Employment Strategies

bigpitch.ca

Make a Great Event Even Better

By: Zack Steel, Festival Event Conference Manager

So you have sent out all of the invitations, advertized the event widely and called everyone you know to let them know about the function. What is next? Have you made sure that the event is properly designed? Will all of the visitors be impressed / accommodated upon arrival? Will there be intriguing activities for all of your visitors according their preferences and interests? Have you chosen the correct location for the event? Do you have the best venue for this type of event?

These are key questions that you need to ask yourself to make sure that all of your great work will result in a successful event. One way to be certain that you have tailored the event to the material needs of your visitors is to engage the services of an Event Planner. Even if you are an event professional; utilizing the services of a colleague can assist you in fulfilling all of your event goals.Additionally, assuming of course that you have created a media advisory / press release to market the event, you will want to invite a journalist to cover the event. But why only invite them to the event?

Ask a journalist who you know to be reputable and thorough to critique your event features, including: design, venue layout & marketing & overall event plan. You could ask the journalist to solely write a critique, without publishing it, at least not until the day of the event. Or you could hire the journalist for the very purpose of writing up the critique. Then you would own it and could do with it as you wish.

Also, do a walk-through of the event yourself as though you were a prospective visitor. Make notes of your experience upon entering the front door of the venue; including your impressions of the signage and marketing materials, as well as the appeal of the venue, to yourself as a visitor. Continue to make notes as you enter the venue and as you visit each table, booth, cubicle, staging area and upon your exit.Along your path you will have noted the colors of the flooring / carpeting, the layout of the tables / booths & the lighting, temperature and your sense of ‘warmth’ at the event.You will want your visitors to have a more enhanced adventure than your own experience. So if you are only satisfied with the event, then you need to make improvements – to make your great event even better. The event should showcase a WOW factor to dazzle and impress visitors, who really are your guests.

How to Get Great In-kind Sponsors 

By: Zack Steel, Festival Event Conference Manager
An in-kind sponsor process is similar to a barter system. In-kind sponsors will provide a service or product to you, in exchange for publicity or a preferred booth at your event. They might also want to receive VIP status.

To get a great in-kind sponsor you need to have a unique event, which has a clear and direct theme. Usually an in-kind sponsor is a small business or does not have a large budget for marketing or promotion. Large companies, however, might also prefer to sponsor in-kind rather than give money for an event or cause. Perhaps, they are not excited about the event, but they might still want to support the cause. This scenario is prevalent when many people have similar events. For example, there are many events, whose purpose is to promote, and gather money for research, towards a cure for a disease.

If a large business is approached by all of them; they might not be able to give money to each one, due to shareholder and other financial concerns. To resolve any doubt in the mind of the in-kind sponsor, you should make your event distinct. You should have a noteworthy presenter, or offer special giveaways. You could distribute items from your in-kind sponsor to visitors. Any sponsor wants increased exposure and heightened recognition. Therefore, according to your marketing campaign, you should do whatever possible to showcase, and to provide a spotlight for your sponsor.

The more places you list a sponsor, the more sponsorship they are willing to offer in return. Some sponsors do not want public recognition. Instead, they might want to support your cause for personal, or social reasons. These sponsors might welcome a certificate of recognition, which they can hang on the wall in their office. So it is important to find out the level of exposure desired from a sponsor, and to cater to it.
Knowing the needs, wants and aims of your sponsor, is crucial to receiving their continued support.

An in-kind sponsor that has their own charity, or community programs, will want your event to have partnerships, and networking opportunities; rather than a lot of glitz and glamour. In this case, you should secure the participation a company that creates and prints invitations. Their in-kind support will be used to properly invite key guests. Guests can also be in-kind sponsors.

Some potential visitors can be called upon to list your event on their website, blog or in their newsletter. This in-kind sponsorship provides great exposure. If it stems from a member of the same community or group it will surely be well received by recipients of the distributed media.

Media, including newspapers, magazines and television listings are perhaps the most valuable component of any advertising campaign. The cost to advertise on television can be quite costly. So if you offer the spot of title sponsor to a certain station / program, you will likely get in-kind promotion on television. Every moment that your event is marketed through this media outlet, thousands of potential attendees are becoming aware of your event. There is no limit to the number of in-kind sponsors this effort could generate.

