Advice From Career Educators | TalentEgg Trends

Category: Advice From Career Educators (page 1 of 4)

Revolutionizing Careers: Insights from a Trailblazing Career Coach

Daisy Wright is the Chief Encouragement Officer at The Wright Career Solution, where she helps professionals and emerging leaders find fulfilling career paths. She is dedicated to guiding individuals toward career transformation and is a visionary leader behind the Let’s GROW Project and the Aspire to GROW Leadership Academy. These initiatives empower women to own their ambitions and strive for leadership roles and equity in the workplace.

A personal transformation sparked Wright’s journey into career coaching. “I decided to pursue career coaching because of the transformation I witnessed in my own life/career. When I became frustrated in my job, I hired a career coach to help me identify my skills and explore career options.”

This particular experience sparked a passion in her to take on dual roles as a part-time resume writer and a part-time professor in the Faculty of Business at Sheridan College. Over time, this evolved into a full-fledged career coaching endeavour aimed at helping individuals achieve career clarity.

Empowering Others: Effective Strategies for Career Transformation

Transformative stories mark her career to date, “One of the greatest achievements in my work, generally, was to hear a client, who is now a DEI Director, exclaim, ‘I came in with a 180° perspective, and am leaving with a 360°.’ A tangible case study further illustrates the success of a recent graduate, shedding light on the impactful transformations possible.”

Wright believes in empowering students to successfully transition from school to work by utilizing university career centers. She also encourages career educators and employers to not only stay up-to-date with the latest trends but also to immerse themselves in them. “I am an early adapter to any technology that will enhance the work that I do.” says Daisy, “Long before the Pandemic, I was a frequent Zoom platform user, allowing me to work beyond borders. Currently, I am immersing myself into artificial intelligence and have been educating clients about its benefits and limitations.”

Strategies for Enhancing Mental Health and DEI Initiatives

Daisy believes it’s important to address mental health issues in the workplace. She highlights the significant costs that mental health challenges can have for employers and advocates for a workplace culture that prioritizes mental well-being. She suggests employers should provide resources to create supportive environments that enhance productivity and satisfaction. “As a career coach, my role is not limited to the career development of my clients but to their overall well-being. If any mental health issue arises during our work together, it becomes the priority. If the situation is outside the scope of my training, a referral is made.”

Daisy’s work is driven by the core pillars of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She believes that diversity is crucial for driving innovation and performance. Drawing from her lived experiences and collaborations, she emphasizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. According to Wright, employers need to understand that diversity sparks innovation, which ultimately positively impacts the bottom line.

A Note to Career Educators and Employers

Employers can use digital recruitment tools such as job fairs and university partnerships to support and engage emerging talent. They can also establish virtual mentorship programs and foster clear communication channels. Daisy emphasizes, “Employers should expand their hiring pool to include platforms and resources that cater to historically underserved and underrepresented populations.”

In today’s competitive job market, it is recommended that employers use a variety of recruitment methods to attract top talent. It is essential to showcase the company culture and also offer growth opportunities to potential candidates.

For other career educators, Daisy suggests embracing continuous learning, adapting to emerging trends, and fostering mentorship. These practices are crucial in a rapidly evolving field.

Daisy Wright is the Chief Encouragement Officer at The Wright Career Solution. She partners with mid-career professionals, emerging leaders, and executives to help them discover fulfilling career opportunities. Daisy is also the Chief Architect of the Let’s GROW Project, an initiative to empower women and promote leadership.

Navigating the New Age of Career Education and Employment

November 8, 2023 / James Highet / 0 Comments

TalentEgg’s exclusive interview with Gabriela Casineanu, MBTI® Certified Career & Systems Coach, Founder/Principal of Introverts Academy

In today’s fast-paced world marked by rapidly evolving workplace dynamics, technological advancements, and the aftermath of a global pandemic, career coaching has become crucial in guiding students and new graduates toward success. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Gabriela Casineanu, the founder of Introverts Academy and an experienced career coach with 17 years of practice. In this enlightening interview, Gabriela discusses her insights on career education, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), mental health, and strategies for transitioning from school to the workforce in the digital age.

