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• - Canadian Business News.



• Follow simple rules when applying for jobs


• Employers offer hints to finding work


• Many jobs await as Canada's population ages


• Petroleum service industry has jobs for trained workers


• Pharmacy jobs need filling

There are a couple of simple rules to follow that will improve your chances of landing a job, according to local recruiters.

First, use common sense. Secondly, follow the basic rules surrounding job applications.

Human resource people from local businesses -- those in charge of collecting résumés, arranging interviews and hiring -- said they see far too many mistakes by people applying for work. Some of those mistakes are likely based on bad information and not fact.

When applying for a job, someone's cover letter should be very descriptive, said Nicole Alexander, human resources co-ordinator for Storcare. "If people think a recruiter can read between the lines (they're wrong)," she said. "The more detail you can provide (then) I'll know what (you) mean."

Another local recruiter who asked her name not be used echoed those comments. "I see résumés and have no idea what they're interested in." She said use the title "Objective" at the top and write what kind of work you want.

Not including a cover letter with a résumé also causes concern, said Nycole Sanborn, human resource manager with Lammles Western Wear. "If they want a job in our stores, they should (write) that. I see applications for our warehouse, our stores, our office. I don't like it when I just get a résumé."

All recruiters said never use one résumé to apply for a variety of jobs. They said to make sure each résumé lists the skills and experiences best suited for the specific job you're after.

The business people also said there is no truth to thought that you should only apply somewhere once.

"That's not going to apply here," said Alexander. "I get hundreds of résumés a month, if they apply in March, I'm not going to remember them in May. I encourage people to re-apply."

Sanborn said if someone applied at one store and didn't get hired it may have meant there were no openings at that location. She said that shouldn't stop someone from applying at another location where there may be jobs available.

And if you do apply for a job, expect to wait more than one week to hear back from the employer.

Alexander and Sanborn said they both will let cover letters and résumés build up for a week or more before they can get to get to the screening process. Reading through all the applications also takes time so they said it is unlikely someone will receive a reply within one week.

"We receive so many applications in one day it takes us a few weeks to process them," added the other recruiter. "Sometimes we have priority (positions) and put the others aside."

This recruiter also discouraged parents from calling her on behalf of their son or daughter. "If you apply, I want you to call," she said. "If your parents call, to me, that says you're not motivated or you don't have the skills." She suggests applicants call her a week or two after they have applied for a position to ensure their application hasbeen received. This will vary from company to company, however.

Want some advice for job hunting in Calgary?

A recent survey of 409 local companies sheds some light on the kind of employees Calgary businesses are looking to hire.

Those able to work well with others, having sound verbal and oral communication skills and a positive attitude will do well for themselves as long as they are productive, show initiative and are confident, according to employers from 16 different industries.

They also offered advice to those just entering the work world. "Understand you'll have to go through trials and tribulations when you are starting out, so stick with it and success will come," writes one employer. Another notes: "Be patient and ask lots of questions. Be less cocky, be patient and look at the position over the long-haul."

Participating companies expect to have almost 6,100 jobs come open in the next two years, according to the McBride Career Group report.

About 19 per cent of the new positions will be in oil and gas support services, while only one per cent will come available in computer consulting and services. Ten per cent of those positions will also come available in traditional health care and food and beverage manufacturing.

The average starting wage for these positions comes in at $13.27 per hour, however, varies from a low of $5.70 to a high of $45.

And here's some factors employers consider before hiring youth: a solid education; a strong work ethic; an understanding of the industry where they apply to work; a willingness to learn; and those exhibiting a positive attitude.

The majority of employers indicated they would hire youth for the available positions. The employers also mentioned they have had problems with youth in the past acting irresponsibly, being late for work and changing jobs frequently.

Education will play a large factor in landing one of the available positions as well. Approximately 80 per cent of the occupations expected to become available require at least a high school diploma. About 35 per cent will require post-secondary education. Half of the anticipated jobs do not require experience.

Companies in industries such as oil and gas, construction, food and beverage manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, computer-related work, health care and food services were included in the study. The survey was based on positions anticipated to be available to those 15 to 30 years old.

McBride Career Group offers career consulting, employment support and occupational development across Alberta. The study took place from March '02 to March '03.

There's good news ahead for job seekers and career planners.