Create An Event Visitors Will Actually Attend

By: Zack Steel, Festival Event Conference Manager

The expected result of any event regardless of purpose or type is to have many people attend the function. It is vital to the success of an affair that the right people participate, and share in the value that is offered by the occasion. So it is to these key participants that a marketing campaign must be directed and clearly targeted.
But what would make potential guests want to join in and share in the happening? Firstly, the topic of the event must be made clear. Also, the  purpose and components of the event need to be publicized effectively and succinctly. If the event will have speakers and assume the model of a forum, then the advertising literature should list the presenters with their biographies and the specific topics to be presented. If the event will have a marketplace and / or vendor component, then this should be explicitly stated in promotional materials. A booklet / listing should be provided to visitors, which contains the names of the companies, who will have a booth at the event. Each business should be accompanied by a short tagline that represents them.
Once the fine details of the event type, purpose and other particulars are fully known; an active campaign should be created. It should specify what makes this event ‘the place to be’ for a set demographic. ‘A grab and tag’ marketing effort is sure to draw the attention of a key audience. This process will demonstrate taglines that leave a viewer pondering and wanting more. For example, if the event is for clothing designers, such a campaign and tagline system could follow this model. In the heart of the fashion district, on a large billboard there could be a very poorly dressed man and / or woman wearing some drab get-up. The tagline on the advertisement might read “Who dressed this person?” or “Is this the newest fashion in…” Viewers will want to know the answer to the question posed, and will be left in slight confusion.  But other viewers alike will begin to discuss the poster and this in turn creates a buzz.

Getting people talking about an event before it happens, and saying positive or negative statements; is much better than no one noticing the event, when it occurs or afterwards. It is much more effective to spend a  little bit of money to wine and dine the key players of a specific market segment, than to pay a lot of cash for an expensive print media blitz. Inviting the well-known and respected industry leaders, to a mixer  in advance of the main event, is crucial to building momentum. It is also useful to generate interest and participation from potential supporters.

Also, listing an advance RSVP date is beneficial, along with VIP perks for registrants. A sense of urgency, mixed with a perceived demand by members of high society, to secure a spot at the venue, goes a long way in an effective marketing process. It should be publicized, that space is filling up. Guests should register by a set date to ensure the best seats, tickets and / or view at the event. This will prompt people to notify you of their intended involvement far in advance.

If your past events were not widely attended, it is probably because the reputation of your company needs to be improved in your market. Your reputation lies in the perceived value and respect that your business is known to generate.Once your reputation is heightened and built up, your company will be perceived as the up-and-coming leader  in your market. Then the key players will request an invitation to your gala. They will want to determine why they were not on the guest list in the first place. Therefore, always create a buzz and keep people talking about your event. A word of mouth campaign can be highly effective, if the right words are spoken by the right people, at the right time in the right social circles.

Make Your Environmental Event Really 'Green'

By Zack Steel, Festival Event Conference Manager

How do you make your event ‘green’?

The first consideration, is to use the least amount of items possible, during the planning and implementation of the event. Cut down on usage of things, wherever you can do so, without negatively affecting the success of your function.

For marketing of the event use electronic media such as websites, blog spots, blogs, yahoo groups, Facebook and electronic bulletin boards. Utilizing e-mail lists from industry partners, list servers and
posting notices / ads on non-profit message boards, is economical and environmentally conscious. If your event is a benefit that does not aim to make a profit, then these portals usually won’t charge a fee to list the occasion. Charityvillage.ca, Planetfriendly.net and Toronto.com are among the many useful platforms for promotion.

If signs are to be used at the event then they should be made of recycled and / or recyclable materials. Inks for printing should be plant based. Plates, cups and cutlery need to be biodegradable and recyclable. Such items can be obtained from Gordon Food Service, among others. Food that is leftover should be composted. Food is a major item of waste and creates a problem when mixed with plates, cups and other eating utensils that are otherwise recyclable.

