globalinnovators2013.com

 

Workforce One-Stop 2013

APRIL 23-24, 2013

Toronto, ON, CANADA

conferenceboard.ca/conf/13-0047

 

Contact Conference: Exploration. Navigation. Destination.

APRIL 23-24, 2013

Saskatoon, SK, CANADA

contactconference.ca

 

CCPA – ACCP 2013 Conference

MAY 14-17, 2013

Halifax, NS, CANADA

ccpa-accp.ca/conference/

 

10th International Conference on Occupational Stress and Health

MAY 16-19, 2013

Los Angeles, CA, USA

apa.org/wsh

 

Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA) – 22nd Annual Conference

MAY 22-24, 2013

Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA

onqconferences.com.au/CDAA13/index.html

 

Canadian Association for Supported Employment (CASE) Conference

JUNE 11-13, 2013

St. John’s, NL, CANADA

supportedemployment.ca

 

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This Is Not Yesterday’s Economy: Internationally educated professionals face significant challenges transitioning into the Canadian job market

 

by Tara Orchard and Imran M. Ismail

The restructuring of the world economy has led to changes in the structure of work in Canada. Temporary jobs, contingent work, more competition and more skills are the reality of the modern Canadian workplace. These changes have resulted in the need for both employers and workers to be prepared to rapidly adapt and step outside of their comfort zones by doing things differently. These changes pose additional challenges for internationally educated professionals (IEPs) as they seek to transition successfully into the Canadian workforce.

According to the report Winning Strategies for IEPs’ Success In the Workplace, based on a study conducted by the Progress and Career Planning Institute (PCPI), among the biggest challenges facing IEPs has been a combination of a lack of knowledge about the realities of the Canadian workforce culture including employer expectations and the job search process coupled with unrealistic expectations about their opportunities. In fairness to IEPs, they have often come by these expectations honestly as they were wooed by a government seeking to attract workers to support economic growth. During the prosperity of 2002-2008, employers and workers alike were able to take risks; for IEPs, that often included the leap to immigrate to Canada without a clear job or career path. However, times are different now and it is important to help IEPs understand the changing reality of the Canadian job market.

An individual I met in 2011 wanted to know the steps he could take to prepare prior to immigrate to Canada. Following my advice, he proceeded to prepare while waiting to obtain his visa. Despite the difficult job market, he was able to obtain a professional job within only a few months of arriving in Canada in early 2012. Among the keys to his success were:

1) Preparing before his arrival. This involved creating a job search plan including a Canadian resume, learning about the Canadian workplace culture and conducting research to identify relevant employers and geographic targets;
2) Actively using social media networking to help achieve his preparations;
3) Leveraging his international background as part of marketing his benefit to an employer. It is important to remind new Canadians that their training, experience and approach can add a different perspective to an organization and that is worth showcasing;
4) Being adaptable and flexible. The job he obtained was not the job he was anticipating, but by being prepared and adaptable he was able to make it work.

In this difficult economy, not all IEPs will obtain quick success. Understanding the economic reality, which includes realizing what the opportunities are and will be, is an important piece of the puzzle. Hard work alone is not enough; adaptability, research and making connections with others can all support a successful transition when an internationally trained professional decides to step outside of his or her comfort zone to seek a new life in a new country.

Tara Orchard, MA has 18 years experience as a career professional. She is the founder of Career-Coach Canada, Principal at Careeradex LLC., and a featured writer with HRinsider.ca and Latin Business Today.
Imran M. Ismail, MSc, CDP, is an internationally educated professional with five years of experience as a career professional. He is the Co-ordinator of the Internationally Educated Professionals Program at Career-Coach Canada.

 

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Notre avis sur l’outil : Guide d’orientation professionnelle

par Anne-Marie Blanchet

Élaboré à partir des principaux concepts développés par le Dr. Barbara Moses, auteure à succès de nombreux ouvrages, le Guide d’orientation professionnelle constitue un nouvel outil interactif en lien avec la carrière. Tenir les rênes de sa vie professionnelle est l’un des principes clés du Guide d’orientation professionnelle. Cet outil fournit l’aide nécessaire pour tracer un trajet personnel ainsi que pour surmonter les nombreux défis que comporte la carrière. Le Guide d’orientation professionnelle permet d’entreprendre des autoévaluations en répondant à une série de questions. Les réponses sont conservées et permettent de produire des rapports personnels qui fournissent une rétroaction, des synthèses et des recommandations de perfectionnement. Il est important de noter que tous les résultats doivent passer par un processus de réflexion. Il faut donc prévoir suffisamment de temps pour répondre aux questions ainsi que pour interpréter ses résultats. Dans cet outil, l’utilisateur a la liberté de choisir les exercices qu’il désire compléter, car il s’agit de son aventure. L’ensemble des évaluations et des rapports personnels seront automatiquement intégrés au Dossier de carrière, le référentiel de toutes les données importantes que l’on désire sauvegarder.

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