On March 3, 2015 The Business School Placement Centre hosted an interviewing skills workshop with TJX Canada (Winners, HomeSense, Marshalls). 

The event opened with Teresa Gabriele, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, who held a presentation on tips and techniques for interviewing. Following Teresa’s presentation, a panel of TJX Canada recruitment representatives was welcomed to answer student questions and provide insight into successfully completing interviews to secure placement and job opportunities. Following the panel discussion, students were invited to network with the TJX Canada team. 

The panel offered great advice including these key points:

• A good resume is key and will secure an interview, however it will not get you the job
• Always tailor your application to incorporate the specific terms, skills, and responsibilities outlined in the corresponding job description and specifications
• Add professional and personal flare to your resume, this will help to set you apart
• Avoid surface answers by using the STAR method; situation, task, action, result
• Provide specific quantifiable examples of what you made, saved or achieved
• Behavioural questions are asked to understand how the applicant has behaved in the past, therefore, you must provide specific examples of similar work experience (STAR stories)
• Situational interview questions are asked assuming that the applicant does not possess the relevant work experience. However, it is important to describe how you would behave in a given situation drawing from your personal life experience
• Enthusiasm and passion in an interview is critical, even more so in a phone interview (smile!)
• Make sure to research the company prior to an interview, and sell yourself on how you can contribute to the organization
• Never fake it, always be yourself. 

Rollout of Humber’s new, unified communications solution is progressing as planned.  To date, approximately 25% of Humber has successfully migrated to the new solution.  The full rollout is on track for November.

Unified communications offers many benefits over traditional telephony.   Notable functions and features include the ability to:

• Host and/or participate in audio, video, and Web conferences
• Place and receive calls using your computer or laptop
• Route incoming calls to a smartphone or home office
• Dial extensions by first and/or last name
• Receive, play, forward, and delete voicemail from your e-mail mailbox
• Transfer calls in progress from your desk phone to your smartphone
• Collaborate with others in the organization via interactive messaging

These features were not available on Humber’s legacy telephony system.

Other benefits include new e911 capabilities that will enhance Public Safety’s ability to respond to incidents and new queuing functions/features that will help the Call Centre improve the caller experience.

At this time, Public Safety is also testing a new broadcast messaging feature that will allow text and/or voice alerts through the new phones.  You may see evidence of the testing.   More details will be communicated soon.

Asked for feedback on her recent transition to the new system, Olga Lalka, Director of Marketing, said, “I love getting voice messages as e-mail and how deleting the e-mail automatically deletes the voice message.”

Regarding the new interactive messaging feature, Anna Borg shared with Academic & Educational Technology Committee, “I find the texting quite handy for collaboration.  I use it a lot; it saves me a lot of time.”

“Conferencing is wonderful”, said Eileen DeCourcy, Associate Vice-president of Teaching and Learning, recently.  “It has made collaborating so much easier.  I can also attend a meeting anywhere from my office.” 

Information Technology Services is transitioning a School/Department every two weeks starting with individuals moving to the LRC to align with the move-in schedule.  The focus will shift to the Lakeshore Campus in April.

The School of Liberal Arts & Sciences was the first School to transition to the new services.  Of the transition, Paul Gouveia has said, “It was incredibly smooth.  The team did an excellent job.  We are very happy.”

If you have any questions, please contact Ryan Burton, Director of I.T. Planning & Client Services, at Ryan.Burton@humber.ca

Humber College celebrates International Women’s Day

Women are leaders

Women lead in colleges and university enrollments and graduates, making up 57% of all students enrolled in university undergraduates in 2012. Women now make up more than 47% of the Canadian workforce and are working in increasingly diverse fields. In 2009, more than 51% of those employed in business and finance were women, as well as more than 55% of doctors, dentists and health professionals. In 2013, 35.7% of those in managerial positions were women, up from just over 30% in 1987. Women are also making gains in the political arena. The 41^st session of the Parliament of Canada included a record number of women members – a total of 77 or 25%.

Women are role models

Every day, women are excelling in all fields, including business, politics, science, academia, media, the arts and sport. By recognizing women's successes, we can inspire young people to pursue their dreams and fulfil their highest potential. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we also acknowledge that challenges remain. A significant number of women and girls around the world continue to face violence and poverty, and some are denied their basic human rights. Many struggle to participate fully in their communities.

In Canada

Too many women continue to live in poverty: Women comprise more than half of all people with low income in Canada. Aboriginal women, lone mothers, women with disabilities and recent immigrants experience higher rates of persistent low income than other Canadians.

Violence against women and girls remains a serious issue: Research shows that just being a young woman is a risk factor for violence. For example, in 2011, rates of family violence against girls were 56% higher than for boys. In addition, some forms of intimate partner violence appear to be on the rise. In 2011, women were 11% more likely to be victims of sexual assault than in 2009, and they continue to be more likely to experience sexual and chronic forms of abuse from their intimate partner than men.

Despite being highly educated and experienced in business, Canadian women are under-represented at the highest levels of corporate Canada. In 2013, only 15.9% of directors at FP500 companies were women — 40% of these firms had no women directors at all.

These are just some of the barriers that affect the lives of girls and women every day.

It will take the actions of many to change this reality – and engaging youth is key. By acknowledging and learning about these inequalities with your students you can inspire action and create momentum for a more equitable and just society.

Source: Adapted from Status of Women Canada: swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/iwd-jif/why-pourquoi-en.html