A drop-off spot, should be setup to reclaim lanyards and name badges, for reuse and / or recycling. A clearly marked recycle and composting station should be announced, and well marked. Instead of tangible giveaways, e-mails should be obtained from guests, and they should be sent vouchers to be redeemed at their leisure. Many guests will take whatever is offered, and end up disposing of it at the event or shortly thereafter. Instead of waste, e-mail lists that are compiled from visitors provide a list of potential clients, who will be the recipients of your online marketing campaign. If interested, an attendee who receives a coupon by e-mail will choose to redeem it on a day following the event, and become an active participant in the marketing process by doing so.

To avoid allergies and related issues, only plant based and unscented cleaning products should be utilized. Also any food that is served, should be free of items known to cause allergies and allergic reactions;  such as eggs, peanuts and gluten.

Most importantly, to keep your event green and to keep the ‘green’ money in your wallet, you should employ the services of volunteers. Instead of payment, volunteers gain free admission, partake of complimentary food, gain valuable skills, benefit from networking opportunities and much more!

The Secret to Being Remembered

By Zack Steel, Festival Event Conference Manager

Being remembered is the most valuable acclamation that people can demonstrate to us. But what does it mean that people recall us? Is it just that they think of us in a passing thought? Being remembered means, that we are acknowledged, and that our reputation has become great. This popularity is worth more than any money. Fame is the true desire of most people.

So you need to make your guests feel famous and honour them with great praise. Prior to an event, when creating invitations to send to potential attendees, you should spend some time researching the background of your potential guests. If you discover that this person is a doctor, lawyer or has another professional designation or that they have a title  that goes with their name, then you should use it when creating the invitation. A guest might be known as the Honourable, the Venerable or simply as the Respected Mr. or Mrs. John, Judy Doe.

When a potential guest receives an invitation in the mail – that was hand-written in calligraphy, addressed to them by their title, and signed by the Event Manager – they will feel honoured to attend your event. It is also advisable that the card displays a watermark or embossed seal that bears  the name of the event company, or title sponsor for the event.

At the event, having an usher or guide onsite, to receive and welcome a visitor, will make the guest feel important. This companion should have with them a bottle of water or juice, some light snacks such as peanuts or cookies, and a short biography of their assigned VIP. If visitors approach the VIP to make conversation the escort should be able to confidently introduce the VIP, while noting their accomplishments, to newly introduced acquaintances. A VIP wants to be introduced, and to have someone else note their key points of interests.

Highlighting a theme of interest to the visitors, is vital to the success of your event, and crucial to being remembered. If your event is a fundraiser, for impoverished children, and you have professional athletes in attendance, as VIP’s; then you should have relevant displays, and photographs onsite that highlight sports persons. If your VIP’s are baseball players, then a baseball field theme will work well. The main or  head table could be called home plate, and the carpet or flooring underneath the table should embody this design. Waiters could be attired in apparel, which shows them as referees with fancy whistles. The area designated for speakers could be labelled as the dugout. The master of ceremonies could be dressed as a fun-spirited mascot. Children in attendance could be encouraged to cheer, when each dignitary is called upon to speak.
For any event with a theme, fun mixed with flare is the key to being remembered. While it is great to have a central theme of focus for the event, and to showcase it in the design and layout of the event; too many themes will make the event into a circus, and seem bizarre. So tempering what is acceptable, with what is excessive, is your responsibility as a capable event organizer.

Organizing does not stop after the event is complete. Follow-up e-mails, and thank you cards are essential. To maintain continuity with your visitors, and to maintain your impression in the mind of those who attended, be sure to announce your next event; and to highlight it’s theme in the follow-up literature from your most recent function.

Continuity propels continued interest, and shows that you are in the business of creating many events; rather than planning only one event every so often. If recipients of the e-mails, and thank you notes reply, with suggestions or comments about the event; you should be sure to reply to them; and let them know what you plan to do to implement or resolve points of discussion.
Posted by







When Does the Interview Actually Start?