Job openings will continue to grow in Calgary and around the country as Canada's population ages, Statistics Canada reports.

"Beginning in 2010, the proportion of the population in the age group 65 and over will expand rapidly," the report states. "Retiring baby boomers will have a significant impact on the size of the labour market, especially as relatively small (groups) of young people will be entering it."

Industries expected to have a significant number of job openings include the health care sector, construction and education.

In health care, job openings are expected to increase for all types of nursing, general practitioners, such as family doctors and medical specialists, such as anesthetists.

In construction, those interested in becoming bricklayers, carpenters and electricians will likely have many job opportunities in the next eight years and beyond. In fact, a Calgary-based bricklaying company recently told nextSteps.org there is a shortage of workers in this trade right now.

Professors and teachers in universities and colleges will also be in demand as current educators already are older than the average Canadian worker. This shortage is significant as the Stats Canada survey also shows that almost half of the jobs created between 1991 and 2001 typically required a university degree.

The oil and gas service industry needs more workers, especially with predictions for more wells to be drilled in 2003.

"The rigs are a barometer," explains Roger Soucy, president of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada. "For every increase in drilling there's an increase in all other services. Virtually all occupations in the drilling services area increase."

Petroleum service companies include such businesses as wireline, cementing, coil tubing and many others. A section of the PSAC Web site features 34 job descriptions of positions from the industry.

PSAC predicts 17,500 wells will be drilled this year compared to about 15,600 in 2002.

"The problem we have in our industry is there are very few skilled workers who aren't working," Soucy said.

The industry, however, has taken steps to increase the number of trained and qualified workers to address the labour shortage -- a deficit also predicted to increase as older workers retire in large numbers in the next five to 10 years.

"The industry is aware that is something that will be with us for some time," added Soucy.

One proactive step to try to attract new workers has been the establishment of a Web site, Careers in Oil and Gas, devoted to explaining what work in the petroleum service industry includes.

The site features "day-in-the-life" videos, links to educational offerings, information about scholarships and more. The development of these scholarships is another step the association has taken to attract workers.

The Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada, in association with many agencies, including PSAC, is currently conducting an intensive study of the petroleum service sector to determine current and future human resource needs.

by Mark Sproxton

The sign on the door of the local grocery store sums up the work possibilities nicely. "Due to an international pharmacist shortage...."

Simply put, Alberta needs pharmacists.

"To say how long this will last, I'm not sure," said Greg Eberhart, registrar with the Alberta College of Pharmacists. "One of the big drivers is demographics. We need to create solutions over the next five to 10 years. This will be on our plates constantly."

Exactly what can be done remains to be seen. Universities can't handle more students, and for now, technology, such as pill counting machines, only offer solutions to large-volume pharmacies, Eberhart said.

The combination of an aging population, shorter stays in hospitals, and a higher reliance on drug therapy for post-hospital treatment are some of the reasons behind the shortage, he added. Extending the hours of operation in retail settings has also contributed to the lack of available pharmacists.

"A lot of things over the past 15 years have changed the expectations of the consumer," Eberhart said.

With about 3,000 practicing pharmacists in the province, a recent study showed there were over 200 vacant jobs for pharmacists in retail and hospital settings, in urban and rural locations.

The demand for pharmacists has pushed some of the technical aspects of the work on to pharmacy technicians. And according to Rock Folkman, chairman of the pharmacy technician program at Red Deer College (RDC), this has translated into more work opportunities for the technicians as well.

"I do not have a quantitative study to substantiate it, but I agree there is a shortage," hetold nextSteps. "Over the last number of years there has been, and is, more than enough employment opportunities for all graduates."

While the work opportunities exist, problems remain when hiring technicians, Eberhart said. "We need some measure of standardization. I would suggest, and this is my personal opinion, the only quality learning opportunity in Western Canada is at Red Deer." Other technician programs are also offered in British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Audrey Wiese, a past president of the Alberta chapter of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians, agrees more standardization is required. She said certification will help define the role of the technician and formally recognize their work. The provincial association is currently offering certification exams.

Pharmacists are licensed to dispense medication, while pharmacy technicians prepare and label medication. The University of Alberta offers the province's lone pharmacy program, while the only pharmacy technician program is available at RDC and via distance education. The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) offers a 16-week pharmacy assistant program.

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