Andree Verticchio
Audie McCarthy
Katherine Talarico
Questions and Answers

Questions for Expert Panel

What are some key words that would be caught in screening software?

Andree: There are a variety of types of screening software. I am not experienced with word recognition software so could not answer this question. I have experience with software that asks screening questions that are weighted. Depending on how the applicant answers determines whether they are screened in or not.

Should volunteer experience be a separate category on a resume? (Separate from paid experience?)

Andree: Yes, volunteer work should be a separate category and you should describe the duties and responsibilities you hold in your volunteer position as you would describe your work experience. This will make your volunteer work more effective in the screening process.

What percentage of jobs in today’s labour market require post-secondary education? What is available for mature students?

Katherine: It’s difficult to nail down a specific percentage of jobs requiring post-secondary education, but it is clear that the more education or training that individuals have, past high school, the more likely they are to have a job.

For example, according to the last census, the unemployment rate for workers with less than 9 years of school was three times higher than the rate for university graduates.

For mature students, there are lots of options. Once you have determined a skill area or interest that you want to pursue, the range of educational institutions offering courses is really wide. Also, courses are offered full time, as well as part time in the evenings or on Saturdays at many schools. And there is always the option of on-line or distance learning which is growing really fast.

Audie, you said that you would hire for attitude and the skills could come after that. What about confidence? Doesn’t it count?

Audie: Absolutely, confidence counts. It is part of your attitude. I hope I didn’t mislead anyone; you still have to have the basic capability to do the job (i.e., the basic skills); however the fine tuning and additional training etc. can be done in-house.

How can I find out if the job is good for me (my body is what I mean).

Andree: the only way to determine if you are physically capable of doing the job is to ask the employer about the physical demands of the job.

Are employers able to check into different forums, groups, etc – across the board or in specific areas?

Audie: Across the board.

How do you address returning to work after being off due to mental illness? (i.e. The issues around stigma and how the returning person handles it.) Also, how do you handle being on LTD due to mental illness when apply for work, on the resume, and at the interview?

Audie: Be honest without getting into too many details. You don’t have to reveal the exact nature of the LTD and the employer can’t really ask you. You could simply say, you were off for “X” months due to a personal situation.

You could also use a functional rather than a chronological resume – the functional resume focuses on skills & experiences up front followed by a listing of where you worked.

One person I know in a similar situation used it to her advantage stating that she was able to deal with issues such as mental health because she had experienced an illness herself. She was applying for a position in health care.

What is included in the Wrap Around?

Andree: The Wrap Around Project is a unique program that assists families with multiple problems in accessing services and programs that can help them stabilize their situation and start working toward long term resolution. It is not meant to supersede other social programs but help the family determine for themselves the most appropriate way of resolving their situation. Wrap Around as the name implies, means various support people wrap around the family as they try to work out their situation.

If you have no experience to put on your resume, what do you write?

Andree: Most employers ask for previous experience because it is critical to the job. If you do not have the previous experience the employer is asking for, the best you can do is to find related experiences and describe those. If you have no work experience at all, find volunteer work that closely resembles the positions you are interested in and build from there.

How long does the City retain resumes on file? How long are references retained?

Andree: The City of Hamilton does not retain resumes. Under privacy of information legislation, we collect resumes for specific job postings only and they are never used again, for any other purpose.

If 3rd party resume screeners do not understand technical jargon, how can they successfully hire/screen candidates for very skill-specific companies?

Andree: Many but not all employers are using a 3rd party to screen resumes. Companies that have very technical positions will ensure that those screening the resumes have a minimum of experience and knowledge of that specific field to do a preliminary screening. Recruiters are using a job description to compare against your resume so it is a good practice to ensure you craft your resume using similar phrasing as found in the job description or posting.

How many thank you cards do you receive after any given recruiting drive?

Andree: The sending of thank you cards is a dwindling practice in my experience. I receive less and less of them….almost none as a matter of fact. The best thank you card I ever received was from a woman who, at the end of the interview, asked what some of the major issues facing the position she was applying to might be. In her thank you card she wrote how she was looking forward to addressing these issues and briefly described how she might do that. She was successful to the position, not because of the thank you card, but it didn’t hurt!

Should a candidate try to contact an employer when they apply for a job? If ‘yes’, how can they do it if the ad says ‘No calls, please’?

Andree: No. Most Human Resource Departments are struggling with limited resources and any particular job posting can draw hundreds of applications. It is unfortunate, but it’s the reality that recruiters could not possibly respond to all those who called.

It seems that most jobs are listed through placement agencies. Do I need to go through an agency to get a job? (Based on HRDC/Workopolis searches.)

Andree: Although the City of Hamilton rarely uses a third party for its recruitment I can see an increase in this method to help deal with the resource strain in Human Resource departments. For City of Hamilton job postings, you need only deal with us directly.

As an HR person do you see ageism in hiring?

Andree: At the City of Hamilton we do not discriminate based on someone’s age unless it is a bona fide requirement (i.e. you must be a certain age to obtain a BZ driver’s license and that license is required in the job). As I said in my speech, employers will be developing programs to retain their top talent and their experienced talent in the face of a skilled labour shortage….even past their normal retirement age!