By: Zack Steel



           Be confident at all times! Hold your head high – stand tall. When you are invited by an employer to an interview, you should know with certainty that you have been selected. When you are invited to a party or celebration, you believe you received the invitation because you were especially thought to be a valued guest at the event. An interview is no different. 
            When you call to confirm your interview date, time and location and verify the position for which you are interviewing, you are building rapport with your potential employer. Your ambition, confidence and upbeat personality will be equally matched by your interviewer. Your positivity will result in their enriched excitement about their department, and the company where they work. 
            Imagine you are already employed with your potential employer. Do not display or portray any nervousness or uncertainty. Speak with a firm belief that you belong. Confirm the interview, as though you are confirming an appointment with a client of the company. Be bold – be professional! 
            When you arrive at the company for your interview, know with certainty the interview surely begins the moment you arrive onsite at the company. When you park your car in the parking lot, or when you exit the bus, and straighten your tie at a bus stop nearby the company, you are in the interview process. Once you enter the front door of the company, the front desk clerk, receptionist and / or secretary are part of the panel for your interview. These people will be later asked about how you presented yourself upon arrival. 
            From your attire, to your personality, to the words you use in your dialogue, with all company employees you meet on your way to the interview; each person is an important decision-maker in the hiring process. Make sure to smile, stand straight, walk with confidence, and be polite to each employee.


Interview Your Interviewer - Ask Great Questions During Your Interview

By: Zack Steel
  


              Be a confident and assertive career candidate. Do not seem desperate or needy. You are at the interview to determine with the interviewer if the position being advertised is a match with your skill set.  Be a professional candidate and manage yourself properly during the interview. It is a meeting, similar to many others you have been at, and will soon be attending once part of the team, with the company.
                  
               When your interviewer asks you questions about your expected salary, understanding of the requirements of the job and availability to work specific hours; know that this process is a negotiation. You do not need to offer answers quickly. Refer the question to the interviewer as it was posed to you. “What is the specific salary range being offered?” “What salary have other candidates stated they would like to receive for this position?” “I believe I understand the requirements as stated in the job description, but are there other duties of which I should be aware?” “Are there specific hours of work, over and above those stated in the job description?”
               
                A key requirement for the jobseeker is to know the company well and to understand the position being offered. As well, the jobseeker should how the job fits into the overall structure of the company. To whom will the jobseeker be reporting? Who will the jobseeker oversee or interact with, as part of their function in the company? During the interview you should ask the interviewer - how the vacancy arose? Perhaps the job is available because a former employee quit or was dismissed. If this is the situation, then you will want to ask if the role is challenging or if there many unusual responsibilities, of which you should be made aware.  Possibly, the job is available due to growth within the company. The business might be expanding. This is a good sign, for you, as a new employee. This means that there will likely be flexibility with salary, bonuses, benefits and hours of work. 
                Present yourself as a valuable commodity to the employer. You are someone who can fulfill the job requirements and perform at a greater capacity than your predecessor. You have unique skills that are an exact match with the duties to be met. You must explain clearly that this position fits perfectly with your overall career plan and career path. Therefore, before the interview, anticipate and be prepared to answer the adage – “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Role-play the interview script in advance with a friend or a professional colleague.  Do not be unprepared for any question. Your answers should not, however, seem rehearsed. They should seem natural and sincere.



 Career Progression – Upwards and Outwards - Making It Work in the Northwest Territories

By: Zack Steel 
 
          An acquaintance of mine once told me that he had a career plan to ‘bank on’. Of course he did, working in the financial services sector. He worked for a well-known commercial bank. Working as a teller, in a major city, did not seem be a wise investment for him. So his plan was to find a job as an Assistant Bank Manager in, of all places, the North West Territories. His diversified plan began with his request for transfer within the bank where he was employed to location in the NWT. His request was granted.              
          His long-term plan was to advance from the Assistant Manager position to eventually become a Bank Manager. Once he capitalized on his financial services career goal, he would return to the major city of origin, as a Bank Manager. He embarked on his voyage to the NWT in search of career gold. That is what he found. 

