Although the Canadian market seems to be starting to take a turn, there is still much talk about a struggling economy. Many companies have had difficulties and are working hard to emerge from the recession. The job market is primed for leaders who are ready to position these companies for the next phase in their development.

These days, most companies are in a state of flux. Many organizations are undergoing major transformations in the form of mergers, acquisitions, centralization, decentralization, downsizing, upsizing, restructuring, and so forth. If you are a senior-level job seeker, you can leverage this to your benefit.

Prospective employers are looking for leaders that will build on and improve their organization. In order to address this need effectively, you will need to deliver some stories that outline your ability to plan and lead organizational change initiatives.

In your resume and during the interview, you must highlight how you can institute stability during a state of change, while strengthening financial performance.

Start, by uncovering some examples from your career that directly show how you enabled the company to survive and thrive during change. Then, develop dynamic stories that show how you can do the same kinds of results for your prospective employer.

Practice delivering your organizational change stories with passion and optimism. By effectively articulating your ability to transform a organization and lead it into a strong and healthy future, you will attract and impress employers who are in dire need of these competencies.

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. For additional information on this topic, read Leaders: Create your Career Brand and Present your Value Proposition.

According to “Social Networking: 2009,” an online survey conducted by Ipsos Reid, only 26% of Canadians who are actively online are aware of Twitter. A more interesting fact is that just 1.45% of these Canadians actually used the 140-character microblogging site.

The original survey was done just before the all the media hype caused by news outlets like CNN, celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, daytime talk show hosts like Oprah, and others, so it could be that the Ipsos numbers are a little on the low side now. In any case, we can be sure that only a very minute number of Canadian professionals are using Twitter. I suspect this is because of confusion and fear that usually arises when a new form of technology proliferates our world. People are afraid of many things:

• Jumping in too early (Remember the Beta/VHS controversy)
• Becoming addicted (Social Media Addiction does affect some, as does alcoholism)
• Becoming narcissistic (Who really cares about your lunch plans?)
• Losing privacy (Big Brother is watching-only if you are telling)

All these are valid concerns, but after trying out Twitter, what I have learned is that it is a veritable GOLDMINE for 6-figure job seekers. These hidden benefits don’t seem to get much exposure, but I will tell you today that Twitter can help you in many ways:

• if you need good career advice because you seem to be “spinning your wheels”
• if you have want to supplement applying to postings with some new things
• if you are feeling lonely and isolated in your home office and you want “business chat”
• if you haven’t been working for a while and you need to address the gap by keeping current
• if you are feeling like you need to build your credibility by showing that you are an expert
• if you feel like the economy is getting you down and you need a boost

TAKE A CHANCE TODAY – TWITTER MAY OPEN UP DOORS YOU NEVER KNEW EXISTED!

 Twitter can give your six-figure career a HUGE boost. I took the long route to get there, but you can start now. How about investigating Twitter in five easy steps?

 Step 1 – Click on this link: http://twitter.com

Step 2 – Click on Join Today.

Step 3 – Create your Account (Tip: Just complete the basic form and skip the rest for now)

Step 4 – Search for some people and start to follow (read) their tweets.

Step 5 – Visit your page daily to stay connected with your tweeps (twitter people).

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist her twitter account is http://twitter.com/sharongraham  or @sharongraham. When you feel more comfortable and you are ready for the next steps, feel free to send Sharon a question or let her know how you are doing through the “Direct Message” link on your Twitter home page. She’ll answer with a new tweet in no time.

In my previous blog, I asked the question :  which of the three relational categories do you think is best suited to Sales positions?

The client who most enjoys playing the field, meeting lots of new people, and interacting with others at least 80% of their time on the job? Or, the person who is a natural team player and invests most of their time and energy in maintaining relationships so that ties and bonds strengthen?  Or, the solo artist, the person who loves to work about 80% on their own in a concentrated manner on tasks requiring their expertise?

The answer :  all three are suited to Sales positions if they have a persuasive talent for closing sales!  The relational talent is not a selling talent.  A relational talent helps us understand the kind of role our clients might be best suited for in the workplace.

For example, the client who is multi-relational and tells you stories about how much they like to meet lots of new people at parties, concerts, social mixers, conferences, conventions, network marketing meetings, meet&greet nights, and so on, may fit well into the kind of sales environment that is stereotypical of the profession, i.e. cold-calling impulse-driven sales where establishing rapport quickly and easily is necessary in order to make the sale.  Think of telemarketing, and how important it is to establish a personal connection in the first 30 seconds or so in order to make a sale; or the personal rapport necessary between a used car salesperson and a prospect; or, the trust that needs to be established quickly between a real estate broker and a buyer or seller.

Most sales positions are best suited for the natural team player because most sales are Account Management positions, in which a sales person has a group of accounts that they service.  Their job is about maintaining relationships, getting to know their client or their client’s business really well, getting them to open up about their challenges and issues, in order to determine how the products or service they represent can help their client solve problems and attain their business goals and objectives.  Account managers send out birthday cards to their clients, take them golfing a few times a year, do lunch on a regular basis—they maintain the relationship.  Listen to your client’s stories to find out if they love to join teams, professional associations, family gatherings, and make key contributions to building up relational ties in those groups.