Gabriela’s Career Coaching Journey

Gabriela began her journey into the world of career coaching in 2006. “Three years after immigrating to Canada, I changed my career [from engineering to professional coaching]. Although I had 18 years in the technical field, I always felt something was missing,” she said. Her passion for coaching, her personality, and the rewarding career aspects motivated her to pursue career coaching. Gabriela recognized a gap in employment and career services and sought to introduce a coaching approach that considers everyone’s individual personality types and strengths.

Gabriela’s most outstanding achievement is the development and successful testing of strategies tailored to introverted students, which culminated in her award-winning book, “Introverts: Leverage Your Strengths for an Effective Job Search.” This work led her to teach at the university level and speak at national career development conferences, emphasizing the importance of personality types and traits in career counselling.

Gabriela’s inspiring vision for the future of career coaching aims to encourage over a million individuals to prioritize self-discovery, align their professional paths with their true selves, and embrace flexibility and adaptability in their careers.

Seamless Integration of DEI in the Workplace

Gabriela is a strong advocate for a transformative approach in the DEI space. She believes organizations should go beyond viewing DEI as a mere compliance requirement and instead integrate it into their culture and work environment at all levels. With her interactive and experiential job-related workshops, along with individual and group coaching sessions, Gabriela has helped students and teams learn new concepts and strategies, empowering them to improve interpersonal communication and foster an inclusive atmosphere.

A Holistic Approach to Well-being in the Workplace

Gabriela believes in a holistic approach to well-being that goes beyond mental health. “In my work with students, I help them understand that they have a two-fold responsibility: to themselves and the organization they’re part of (equally important for mental health). And I encourage them to speak up when they notice something about the work environment, how it affects them, or when they don’t feel well,” Gabriela tells us. Gabriela recognizes the profound connection between the mind, body, and spirit, and she emphasizes the importance of a healthy work environment that considers employees’ needs, strengths, and ideas. A healthy work environment promotes mental well-being and increases productivity and team performance.

Supporting and Attracting Students and New Grads

Employers can proactively support students and recent graduates in the digital age. Gabriela suggests that companies should communicate their willingness to hire candidates with less experience, emphasize the importance of soft and transferable skills, and consider personality and potential during the hiring process. Building connections with educational institutions and fostering alumni relationships can attract top talent.

According to Gabriela’s experience, employers can attract top students by aligning their organizational culture with the values of the current generation. Highlighting successful hires and their stories and promoting them can also help attract talent. Offering incentives for employee referrals and actively participating in career fairs can further enhance an organization’s appeal.

Advice for Career Educators

Gabriela’s advice for new career educators is to be patient and understand that expertise grows with experience. In the post-pandemic era, she urges tenured career educators to embrace technology fully, stay up-to-date on digital trends, and adapt their teaching approaches based on the personality types of their students.

Gabriela reminds us that amidst the endless stream of information, individuals and organizations have inner compasses – intuition and mission, respectively. These guiding lights can help navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education and employment. Success in the modern career coaching age becomes achievable and deeply fulfilling when individuals and organizations cultivate an organizational culture and a workplace environment that empowers employees to contribute their best towards the company’s mission, all while pursuing their own career goals.

Visit talenteggtrends.ca for more up-to-date employer, school and career centre news, tips and information!

Career Coaching: Cultivating Growth and Development

August 22, 2023 / Charlie Gibbons / 0 Comments

TalentEgg was granted the opportunity to speak with Stefanie Ince, a certified and experienced career coach based in Toronto, Ontario. She is the founder of March Management, a business that offers its clients strategic career coaching services. Stefanie’s vision is to provide the finest personalized professional development services while empowering her clients to thrive at work and in their daily lives. We delved into why she chose career coaching, her most outstanding achievements, and her thoughts on imperative topics like DEI, mental health, and more.

Stefanie’s Career Inspiration

Before becoming a career coach, Stefanie had a storied 20-year career in the not-for-profit sector. What caused this drastic career pivot after such a long tenure in the not-for-profit sector? Stefanie explains, “I have always been passionate about having an impact in my professional life.” This passion and drive led her to start her own company. “I started March Management with a goal to provide coaching services to help individuals really see themselves and gain clarity about their objectives for their professional lives.”

