Career Edge

Many of us have been back to work for almost two weeks now, following a few days off with loved ones or for some, a week or two of bliss someplace much warmer than here.

Now that we’re two weeks in – how are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along?

Although you may have entered 2010 fully pumped and ready to take on a long list of ambitious challenges, you may by now not even remember where you placed that list as you continue to play January “catch-up”, a game that may continue well into February. This can involve anything from catching up with work from before the holidays to catching up with people you didn’t see over the holidays.

So the last thing we need at this point is to add to our ominous and growing to-do lists, but I came upon some tips from professional blogger and journalist Anita Bruzzese that I think are very important in today’s professional work environment. Whatever you allow to fall off your radar this month, keep these targets in mind:

1. Take the High Road
2. Focus on Quality

In one of Anita’s columns for Gannett News Service (USA Today and many others), which she reposted on her blog, 45 Things (“Eat your salad first, and other career strategies” on January 4, 2010), she provides her own list of career resolutions for 2010 and we were happy to see that a few of the items corresponded with ours.

With Anita’s permission, we’d like to add the above two resolutions to our list and ask that you, our employers and partners, do the same. They are two simple concepts but they are often overlooked and underemphasized.

Focus on quality: A lot of companies like to say they’re focused on quality, and deluge employees with memos and reports on the subject. But there are ways to focus on the quality of your daily tasks that can make a real difference in how you are viewed at work. Try proofing every single e-mail before you send it, making sure you use proper grammar and spelling. When you leave your personal message for callers, stand up and smile while speaking. Your message will make you sound energetic and approachable.

Take the high road: Deciding to be a nicer person is a wonderful goal, and one many people like to put on their resolution list. But the guy in the cubicle next to yours drives you crazy by eating chili cheese dogs – with extra onions – at his desk. The receptionist puts your mail in the wrong box. Lots of little aggravations can challenge your “be nice” resolve at work, and before you know it, you’re upset with yourself after making a snide comment or getting in to an argument with a co-worker. Instead, make a commitment to pay a sincere compliment to one co-worker a day, especially to someone who is getting on your last nerve. Prompting yourself to see the good in someone can help put petty annoyances to rest.

-Excerpt by Anita Bruzzese

Earlier this week, all of us here at Career Edge Organization received an email from our President and CEO, J. Anne Lamont. She wrote to share a message from David Pecaut which has since been blogged about, tweeted and featured in the Toronto Star, which called it a “love letter to Toronto.”

Anne Lamont said of Pecaut:

“David was one of the founders of Career Edge Organization in 1996 and has been a member of the Career Edge Organization Board of Directors since inception. Through his vision and support, David was instrumental in the launch of Career Bridge in 2003, an initiative that came out of the Toronto City Summit Alliance Report “Enough Talk” released in April 2003 following the Toronto City Summit in 2002 and the creation of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council focused on improving access to employment for skilled immigrants. David has been the Chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance for the past seven years.

Based on the successful model of Career Edge internships, Career Bridge internships provide internationally qualified professionals with important Canadian work experience to launch their careers in Canada. To date, over 1100 Career Bridge interns have participated in the program”

David’s Letter begins:

Friends and Colleagues,

As many of you know, I have been battling cancer over the past while and have been focusing in recent weeks on spending time with my family.  I am truly lucky to be blessed with an incredible wife and children.

As a consequence of my health issues, I have not had the chance to see many of you and express my appreciation for all the work we have done together.  Nor have I had the chance to share some of my thoughts on Toronto’s future.  This note gives me the opportunity to do both.

Working with you on all manner of city building activities has been one of the greatest highlights of my life.

The full letter can be read online here.

Career Edge Organization would like to congratulate our Host Employers and Partners for being named among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2010!

Not surprisingly, most of the organizations on the list have worked with us in some capacity over the years, either as a host employer to our interns or as a supporting partner.

The 2009 Top Employers Summit took place yesterday and today in Toronto with Richard Florida and Mia Farrow as featured speakers.

Below are just some of our Host Employers that were recognized in the Top 100 list:

• Bank of Montreal
• Enbridge Inc.
• George Brown College
• KPMG LLP
• Loblaw Companies Limited
• MTS Allstream Inc.
• Ontario Public Service
• Procter & Gamble Inc.
• Research In Motion Limited
• Royal Bank of Canada
• Shell Canada Limited
• TD Bank Financial Group
• TELUS Corporation
• Toronto Hydro Corporation
• Toyota Canada

Every year, the “Canada’s Top 100 Employers” project recognizes employers across the nation for being one of the best places to work. It is a competitive process that looks at all aspects of work such as work atmosphere, community involvement and training and skills development.

Click here to see the full list!

Earlier this week, Career Edge Organization reached out to nearly eight thousand of its former interns to introduce a new initiative, the Alumni Network.

As part of our continuing efforts to give more to our stakeholders, we want the individuals who have gone through our program to know that we haven’t forgotten about them and that we have more to give.

Many of our Alumni have become Host Employers who now hire interns from us. We launched their careers and now they are doing the same for others. Our Alumni have also participated in past reunion events and mentoring programs. Due to the excellent level of engagement we saw, we have decided to offer more.

To kick things off, we made a call for volunteers to sit on a committee that will steer the direction of the programs and services we offer Alumni. I couldn’t believe the positive response we got and want to thank everyone so far who took the time to complete the application.

Among the interesting responses I received, several people asked this question: How can a career services organization have Alumni? So I did what anyone would do – I Googled the word Alumni.

As defined in most places, an alumnus can be a graduate of an educational institution or can refer to a former employee, member, participant or contributor. In our case I think any of those definitions can apply.

Our three programs give recent graduates and internationally qualified professionals their first relevant Canadian work experience. When they complete an internship they have advanced from one of the most important educational experiences of their lives.

A paid internship isn’t just a contract or a temporary job. Our partner employers provide a career-launching experience in a supportive learning environment. So when they complete their internships, in a way, they have graduated.

We don’t give them caps and gowns and we don’t play pomp and circumstance as they leave the office, but we know that our Alumni have advanced through a competitive process and we want to continue to celebrate their future successes.