CareerVision - June 2009

• The Most Common Mistakes
  Managers Make in an Uncertain
  Economy

• Career Profile: Adam Scherer, CA
• Choosing a Mentor
  
• Ask the Coach
• Make It Happen Tipsheet: Mastermind
• Featured Jobs

• Office Manual Tips
• Managing Difficult Employees
• Office Ergonomics

• Referrals Popular

Learning from your own mistakes is good; learning from the mistakes of others is even better. This presentation examines the types of management mistakes companies have made in past recessions and provides tips for avoiding common pitfalls. You’ll learn how to effectively communicate with your team during times of change and gain insight into low-cost incentives that can improve morale and productivity levels. You’ll also get advice on how to create a strong, efficient team that’s prepared for the inevitable upturn.

Click here to register for webinar

Career Profile: Adam Scherer, CA
~ Lorie Murdoch

Adam Scherer was a far cry from his office at Soberman LLP in Toronto when he became a member of the Arctic Polar Bear Club in 2005. "I stepped into the Arctic Ocean at Deadhorse," he says. "I felt a huge shiver through my entire body, an icy, stinging feeling. I was wearing a bathing suit, dry-fit T-shirt and shoes. I had to submerge my head to qualify.” Five hundred miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska, Deadhorse is a one-shop town. “I got my Polar Bear Club certificate at the general store. I may have even had to pay for it,” he laughs.

Studies have shown over and over again that being mentored is one of the predictors of a successful career.

Terry Farrell spent 20 plus years of his life in a sales and marketing capacity in the manufacturing industry. He felt like a round peg in a square hole and the stress, travel and unhappiness took a horrible toll on his health and personal life. When he was laid off in 1992 he made a life changing decision: he was leaving manufacturing. He didn’t know what he was going to do or where he was going to do it, but manufacturing was no longer going to be his career of choice.

Q. I am working very hard at maintaining my day-to-day work responsibilities but find I’m also being asked to participate in other activities that are important but not related to my job. I’m heading up a committee on a workplace environmental initiative that I enjoy. And recently I was asked to participate in another volunteer work committee which I’m not overly excited about, but I’m hesitant to disappoint the person who invited me. If I say yes to everything, I’ll be in major overload and something is going to give. What should I do?

What would it be worth to you if you could have four times more education, five times the experience, or six times the number of available hours that you currently have? How much better might you do if you had four mentors, four coaches, and maybe even a built-in personal advisory board?

Featured Jobs

The job postings listed below are featured jobs of the 100+ postings on CA Source. To search all current CA Source postings, go to Search CA Jobs

1. Manager, Internal Audit
   BC Housing
   Burnaby, British Columbia
   Link to Job Posting
    
2. Director, Taxation
   Boyden Global Executive Search
   Calgary, Alberta
   Link to Job Posting
    
3. Controller/Comptroller
   CIBC Mellon
   Toronto, Ontario
   Link to Job Posting
    

Office Manual Tips
~ Marc Belaiche, CA

Companies often spend a significant amount of time preparing an office manual only for it to become outdated, irrelevant or ignored by employees. On the contrary, other companies either don’t have a manual or don’t spend enough time on it if they do which may result in confusion or, to a greater risk to the company, legal issues in the future.

This article will cover some tips to keep in mind if you’re preparing a new office manual for your employees or if you’re updating an existing one.

Managing Difficult Employees
~Daniel Wong

Employees can play an important role in shaping a company’s culture, competitiveness, reputation and overall success. Unfortunately, many companies also have to deal with “difficult employees” — those individuals whose behaviour or performance is objectively unacceptable or disruptive to the workplace or inconsistent with company policy or culture.

Office Ergonomics
~Ola Sinelnikova/Derrick Hamilton

While today’s economy is certainly creating a “think twice before you spend” attitude, it is a long held custom amongst best practice Canadian companies to invest in tools and training that promote productivity and enhance employees’ ability to fulfill their job requirements. Wellness is often an integral element in an organization’s productivity strategy and the acquisition of ergonomically sound equipment is an important part of that function. As often, while the goal is well intentioned, most human resource or procurement groups do not have the skill required to create ergonomically correct environments. The focus is too often on the equipment itself rather than the people and the job.

Referrals Popular

In the current economy, employers say referrals remain the most cost-effective way to hire long-term, quality employees, according to a survey of 300 Canadian employers.

The most cost-effective ways to hire long-term, quality employees

Source: Bohire