Stefanie’s Greatest Achievements

As a career coach, Stefanie works with a lot of students. This field can be highly rewarding, helping emerging professionals find success and accomplishment in the workplace. She has had many achievements helping others in this sector, but she shared with us her greatest one. “I would say that my greatest achievement is when I can help my clients to really see themselves – through the identification of their strengths and superpowers.”

Stefanie believes instilling confidence in students and helping them align their interests with a particular professional path is the ultimate feat. Building a plan for a professional life starts with believing in who you are as a person, and she wants to help students accomplish this.

Going forward, Stefanie hopes to use her own knowledge and advice internally. “I hope to do what I encourage my clients to do – continue to learn and grow, and share what I learn with my clients!”

Successfully Transitioning Students from School-to-Work

The school-to-work transition is a massive challenge for students. Recently, the current economy has made it more difficult than previous years to break into an entry-level position. Given her role as a career coach, it’s intriguing to learn about the advice Stefanie provides students aiming to break into the industry. She told us she encourages students and young professionals to be “brutally honest” with themselves about what they want to do.

“We can all get caught up in doing what we think we are supposed to do rather than what really lights us up inside, and I try to challenge my clients to think about that.”

Students’ Biggest Pain Points

The school-to-work transition is not simple, many hurdles are in the way of these students. She emphasizes a common struggle she sees, “confidence is a real challenge for students, because in many cases, they don’t give themselves enough credit for the experiences that they already have.”

The pandemic unfortunately has amplified this problem, “I think that confidence has always been an issue, but because of the pandemic, people may have been more isolated in the last few years, which can amplify their anxiety or lack of confidence.” According to Stefanie, creating a safe space for students to come out of their comfort zones is also essential.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Among Students And New Grads

DEI has become a significantly noted topic in the modern workplace. Many workplaces and companies are adopting more diversity and more inclusive policies. This topic has also become an essential part of career coaching in the modern era.

That is why Stefanie has added a twist on her DEI philosophy. “I have been using the term DEIB, with the “B”, standing for ‘belonging,’” she continues, “my coaching philosophy is grounded in encouraging people to see themselves as they are.” She stresses the importance of celebrating what makes us different. “An important part of really seeing ourselves, and understanding what value we bring to an organization or community.”

It can be seen that the new generation of workers place high importance on these issues, and for good reason. But what can employers do to make sure they are respecting DEI? “I think what employers need to understand is that being inclusive, creating and sustaining a culture that is dedicated to DEIB principles is essential for recruiting and retaining top talent.”

Stefanie is amazed to see emerging professionals and students demanding these principles in the workplace. “It makes me excited to be able to work in this area – where candidates are creating such impactful culture shifts in the industry.”

Mental Health In The Workplace

Since the pandemic, mental health has deteriorated amongst Gen Z. It has become more and more important that employees’ mental health and wellbeing is respected. “In my opinion, mental health is the most important issue we are facing right now.” She emphasizes, “that it all starts at the top” and that mental health impacts all of us, and having conversations within your organization and having a safe corporate culture is crucial.

With that in mind, there are important strides employers need to take to make sure mental health is held in high regard. Stefanie shared the findings of a study with a corporate client, “which found that when an employer is committed to mental health, their employees HAVE better mental health. What this means is that creating a corporate culture that breaks down stigma and encourages open conversations about mental health can and will have an impact.”

She continues by saying that the importance of one-to-one conversations can’t be understated. Encouraging honest and open discussions about hopes and fears can be a vulnerable subject, but those are the types of conversations she thinks we should be having in the workplace.

How Employers Can Support Young Talent

Stefanie shares how employers can better support their young talent. “Students want to work for companies that care about them and about making the world a better place. So, I think the most important thing that employers can do is just that.”

That’s not all. A manager committed to developing young talent, an inclusive company culture, and flexibility are other ways she pinpoints.

How Employers Can Attract Top Students

It is crucial for employers to stay on top of modern issues like DEI and mental health if they want to continue to attract emerging professionals. Stefanie mentioned previously “DEIB” principles are essential for recruiting talent, but what else?