Do you think that age is another factor an employer would put into consideration when hiring, especially in today’s competitive market with lots of younger people?

Audie: What I see is a lot of companies who are hiring “older” workers because of their experience & work ethic. It really depends on the job itself & the skills required. I wouldn’t consider it a roadblock.

What happens to those of us who are on the tail end of the baby boomers and are out there looking for work? What age are employers targeting? Do they consider us?

Andree: The City of Hamilton does not discriminate based on age. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate they have the skills, knowledge and ability to do the job we are filling.

Katherine: If you perceive your age is a challenge when you are approaching prospective employers, emphasize your experience and your reliability.

When you enter into a diverse community with your root work skills and passion, but age is a big challenge, how do you deal with that?

Please see responses to the questions above.

What are the ‘source networking’ sites where employers post job vacancies?

Audie: Monster, Workopolis, JobShark, jobbank.gc.ca

Can you provide direction as to where we can access free or funded or low-cost computer courses?

Deb: A number of organizations offer low-cost or funded computer courses, including Boards of Education. Most funded programs require a referral from a VPI Employment Assessment Centre. Check out the “Community Resources” section of this website for further information.

How do we get off of Facebook permanently?

Deb: I checked with a colleague who knows more about this than I do, and the bottom line is that it is very difficult to get your profile deleted from Facebook or the other communities. Apparently, work is being done to change the laws to make it easier, but in the meantime, it’s up to you to make sure that your profile reflects the ‘you’ that you’d want employers to see. Have a look at your profile and ask yourself what an employer would think of you when viewing the profile, and then remove everything that is questionable. You can also change your settings so that your profile can only be viewed by people you allow to view it.

What is the best way to bridge the gap of employment dates on my resume when re-entering the workforce after a 10 year absence? What about transferable skills?

Audie: You can use a functional resume that focuses on your transferable skills. Have examples of how you demonstrated them.

Ontario is close to a recession. Hamilton is a steel town with closed mills and lots of laid off workers. How will we know that there will be enough well-paying jobs in the service industry?

Katherine: We don’t know there will be enough well-paying jobs in the service industry to offset layoffs in other sectors. Generally the transition of jobs from one sector to another is not an instant process and not all workers can find jobs immediately. As a job seeker, you need to approach such a situation with patience and flexibility; for example, you may need to expand the geographical area in which you are willing to look for work, in order to access more available jobs.

What kind of computer courses should we take not knowing what we want to do for a career or job?

Audie: Start with the basics - Microsoft word and excel – make sure you know how to use search engines like Google, Yahoo etc.

What would you suggest as a good book to read that would discuss your topic further? (The economy and the future.)

Katherine: There are a lot of great references that explore demographics and the future of the labour market. My suggestion is not any one book, as I don’t think any one author is able to put their finger on, or predict what the future holds. Remember that so many things influence our society, which in turn influences the labour market. Explore what interests you, but here are a few to get you started:

Blink (2005) and The Tipping Point (2000) by Malcolm Gladwell

Wikinomics (2006), by Don Tapscott

Who’s Your City? (2008) by Richard Florida

Freakonomics (2006) by Steven D. Levitt

Some of these veer away from the labour market, but they give a good sense of how events are interconnected in society.

If my qualifications are more than what is required for the job, do you suggest I make my resume relevant by withdrawing that information from it? Will that be perceived as lying on my resume?

Andree: I would not hide it, but I would highlight and focus on the experience that is relevant. Many times, qualifications that exceed those we are asking for are considered a demonstration of the candidates ability to progress in the organization….You must be sure that you would not be bored in the position and might consider using your cover letter to explain why the position has a particular appeal to you despite the fact that you are overqualified.

Audie: There are two schools of thought – some experts say change your resume to match the qualifications of the job; others say have only one resume & tailor your cover letter.

There is always a risk you may be over qualified however if you are you will probably be bored in the job anyway and out looking again in a few months.

It really depends on the situation of the company – they may be hiring entry level but looking for someone who can advance. My advice is to state all your qualifications.

What would a resume with nature of business look like? Is it necessary to list dates on a resume? How does one get an interview with the City?

Andree: Here’s an example:

2002. Secretary, WABCO (WABCO is a manufacturer of brakes for the locomotive industry)

Do I list computer experience on programs that I have not used for many years on my resume?

Andree: You could make two categories on your resume. One, the programs that you are proficient in, and the second the programs you have had some experience with but are not or are no longer proficient in.

Audie: If you are still proficient, yes! If not, take a refresher course.

How do I know when to draw the line between follow-up and being an annoyance?

Andree: Good question. The final hiring decision can sometimes take a while. I would contact the organization about a week after the last interview to see if a decision has been made and leave it at that. If you are successful, you will definitely be called. If you were not, you could be called and advised or at least be advised by letter. Although many employers no longer respond to all applicants to a posting, they do communicate with those who participated in the assessment process.