BCjobs Blog

Many managers view hiring as one of the easier decisions they have to make. Problem is, it’s also one of the hardest decisions to unmake!
Here’s a common scenario for busy managers. A vacancy is posted on the web. Some promising, skilled candidates apply–you interview, conduct a reference or two, make an offer and you’re done.

The Canadian government has decided that it is time for temporary foreign workers to make their decisions about remaining in Canada more quickly. With the implementation of the new regulations effective on April 1, 2011, foreign workers will only be allowed a maximum four year work permit period at a time. At the end of each period, these individuals are required to return back to their home country for another four years before being eligible to apply for another Canadian work permit. There will be no reprieve for individuals on a work permit awaiting their permanent resident status approval. Even if they are pending the issuance of their landing status, foreign nationals will be required to return home to await final PR approval.

I was listening to a discussion the other day about reference checks and heard someone ask the question, “What can an employer say”?
I have been in human resources for many years and held management and supervisory positions prior to that – so I’ve been asked to supply references for years. There is no doubt that reference checks are not given as freely as they once were because of lawsuits that have challenged previous employers because of things said or not said about an employee. The thing is: reference checks help employers make good hires.

Think back three short years when skilled candidates were scarce. Some businesses closing their doors for lack of employees; wages at Tim Horton’s in Alberta rose close to $20/hour, university students were working all summer, and even if you were fortunate enough to hire skilled employees, retaining them was another matter!

On the average day, I read somewhere between 10 and 50 job postings. Yes, the life of a professional recruiter is not a glamorous one – shocking but true. Also shocking and true is the fact that 90% of those job ads have something in common that limits their effectiveness in a huge way.

Whether you’ve just started a small business or are the head honcho in a entrepreneurial corporation, any of the following top ten employee hiring mistakes could prove disastrous for your business.

Employers in major metropolitan areas of British Columbia have a number of methods to advertise their available job openings. From out-of-home to sponsored job fairs to social media, organizations in large BC cities can often reach talented candidates due to their location. But what about smaller BC communities?

New hire training, orientation and communication tactics can help you get staff up to speed as soon as possible. Managers often want to “on ramp” staff quickly, whether they’re new hires or inter-departmental transfers. However, starting a new job can present an array of challenges and the learning curve can vary depending on the individual.

Career-fair planning should begin a few months before the exhibition dates and summer is a great time for you to get organized—recruiters should ensure all display equipment is in working order, marketing materials are ordered, and a publicity strategy is in place.

Lately there has been a lot of news in the media that Western Canada is seeing the first signs of economic recovery. Housing sales and starts are up, unemployment numbers in June were significantly lower than predicted and companies are starting to hire again.