            Many employers in the NWT offer lucrative relocation allowances. These include accommodation and location allowances & tax allowances; plus an attractive benefits program, which includes dental and extended medical coverage, as well as life and disability insurance. Vacation leave programs are also quite generous; ranging up to a month of paid vacation time, within two years of employment. The NWT government offers similar, if not better compensation plans for their staff.[1]     

            
          According to the government of the Northwest Territories’, the average employee salary is $74,000. The current northern allowance paid to government of Northwest Territories’ employee’s ranges from $3,500 to $5000. Benefits packages for government employees are also quite generous.  “...benefits include a defined contribution pension plan (superannuation), insurance, extended health care, dental plan, relocation assistance, northern living allowance and extended vacation time. [2] Approximately 15% of the average employee's salary is made up of paid leave, such as annual, sick, and special leave. Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP). The GNWT provides an optional supplementary health care plan. The Extended Health Provision is comprised of the following benefits:  

·         Medication Benefit

·         Vision Care Benefit

·         Medical Practitioners Benefit

·         Miscellaneous Expense Benefit

·         Dental Benefit

·         Out-of-Province Benefit (for members with Supplementary Coverage only).” [3]

      
       "Rio Tinto is a world leader in finding, mining and processing the earth's mineral resources.”[4] This company’s owns and operates a highly successful diamond mine in a major centre, within the territory. Career progression is definitely a good investment in the NWT. Actually, ‘Employment in the Northwest Territories declined by only 2%, during January, 2013.’[5]
      
      So it is a fair market assessment to say that the Northwest Territories is true treasure for those career enthusiasts who choose to venture to this destination. Certainly, you can amass your own fortune here; since salaries in this region are substantially higher than those for the same jobs, elsewhere in the country. If you dare to venture to this land you might need to dress warmly. 
      But you will surely be surrounded by ‘warmth of cultural diversity’. “The NWT is one of two jurisdictions in Canada, Nunavut is the other, where Aboriginal peoples are in the majority with 50.3% of the population. According to the 2006 Canadian census the 10 major ethnic groups were:
      
       But these are not the only treasures that await daring career explorers to the NWT’s.

  • North American Indian – 36.5%
  • English – 17.2%
  • Canadian – 14.7%
  • Scottish – 14.3%
  • Irish – 11.8%
  • Inuit (Inuvialuit) – 11.1%
  • French – 10.5%
  • German – 8.5%
  • Métis – 6.9%
  • Ukrainian – 3.5%”[6]



  
Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act - Article
By: Zack Steel (Employment Services Manager, at the time of Publication)
Appeared in November 2006 Issue of La Guia Magazine in Spanish

On Tuesday, October 3, 2006, the Honourable Mike Colle, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, addressed the provincial legislature, to present a second reading of the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, 2006 (Bill-124). He directed his speech to the Acting Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Ted Arnott.
The Bill is being proposed for enforcement as an Act of Law, in the in the Province. In the words of Minister Mike Colle:

            Bill-124 tries to address the reality of the fact that when a foreign-trained professional comes to Canada and             Ontario, there is a complexity of regulatory organizations, 34 in all, that range from Architecture to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to the College of Midwives of Ontario, the Chartered      Accountants Institute, Teacher’s Colleges and Engineering. All of these regulatory organizations, up until        this Bill has been proposed, have never had oversight by the Provincial Government.

Minister Colle emphasized: “So there would an appointment of a Fairness Commissioner who would be the champion of Newcomers who apply to go through this regulatory process.”
Minister Colle continued:

                ...it’s really a reflection of their many years of trying to ensure that foreign-trained individuals and all           Newcomers get a fair opportunity at working in their chosen profession, here in Ontario. As you know, Mr. Speaker, over 140,000 Newcomers come to this Province every year – about 60% of all of the Newcomers  to Canada come to Ontario.

Minister Colle concluded his support for passage of the Bill into law by saying:

                So this Bill-124 is an effort to do something about fairness, transparency and accountability; so that these wonderful people will get to work, feed their familiars and contribute to Ontario’s economy; so that we can  really celebrate our diversity and our multiculturalism, economically and socially. We really need to do this now more than ever, because we are in such a competitive world. We have to do this just out of equity and  fairness.

Member of Provincial Parliament and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour demonstrated his support for the Bill, by saying:

                Bill-124 – The Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act – is about ensuring that all of Ontario’s Newcomers have a fair opportunity at success. If passed, this Bill will see the implementation of a comprehensive framework designed to assist foreign-trained professionals to reach their full potential, so they will permitted to contribute to the economic success of our Province.