Stressing the importance of employee support, “to invest in people – providing a fair salary, tools and supports required to ensure employees are doing the best job they can do, emotional support, coaching, and other ways that demonstrate that they really care is also really important.”

“To create a corporate culture that encourages growth, development, safety, DEIB Principles and a healthy workplace is the first step,” she also highlights.

Stefanie offers one last piece of advice for fellow career educators in this field. She explains,

“I think that students have a lot to teach us. We should remember that, pay attention, listen and learn.”

Stefanie Ince is a certified career coach in Toronto, providing personalized, leadership coaching for her clients for whatever part of their journey. She founded March Management with a vision to provide career and leadership coaching services that will empower her clients to live their best, most authentic lives at home and work.

Career Coaching: Navigating Challenges and Inspiring Success

June 22, 2023 / Charlie Gibbons / 0 Comments

TalentEgg had the privilege of interviewing Shelly Elsliger, a seasoned Career Consultant/Coach. She has a rich background of 20 years in higher education career coaching at renowned university business schools like John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. DEI is an integral part of all her endeavours. When working with students, she diligently prepares them for interviews and addresses DEI-related inquiries.

Shelly’s Career Inspiration

We were curious to know what inspired Shelly to pursue career education, to which she responded, “I think Career Coaching found me.” She states how she checked out a local Youth Employment Services Center in Montreal during her early twenties. She spoke to the director and felt an immediate connection, promptly asking for mentorship. Her wish was granted, and she shadowed the director for months, quickly realizing she had found her passion and never looked back.

Shelly told us, “I find it a rewarding career that constantly changes and challenges me. I am always looking for ways to challenge students, build their confidence, and help them explore and find ways to design their career development process. I never just settle and always believe that there is always more I can do as a Career Coach.”

Shelly’s Greatest Achievements

When asked about her most significant achievements in her career, Shelly answered, “My greatest achievement must be my ability to help students understand professional branding .” She explained how many students face imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and FOMO to the point where they feel they can’t progress in their careers.

She harnesses her extensive knowledge in this field, offering valuable guidance to students. Shelly enables them to grasp the mechanics of LinkedIn algorithms and effectively construct their narratives as practical tools for in-person and online networking. When she sees that her work helps students transform and achieve this (she calls it an Oprah Ah-ha moment), it makes her “heart and soul full.”

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Among Students’ And New Grads’

As mentioned prior, DEI is a significant aspect of Shelly’s work. She touches on her qualifications and values, “I am certified in Leadership and Inclusion. When it comes to serving students, I place an important goal on making each coaching, workshop, or event experience as inclusive as I can. I have never been someone who treats students with a “buffet” style approach. I get to know students at a deeper level and always try to build their confidence and their sense of belonging.” Shelly adds that each student she interacts with is different from the last. She must wear a “different hat” for each student.

Shelly’s diverse “hat collection” enhances her readiness to support students from various cultures and backgrounds. “I hope to model an important lesson for students: an understanding that fostering inclusive behaviours will help them be better in terms of individual, team, and organizational contributions when they move from the world of school to the world of work,” she concludes.

Mental Health Among Students’ And New Grads’

We wondered how mental health factors into what Shelly does. “Everyone has a story we know nothing about. I always keep that in mind when working with students. Knowing the signs and doing something about it is so important in the work I do. I got certified in Mental Health CPR from the Mental Health Commission of Canada and LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) so I can know the signs and lessen the barriers that exist,” she explains.

Shelly mentions that she provides a safe space for students, who can depend on her if they need help or just someone to talk to. She expands further, stating, “in some cases, a conversation and safe place to come is not enough. In some cases, students are experiencing thoughts of suicide, and it is part of my role to make sure they have the right resources available.”

Successfully Transitioning Students from School-to-Work

As a primary focus of her position, we asked Shelly how she helps students transition from school to the workplace, especially in the post-pandemic digital age. She responded, “There is still the catch-22 when it comes to experience, so incorporating different programs and offerings on campus to simulate real-world situations and build skills is important. I am a big believer that diverse experiences can help students grow in diverse ways. Students often lack confidence and confidence is key.” Shelly states it is important to stay outside the box when assisting in this area with services like workshops, guest speakers, coaching sessions, and more.