The expert who loves to work solo is suited to technical sales, where it is necessary to know a lot about a particular industry or service in order to sell into that space.  If you are going to sell a nuclear reactor, you probably need a PhD in Physics in order to discuss features and benefits with engineers and physicists responsible for the purchase, installation, maintenance, and repair of such complex machinery and equipment.  The expertise required for technical sales is usually acquired through many hours of solitary study and work.  Listen for clues in their stories that reveal them seeking out opportunities to work alone in depth on personal or professional projects.

Of course, all three Sales positions cover a spectrum of experience related to a particular industry but listen as your clients reveal clues to their natural jobfit for different job scenarios.

Yes, we CAN do a job through sheer determination, even struggle.  But when our natural strengths match the job requirements, we tend to excel, and make it look easy.

What your clients do naturally and effortlessly is revealed through stories about times in their lives when they are doing something they enjoy, and do it well.  As career professionals, all we have to do is listen and map those clues to job opportunities.

Age is relative and the definition of an “older worker” is expanding. The labour market is dramatically shifting into a new phase, with the percentage of Canadians in the workplace who are over 50 doubling every decade. If you are an older worker, you are quickly becoming a valuable commodity in a market that needs your expertise.

Older workers have much to offer the current Canadian marketplace. This is very meaningful for you, as it indicates that qualified workers are already highly in demand, and the need for experience is only becoming more prevalent.

Consider yourself as a product and your next employer as the purchaser. In the past, older job seekers often reported that employers sometimes seemed discriminatory, in that they appeared to favour younger candidates over more mature ones. But this is all changing.

There are two key forces in action that are shifting employers’ perception of older candidates:

1. The supply of experienced workers is decreasing. As boomers retire from the workforce in greater numbers, we are creating a talent drain within our labour market.
2. The demand for experience in the labour market is increasing. The talent drain is creating an unprecedented need for people who have applied knowledge and expertise.

As the pool of knowledgeable workers is dwindling, if you are skilled and qualified through actual work experience, you are quickly becoming indispensable. According to a labour force projection study published this year in Statistics Canada’s Canadian Economic Observer, although many baby boomers will retire from the workforce by the year 2021, we can expect the proportion of people in the labour force who are 55 and older to double what it was during the mid-1990’s, to up to 20% of the workforce. This dramatic increase will predicate your future potential within the Canadian job market.

The laws of supply and demand tell us that if there is a shortage of highly experienced employees, then you, as a mature candidate, are worth more to employers than less experienced workers. You are now heading from a buyer’s market into a seller’s market where you maintain quite a bit of power. The excess of demand over supply in the coming years will work to your favour.

Employers want to hire older workers because older workers often have many qualities that younger workers cannot offer. There is great value that comes from maturity. You bring:

1. Experience from a lifetime of work.
2. Adaptability coming from the transitions in your career.
3. Expertise with a deep understanding of your industry.
4. Professionalism to present a favourable first impression.
5. Maturity to deal effectively with tough business issues.
6. Leadership to mentor other employees.
7. Integrity that is displayed through your values.
8. Dedication shown through your reliability.
9. Commitment to remain loyal to your job and employer.
10. Vitality that comes from loving the career you are in.

The laws of supply and demand naturally put you in a better position to negotiate your employment terms, compensation, and benefits. You offer an excellent return on your employers’ investment. By hiring you, employers will decrease the costs associated with recruitment, training, and turnaround. Plus, you will be able to create almost immediate results in increased productivity and profitability because you know the job so well. You have a powerful voice. Start taking advantage of this great opportunity right away – you won’t be sorry.

Outlook 2010, a national survey conducted by Graham Management Group determined that agism is considered a primary barrier for six-figure Canadians. Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. For a summary report and analysis of the Outlook 2010: Competitive Career Intelligence Survey email info@grahammanagement.com

The recession has created a sentiment of trepidation and uncertainty for many senior-level professionals. Outlook 2010, a national survey conducted by Graham Management Group determined that 47.8% of Canadian six-figure professionals are unsatisfied with their career. These professionals identified that the current economic environment is a primary source of concern and that “the fear of failure” is a major obstacle to their career development.

When it comes to career development during tough times, it’s all in your perspective. You can construe the economic environment as either negative news. Or, you can see it as a source of valuable information that will assist you in your long-term career success. After all, in North America, “more millionaires were made during The Great Depression than in any other time in history.”

There are three things you need to know to take advantage of times like these:

• First, companies are looking for new leaders to help them get through their difficulties;
• Second, as old industries shrink, new ones emerge;
• Finally, some industries will always be there – whether we like it or not.

The following case study illustrates how a Canadian professional can succeed when armed with knowledge and statistics.

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Case Study Displaced Canadian General Manager – Automotive Parts Supply

A General Manager for a struggling Canadian automotive parts manufacturer and supplier has recently been let go. As he embarks in his career transition, he has a number of choices, and each will take him on a new and exciting path.