What Bill-124 really means is that the confusing process of obtaining a professional designation will be made easier. The transition for a specialist will be more fluid, with barriers to employment being removed. New Canadians will no longer need to work in jobs unrelated to their profession, without the possibility of working in their field of expertise. New Canadians will now be able to follow-up on their applications for registration with regulatory boards to gain access to work in their profession. The doors of opportunity are now open, to professionals, in all disciplines.


            
Clashes in Canadian Corporate Culture
By Zack Steel - August 2006
What is culture and why does it matter in the workplace? Culture is the collection and immersion in customs and traditions of a group of people that originate from a certain geographical location. These behavioral traits and participation in customs affect a person's involvement with other people who are outside of this cultural group. When two cultures meet there is a clash and a struggle. How can one overcome this predicament and how can it be resolved before the challenge is presented.

Canadian corporate culture is the system of professional communication in companies throughout Canada. It does not permit the the discussion of race, color, creed  and / or culture in the hiring process, promotion or dismissal. As part of the day to day business process, workers are not permitted to talk about concerns related to culture. Understanding Canadian corporate culture requires knowing one’s own way from an entry-level position. For example, from the mail room to a management role, one will learn specific internal processes from the bottom upwards. This knowledge will likely not be immediately known to a newcomer, who regardless of their level of experience and education from abroad, will not know in a hands-on capacity what makes a company function properly.

Especially because highly-educated professional applicants from outside of Canada will not have experience working in an entry-level job, they will also not truly know the corporate culture in their country. A specialized expertise on how to actually perform all jobs below ones position on the corporate ladder is what qualifies one to be a capable manage or director.

Being able to deal with issues in business processes and with employee concerns in all areas is truly means to to be culturally diverse in corporate culture. The next time you are asked if you know about a company's corporate culture be sure to find out if the company is multinational or local, as well as its size and type. Multinational companies will have consistent procedures and universal standard for corporate culture; while local or country specific businesses will have local norms. To be well-versed in foreign corporate culture, first be culturally educated about your own country and its cultures.

Cultural clashes at work can be easily avoided and resolved by using various principles of dispute resolution. When issues arise immediate efforts should be made to initiate dialogue between the parties directed at having each one inform the other about their unique culture and how it effects their work environment.  Perhaps a Cultural or Diversity Consultant should be on staff to provide seminars, to send informative e-mails and to post useful signs that provide education about corporate cultures generally and the corporate culture that is intended in the company.
Gateway to Finance for New Canadian Professionals
By Zack Steel - October 2006
How does and international banking professional begin their career here in Canada? To land on the right foot, a financial professional from a foreign marketing must start out in a non-traditional role. Embarking on a job at a financial services company, such as Clarica, could be the correct move for a new Canadian to make; especially if they have aspirations to work for a bank or related employer in the future.

While this type of job might only pay commission and / or a small base salary, or a draw against future earnings; there are benefits for pursuing this path. Firstly, this type of work will allow one to get their fee wet in the financial services industry and to become familiar with local and national laws and regulatory practices for the financial sector in Canada. Secondly, one will become familiar with industry specific terminology and work practices. Thirdly, one will make contacts in the banking sector that could result in a job offer at a future time.

To the upper echelon of the financial ladder, sometimes one must begin humbly and start a few notches lower on the totem pole than one might desire. Thereafter, one can aim high, based on their acquired reputation in the financial services industry, one will eventually reach great heights.

Our role in the employment services industry is to survey the marketplace and find out what are the best starting points for New Canadians and to expediently set newcomers on the right path. We do this by directly them to community-based groups, which are usually financed by the government or in some cases by philanthropists who want these supports to be in place to benefit the community.

Having worked diligently to amass their fortunes, these captains of industry want to help newcomers and those who have recently entered the job-market to easily advance in their market-sector. Obstacles that newcomers and native-born workers will face are similar. These challenges can include: language (industry specific terminology), culture (corporate culture) and social norms.

To be successful in the financial services industry you will need to understand the structure the financial world. Without the right tools, which are to be garnered through the accumulation of knowledge and diligent work effort, you will not have the payday you had planned.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)