Students’ Biggest Pain Points

Shelly was kind enough to provide insights on the most considerable pain points her students often encounter in a job search in 2023. She highlighted eight:

Branding and standing out for recruitment
Interview tips and practice
Job search and where to find diverse opportunities
Navigating job search as an international student and what employers are open to hiring international students
Lack of work experience
The competitive and changing job market
Knowing what jobs match their academic background
Their approach to building relationships and approaching decision-makers

Shelly mentions that the prominence of technology has transformed the recruitment landscape, introducing ambiguity and a sense of unpreparedness due to constant change. This shift has heightened the need to anticipate the unexpected, creating a heightened sense of urgency. She adds that students perceive how technology poses new challenges. Previously, creating an attractive resume was difficult enough. Now, insecurity and frustration arise as they wonder if their resume will navigate the ATS pipeline and reach recruiters. “There is definitely an increased feeling of not ‘being enough’ or ‘having enough’ and this constant message and nagging of keeping up in terms of skill demands and expectations,” Shelly closes.

How Employers Can Support Young Talent

Shelly shared her advice for employers on better supporting their student personnel. She advises employers to highlight expectations clearly; there should be no ambiguity. A thorough onboarding process is another suggestion, as well as ensuring students are accommodated for whatever they may need in their position. Furthermore, transparency, training, and collaboration are keywords she underscores as essential for employers to focus on when supporting students in the workplace.

How Employers Can Connect with Top Students

We were curious to know Shelly’s thoughts on the best ways for employers to connect with students. She mentions an on-campus presence is crucial. “This is a way to be involved in something unique and a way to stand out. My only suggestion is to put some thought and consideration into what you will do and how you will do it. Students want to show you what they have, and they want to know your ‘WHY,'” she explains. Employers must tap into what students are looking for and make themselves memorable. Info Sessions, workshops, and case competitions are all great ways to have a campus presence. She adds that free merch and food won’t cut it. Make your company feel meaningful, and do not waste the student’s time. Make a lasting impression.

Advice for Fellow Career Educators

We asked Shelly for advice she has for other career educators who are getting started in the field, as well as some guidance for the post-pandemic era. She provided five tips for career educators who are starting out:

Take a coaching certificate; it will change the way you interact with students, support dialogue, and build trust
Take time to figure out the lay of the land and set up times to meet people to gather perspective. Make sure to meet people beyond who you will directly be working with daily but the important folk involved in the student journey
Be open to collaboration. Great things happen when diverse stakeholders work to create learning experiences
Ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are the foundation of all you do so that every student feels like they belong
Build your resource library so you always have more to offer

She adds five tips for career educators in the post-pandemic landscape:

Understand that things are different and accept that adapting will take time.
Prepare to see some new graduates or even older alums return for career help due to layoffs, especially in tech
Commit to understanding the new way of doing things and be up to date on trends like; recruitment strategies, the gig economy, the importance of networking, applicant tracking systems and resume development, virtual interviewing and virtual recruitment, micro-certifications, and ChatGPT to name a few
Make sure you know where students can go for the right resources in case they need additional support in other areas, for example, mental health resources on campus
Give students the opportunity and the space to explore and “develop many possible career selves” and provide support and insight into new career options

Conclusion

Shelly concluded our discussion by sharing her “quote of the day.” She mentioned that she has an “inspiration board” that always includes inspirational quotes for students. She stated that students had told her that her quotes had provided affirmation for them when they needed it most. She shared her quote with us from Thomas Edison, who stated, “If we all did the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”

Shelly Elsliger has been a Career Coach for more than 20 years. She has worked at both John Molson School of Business (Concordia University) and Rotman Commerce (University of Toronto). Currently, Shelly is a Consultant who now operates her own business, Linked-Express and is also a Senior Career, Leadership, and Inclusion Coach for CareerJoy.

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Category: Advice From Career Educators (page 1 of 4)

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