It is already apparent to our GM that most parts manufacturers are having similar difficulties. So, he starts his job search with an initial market investigation and soon learns that some organizations are restructuring and recruiting leadership to implement new strategies and best practices to ensure their long-term sustainability. As an initial approach, the GM decides to identify automotive parts manufacturers’ needs, research specific organizations that may need his services, and revamp his resume to show them where he can fit in to help them survive the adversity. By targeting a few viable organizations where he is a perfect match, he is soon in a position to deliver his sales pitch to the decision makers.

In between interviews, our GM is not sitting idle. While targeting the companies where he is best matched, he is still looking at other options. From his research, as the parts manufacturing industry seems to be shrinking, new industries are emerging. However, upon deeper analysis of his own sector, this GM finds some exciting new challenges ahead. Although the highest declining employment has been in the manufacturing industry as a whole in Canada, manufacturers of food, aerospace, and machinery are three categories that have not suffered as severe an impact. Armed with this information, he starts a second, concurrent strategy focusing on growing manufacturing industries outside of his main specialty. He starts to disseminate a networking letter and presentation strategically, focusing on his expertise: leading manufacturing organizations, while minimizing his field: automotive parts. This strategy opens up a second stream of opportunities and connections in a segment of the market that offers more opportunity and stability.

Concurrently “working” all his strategies, he continues attending interviews and meetings while he builds his list of contacts. During his down time, rather than sending resumes haphazardly, our GM creates an online social networking and marketing strategy to further improve his visibility and turn the tables – helping his target organizations to find him. In short order, our GM accepts a contract job offer to lead a foremost Canadian food supplier out of potential demise.

Never wanting to get into this position again, our GM continues to proactively create his career path and direction. Keeping current with industry news, our business-savvy GM learns that the federal government has taken the initiative to advance $700 million to bolster the automotive supply industry. It is clear that the manufacturing sector will always be there – whether we like it or not.

Since our GM has done everything right, he is now positioned to meet with all the new connections he has made. Clearly, inside or outside the automotive manufacturing industry, he is poised to flourish in his career from this point forward in whichever direction he wants to go.

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In this highly competitive job market you will need to take advantage of all available resources to position yourself above the competition and remain at the top. The good news is that the resources available today are so extensive they easily overshadow the current economic crisis. The Career Thought Leaders website and blog is a very good start.

According to Outlook 2010, more than two thirds of Canadians targeting positions over $100k feel that they do not have strong connections and that they are not recognized in their industry; over 80 percent do not know how to approach the market. Do you want to join the statistics or rise above them? The loss of your job does not have to interfere with a positive approach to your future. You can learn from what you know. The choice is yours to embrace this as an opportunity to engage in a strategic plan to further your career.

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. For a summary report and analysis of the Outlook 2010: Competitive Career Intelligence Survey email info@grahammanagement.com

Conventional wisdom tells laymen that military and civilian cultures are different in many ways. But as career professionals, we must dig deeper if we are to help our military clients well and establish trust with them from the start.

Perhaps the largest difference goes to the heart of how the uniformed services evaluate and promote people. It’s all about leadership.

When a civilian asks a military person what he or she does, the services want the military person to say “I am a commissioned (or non-commissioned) officer on active duty.” The services want their members to think of the rank or grade they hold first.

Of course, people in uniforms have different MOSs (Military Occupational Specialty for the Army), AFSCs (Air Force Specialty Code), or Ratings (Navy).

These indicate the kind of job each person is holds now. My career is typical. I was, at different times, a flight instructor and examiner, an air operations staff officer, a curriculum designer, a public relations officer, an educational instructor, and an education administrator. But the Air Force, and I, always thought of me as a commissioned officer. And the system used to promote me measured my effectiveness as a leader.

Military professionals know leadership is not the euphemism used in so many parts of the civilian world where it is confused with financial support, political gain, or winning a marketplace advantage.

The military leader feels his responsibility very deeply, and personally, to those who help him or her do the mission. Therefore, it’s completely natural for military clients to say their career field is “management” or “leadership.”

What they don’t realize—what may come as a shock—is there are no such specific career fields in civilian life.

Employers create jobs based on a capability they need. They describe that capability with a job title or career field. Helping our military clients find the one career field (from the many they may have worked in on active duty) that is right for them is our responsibility.

If we don’t guide our clients, they will chase one disconnected “opportunity” after another. That’s because job announcements almost always talk about “leadership,” “people skills,” “problem solving,” “strong communications skills,” and the like. But the military client may miss the skill sets unique to each career field.

For example, a non-profit executive director needs all the skills listed in the previous paragraph. But if she isn’t practiced in cultivating the donors, if she cannot build and enlarge upon a market brand, she won’t succeed.

As a result, our military client will always feel unprepared. Endless “tweaking” of the résumé follows. In the end, even if that person does find a job, how satisfying it will be is open to chance. And since so many Americans are unhappy, or very unhappy, in their work, the chances aren’t good.

You have many tools to help military clients match up with the right career field—as they define “right.”

As you use those tools, reassure your military clients their leadership and management will make them successful in their new careers just as it did when they are on active duty.